Yo-yo club

[colincramb]

That's what I think we are. Not quite ready yet for the championship but more than capable at L1 level. Last time we went down I though it might be a blessing in that we could clear out all the loans and dead wood. This time I think we will be stronger and be a real tough team to beat next year

[mrfrostsdad]

How do you know that when we have no idea who will/won't be here next season?
We have 13 players still in contract, but we don't know how many of them we'll be able to keep due to reduction in TV revenue etc. hope you're correct, and if we can keep the 13 who are in contract, you may well be, but before we start saying we'll be difficult to beat, we need to see who we have come August.

[DonnyNoel]

I do take a bit of confidence that we're going down in better shape than last time IMO and should we keep what we've got contracted, hopefully retain/add a bit more quality to the spine then I think we have a bit of cause for optimism.

[IDM]

I thought this thread was going to be about biscuits..

However, I agree we are in far better shape than last time we went down.

[andyst79]

Bouncebackability! Got plenty of experience and attacking options for l1

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Lets not underestimate League One. Those 13 will not get us promoted. We need to assemble a strong core, a team that functions well and can up the ante when it needs to. We're still short of a goal threat although I think Forrester will help in that department.

[andyst79]

Forrester, Duffy , Cotterill , Brown think Robinson may run a few defences ragged, not underestimating L1 by any means just think were in a far better state than last time we were relegated .

[Lesonthewest]

If we can keep the nucleus of the squad we have now & add 2 or 3 hungry lower league players we should be very strong in league 1, a settled back 4 with less injuries wouldn't go amiss either.

[BobG]

How many clubs can you bring to mind that have managed
 
Relegation
Promotion
Relegation
Promotion

There must be a few, but I haven't been able to think of one. I've been trying a while. It'd be quite an unusual achievement if we did manage it.

BobG

Later: Crewe under Dario Gradi maybe?

[Red Rover]

One of John Ryan's parting shots when he left was that the other owners were happy to be a yo-yo club merely to get the financial benefits. Doesn't seem beyond the realms of possibility now.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Forrester, Duffy , Cotterill , Brown think Robinson may run a few defences ragged, not underestimating L1 by any means just think were in a far better state than last time we were relegated .

Or the time before that (97/98), or the time before that(87/88) when we had REALLY shite squads.

In fact, the last time we were relegated with a squad (relatively) anything like as good as the current one must be 1981/82, with the Snods, Billy Russell, Duggy, Stevie Lister, Glenn Humphries, Dennis and Willie Boyd. The nucleus of the team that stormed to second place the next season, after Bremner added a bit of nous in Uncle Ernie, a bit of attacking wingery in Mark Miller and a bit of midfield shit shovelling in David Harle and Andy Kowalski.

The squad that we had this year was more than capable of finishing 16th-17th given a decent run with injuries. If we hold onto the key players and add a couple of clever signings, the play-offs should be the minimum expectation next year.

[BillyStubbsTears]

PS: Look at it like that and it doesn't seem too bad. Only 4 relegations in 26 years. And the previous 3 were nailed on weeks (nay, months) before the end of the season, so at least we've been competitive this time. And the previous three saw us in utter disarray squad-wise, with a whole bunch of no-hopers playing for us, who had to be swept out to give us a fresh foundation to build on.

I think we'll have fun next year.

[pib]

Got to agree that we SHOULD be looking at top six minimum next season if we keep the contracted players we've got (plus Cotterill, Copps and one or two others), and pick up a few other decent signings, which we probably have the resources to do.

It'll probably be a marginally more difficult league than last time, but we come down with a much better base to build on.

Looking at things now, which is early I know, I'd rank us as on-paper contenders, along with Sheff United, Barnsley, Bristol City, Rotherham/PNE/Posh if they stay down, possibly Yeovil, and as always, whichever dark-horse makes an unexpected charge. Could potentially be Bradford, Scunthorpe, Swindon, Crawley or Orient again if they don't go up this time.

[eastender]

Forrester, Duffy , Cotterill , Brown think Robinson may run a few defences ragged, not underestimating L1 by any means just think were in a far better state than last time we were relegated .

The squad that we had this year was more than capable of finishing 16th-17th given a decent run with injuries

Pretty much much the squad that played the last 7 games and got 1 point then,   

[BillyStubbsTears]

Forrester, Duffy , Cotterill , Brown think Robinson may run a few defences ragged, not underestimating L1 by any means just think were in a far better state than last time we were relegated .

The squad that we had this year was more than capable of finishing 16th-17th given a decent run with injuries

Pretty much much the squad that played the last 7 games and got 1 point then,   

No.

In that time, Wellens, Husband, Meite, Neill, Tamas and Duffy were all out through injury for some or all of the time.

You can spin it any way you want, but a rational assessment is that we pulled the short straw on injuries this year. When clubs get hit badly by injuries, they tend to underperform. Performing for us this year would have been finishing a few places above relegation. We got hammered by injuries. We underperformed.

[eastender]

Forrester, Duffy , Cotterill , Brown think Robinson may run a few defences ragged, not underestimating L1 by any means just think were in a far better state than last time we were relegated .

The squad that we had this year was more than capable of finishing 16th-17th given a decent run with injuries

Pretty much much the squad that played the last 7 games and got 1 point then,   

No.

In that time, Wellens, Husband, Meite, Neill, Tamas and Duffy were all out through injury for some or all of the time.

You can spin it any way you want, but a rational assessment is that we pulled the short straw on injuries this year. When clubs get hit badly by injuries, they tend to underperform. Performing for us this year would have been finishing a few places above relegation. We got hammered by injuries. We underperformed.

 Meite, Neill, Tamas all late additions to this years squad.
 Duffy as been hit and miss all season.
 Husband as lost us more points than he as saved us.
 Wellens i agree with but..

This seasons squad was never going to be strong enough in depth and everyone knew that back in august.

[Glyn_Wigley]

One of John Ryan's parting shots when he left was that the other owners were happy to be a yo-yo club merely to get the financial benefits. Doesn't seem beyond the realms of possibility now.

Eh? What 'financial benefits' does anybody get from the club being relegated? If JR really did say that I can't see the logic behind it...

[NickDRFC]

One of John Ryan's parting shots when he left was that the other owners were happy to be a yo-yo club merely to get the financial benefits. Doesn't seem beyond the realms of possibility now.

Eh? What 'financial benefits' does anybody get from the club being relegated? If JR really did say that I can't see the logic behind it...

I would have thought it means go up, don't invest in the playing squad and just keep the extra income, come back down with the league one squad and repeat ad infinitum.

Not saying I agree with him but I believe that was the implication.

[normal rules]

Rovers history shows that they have always been a yo yo club. Look at he 50's and you will see

[BillyStubbsTears]

Our historical promotions and relegations

34/35 Promoted from Div3N
36/37 Relegated from Div2
46/47 Promoted from Div3N
47/48 Relegated from Div2
49/50 Promoted from Div3N
57/58 Relegated from Div2
65/66 Promoted from Div4
66/67 Relegated from Div3
68/69 Promoted from Div4
70/71 Relegated from Div3
80/81 Promoted from Div4
82/83 Relegated from Div3
83/84 Promoted from Div4
87/88 Relegated from Div3
97/98 Relegated from Div4
02/03 Promoted from Conf
03/04 Promoted from Div3 (Old Div4)
07/08 Promoted from League 1
11/12 Relegated from Championship
12/13 Promoted from League 1
13/14 Relegated from Championship

So we tend to have a decade or so of stability in one league, followed by manic yo-yoing. This last 11 years has been by some way the most interesting period in our existence as far as promotions and relegations are concerned.

[idler]

Our historical promotions and relegations

34/35 Promoted from Div3N
36/37 Relegated from Div2
46/47 Promoted from Div3N
47/48 Relegated from Div2
49/50 Promoted from Div3N
57/58 Relegated from Div2
65/66 Promoted from Div4
66/67 Relegated from Div3
68/69 Promoted from Div4
70/71 Relegated from Div3
80/81 Promoted from Div4
82/83 Relegated from Div3
83/84 Promoted from Div4
87/88 Relegated from Div3
97/98 Relegated from Div4
02/03 Promoted from Conf
03/04 Promoted from Div3 (Old Div4)
07/08 Promoted from League 1
11/12 Relegated from Championship
12/13 Promoted from League 1
13/14 Relegated from Championship

So we tend to have a decade or so of stability in one league, followed by manic yo-yoing. This last 11 years has been by some way the most interesting period in our existence as far as promotions and relegations are concerned.

you missed 58/59 Billy. My first season watching the Rovers.
That was a sickener as well. 

[BigColSutherland]

How many clubs can you bring to mind that have managed
 
Relegation
Promotion
Relegation
Promotion

There must be a few, but I haven't been able to think of one. I've been trying a while. It'd be quite an unusual achievement if we did manage it.

BobG

Later: Crewe under Dario Gradi maybe?

Posh are pretty up and down of late:

2007/08 - League Two - Promoted
2008/09 - League One - Promoted
2009/10 - Championship - Relegated
2010/11 - League One - Promoted
2011/12 - Championship - 18th
2012/13 - Championship - Relegated
2013/14 - League One - Playoffs (tbc)

[gillinghamrover]

I'd be happy yo-yoing between the Championship and League 1.

[Bristol Red Rover]

Updated chart if anyone wants it - just don't offer it to wiki 

[Glyn_Wigley]

One of John Ryan's parting shots when he left was that the other owners were happy to be a yo-yo club merely to get the financial benefits. Doesn't seem beyond the realms of possibility now.

Eh? What 'financial benefits' does anybody get from the club being relegated? If JR really did say that I can't see the logic behind it...

I would have thought it means go up, don't invest in the playing squad and just keep the extra income, come back down with the league one squad and repeat ad infinitum.

Not saying I agree with him but I believe that was the implication.

If anyone can point me to an occasion when any of the present board have taken money out of the club instead of continually putting money into it, then the original accusation might have some merit.

[BigColSutherland]

One of John Ryan's parting shots when he left was that the other owners were happy to be a yo-yo club merely to get the financial benefits. Doesn't seem beyond the realms of possibility now.

Eh? What 'financial benefits' does anybody get from the club being relegated? If JR really did say that I can't see the logic behind it...

I would have thought it means go up, don't invest in the playing squad and just keep the extra income, come back down with the league one squad and repeat ad infinitum.

Not saying I agree with him but I believe that was the implication.

If anyone can point me to an occasion when any of the present board have taken money out of the club instead of continually putting money into it, then the original accusation might have some merit.

Presumably Gavin charges for his services.