That's my view, too. Our home form has been **** mostly because we've had **** players. Last season our home form was decent, and we struggled away.
Sure, 20k is too big for L2 (or lower), and we usually only fill a third of it if we're lucky, but it gives us a big advantage over other clubs who's grounds would limit their progress. ML was built to be a Championship stadium, but unfortunately we had to sell our best players to fund it, and the rest is history.
There is so much potential at Notts. The infrastructure is there, and the fans will come if there's something good to watch. But unfortunately for us, we've been run into the ground over the last decade. Now we risk slipping off the radar completely. It's a tragedy.
Last edited by slack_pie; 13-01-2019 at 06:59 AM.
Blaming the ground is about on par with blaming the Gypo's curse!!!
Bad recruitment, poor organisation, constant manger changes and our continual habit of chucking good money after bad has got us where we are. Ironing is, spent in the right way, Bigguss Allus cheque book is about the only thing that has a chance of saving us!!!
Last edited by Bridg4d_Pie_; 13-01-2019 at 11:51 AM.
It has occurred to me that since we built the new stadium we've had relatively few 'good' seasons at home, but there have been some. We had solid home form under Sam Allardyce in 1997/98, we blitzed teams at Meadow Lane during the Munto season, and for the first 12 months under Kevin Nolan our home form was very strong again. So we can be strong at home when the team is good enough.
However, it may be true that when the team is already struggling, the acoustics of our 'new' stadium make the players particularly aware of the criticism and anger coming from the stands, perhaps further inhibiting their performance, while the vocal support of visiting fans is equally amplified and lifts their players more than it would in other older, more open stadiums. But even if this is true, these are professional footballers and they should be able to deal with it.
I would like to ask AH & past owners if they think that selling the club to potential players & managers on us being a "sleeping giant who have a fantastic ground & facilities" is working or is it actually attracting the type of player & manager who think that we are "to good to go down"& have some sort of divine right to win games without putting in the effort?