The club's status in the modern era

I choose to date the modern era in the club's history from 1957, because that marked the advent of the Watling board and marks the point where not only were the forerunners of Archant paying the wages but we were rock bottom of the league. IT might be appropriate to date it from a later date - say the early 60s with the abolition of the maximum wage, or the mid-60s with the emergence of Ramseyism and negative football.

Look at the club's achievements in just over half a century:

For almost half the time we have been either top flight, or been winning promotion from this division (even more impressive when you consider it took the first 15 of those 52 years to get up for the first time)

We have reached 5 league cup semi-finals, going on to 4 finals, winning the competion twice.

We have reached 3 FA Cup semi finals.

We have qualified for Europe twice, and would have qualified on two further occasions but for the ban.

When in the lower reaches we enhanced the reputation of being giant-killers, first acquired almost exactly 100 years ago.

Consider, however, what has happened under the current board:

We have had just one promotion season, and one season in the top flight.

We have had no league cup runs of note.

Our best effort in the FA Cup has been one losing appearance in the fifth round.

Despite having had lots of opportunities we have never once defeated a club from a higher division ourselves - we have, of course lost on numerous occasions to clubs from lower divisions.

It just ain't good enough.

Posted By: Mr Creosote on August 16th 2008 at 23:09:38

Message Thread

The club's status in the modern era (NCFC) - Mr Creosote, Aug 16, 23:09:38
- The club is also further in debt and lower in the league (NCFC) - Ben, Aug 16, 23:48:06
  - Watford and Charlton fans are now asking th same questions we do (NCFC) - pants, Aug 16, 23:49:46
    - Charlton fans, though, had a decade of success between '97 and '07 (NCFC) - thebigfeller, Aug 16, 23:54:43
      - both teams are still question why they're in high debts etc (NCFC) - pants, Aug 17, 00:01:10
        
        Question (NCFC) - thebigfeller, Aug 17, 00:05:29
        
        I don't know (NCFC) - pants, Aug 17, 00:10:56
        
        I bet many clubs have considerably more expertise than ours do (n/m) (NCFC) - thebigfeller, Aug 17, 00:12:05
        
        I don't know (NCFC) - pants, Aug 17, 00:19:04
        
        The record speaks for itself. (n/m) (NCFC) - thebigfeller, Aug 17, 00:20:01
        
        I've said it before I'm sure (NCFC) - Mr Creosote, Aug 17, 00:28:11
        
        so because our board don't have as much money as other clubs (NCFC) - pants, Aug 17, 00:26:22
        
        I think we get the crowds we do because our marketing is good, and the pricing sensible (NCFC) - thebigfeller, Aug 17, 00:32:31
        
        I think ambrovich's and glazers have a shed load to answer for though (NCFC) - pants, Aug 17, 00:36:58
        
        I agree. (NCFC) - thebigfeller, Aug 17, 00:39:17
        
        So the reality of all this doom and gloom is you want the board to resign? (n/m) (NCFC) - pants, Aug 17, 00:49:42
        
        I don't trust their competence to get it right (NCFC) - thebigfeller, Aug 17, 00:59:37
        
        this is why all this puzzles me greatly, because I know a change of board (NCFC) - pants, Aug 17, 01:10:28
        
        plus added to that, the champs league final totalled 1.5bn of debt (NCFC) - pants, Aug 17, 00:38:38
- Exactly. (NCFC) - thebigfeller, Aug 16, 23:46:11
  - Hmmm my reply to that has vanished (NCFC) - Mr Creosote, Aug 16, 23:54:54
    - That's why I enjoyed the Blackpool replay win so much (NCFC) - thebigfeller, Aug 17, 00:08:52

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