|
The feeling
as that final whistle went was one of the worst I’ve ever
experienced watching football. I walked out of the stadium in a
trance, the journey home was mostly silent and when I got in
only several beers prevented a very empty night.
Throughout
the whole build up to the day it seemed like a dream come true,
I went to sleep thinking about it, I woke up thinking about it
and I tried to work thinking about. I kept looking at my ticket
to assure myself that it was actually going to happen. Then
afterwards just felt like someone had pulled the rug out from
under me, then punched me in the stomach and left me lying on
the rugless floor.
It was
during Monday that I started to put things in perspective.
Watching the First Division Play Off Final and seeing Sheffield
United not just lose but get battered woke me up a little. At
least we weren’t humiliated like this I thought. How does a team
bounce back from that?
The more I
thought, the more I realised we weren’t humiliated, we weren’t
embarrassed and we did ourselves proud. We showed the whole
country that Queens Park Rangers came within four minutes of
promotion. We showed them a spirit and determination that people
assume had deserted us.
Not one
player, not one member of the management team and not one fan
has anything to feel ashamed about. Sunday wasn’t the end of the
world; it was the start of a fantastic new ride with this
wonderful club. There will be ups and downs but then it wouldn’t
be QPR if there wasn’t. And when we do, finally, reach that high
it is going to feel so good.
Though I'm
disappointed, it is for the right reasons. This time we have
failed to achieve success rather than our previous habit of
succeeding in achieving failure. Two years ago this club was
reborn, on Sunday it matured.
Now it falls
to Olly to pick this squad up, the players shouldn’t need much
motivating but if anyone can use that hollow feeling we all felt
on Sunday to drive them forward he can.
Next season
could be magical. We have the right management, the right squad
and the right spirit. There is no one left in the division for
us to fear, indeed most sides should fear us. The only people
who can stop us are ourselves.
"Yesterday
don't matter when it's gone" Jagger sung later on the same CD.
Very prophetic.
ron@qprnet.com |
