Before the season started. And the first few games of the season did little to change my opinion either. The team then clicked, put together a good (exceptional) run of results before injuries started to take effect and we started losing momentum. Our paper thin squad could not maintain that level of performance (we had Alex Gorrin rushed back to the bench at one point for goodness sake!).
So I was pleasantly surprised that after an initial dodgy couple of games and a fairly indifferent pre-season (OK - nobody should set too much store by pre-season, should they?) that we found ourselves in the mix and pushing the automatics. I hoped it might last, but was never confident, having been enough times round the sun as an Oxford supporter to know how these things often play out. It would take an exceptional effort to maintain our exceptional early form IMHO.
Lo and behold a serious body blow to the club in November. All those from the top to the bottom of the club who'd bought in to the Manning project, who'd dare to hope that "just maybe" we'd be a contender this season, possibly ahead of schedule (certainly ahead of schedule from the majority of chat on here having just scraped survival in League 1 a few short months earlier) were probably seriously concerned about how sustainable it all was - there were after all several structural deficiencies in our squad and the cover behind the first choice 11 was nothing near adequate enough. And so it has proved, along with a number of factors, such as the lack of proper backroom support for an inexperienced manager but talented coach with bags of potential.
So, yeah (pulling it back to the topic), I remain pleasantly surprised that we are where we are with it all in our hands and all to still play for in the playoff shakedown.
Next 6 games are huuuge....and the next two (for all in playoff contention) will tell us an awful lot about our direction of travel. Bomb out badly over the next 6 and Buckingham won't last. In contention to the final day, but missing out, I think he'll get the summer. Top 6 finish, he'll possibly get until xmas, promotion and he'll get the keys to the city
Let's hope the club back him (not just with finds for players) if he warrants that investment.
I am genuinely looking forward to it!