It happens every season, but you never think it could happen to you – the bottom three teams on the English Premier League table are relegated to the Championship.
They are replaced in the ‘top flight’ by those who achieved success in the very league the doomed are destined to toil in for at least the next twelve months.
I am a Fulham FC fan and next season I will be cheering the Cottagers on in the Championship.
It’s an empty feeling, like your team just conceded the winning goal on the last kick of the match… multiplied by 52. That’s not to say they didn’t deserve it. Having conceded the most goals of any team in the league at 85, coupled with a goal difference of minus 45, they were simply not good enough.
A month ago I was in New York and managed to meet up with the Fulham fan club to watch the Hull City match at Legends Sports Bar.
At 2-0 up there was a feeling of optimism in the room, the idea that ‘just maybe’ they could stay up. But then came the equalisers and out went the hope. As a fan-base we were distraught, and I realised this is universal – an Australian grieving with a bunch of Americans over an English football team.
This happens every year the world over, in dozens of leagues to millions of fans from the overachieving minnows to giants of their leagues like River Plate and Rangers FC. As devastating as this may seem supporters must always believe that glory will one day return, that the lows are temporary and future victories by contrast will taste just that little bit sweeter.
When Bruce Wayne was a child in the classic film Batman Begins, his father asks him, “Why do we fall, Bruce?” to which he reveals the answer, “So we can learn to pick ourselves up”.
My hope for Fulham is that they will learn this very lesson, that the playing group and fans alike will rally to pick themselves up and get back into the top flight.
HAL 9000
Guest
Also a Fulham fan, and former resident of the Borough the team plays out of down at Putney Bridge. The club is actually small, you could always get tickets for matches, even the bigger clubs so it was playing out of it's league in ways. It is only a 2nd or 3rd tier sized club in reality. So now it is in a league more suited to it's size. There was a point in the mid 90s when it looked like the Cottagers were going to fall out of league football altogether(division 4 for the ignorant). The good news is ticket prices will be cheaper next season and you have an even better chance of snagging a seat. On a side note, I personally hated that Egyptian owner. The way he used to waltz out onto the field like a pharoah before matches taking in the glory for himself made me cringe. Also as he left the new management pulled down the ridiculous monument to his idol and kiddie lover Michael Jackson. That statue had no relevance to Fulham FC. The Eqyptian was on something, making smoking too much camel dung. Good riddance to Dodi and EPL!
nachos supreme
Guest
It'll be on Setanta 11.35pm Saturday night. C'mon you Rs
Joshua Thomas
Roar Guru
As another avid Sunderland fan, i too can only sympathise with you Peter. For awhile there i was preparing myself for relegation, deciding that i'd remain a fan regardless and it is these moments that a teams true fans are revealed. You my friend are a true Fulham fan and i respect you for that. Fulham will be back in the top flight stronger than ever, with a few less band wagoners and a whole lot more passion. Great batman quote by the way!
Kane Cassidy
Roar Guru
You're right, it does sound silly, it's like asking "Why do the Socceroos bother?"
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
The newspaper headline in panel 4 is a bit of good one too.
Bondy
Guest
HP That caption three is a cracker where the kiddie is in school with the Teach with the paper saying ' Fisted " charming. Lol. Tow I agree more would probably turn out for a Leeds Utd at Elland Rd match than possibly the bottom half of the Prem.
Roger
Guest
Ha! Here's to hoping.
Towser
Guest
It would be laughable HardcorePrawn if it didn't hit a bloody big nerve,thankfully before I reached the retirement home I latched onto the Roar. Sort of a Jekyll & Hyde football supporter nowadays.
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
Those of us that support a club outside of the big 4 or 5 might recognise a little of themselves in this, I know I do: http://thesunshineroom.com/2011/10/06/the-life-span-of-a-football-supporter/ Enjoy!
Marc
Guest
And don't forget about the Conference League. Play-off final played at Wembley on Sunday night; Cambridge United 2 - Gateshead 1. Cambrideg United join Luton Town in promotion to League 2 of the Football League next season.
Towser
Guest
nordster As there's never been a promotion/relegation system in place in any professional sport in Australia,nobody actually knows what will happen. Not so much about being lightweights and more about lack of generational support that is passed down as in English football. The A-League is not a generation old and in any case there's no P/R yet to judge and the other sports although their comps are older with generational support have shied away from P/R. As I've mentioned to you before you may be right ,but you may be horribly wrong given the traditional Australian mentality on this subject.
leon
Guest
Take it from me as a Wolves fan, you don't know distraught until you've had a double-relegation or seen your club fall into receivership a la Portsmouth.
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
Just keep him away from horses when you do...
nordster
Guest
Creative destruction...has a regenerating effect if done correctly. Best thing about the attitude to relegation in the UK, is folks stick with their teams. Which seems to be a big argument against pro/rel in Oz....apparently football fans are such lightweights here that they will abandon their club at the first sign of the drop!
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
I'm the first to remind him! Newcastle is the gift that keeps on giving
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
I'm sure he does! And I bet he comes up with a few new ones every time we thrash his lot at Sid James' Park... ;)
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
A mate of mine here is from Newcastle. He has all sorts of names for Sunderland :D
Mantis
Roar Guru
Theyre all on bloody setanta...
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
I can empathise Guru, I support a Premier League club - Sunderland - and still get that "never heard of 'em" comment from alleged football fans. I've even had a die-hard Liverpool fan, one who religiously tunes in to watch every game they play, refer to my club as "Sutherland". I wouldn't have minded so much, but it was only a few days after we'd beat Liverpool with a Darren Bent goal that had bounced off a beach ball. I kind of thought he would've noticed the correct name of that team...
Hoof
Guest
It's funny, because when Schwarzer left Middlesborough, they were relegated not long after...... Hope he leaves Chelsea :)