Fond memories of April 1997

April 12, 1997 is meaningless for most, but it was the day we lost 4-0 at Barnsley, following a performance as passionless as any I could recall at the time. Clint Marcelle tore us apart that day and we limped to the end of the season finishing 15th with just 59 points.

Admittedly our season was over by mid-April, and the Tykes were on their way to the Premiership but I was so angry at having driven 200 miles to watch that garbage, I penned a lengthy letter to Richard Murray suggesting that Curbs had "taken us as far as he could."

Murray duly took the trouble to write me a lengthy reply, and whilst sharing my disappointment at our poor league position, he expressed his confidence that Curbs was the best man for the job. Just thirteen months later, we beat Sunderland at Wembley and won promotion to the Premiership.

Murray was clearly right that time, and I was embarrassingly wrong (though very happily so). Few fans anticipated the Mendonca-inspired turnaround which followed in 1997/1998. It's a useful lesson for those of us (myself included) currently again questioning the future of Curbs. The night was certainly darkest then just before the dawn.