Worst seasons since 1997/98

[Chris Black come back]

I've spent a fair amount of time turning this question over in my mind while suffering through games this season. I think I've called these right:

1. 2022/23 - where to start. Playing truly terrible football in the lowest professional tier of the game, with a squad so hideously deformed that Joseph Merrick would swipe left, likely finishing in the bottom half, and being lucky to do so. Pound for pound, our first ever FA Cup defeat in almost a century and a half, at home as a league club, by a non-league side, must go down as the worst result in living memory.

2. 2015/16 - a quite stunning collapse under Darren Ferguson the culminated with a truly startling run of 16 league games without a win including 12 losses and a run of 7 straight losses where we scored a total of 3 goals. Managed to find time after carefully assessing the squad to hand out a 3.5 year contract to Mitchell Lund, 2.5 year contract to Cedric Evina and 3.5 year contract to Harry Middleton.

3. 2021/22 - honourable mention here for the worst transfer business by a professional club in the developed world. Losing out to Will Grigg at the last minute not just to any side, but your chief local rival, then being defeated in a life or death struggle with a fax machine and missing out on Aiden O'Brien, but consoling ourselves by signing Cukur, Dodoo and Hiwula to deliver six (6) goals between them all season. A more humiliating yet predictable collapse than the 4-3 defeat away at Morecambe when 3-0 up, will be hard to find in the football annals.

4. 2000/01 - first full season under Steve Wignall. Don't actually remember too much about this season other than Carl Alford and Clownshoes (god rest his soul) leading the line, and a Christmas treat being served up somehow of us playing Scarborough twice over a few days and losing both. Predictably we did absolutely nothing and this was a very forlorn season in non-league. Probably the only one where I thought we would be down there for many years to come.

5. 2014/15 - on balance Dickov actually did quite well to get to grips with Championship football the previous season and almost keep us up until the final minute of the final day. Back in League One though he put together a squad that was the footballing equivalent of gruel and unsurprisingly finished precisely nowhere, despite the best efforts of Abdul Razak.

[Donny Exile in York]

Great Post and eloquently put. Did you have the fortune of avoiding the 97-98 season as the benchmark of all benchmarks as the lowest of the low, or the defeat to Frickley in 98-99?

I see large parallels with the 87-88 relegation season from tier 3 and complete collapse in division four the year after in 88-89 finishing 22nd or 23rd despite being in the play off hunt until the inconceivable sale of top scorer Paul Dobson in the January transfer window (more parallels to our loss of key players this January) due to having no money and a lack of investment. We didnt have a multi million pound owner or two back then though, well we had Wetzel but not in the same league as our current crop though he was a huge Rovers fan and supported us financially as much as he could til the money run out akin to JR. The second half of the season 88-89 was very similar to this one.

Since commencing watching Rovers in 84 this is in the top 5 if not top 3 of worst teams and declines in a season or over a couple of seasons in 40 years. Not a great record for our infallible Board is it.

What is worse this decline has been self inflicted or perpetuated by the Sustainable (Austerity) strategy of the owners post Covid under the guise that it will be better in the long run self manage a reduced investment and associated decline and downsizing than face administration later. There is no guarantee that Administration would ever follow and be as bad as this has been, we might have found investment given we have an attractive asset in the stadium, low annual overhead in stadium rent and a good fan base.. but let's suffer a decline and downsize anyway with a strategy that has helped to drive the fans away and see us as whipping boys.  I don't believe real Rovers fans would ever have let this happen when resources could have provided to a level, now apparently to be provided, to maintain a level of respectability.  There is a vicious circle in football, if you stagnate you go backwards as a lack of investment leads to poorer quality and fans no longer buying season tickets and so it is coming to pass. Let's hope decisions are made to align with fresh investment to curtail the decline and take us forward and upward, including tough decisions re manager and player recruitment and those accountable for big decisions overseeing a fast decline. Clearly alot needs to change to address the rot and slide.

Aligned to this a loyalty pricing strategy rewarding fans to remain loyal which is fair enough in normal circumstances but I for one and I'm sure many others would rather NOT have a Covid loyalty reimbursement for 5 years and have maintained a level of quality in the squad and more quality in performances and the squad than the likes of DoDoo, Mitchell, Gardner, Barlow, Bogle, Cukur etc. Whoever decided to reduce the quality of manager (3 of 4 rookie managers), player quality, stadium experience (quality of match day programme, kit, catering) by giving fans a discount for Covid forgone matches is also responsible for our decline. I don't believe true Rovers fans would have offset performances where it matters thinking fans would rather have £30 back each per year albeit I acknowledge that in the current inflationary climate pricing is important but no Rovers fan would want that to the detriment of performances on the pitch. Im not saying the reimbursement isant a good will gesture appreciated or the saving would plug the gap but would have help sustain or contribute to sustaining cintinued quality on the pitcg or signing a good Whiteman replacement. Sensible pricing with retained quality on the pitch would have been brilliant.

[roversdude]

I still don’t think this squad is as bad as the league position tells us it is. With the right man/person at the helm I still believe this group could have had us in or just around the playoffs

[danumdon]

After we came back into the league i think many thought this type of dismal situation had been put to bed for many a year if not permanently. With the investment from JR and the development that followed through the golden period with SOD and then to have TB/DW join the board and put their considerable wealth towards the club we all thoughtb our Christmases had come at once. Coupled with the new stadium and what looked a very bright future and then THIS.

I genuinely feel for the youngsters, my kids up to now have never had to see us serve up such trash as what we witness every week, it was all promotions, big crowds big teams and almost full stadiums.

Now all can see where we stand.

I don't profess to tell anyone how to spend their money or run their business but if TB wants to see his legacy trashed and then thrown in the bin with a good lump of his cash then he should know what's required to ensure that does not become the case.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Great Post and eloquently put. Did you have the fortune of avoiding the 97-98 season as the benchmark of all benchmarks as the lowest of the low, or the defeat to Frickley in 98-99?

I see large parallels with the 87-88 relegation season from tier 3 and complete collapse in division four the year after in 88-89 finishing 22nd or 23rd despite being in the play off hunt until the inconceivable sale of top scorer Paul Dobson in the January transfer window (more parallels to our loss of key players this January) due to having no money and a lack of investment. We didnt have a multi million pound owner or two back then though, well we had Wetzel but not in the same league as our current crop though he was a huge Rovers fan and supported us financially as much as he could til the money run out akin to JR. The second half of the season 88-89 was very similar to this one.

Since commencing watching Rovers in 84 this is in the top 5 if not top 3 of worst teams and declines in a season or over a couple of seasons in 40 years. Not a great record for our infallible Board is it.

What is worse this decline has been self inflicted or perpetuated by the Sustainable (Austerity) strategy of the owners post Covid under the guise that it will be better in the long run self manage a reduced investment and associated decline and downsizing than face administration later. There is no guarantee that Administration would ever follow and be as bad as this has been, we might have found investment given we have an attractive asset in the stadium, low annual overhead in stadium rent and a good fan base.. but let's suffer a decline and downsize anyway with a strategy that has helped to drive the fans away and see us as whipping boys.  I don't believe real Rovers fans would ever have let this happen when resources could have provided to a level, now apparently to be provided, to maintain a level of respectability.  There is a vicious circle in football, if you stagnate you go backwards as a lack of investment leads to poorer quality and fans no longer buying season tickets and so it is coming to pass. Let's hope decisions are made to align with fresh investment to curtail the decline and take us forward and upward, including tough decisions re manager and player recruitment and those accountable for big decisions overseeing a fast decline. Clearly alot needs to change to address the rot and slide.

Aligned to this a loyalty pricing strategy rewarding fans to remain loyal which is fair enough in normal circumstances but I for one and I'm sure many others would rather NOT have a Covid loyalty reimbursement for 5 years and have maintained a level of quality in the squad and more quality in performances and the squad than the likes of DoDoo, Mitchell, Gardner, Barlow, Bogle, Cukur etc. Whoever decided to reduce the quality of manager (3 of 4 rookie managers), player quality, stadium experience (quality of match day programme, kit, catering) by giving fans a discount for Covid forgone matches is also responsible for our decline. I don't believe true Rovers fans would have offset performances where it matters thinking fans would rather have £30 back each per year albeit I acknowledge that in the current inflationary climate pricing is important but no Rovers fan would want that to the detriment of performances on the pitch. Im not saying the reimbursement isant a good will gesture appreciated or the saving would plug the gap but would have help sustain or contribute to sustaining cintinued quality on the pitcg or signing a good Whiteman replacement. Sensible pricing with retained quality on the pitch would have been brilliant.

Seconded on CBCB's post.

I've been thinking for a while that this is like 87/88.

A previously decent squad dismembered and replaced with poor recruitment.

A crop of tired old pros underperforming.

Some bright young uns who have potential but are a long way off being finished products.

Awful, grinding football.

A general air of depression.

We are in a hole. We need the sort of spark that Brenner eventually brought to us.

[Donny Exile in York]

Yes BST having said the comparison above and whilst Bremners second coming was ultimately unsuccessful in terms of promotions (again down to money and a need to sell our best players), he built one of my favourite Rovers teams, built on old craft at the back in Ormsby and Ashurst, and Douglas in a 3, young guile and pace on the flanks in Brevett and Rankine, Turnbulls height in the centre with Gormsley and Stiles pulling the strings and the absolute colossal power and aerial doninance of Johnny Muir and Dave Jones up front.. brilliant.. we would do well to get the same power and strength into this over nice and over weak squad.

[DMnumber4]

Where are we placing 11/12?

The desperation to stop up at the expense of the preceeding decade's work was painful to watch. Any hearts and minds of the neutral that were won by beating Leeds at Wembley must have been lost when Chimbonda, Diouf etc pitched up for purely self gain.

[Chris Black come back]

Personally, I had largely exempted all the Championship seasons as however bad it was (mainly in that season) we were taking the piss even being in there, so the bar was set at a different level to us being in League One or Two or below.

[Donny Exile in York]

Exactly CBCB.. its first world problems for us complaining about Diouf, Piquounme and Chimbonda when we've been subjected to Darren Brooks, Wade Falana, John McGinlay, Scott Colcombe, James Merea, Peter Heritage, Darren Esdalile and Mike Turner over the years..

[Chris Black come back]

The Wing Commander!

[belton rover]

Purely down to how I feel about the club, this season is without doubt the worst since ‘97/98. The other seasons mentioned were bad, but in terms of sheer hopelessness and disillusionment, they don’t compare to right now.

[Armthorpe mickler]

Went to every game of the 87/88 season.My main memory is of Brian Deane getting the long ball and trying to turn with 2 or 3 defenders on his back.He scored 10 goals that season.He went to Sheff U the year after and scored 25.Don't think it's the worse season since97/98.Dickov had a few bad seasons.

[scawsby steve]

Went to every game of the 87/88 season.My main memory is of Brian Deane getting the long ball and trying to turn with 2 or 3 defenders on his back.He scored 10 goals that season.He went to Sheff U the year after and scored 25.Don't think it's the worse season since97/98.Dickov had a few bad seasons.

Surely you're not comparing that Dickov team in the Championship to this bunch of frauds we have now?

[Cramby10]

Went to every game of the 87/88 season.My main memory is of Brian Deane getting the long ball and trying to turn with 2 or 3 defenders on his back.He scored 10 goals that season.He went to Sheff U the year after and scored 25.Don't think it's the worse season since97/98.Dickov had a few bad seasons.

Surely you're not comparing that Dickov team in the Championship to this bunch of frauds we have now?

I would say both managers are/were equally inept.

[scawsby steve]

Went to every game of the 87/88 season.My main memory is of Brian Deane getting the long ball and trying to turn with 2 or 3 defenders on his back.He scored 10 goals that season.He went to Sheff U the year after and scored 25.Don't think it's the worse season since97/98.Dickov had a few bad seasons.

Surely you're not comparing that Dickov team in the Championship to this bunch of frauds we have now?

I would say both managers are/were equally inept.

I thought this thread was about comparing seasons. There were some great performances and results in that 2013/14 season. Doing the double over Wednesdays and beating Leeds at Elland Road were particularly satisfying; remember that 28 pass move that lead to Billy's goal at Leeds?

In terms of entertainment, I don't see how anyone could compare that season to the horrendous dross we've suffered this season.

[drfchound]

Dickovs team would hammer the current one.

[Armthorpe mickler]

Yes but Dickov was as good as DS at getting anything out of the team.

[Cramby10]

Dickovs team would hammer the current one.

that is not even remotely in doubt. But he didn’t remotely get the best out of them. We were on the crest of a wave with excellent players before we handed the job to that buffoon.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I've no case to make for how Dickov managed us in L1. But in the Championship, he had to contend with losing his entire first choice defence, re-built it then lost that second choice defence, and still had us within a clear foul in the last seconds of the season from staying up.