Any ol' iron

[SmileyMan]

So with the playoffs almost impossible, and Wilder's new team on the brink of pulling off a great escape, does anyone at all want to go and hear the combination of angry yellow fans booing their own players, and Northampton's travellers taunting us about our epic choke?

Because I sure don't

[amershamwrighty]

To lift my despair a little, I console myself with the fact that it is better to be an Oxford fan in our position than a Northampton fan in theirs.

[Snake]

To lift my despair a little, I console myself with the fact that it is better to be an Oxford fan in our position than a Northampton fan in theirs.

Disagree. Glory can be gained by avoiding relegation. Anyone on here remember Tranmere away? - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSzjrsuu6ac

[Snake]

If I was IL I'd be trawling through those 69 job applications which are now in the filing cabinet marked 'recycling' somewhere in Woodstock.

Most of the applications will be from people who like to have a formal (but standard rejection letter) from the club so long as it comes on nice headed paper and they can frame it etc...

Manchester United’s club secretary (or more probably an office minion delegated to the task of keeping the weirdoes happy) will be busy sending out a lot more than we do did in the next few weeks.

[Ancient Colin]

Glory can be gained by avoiding relegation.

To which the easy counter is 6th May 2006. I'd rather miss the chance of glory to avoid the potential for despondency.

Still, I expect Ty will be going along to bow to his master ...

OK, I'm a natural pessimist, but we look like finishing where I thought we would around December, felt like our position for much of the first half of the season was artificial (not that I'd seen many away games). I know it's easy to say that with 20-20 hindsight, but that's what I was voting in polls. It's all a bit depressing really. Not sure what I think of Waddock - there certainly didn't seem to be any positive reaction to his arrival, which is worrying. Thouhg I seem to recall Wycombe played quite decent football under him? With Pittman and Betsy wide in a sort of fast breaking shape? Or was that earlier when they still had Tyson?

I have to say I am seriously doubting renewing my season ticket next year. It's a long slog from "the other place", it's a pain organising a beer with friends beforehand, I miss a high number of games (can't make mid-weeks e.g., early season clashes with cycling, I've hardly seen more than a handful of entertaining games in n seasons and there are far too many shouty critics in our bit of the SSU spoiling the experience. It's not going to be an easy sell.

[Jimski]

I do get a feeling (perhaps because of general despondency with this season), that if we start badly next season, it may all go pear-shaped. Season ticket numbers may well be down anyway, and if results go wrong initially, attendances of 4.5k may become the norm, leading to greater and greater losses, etc., etc.

Then again our promotion season from the Conference came the season when I'd basically given up on us ever getting out of it, so it's probably just me being negative!

[GodalmingYellow]

I'm feeling so fed up about how the club has operated since Christmas, my rebellious mind is telling me not to renew my season ticket.

But after 30 years or so as a season ticket holder, renewing is a hard habit to shake off.

My concerns at the moment are that we've seen so little (if any) improvement from Waddock's teams (yes I know they're not really his) to indicate that he is going to progress the club in the same way that I want, and that the inevitable drop in season ticket numbers and home ticket sales is going to start impacting on budget, resulting in avoiding relegation more likely than achieving promotion. So so often we start seasons well and end badly, but I never get used o it. The let down is a horrible experience. Even with this not being Waddock's team, I didn't expect such a terrible run of results to end the season and it is easy to question exactly what it is that Waddock brings to the table above even what Mickey Lewis was doing.

I really, really thought this season was going to be our season. The division is poor, we had some decent players, we started the season well, we've had several seasons to get used to the standard of football, we've got promotion experience. Ideal circumstances. But none of that seemed to change the end result. Next season will be much tougher to get out of this division at the right end of the table.

Rebellious me says I should wait to see what Waddock and the club does over the next month or six weeks. See which players are booted out and perhaps more importantly if any are sent on their way with the bath water. We don't usually sign too many early on, so no point waiting for that.

I think increasing season ticket prices was a risky decision given Lenagan's laissez fair attitude to managerial replacement. Its all very well increasing prices to cover losses, but that can only really be justified when there hasn't been a contribution to those losses resulting from poor decision making at the highest level. It isn't for fans to cover any losses caused by Lenagan's slack administration in the final half of this last season. Also I see the benefits of season tickets are being reduced,

I imagine I will renew, as I always do, but I'm much less than happy about it this year than in seasons gone by, so I can easily imagine how those less committed (foolish) than myself would find it easy to avoid making the purchase.

[Jimski]

And it's all very well to ask for fans to do their bit, but since we've returned to the league we've been 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 5th in the "attendances league". (The first two seasons averaged a very creditable 7 - 7.5k, then there was a dip to the 5.9k that we've had this season and last season. I don't think you can argue that it's the crowds that aren't doing their bit. But the lack of direction at the end of this season will very likely produce a further dip for next season.

[neilw]

Whilst I'm generally supportive of IL, I also recognise that in his eight years, post purchase, he has spent circa £5m and achieved absolutely nothing. As a club we remain in the same position(ish), with zero assets and unsustainable operating costs. It's not easy to continue to "believe"

Saying that, despite decades of supporting and hurt, come the new season, all logic goes out the window. Just like every fan of every team: "This season's gonna be different ... We've made good signings ... We're a good bet given the long odds ... It can't be as bad as last season". Unfortunately, for us, reality wins come April

I'd like to say I'm not renewing my ST, as I've better things to do. Actually, I haven't really, so no doubt I will.

[YF Dan]

For the most part, I think IL has done a good job. I agree with most of his recent decisions regarding the direction of the club, bringing through youth, not spunking money away on short term fixes, trying to build a stable club...however I think the odds are stacked against anyone making a success of the club at the moment, but I think the approach he's taking is the most sensible one.

Yes, he took too long to replace Wilder, but let's not forget it was only a couple of weeks before that many on this very forum were demanding ML was given the job til the end of the season. A few defeats later and suddenly people were demanding change, now. With hindsight, he delayed too long, yes, but two weeks earlier it wasn't so clear cut. With more hindsight, I think his big mistake was signing Wilder on for another season at the end of last season, when his heart was clearly elsewhere (but that's a discussion for another thread).

The area I think IL really hasn't got right is marketing the club. For instance, there is so little imagination in the season ticket sales strategy. Also, the shirt sponsorship idea last year was good, but then massively messed up. If I'd entered my company for that prize, for a sizable amount of money, and then watched the club gave the sposnorship for free to bloody Analmites (sic) who didn't even enter the draw, I'd be furious. You can bet I wouldn't fall for that trick again. I don't rate our chances of a sponsor next year, and I sure as hell won't by any shirt with their ugly logo on either.

Let's go on: Tickets are stupidly expensive. £23 to watch dour division four football on a cabbage patch in a soulless stadium selling out of date beer is suicide. Having to queue up to buy a ticket from those windows is infuriating. Not being able to sit next to your mates is horrible. Don't get me started again on public transport. Or get KY started on the lack of pubs.

We need radical ideas, whereas I fear IL is a steady conservative in this regard.

[GodalmingYellow]

Many people on here clamouring for ML to get the job until the end of the season? I think you've mis-remembered that bit Dan.

IL was 4 to 5 weeks late in making an appointment, and had he been doing his job properly previously, he would have been aware of Wilder's fairly obvious want away desires and either stuck with him or been far more prepared for the change, which might actually have given a new manager half a chance of making a success of a season already in downturn.

Yes the shirt sponsorship was appallingly handled and many other areas have not been well looked after. But they didn't ruin our season. Since Wilder left on 25 January, we've only won 4 games of football out of a possible 18. That is what ruined our season. And the delays in making an appointment are what prevented us getting more wins. 4 wins. That must be a run close to the club's worst win ratio ever. Even bottom of the table Torquay won 5 games over the same period, and second bottom Northampton have won 6.

A team with the players that we have simply should not have a run of just 4 wins from 18.

[Hog]

You can add Hoglette and I to the list of people pondering the ST dilemma. At the moment she's adamant she won't be getting one but we'll see! I'm in the 50/50 camp.

I've only been a ST holder for about 12 years (Hoglette for 3) but I probably did 15-20 home games a season for 10 years before that and 15 games a season for 10 years before that and I've lived in Hampshire for the last 31 years which means at least an hour each way and 3 gallons of petrol each time depending on whereabouts I was living.

I've got to the point now where I feel I'm only going to games out of habit and because I don't want to 'waste' the money I've already spent on the ST's but I'm just throwing good money after bad! Since I've had my ST I've sat with a group of about 6-7 mates (all Exiles from various parts) in the SSU but since just after Xmas Hoglette and I have had to move seats to get away from two particular morons behind us who moan and shout abuse even when we were winning. One only appeared this season but the other has been unpleasant for several years and resorts to personal abuse of us (my group) when challenged about his behaviour and attitude.

I'm not too bothered about the 'soul-less' surroundings (apart from that horrible open end) because we're only in the stadium for a couple of hours every fortnight so I can live with the breeze block walls (because I'm only in the concourse for 10 minutes a fortnight!) and I'm capable of walking for 15-20 minutes from a decent little pub (Golden Ball) and excellent chip shop in Littlemore but the thing that really infuriates me is the state of the pitch and the prospect of having to endure that mess post-Xmas for the next 3 seasons (at least) is a big consideration when I make my mind up. Unlike quite a few I have some sympathy with the players when they complain about it and dismissing it being the same for both teams doesn't tell the whole story: United have to endure it for 13-15 games a season and to turn that into an advantage we can surely only hoof it rather than play on the ground? I want to see some football.

[Kernow Yellow]

Many people on here clamouring for ML to get the job until the end of the season? I think you've mis-remembered that bit Dan.

Yes, sorry Dan but that's pure fantasy. (Snake saying it over and over again doesn't count by the way - he's not even an Oxford fan these days).

In fact there were many people calling on various forums for Lewis to be sacked long before Wilder left, saying he was part of the 'problem'. I don't personally know anyone at all that thought Mickey Lewis would make a good manager of Oxford United. If IL ever really thought that ML was the way forward then I'd be even more worried than I am now. In fact, I think that Lenagan was just massively complacent about our position, and thought that pretty much anyone could hold the tiller while he took his time finding the right appointment at the right price.

It's a decision which has backfired badly, and significantly damages Ian Lenagan's stock in my eyes. He has a lot of expaining to do as to how he allowed this mess to happen, and owes us that explanation frankly, along with an apology. It's not just him that invests significant time and money into following Oxford United...

[GodalmingYellow]

Many people on here clamouring for ML to get the job until the end of the season? I think you've mis-remembered that bit Dan.

Yes, sorry Dan but that's pure fantasy. (Snake saying it over and over again doesn't count by the way - he's not even an Oxford fan these days).

In fact there were many people calling on various forums for Lewis to be sacked long before Wilder left, saying he was part of the 'problem'. I don't personally know anyone at all that thought Mickey Lewis would make a good manager of Oxford United. If IL ever really thought that ML was the way forward then I'd be even more worried than I am now. In fact, I think that Lenagan was just massively complacent about our position, and thought that pretty much anyone could hold the tiller while he took his time finding the right appointment at the right price.

It's a decision which has backfired badly, and significantly damages Ian Lenagan's stock in my eyes. He has a lot of expaining to do as to how he allowed this mess to happen, and owes us that explanation frankly, along with an apology. It's not just him that invests significant time and money into following Oxford United...

I quite agree KY. Fans put 3 times as much money into the club than IL does.... and we don't even get free shirt sponsorship deals for our private companies, or free lunch every Saturday, premium parking on matchdays ...

[ty cobb]

Is that right that the home shirt sponsership didn't bring in any income?