120+ pages. It may give you Sheena Easton's icey black heart. Can you manage it?

[BANGKOK RED]

Is there a reason why Fitton decided to talk to Hoddle about the vacancy? Is there some history between them? Do they know each other? Does Hoddle really care about Swindon still? Any reason at all?

I'm not aware of any, so why talk to Hoddle rather than probably 100 other people he could of gone to instead?

Fitton has thought outside the box before, so what about if he's trying to do a deal with Hoddle coming to the club as manager and running his academy for released youngsters from the club at the same time? It would actually make a lot of sense, as Swindon would get first option on any of them that turn it round.

Even better if Gorman comes back as well. I'm sure everyone will disagree but I reckon Gorman was the last manager that had Swindon playing decent, attacking and attractive football. Sure the results weren't good towards the end but at least the games were worth going to.

What he said really.

WTF is the link between Hoddle and Fitton?

[DV]

keep the fans onside?

other than that I cant think of any other link unless Fitton it trying to get a link with Hoddles academy in Spain.

[Reg Smeeton]

reg's ultra negative posts are great. it's like he's trying to outdo bart.

 I'm trying to keep a lid on the gushing big name overthetopness ...unfortunately I think AF has let it go to far.  John Ward wont stand a chance.

[Rich Pullen]

I think we wouldn't get so annoyed with these type of threads if we didn't lose/get rid of our managers so often.

I enjoy reading and contributing to them. Although it would've been a fun appointment I'm glad Fitton has ended the Pearce speculation... Joe Kinnear is an odd one, and he's work for Oxford no matter how badly he did there it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a sin.

Fitton & Co are big teases - the Hoddle thing is probably a red herring.

It'll be John Ward But what does it matter if it is?

I just want someone in place so we can move on and get on with the season.

[flammableBen]

keep the fans onside?

other than that I cant think of any other link unless Fitton it trying to get a link with Hoddles academy in Spain.

Yeah it's PR. Makes a good headline if Fitton can say our new manager that loads of people haven't heard of has Hoddle's seal of approval.

[Power to people]

keep the fans onside?

other than that I cant think of any other link unless Fitton it trying to get a link with Hoddles academy in Spain.

I suspect he is talking to him as an ex-swindon manager, who has been an international manager, managed at the highest level, has contacts within the game to guage his thoughts on who is available and what type of person they are, and see if there are any 'left field' managers that they have missed out

[fatbury]

Hoddle and Keown ... you wouldnt think there was a link there ... but apparently they are quite chummy and they both live in Berkshire

[RobertT]

I love the way everyone's getting so agitated by Fittons comments.  Has anyone stopped for a minute to think that everyone own perception is causing the problem?  what may blow Fitton's socks off may be a dour shit appointment to Joe Bloggs of Swindon, especially given some of the numpties on thisis who seem to be suggesting any name you can think of that wouldn't even bother knowing we had a Managerial vacancy at our club.

I also love how people are getting angry at the club about potential names, when the club haven't even said who they are looking at.

Jesus wept.  We'll probably get someone like Ward and he may well do a bloody good job for us.  Most Managers that are available to us will have a shit stint in their records, if they didn't then they would be Managing a top team right now.  If we hit the PR jackpot then so bt it, but likelihood is we won't.

[chalkies_shorts]

...I hope DMR doesnt shout at me but I really wouldnt want that.

Hoddle has been out of management a fairly long time now and never really did well for the likes of Southampton, Spurs or Wolves. Gorman has never cut it on his own.

It would be a case of going backwards and they'd never in a million years have the same success here. Be great for nostalgia reasons....but no thank you

If there was even the remotest chance of getting these 2 back then fuck the rest, I'd snatch their hand off. As for going backwards - back to the days when we've played the greatest football I've seen here ever. Back to the days when the crowd got more than their money's worth.
Unfortunately, Fitton is asking Hoddle for advice.
Regardless of what is being said, Pearce is still a possibility.
Holloway, however, has no chance.

[suttonred]

Whoever comes in probably wont get a fair crack, as we have the moaniest, most unrealalistic supporters going. I wouldn't bloody well want the job, lose,lose scenario.

[fatbury]

Although most of us on here will go to watch Swindon regardless I think of the bigger picture and getting people through the gate

That means a high profile name with an excellent managerial record is the best for the job ... I dont think thats rocket scientist

John Ward may do a good job but if he should struggle it wont get punters in the door ... whereas a big name like Pearce would even with some bad results ..

[Rich Pullen]

I just don't care now. Most of the Press Talk has been Riverdanced on by Fitton. I like a good rumour but we still have another week of this... almost guarenteed.

To say that the new guy could well be in the stands on Saturday is just as hopeful as people still hoping there's any kind of truth behind the Pearce rumour!

[flammableBen]

Although most of us on here will go to watch Swindon regardless I think of the bigger picture and getting people through the gate

That means a high profile name with an excellent managerial record is the best for the job ... I dont think thats rocket scientist

John Ward may do a good job but if he should struggle it wont get punters in the door ... whereas a big name like Pearce would even with some bad results ..

Thing is though, this big name = big gates thing is only really true in the short term, especially when appointing a manger mid-season (no season ticket boost). If a "Big Name" (ex premier type, pearce etc) does come in then the gate might increase for a few games, but if the results aren't good then they'll drop again pretty swiftly. A less known manager might not get the instant boost, but gates will increase if we string results together.

The Malpas was shit, another lesser name will also be shit logic is also pretty flawed. If the club don't want to splash the cash for promotion then we might have to accept trying out a few cheaper options until something clicks.

There's the argument of the pay more, have success, don't have to sack them and pay them off, get compensation when they move on cycle. But it only has to not work out once and we're stuck with a big bill. I was happy when Fitton and co came in saying they were going to try the run in a more financially stable manner, and I'm still happy if they want to do that.

[chalkies_shorts]

Whoever comes in probably wont get a fair crack, as we have the moaniest, most unrealalistic supporters going. I wouldn't bloody well want the job, lose,lose scenario.

I get really fucking annoyed at all this "our supporters are cunts mallarkey." We're no better or worse than most. Are we worse than the so called religiuos Toon Army - are we fuck. Are we worse than the Slave Trader bastards - are we fuck. Are we worse than the Gooners asking questions of Wenger - are we fuck and so on and so on. We've been really short changed recently. This appointment is vital as the only thing we've got to play for in the next few months is not getting relegated and hanging on to our best players.
We want to be entertained,. We want our team to play decent football. We want our team to play with passion and put in a good shift. We want to be proud of our team. If we lose to a better team or a robbery then fair enough. We don't want our team beaten before the game starts. This is what all fans want. That's all I want. I don't expect Premiership football ever again. I don't expect regular Championship football. I don't expect players to stay with us for life. I expect us to yoyo thruogh the lower Divisions.

[RobertT]

Although most of us on here will go to watch Swindon regardless I think of the bigger picture and getting people through the gate

That means a high profile name with an excellent managerial record is the best for the job ... I dont think thats rocket scientist

John Ward may do a good job but if he should struggle it wont get punters in the door ... whereas a big name like Pearce would even with some bad results ..

It always sound plausible, this myth that we need someone big to get the crowds in, that somehow people come because we are amanaged by a person they've seen on the TV, but it's bollocks.

3rd game under Ardiles (ignore the 1st two because they were against "big teams") was vs Barnsley.  Surely Ardiles being a new Manager, not to mention a 3-1 home win against Wolves under the belt, should have seen us fill the Maracana? nope, 6540 souls ventured into the CG that day, and barely 400 more for the next home game.  We drew that game but then won 3 consecutive home games 3-0.  For the next match after that, did they flock to see the new messiah against Stoke (a game we won 6-0), nope, less than 8000.

Even after God was installed we still had regular games of 7000 attendances.

We got big crowds when we did well or big teams came to Town.  It hasn't changed.

What has changed is we can now moan about things and rustle up a crowd of people in a moaning frenzy and pass on myth as fact.

Lets just let Fitton appoint the best man AVAILABLE to him and then support the poor bastard.  If he's shit, we can moan again and all be happily sad.  FWIW, someone like Ward could do well, he's done well in spells at clubs before.  Like most people in our range he'll also have some periods of failure under his belt.  Who knows though, he may not even be on the list, which is the point really.  Since when did appointing a new Manager become a Simon Cowell produced affair?