Guest Bilo Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 Two years since that horrible day at Stoke. Who will ever forget the despair we felt when we went down to the third tier with an uncertain future? Looking at Leeds, Forest and Sheffield Wednesday's struggles to get out of the division, many of us would have thought we were in for the long haul. Who was going to be manager? Was Ollie going to stay and repair the damage? Was John Gregory going to come in? Everything was up in the air and it felt truly horrible. No-one could have predicted what was to come. Where other big clubs had languished in League One, we thrived and tore the division to shreds under a manager that many had expected to be gone by the first Christmas. He signed well, great days out were had and suddenly Leicester were the team to beat in the division rather than a pushover for the first time in years. When we won the division at Southend, the world was lifted off our shoulders at last. After the Scunny game in front of a full house on a Friday night, I was so drunk I fell asleep in Fan Club. It felt that good after so many seasons of utter crap. Surely this season would provide a reality check? We'd struggled for four years prior to relegation and Pearson had never managed in the upper echelons of the Championship. However, in came Weale, Hobbs on a permanent and Martyn Waghorn on loan from Sunderland and the reality check has yet to come in any major way. Yes there've been bad times along the way, the 5-1 loss at Forest and the recent four game losing streak but the way we've recovered from such setbacks shows the level of mental strength in the side. Now we're potentially just three games away from the Premiership just two years after hitting the lowest point in our history. No matter what happens, to Nigel Pearson and every member of our team, thanks for the ride and we're bloody proud of what you've achieved.
thybluefox Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 A-fooking-men! I feel incredibly proud of the club when I think of what we've achieved since 2008. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought we'd have had such a turnaround. Bring on Wembely, and bring on the Forest!
purpleronnie Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 I still can't believe we're in the playoffs and might actually be in the premiership next season. Its all a little bit crazy!
carterfox90 Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 great post you've put down in words what every city fan is thinkin well done 3 games & we could be there un believable---------want forest in final cant stand the thought of hollowtwat coming back to have the last laugh
MikeyT Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 Great post and thoroughly agree with it. These past 2 seasons under Pearson have been fantastic. No matter what happens in the coming weeks it's been the best season we've had in as long as i can remember. Nigel and the boys have done a fantastic job in getting us where we are today, let's keep our fingers crossed that ride continues and we end up and such venues next season as Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge, The Emirates Stadium and Anfield. Been one hell of a ride getting to where we are now.
AyewJoking Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 Feels so good to be excited and nervous about the play-offs rather than embarrassed, disillusioned by a bunch of losers stuck in a rut. Whatever happens in the play-offs the last two seasons should be remembered forever, for all the right reasons.
Jimbo Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 Great post and thoroughly agree with it. These past 2 seasons under Pearson have been fantastic. No matter what happens in the coming weeks it's been the best season we've had in as long as i can remember. Nigel and the boys have done a fantastic job in getting us where we are today, let's keep our fingers crossed that ride continues and we end up and such venues next season as Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge, The Emirates Stadium and Anfield. Been one hell of a ride getting to where we are now. But will those days out be as good as visiting Whaddon Road, The Galpharm Stadium or Roots Hall? If we do get up, maybe not this year but in the next couple of years, the experiences of visiting those places will live long in the memory. It has sort of prepared us for what may come. We've been to the very bottom to get a decent run up to the top. And when we get there it will taste so much sweeter. For the first time in a long while we can be proud of our team and whatever happens over the next few weeks we can all be truely optimistic for the future. Now that's enough of the soppy, sentimental talk, there's still a job to do. As Ivan Drago so eloquently pointed out in the epic that is Rocky 4 "TO THE END"
samjohnson Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 fantastic acheivement! Nigel has done a great job here... Long may he reign
Jiggers the Fox Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 Fantastic shout Bilo, couldn't agree more! About time we were spoilt a bit
Ibbyfox Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 I feel positively sick about the prospects of this weekend and next wednesday ................................. but it's fantastic to have that nervous excitement in the pit of my stomach again. Not felt it quite same since the 29th minute of extra time in the 1996 Play-Off final against Palace ...................then we all know what happened. If this play-off run could be as half as jubilant then I'd be happy.
FoxyPV Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 A phoenix the ashes blazing its way to glory. In Nigel we trust Great article. Nice to have a reality check every so often to show how far we have come
Corky Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 At the time it was horrible, you didn't know who the manager was going to be, the playing squad, the chairman even, it was as low as it had ever been. Yet, we turned it into a positive, a chance to start again, get in a new manager, new players, a new direction. We needed a winning mentality at the club- look at Hobbs, Morrison, Dyer- since they joined we've played 92 league games, winning 48 and losing 16. Three times as many wins as defeats- they know how to win games and be near the top of the division throughout the season. The only downside to the last two years for me is that we can never get back the fact we'd never played outside the top two divisions, but still, we made the most of our season in the third tier and have come back a better club with what looks like a positive future. Well done to NP, his staff, the players and also Milan for appointing him and generally taking more of a back seat role.
Granno Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 A top post. If Pearson could cap off this season with promotion, it would be an unbelievable achievement
Fox92 Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 I was thinking that this morning, it's actually 2 years since Stoke. Although it was bad to get relegated, ecspecially for the first time ever, it has done us good to go back a few steps. If we didn't get relegated we might be just constantly stuck near the bottom of the Championship table. And now, 2 years on, our next game is a play-off semi-final! That just shows how well Milan, Nigel and co have done to get us to where we are today. It is fantastic. Whatever happens in the play-offs, we have had a great season. However, we all want to get to Wembley and then to the Premiership! Well done to the boys and the staff but come on Leicester, we are just a possible 3 games away from the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal! :scarf: :scarf:
purpleronnie Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 I feel positively sick about the prospects of this weekend and next wednesday ................................. but it's fantastic to have that nervous excitement in the pit of my stomach again. Not felt it quite same since the 29th minute of the 1996 Play-Off final against Palace ...................then we all know what happened. If this play-off run could be as half as jubilant then I'd be happy. I don't feel nervous at all probably because I wasnt expecting it and maybe because I dont go to games. I really hope they make the final just for the fans.
MikeyT Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 I feel positively sick about the prospects of this weekend and next wednesday ................................. but it's fantastic to have that nervous excitement in the pit of my stomach again. Not felt it quite same since the 29th minute of the 1996 Play-Off final against Palace ...................then we all know what happened. If this play-off run could be as half as jubilant then I'd be happy. Yep i have to agree with that, i'm really looking forward to it but at the same time so nervous.
Jordan Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 Nervous, yes, but what I wouldn't give two years ago to feel this anxiety today!
maddog Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 It's been amazing really. And if this improvement somehow continues over the next 2 years we could be in Europe.
wakeyfox01 Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 I'll never forget how low I felt after the Stoke match. It was the only time football has ever brought tears to my eyes, we were so close but not good enough. I also remember the disappointment i felt when Nigel was first apointed. But when I read more about him and what Saints fans had to say, my confidence grew. We have not looked back ever since and the journey of the last two years has been unbelievable from beating Cheltenham 4-0 to 3-0 vs the trees. All I can say is thank you Nigel and come on the boys on Sunday!!! Make us proud
Craig Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 I'll never forget walking out of the Britannia, throwing and smashing my radio against the wall, and a copper came up to me and said 'Calm down, you'll come back stronger'. Weren't wrong was he :w00t: :w00t: What Nige has done for us is incredible, I'd never felt so far away from my club on that day in Stoke, now I'm not sure I've ever felt closer.
Tommeh Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 Truely horrific day and one I can remember like it was yesterday. At the time I was devastated but in the end it was for the best, league 1 was brilliant and we're now as strong on the pitch as we have been since 2000 in my opinion mainly down to the young lads, team spirit and mangement team. Will never forget this picture of a few of us as Stearman header is tipped over with about 15 to play
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