Time to look back?

[K Lo 224]

During our 3 dour seasons or so in the Championship that lead ultimately to our relegation many posters here stated that relegation would be a good thing; that it would guve the club a much needed shake-up and that the dead-wood would be cleared. I was vehemtly against this as being a positive for the club and honestly saw ourselves doing a Leeds, Forest, Huddersfield on being relegated to the 3 tier.

I think that it was 1st Wiz who said that it would be good for the club to go down a notch and after the 1st game against Col U, I couldn''t think that he could have been more wrong but now the team is looking stronger than for many years and should be at least worth a mid-table Championship finsih, even without strengening.

The only question perhaps is: Is our club off the pitch in a worse position than it was since releagtion?

[Canary_on_the Trent 0]

We''re certainly in a better position to push on in the Championship next season than if we''d avoided relegation last season I think but had we got the Lambert appointment wrong and not gone up this season we could have been in a real mess that we may not have been able to recover from.

We now have a settled squad with a great team spirit & attitude which is more than capable of playing at the next level rather than an average, unsettled team of loanees who didn''t really have the bottle.

[Official Joe 0]

I agree, I think we are in a better position but there is a lot of work still to be done. I do hope we are competitive next year but it will be tough to be a major force in the Championship next year.

I also think we have now learnt the lesson regarding loan signings so hopefully as Trent has said now that we have a settled squad we can push on.

Next year will be a benchmark as to where we are rather than this year which, without being arrogant, we are a little too big for L1. We will soon see how the manager, new signings and existing players can cut it in the Championship - yes some have played there before but it''s a quality league given the some of the dross we have seen this year.

I have really enjoyed this year - the first time since the Premiership year - and I am enjoying the feeling it has brought to the city. All in all, I think we need to go down to open a few eyes and get a few things sorted but its really back to the real business next season...

Assuming we go up of course!

[K Lo 224]

I must admit to having to eat some humble pie. Many teams in this league (i.e. League One) can, on their day, be real fighters. Take Walsall for example. They wreen''t a pushover at all for Norwich and we had to come back from a goal down. Same with clubs like Brentford and possibly Exeter. These teams can all get points against teh better ones but they just lack the consistency.

The Forest fan''s "League One Survival Guide" was true to its word but fortunately we hit form after the first few months or so.

[First Wizard 0]

[quote user="K Lo"]During our 3 dour seasons or so in the Championship that lead ultimately to our relegation many posters here stated that relegation would be a good thing; that it would guve the club a much needed shake-up and that the dead-wood would be cleared. I was vehemtly against this as being a positive for the club and honestly saw ourselves doing a Leeds, Forest, Huddersfield on being relegated to the 3 tier. I think that it was 1st Wiz who said that it would be good for the club to go down a notch and after the 1st game against Col U, I couldn''t think that he could have been more wrong but now the team is looking stronger than for many years and should be at least worth a mid-table Championship finsih, even without strengening. The only question perhaps is: Is our club off the pitch in a worse position than it was since releagtion?[/quote]And a load of cr*p I got for saying so K Lo, I, like a few on here, said that Gunn had to go and we must fall to rise again.

But I get no satisfaction for saying that, many tempers got frayed and friendships were tested too. Was it all worth it? ..........I''m not sure.

I learnt a lot about some posters back then, and it wasn''t all nice.

Many thanks for bringing this up again.[Y]

[Canary_on_the Trent 0]

[quote user="First Wizard"]

[quote user="K Lo"]During our 3 dour seasons or so in the Championship that lead ultimately to our relegation many posters here stated that relegation would be a good thing; that it would guve the club a much needed shake-up and that the dead-wood would be cleared. I was vehemtly against this as being a positive for the club and honestly saw ourselves doing a Leeds, Forest, Huddersfield on being relegated to the 3 tier. I think that it was 1st Wiz who said that it would be good for the club to go down a notch and after the 1st game against Col U, I couldn''t think that he could have been more wrong but now the team is looking stronger than for many years and should be at least worth a mid-table Championship finsih, even without strengening. The only question perhaps is: Is our club off the pitch in a worse position than it was since releagtion?[/quote]And a load of cr*p I got for saying so K Lo, I, like a few on here, said that Gunn had to go and we must fall to rise again.

But I get no satisfaction for saying that, many tempers got frayed and friendships were tested too. Was it all worth it? ..........I''m not sure.

I learnt a lot about some posters back then, and it wasn''t all nice.

Many thanks for bringing this up again.[Y]

[/quote]

But had we not made a superb decision in bringing in Lambert and failed to return this season. We''d be in 1 hell of a mess now, perhaps beyond repair.

Would you be gloating about wanting the relegation then?

[canaryfan68 0]

I think the greatest point to being relegated was the removal of our previous chief exec and the acquisition of Mr Mcnally. He has been a revelation, to hear him putting the team as the priority and to go out and get their man rather than see what cv''s are sent into him was a different philosophy for the club and one which is paying off nicely.

He may not be as open as Doncaster but he is sure more focussed about making this club move forward once again and not be taken for an easy touch!

I feel we will make in roads into our off the field position and not be fudged off with the drivel from our previous chief exec.

[grantroederdisaster 0]

Relgation forced changes through at the club which have improved the club, but if we wouldn''t of got Lambert then I think we''d of struggled to of got into the play offs and staying in League 1 longer than this season would prove disasterous for the club with cut backs being made, star players leaving and a lengthy stay in the lower Leagues very likely!

 

So basically it has had its benefits but if we don''t go up this time then it wouldn''t be good for the club.

 

By getting relegated the club lost a few million from the TV deals, but then again if we''d of stayed up we''d still have Gunn in charge, Doncaster and Mumby still running things, the ridiculous loan player policy probably being used, Mcnally and Bowkett not at the club and Lambert now about to take ColWHO back into the Championship. All in all this season in League 1 will probably set us up better for a good go in the Championship next season, than another muddling, struggling season this time around in the Championship would of done, but I wouldn''t want to see us have to get relegated again before neccessary changes are implemented at Carrow Road. We could of changed things around for the better in the Championship this season!

[Eadienhucks 0]

Time to celebrate! :)

[Romantic 0]

I said at the time that I wholeheartedly disagreed with anyone who was hoping for defeat and ultimately relegation - and I stick by that. If we''re playing the what ifs game; what if McNally had been installed in time to approach Lambert (as was clearly on his mind from day one) whilst we were above the relegation zone in the Champ and with calendar opportunities to transfer in and out? We''d still be up and feeling about as healthy as we will by mid season next term. I''d never want a loss for my team. Change yes - but there''s ways of implimenting change without awaiting desperation.

[BigFish 1,986]

No fan would wish for relegation. That said those who said it would be better to go down than stay up have been proved by events to be correct. Truth is relegation was inevitable without significant change within the club, the only question is which year would the luck run out. Some fans had a pipe dream that a multimillionaire would turn up with wads of cash; something that was never going to happen. Cleraly the board thought that borrowed mercenaries would give the club enough to reach the Prem and bank the TV money to paper over the cracks; we saw what happened then. Some thought Gunn could turn it round(!) - if had last year he would have bought himself six months this year as a messiah and we would probably got relegated this year and he would have been sacked by Christmas.Look what relegation bought us - a solid team, a brilliant manager & a stable competent board.What more could we want?

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

[quote user="BigFish"]No fan would wish for relegation. That said those who said it would be better to go down than stay up have been proved by events to be correct. Truth is relegation was inevitable without significant change within the club, the only question is which year would the luck run out. Some fans had a pipe dream that a multimillionaire would turn up with wads of cash; something that was never going to happen. Cleraly the board thought that borrowed mercenaries would give the club enough to reach the Prem and bank the TV money to paper over the cracks; we saw what happened then. Some thought Gunn could turn it round(!) - if had last year he would have bought himself six months this year as a messiah and we would probably got relegated this year and he would have been sacked by Christmas.

Look what relegation bought us - a solid team, a brilliant manager & a stable competent board.

What more could we want?
[/quote]

It was Roeder''s idea over the boards to use loan players, and Norwich boards have been scared to stand up to manager''s transfer requests ever since O''Neill.

All the things that have been achieved this season could of also happened if we hadn''t of been relegated. I think if we had managed to win at Charlton and survive by the skin of our teeth, Doncaster would still of been shown the door with McNally replacing him. We would of stuck by Gunn of course, but with McNally in charge Lambert was probably always destined to end up here.

What being in a lower league has allowed is time for the team to grow whilst playing under less pressure and against weaker teams. The beauty of being where we are has meant if we do pick up an average result, or put in an average performance there is always an Exeter, Wycombe or a like to come along and give us a nice confidence boost.

It is impossible to say which has been better, as we will never know how the team would of faired in the Championship. Imagine we were mid-table, would we all be so in love with Lambert? If Grant Holt had only netted 10 - 12 goals, would we all "F###ing" love him? Would Martin or Smith have been able to cope?