I thought Pasoti would be buzzing tonight---

[The Grumpy Loyal]

So what are you saying, we can't enjoy this until April/May?

Sod that, you had about three seasons of writing RELEGATED, so why can't some of us bask in the sunshine whilst we can.

:scarf: :scarf: :scarf: :scarf:

People with low standards can 'bask' at being 4th division bigwigs. Others have higher standards and expectations.

 

[X Isle]

So what are you saying, we can't enjoy this until April/May?

Well i'm certainly enjoying things and i'm 'Big Chief don't get carried away' :lol:

There's nothing at all wrong with feeling very pleased with ourselves, now, and long may it continue into April and May :scarf:

The problems arise when we stray into crowing, into gloating, into belittling others. What goes round comes around and what we don't want is words spoken in a purple patch that come back to haunt us in a brown patch....and after last season we all know we are capable of a sustained and calamitous patch of brown.

Confident gloating can lead to over confident gloating in a heartbeat and there lies the potential for masses of egg on faces.

You'll know when things are about to turn sour when, as this sort of 'point and laugh at others' ultimately leads to, you get threads predicting the date when we'll clinch promotion, just as we did last season :facepalm:

No. Eat, drink and be merry by all means, rejoice at the way things are going. We're bringing in a bumper harvest this autumn and we've every right to feel proud of our eforts in dping so. But the harvest of points so far won't get us through the winter, there's masses of work still to be done to build on this if we ARE to be properly celebrating in April and May.

It's boring and I accept that. But 32 points is all we've got and a 'one game at a time' mentality is the way forward to getting the one point that matters, the point that takes us mathematically clear of all but two other teams.

So be proud, be pleased, enjoy yourselves. But beware the curse of expectation. Trolling other clubs websites for schadenfreude is, to me, a sorry indicator of some taking fairy steps towards taking things for granted again.

History has a habit of repeating itself. I will therefore content myself with a very broad but very quiet smile until we gain THAT point. My sincere hope is that the noticeable absence of 'buzz' on here lately is an indication that many more than just me are smiling just as broadly as me, and keeping expectation every bit as reigned in too.

 

[X Isle]

So what are you saying, we can't enjoy this until April/May?

Sod that, you had about three seasons of writing RELEGATED, so why can't some of us bask in the sunshine whilst we can.

:scarf:

People with low standards can 'bask' at being 4th division bigwigs. Others have higher standards and expectations.

...is a more succinct but equally valid observation on things :thumbup:

It just makes us seem a far too 'village' for my liking.

 

[The Grumpy Loyal]

So what are you saying, we can't enjoy this until April/May?

Sod that, you had about three seasons of writing RELEGATED, so why can't some of us bask in the sunshine whilst we can.

:scarf:

People with low standards can 'bask' at being 4th division bigwigs. Others have higher standards and expectations.

...is a more succinct but equally valid observation on things :thumbup:

It just makes us seem a far too 'village' for my liking.

Well yeah. Argyle fans getting the bunting out because we're top of the 4th division (sigh) in October, is akin to the 15yr old big kid dribbling the ball around three 10 yr olds and smashing it in the back of the net, before celebrating like he's just won the Champions League.

To be fair to Pompey it's far worse for them. They have double the hardcore fanbase and have a top flight pedigree to boot. Being in this dogpoo division must pain them even more.

 

[Verte]

I'm happy at how well we are doing, the squad looks good and Garita will be back soon too - if he gets going we could really run amok. However nothing was ever won in October in football and last season hurt like hell. So its quiet confidence and one game at a time from me

 

[Ottawa Green]

So a little too early for the ELIMINATION TABLE then :lol: :coat: :scarf:

 

[Keith Hennessey]

Still about 19 points from safety.. :scarf:

 

[Mark Colling]

So a little too early for the ELIMINATION TABLE then :lol: :coat: :scarf:

Given my ire about referring to Chr...... during BST, probably!

 

[Guiri Green]

So what are you saying, we can't enjoy this until April/May?

Sod that, you had about three seasons of writing RELEGATED, so why can't some of us bask in the sunshine whilst we can.

:scarf:

People with low standards can 'bask' at being 4th division bigwigs. Others have higher standards and expectations.

...is a more succinct but equally valid observation on things :thumbup:

It just makes us seem a far too 'village' for my liking.

I've just googled it and it seems there's no shortcut to the Premier League Bang goes my chance of enjoying the moment for the next 3 1/2 years at least. I've fairly realistic expectations considering our recent and medium term history. I've also fairly high standards but I guess I'll just sit on my hands for now.

On the other hand, my Grandsons 5 year career as a Season Ticket holder has only ever let him see us from the Fletcher era, so to him and the future generation of Argyle Fans, we're doing ok.

 

[X Isle]

And there in a nutshell lies the rub. To wee Guiri Jnr. we've only ever been in this pish league, no wonder he's extatic, he's every right to be bless him, he should need a tranquiliser to get to sleep right now :lol:

But I fear our extended stay in tier four has had an effect on more than just those who know no better. It's deteriorated memories. Pompey I get, they're our historical rival, that rivalry would exist in any league. But the preoccupation of so many with Exeter is just symptomatic of an over familiarity with this level.

When most of us signed up for 'the Argyle experience' this level had never been dropped to. Exeter was an occasional minor cup competition experience or blue moon event when we dropped into tier three and they had somehow exceeded themselves.

A big fish in a big pool just quietly goes round eating the little fish. It doesn't preoccupy itself looking into the lives of the little fish.

 

[mervyn]

Any thoughts yet on the type of strengthening we may need in the January window?

Also, PL2 makes a good point on another thread about how DA gets the best out of players who have never shone or won much before. I've always believed that games are won by players who want to win the most, and certainly this team seems to fit the bill, which is why, without getting carried away I'm cautiously optimistic.

 

[X Isle]

I reckon it'll depend on injuries yet to come, or hopefully not, and a review pending the availability situation of our loanees. Too early to say really.

 

[Old Gunner]

Ah that's better--I came on Pasoti last night and it was like I had gone down the pub and none of my mates had turned up!

 

[Ollieargyle9]

So what are you saying, we can't enjoy this until April/May?

Sod that, you had about three seasons of writing RELEGATED, so why can't some of us bask in the sunshine whilst we can.

:scarf:

People with low standards can 'bask' at being 4th division bigwigs. Others have higher standards and expectations.

...is a more succinct but equally valid observation on things :thumbup:

It just makes us seem a far too 'village' for my liking.

Well yeah. Argyle fans getting the bunting out because we're top of the 4th division (sigh) in October, is akin to the 15yr old big kid dribbling the ball around three 10 yr olds and smashing it in the back of the net, before celebrating like he's just won the Champions League.

To be fair to Pompey it's far worse for them. They have double the hardcore fanbase and have a top flight pedigree to boot. Being in this dogpoo division must pain them even more.

What elitist nonsense, are you a Pompey fan in disguise? Shall we whip out our attendance figures and compare sizes?

Your analogy makes a little more sense if maybe the 15 year old has just recovered from a serious injury in which doctors told him/her they may never play football again. In has come a sensible donor who funded their surgery and has seen them through the physio to get them playing again. Today is the day they are back training, ok so it's only against 10 year olds but they are at least playing. This 15 year old has been told to prove themselves, get their fitness back and rebuild their leg strength and finally they are doing it and doing it in the style that got them to 15 year old football in the first place.

There is no instant jump back to playing with the other 15 year olds, it doesn't work like that. 15 year old Argyle must earn their stripes again because there is no size/age given right to play among your "equals" (it would be a hell of a boring sport if there was).

As a result the 15 year old may celebrate like they've won the Champions League but having been close to playing 9 year olds twice and faced never playing football again, maybe being promoted back to 11 year old football is a victory worth celebrating because of their journey, because it's their first step in the right direction towards their "rightful place" and because the road to recovery was so very long and awfully bumpy.

Away from the analogy, how many promotions does any one fan get to celebrate in their lifetime? Unless you're a yo-yo club not that many. If you can't enjoy the few chances that come along regardless of division then what is the bleddy point of it all? What are you honestly heading up to Home Park each week hoping to see or looking forward to if not us winning and winning regularly.

 

[Old Gunner]

I reckon it'll depend on injuries yet to come, or hopefully not, and a review pending the availability situation of our loanees. Too early to say really.

Spot on--I have however lost track of who's a loanee and who isn't! Can anybody enlighten me? I also seem to recall that the rules around lending players have changed--does this have implications for us?