I guess this is why you come across as being permanently disappointed and accusatory then. Maybe your expectations were unrealistic to begin with and the structural problems many of us could see were actually the reality.
In the summer, amongst the utter relief of avoiding relegation - just, there was plenty of agreement on here that we needed a major rebuilding job that would take multiple windows (and that was just with the same manager) to sort out, such was the state of the squad Manning, and then Buckingham inherited. Chock full of highly paid players who could not be relied on for more than a dozen games a season, a severely skewed squad, lacking in depth in some fundamental positions on the pitch, other players bombed out and dismantled by a manager who clearly held grudges. A recruitment team that had been largely sidelined by Robinson to massage his own ego as the saviour of Oxford United?
And yet, Manning comes in, manages to get a non-functioning squad to barely function enough and scrape enough points to avoid relegation. Then makes few astute (to his management team and the recruitment teams credit) signings (and some not so, as it turns out) to bolster the squad and with a full pre-season behind them and a settled management team to guide them, get off to an absolute flyer in the league. Then as things settle and the inevitable injuries start to affect the team, the age old problems of no depth become very apparent, coupled with a manager jumping ship when it looks like we might be on to a good thing.
I'm actually pleasantly surprised we are still where we are with it all in our hands and everything to play for, with a squad returning to full strength, bolstered by a few astute January signings (and yes, one or two not so astute) at the business end of the season.
I fully expected just outside the playoffs this year and a push next season, but now ....who knows.
I will enjoy the ride though - hope you do too, Dick!
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