What would success look like in your eyes?

Nice post mate, i was thinking of doing one that could unite us, but couldn't quite decide on topics or what to suggest.

For me, short term success will be evidence of the excellent training coming through to the pitch. I think majority would agree that the Cardiff Friendly seemed really promising and exciting and filled you with optimism. That was a defeat - but how good did it feel? I would like to see some real 'Garner-ball' out there . I just posted a video into another thread using Leeds as an example ( I'll post it below) which kinda illustrates what i mean. If we can see this progress with our own eyes it will build confidence in the 'project' for me that would be a success albeit short term. Ben and the players have made it clear that results are a must so do i expect it to come quickly, probably not as everyone will not want to lose so it maybe will come in a phased manner. Wouldn't it be great to see them just turn up and have at it though!

Medium term, a period of stability, similar starting line ups, confidence that the players know their roles and a comfortable balance of wins / draws / losses which mean we are safe and starting to play our new brand of football

Longer term, top six every year and eventually promotion in to the championship (next 5 years) Our brand of football is being recognized, its just natural on the pitch and in training, we sell some players and have just as good developing behind them, knowing the system and can step in at any time through sales or injury. A reputation at academy level so we are naturally attractive to those that don't make it at the biggest clubs. This would be the best case in the next 5 years. Stadium to be proud of.

Very long term, top six every year in the championship (next 10 years) Pretty much as above, but we attract the academy players as direct competition to the biggest clubs as we have now built up a decent pedigree and reputation

There you go, optimist 10 or so year plan


Here is the Leeds clip i promised:

Lol - you couldn't resist eh?

Success for this season? Stay up. That's it. For the love of God stay up.

This place doesn't get to me it's the 50 plus years of broken dreams!

The idea that success is some illusive term with different meanings that can't properly be defined is rubbish and, again, part of the losers mindset that Rovers fans have come to cultivate between themselves.

We all know what success is for a football team or any other team in competitive sport. We've just been subjected to the same cycle for so long we've forgotten (or pretended we have):

have a crap start to the season,

urge patience for crapness until Christmas,

crapness doesn't suddenly disappear overnight on New year's eve like people expected it to,

have relegation scrap to end of season when everyone jumps for joy at being 18th or 16th,

in that mix somewhere between January and the new season there's usually a new manager and some new players so when the next season starts we have an excuse to start urging everyone to have patience for the crapness to disappear at Christmas again.

Success is winning football games and being competitive with a view to challenging at the next level. You don't get there by saying "Ah well it's only the start of the season wait till Christmas" like they don't award points for winning in August to November.

First and foremost staying fit and healthy and alive, the world beating this covid thing ,what else is of any real importance ? For Rovers ,given the current situation ,staying solvent and alive first, then a comfortable top half season this year playing the kind of football Ben is aiming for leading to a sustained challenge for promotion the following seasons, the championship is as far as i am aiming for .Mean while despite all the theories on here none of us know what is going on behind the scenes regards stadium and transfer targets but one thing i am sure of is Wael and co's determination to take the club to the level we all want. Just because they don't or can't reveal every detail on a daily basis does not change my opinion that every thing possible is being done, i have been patient for 60 odd years so another 1 or two won't matter! up the Rovers!

Success, for me, is normally over achievement. To me being in the championship would be over-achievement. Or at the top of league one a good few points clear.

Competing for promotion amongst the bigger clubs, maybe fading away at the end to finish mid table would be meeting expectations. Perhaps that’s expecting too much given our history, but I would counter that we’ve been badly run for most of our history, either by the board or, most often, by managers who have wasted our competitive budgets.

Unfortunately over achieving at the moment would be mid-table because I really don’t see Garner as a manager and his win ratio proves that so I’ve had to lower my expectations. If he could win as many as he loses I’d think he personally would have over-achieved even though in the grand scheme of things being average is not where I feel the club should be.

Is that asking for too much?

At least we are witnessing history I guess 😁

Success for me would be to become an established Championship club. I am old enough to remember our last foray into the second tier and, even if it didn't last long, it was fun! Now we have in Wael someone who is taking a long term view and putting solid building blocks in place. Of course the key missing block is a new stadium, but assuming that comes the ambition of 'established Championship club' is achievable within 5-10 years.