Giant Ruben flag...

[WestYorksRoyal]

Yep, definite revisionism going on saying that we all expected relegation. I expected a slow start, we got 9 points from our opening 8 and I thought that sort of form would continue until December or so then we'd improve a bit. Then we only got 2 from the following 8. Results now are about the level I expected us to reach.

But countering that, with hindsight the job was much harder than I appreciated at the time. The off field situation was even worse than we knew, and I also underestimated just how hard it is to develop a young team together (particularly as experienced players like Dean, Button and Hutchinson have largely been disappointing).

So overall I think he's done a good job, and to be where we are given our first 16 games is a great effort. But I don't think we've surpassed my expectations; more I've concluded my early expectation were unrealistic.

He also gets credit for how he has conducted himself. On the pitch, Stam was a successful manager but we never liked him as he was a grumpy bastard. By contrast, most people like Selles. Even Saints fans are glad to see it working out for him.

[Brogue]

Really? After the what? 4 pre season defeats in row? People were already baying for blood and we were expecting a long old slog of a season ahead. Our transfer business was done late a load of unknowns and journey men. I started the season thinking a mid table finish was going to be the absolute max. I don’t think anyone was in any doubt we were going to struggle

[Horsham Royal]

The flag is grammatically correct in Spanish.

Think "Copa Del Rey" as an example of the grammar.

Except rey is not a proper noun ... Berkshire is.

"Spanish Cup" would be "Copa de Espana" (proper noun)
"Berkshire Cup" would be "Copa de Berkshire" (proper noun)
"County Cup" would be "Copa del Condado" (not a proper noun)

"King of the county" / "County King" would be "Rey del Condado"
"King of Berkshire" / "Berkshire King" would be "Rey de Berkshire"

Maybe we should ask Ruben

[From Despair To Where?]

Didn't Adkins make a rod for his own back by making ridiculous claims like we were going to score 100 goals that season?

I certainly remember when Selles was appointed that the general consensus was that he was a joke appointment. There were very few people even saying give the bloke a chance. Definitely flip flopped between "foreign manager with no experience" to " look at his record at Southampton".

[Snowflake Royal]

Didn't Adkins make a rod for his own back by making ridiculous claims like we were going to score 100 goals that season?

I certainly remember when Selles was appointed that the general consensus was that he was a joke appointment. There were very few people even saying give the bloke a chance. Definitely flip flopped between "foreign manager with no experience" to " look at his record at Southampton".

I think Adkins was a strong believer in setting stretch goals and being open about it.

I don't think he said we would, I think he said it was a target. And we got 70, which was top 5.

[From Despair To Where?]

Yeah, but it sets you up to fail given that most seasons, no one achieves it. I'm all for setting targets but not stupid ones that are largely unachievable. To the outsider, it makes you look like an idiot.

70 sounds good but when you target 100 you needed to score 40% more goals.

Anyway, my general point was that the response to Selles' appointment was overwhelmingly negative, but you knew that because you still take every opportunity to damn him with faint praise. You can't say anything positive about him without there being a caveat.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Really? After the what? 4 pre season defeats in row? People were already baying for blood and we were expecting a long old slog of a season ahead. Our transfer business was done late a load of unknowns and journey men. I started the season thinking a mid table finish was going to be the absolute max. I don’t think anyone was in any doubt we were going to struggle

This season isn't far off what I expected really. A point a game early on and then an uptick in form in the winter.

Were it not for the points deductions or that woeful run of 2 points from 8, we'd be mid table pushing top half. It just feels worse as with 5 games left we're not safe yet.

But the point I was trying to make is in hindsight I probably underestimated what a tough job it was, and many others did too. Where we are is not par; it's over achievement.

[Snowflake Royal]

Really? After the what? 4 pre season defeats in row? People were already baying for blood and we were expecting a long old slog of a season ahead. Our transfer business was done late a load of unknowns and journey men. I started the season thinking a mid table finish was going to be the absolute max. I don’t think anyone was in any doubt we were going to struggle

This season isn't far off what I expected really. A point a game early on and then an uptick in form in the winter.

Were it not for the points deductions or that woeful run of 2 points from 8, we'd be mid table pushing top half. It just feels worse as with 5 games left we're not safe yet.

But the point I was trying to make is in hindsight I probably underestimated what a tough job it was, and many others did too. Where we are is not par; it's over achievement.

I think Selles has done an excellent job with all the off field stuff.

Tbh, the worse the off field stuff has got, the better he has done.

We started well but couldn't get results, then it all just fell apart as he got further and further into an ethos dug hole rather than deal with reality. In a lot of ways that exceptionally poor run was very self-inflicted.

In hindsight I think the mid-table expectations were pretty reasonable. Although of course none of us expected Dai to pull the plug and refuse to sell for the season.

[Brum Royal]

The flag is grammatically correct in Spanish.

Think "Copa Del Rey" as an example of the grammar.

Except rey is not a proper noun ... Berkshire is.

"Spanish Cup" would be "Copa de Espana" (proper noun)
"Berkshire Cup" would be "Copa de Berkshire" (proper noun)
"County Cup" would be "Copa del Condado" (not a proper noun)

"King of the county" / "County King" would be "Rey del Condado"
"King of Berkshire" / "Berkshire King" would be "Rey de Berkshire"

Maybe we should ask Ruben

Ultimately none of this now matters, as the latest (final?) iteration of the flag simply says "El Jefe", according to yesterday's Facebook post from the organisers

[windermereROYAL]

The final design

[blythspartan]

The final design

I like The Boss. A fiver well spent.

[NathStPaul]

The final design

Don't like the design.

[Snowflake Royal]

What a shock.

[rabidbee]

The flag is grammatically correct in Spanish.

Think "Copa Del Rey" as an example of the grammar.

Cup of *the* king?

[skipper]

The final design

I like The Boss. A fiver well spent.

Thanks Buddy!!!

[scumbag]

The final design

I like The Boss. A fiver well spent.

Thanks Buddy!!!

Good work Skipp

[NathStPaul]

What have you done with the excess money you didn't need Skipper? Assume you've refunded it?

[SouthDownsRoyal]

What have you done with the excess money you didn't need Skipper? Assume you've refunded it?

What excess money?

[Brogue]

Didn’t see this yesterday thought it was going to be ready for the Lincoln game? So just one home game left Blackpool. I would lol if he leaves in the summer. £2000 for one outing then it would have to be burned wrapped around a Judas effigy

[East Grinstead Royal]

I thought the same thing, Brogue.