Struggling

[Lasterman]

I want us to go up as well, but it's a good question. I don't think the players we have now are better than the ones that did so badly last season. In fact apart from the loan players, they're pretty much the same ones. I think there is a way to survive in the Championship with the quality of players we have (see Neil Warnock for details) but it's not a strategy that Paul Warne will either want, or be able, to adopt.

Desperately want to see us try though!

[Silly-miller]

Ah, because I take issue with you I'm just trying to cause trouble? interesting viewpoint. You repeat again your comments when neither Frog nor I suggested that the club should stay in L1 because it's "easier" and noone imputed you bought your season ticket because you were promised wins.
Neither of these points were made by Frog or myself but you - sadly, as usual - jumped on something in an attempt to ingratiate yourself on here. sad stuff.

seriously monty your just trying to pick a fight so i won't even respond to any of that

however if frog wants me to elaborate i will but not for you

[wrinkly]

I'm with Monty on this one.

Would we struggle in the championship? Almost certainly. The average attendance in the championship this season is 20,500. Apart from the two lowest attended clubs all the other clubs had average attendances higher than our maximum capacity. We would be very small fish in the Championship pond.

Would we be better "delaying" promotion? Absolutely not.
Who knows how long before we got another chance? As Monty says, nothing is going to change dramatically over the coming years to make us a bigger club.

This is not down to lack of ambition it is just realism.
Nobody is going to come in and plough millions into the club to make us serious competitors in the Championship. Even if they did, it would be a debt not a gift and we've been there before - no more bucket collections please!

We are not going to develop a brilliant academy and rake in the dosh from a "grow your own" policy.

Our fan base is not likely to grow much (the slow take up on play-off tickets proves that)

I believe we are a top of the third tier club and likely to remain so, with spells in the league above from time to time.

I'm happy with that. It's how it's been (or much worse) in my 50 odd years of supporting the Millers.

Although we would struggle I doubt that we will have the same debacle as last year. Avoiding relegation, taking the odd big scalp (and Wednesday) and getting past the third round of the FA cup (ok that's a bit far-fetched) would be brilliant for me.

[Ericsladkilnhurst]

When we go up into the championship, Paul Warne could do no better in asking Mick McCarthy for advice on how to run a championship club on a tight budget, he 's done it at Ipswich Town.

[frogmiller]

It was Flourbasher who first wrote defeatest. He said that he couldn't live like that and neither could I. Personally I am the type of person that tries to cover as many bases as I can when going forward. Taking in consideration of what happens if you don't quite make it is valuable.

PW has done a great job and I fear that a losing streak will have the daggers out for him again. We know that TS is more likely to sack him if things go wrong.

What type of investment do we need? some good comments about loan players but as I have been consistently saying we need a squad of our own that is capable.

75% possession is normal in football now but will our fitness levels be enough this year? Closing the oposition down will be the largest part of our game next season. Do we have enough up front to snatch a winner?

The 'Being there a season or 2 too early' is because I don't think that we have a squad anywhere near capable.

It's just a list of things that I'm fearful of if we go up.

I want to go up as much as the next Miller. I'm just airing my fears.

[frogmiller]

Nice post Wrinkly.

[Silly-miller]

It was Flourbasher who first wrote defeatest. He said that he couldn't live like that and neither could I. Personally I am the type of person that tries to cover as many bases as I can when going forward. Taking in consideration of what happens if you don't quite make it is valuable.

PW has done a great job and I fear that a losing streak will have the daggers out for him again. We know that TS is more likely to sack him if things go wrong.

What type of investment do we need? some good comments about loan players but as I have been consistently saying we need a squad of our own that is capable.

75% possession is normal in football now but will our fitness levels be enough this year? Closing the oposition down will be the largest part of our game next season. Do we have enough up front to snatch a winner?

The 'Being there a season or 2 too early' is because I don't think that we have a squad anywhere near capable.

It's just a list of things that I'm fearful of if we go up.

I want to go up as much as the next Miller. I'm just airing my fears.

Some good points and I fear you maybe right but il comment on each one to try and be clear so no misunderstandings.

First what investment do we need? I’d imagine 2 million at least on players. other than smith I can’t see any other of our strikers stepping up to championship level, hope I’m wrong though.

Do we have a squad capable? Out of the players we have under permanent contract I’d say maybe 9 are able to play comfortably in championship. That being said until transfer window shuts no one can really tell if we have a squad capable.

My fear is if Tony Stewart won’t give warne funds what will happen. I fear the worst

Best possible outcome we win we go up we get a few messi through academy and buy a few fabulous players with a few awesome loans and win championship lol

Odds on it happening 0.00001% lol

[Casper64Frank]

When I saw this I thought you were having problems with your ankle! Let the football take care of itself. If (very big if) we go up we will struggle - no question. promotion is not imo a season or two too early as the fundamentals of our situation will not change over time. Adequate investment is beyond us without 5-7000 new fans or a rich backer. Just enjoy the ride.

Bang on the money monty, my sentiments exactly.
Enjoy it IF we get to Wembley and IF we get back to the Championship this season, next season or the season after.

[mellowmiller]

I'm with Monty on this one.

Would we struggle in the championship? Almost certainly. The average attendance in the championship this season is 20,500. Apart from the two lowest attended clubs all the other clubs had average attendances higher than our maximum capacity. We would be very small fish in the Championship pond.

Would we be better "delaying" promotion? Absolutely not.
Who knows how long before we got another chance? As Monty says, nothing is going to change dramatically over the coming years to make us a bigger club.

This is not down to lack of ambition it is just realism.
Nobody is going to come in and plough millions into the club to make us serious competitors in the Championship. Even if they did, it would be a debt not a gift and we've been there before - no more bucket collections please!

We are not going to develop a brilliant academy and rake in the dosh from a "grow your own" policy.

Our fan base is not likely to grow much (the slow take up on play-off tickets proves that)

I believe we are a top of the third tier club and likely to remain so, with spells in the league above from time to time.

I'm happy with that. It's how it's been (or much worse) in my 50 odd years of supporting the Millers.

Although we would struggle I doubt that we will have the same debacle as last year. Avoiding relegation, taking the odd big scalp (and Wednesday) and getting past the third round of the FA cup (ok that's a bit far-fetched) would be brilliant for me.

Excellent post that encapsulates the realities of being a Miller.
Let's just go for it and hope that we're good enough to get to the Championship. On our day we certainly are. Whether we can stay there is another matter altogether but there's no right or wrong time for a club like ours to get promoted.
We can expect investment to be limited because that's the nature of our position in the pecking order but TS has said valuable lessons have been learned from our last foray into the Championship.
Let's hope he's true to his word and, if we get there, that we make a better fist of it this time around. We never want to experience anything like last season's debacle again.
Onwards and upwards.........UTM.

[Slimchance]

Defeatists aren't the problem, its the defence that needs updating as a first priority whether we get promoted or stay in this division. This season we have let in far to many goals and without good money spent on defence any championship strikers would have a field day.
UTM