Thetownend.com

See Subject.

There's a guy who sits near me who looks a lot like Ron Atkinson. Not sure if it is him or not but I have not heard him utter any racist comments so maybe it isn't.

i swear holloway was live in the studio at lunchtime on 5live today, though i may be confused.

No he wasn't. It was a rumour, and when people started chanting Holloway it was because they wanted him as manager instead of Malpas. That's all. 2+2=5

Gazza, you're wrong.

Your right found this pic, clearly at the County Ground...

[url width=430 height=132]http://swindon.vitalfootball.co.uk/resource/teams/plymouth/225_b.jpg[/url]

Yknow, if Malpas smiled I think they'd look quite similar.

Apparently he was seen at The CH as well. Also 'sighted' at Hereford on Tuesday night.

My brother said he saw him having a pint in the CGH garden before the game with his wife.

Be interesting if the Adver has a snap of him tomorrow but..... I have had a look on news now for Holloway etc. apparently he is lined up for the Barnsley job.

Truth

Seems quite strange as someone posted on thisis (shock horror) If he was in the CGH surly word would have got around very fast to people drinking there but anyone I know who drinks there said they heard nothing.?

I'm not sure I'd recognise him if was stood in front of me.

Gary isn't this whole thread just some wind up?  Why the fuck would Ian Holloway be supping a pint in the CGH?

Exactly, unless he's a complete twat.

Ian Holloway's thought process: "I know, the Swindon board want to sound me out about the Swindon job, the chairman doesn't want the fans to know just yet, so i'll go and have a pint on my own, in a Swindon Town fans pub full of Swindon fans on a match day. And i'll go and sit in the The Town End, no one will ever notice me and it makes perfect sense."

I wouldn't want Holloway anyway, people love him because he says funny things, but as a manager - no thanks

I wouldn't be adverse to IH's appointment, he's one of the better "off the managerial merry go round" managers currently available.

As far as I am aware he was not there at all and I have seen no proof that he was apart from hear say.

Alright manager but he love's Roverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs.

I saw kevin keegan in the merlin  ::)

According to the Huddersfield forum he was


http://downatthemac.proboards106.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=16058

hmmmm interesting Thread... Keep eyes peeled to the adver tomorrow?

FROM HUDDERSFIELD FORUM

went to the pub by the ground ian holloway was in their,we talked to him for ages,he lives 10mins from the ground.what a top bloke.he was telling us about when town bid 500.000 for marcus stewart he told him not to go to us because we were not a big club because he was worth a lot more than that then we offered 1.2million,he then told him we are a big club cause we offered that,so he came.he also said stan is a very good manager and he will need time he is rated very higly in the game.we got on about the crowds we get but theirs no atmosphere he said get everybody cheering waving whatever it takes,it got cut short this guy came up to him with a note pad and said he was from the swindon news paper and he had heard that ian was after the managers job at swindon.ian holloway told him what to do and sent him packing.what a top day out.we live the dream 90mins of ecstasy, an ace day out.we are going up T.T.I.D

he lives near bristol.i heard him interviewed on the radio recently and he said he had just moved back there.

Sounds like a crock:

a) I'm pretty sure Holloway lives in Zumzet, certainly not in Swindon which you'd pretty much need to be to be within 10 mins of the ground (unless he's also going for a job on Top Gear)

b) The Adver boys all use tape recorders, not notepads. Ain't seen a journo with a notepad since I don't know when

Well he'd be better then the crop of shit who currently manages the team

 Clearly this Ian Holloway was a shape shifting alien....(see recent thread about increase in UFO sitings and economic recession)

 The clue is in the living 10 mins from the ground...there is nowhere in Swindon 10mins from the CG that any self respecting ex footballer/manager would choose to live, unless they were using  a time/space vertex or wormhole, through which to travel.

 These are strange times in which we live.

I nice 6 bed in Wanborough would be acceptable for a well off ex footie manager Reg, thats about 10 mins away from the CG

Maybe he is renting one of Ash's flats?

Broome manor

I've heard he was in Tesco after the game

I also heard that he was seen dogging in Coate water car park

Someone get photoshop out.  Where's Holly?

I can confirm Holloway was at the game because he is on the verge of becoming Southend manager, because their current manager, Steve Tilson, is being lined up by Charlton's potential new Dubai owners to replace Alan Pardew. And we have Southend next week.

I assume that tounge in check?

Alan Pardew to Swindon then!

He's deadly serious. The Town End is the best place in the ground to scout a player or a team.

He was not in the Town End, he was in the Arkells. The rumours about him being in the Town End were bull.

He was there.i saw him.

Who pardew?

Elvis and John Lennon sat either side of me, dont think they'll come again after that performance.

Holloway :bye:

this is funny as fuck the holloway rumours.seriously who gives a shit anyway if he was at the game?if he was in the townend then he wouldn't be lined up for here would he?he'd be in the fucking directors box.
i've seen loads of big names at our games over the last few years.it means jack shit.

lofty from eastenders for example (v qpr in aug)

I saw some guy off The Bill (apparently, I don't watch the program so he was pointed out to me) sat in the Don Rogers a few years back. He looked bored as fuck.

Jamie Cullum and his missus.

Also, Trevor Cleaver from Grange Hill.

I swear I saw him once in a supermarket in Westbury a year or so back.

[url width=351 height=333]http://www.grangehillfans.co.uk/schoolreport/throughtheyears/trev14.jpg[/url]

I reckon Trevor Cleaver must come from around here, 'cos I saw him in that indie thrash pit Level 3 about fifteen years ago.

i saw trevor at the esso garage a couple of weeks ago.also when asda walmart opened he was there working as a temp directing traffic.
how the erm mighty(chortle)have fallen

I love how the attention has switched to Trevor Cleaver Watch. Quite right too.

http://www.grangehillfans.co.uk/schoolreport/trevorcleaver.php

For all your Trevorish spotting needs

justine was fit

oh yeah, I've just looked her up, I remember her now!

and zammo's bird

I'd prefer Maddie Gilks

just had a look and oh yes very nice.you dirty old bugger dell!

wow i stumbled onto a Grange Hill thread,and to think I could have totally missed this!

Trevor Cleavers Red n White Army...

Mel Adams :drool:

The This Is site is reporting that ITV have the news that Holloway is the next manager.  Don't know if its true though.

The last thing we need is Trevor Cleaver taking charge....I would prefer Tucker but we couldnt afford him.
Zammo is clean now, and i did see him at the Westlers cart in the Town end at halftime - coincidence?

Holloway's kids go to a specialist deaf school in wiltshire. Random

Whilst we all remember seeing people around, can anyone remember seeing Swindon win at the CG in recent weeks?

That programme about Holloway was good a few years ago, it was about how stressful the managers job can be.  They spoke to his (deaf) daughters about their dad and they said the found it funny that sometimes he'd come home all angry and if they did anything wrong he shout at them, "what's the point" one of his girls said "we're deaf - we can't hear him".

I do like Holloway although I would be a little peeved having a gash head in charge.

Holloway was definitely there. Just seen a picture of him outside the TE turnstiles on my mates phone.

Bristol wovers have been rivals for about three years, who gives a fuck? If we weren't in the same league we wouldn't give them a second thought.

An ex pox manager is something else entirely......

Still think he wasn't there Gazza?
 :D

Also reported on radio wilts, both fitton and Holloway deny he wants the job.

Will be appointed on wednesday then.

I honestly thought this was all some shit wind up.  Fair enough, where's that slice of humble pie.

[url width=500 height=375]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2319/2936888697_612c7b8d1f.jpg?v=0[/url]

Hahaha... Samdy's mate papped Holloway... great pic too. He looks like i felt after the game.

I didn't think he would be the sort to smoke crack before a game

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/display.var.2460000.0.malpas_boos_will_not_force_me_out.php


Boooooooooo.

"I've been criticised as a player, I've been criticised as a coach and I'm getting criticised as a manager

What does that tell you then?

Is it me or is there a pattern forming!?

I heart this thread! Hilarious

I bet you have a big heart JFW?

Rather mischievously I read Fitton's comment this way:


http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/display.var.2460000.0.malpas_boos_will_not_force_me_out.php

He's now a lame duck manager. We would have to go on an amazing run for supporters to get behind him and sadly I don't think that's going to happen.

Two league wins out of ten.

3 points won at home out of a possible 15.

Enough said.............

Negative bastard Herthab give the bloke a chance ffs

Good news if Holloway is interested in the job - doesnt look like Fitton is interested tho - too expensive??

Malpas simply has to be sacked - Im staggered that Fitton is backing him today ... It was painful to watch Saturday - and the supporters gave more support than they have for ages ... it isnt the players its the organisation. Id also call for the sacking of Byrne, Williams and Granville. I guess Bodin would be best caretaker.

Malpas out!

If we need a cheap option there are some good conference managers who would be cheaper

i don't think holloway would be a worthwhile appointment to be honest - we'd be in the same situation now six months down the line

How sonic?

his record isn't great, he's been out of the game...

we need a change, no doubt but i don't think we should give it to the first person who strolls along.

How about the second person who strolls along? or go without a manager and put a caretaker in until we find the right man.

My biggest worry is another caretakership of Byrne or Williams ... :(

if we're going to sack malpas - and we will - then we have to ultimately replace him with the right manager. i'm confident fitton will look at this properly and appoint someone as caretaker in the interim but not rush on a decision... i think appointing holloway would be a case of change for the sake of change to some extent

I think Holloway is going to cost too much, what with Malpas compo and everything on top.

If anyone thinks we will get more established manager than Holloway they are IMHO nuts.

When the day comes I'd expect to have another manager nobody as heard of. Hope that one works out.

Dont agree Batch..i expect MM to stay for the season,but there will be plenty of names who dont need the money who would apply and snatch Fittons hand off for a chance in management....when Ince went to Macclesfield he was the lowest paid manager in the lge.

Yes, but that was his first job....

Mr Fitton needs to act quickly and decisively,no beating about the bush,no caretaker managers.

I feel dismayed this morning that he hasn't done so.Just do it please Mr Fitton and give the

new experienced manager the support, to take this club forward over the short and long term.

i agree with this point mostly.but i'd like to add that i'm not 100% convinced fitton is capable of appointing the right man though.i hope i'm wrong but he has made two massive errors already as chairman.1 the manager he appointed,2 the town end season ticket pricing.

Hes a new chairmen,hes going to make shit loads of mistakes,Gibson at Boro and loads of others have made cock ups,but you cant win as chaiman can you?
If he sacked MM today and next year MM was doing the biz people would be saying he was kicked too early,hes only had 15 matches etc.
Dont get me wrong ime off to Southend on sat and if  we get hammered i would expect him to do the decent thing,for his own sake as well as the clubs.

IIRC the last time we managed to string together more than one decent performance after another was under precisely that set-up. We played well when they were caretakers and with some fire in the belly that's been sadly lacking of late. My biggest worry is that if Malpas is sacked whoever takes charge either permanently or as caretaker has to contend with the same negative shit from the outset that's so undermined Malpas. We need to re-unify the fans and the playing staff.

only a complete coaching clear out will do that then paul

No, only good results and performances will do that. You could sack everyone at the club from the tea-lady up but if the results and performances don't turn round, any new guy will get the same, just might take a bit longer. Conversely, if Byrne and Williams get put in as caretakers they'll get virtually no backing to start off with but if they then go on a six-game unbeaten run, stuff Wovers, and take us on a cup run, the boo-boys will still be there but who'll really care?

You trust lot are shit its a tea man not lady ffs



 :)

And he's been there for about 60 years, one hell of a redundancy package.

It was a hypothetical abstract tea-lady, not an actual one

Can't be any worse than we're doing at the moment though.

a high profile manager will go some way to unifying supporters I'd suggest, along with a run of winning games and performances where the players look like they are desperate to win a game.

I'd like to see Holloway as he is an experienced manager and has had various degrees of sucess, I'm also intruiged to go back to the days of Macari, Hoddle, Mcmahon i.e. a high profile player coming to the end of his playing days that is taking his first steps on the management ladder, if we went that route I'd suggest someone of the calibre of Gary Speed (or even Stuart Pearce if the U21's lose tomorrow night)

surely it's tea person

Yeah Paul

That's exactly what we don't need though and exactly what Fitton doesn't want. Wise screwed us over, Sturrock wasn't here long.

Malpas is loyal and talks a good game. That's why Fitton appointed him. Unfortunately he is a shit manager. We just need to get someone in who is decent. There are a few decent managers in the division or two below, I reckon get one of them in.

Look what has happened with Malpas he got appointed due him him likely to be loyal and hang around and things have not worked out as expected.

Yes, it is a risk appoiting someone high profile, but they may achieve sucess before going and more of ten that not a high profile manager will raise the profile and the club which inturn bring more income with it.

Let's be bold and take the plunge we have had most success over the years with high profile managers.

Without the success of Macari, would we have got Ardiles?

Without Ardiles, would we have got Hoddle?

Ok, it goes a bit tits up after that, but you get my drift. Big name managers will only be lured away if they're successful here. If they're successful here we stand a much better chance of attracting another big name. And so on..............

I'm too sexist for my shirt

Colin Todd - Gash.
Roy Evans - Meh.
Dennis Wise - Good, from the games we saw.
Paul Sturrock - Good.

Notice the common theme? They left shortly after arriving. Sturrock stuck it out the longest (or before getting sacked) and that is not very long at all.

Thats true sipie, but Evans, Wise and Sturrock all had to put up with bullshit from above, and that at least played a part in them leaving.  They may have left anyway but who knows?

At the moment I'd be fairly happy with having someone competent but likely to leave at the 1st opportunity. 

Its hardly ideal, obviously we want someone competent who is here for the long run, but at least we'd win some games and possibly not conceed 3 a game for 6 months

Did we not get a hefty amount of compo from the managers who moved on to better things?

 But all these posters who blithely say we should get this manager that manager, miss the basic point of who is to pay for them....you only have to go back 9 months to see the calibre of manager, the present Board wanted to attract....namely Mickey Adams, Martin Ling or Dave Hockaday as well as Malpas.

 Now Adams had a bit of success, mainly at Brighton, but lasted 3 games at Swansea all defeats...Brighton haven't won at home this season....Orient are below us.

 I replied to your post Hertab, because the Macari issue, was interesting.  The previous season we'd finished in our lowest ever position, had a bit of a cup run, but the then Board were happy with Beamish, as he was cheap, and they weren't prepared to fund a replacement themselves.

 Bizarrely the insurers Lowndes Lambert, wanted to increase their profile locally, so were prepared to fund a name to become player/manager, this funding was only available, if Beamish went.

 Unless some similar outside funding is forthcoming, I can see no reason why this Board will change from their previous policy...surely if the case it would have happened by now

So, basically we arent going to be happy with whoever we get then.

We'll keeping getting Malpas's untill it goes right.

I have a terrible feeling that Fittton will stand by Malpas through thin and thin.......Off the pitch we can breathe a sigh of relief that we are'nt going down the shitpan but on the pitch we are shite and i cannot see it improving.

I reckon Fitton will hold a press conference with a T Shirt reading: DO'NT KNOCK THE JOCK!

 That's my interpretation of the situation...unless the Board want to do a Brady, Donegan or Diamandis, I don't see a name coming in.

 The whole thrust of their position is not spending money we can't afford.

 I suppose if it gets much worse they may have to act, and juggle the current staff, otherwise, I think we just have to be grateful and put up with it, or vote with feet.

 

Diamandis did.

Fitton and Co are all successful businessmen. Successful businessmen take risks, that's why they're successful.
Fitton won't let MM take us down, he's already invested a large wedge and the business plan doesn't include 4th Division football.
Sometimes you need to speculate to accumulate and AF will act if he feels there's no other option.

Just my take on it............

I would imagine that was as much due to the off the field shit unifying the players and making them work for eachother. Byrne and Williams are still coaches and performances would suggest they are doing a shit job, all Byrne seems useful for is shouting abuse at the players and setting himself up for a heart attack. There is no way they would unite the fans as they would just be seen as second choice to Malpas (which is what they are) and part of the same useless coaching set-up. I would be mightily pissed off if they got the job as would many others I'm sure....

Good point about byrne, fitton did not appoint him 9mnths ago why would he now.

Football is a business unlike any other, as we know too well ourselves from the last 5 or 6 years.

The Sturrock and Wise packages were more than this club could afford, which is why Sturrock went 3 months without getting paid towards the end of his tenure. Wise's pay would be supplemented by receipts from crowds in excess of 10k, and when they weren't forthcoming he soon moved on.

I'd suggest Reg is right in that we will not be pushing the boat out for an established manager, but instead trying to do things a bit smarter. Look at Southend for example, ex player come good as a manager. Do we have anyone like that in our squad? The only one I'd take a chance on would be Jamie Vincent, but I have no idea how he is seen by the players so that could very well be a non-starter anyway.

Exactly. Fitton's a successful businessman. Looking at the current situation in a business rather than footballing sense: If, say, his catering manager wasn't managing their department properly and couldn't get their staff working for them in the right manner then he'd replace them with another catering manager who could. So the same goes for Malpas, he's the manager of the playing department and if he can't keep his own department in order then and get his staff doing what they should be doing then in a purely business sense, Fitton needs to appoint a new manager who can get that department working properly.

Not necessarily.  We are thinking about this as football fans.  Getting relegated, although fucking abysmal etc for us, had a very small impact on our revenue due to the slightly increased gates when doing well, and the FL TV money is not that much different.  So not playing well does not always equal a business risk.

I think if we'd shot through the 6k mark for Season tickets they might have been more inclined to take a financial risk.  I do tend to agree with Reg, if those who want shot of Malpas force the hand, I doubt I'd bet on us getting in a "name".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gpNqB4dnT4&feature=related

 If the cost of getting rid of the catering manager was sizeable, because he/she was just a bit shit, and not poisoned anybody, and the cost of getting in a replacement had to be factored in, he might decide to send him/her on a course, to see if their performance could be improved.

 He might decide, also that the staff were under performing due to a lack of skills, and they would benefit from some closely monitored performance management, and enhanced training.

Nah, he's not clever enough to think of the detail like that.

Tbf rob if we did not have wise pre season it would of had a very negative effect.

 One of Rikki Hunt's companies was a management training consultancy thing, he used to send McMahon on courses, and  naturally bill the club.  Mcmahon would come back and sack people.

Would people take to Bodin as manager?

If we did sack the Malpas, Byrne, Williams trio he would be left as caretaker manager I would assume. I guess like any caretaker manager he would given a chance to get results....

 Zippy is an STFC hero, I like the idea of him being involved in the youth set up, but see nothing to suggest he's managerial material...caretaker maybe but no more.

Agree. I have made the point and whether its true or not. Lets think hypothetically.

If Colin Calderwood, Luc Nijholt, Steve White, Paul Bodin, etc if either were manager and we were in our current position, would the fans be turning on them? Perhaps a minority however most would give them the chance due to previous playing exploits at the club. I would like someone outside of the club to come in and stamp their authority down on things. Some will argue Malpas is in that category however he never managed in England and his backroom staff were all left overs of who was already here. 

i dont think bodin would want the job

Has Bodin got a personality?  Not from what I've seen when he watches the matches in the Arkells, he barely seems interested. 

Don't see why a former player should be afforded more time than a non ex-player.  MM has had a fair chance to stamp his authority on the team and it doesn't look like he has been able to take us forward. 

And the next manager should be afforded the same time, ex town player or not.

My point being that if we speculated on a name who left us in 12 months time we would get enough compo to pay for the next one!

Completely tongue in cheek, although I'm pretty sure that's where the money must have gone. Although saying that the club did received £100k from Leeds when they turned up at our place last year. Extra compensation because Wise left for Newcastle. Our owners weren't expecting it.

We only just went up from div 4 under Sturrock. That could have gone horribly wrong. Things went downhill before picking up at the end of last season when Sturrock left. Different managers have different ideas and this usually means spending more on players year on year as the team is restructured.

So aside from the new manager costs being offset by the compensation there are other thngs to consider.

...and the fact that any left over compensation we might have from Sturrock (if it hasnt gone else where) will be used to pay off Malpas anyway.

High profile managers don't always come at a high cost, Ince at Maccelsfield was on a low wage alright he didn't stay long, but he never would have anyway, but I think the point is there are ways around it you offer a basic wage with incentive bonus' built in and if that young manager is hungry enough to be a manager he will take it and build up his reputation as a manager, get a bit of sucess then he can go to the board and ask for an improved contract showing his sucess.

I don't think it matters who is appointed, if MM was having sucess here and was offered a job at a championship club or premier then I'm sure he wouldn't turn round and say no I'm staying where I am, most managers are ambitious to manage at the highest level they can.

That's my point though PtP, it doesn't matter who you get in as long as they're good. If one of the biggest name managers in the world took over, brought in some plaeyrs and we were still gash I'd be furious.

I do get the whole feel good factor/uniting the fans argument thing. It worked well with Wise and Sturrock (I think the fans were pulled in more by Wise, but Sturrock got the fans making a better atmosphere. Both united the team and the fans on the whole). Unfortunately for this reason, I think anyone but a big name manager or ex-player is going to leave a lot of the fans disappointed and doubtful, just as they were with Malpas, who was not given a chance by half of the fans (he's had a good chance now mind).

I'll manage them in my spare time if you like cos I'm broke and need quick cash. Interim manager like

Right

Call me a bullshiter if you want, but I'm not one to claim I know everything or to have loads of sources because I simply dont. I thought twice about posting this because the "i was told this by xxx" rumours do my head in.

But.... I know someone who knows someone (yeah I know!) who has worked for holloway in the past.  They are friends and I trust what I have been told, they have no reason to lie and have told me a few things in the past re: holloway that have turned out to be true.

STFC have spoken to holloway.

I dont know the details of what was said. I can only imagine that fitton is doing what you'd expect of a savvy businessman and putting the feelers out for a new manager, not just sitting on his arse hoping for the best.

The notw said yesterday fitton was pissed off with holloway i believe them as they are a good paper

I wouldn't wipe my are with the NOTW.

They did use the proper badge though, credit where credit's due 'n all that.

And Sam who in their right mind would use a newspaper to wipe their arse, that's asking for trouble? 

I disagree, i think you would

Which is why I said I wouldn't wipe my arse with it.

I would use a newspaper to wipe my arse in emergencies.

It would have to be better than the tracing papaer stuff you used to get at service stations years ago

My Grandparents used to use a brand called IZAL that was so shiny that it used to leave skidmarks up your back to the level of your shoulder blades

In that case Sam, I wouldn't wipe my arse with a rusty barbed wire fence.

Nice square sheets

Amazing what the mention of the notw can lead to

This was their last "scoop" on Holloway:

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/article1997.ece

Misquote

That was the tracing paper stuff  no? The shiniest and least absorbent paper know to man. The obvious step was to introduce it to schools across the country in the mind 70's. Thanks Thatcher, you steal our milk, then you make us wipe our arse raw with that stuff.

Nice rumor though Colin - Im liking

But they did say we was in L2 - so unless they can see into the future.....

Or slices of glossy magazine that shot up your back!! :o