Thetownend.com

just got the text

Fucking hell. Did not see this coming!

Could be too late, but it might just be what we need.

http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10341~2306329,00.html

[url width=533 height=358]http://mcneillfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/castaway-wilson-ball-logo.jpg[/url]

Club will annouce a replacement in 24 hours....interesting...must have had one lined up?

An experienced, proven manager apparantley...

Has to be Gary Johnson??

If it's a proven experienced manager coming in the next 24 hours, i'd suggest wilson hasn't resigned fully of his own accord

That would make me quite happy!

Got told this earlier this afternoon, thought it was a wind up! If my sauce is right we're getting Paul Hart as a replacement.

I don't think he was ever likely to leave of his own accord.

Good to know that we'll have a new man in place for Saturday, should boost the attendance somewhat!

I'm feeling a bit queasy about this. Partly because Wilson going makes me stare in the face just how crap we've been and partly because neither Hart nor Johnson fill me with hope. Can someone speculate on some other names please?

lets hope your sauce is wrong

This is breathtaking

Paul Bodin for the rest of the season. Heard it here first.

Parkinson.

Bring back King!

Luc Nijholt

Has to be Gary Johnson for me too.

I cannot believe after ALL THIS that now is the time to have this discussion.

Not proven

I will be reappointed. I've just changed my name to David "B" to pretend it's a new manager.

Please jeebus, not Mad Dog.

So its either .... Hart? Parkinson? Johnson? or Trollope?

League 2 .... Full speed ahead!!!!

I've heard Paul hart.

Oh thank goodness.

They should have sacked him months back ! Bit late now !

Paul Harts fill me with fear

Shocked but pleased. After all we were never going to stay up with Wilson in charge. Well not in my opinion anyway. He done a good job last season but sadly it all went wrong. Thanks for thememories of last season Danny and good luck...now for the replacement and staying up. Let's hope it's someone to get us going and get the results we need.

It's not too late... It's not good timing though.

and me

The Adver is up to date as usual, still no mention of it on their website.

Surprise surprise Fatbury wants his mate Paul Trollope

Don't want Hart in as he is shite !

Paul fucking Hart?
Someone chase after Wilson's car.

Martin Oneill, my ketchup has told me they are breaking the bank

They're a newspaper not an official source for the club. Look at their main article today, clearly there is a lockdown at STFC at the moment.

My HP sauce say's we are going all out to appoint Mourinho

I want DV for manager.

Now we will see if its the Manager or the team that was not performing.

It's our only option.

Tartare says George burley

when paul hart was manager of qpr he once played 8 defenders...think that might help the defence but probably not alot of goals on the horizon if true..

The more I think about it the more I can see it being Hart. He has a long, and quite succesful history, of youth teams and bringing young players through (think he was at forest when dawson, reid and prutton were coming through). Fits in perfectly with fittons philosophy

Hart's record is fucking appalling... if he's the option, bring back Wilson

Oh, and before it gets lost in the new manager shitstorm, goodbye and good luck Danny. This seasons been a massive disappointment obviously but you took us to Wembley and not many can say that. Time to go now but thanks for the memories.

Gary Johnson with Shaun Taylor with his ass-man for me... I think... Fuck it I don't know. I just want them to appoint a manager that inspires both fans and players.

Nobody saw this news coming... I don't believe any sources.

Wilson stays - we're definitely down.
Hart in - we probably go down.

Yes he's got a shitcunt record but gotta take a flyer on someone to get us out of this.

I'd like to add my name to that comment too.

On a serious note just been told that Mark Collier has been interviewed for the job.

Has Shirtliff gone too?

Im going out on a limb and throwing Nestor Lorenzo's hat into the ring as our new manager with Ossie as Technical Director of Football Operations .

All the best to Wilson and thanks for Wembley last year

Dont fancy Hart at all would be happy to see what Bodin could do

Or is Budgie flying to the rescue to take a perm job

:Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Steve evans....

Iain Dowie in the frame apparently

Muanmar Gadaffi.

He'd put a rocket up the players asses.

Just seen David Oleary leaving the County Ground

Ozzy Ardiles - you heard it here first  ;D

Im kinda hoping Gary Johnson myself like others, i dont know too much about Hart except he was in charge of Palace and they survived on the last day of last season so i guess it matches what Fitton is after. He was lined up for the Hull job not too long ago i believe.

Macari   :D

Ewww. :puke:

Well whatever happens, saturday is already looking infinitely more appealing...(at the moment)

Peter Taylor, just left Bradford, and ticks the experienced and proven boxes?

Danny Williams...

You heard it here last.

Lawrie Sanchez  :eek: yes please

 I take no pleasure from this news, as it's only happened because we're fucked. I now worry that having binned the stability we could be in for even worse shit.

 Obviously we've lined someone up, my deductive powers would expect Trollope, but Hart seems to be so unlikely as to be true.

It better not be Paul fucking Hart or Paul cunting Trollope.

Good luck Danny Wilson. Genuinely disappointed its all gone Pete Tong. Can understand why the manager has to be changed, but such a shame it didn't work out.

What a dream team. We'd finish each game with only 8 players but those who hadn't been sent off would play beautiful football.

Ditto to this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Hart#Statistics

Oh fuck!

 :suicide:

I agree.

Coz Fitton's been in America innit.

Harts work as a youth coach is good but as a first team manager it's terrible.

Whoever it is, they have til the end of season. If they keep us up, they'll prob get the job full time I would think.

Isnt he a boxer?

This.

Ive heard Terry Venables was looking to get back into management in this country, interested in hull at one point apparently.

 :hmmm:

OS quoted as the new man will be a "proven, senior manager" I don't think that really describes Trollope.
It certain does describe Paul Hart however.

And Dowie.

matt_jada,

CALM DOWN buddy :)

Sorry mate im happy with the news  :D  dont get me wrong i wish DW all the best but it was the right thing to do.

i say im happy but i have a bad feeling about this, especially with names like Paul hart being jotted around

Well Mr Fitton has lots of Newcastle connections, how about Chris Hughton :D

I would prefer not Paul Hart and don't want Trollope or Sanchez and certainly not Ossie again.

Its obvious the new man has been secretly interviewed so it will be a man that is not in a job, there are some good ones out there but lots more shit ones too.

It can only be Sheena Easton

And Bobby Gould !

Would rather Dowie than Hart. Hart being appointed would beggar belief.

Johnson full-time or Macari until the end of the season for me.

Best of luck to Danny Wilson in the future.

Can we just accept now that a lot of people aren't going to be happy? If he's experienced, he'll have been sacked from somewhere. There will be a reputation, there will be statistic and someone will know a mate of a mate who was a fan of his previous team who will complain about his style of play or ability to buy strikers, or what he says in interviews.

In summary, it better not be Steve Staunton.

My feeling is it will be Peter Taylor.

And Howard Wilkinson

Gary Johnson? the guy who couldn't keep a clean sheet with posh this season? that doesnt sit well with me.

Hart worryingly seems to fit with fittons youth policy given his record.

I'd take Dowie as manager.

If its Martin Allen i will not be going while he is in charge!

I heard it's going to be Mel Machin.

Lets Hope it Gary Johnston.

I put my money on Hughton back in January.

Paul hart
Gary Johnson
ian dowie
chris Coleman
lou macari
Gordon strachan
Glenn hoddle
steve coppell
chris hughton
Paul Trollope
roberto do matteo
pauolo Sousa

names I've gathered from other sites already!? Oh and sheena easton...

Least we won't have long to wait!

Gordon Strachan

Brian Horton

I'm quite sad about it really, I still backed Wilson.

Matteo would be good replacement.

Ok, who realistically would you like?

Coleman i wouldn't mind.

Coppell would be good.

Steve Coppell is a good shout. Would he drop down to this level again? Done it before with Reading/Brentford.

bad news guys.

its not me :(

Personally dont think Coppell will manage again.

Dominic?

Didnt he say he's retiring from football after leaving City because he doesnt enjoy the game anymore.

If so, theres no fucking chance especially with the step down

Not according to my source.

George Burley?

Depends how you see "realistically".. Di Matteo would be good.

Oh....

...it might be me then \:)/

James walsh with simon webb as assistant.

Dream team!

Dennis Wise.

Second bit of good news tonight!

Co Adriaanse.

Wasn't expecting this, well not tonight anyway. How exciting.

Norway Red - he'll upset every fucker!!

In a dream world Gus Poyet please!

I'm sure he'll nominate every player between 1992-1999 to be manager :)

Good post....I think we can safely assume it wont be anybody, that will get the juices flowing.

Peter Taylor....the more I think about, the more I dislike it.....big fan of Trevor Benjamin mind.

He'd play Billy Bodin up front on his own to single handedly keep us up ;)

...not to mention Junior Lewis!

Dont go with the clamour for Johnson.Dare I hope for Chris Hughton?

Timing is strange, less than a week ago the board were still backing Wilson with the signing of Grella which suggests it was Wilsons decision to resign rather than a board decision to get rid.

On the other hand, if they've already got a replacement lined up they must have been already considering their options...

Johnson would be my choice, but whoever it is will likely not have a better track record than Wilson and will be grappling with the same issues.

Anyone who thinks getting rid of Wilson will cure all our problems is likely to be in for a shock I fear.

Why the fuck do I keep reading the name Paul Hart in this thread? Do I not like that :suicide:

It has to be Gary Johnson for me.....please please please not Paul Hart :no:

Does this mean you'll be up all night like a kid waiting for Christmas?

Martin Ling is also free.

I wonder if Fitton and co had been planning to appoint an extra hand in some sort of director of football role, and Wilson, knowing that he's off in the summer anyway, decided that it wasn't worth the hassle.

I find that hard to believe. We are announcing a successor in 24 hours. We must have approached them before Wilson resigned.

edit The DoF theory by FB is one reason Wilson may have walked I guess.

 No mention of Shirtliff....he's got managerial experience.

http://thewashbag.com/

interesting read, pretty much most of the names mentioned on here

so who would you realistically go for?

Gary Johnson.

Most of the names on here will never go to a club at the bottom of league 1. Of the realistic candidates it had to be Johnson, excellent record with exception of Peterborough where is was rumoured he had little say with transfers.

It's a no brainer IMO

Gary Johnson.

 Stuart Pearce was in the exec box at Saints, coincidence??  :)

Whoever it is is either very brave, completely desperate or on a massive bonus if we stay up.

Cheers Danny for last year. This year everything baffled me though.

Come on you reds!!!!!!!!!!!

Gary Johnson

Peter taylor/Trolloppe is the two i feel are the strong contenders.

Just cannot see them risking Bodin.

Gary Johnson for me, kick a few of the fucking useless twats around the changing room.

Alan Irvine is a possibility and mark mcgee especially with our apparent scottish relations

Gary Johnson - I don't have any insider info, just trying to get my post count up to 500 so I don't get these fucking annoying adverts!!

Definately not Mark McGhee, Martin Allen, Paul Trollope or Laurie Sanchez.

Sounds like its time for a poll :D

 :badmood: hope all the 'wilson out' mob are happy now - im gutted cant see us going anywhere but down now - we've got the biggest week of our season coming up and typical swindon we make a hash of it before its even started

I fucking hate that ignorant pig Mcgee.

Peterborough were 5th in the table when he left  ???

Gary Johnson, not Hart or Trollope paleeeasee!

Because it was all looking so good wasn't it??

No news on Peter Shirtliff so looks like he is staying which does anybody else think is strange I thought he would of gone too.

Yeah, what a fuck up. Wilson was just starting to turn it around aswell.

I stuck with Wilson to the end but there's no way anyone can be scratching their heads about this one.

yeh and its looking really positive now aint it

New manger might want to bring in his own backroom staff from a previous job, you never know. fingers crossed eh!!

Its look much more fucking positive that it did a couple of hours ago.

Gary Johnson please.

Roy Keane????

I would fucking love Roy keane.

He'll sort out the useless cunts

Gotta be an ex Leeds manager.

I hear we're playing in white next season too.

Chris Kamara ;-)

Leeds or Celtic maybe!

Johnson, please no!!! I would like someone with some experience further up the football league, matching Fittons ambition, not some idiot who had most of there success in non league or league two, accept for a rogue spell at Bristol City!!

Someone that shows a little ambition please.

I hear one more and we get Bates free.

More positive than it was. Yes.

yeh he did a great job at ipswich maybe someone should give mickey mouse a call  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Johnson has down sides but he is proven at this level and at a lower level and to a some extent higher level too.

...bit like Wilson eh?

Whoever is appointed, it can be guaranteed 100% someone, somewhere willl be fucking moaning.

I hear Swindon have good links with disney, good shout  :)

Somewhere? It'll definitely be on here. And then on thisis at 5pm on Saturday if we don't win 5 nil.

Thanks Danny.  You gave us our best season in a long time last year.  When we look back in a few years from now, people are going to remember that above all else.

The decisions to sell Greer and Paynter in the summer sound as if they were out of DW's hands.  But that aside, I still don't understand how he didn't turn it around.  Back in November, I was convinced he would.  Utterly baffling (and disappointing).  Once in that rut, he just kept ploughing it deeper and deeper.  Very sad.

Names of 'proven' (champ/prem level) managers currently without clubs:

Southgate, Strachan, Keane, Chris Coleman, Dowie, Hughton, di Matteo, Phil Parkinson, Paolo Sousa, Curbishley

Not Peter Taylor please. Ambivalent about Gary Johnson.

In a dreamland, I'd like Gary McAllister please. EDIT - just noticed McAllister is at Villa. Forget that.

Kendo Nagasaki ... or someone else in a mask that only gets removed if we go down.

Kevin Blackwell?  :(

Timing of the decision seems bizarre. Reading the statement it seems to be a mutual consent thing and not a straight resignation. The Southampton result cant be the one that made the board decide this, given not many teams get much from there place. Would it be wrong then to assume since the media policy change on the 22nd Feb that the club has been eyeing this move up, and changed its policy to prevent any leaks from Adver etc?

Jan Molby

Saints losing last night was the final straw.

I have a feeling it will be Dowie or Parkinson to be honest
Would like Di Matteo though

As someone said before who ever it is will have been sacked by someone previously to be available so you will always be able to point out negatives to ever it is. I hope it is someone with a track record of getting out of this League the likes of Keane and Hughton would find it such a culture shock being in this league that they would not last 5 minutes. Gary Johnson ticks all the right boxes as a proven lower league manager and would probably relish a job in this area where he has had success before with win ratios of 52% at Yeovil, 40% at Shitty and 42% at Posh if he can replicate that in the last 13 games we could survive.

I would say most of that list other than Johnson or Parkinson comes from dreamland. We're probably going to be in div 4 next year - I'd expect most of them would rather commentate on ESPN or Channel 5 than manage a bottom tier side.  

People who were demanding anyone but Wilson suddenly seem very picky.

Personally think Johnson the best available. Don't think its about pedigree at higher level or long term vision right now. Just whoever it is come until the end of the season and keep us in this division and we'll go from there.

John Gorman (again).

Good luck Danny, thought he was a top bloke, very dedicated! Shame.

Richard Keys and Andy Gray

It may be that Walsall's win last night, has convinced the Board that we're totally fucked, and the knees have jerked.

The new man has to be ready and on the scene....Fatbury might be a happy bunny tomorrow.

Weasel - Unfortunately, I don't disagree with you at all.

I wish I could disagree with me. I'd like Dennis Wise.

As long as it's not Martin Allen!

But whoever it is hopefully it'll wake the players up, someone with new ideas and all that.

hope we dont get any female officials then

few weeks to late, but at least there is still time for someone to turn it around.
mad dog gets my vote.
he's something different and although opposing fans hate him,if he turned us round he'd soon be the cult hero has been at other clubs.
worth a short term gamble i reckon.
don't think he'll get the job anyway.johnson seems the obvious run of the mill replacement.
i think it will be him.
fitton might do a ron noades though and run the team himself. ;)

People went with the whole "as long as it's not..." last round round. Nobody mentioned Danny Wilson and then when he was appointed and people were like "well, that's underwhelming".

As long as they want to manage Swindon Town F.C. and don't have an alarming amount of links to Oxford then I suppose I'm happy :)

Nooooo.Not Pook!

Most likely that the change of policy comes from the new material - official Twitter and player interviews etc that the club are doing. So it is about restricting access but less about secrets more about driving traffic to official sources and the revenue stream. Clubs don't need local papers anymore but local papers need clubs more than ever.

They cant have reacted to games when we didnt play, that wouldnt be in keeping with the board in my eyes.

I'm convinced they have been looking at options since prior to the Soton game the more i think about it.

Johnson just seems like Wilson again to me. Waiting to now to get rid of wilson seems odd, unless someone useful was interested in the job.

Though were we not going to employ Richard Money after Malpas before Wilson became available? Cause for concern over the boards decision?

No way is this a knee jerker. As someone already said, the press shut out now makes more sense and if the replacement is coming tomorrow then this has been planned for sure.

At last! He should have resigned months ago. Thanks for everything, DW and best of luck

Bring on Walsall!

I would take anyone who wants to manage Swindon Town however underwhelming apart from him! Just not my type of manager.

Player manager...you heard it here first.

We're going to have to work overtime, to match the 120 pages of Sheena Easton's icy black heart, from the previous interregnum.

More recently sacked managers:

Big Sam Allardyce, Steve Mclaren, Rafa Benitez, Carlos Queiroz, George Burley, Andy Scott (Brentford), Brian Laws

and Tony Hayward from BP.

As much as I've been critical of Wilson and my joy at seeing him go, I still think he's a decent manager and wish him well.

I reckon the most realistic and likely replacement is Gary Johnson. But there are plenty of decent managers out of work and who knows, someone with a higher profile might be up for dropping down a division or two especially if the money is right.

Not convinced Wilson actually resigned. More likely Fitton told him he was history and gave him the choice of the wording. The fact that they've got a replacement lined up suggests they've been looking for a few days, most likely since Saturday evening, unless they were approached by a bigger name manager out of the blue (highly unlikely).

I wouldn't rule out Brian Laws. At all.

Bloody hell, didn't see this one coming at all.  It all seems a bit strange happening in the middle of the week unless last night's results tipped it?  My dad also mentioned the behind closed doors game against Cardiff yesterday and wondered if that had anything to do with it?  Not sure in what way, but seems a strange time to be playing a behind closed doors game?  What purpose did it have?

I'm not really sure who I want in to be honest, but if they keep us up, I'll love them forever  :).  I firmly believe we would have been playing League 2 football next season if Wilson had remained in charge.  Now I have a little bit of optimism that we might turn it around.  I just hope it's not too late.  

Andy King seen in CG car park apparently... :D

What about Jim Magilton.... now that would be funny, (or perhaps not.)

There's no way he resigned. Fitton would have paid him up to the end of his contract (which would only have been two or three months money and is no skin of the club's nose) and given him the option of resigning (as you said) and leaving with some dignity. That's the sort of classy bloke Fitton is.

Adver saying its Paul Hart!

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/8885673.BREAKING_NEWS__Hart_to_be_named_Town_boss/?ref=rss&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

fuck sticks

Hahaha.

Old schooler until the end of the season.

Very uneasy feeling.

I wonder how many more will take up Saturdays free ticket offer now. It will be good to go Saturday with a feeling of unity whoever comes in, lets just hope it is a cracking atmosphere and most of all a fucking win

OK, please don't anyone moan. Let's just support the new manager and think positive thoughts 8)

Told ya.

Certainly wouldn't have been my choice but let's see if he can make a difference.

He kept Palace up so.... Fingers crossed.

Paul Hart....  :crash:

I hope it's a wind-up...

well, seriously I would give the bloke a go. It's only until the end of the season according to the adver.

He's a profilic manager at a higher level, but his statistics are worse than Wilsons.

On another note: Has Shirtlifter also left the building??

Will it be just to the end of the season? Or a more permanent thing?

Bang goes our aim of surpassing 120 pages filled with speculative bollocks.

Blimey! Just logged on and was not expecting that! No hard feelings towards DW but this might just save our season. Hopefully Paul Hart can inspire our rabble to a few wins, starting Saturday.

bollocks!!!

I've just seen that Johnson is favourite to get the Northampton job.

I'm actually gutted that its Paul Hart. His record is appalling.

I hate managers who wear fucking tracksuits.

Paul Hart fml!

Hey if it is Paul Hart then lets give the guy a chance ......... until 4.50 Saturday at least!

His win record is awful it seems.

He kept up palace though so guess he just needs to do the same for us and we'll see in the summer.

Fan of the diamond formation apparently!

Meh, its our last gamble.

come on Paul.

Just for the record DVinho > Paul Hart!

I will try.................fuck me it will be hard though.

Just because 'the Adver understands' does not make it so.

But it'll probably be him.

I just hope he can give the squad the necessary kick up the arse.

What time was Hart's name first speculated on here? If the Adver have done some investigative journalism (logged on to this thread) it could just be premature e-speculation.

They wouldn't have printed anything without a very firm assurance from a trusted source at the club.  It's going to be Hart.

Thanks Danny, some of us were with you til the end.

Anyone have anything positive to say about Paul Hart?

At this stage, I don't think anyone coming in would make us significantly more or less likely to stay up this season.

So for me, the only justifiable reason for change would be bringing someone in who'd be guaranteed to sell a few season tickets for next season.

Paul Hart, fuck that.

You'll change your tune in the space of 2 games if we get a couple of wins.

Just as long as we sign morph im happy

It'll be him, did wonders with the Leeds youth team, and developed a good young Forest crop and took them to an unlikely playoffs place, so lets wait and see.

Not my first choice by a long shot, but I suppose the Craig Maskell/Dave Mitchell dream team was indeed highly unlikely.

Well what an anti climax that is, my level of optimism has just returned to the level it was at 3 hours ago.

Meh!

heres a positve, kind of

For Qpr he had 5 games 1 win 2 draws and 2 loses  thats 5 points from 15.

Dw for swindon last 5 games 0 wins 1 draw and 4 loses 1 point from 15

This is the Adver you're talking about!! :D

Not sure what to make of Hart really. Definitely seems a panic appointment, get an experienced head in to steady the ship till the summer. Personally I'd have preferred a gamble on someone a bit younger with a more modern approach.

As for Wilson, I wish him all the best. He built a fine team and after giving us our most enjoyable season since 92-93 it must have been hard for him to watch it break apart this year.

Suspect he'll be back, probably at a League 2 club next season.

oh dear gotta bad feeling about this - hope im very wrong

Paul Hart ? does that fit in with what Fitton says about a Proven senior manager, Hart does not really fit this bill for me, not really been succesful anywhere so no real history he has not got the greatest of records and has no experience at this level, would not even get in my top 5 I'm afraid, he also would not have the immediate respect of the players, I'd like Gary Johnson or perhaps Alan Irvine, failing that Peter Taylor or Stuart Pearce

Whoever it is will be told keep us up and the job is yours fail and you run the risk of being out of work again, Fitton obviously has a list and is confident of recruiting one of his top names, I would not have thought anyone would be lined up before Wilson went.

I've got exactly the same feeling I had 5 hours ago.

We're going down.

I can't believe some people are moaning already about our potential manager.  Most people said they'd have taken anyone other than Wilson, well he's stepped down we bring in someone new and the bloke's being slated already.

I guess the saying becareful for what you wish does ring true. Whoever takes over just get behind him & the team

Not exactly the uplifting appointment we had all been hoping for (especially in light of some of the names being bandied around as possibles earlier), but lets at least get behind him for a couple of games!!

I thought the club could have done a kind of surprise unveiling on the pitch as a way of building the tension and filling the ground.  Wheel on a box with the new man in it, a few fireworks and ...  drumroll.... PAUL HART!!!!!!!  Cue mad screaming and cheering from the terraces.  No.  Just me then.   :doh:

His penchant for a diamond formation may suit us - and allow a place for Ferry. I'm going to remain upbeat.

Thisis will go into meltdown as a result of this, lots of anger, bags of unfathomable vitriol and tons of statements in CAPITAL LETTERS.

If he wins the next three though they'll be a queue to suck his cock.

Paul Hart lost 8 in a row when managing Rushden & Diamonds in the Conference, didn't he? Got the sack in BSP?

Oh wait... I'm being negative. Shame on me!

Paul Hart's Barmy Army!!!  :D

It's not going to not be him now the Adver has come out with that. I was somewhat intrigued by this extract from his Wikipedia entry..."After the disappointment of his spell at Barnsley, Hart decided to take some time out of football, opening a dog kennels in Newton Le-Willows. In February 2006, after receiving a nasty bite on his forearm by a German Shepherd, he decided to sell up and return to football management."....I see :hmmm:

This sounds like a short term appointment to me.  A three month contract maybe...with attractive bonus attached for keeping us up.

Thing is...now is not the time to bring in our next long term manager anyway.  Why?  Because our next long term manager, if he's any good, probably doesn't want to join a club that's odds on to be playing in Division 4 next year.

I'd say the most likely plan Fitton is aiming for is

• Hart appointed to the end of this season.
• Hart keeps us up.
• Hart leaves with everyone's thanks and a very tasty bonus for his summer holidays.
• Fitton advertises manager's position again in May, atttracting a far better field of candidates than he could hope to at present.

Didn't the Adver say that Richard Money was set to be appointed pre-Wilson?

His win ratios make danny wilson look like Alex Ferguson

Palace 21%
QPR 20%
Pompey 30%
Rushden 25%
Barnsley 27%
Forrest 31%
Chesterfield 34%

I just feel completely underwhelmed if this is true

Im reasonably optimistic about this to be honest, we needed a change and thats what has happened.

Some of the names mentioned on here were rediculous tbh, maybe at the start of a new season but not while were struggling in the relegation places and

need some kind of a miracle turnaround in performances, who in there right would want that pressure.

Clearly this doesnt faze paul hart so there for im happy about this appointment. thats of course if he is our manager.

Would rather Wilson stay than Hart. Hope I'm proved wrong though.

Thanks for everything though Danny. Last season will live long in my memory

The only positive in all of this is that Hart in the previous two seasons, with Pompey and last year with Palace took over around this time and kept them up.

Long term he isn't the man in my opinion, his record over a longer period (apart from Forest) is dire.

Official STFC twitter has just posted the adver link so I guess it is true.

I think this must be it.

Paul Hart has been in the running for clubs like Hull City, Southampton and Sheffield United the last year.

This is from 29th dec 2010:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1342395/Paul-Hart-set-named-Sheffield-United-manager.html

Agree this doesn't seem to fit the proven part of Fitton's spec.
His only real "success" seems to be taking Forest to pay-offs which was followed by a poor next season, including a 14 match run without a win, when he was sacked in Feb (Hmm sounds broadly familiar..)
His 65 matches with 4 clubs since leaving Barnsley have brought 69 points - with the average of about 1 point per game at all these - not really what we need right now.

It is going to be Hart.

As others have said unfair to slate the guy until he's had a chance to prove himself, and does seem adept at keeping sides up if nothing else.

Ardiles and Costanza are being far too level headed and thoughtful about this.

You know it's not the TEF way, right?

Could be bang on the money there :nod:

Hope he brings the dog with him

Spot on Ardiles.

As Costanza says though, the Adver did say that Money was about to be appointed prior to Wilson so it could all still be complete bollocks. (I doubt it though)

And if I was being hyper-critical, I might suggest that a fair amount of his Forest success was down to taking a bunch of lads that he had as kids through to the first team.

But I'm not being critical, I'm clapping and cheering and getting behind him in the hope he keeps us up.

I see that one of the bunch of lads at Forest was Prutton.
Let's hope he knows how to make him perform at the level that we expected but have yet to see.

I think Hart fits that bill to be honest. He has 'proven' that he can take a club out of the mire.

Kept portsmouth up as well when with them, so succesfully prevented two relegations with the palace one, maybe he can keep us up.

Maybe Prutton recommended him?

He certainly seems to be influential in the dressing room, despite his poor form on the pitch.

Most worryingly I notice he's from Wigan like Wilson... pie eating mafia

If it's a short-term appointment until the end of the season then hopefully Fitton's getting in the man who had the best mix of experience, enthusiasm and authority.

If it is Hart, I can't help but feel he has been picked because he is a) willing to do short-term stints and b) is a name most of our fans would have heard of. Hopefully the appointment will galvanize the team as that's what counts but it won't inspire the fans at all.

Played for Sheffield Wednesday when we stuffed them on that famous day in 1985!

If he keeps us up...he will get the job permanent no doubt about it.

Lets hope he is manager next season then eh!

Si Pie, a lot of fans are underwhelmed (including myself) but if the team wins on Saturday everybody will be behind him. I remember when Wilson got the job, everyone was expecting someone bigger, the fans were disappointed, then as soon as he kept us up and got us going, he was our saviour. Fans are fickle.

Yes yes, give the man a chance. You'll be singing his name if we stay up. Etc, etc.

But I'm going to give my opinion anyway:

Paul Hart = desperate underwhelming unfathomable choice.
   a. Bad track record
   b. Will not inspire fans
   c. Will not drive season ticket sales.

Now I'm clinging on to some hope that Wilson had pissed of the entire squad and somehow his leaving will kick start our survival hopes.

If he does walk the walk then great, my opinion will be one more of many wrong ones I have had.

Also WTF is the timing of all this about. It makes no sense whatsoever.

Who the fuck else would come to club on the verge of relegation!

It's threads like this that make me think fans having a say at a club may actually be a bad thing.  We all want Ferguson and believe our club to be bigger and better than it really is (most of our Managers have been run of the mill types with a brief period where we punched above our weight).

Another Leeds United connection too :)

[url width=470 height=350]http://cms.442.haymarketnetwork.com/contentimages/blog/FourFourTwoView/PaulHart1978.jpg[/url]

Well said lr.

Given the speed they've moved at previously more like several weeks.

I'm with Mex, holding out for Tony Hart - new club badge:
[url width=311 height=420]http://www.ilike.org.uk/images/vision-on-poster.jpg[/url]

Whoever it is, can we please just get behind the fucker for the next few weeks? At least until it's an arithmetical certainty. Even if it's Martin Bloody Allen

This could be a canny appointment.
Hart seems to be well respected in the game and appears to have been working in a number of situations where clubs have been in financial mess.
What we really need is someone who can quickly inspire confidence in our fairly young, and generally able, team to get them to perform consistently at the level they are capable of, for the next couple of months.
He could well be the man for this.  Whether he wants or would be offered the job permanently can wait until we see how this season goes, but as others have pointed out I don't expect we'd have had a wide choice of prime candidates lining up for what's in store at the CG currently.

It's Leo Sayer looking in the back of a spoon.

If it is Hart, I suspect the main reason Fitton went for him is that he's saved a couple of clubs from relegation which is pretty much all we're looking for at the moment. Not sure it matters too much who comes in, the change might be enough.

Im just whelmed

Good word that...never really thought of it's meaning......old word for the Status Quo i suppose.

Yea its probably a bit of an underwhelming appointment but we hardly going to get a "top" manager in our current position.  I wouldnt be surprised if Fitton went to few guys who said come back to me in the summer if you stay up.

Now is the time to get behind Hart and the team, this run of games coming up is too important to be moaning about Hart.  The fans getting behind the team and a fresh voice with fresh ideas could just turn things around.

has anyone said meh yet?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/4997221/Portsmouth-face-harsh-realities-of-life-at-the-bottom.html

Let's not forget he was a Premiership manager at one time :hmmm:

Despite my misgivings, this is a given.

This much Meh...

[url width=415 height=307]http://i.thisislondon.co.uk/i/pix/2010/04/hart-shock415.jpg[/url]

On a serious note I dont think its a bad appointment.  Can't see many who are that experienced at the old relegation dog fights and its a nothing to lose roll of the dice to stay up.

I hope shirtlifter sticks around he seems a switched on bloke and a great collector of cones.  Alternatively, wouldn't mind seeing King's old cone gathering chum Big Mick Harford come in who Hart has worked with before at QPR.  He seemed to give the place a lift during his two previous stints at Town.

So, here we are Saturday 450pm and the players have put in a poor performance under the new manager...anyone up for booing?!
Fuck me, hart doesn't stand a chance wiv the muppets already wanting his blood...we're on the verge of being in league 2 ffs...sorry were we expecting Steve the umbrella mclaren to come to the rescue...sorry I was forgetting wat an attractive proposition we currently are...

Think there's a saying about being able to please people some of the time but don't think that applies on here...such is life tho eh...nite all...I'm off to say my bedtime prayers that hoddle is in charge come tomo nite;-)

As were Chrstian Gross, Egil Olsen, Iain Dowie...

Sums it up for me, I think.

We're in the shit and could possibly go down. That will rule out a certain section of currently unemployed 'decent' managers - Hughtons, Strachans etc.

We are a decent sized football club though, with a decent history. The great fucking Andy King even called us a 'real club' not that long ago!

I agree with the sentiments that we are not very attractive at the moment, but I'd be very surprised if Fitton doesn't get 50 or 60 applications for the job, whatever division we're in next season.

we were going down under wilson and I couldn't see where we were going to get any points from.  Any appointment offers hope which hasn't existed for weeks.  I am expecting the county ground to be bouncing on saturday as opposed to the morgue that it has been for weeks.  This might also explain the swindon website hyping the game as clearly they new wilson was off.

No hope has turned into a glimmer of hope.

Shame they didn't wield the axe in january which was when we were first discussing it.

I was chatting to a Gashead friend (well, workmate) who pointed out that they have nosedived since Trolls departed.....lets hope we do the opposite.

If he keeps us up he'll deserve the job.

dont know a great deal about hart, but i hope he can motivate players. his man management skills are crucial to our survival hopes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/8657462.stm

paul hart interview after palace v wednesday last season

little vid of his interview

Suspect we will spend the rest of the season trying to grind out 1-0 wins if his management elsewhere is anything to go by.

Ok for the short term and review in the summer, but can't say I'd be excited about him being given anything long term even if he knocks this shambles together and keeps us up. Miserable git me.

Wasn't expecting this when I got home tonight. Gutted it aidn't work out for Wilson this year - really like him as a manager, but it had to happen.

I'll be there on Saturday - first time in ages, due to finances rather than anti-Wilson protest! Hopefully the change will encourage more people to take up free tickets and get the CG rocking - a big atmosphere could make all the difference.

Not sure about Paul Hart, but he'll have my full support for the rest of the season. I hope others will back him in the same way - it's our only hope!

Text from my Forest supporting mate: "a decent appointment, especially if you have players who like to keep it on the deck".

Just wondering if this subject might have first came up when Danny Wilson had that four hour meeting with Andrew Fitton about 3-4 weeks (?) ago. Could it be that Wilson offered to resign then but Fitton asked him to stay on until a replacement could be found.

Would seem to fit the scenario of a manager resigning one day and the club having a replacement within 24 hours .

Could beeeee......  In a Honk Kong Phooey voice!

Press conference has been called for 1pm to officially unveil the new manager and could also includediscussions on the long term plans for the club according to BBC Radio Swindon

Quotes from Wilson's and Fitton's interviews suggest he had little choice than to resign. If offered the choice of being sacked or saving face and resigning, I think most managers would take the later.

DW "I have greatly enjoyed my time with the club and am sorry to leave but I understand and appreciate that tough decisions have to be made - they are tough on any Board, and tough on any manager."

AF "Unfortunately this season we have not enjoyed the consistent playing success that we all anticipated and our current league position makes for uncomfortable reading. Therefore, following discussions with Danny during the last 24 hours, he offered to resign from his position"

Their "long term" plans shouldn't involve more than being 20th or higher in the league come 17.00 on 7th May at the moment.

One other possibility is that AF told Danny that he was bringing in someone in a director if football type role to help out until the end of the season.

Wilson probably would have said No to this, and may then have been given the option to accept it or walk.

Would also explain why we already have a replacement and also why it's short term.

Honestly DV?

Apart from at Forest his track record as a manager is absolutely shocking.

Too tired to post my thoughts, so London's looks good

I didnt say that would be my choice but if Paul Hart comes in and pull a minor miracle out his arse and gets this squad to scrap out enough points to stay up - then i'd say that would be a feather in his track record cap.

Say what you like but if he can get this team to survive then he deserves it.

Depends if you regard keeping Portsmouth and Palace up against all the odds as an achievement or not. Whether you do or not, it's that aspect of his CV that's most relevant right now

He might do it... he'd have had more chance if the board hadn't waited til fucking March though.

His record for keeping teams up in difficult circumstances looks good, I accept that.

But he isn't someone who I would want to start next season as manager. He has a win percentage of 30%. It isn't good enough is it?

Ian McParland is the new assistant manager then

http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10341~2306979,00.html .

He brings with him good experience as well, hopefully him and Hart will guide us up the league to safety.

he looks a right mean cunt in that photo

http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/page/Gallery/0,,10341~2306886,00.html

Now I believe it.

Wouldn't like to bump into him in a dark alley!

Yeah, but he was really good in the Lynda La Plante cop series, Trial and Retribution
[url width=460 height=288]http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01218/Trial_Retribution_1218946c.jpg[/url]

Yay! This is the one we've been waiting for
[url width=640 height=480]http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/javaImages/89/82/0,,10341~9470601,00.jpg[/url]

He's got a hell of a conk on him.  Looks like a boxer.

Will reserve judgement until around 5pm tomorrow. Sorely tempted to come up now, did broach the subject and wasn't met with any ranting and raving

I meant in terms of "It's not official until we get the scarf over the head pic". In terms of the appointment, I think most of us will reserve judgement until around 16.50 on 7th May (although if we can deliver a positive verdict before then, that would be very nice)

It's what convinced me to go tomorow, go for it!

I'll make a decision in the morning I think

This was an interesting read

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2011/03/paul_hart_-_footballs_fire_fig.html#286004

Some interesting comments too,


"Paul Hart is a nice guy, but unfortunately he just isn't cut out to be a manager.

He's a great youth team coach, but as a manager he has many glaring flaws.

He doesn't change his tactics. His one successful season at Forest saw them playing some scintillating football using his diamond formation, but once teams work out how to play against his tactics, he will not change them, leading to the inevitable winless run that will lead to his dismissal.

He also is very reluctant to use substitutes anytime before the 89th minute !

Sadly, he is another one of those lower league managers who keeps getting hired despite ultimately failing at just about all the clubs that he has managed.

As mean as it sounds, as soon as I heard he had become Swindon manager, I went to put some money on them to be relegated."


"Paul Hart is a dreadful manager. Tried his hardest to get Qpr relegated last season. Horrible defensive tatics (8 defenders for home matches) and point blank refusal to play Akos Buzsaky and Adel Taarabt in his side didn't sit well with the fans.

Thank god, he and then Mick Harford got the boot when they did, a proper manager like Neil Warnock came in and look where we are now.

Good luck to Swindon, but I really dont see Phart as some kind of miracle worker. Sorry".


"IMO the worst manager in the history of Portsmouth FC, and i feel very sorry for the fans of Swindon FC. you deserve so much more than Hart.
OK he saved Pompey from relegation, but christ at the time we had the likes of James, Johnson, Distin, Campbell, Kranjcar and Crouch, any manager should have kept us up, but P.Hart was so negative in his approach and so arrogant to boot, we also had the Greek Gekis in our squad, one of Europe's proven goalscorers and he refused to play him, except for 35 secs in added time.
Don't be surprised to find him replacing your 2 best influential midfielders in a game when you are winning and dominating a game, and bringing on more defenders, therefore relinquishing the initiative.
To the Swindon fans I hope I am wrong, however should you survive and P.Hart becomes manager in the long-term, you can be sure that next season he will be sacked by mid November, and also be aware that he signs players that his son,an agent,manages."


"Paul Hart is an appalling manager and how he keeps landing jobs in the the FL is completely beyond me. He took Rushden & Diamonds into the relegation zone in the Conference within a few months after becoming our manager in the summer of 2006, then demanded a big pay off from a cash strapped club when the situation got so dire that he just had to go. Swindon fans, be very worried".

Grella.

Lets just get behind him now and judge him at the end of the season?

I don't think he's done much wrong so far. He's bombed out Obika. He's dropped JPM and Rose. He got a target man in within a week when we've been crying out for one for ages. He's got a beast arriving in midfield. We looked a shitload better against D&R than we have for a long time. The defence looks a load better but we'll have a better idea of that after the next 3 games.
He's in my good books so far but he's arrived too late in my opinion.

For me he's been a bit negative, playing 1 up front, taking off Grella for Rose, etc. He doesn't excite me personally as a long term appointment.

But he was never going to be able to work a miracle overnight. And so yes of course we should see how he does until the end of the season before judging. And I don't mean whether we go down or not. Clearly that is not fair.

I agree that he's been negative, but I think the first thing to do was stop losing.

Prefer to start winning,.....been much too deep at home....Douglas is almost playing sweeper every home match.
The tactics ala Wilson are baffling to say the least....hope he comes good,though i really want next seasons manager in place now.....whoever it is.

Think many would echo that sentiment. IMHO don't think the board were looking beyond May when they appointed him, just thought he had the best attributes (and comparable experience) to keep us up.