Comparisons with 2003-2004

OntarioFox · 19 January

The more I look at our current situation, the more I can't help but draw parallels with the parlous situation our club faced in 2003-2004. I was slightly too young to fully understand it at the time, but from my memories and what I've learned since, this is what I now know:

From 2001 - 2004:

We signed a manager who was highly rated, and started out well, but who quickly turned out to be an absolute charlatan who filled the squad with talentless mercenaries on big wages
We went down, something that would have been unthinkable even a year before
We ended up in a financial mire (administration, transfer embargo)
We struck gold with a manager who had a clear plan and got us back up at the first time of asking (Adams, albeit via having been Bassett's assistant)
We came back up but ultimately with a weaker squad than the one that went down, and with many of the same personnel issues we had before
We were relegated without much of a fight
From there, a depleted squad spiralled further out of control and ultimately ended up sinking to its lowest ever position in League One within 3 seasons.

From 2019-2024:

We signed a manager who was highly rated, and started out well, but who quickly turned out to be an absolute charlatan who filled the squad with talentless mercenaries on big wages
We went down, something that would have been unthinkable even a year before
We ended up in a financial mire (PSR / threats of point deductions and transfer embargos)
We struck gold with a manager who had a clear plan and got us back up at the first time of asking (Maresca)
We came back up but ultimately with a weaker squad than the one that went down, and with many of the same personnel issues we had before

There are a few key differences.

First up, the financial situation was obviously way worse in 2003. I'm not going to gloss over the mountain Mickey Adams had to climb to get that team back up at the first time of asking - something that Enzo, as deflated as we all were, had a far easier job doing, especially as he was able to sign the players he wanted.
Secondly, there was no goodwill from any sizeable section of the fanbase towards the ownership, that helped gloss over the obvious shortcomings in the boardroom. The Gang Of Four was still fresh in the memory and there was valid anger that the club had been reduced to charity to stay afloat. Rightly or wrongly (and here on FT at least, we know it's wrongly), there are still a frustrating number of "casual fans" who think King Power can do no wrong, and who are blind to the chronic mismanagement and, frankly, dumb luck in the courtroom that has kept our heads above water.
Lastly, Mickey Adams retained the goodwill of the crowd - again I was young at the time and may just not have realised, but I don't have any recollection of any huge demand to see him gone. We acknowledged the poisoned chalice he'd been given and knew he'd over-acheived already in the circumstances with a team not cut-out for the top flight. Here, we've had no stability and made an absolutely honking first appointment after Enzo left, which has actively harmed our survival bid with an already crap squad.

Oh, and a fairly pertinent one right now...

There was no Director Of Football role responsible for the recruitment side of both players and managers. We wouldn't get our first new-fangled playing-side dictator until 2011.

But beyond that, am I wrong that this season may as well be a carbon copy of where we found ourselves 20 years ago? The parallels are there for all to see. The financial mismanagement, the decimation of a talented squad, the immediate return providing a false sense of security, but ultimately a poor-quality team incapable of competeing again in the top flight?

One thing's for certain - the morons who use "we were in League One once" as a reason to excuse the omnishambles of the past few years will be delighted to know that all signs currently point to us being right back there by the end of this decade.

Discuss! :nigel: