This potentially getting promoted 'too soon' debate...


Balti Man

Winger
I cast my mind back to losing to Charlton at Wembley in 1998. Utterly devastating at the time, after a great season. But hindsight suggests staying down a further season then storming to the title stood us in better stead going into the Premier League.

I wonder if potentially going up this year, despite the blatantly obvious financially lucrative benefits, might be similar? We now already have more than a nucleus of a very good side. Another season in the Championship with most of these players (with Ekwah, Hume, Cirkin, Hume, Neil, Ba, Michael potentially and others) gaining another full season of experience, along with bedding in hopefully two or more new strikers, might mean we go up stronger.

The 'danger' is that going up now and potentially coming straight down again might result in this exciting young team (that could spend several years developing and improving) being dismantled sooner. Yes we would be in the Championship with loads of money, in a 'better' state to have another go, but who knows?

All hypothetical anyway since we might get knocked out tonight or lose at Wembley, or we might go up and stay up!

Part of me just feels that should we not go up this month, next season could see us having a storming season with this current crop (with reinforcements) being much stronger and being better equipped for the top flight when we get there.

Of course, we could miss out now and be floundering mid-table in the Championship next year and be thinking we could have had £100+ million when we had a great chance. Who is to say how tough the Championship will be next season and we could rue a rare opportunity to 'sneak' promotion this year and regret it for years?

Or a meringue?

In the end, I can't help willing the Lads to get promoted and face what comes, but I have a niggling feeling we could miss out on seeing this team storming it next year with these current players ramping up another few notches. I suppose we should/can trust the recruitment team to utilise any Premier League income and potential parachute payments (should the worst happen) and we could do a Burnley in two years from now...

All ifs and buts but curious to know the thoughts of the wise SMB. I would wager the majority thinking 'F**k it, let's get up and worry about it later and have a good f**king go!'
 
Take a look at Coventry Balti they are a good side and have been in Championship and league one for the past 20+years, you CANNOT simply pick and choose when to go up, you need to grasp it with both hands and let the cards lie where they fall, worry about next season next season.
 
Mind the league next season will be a hell of a lot stronger in general with the level of teams coming down and going up, also the teams already in the division that have been restricted in their transfer spending this season will no doubt become stronger next.

Im sure we will still hold our own should we not go up this season....but this is an absolute golden opportunity that im sure the players and manager are aware of.

Also the danger of losing players in the close season as im sure our team is attracting attention from prem clubs
 
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I think its a different time, back then you would generally build a team, now its the boards responsibility to build a club. For individual players it is too soon, your Ba's, Bennett and Alese' and co but that doesn't hold a candle to the opportunity even a season in the premiership provides the club.
 
Chances are Clarke, Roberts and Stewart will be off if we don’t. Amad won’t be back either if we don’t go up.
This is the thing. There's no way to know that the group will still be together if we stay in the Championship. Footballers' contracts don't have much longevity these days. In fact all sorts of things can happen to dent the momentum. It's always the best time to get promoted now.
 
I think its a different time, back then you would generally build a team, now its the boards responsibility to build a club. For individual players it is too soon, your Ba's, Bennett and Alese' and co but that doesn't hold a candle to the opportunity even a season in the premiership provides the club.
I'm waiting for those saying 09 isn't good enough for the prem, he like others will take the challenge on head first and relish it, that's how they have developed this season despite the injury setbacks and managers leaving, the only thing to fear is fear itself (and Haaland if we go up 😆)
 
Congratulations on winning the Euromillions Sir!

Thanks but I’ll decline, it’s too much too soon. Hopefully I can win it again one day in the future.


Congratulations on winning the Euromillions Sir, however in accepting, you take the risk that significant additions will be made to your close-knit and loving family, which aren't guaranteed to be of benefit.

Should you decline, you run the risk of losing a few family members completely.
 
I cast my mind back to losing to Charlton at Wembley in 1998. Utterly devastating at the time, after a great season. But hindsight suggests staying down a further season then storming to the title stood us in better stead going into the Premier League.

I wonder if potentially going up this year, despite the blatantly obvious financially lucrative benefits, might be similar? We now already have more than a nucleus of a very good side. Another season in the Championship with most of these players (with Ekwah, Hume, Cirkin, Hume, Neil, Ba, Michael potentially and others) gaining another full season of experience, along with bedding in hopefully two or more new strikers, might mean we go up stronger.

The 'danger' is that going up now and potentially coming straight down again might result in this exciting young team (that could spend several years developing and improving) being dismantled sooner. Yes we would be in the Championship with loads of money, in a 'better' state to have another go, but who knows?

All hypothetical anyway since we might get knocked out tonight or lose at Wembley, or we might go up and stay up!

Part of me just feels that should we not go up this month, next season could see us having a storming season with this current crop (with reinforcements) being much stronger and being better equipped for the top flight when we get there.

Of course, we could miss out now and be floundering mid-table in the Championship next year and be thinking we could have had £100+ million when we had a great chance. Who is to say how tough the Championship will be next season and we could rue a rare opportunity to 'sneak' promotion this year and regret it for years?

Or a meringue?

In the end, I can't help willing the Lads to get promoted and face what comes, but I have a niggling feeling we could miss out on seeing this team storming it next year with these current players ramping up another few notches. I suppose we should/can trust the recruitment team to utilise any Premier League income and potential parachute payments (should the worst happen) and we could do a Burnley in two years from now...

All ifs and buts but curious to know the thoughts of the wise SMB. I would wager the majority thinking 'F**k it, let's get up and worry about it later and have a good f**king go!'
Not going up is just as likely to see this team broken up because clubs with more money will want a number of the players. I always want us to win and all season have wanted promotion,although I hoped we'd not be involved in a relegation battle in tge first instance. Surely nobody wants to fall just at the end of the race.We can't decide when to go up - the lesson of League One is get out when you can.
 
Congratulations on winning the Euromillions Sir, however in accepting, you take the risk that significant additions will be made to your close-knit and loving family, which aren't guaranteed to be of benefit.

Should you decline, you run the risk of losing a few family members completely.
just gis the dosh son nee bodies garna get nowt
 
All very good points! I suppose it's just been wonderful truly enjoying watching SAFC for the first time in ages and hoping it continues, with all the feel-good factor etc.

I am ultimately of the view that we need to grasp the opportunity, should we be fortunate enough. Let's hope we give ourselves the 'problem' then worry about it! Need to get through tonight first and foremost.
 
If I’m totally honest we have probably over achieved with what we have at our disposal. It just goes to show how much a good team spirit matters. Its obvious looking at them they are playing without the pressures of it being vital to get promoted.
I also wonder what KLD is thinking. He will know in the unlikely event that we gain promotion players contracts will rocket. Will he be that bothered if things don’t turn out the way we would love it to?
 

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