Death or Glory!

[Lord Stiffupperlip]

Gentlemen,
Is magic just an illusion?
Last season Professor Coleman shuffled the pack and, hey presto! produced a hand of aces.
He cobbled together an assortment of young, talented players and moulded them into a team worthy of promotion.
We were the 200/1 outsider in the Grand National, who came from behind to lead the field over forty gruelling fences, only to stumble & fall at the last fence.
Who can forget the euphoria of that penultimate day of the season when our red army marched en-masse to Wycombe & returned home victorious.
He made us proud to be a Stanley fan. We felt ............INVINCIBLE!
In some ways, our success was mirrored by Leicester. Another team of unknown journeymen who defied all odds to win the Premier League title.
Somehow their performance exceeded the sum of their parts. 'Dilly Ding - Dilly Dong', it was just............MAGIC!
BUT THAT WAS THEN & THIS IS NOW.
Despite keeping virtually the same squad, Leicester have somehow lost their touch. Poof! - the magic has gone.
Their fall has matched Stanley's, with one notable difference - our squad was stripped of its aces.
John Coleman has done his best to re-group, but without any aces in the pack, we've ended up with a busted flush.
Ironically, I think our back four are better this season than last, but we've lost all creativity in midfield.
Even the most resolute defence will eventually crack when attacks don't get past the half-way line.
Should we blame the manager for this? NO! The difference between success & failure is wafer thin.
This season has seen us win games in which we were outplayed (Doncaster, Blackpool) and lost games we should have won (Newport, Plymouth)
It is illogical. The success we had last season is burned into our memories, such that every defeat reinforces the death of our hopes.
In frustration, we lash out at the officials, the manager, individual players. Brothers, this must stop!
In 1914, our little town was the smallest in the country to provide a full battalion of fighting men for the war effort - the famous Accrington Pals.
Their regimental motto was 'Spectamur agendo' - Judge us by our deeds! That is the motto we should wear on our shirts.
Like our brave lads of yore, we face a 'life or death' battle - and it's time to fix bayonets! This is a battle we must not, cannot lose.
103 years on, Accrington represents the smallest team in the English football league, proving our determination to overcome all odds.
To paraphrase our glorious war leader Winston Churchill - 'Let us brace ourselves, so that if in a thousand years Accrington Stanley are still in the football league,
men will say.............'THIS WAS THEIR FINEST HOUR!'
Stiff upper lip! Gentlemen. Stiff upper lip!

[ferret man]

Originally Posted by Lord Stiffupperlip

Gentlemen,
Is magic just an illusion?
Last season Professor Coleman shuffled the pack and, hey presto! produced a hand of aces.
He cobbled together an assortment of young, talented players and moulded them into a team worthy of promotion.
We were the 200/1 outsider in the Grand National, who came from behind to lead the field over forty gruelling fences, only to stumble & fall at the last fence.
Who can forget the euphoria of that penultimate day of the season when our red army marched en-masse to Wycombe & returned home victorious.
He made us proud to be a Stanley fan. We felt ............INVINCIBLE!
In some ways, our success was mirrored by Leicester. Another team of unknown journeymen who defied all odds to win the Premier League title.
Somehow their performance exceeded the sum of their parts. 'Dilly Ding - Dilly Dong', it was just............MAGIC!
BUT THAT WAS THEN & THIS IS NOW.
Despite keeping virtually the same squad, Leicester have somehow lost their touch. Poof! - the magic has gone.
Their fall has matched Stanley's, with one notable difference - our squad was stripped of its aces.
John Coleman has done his best to re-group, but without any aces in the pack, we've ended up with a busted flush.
Ironically, I think our back four are better this season than last, but we've lost all creativity in midfield.
Even the most resolute defence will eventually crack when attacks don't get past the half-way line.
Should we blame the manager for this? NO! The difference between success & failure is wafer thin.
This season has seen us win games in which we were outplayed (Doncaster, Blackpool) and lost games we should have won (Newport, Plymouth)
It is illogical. The success we had last season is burned into our memories, such that every defeat reinforces the death of our hopes.
In frustration, we lash out at the officials, the manager, individual players. Brothers, this must stop!
In 1914, our little town was the smallest in the country to provide a full battalion of fighting men for the war effort - the famous Accrington Pals.
Their regimental motto was 'Spectamur agendo' - Judge us by our deeds! That is the motto we should wear on our shirts.
Like our brave lads of yore, we face a 'life or death' battle - and it's time to fix bayonets! This is a battle we must not, cannot lose.
103 years on, Accrington represents the smallest team in the English football league, proving our determination to overcome all odds.
To paraphrase our glorious war leader Winston Churchill - 'Let us brace ourselves, so that if in a thousand years Accrington Stanley are still in the football league,
men will say.............'THIS WAS THEIR FINEST HOUR!'
Stiff upper lip! Gentlemen. Stiff upper lip!

Seem to recollect something being said about Lions led by Donkeys. Don't mean that Coley, just couldn't resist it.

[Dav1d]

This should be read over the tannoy at 2:58 every home game!

[cashman]

Originally Posted by ferret man

Seem to recollect something being said about Lions led by Donkeys.

Originally Posted by Dav1d

This should be read over the tannoy at 2:58 every home game!

Dont think that would go down well.

[yonmon]

Originally Posted by ferret man

Seem to recollect something being said about Lions led by Donkeys. Don't mean that Coley, just couldn't resist it.

Henry 5 before Harfleur.

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
to it's full height.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start.
The games afoot, follow your spirit !

Hope you and Lord Stiffupperlip both agree with me that this really is motivational ,

Incidentally the score was France 0...England Several thousand !

Just google Richard Branaghs two great speeches...from Henry 5.
You'll enjoy them !

KTF.

[Lord Stiffupperlip]

Well said Yonmon.
How can we lose when we're so cultured.
Into the breach, dear friends, once more into the breach!

[Billy Casper]

Originally Posted by Dav1d

This should be read over the tannoy at 2:58 every home game!

Not much point, no-one would hear it .

[yonmon]

Originally Posted by Lord Stiffupperlip

Well said Yonmon.
How can we lose when we're so cultured.
Into the breach, dear friends, once more into the breach!

Did one spot the deliberate mistake there ?..

I of course meant Kenneth Branagh's Oscar winning performances !.

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers ".

Which of course has been Mab's rallying cry for sometime now !

Are we slightly off-thread would you think ?

[Exile on Spencer St]

Slightly off our 'eads, more likely.

[yonmon]

Originally Posted by Exile on Spencer St

Slightly off our 'eads, more likely.

It's stimulus from my new bard-loving chum that brought out this splurge of Shakespeare nonsense Exile!...now 'tis, I mean it is !...ended. exeunt stage left !.