Some Peterborough United fans say thank god for the club's owners, but most are far more critical as a Peterborough Telegraph article on relegation from the Championship prompts a huge reaction

Most agreed with the hard-hitting comments, but some had sympathy for the club owners and the players.

The original story is below and the comments follow on.

https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/sport/football/peterborough-united/peterborough-united-were-doomed-from-day-one-thanks-to-a-process-that-turned-out-to-be-as-trustworthy-as-boris-johnson-3666275

Agree with pretty much all of your summary but might be a touch hard because I thought we played OK for the first part of the season - but the loss of key players Nathan Thompson, Marriott and an unfit JCH were too much to cope with. Bookies were right all along - should have been more of a warning.

Club has a culture of over-confidence which must be addressed. Seems to be a lot of groupthink with little internal challenge to owners, CEO, manager and staff. We thought we could be continuation good League 1 + a little bit extra. That was naive. We looked physically lightweight.

Peter Lloyd

The chairman’s loyalty to Fergie needs to be questioned. Giving him a three year contact in October when we already looked doomed seems bonkers now. Since McCann has come in, it shows that the recruitment probably was right in the summer, we just had the wrong man in charge.

@JamesGWesley

It came as a bit of relief when relegation finally confirmed actually, like having an annoying carbuncle removed. ‘The process’ turned out to be a homogeneous mess.

@oldposhpete

Can’t argue with any of it. I’m sure some at the club will but it’s the truth. Eight years to get here and we messed it up before a ball had even been kicked.

@clarkbatfan

Absolutely spot on - didn’t really do anything until the last few matches due to change of manager!

@Jonni1711

I think you could be more specific about individual players that the owners, management, fans and (I think) you thought would make the step up, but haven’t performed as expected. Jack Taylor and Sammie Szmodics, for example, have had poor seasons.

@PeterboroughJoe

Next time we go up, which won't be for a while in my pessimistic humble opinion, we have to invest heavily in playing staff, but have a few quid in the bank just in case. Very very tricky situation for our club our size. We need the fans more than ever now.

@Jinksy6

Pretty fair unfortunately. Two points in defence of the owners: 1) we won’t go bust (Derby, Bury…), 2) with a settled team we could probably have stayed up - fitness, injuries, stupid FA suspensions had an impact from day one. 3) I have renewed my season ticket!

@PaulSpringford

Summed up brilliantly Alan. When up against better players and richer clubs you need to get recruitment spot on. We failed there, but it’s always a gamble. The unacceptable failure for me was the lack of fitness, pace and aggression throughout the squad (before Grant’s arrival).

@paul_gauntlett

I agree with most of that but thank god we have owners who run Posh completely differently to those who break the rules and end up with points deductions such as Reading, Derby, Sheffield Wednesday, etc.

@PoshboyAlan

Very good article Alan. What was the point of the January loan deals? So many promises, so little achieved.

@peterborofutsal

I feel we are always going to struggle to stay in this division. What we need is a good hungry manager (Grant McCann) an identity, to be able to play well in a few different formations, produce 1-2 Championship quality youngsters per season who are 1st team ready.

@scarboroughsss

Be interesting listening to ‘The Hard Truth’ podcast now! Great report Swanny and agree with everything. Wonder what the Barry Fry fans think of his excessive wage! I knew we would struggle once we kept Beevers, Pym, Butler etc. We pray he (the chairman) doesn’t give up on the Posh. I think if the new ground doesn’t go ahead all 3 owners may sell.

@PaulPosh7

Can't disagree at all. Doomed in pre season, had another chance to put it right in January and didn't, changed manager too late. Reality is now all we need from the club is a ‘hands up we got it majorly wrong and we apologise. We will put it right this summer’. Then radio silence as actions speak louder than words.

@DazMoody

Any description of this season has to be harsh. We had tried so hard for so long to get into the Championship and then seemed completely unprepared for it. Also any reactions/changes were way too late and didn’t happen until Fergie quit.

@emmaverde9

Spot on. Probably too soft if anything. I’d have gone in more on the fact of having a fitness coach with unfit players personally. That’s unacceptable at any level.

@P5Smith84

Spot on, although I’ll add that the process is as trustworthy as a chocolate teapot.

@MichaelReelRead

Good article. It’s very hard to make an argument against what you’ve written there, Alan. This season has been a disaster, but one of our own making for failing to prepare properly. PS: You’re in for a verbal backside-kicking on he next podcast I reckon!

@SteveDilley1

Very accurate summary of a very disappointing season. We must learn from our naivety. See most of you again next season.

@Steverowell7f

Powerful and insightful rather than harsh.

@poshjez

Excellent analysis. We knew from the first match of the season that Posh would go down. To fail to prepare is to prepare to fail. We need to survive for a few seasons in Championship. However with the current way of operating this won’t happen.

@Easterlyview

Avoiding relegation would have been admirable. Only Luton and Bournemouth get lower gates and apart from Blackpool, who did better, it was really what was expected. Errors made for sure, but I guess Posh were not an attraction for some of the summer targets at first stage. Left with 2nd choices.

@BiddleGrant

Off your long run there Alan ! Spot on though - the lack of preparation for the start of the season was baffling and we struggled on from there.

@roomysdad

Fantastic piece, Perfectly describes exactly how I'm feeling about the situation.

@kelimarie92

Absolutely spot on. The owners need to also come out and admit your right. But something tells me their egos will say: ‘we have no regrets we’d not do anything different.”

@Liampufc1996

No mention in your article about (assistant manager) Mark Robson leaving Fergie at a crucial time and internal recruitment plastering the gap, and the impact that had on performances. I’d argue that a solid assistant is key in the structure for player progression and Cliff Byrne fills that gap now. Good article, but I’ve no issue with a CEO getting £150k - get real, the CEO is a big job in any business, not a token non-exec director post, so the remuneration seems appropriate to me. Whether Baz’s little contact book is still worth £300k pa is the interesting point raised…

@Soapy77

A process with a good division 1 manager who previously was proven to be out of his depth at Championship level. Tactics were questionable. Really needed an experienced manager at this level, especially when it was obvious we were inept continuously away from home.

@mikeyposh58

Spot on. I personally wrote us off when it took an age to sign anyone last summer. I’d imagine all our plan A and B targets wouldn’t sign so we ended up with anyone who would . Have a feeling it could end up being another bad season next year.

@mdguy21

Spot on Swanny. Great to see journalism written so openly and without fear of backlash which, by all accounts you will definitely get.

@PUFCChris

Very fair, Swanny. The use of loan players baffles me. We put all our eggs in the ‘Conor Coventry’ basket and, apart from Benda, the others that followed were a disaster, most not even playing.

@Rutlandspinner

Fair enough comments. It's occurred to me more than once that this season may not have been quite so half-assed had the stadium project been smoother to date or indeed, not even have been taking place. But I'm pleased at least that we've gone out throwing a few defiant punches.

@Paul_Cyclops

Well written as always, but will the owners ever admit they were at fault with the recruitment and explain what trust the process meant? I doubt it. I'll be there next season as always and hopefully we will compete in a hard league 1.

@MNurrish