New Signings?

[Geoff Parkstone]

Better than the away game at Chelsea. Held them to 0-0 for 30 minutes, then Lampard got 4 and Chelsea 6 in the next 40 minutes or so. Embarrassing sat amongst a herd of Chelsea fans, but at least Essian (I think) set up our consolation goal

[SithHappens]

Lost 2-1 at home to Chelsea. 1 nil up. One of ours got fouled around the centre circle. Surprise, surprise, it wasn't given. Their attack developed and a few seconds later it's in the back of the net. 1-1. Wash, rinse, repeat for their 2nd...... Twas ever thus

Yeah wasn't it barnes who got fouled. More importantly the 'fighting spirit ' of the result gave Davies the perfect platform to get himself sacked by slagging off the board in public afterwards.

[SithHappens]

Better than the away game at Chelsea. Held them to 0-0 for 30 minutes, then Lampard got 4 and Chelsea 6 in the next 40 minutes or so. Embarrassing sat amongst a herd of Chelsea fans, but at least Essian (I think) set up our consolation goal

For me the worst result despite it making no difference was the utterly abject performance at home to also relegated reading on the last day. Think we lost 4 nil.

[SithHappens]

We never spent any proper money because we were too busy reducing the clubs 55m debt

How did that even happen ? before billy taking over we hadn't spent money for long enough, or was it still left over from the shambolic end to the previous PL era?

[Geoff Parkstone]

Stadium debt wasn't it? Mortgage paid down if not off. which of course gave us the financial freedom to tinker around with the stadium and, 12 years later led to our descent into administration. That year in the PL has a lot to be blamed for!

[SithHappens]

I thought by the time we played QPR at Wembley finances were very stable, seem to recall something like a £15 million mortgage o/s and that was it, though i may be wrong.

[Geoff Parkstone]

That would be consistent Sith - the 2007-08 windfall on promotion was substantially spent on reducing the debt which continued through the US ownership / Clough regime (aided by parachute money for a couple of years) and so in 2014 we had maintained the reduced debt. Thereafter MM assumed full control and that carefully managed austerity strategy went out of the window, albeit many fans opined that we had no debt in this period. "because it was owed to the owner of the club". Failure in transfer selection, failure on the field and the continued chasing of the golden ticket led us to where we were in the late 20****s with spiralling debt which led to various financial engineering strategies being used including selling the ground for, shall we say, an "interesting value". The rest is still fresh in our minds, two failed sales to conmen, administration, another failed sale and here we are today.

The roots of failure were firmly planted in May 2014 with the QPR defeat and change of ownership.

[SithHappens]

I think the following season things remained reasonable, Mel bought shares from memory after the play off final, but the purse strings remained quite tight, i recall the discussions around signing George and that they would do what they can to make it happen, and it was a significant investment and from memory the only real investment apart from the loans of ince, bent and the forced loan of mascarell.

Losing George when we did was devastating for the club, George and the fans, i do feel had that not happened the outcome that season may have been different, that and the loss of so many key players after the new year, George came back briefly but clearly not ready then got ruled out for the season, then we lost mascarell AND Eustace and that was our Plan A gone when we had no Plan B, we also lost buxton, martin and bent for significant spells.

Mels meddling really started at the end of the season with the sacking of Steve as he took more control, then we started spending big money sigh.

Despite further efforts at the play offs i still feel those 2 seasons were our best chances at promotion, the final table in 2015 says not but i think at one point we were 5 points clear at the top.

[StensonRam]

I remember it being the stadium debt - £26m of the £55m debt if my memory serves. Flippin heck £26m for PP, you wouldn't build it for less than £100m now

[Andy_Faber]

I remember it being the stadium debt - £26m of the £55m debt if my memory serves. Flippin heck £26m for PP, you wouldn't build it for less than £100m now

yes, one thing 'the club' did right and at the right time, remember the plans for developing the BBG main stand? Thank God they were ditched, despite how much loved that ground