Reasons For Optimism

[piearce9]

I suppose this is the point of the season when every football fan begins to dream a bit but, given that last season ended as flat as a pancake (particularly evident on here), it's incredibly encouraging to have visible progress over the summer, both on and off the pitch.

This has seemingly been a combination of significant financial investment as well as hours of hard graft, so I thought it's worth paying credit to those involved, and hopefully we can now retain this positive momentum to deliver some good results and performances when the league starts later this week.

I'd encourage those who've been feeling concerned about certain aspects of the club to put those niggles aside and give the team some good support from the off- I'm not being as bold to say that all is now rosey, but I do believe there has been a clear effort to address plenty of the concerns raised on here and that should be duly acknowledged.

A doff of the hat also to the crowd in the Shed who've been giving plenty of vocal support over the friendlies and towards the end of last season. You guys are excellent and full marks for creativity on the song choices as well

[lutleyyeltz]

Excellent post!
After Saturday's game the general opinion of the 'cognoscenti,' assembled under the executive covered area on the East Terrace, was one of positivity.
Save the moaning for when it's justified - not as a matter of habit.

[andy]

Save the moaning for when it's justified - not as a matter of habit.

Two minutes past three on Saturday be alright?

[Poll]

If you can’t be insanely positive before the season starts I truly don’t understand what you get out of watching football.

Clearly every season doesn’t end well, but surely it’s the hope that keeps us all coming back?

I’ll continue never predicting us to lose on Fantasy Island, despite all evidence that’s a stupid tactic, and right now believe we are going to win the league.

Can’t wait until Saturday!

[lutleyyeltz]

Save the moaning for when it's justified - not as a matter of habit.

Two minutes past three on Saturday be alright?

You're spending too much time with KenR!

[AwayDayYeltz]

Whilst I'm encouraged by what people have said about the home games, those that were there against Khalsa could be forgiven for having the opposite view - it was bad.

Let's wait until we play teams at our level, as opposed to teams levels below us, for a true judgement.

As for the off the field stuff, pitch looks better than it has done for years, in pictures posted by the club. But again, let's wait and see how it holds up after numerous games have been played on it and adverse weather strikes. Will it be maintained correctly?

The Stourbr*dge Rd End looks like a bomb has hit it. Does this affect health and safety issues? Don't you need x amount of turnstiles and more than one exit? What about wheelchair access? I hope this is sorted before our first home game of the season.

[lutleyyeltz]

All I can say is - "bloody hell, another one with the daily negative pill!" Shall we just forget this season as it doesn't seem worth carrying on?
C'mon sir, have some faith, please.

[Yeltz27]

Yes, the pitch looks good and the fencing looks nice, and credit to those that have done that. But no, I have no optimism whatsoever regarding the Yeltz as the one change that does need making hasn't happened. We've had four years of the same thing, so a couple of pre season games against lower lying opposition aren't suddenly going to make me think the future is bright. It will be exactly the same as last season, which I expect will be evident once the season starts. And before anybody says give people a chance etc, we have, we've had to sit through years of it

[AwayDayYeltz]

All I can say is - "bloody hell, another one with the daily negative pill!" Shall we just forget this season as it doesn't seem worth carrying on?
C'mon sir, have some faith, please.

I thought that was fairly positive, with a 'let's wait and see' element to it.

Looking forward to my first game of the season against Hednesford to see how we deal with opponents that are at our level. That's when I'll start to judge.

[AwayDayYeltz]

Yes, the p*t*h looks good and the fencing looks nice, and credit to those that have done that. But no, I have no optimism whatsoever regarding the Yeltz as the one change that does need making hasn't happened. We've had four years of the same thing, so a couple of pre season games against lower lying opposition aren't suddenly going to make me think the future is bright. It will be exactly the same as last season, which I expect will be evident once the season starts. And before anybody says give people a chance etc, we have, we've had to sit through years of it

I'm hoping Graham Hyde has more influence this year. Highly rated as a coach and listening to him behind the dugout, he's very encouraging.