A question for those who remember the bad old days ... which is more nerve wracking, relegation last days or title deciders?

Struggling in the second division was torture, losing to garbage teams on regular basis was soul-destroying. In fact when we fell further my dominant thought was " Thank fuck we might win a few games". Never imagined we might stay down there, duh. Sometimes the prem/first division does not produce dramatic finishes, we've been there, sometimes impossibly traumatic endings, we've been there as well, and then some...The dread of the orgasmic gloating in the msm should the worst happen is what makes today's game so nerve-shredding, imo, but, compared to what follows relegation, the effects are short-lived. For instance, the financial hit will be modest, no enforced clear-out of players and back-room staff, no drop off in season ticket sales, sponsor income tv revenue etc. One's a bruise the others a fracture...C'mon City, boil the piss out of those classless teacher's pets from across the E.Lancs.
 
Give me the stress of winning the title every time.That day against Luton was the start of our clubs nearly 25 yr decline.We are truly blessed with what we see now.
If we cock it up today it will not have the consequences of that day against Luton.
 
We were shit, winning any game was a bonus, staying up was great, the hope next season was going to be better, and usually it wasn't

Nowadays I'm rarely nervous because on our day we can wipe the floor with any team, I'm super confident in this team

3-0 today, people will be nervous when villa are attacking, but due to the occasion rather than the quality of villa, tough game but we will coast the last 20 mins
 
Both scenarios give a different type of nervousness and stress. Getting older has helped as well. If we loose I will be getting rat arsed and listening to my favourite tunes until I pass out. Then a media blackout all week.
 
This is a hard one to call and I have been at most of the games that have been significant. At least in our darkest days we didn't have social media to add to the stress. Sky was around from about 1992 I think so it captured some iconic matches although I don't remember many households having it early days. Mobile phones were pretty bog standard then ( I'm trying to remember my first one) and live streaming I think was none existent in 1999 for the Gillingham game.

All games were equally stressful but in relegation battles we were obviously pretty shit to be in them so feared the worst anyway. The feeling of being out of the top flight was awful because of the uncertainty of getting back and we rarely made that easy in typical City fashion. Even in the Keegan title winning one I remember at some point in the season he was saying we might struggle to make the play offs. The worst was dropping down to the third tier, that was a new low and meant a minimum of two years of pain and struggle to get back to the top flight, in effect two wasted years instead of one.


Now we are competing for honours every single game is a life and death one such is the high level of competition. So every game is stressful. Drawing away at West Ham, although good after being 2-0 down was a sickener as it's placed even more stress on us today. If we had won we would have as good as won the league as we could have got beat today and technically still won the league unless Liverpool beat our superior goal difference. A point really is no advantage as we all know Liverpool will beat Wolves so it makes our final game a must win one.

In conclusion I'd say being at the top and in finals is more stressful. Why? Well when you've been great the majority of the season to be in those positions, given everything and lose, the disappointment is crushing. So near yet so far. In relegation battles you're expecting the worst for quite some time so mentally prepare for it.

I try to avoid all the build up to vital games. Don't watch sky sports and read newspapers. It's all noise and bluster and just ramps the stress levels up higher and higher. I come on here to vent and worry a bit, to try and gain some comfort, some reassurance that everything will turn out okay. Of course the truth is we are helpless. We can shout, chant, sing scream and curse but ultimately it's out of our hands. The players, lady luck, the officials and the dreaded var all hold our hopes and dreams in their hands. All we can do is pray they are kind to us and we prevail.
 
When we narrowly escaped relegation in the past the euphoria you felt was off the scale. All that angst and dread was instantly gone. A proper high. Now to the poppers thread in Off Topic.
 
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