TF90M's brand new reporter Tim Sansom delivers an article regarding the clubs who are apparently too good to go down.
One of the most interesting aspects about the end to this particular season concerns how not all of the yo-yo clubs have yo-yoed back to the divisions where they were plying their trade during the pre-credit crunch 2007/2008 season. There have been a few exceptions to the rule. Currently, Birmingham City is the most high profile of examples with West Bromwich Albion seemingly about to go the other way into the Championship quagmire.
We currently know that at least one of last year’s promoted clubs to the Premiership will be welcoming Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea next season for league matches next season. Congratulations to Stoke. They were written off before the season had even begun, and had their style of football subjected to quiet sniggering for most of the season, but they have managed to survive the drop.There is a part of me that hopes to see Stoke avoid the ‘second season’ syndrome and manage to stay in the Premiership after another season. After all, it becomes a bit predictable and hardly healthy for British football when the usual suspects to be in the relegation ‘last chance saloon.’ The fact that Newcastle and Middlesbrough are down in the nether regions of the Premiership adds extra notoriety and a new dimension to this year’s relegation scrap.
I do not wish the misery of relegation on any fan. Anyone who has endured the hell of the season’s last match with one ear on the portable radio, and their eyes on the clock as their desperate team attempts to score five goals without reply, will understand the misery of final day relegation. The sub plots of crying fans, and disgusted supporters chucking their shirts onto the pitch may make good television and offer something more raw than the Eastenders omnibus, but the feeling of emptiness and shame that your team will be playing lower division football next season could ruin the summer.
There are the clubs that have a proud history and a regional fan base. In their own ways, Newcastle United, Norwich City and Southampton fit this criteria, and they are following in the steps of Manchester City, Leicester City, Nottingham Forrest and Leeds to become part of the ‘massive club relegation’ league. The usual arguments are trotted out. You will hear some fans suggesting that these clubs are ‘too good to go down,’ these clubs are ‘massive’ clubs and ‘deserve to stay in the league.’
Certain commentators and particular fans often forget the fact that the ‘massive’ club has played abject football all season. In many cases, the ‘massive club’ has been on the skids for more than one season. The saga of Newcastle United has resembled a highly emotional episode of Casualty for many seasons. Every possible new twist and turn has been crowbared into the soul of this club. A whole squad of chairman and managers have come and gone through the gates of St James’ Park and the faithful fan base is left to pick up the pieces.
The Southampton fan has suffered a similar fate on the South Coast. They have also had to put up with a series of larger than life figureheads going on a ‘journey’ with their football club toy, which usually ends up in tears. They seem to behave like a child on Christmas Day who has ripped through the wrapping paper for their much-desired plastic toy, which breaks before the turkey comes out of the oven for Christmas lunch. Like at Newcastle, it is the Southampton fan that is forced to pick over the carcass of their once ‘massive’ club. The team are playing in one of those modern state-of-the-art stadiums in the country, but will it be half full next season?
Norwich are facing league one football for 2009/2010, but from a listen around the local Radio Norfolk phone ins and website, the fans seem to realise that their team were not punching at an acceptable level in the Championship. There have been a large amount of sold season tickets for the coming season, although a belief that changes need to be made at the club, although some fans were not sure what those changes needed to be.
Seasons will come and go, and you wonder who will be the surprise clubs that end up being mired in the relegation mix. The promotion and relegation races have no regard for the reputation of clubs, how many fans turn up on a match day, or how many European trophies are gathering dust in the trophy cabinet. The 2008/2009 season is finishing with the reputation and prestige of a number of well-known clubs in tatters. The whole episode teaches us how success can turn into failure with a kick of a ball.
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