Reality Check

[Shire Shrimp]

Nope, this is not a Robert/Ned style post, but something which has stirred a few thoughts & emotions looking at a few recent threads, in particular the 'coldest game', 'Lancashire Cup' and 'Forest away' threads.

Is it just me or is there still plenty left to sink in about winning promotion? Those threads got me thinking about the midweek Lancashire Cup match against City at the Giant Axe 3 (?) seasons ago, chucking it down, soaked through, on a freezing, uncovered terrace... Those days are gone, we have moved on, yet the memories are still fresh. Now we are faced with a midweek trip to the once European Champions in a stadium fit to be part of the Euro 96 tournament.

In a just a few years we have come so far, and who is to say the journey has ended? I look down the league fixtures at the teams we will be playing this coming season & most of the teams we would've been delighted to have been drawn against in the cup a few seasons ago, they would've been deemed a 'big match'. But the difference now is that this is the norm, this is our level, this is our bread & butter. These matches are being played every week.

If you take five minutes just to think about all this, put things in perspective, you'll get this funny warm feeling in your loins (ooh er!) and I guarantee a smile on your face. Its like the feeling you got travelling home from Wembley, just not as intense.

Great times and plenty more to come I'm sure. So proud, so very proud.

[Curly]

Nope, this is not a Robert/Ned style post, but something which has stirred a few thoughts & emotions looking at a few recent threads, in particular the 'coldest game', 'Lancashire Cup' and 'Forest away' threads.

Is it just me or is there still plenty left to sink in about winning promotion? Those threads got me thinking about the midweek Lancashire Cup match against City at the Giant Axe 3 (?) seasons ago, chucking it down, soaked through, on a freezing, uncovered terrace... Those days are gone, we have moved on, yet the memories are still fresh. Now we are faced with a midweek trip to the once European Champions in a stadium fit to be part of the Euro 96 tournament.

In a just a few years we have come so far, and who is to say the journey has ended? I look down the league fixtures at the teams we will be playing this coming season & most of the teams we would've been delighted to have been drawn against in the cup a few seasons ago, they would've been deemed a 'big match'. But the difference now is that this is the norm, this is our level, this is our bread & butter. These matches are being played every week.

If you take five minutes just to think about all this, put things in perspective, you'll get this funny warm feeling in your loins (ooh er!) and I guarantee a smile on your face. Its like the feeling you got travelling home from Wembley, just not as intense.

Great times and plenty more to come I'm sure. So proud, so very proud.

Amen.
Think about the "quality" grounds we used to visit! Like B. Park Ave and Telford!!!
A lot of people seem really worried because our team has changed so much, but I think it looks very strong and certainly strong enough to compete at our level.

[shrimper]

Great post and really struck a chord.

Yes you do have to pinch yourself at times and it's a good thing to keep reminded ourselves of just where we've come from and how quickly.

There can be a tendency (though, thankfully, not too often) for some people to kind of 'expect' better things than we should realistically 'expect'.

Hope and ambition are fine but we should never get ahead of ourselves and always remember who we are.

[nobbyshrimp]

Nope, this is not a Robert/Ned style post, but something which has stirred a few thoughts & emotions looking at a few recent threads, in particular the 'coldest game', 'Lancashire Cup' and 'Forest away' threads.

Is it just me or is there still plenty left to sink in about winning promotion? Those threads got me thinking about the midweek Lancashire Cup match against City at the Giant Axe 3 (?) seasons ago, chucking it down, soaked through, on a freezing, uncovered terrace... Those days are gone, we have moved on, yet the memories are still fresh. Now we are faced with a midweek trip to the once European Champions in a stadium fit to be part of the Euro 96 tournament.

In a just a few years we have come so far, and who is to say the journey has ended? I look down the league fixtures at the teams we will be playing this coming season & most of the teams we would've been delighted to have been drawn against in the cup a few seasons ago, they would've been deemed a 'big match'. But the difference now is that this is the norm, this is our level, this is our bread & butter. These matches are being played every week.

If you take five minutes just to think about all this, put things in perspective, you'll get this funny warm feeling in your loins (ooh er!) and I guarantee a smile on your face. Its like the feeling you got travelling home from Wembley, just not as intense.

Great times and plenty more to come I'm sure. So proud, so very proud.

Amen.
Think about the "quality" grounds we used to visit! Like B. Park Ave and Telford!!!
A lot of people seem really worried because our team has changed so much, but I think it looks very strong and certainly strong enough to compete at our level.

Quite agree with you both not forgetting who would ever have thought that Sammy Mac would ever grace Christie Park, let alone be manager Not quite sure about the grounds though. I seem to remember Bradford Park Avenue being an ok thought of none league ground and the old Telford was on par but the new Telford is brill and BPA had a new stand some time ago so in fact both have more seating than Christie Park. You could have picked worse and (going back some years) what feels like yesterday, when we played Wigan regularly there ground was an uncovered mud bank on one end

[heysham_mfc]

yes also the tread about attendances a few seasons ago anything above 2000 at CP would have been a big turn out now people moan if we dont get at lest 2300 through the turstiles

[Shrimpsscene]

great post

perhaps we could get some good turn outs for our next two away games then??

Lancaster City v Morecambe Tuesday 29th July 745pm

Kendal Town v Morecambe Tuesday 5th August 745pm

go on you know you want to!!!!

[Wednesdayite]

Good post...reminds you why you go to football in the first place..

[heysham_mfc]

fantastic post

[Martin]

It hits home a bit when stood in grounds such as Notts County, Milton Keynes etc. You look around the ground and think Wow, we're playing a LEAGUE match against these teams.

I remember Notts County last season, fans milling about outside the ground. It looked like a match day; somehow the atmosphere wasn't quite the same previously.

I love it!

[John L]

great post

perhaps we could get some good turn outs for our next two away games then??

Lancaster City v Morecambe Tuesday 29th July 745pm

Kendal Town v Morecambe Tuesday 5th August 745pm

go on you know you want to!!!!

We'll be at the Axe on Tuesday.... looking forward to it and any banter between the home and away fans!

[BHmfc]

yes also the tread about attendances a few seasons ago anything above 2000 at CP would have been a big turn out now people moan if we dont get at lest 2300 through the turstiles

A gate above 400 WAS a big turnout in my early days. Great post to read and hopefully makes us realise just how far we have come

[Keith]

A gate above 400 WAS a big turnout in my early days. Great post to read and hopefully makes us realise just how far we have come

A couple of hundred was fantastic in the late 70's. It really is amazing to remember that our peers were Horwich and in the early eighties, our betters were Chorley & Southport. Now we have Bradford fans trying to wind us up because they are our peers!

[BHmfc]

A gate above 400 WAS a big turnout in my early days. Great post to read and hopefully makes us realise just how far we have come

A couple of hundred was fantastic in the late 70's. It really is amazing to remember that our peers were Horwich and in the early eighties, our betters were Chorley & Southport. Now we have Bradford fans trying to wind us up because they are our peers!

Horwich and that sloping pitch, Netherfield (now Kendal) and the bar behind the goal and of course who can foget the trips to Fleetwood playing at Highbury.

[Keith]

Horwich and that sloping pitch...

Corner flag was practically level with the top of the goal post Last time I was there is was a foggy night, so we could barely see the other goal! Kids of today, they wouldn't believe it...

[heysham_mfc]

great post

perhaps we could get some good turn outs for our next two away games then??

Lancaster City v Morecambe Tuesday 29th July 745pm

Kendal Town v Morecambe Tuesday 5th August 745pm

go on you know you want to!!!!

We'll be at the Axe on Tuesday.... looking forward to it and any banter between the home and away fans!

what all 10 of em