Where would you rather be?

[Cresswell]

In an earlier post JRSLEFTPEG wrote that, in his opinion, the last twelve years or so have been CONSISTENTLY the best in our history. daftpunk1951, on the other hand, responded that he considered Queens' sojourn in the top division as more praiseworthy than has been achieved in the last dozen years. This poses the interesting question, "Is it better to be a relatively successful Championship team than a perennially struggling Premiershipt team"?
Before you answer, let me give you a few facts. In the past twelve years Queens have finished in the Championship 4th on 5 occasions, 5th on three occasions and 8th twice: we have also been relegated from and promoted back to the Championship.
Queens have played in Scotland's top division for only twenty seasons in total and of those twenty seasons they have finished in the top half of the league only three times, two of which were before the war. They were relegated in season 1949/50 and again in season 1958/59; and finally relegated in season

[arrol1919]

We may have had some great teams & players in the 1950's but Queens only had one trophy to show for it , the league title in 1950/51

Over the last 12 years we've won the league twice , the challenge cup twice , been runner up in the challenge cup & the Scottish Cup plus played in Europe for the very first time .

I'd take the last decade or so over the golden olden days any day of the week

[QOS_MAD_ADMIN]

[quote="Cresswell"?
Before you answer, let me give you a few facts. In the past twelve years Queens have finished in the Championship 4th on 5 occasions, 5th on three occasions and 8th twice: we have also been relegated from and promoted back to the Championship.
Queens have played in Scotland's top division for only twenty seasons in total and of those twenty seasons they have finished in the top half of the league only three times, two of which were before the war. They were relegated in season 1949/50 and again in

[JRSLEFTPEG]

I tried to coax Cresswell into a little debate with my earlier comments and can see it worked ! I have mentioned my playing reasons and maybe only left out the fact that we have played every season bar one in the First Division/ Championship in that time . I also want to re-empathise the achievement of staying in the second flight for five consecutive seasons from 02-07. This was no mean feat in a vast majority full time league . No one else that I can remember done this apart from maybe Arbroath who survived two seasons around the millennium mark .--------- I am glad Admin touched on the progress off the pitch in this time because that's my next point . Our club was in severe trouble not so long ago . New directors and a new chairman came in and they have dug us out of this hole with remarkable and admirable ability. A lovely non grass surface playable all year round ,unlike the mudbath it used to be as the winter months rolled by. This of course helps the standard of football we put

[Cresswell]

JRSLEFTPEG, you have rather missed the point, which is probably my fault for not explaining my self properly. The past is the past: and I was not trying to compare the past with the present. I was asking about the here and now.
Of course we have had good run recently; there is no denying that. One of the most enjoyable seasons I have experienced in my many years of supporting Queens was undoubtedly the year we won the old Division 2 by a country mile (season 2012/13). What a thrill it was that night in Forfar when we trounced Brechin City to clinch promotion; and what a thrill it was, too, to be at Livingston to see Queens beat Partick Thistle in the Ramsdens Cup Final.
It is equally true that we had some dismal times when we were playing in the top tier: but although we won nothing other than the old B Division championship all those years ago, we did have our moments against Celtic, Rangers, Hibs, Hearts and etc and these moments were extremely enjoyable too although the bad times p

[JRSLEFTPEG]

That makes it perfectly clear. I would have to say I would prefer Queens were in the top division ,no matter if struggling or not .I also understand that you have seen Queens play in the top division and I haven't . Anyway, its good to hear your views and shall we just say that the 'best era' is subjective and really in the eyes of the individual ? That would be a diplomatic way of answering such a question. I started regularly watching Queens when a thousand was a good crowd so things HAVE improved since the late seventies . Our crowds have been pretty low since around 1964 onwards so its not a new thing .Probably the differing leisure activities from that time onwards helped to reduce home attendances . QoS Admin stated that there were some dubious 'sizes' in the Queens and opposition teams in times gone by . Not any more and fitness wise things have dramatically improved. Even part time sides are well conditioned these days . What I will concede is that skill levels have not gone up

[Cresswell]

JRSLEFTPEG, it is difficult, if not impossible, to compare yesteryear with today. I'd have to say in all honesty that I really don't know whether I'd prefer to watch Queens as a perennially struggling team in the Premiership or as a reasonably successful team in the Championship. My preference would be, of course, to see them as a well established Premier League team but I don't think that will happen (and, as I wrote above, I think history proves this). In the past I enjoyed the glamour of the games against Celtic, Rangers etc (and an occasional victory over them) but, as you may appreciate, it became rather depressing finishing at or near the foot of the table on a regular basis. It does make a change now to be going to a game expecting to win, but playing Alloa, Cowdenbeath, Livingston etc lacks the glamour element.
I have watched Queens since the resumption of league football after the war and have witnessed a steady decline in attendances. There are probably many reasons for this,

[JRSLEFTPEG]

While I have said that I think this is our most successful era, I am not daft enough to think its all sweetness and light regarding Queens . A huge bug bear of mine is the crowd question. Will we ever be able to attract a big enough support to underpin a good SPL QoS side ? The signs are that we can't but any increase - like we have had recently - is welcomed. I didn't want to look down on the QoS sides that you have seen, I really didn't. One of my best memories as a Queens supporter was seeing Jim Patterson , a true legend, getting helped up to the stage to collect his Hall Of Fame award . Jim didn't live that long after and wasn't it great that he received this honour before it was too late ? There have been many others of course. As you say, it was more difficult up against the Old Firm , Aberdeen ,Hibs etc etc over a prolonged spell compared to playing some of the lesser lights like we do now . Understandably, Queens got bogged down a bit at times . This season with Rangers, Hea