League One is slowly beginning to fill up. Sunderland, Portsmouth, Bolton, Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton, Wigan and, of course, Ipswich, are just a handful of ‘big’ names that will be knocking around in England’s third-tier next season.
The cemetery of fallen giants seems to be attracting attention from outsiders and it’s left some fans debating the difficulty of the division. Therefore, in this week’s column, I want to take a look at whether it all matters. Does playing ‘big’ clubs like Sunderland, Charlton or Portsmouth have any baring on the long-term prospects of the club? Opposed to playing tiny clubs like Bath City, AFC Sudbury or Norwich…
The easiest answer is no. The media hype machine has given birth to a mindset that dictates history as a measure of size and, therefore, success. Ipswich vs Sunderland isn’t billed as two previously poorly run clubs scrapping it out in the mire, it’s hyped as a clash between two giants that aren’t ‘where they should be.’ As we’ve seen over the past few seasons, that notion of entitlement leads to nothing. Northampton don’t have a patch us on us for size or stature, but that doesn’t make a difference if we can’t defend a corner.
Next season’s division is undoubtedly strong when you look at some of the names mentioned, but half of those clubs have deep-rooted issues. Sunderland may have new owners, but they can’t seem to settle on a management team; Portsmouth have a great manager, but their owners aren’t willing to offer financial support; Sheffield Wednesday are filled with underperforming players on massive wages (that’s without mentioning their owners) and Wigan are still recovering from a difficult 12 months. On the whole, Charlton offer a distinct challenge due to their new regime, but they don’t have the same financial power as Ipswich in the current market.
This isn’t to say that Town are in great shape themselves. At the time of writing, we have more coaches than favourable players and the mass turnover required this summer will surely stall immediate momentum. I’m certain that Paul Cook, the new owners and half of the Bristol City staff will prove themselves valuable, but it will take time.
Realistically, none of the ‘big’ sides are in ideal positions and that’s because they’re all in League One. This isn’t the ‘Super League’, teams can’t act like Tottenham and pretend to be one of the ‘cool kids’. We’re all scrapping in League One, desperate to further our prospects by escaping a relentless division. I hope that the entitlement has dissipated amongst Town fans because the reality of the last two seasons has been incredibly sobering. I thought we would bounce back, and I was even more convinced after our first ten games in League One, but now is the time to find a sense of realism and not pretend that ‘HMS P#@s The League’ will be setting sail next campaign.
Don’t get me wrong, I think we’ll have a strong year, and I have a sneaky suspicion we will end up being promoted. Paul Cook is the best a man could get at this level, Mark Ashton knows his stuff (despite what Bristol City fans will tell you), and the genuine passion of the new owners will breathe new life into this weary club. We have a genuine chance, but our legacy won’t serve to better our current prospects.
Aside from the ‘big’ teams, there are perfectly capable and dangerous sides knocking around the entire division. Sure, there are a few duds, but a lot of teams harness capable players with enough talent to punish the bigger sides. This is why Town’s summer is being played up as one of great vitality; because we have to outthink as well as outperform all of our competitors.
Whether it was due to a longer break or a lack of fans, League One was desperately poor last season with every club seemingly unable to maintain their position. There are sides littered across the division that are growing in confidence and Town have to find an immediate way to scupper their competitor’s momentum. Ultimately, the greatest baring on our season will be Town’s ability to match their own standards and forget about the weight of being an Ipswich player. Sure, a lot of teams will get an extra kick of momentum when they get to play at Portman Road, but that shouldn’t add pressure to Town’s players, it should provide an immense sense of pride.
So no, I’m not particularly worried about Town’s competitors this season. As ever, I’m more worried about Town themselves. The amount of times I’ve said ‘it can’t get any worse’ is reaching a new world record, but I finally trust in a management and ownership regime to do the right thing and push us back into the Championship.
It will be a long season with many twists and turns, and regardless of who Town face every weekend, it’s their individual performance levels, matched with the intelligence deployed in this summer’s transfer market, that will ultimately dictate the story of our season. Whilst it may be dangerous to say… I’ve got a good feeling about it all.
Thank you for taking the time to read my column. If you enjoyed, feel free to share it around. I’ll see you soon!
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