The football thread - relegation and running

[El Gordo]

One of the great football anthems, and touchingly self-deprecating. Perhaps one of the reasons I've always liked West Ham.

I remember being at the FA Cup Final in 1975 when West Ham beat Fulham 2-0. Two goals from the prolific Alan Taylor, if memory serves. I recall being overwhelmed by the mass-singing of that anthem at the end, as they did their lap of honour.

As for QPR, I wouldn't call it a renaissance. When you continue to descend through the fatter end of the football league pyramid, the law of averages says that eventually you'll reach a point where you can actually be made to look relatively proficient by the sheer direness of your brethren. Division 2 is that level for us. Renaissance? More like the first few bubbles on a pot of thick soup, slowly heating up on a very low flame. So low a flame that the merest puff of passing wind will extinguish it.

Seriously, one good thing about being relegated, IF you are relegated, is the rediscovery of what it is like to win matches against inferior opposition. People tend to think it's better being at the foot of the Premiership than the top of the First, but I disagree. There's nothing like following a winning team, whatever division you're in.

The danger - the BIG danger - is that you'll lose so many of your decent players (and West Ham have many) that you'll end up doing a Bradford or a Sheff Wed or a QPR indeed, and spiral down further.

I hope not.

But have a great run on Sunday anyway, and enjoy it while you can...