The Great Escapees

After Crystal Palace earn a precious win over drop zone rivals Sheffield United, Nobes looks at the clubs who have made escaping from relegation a habit.

Darren Ambrose's goal helped keep Palace up at Sheffield Wednesday's expense

Battling a team from the Steel City to avoid relegation to the third tier isn't new territory for Crystal Palace.

Last season, amid their financial meltdown, the Londoners sent Sheffield Wednesday down after a final day shoot out between the pair at Hillsborough.

Their 1-0 win at the weekend over Sheffield United opened up a five point gap between themselves and the Blades, and could prove crucial in maintaining their Championship status after a poor start to the campaign.

Palace also staged a great escape in 2001 to avoid relegation from the Championship, and will be hoping to make it a hat trick of successes come May.

Here's my rundown of some of the other teams who have made a habit out of fighting - and usually winning - battles against the drop.


Portsmouth - 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2006

Three times in the 1990s, Pompey survived relegation to the third tier of English football on the final day of the season.

Firstly in 1996, a 1-0 win at Huddersfield along with Millwall failing to beat Ipswich saw them finish above the Lions on goal difference.

Two years later, and they were at it again. It had been a disastrous season with Terry Venables ending his involvement at Fratton Park and Alan Ball returning to the club to take over from Terry Fenwick.

Once more a final day win in West Yorkshire, this time 3-1 at Bradford, helped stave off relegation and send Manchester City tumbling down to League One.

Twelve months on, and Portsmouth went into receivership and would later only just avoid going out of business. On the pitch, Pompey finished the season in a four way tie on 47 points with Port Vale, QPR, and Bury.

However, it was the latter - with the worst goals scored record that took the tumble and Portsmouth were once again saved.

In 2001, they dropped into the relegation zone in the final week of the season and had to beat Barnsley in their last game to give themselves a shot of survival.

Fortunately, the Reds rolled over and Pompey's 3-0 win was enough to guarantee them a place in the Championship as Huddersfield went down instead.

Finally, during their top flight spell in the previous decade, Harry Redknapp engineered a stunning late rally in 2006 to keep Pompey in the Premier League. Where they remained until last season.


Carlisle United - 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2009

No club masters in brinkmanship like the Cumbrians. It's an expertise only rivalled by their special ability to perform in the Football League Trophy.

The first of their great escapes came in 1992, when they finished bottom of the entire Football League yet avoided demotion to the Conference after Aldershot went out of business.

Their next great escape, and possibly the most famous of all, came in 1999. A 95th minute winner from emergency loan goalkeeper Jimmy Glass kept the Cumbrians in the Football League at the expense of Scarborough.

Twelve months later and they did it again, this time edging out Chester City by virture of goals scored to retain their place in the 92.

With finances biting and the club coming close to going out of business, Ian Atkins's side survived by three points in the 2000/1 campaign despite winning the fewest matches in their division.

Two years later and, in the first year of two-up-two-down between the Football and Non Leagues, the Cumbrians finished 22nd, just a point above relegated Exeter.

They had won a vital relegation decider 3-2 against Shrewsbury in their penultimate match to secure their Football League place.

Finally their luck ran out in 2004 though. An horrific start to the season saw them lose 18 of their first 21 games. Paul Simpson's men staged an heroic second half revival, but this time fell through the trapdoor by just four points.

Their most recent escape came in League One in 2009 when they went into the last game of the season needing a win and other results to go their way. They duly beat Millwall 2-0 at Brunton Park to edge out Northampton by a point.

The most famous great escape of all? Jimmy Glass for Carlisle in 1999

Hartlepool United - 1997, 1999, 2009, 2010

Towards the end of the last Millennium, Pools were fighting relegation battles towards the bottom of the basement division. Now it's the third tier where they try and stave off the drop.

In 1997, they ended up just four points above bottom place Hereford. No League Two side lost more games than United that term and with three games left they sat 23rd.

However, successive wins ensured they were safe going into the final day of the season.

Two years later, and Pools were propping up the rest of the Football League at Easter and looking doomed to relegation. New boss Chris Turner inspired his team to 11 points from their last seven games though to retain their spot in the division, ending up 22nd.

More recently, they have found themselves towards the wrong end of League One, including suffering relegation from the third tier in 2006. In 2009 an end of season slump saw them avoid the drop by just a single point.

Last term, Hartlepool were safe going into the final game until a points deduction for playing an ineligible player earlier in the campaign saw them thrown back into the relegation mix.

There they battled hard to gain a 0-0 draw against Brentford and avoid relegation by virtue of a superior goal difference to Gillingham.


Torquay United - 1987, 1993, 1996, 2001, 2006

The Gulls had finished bottom of the Football League for consecutive seasons in 1985 and 1986 but twice won their re-election bid.

The last side to finish bottom in back-to-back years, Workington, hadn't, so United were fortunate to still be in the Football League when automatic relegation was introduced in 1986/7.

They were even more fortunate when, on the final day, a police dog, Bryn, bit a Torquay player, producing enough injury time for them to score a dramatic last gasp equaliser against Crewe.

It secured the point they needed to stay up and send unlucky Lincoln down.

In 1993 they were indebted to a short spell in the dugout from Neil Warnock to guide the Devonians to safety in the basement division, but in 1996 they were struggling once more and finished bottom of the entire pack.

However, Conference winners Stevenage Borough were denied promotion because of the condition of their ground, and Torquay were given a reprieve.

In 2000/1, their fight against the drop went down to the very last game of the season in a final day shootout against Barnet with the losers going down to the Conference.

They raced into a 3-0 half time lead and withstood a second half comeback to see the match out 3-2 and send the Bees down.

Finally, in 2006, United sat six points short of safety with just five games remaining. However, Ian Atkins masterminded four wins and a draw to ensure they finished three points clear of the drop zone in 20th.

A year later, and the Gulls - mismanaged both on and off the pitch - finally took the plunge and spent two years in the Conference after finishing bottom of the division.

Gulls fans invade the pitch after securing survival yet again in 2006

Exeter City - 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2010

The 1990s had begun brightly for Exeter City - they won the League Two title to gain elevation to the third tier.

However, once there, they struggled and twice came close to taking the drop.

Firstly, in 1992, they went into the final day of the season still in danger of relegation. Fortunately, while they were thumped 5-2 at Darlington, rivals Bury lost as well to go down by just two points.

The following season they finished just three points clear of relegated Preston. However, they were not so lucky in 1994 and did eventually drop down to the basement division.

There they ended up rock bottom of the entire Football League at the end of the 1994/5 season.

The Grecians almost went of business during the campaign, but were spared the Non Leagues after the Moss Rose ground of Conference champions Macclesfield controversially failed to meet the Football League's requirements.

They were not so lucky in 2003 though, as, in the first year of two-up-two-down, Exeter became the first side to finish 23rd and be relegated from the basement division.

Having bounced back to the Football League, last season Exeter staged another escape from the drop when a late winner in their final game against Huddersfield saw City stay in League One by a single point.


Crewe Alexandra - 1999, 2004, 2005, 2008

Dario Gradi's distinguished reign as Crewe boss has become synonymous with unearthing talented young players, an attractive brand of football, and the Alex punching above their weight.

Inevitably therefore, they have been involved in the odd battle against the drop, some won successfully and some not.

In 1999, the Railwaymen finished just a point above the Championship relegation zone in 18th - inspired by a late rally of ten points from their last four games to ensure their safety.

Just two points separated Alex in 18th from third bottom Walsall in 2004 as Gradi once again managed to defy the odds to keep the Cheshire club in the second tier.

Twelve months later and they staged a dramatic last day escape as a 2-1 win over Coventry, coupled with Gillingham drawing 2-2 at Nottingham Forest, saw Crewe finish above the Gills thanks to a one better goal difference.

They weren't so lucky in 2006, finally succumbing to the drop. And in 2008 they fought to retain League One football at Gresty Road.

Alex finished up just two points clear of relegated Bournemouth, despite the Cherries being deducted ten points for entering administration. A year later though, and relegation did catch up with them.

A clear warning to any side constantly flirting with the drop. One year, it will catch up with you.

Return Of The Mick

With Mick Wadsworth confirmed as Hartlepool boss until the end of the season, Nobes looks at other managers who've made a return to the game after a long absence.

Mick Wadsworth was last in charge of a League club back in 2003

The longer you're gone, the harder it is to return. So goes the theory when it comes to football management.

Stay on the sidelines rather than the touchline, and you'll soon disappear altogether - doomed to some kind of coaching or scouting role or, even worse, a TV pundit.

However, seven years after leaving his last League manager's job at Huddersfield - albeit he had a brief spell in charge at Non League Chester - Mick Wadsworth is back in management at Hartlepool.

After a successful spell as caretaker following the resignation of Chris Turner, the 60-year-old has been handed the reins until the end of the season with the, long-overdue realistic, brief of keeping Pools in League One.

It's an unexpected opportunity for the Yorkshireman, who has never managed to follow up initial success at Carlisle in the '90s at the likes of Colchester, Oldham, and Scarborough.

However, he's not the only manager to make a return after time away. Here's my top-10 rundown of some of football's returnees - and how successful they were on their comeback.


10. Nigel Spackman

Spackman was fired from his job at Barnsley in 2001 with the Reds struggling towards the foot of the Championship.

He spent the next five years working as a TV pundit but, in 2006, was the surprise choice as new boss at Millwall.

The Lions had been relegated to League One and Spackman rebuilt the squad during the summer.

A slow start saw the 49-year-old sacked with the Londoners near the foot of the table.

Verdict: A long time out of the game was followed by a brief and hugely unsuccessful return to the dugout. Best to stick to the TV studio in the future.


9. Gary Peters

The Londoner led the renaissance of Preston North End when the Lancashire club had been toiling in the basement division.

However, he was exiled from management for five years after leaving Deepdale in 1998.

On his return he walked into the mess at Exeter City - fighting for survival in the Football League.

Despite an almost miraculous end of season run, he was unable to save the Grecians from the drop and departed weeks later.

Verdict: Did extremely well to almost save Exeter and then went on to guide Shrewsbury to within 90 minutes of League One in 2007 before being harshly sacked soon after. A proven lower league manager.


8. Bryan Hamilton

After ending a second spell in charge at Wigan in 1993, Hamilton took over as national team manager of Northern Ireland.

He spent four years in that role and was out of the game for another couple until gaining a surprise return at Norwich in 2000.

The Canaries were struggling in the Championship and Hamilton steadied the ship. However, before the end of the year he had resigned his position.

Verdict: Instantly forgettable return to club management following an undistinguished spell in the international game. Management days are well behind now, which is why he's working in the media.


7. Gary Johnson

Johnson earned his reputation leading Yeovil from the Conference to League One at the start of the last decade.

However, he had first sampled League management at Cambridge United before departing in 1995.

After a brief spell at Kettering he then moved abroad - taking charge of the Latvian national team and laying the foundations that saw them qualify for Euro 2004.

He returned to England at Yeovil in 2001, winning promotion with them in 2003 - and managing in the League again a full eight years after his last crack.

Verdict: The time away worked. He thrived on his return and after leaving Yeovil he subsequently guided Bristol City to promotion from League One and the Championship play off final. Now at Peterborough.


6. Kenny Jackett

First as a player and then later a coach, Jackett served under Graham Taylor at Watford before assuming the top job in 1996.

However, a poor League One campaign saw him relegated back to Taylor's assistant and he later had a spell as Ian Holloway's right hand man at QPR.

He returned to try his hand as the main man at Swansea in 2004 - and took the Welsh club to promotion in his first full season.

Twelve months later, he secured the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and only a penalty shoot out in the League One play off final prevented the Swans from making it successive promotions.

Verdict: Watching Millwall, it's not hard to see the influence of Taylor and Holloway on Jackett's style. However, he has proved successful in guiding both the Lions and Swansea to promotion as a manager. Deserves respect.


5. Brian Talbot

Talbot began the 1991/2 campaign as Aldershot boss - he was gone after a few months, and the club were as well not long after.

After time overseas in Malta he returned home to join the coaching staff at ambitious Rushden & Diamonds - eventually becoming manager in 1999.

Maybe it was those eight years away, or maybe it was the ridiculous money being spent, but he led Diamonds into the Football League in 2001 and two years later they were in the third tier.

Verdict: It was the money. Talbot's subsequent struggles at Oldham and Oxford were more illustrative of his managerial capabilities. In truth, he landed on his feet gaining the Rushden job when he did.


4. Nigel Pearson

Along with the help of one Jimmy Glass, Pearson helped rescue Carlisle from relegation to the Conference in 1999.

However, he didn't stay on at Brunton Park and instead spent the next nine years on the coaching staff at the likes of Stoke, West Brom, and Newcastle.

Once his next managerial role came along though - he once again found himself in a relegation scrap.

However, a final day escape act at Southampton in 2008 proved he hadn't lost his skills in brinkmanship.

Verdict: Left Saints that summer and then took Leicester to League One glory followed by the Championship play offs last season. Now at Hull, he seems to have benefited from learning his trade as an assistant.


3. John Barnes

Okay, I'll hold my hands up, Tranmere's appointment of Barnes last summer was not technically a Football League management return.

However, any chance to recount that hilarious decision - as well his legendary Soccer AM/MW status - must be taken.

Barnes was, of course, installed as part of a dream managerial ticket alongside Kenny Dalglish at Glasgow Celtic in 1999.

It turned into more of a nightmare, albeit a short-lived one. Much like his time at Prenton Park nine years later.

Verdict: First place in the 2008 Caribbean Championships as Jamaica coach will, you feel, always be the pinnacle of Barnes's managerial career. Tranmere's gamble was always doomed to fail - they were lucky it didn't cost them their League One spot.


2. Paul Hart

The proverbial London Bus boss, at one point Hart had to wait a full decade between managerial jobs but then got through three just last season.

Hart was fired from basement division Chesterfield in 1991 and reverted to youth team football at Leeds and then Nottingham Forest.

He got his chance at the top job at the City Ground in 2001 after the departure of David Platt and, after a slow start, guided Forest to the Championship play offs in 2003.

There, they lost to Sheffield United, and a dreadful sequence of results that left them fighting relegation the next season saw him dismissed.

Verdict: After Forest came Barnsley, then Rushden, then Portsmouth, QPR, and finally Crystal Palace. Hart has the dubious honour of being sacked from a club in each of the top five tiers. Best to stick to bringing through the youngsters.


1. Richard Money

When Richard Money left his job as Scunthorpe boss in 1994 he still had a full head of hair.

In-between then and his return to English football in 2006 at Walsall it had mostly gone.

Those 12 years away saw him work at Aston Villa and Coventry before moving abroad to Sweden and then Australia.

His appointment at the Saddlers was out of the blue - but, thanks to a resolute defence, he led the Black Country outfit to the League Two title in his first season.

Verdict: A stunning return to League management. More than a decade away, but Money instantly turned around Walsall's fortunes. Now at the helm of Conference side Luton, where he is once again plotting a promotion push.

Saints and Sinners

After Southampton's decision to fire boss Alan Pardew, Nobes looks at some of the other unwarranted managerial sackings that defied belief.

Pardew was given just three games at the start of the season at Saints

It's the kind of shocking sacking that, quite frankly, we shouldn't find so surprising.

Given the strength of their squad, Southampton's decision to sack Alan Pardew may not cost them promotion. It has certainly lost them much respect and raised questions about those running the club though.

The dismissal of the former West Ham boss just three games into the new season, and particularly after Saturday's 4-0 win at Bristol Rovers, seems incredibly harsh.

Whatever the reasons - results motivated or otherwise - it's hard to justify sacking a proven manager at that level.

Then again, it's not the first sacking, and certainly won't be the last, to bemuse onlookers. Here's my rundown of some of the worst Football League sackings of recent times.


10. Colin Lee - Walsall

You couldn't help but feel for Colin Lee when he was given the boot from the Saddlers in 2004.

After Plymouth expressed an interest in taking Lee to Home Park, Walsall gave him permission to talk to the Pilgrims.

However, after deciding to remain in the West Midlands, he was sacked by chairman Jeff Bonser for a lack of loyalty and creating 'uncertainty' around the club.

It was to prove costly for Walsall though. Up until then they had been winning their battle against relegation from the Championship.

After Lee's departure they lost three of their remaining four games and dropped into League One. They've never been back to the second tier since.


9. Eric Black - Coventry City

So angry were Coventry fans at the sacking of Eric Black in 2004 that they staged a 'Black Day' protest for replacement Peter Reid's first home game in charge.

The Scot had only been in charge of the Sky Blues for four months and had led them into the top half playing an attractive brand of football.

Despite picking up 29 points in his 18 games though, chairman Mike McGinnity said the team had been too 'inconsistent' and fired Black.

Replacement Reid failed to do anywhere near as well, and was sacked less than a year later after poor results and even worse football.


8. Peter Jackson - Huddersfield Town

Jackson had two spells in charge of the Terriers - whom he had played for during his career, too. It was his first departure which caused most angst, though.

He had taken over in 1997 with the Yorkshire outfit fighting relegation from the Championship.

After keeping them up he then took them to 10th the following campaign.

However, the popular manager was then sacked and replaced by 'big-name' Steve Bruce - who was sacked after a poor start to the 2000/1 season.

It ended with Town being relegated to the third, and later fourth, tier. Only on Jackson's return in 2003 did he immediately take Town back into League One and they only missed out on a return to the Championship in the play offs in 2006.


7. Gary Peters - Shrewsbury Town

The former Preston boss had turned around Salop's fortunes since joining them in 2004.

He kept Shrewsbury in the Football League and then set about building a team capable of challenging at the right end.

That culminated in the 2007 play off final where, despite taking the lead, they lost out to Bristol Rovers at Wembley.

Despite so much progress, a sticky spell in the following campaign - his first at the club - saw him promptly dismissed.

Successor Paul Simpson was granted huge funds to gain promotion but could only match Peters with a play off final defeat to Gillingham in 2009. Had Peters had similar money to spend, Town probably would have been promoted by now.


6. Gareth Southgate - Middlesbrough

Southgate had been at the helm as Boro crashed out of the Premier League after 11 seasons in the big time.

However, he had been given the opportunity to get them back at the first attempt - and seemed to be making a good fist of it.

A 2-0 win against Derby saw Boro lying 4th after 13 games - just a single point off top spot.

However, Southgate was then sacked and in came former Southampton manager Gordon Strachan.

The Teessiders' form dropped off remarkably and they ended the season in 11th - a full 40 points behind Champions Newcastle United.


5. Danny Wilson - Hartlepool United

After relegation to the basement division in 2006, Pools turned to the experienced Danny Wilson to help get them back up into League One.

He did so - and at the first time of asking.

United finished 2nd - missing out on the title by a single point - and then he helped re-establish them back in the third tier with a respectable finish of 15th.

A solid start to the next season saw Pools in the top half but, after successive draws saw them drop to 13th in December, he was sacked.

They finished that season in 19th - a single point above the drop zone, and last term only survived on goal difference. Slipping out of the top half suddenly doesn't seem so bad now.


4. Ian Atkins - Oxford United

When Oxford beat Cheltenham 1-0, they sat 4th in the League Two standings - a point off the automatic promotion places.

They had only been beaten once at home all season and, with nine games of the season remaining, looked a sure bet for at least a place in the play offs.

Despite that good form, manager Ian Atkins had not been offered a new deal.

With his current one due to expire in the summer, he signed a pre-contract agreement to take over at Bristol Rovers for the next season.

Chairman Firoz Kassam decided to fire Atkins and appointed Graham Rix in his stead.

However, Rix's attempt to get a direct team to play passing football failed spectacularly as one win in their last nine saw Oxford miss out on the top seven altogether.


3. Russell Slade - Yeovil Town

Most pundits predicted a struggle for Yeovil when Russell Slade was appointed in 2006.

However, the season ended with the Glovers at Wembley - where they only lost out to Blackpool in the play off final.

Slade had taken a club punching above their weight to stay in League One to within 90 minutes of the Championship.

On meagre resources, it was a fantastic achievement.

It saw him linked to other jobs, but Town rebuffed any approaches. Yeovil ended up 18th the next year and the following campaign was another battle against the drop - but four straight wins in the New Year saw them comfortably in mid table.

However, he was then jettisoned from Huish Park due to a 'breakdown' in his relationship with the board. Town won just three of their remaining 17 games and stayed up by just a couple of points.



2. Ronnie Moore - Tranmere Rovers

Moore had been a great striker for Rovers, and returned to the club as manager in 2006.

In his first two seasons in charge he guided the Wirral outfit to 9th and 11th in League One.

The next term saw Rovers once again mount a push for the top six and they finished 7th, only narrowly missing on the play offs out by a couple of points.

However, the board decided to axe Moore - blaming him for falling attendances - and appointed former Liverpool and England winger John Barnes as his replacement.

It was a disastrous decision. Barnes endured a torrid beginning to the 2009/10 campaign and Tranmere only escaped the drop on the final day of the season under his successor, Les Parry.


1. Alan Irvine - Preston North End

Alan Irvine had joined Preston with the club struggling at the foot of the Championship in 2007.

An improved second half of the season saw him guide North End to 15th and safety, though.

The next season they were fighting it out for a place in the play offs and four wins at the end of the season helped them edge out Cardiff for a place in the top six.

There they lost to Sheffield United, but a fine start to the 2009/10 once again had them in contention. Then a poor run - his first at the club - earned him a shock dismissal at the end of 2009.

Replacement Darren Ferguson oversaw a terrible run of results that saw them slide down the table - only narrowly securing another season of Championship football. They have continued to struggle at the start of the new season.

Know Your Place

Following under-pressure Chris Turner's resignation from Hartlepool United, Nobes rails at delusions of grandeur in the game.

Chris Turner has ended his second spell in charge of Hartlepool

A question to begin with: Where is a respectable finish for a club who attract the smallest attendances in their division?

If you answered somewhere in the top half, a place on the board at League One Hartlepool awaits. If you answered somewhere in mid table, get yourself onto the terraces at Victoria Park.

If you answered avoiding relegation, then welcome to the real world.

Chris Turner's decision to resign as Pools boss last week was the classic example of a manager under intense, and wholly unwarranted, pressure who decided to jump before he could be pushed.

The North East side avoided relegation on the final day of last season by virtue of a superior goal difference to Gillingham.

It sounds like a close shave, but the fact is no club in League One attracted fewer fans through the gates than Hartlepool in 2009/10.

It's not like fans to let cold, hard realism get in the way though. Not with football, the game of dreams and ambition.

The modern day opiate of the masses - an opiate which seems to affect some people's reason.

This is a club, after all, who sacked previous boss Danny Wilson when they "slipped into the bottom half" of the League One table. A laughable move which has worked out far better for the current Swindon boss than his former employers.

Pools, and their fans, are a club suffering from delusions of grandeur usually associated with another stripe-donning United hailing from that part of the country.

Consecutive play off finishes - largely orchestrated by then boss Neale Cooper - in 2004 and 2005 was a huge overachievement for a club more accustomed to life in the basement division.

Along with Rochdale, United hold the record for spending the most number of seasons in the Football League without ever reaching the second tier.

Although getting there is not impossible, it remains highly unlikely. Their defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in the 2005 Play Off final may well turn out to be the closest they will ever come.

Disappointing, but not the end of the world. Indeed, relegation back to League Two would not be the end of the world to Hartlepool. That is the reality they, and other such clubs, must wake up to.

It may go against the very heart of any sporting competition - striving to be the best you can be and improve constantly. However, there must be a place for simply being content with where you are.

Don't rest on your laurels, don't get complacent, but also don't get carried away.

Overachievement should be celebrated - but not become expected. Fans must recognise when their team has punched above their weight and not lose perspective.

Take Preston supporters - spoiled by constant fights to finish in the Championship play offs under a succession of managers.

Competing to finish in the top six became taken as the norm for North End fans still living off the glory of the 19th century.

Did they not stop to realise that, actually, just staying in that division was more than acceptable for a club of their resources? Sometimes you don't realise - or refuse to admit - your club is overachieving.

Instead, success goes to the head. Fans come to expect more and more, and expect their club to continue to chase the success they crave.

Scunthorpe's success must be recognised as a short-lived exception

It puts clubs in a difficult position. They must always strive to find the right combination of showing enough ambition without being reckless.

If fans think relegation to a lower division is a disaster, they are wrong. Having no club to support is. Running a stable club and business must always supersede any dreams of competing at a higher level.

It's just the way things are in the lower divisions. You will always have teams, such as Scunthorpe currently, who punch well above their weight. They should be cherished and recognised - and serve as an inspiration.

However, Scunny fans, deep down, know their club is mixing with a crowd that, given their resources, they don't belong in.

It shouldn't stop them from trying to do so but, equally, not doing so should also not be seen as failure.

Across the board, at all clubs, there is a need for greater patience, understanding, and realism among football supporters.

Accept the size of your club, accept their limitations, and recognise how high they can realistically go. Enjoy any success, but know that failure is only ever just around the corner.

It may completely go against the grain of sport - the unpredictable stage where anything can happen. However, if fans did act in such a manner, just imagine how different things could be.

Managers may not come under so much pressure and resign or be fired by chairmen sensing unrest amongst supporters.

That in turn can lead to them trying to play more attractive and open football - rather than adopting a 'win at all costs' policy that threatens to stifle and spoil the game.

They would know going a certain number of games without winning would not lead to the sack but, instead, they would have time to turn things around and develop a team and pattern of play.

Matches would be more enjoyable, young players would be encouraged to express themselves and show more skill, and the entertainment the fans get for their money would also increase.

Clubs, too, would not feel under as much pressure to spend money they don't have to try and appease supporters who, wrongly, believe their club should be doing better than it is.

When you consider so much of the financial mess clubs find themselves in these days is as a result of over-stretching, and it could only be beneficial for their future financial health.

Of course, you'll always have loony chairmen or rich benefactors who believe differently and use a club as their play thing. Taking it to places they'd never have got to without significant investment.

Peterborough will never be a Premier League club, even if they reach the top flight with Darragh MacAnthony's money.

The moment when Wigan fall back into the Championship, too, they should be recognised as nothing more than a lower league club who bought a temporary place among the big boys.

Why? Because there are only a certain number of big boys in every division. The sooner fans of smaller teams begin to accept that fact, the better.