A decade later...

This is the final table in the Barclays Premier League from the 2004-2005 season. Will we ever scale those heady heights again? It's only nine years ago but it seems like a lot longer.

Final Table				[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]						[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]						[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
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1	[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]	38		29	8	1	72	15		14	5	0	35	6		15	3	1	37	9		+57	95
2	[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]	38		25	8	5	87	36		13	5	1	54	19		12	3	4	33	17		+51	83
3	[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]	38		22	11	5	58	26		12	6	1	31	12		10	5	4	27	14		+32	77
4	[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]	38		18	7	13	45	46		12	2	5	24	15		6	5	8	21	31		-1	61
5	[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]	38		17	7	14	52	41		12	4	3	31	15		5	3	11	21	26		+11	58
6	[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]	38		16	10	12	49	44		9	5	5	25	18		7	5	7	24	26		+5	58

That table should be framed for posterity!

heady days indeed! Even if we did get back to the Premiership it is impossible for teams like us to finish in the top 6 these days without a rich benefactor.

It does seem like a lifetime ago already!

Reebok Trotter wrote:This is the final table in the Barclays Premier League from the 2004-2005 season. Will we ever scale those heady heights again? It's only nine years ago but it seems like a lot longer.

I bet there's a few Utd fans asking the same question......

No .....

Even if we get back in the Prem other clubs who were at our level or below have left us way behind .... Southampton, Stoke, Swansea for example.....even traditional other bottom half teams like West Ham, Villa........ all have more ambition than us.  Or least it seems that way.

It's hard for me to fathom a Top ten finish in the Prem with Eddie, Phil & Doog at the helm.  Although it's nice to dream.

What is really interesting is that Man City under the managership of Kevin Keegan finished eigth. They had just completed their third consecutive season in the top flight.

It just goes to show that without a massive influx of investment most clubs are on a sticky wicket right from the off.

Reebok Trotter wrote:
It just goes to show that without a massive influx of investment most clubs are on a sticky wicket right from the off.

Totally agree. 
Had to laugh at your comment about "showing ambition" Terence - a lot of fans equate "throwing money at the team" to "showing ambition" - there's a huge difference between the two concepts. For me, throwing money at the team is more about "showing how desperate the rich bastard that owns the club is to buy success". I reckon our current ambition is financial survival. Call it unambitious, but without survival nothing else is relevant.

wanderlust wrote:

Reebok Trotter wrote:
It just goes to show that without a massive influx of investment most clubs are on a sticky wicket right from the off.

Totally agree. 
Had to laugh at your comment about "showing ambition" Terence - a lot of fans equate "throwing money at the team" to "showing ambition" - there's a huge difference between the two concepts. For me, throwing money at the team is more about "showing how desperate the rich bastard that owns the club is to buy success". I reckon our current ambition is financial survival. Call it unambitious, but without survival nothing else is relevant.

I think the whole lack of ambition thing has been beaten to death ...going back to Big Sam etc......   I'm not talking about throwing countless millions at it .....
Leicester, Swansea & Southampton combined together have spent far less than City spends in one summer. But nobody can accuse those clubs of not having some gumption and ambition.  Just IMO.

terenceanne wrote:

wanderlust wrote:

Reebok Trotter wrote:
It just goes to show that without a massive influx of investment most clubs are on a sticky wicket right from the off.

Totally agree. 
Had to laugh at your comment about "showing ambition" Terence - a lot of fans equate "throwing money at the team" to "showing ambition" - there's a huge difference between the two concepts. For me, throwing money at the team is more about "showing how desperate the rich bastard that owns the club is to buy success". I reckon our current ambition is financial survival. Call it unambitious, but without survival nothing else is relevant.

I think the whole lack of ambition thing has been beaten to death ...going back to Big Sam etc......   I'm not talking about throwing countless millions at it .....
Leicester, Swansea & Southampton combined together have spent far less than City spends in one summer. But nobody can accuse those clubs of not having some gumption and ambition.  Just IMO.

Fair enough although those clubs have spent an insane amount compared to most and none of them have reached the heights we did.