The Promised Land

The dream has become reality and we are once again a Premier League team. It is still hard to comprehend. But the blood sweat and tears of the season has been extremely worth it. An absolutely immense achievement.

While the dust settles on the result on Monday and the celebrations that followed, we start to focus our attentions on next season and what it may bring. The windfall in region of £120 million is not to be sniffed at and can make or break a football club. We have four fantastic owners that have brought us back from the brink. But they also have business nous and firmly believe that we have perhaps the best set up that we have ever had to make a challenge to stay in the division.

Alongside sensible owners, we have a sensible manager. One that has been there before and not spent silly money in an attempt  to keep a team in the division. He gave it a good shot before and will do so again. But in this game you have to spend money before getting some back and that is exactly how it will work in the Premier League. Before the new signings arrive money has to be spent on the ground and it is rumoured to cost £500k to install all of the requirements for media coverage.

The cash cow has definitely walked it's way into South London. It was delayed on it's way and even turned back on occasions but after a long drawn out journey it has finally arrived once again at SE25. It's time to give it another shot. Staying in the top division can be done, just take a look at the likes of Swansea, Norwich and Southampton in recent seasons. Neither have went completely mad in the transfer fee stakes. To a certain extent I'd like us to adopt a slightly improved Reading approach. While they did not stay up they did in a number of games have up to eight players in their first eleven that go them promoted the season before.

I know that there is little place for compassion in this game but I would still like to see us retain the battling qualities and team spirit and ethic that got us here. We will need improvement but to retain the core of the team where possible would be fantastic. As it stands we have given new contracts to Ramage and Garvan which is great news but I cannot see them in the first eleven very often. The interest for me will be who we lose from the current squad. With Jermaine Easter already gone to Millwall I suggest that more could be on their way, certainly the fringe players of the past season who rarely made the bench.

It certain to be one of the most exciting summers that we have experienced. We will give it our best shot but if we don't quite get finish outside of the bottom three by next May then so be it. As long as we have learnt from the past and made this promotion a legacy for our future then that is all that we can ask. We never expected this when we were in the position we were in three years ago so lets go out and support the lads as ever and enjoy being a Premier League team.

Article for The Eagles Beak by Jason Crame (@JayTheEagle)