Thetownend.com

...on our manager.

Say we did sack him and we were looking at a new manager. Who would you like to see come in to manage us (realistic suggestions only!) and also would your suggestion unite the entire fanbase like Sturrock did?

So why did you feel that we needed another thread?

Because he is asking a question ben

I'll give anyone a decent chance.

I can't think of anyone I'd love to get, although Holloway and Cotterill would be good, experienced lower league managers.

Whether either could unite our fanbase is debatable. I'm starting to believe that some of our support have become accustomed to moaning and now don't feel comfortable unless they do.

Top post. Saves me typing out the same points.

I can see the logic in appointing Malpas. Stability and a slow build up of the squad. It was always the risky appointment though, and it definitely killed the "buzz" around the takeover particularly following the "championship in 3 years" and "experienced manager" soundbites.

I think Ollie and Cotterill would probably use us as a stepping stone. But they may well be able to build something in the meantime a-la Sturrock. IHO the 'risk' is reduced.

Malpas could easily be the correct descision just yet mind.

IF we did change manager, what would happen if results dont improve?

Bart will say we buckled under fan pressure and shouldn't have got rid of Malpas.

I agree on all those points Hertha, every bit is exactly as I see it.

If Mr Fitton did remove MM which I personally cannot see then Mr Holloway or Cotterill would be ideal for your stated reasons.

The Large Hadron Collider would create a localized black hole, initially destroying Switzerland and Eastern France before leading inevitably to the end of the world. Or at least something as serious as that, judging by the hysteria with which an indifferent-to-averageish start to the season has been greeted in some quarters (well, the adver posters mainly)

Holloway or ling for me.

Fair enough. I misread it a bit.

i hope it doesn't come to it and maplas turns it around(have serious doubts he will).what has ling done apart from play here years ago?
the same when niljholt was banded about.
if maplas does go only a big-bigish name will satisfy alot of our fans.
i'd hope we get a young rookie manager just out of the game at the top level.fans like big names and will be more patient with them

my thoughts are very similiar to Steves to be honest.

Someone who hasnt been mentioned is Billy Davis. He did well at Preston (but fucked off and soon as he could) did well to get Derby promoted and was quite harshly sacked (I mean, was it a surprise they were shit really?) and he hasnt been in management for nearly a year now.

Would he jump at the chance to get back into management or would he stay away and wait for a 'better' job.

Holloway and Cotterill to me, I'm not sure. They are both managers that are good at this level but not brilliant the level above. Cotterill did well at Cheltenham but didnt at Stoke, Sunderland or Burnley. Holloway got QPR out of this division on a big budget but also managed to take Leicester to their lowest finish of all time.

I guess its important a manager gets off to a good start. Wise did, Sturrock did, Malpas didnt....

...or...what are peoples thoughts on looking at decent non league managers. Nick Holmes has done really well at Salisbury and they could easily be a League Team next season.

Would he be able to do a job as a higher level....?

Risky again, ask the Gills.

Swindon fans went loco when MM got appointed, if someone like Nick Holmes got appointed many of our fellow fans would spontaneously combust!

It gets back to uniting the fans Dan. He could be brilliant but if he didn't start well he wouldn't be given a chance.

Someone to unite the fans, a "big" name or a former player.

Feel good factor would be re-ignited by appointing people from, say, the 1992/93 season.

Example.

Manager: Colin Calderwood
Ass. Man: David Kerslake
Reserves: Shaun Taylor
Youth: Paul Bodin

I am not advocating this, but I guarentee that it would add smiles to faces at first. But they'd lose of their popularity if it all went wrong. Which would be horrible.

I would like that Rich.

Malpas out!

True, although he's done well with Salisbury and probably achieved more compared to Malpas.....but your right.

Anything that didnt go our way would be met with 'why did we appiont this useless non-league manager'

Hoddle is still out of a job!!!

I wouldnt mind Calderwood here, but again he took a few years to get Northampton promoted with a big budget same with Forest.

However, being a (decent) ex-player and former captain none of the above would matter would it...

I think the names mentioned on this thread prove exactly why Malpas hasn't been given a chance.

Ling would be a good choice. Think he loves the club and he has had a good record with Orient and i think he'd come because i think he's taken them as far as he can now. I wouldn't have Holloway. He's be off at the first chance he gets. Not worth the heavy wages he'll demand. Tbh there aren't  many options anyway. Billy Davies would be a good appointment but will he be the same as Holloway? It's partly another reason i'd stick with MM for now at least.

Unless we are bottom at Xmas and have been for a couple of weeks then there is no way Fitton is going to sack Malpas this side of the new year as he has too much of an ego and getting rid of him within a year would mean AF admitting he made a mistake(to be fair it is the only one he has made).
I know it sounds strange but some managers just seem to be lucky where as Malpas is definately one of the unlucky ones, some of the individual errors we are making are not MM fault but everyone points at the Manager when you are losing.

Who knows who will be available, or not available later on?

We only got Sturrock because he said he'd take the first job offered.

I'd be happy with Holloway, Calderwood or Ling

Calderwood looks to be on his way out of Forest, Allardyce being lined up by Forest. Calderwood would be my first choice

In my opinion, you only have this debate if you want the manager removed immediately.

Pretty pointless all round really.

 CC is not popular with Forest fans....seen like MM as dour Scot,  plays dull football, and indifferent in the transfer market.

 Wouldn't take very long for the same fans who are on MM's case to be on Calderwood's

my uncle is a forest fan who lives next to the city ground he thinks calderwood is god!! he says they miss commons and clingan since they both moved on

Whether he would or not, he'd get slaughtered from the outset by precisely the same people who're slaughtering Malpas now because he's not in their Pannini "Managers named as being quite good on Sky" sticker albums

Cotterill would be an obvious choice but i would like to see an ex player someone like Keown who happen's to be taking his coaching badges at a moment.

He was on bbc a few months ago managing oxford uni in a varsity match,afterwards he said he would like to get into league management.

The pros he was a very good defender who played for a team whose rep was built on their defence.

The cons being, he has an affinity with the pox,would our fans take to him and give him a chance or act like spurs did when they appointed graham.  

Malpas was a good defender who played for a team whose rep was built on defence

Yeah but that was scotland,and we all know it's only really about rangers and celtic,Keown played for a better side,I would also imagine he would have better contacts aswell,plus i think he's well know enough to attract players.

The trouble with malpas getting players,i doubt any scots would want to upsticks and come here.

Ex english premier or ex scottish premier i know who i would choose.

He played in a scottish league that was at its most competitive period in recent, or perhaps full, history. To poo poo his acheivments just because he was oop north is a huge disrespect to the man.

Has malpas actually missed out on any scottish players because they didnt want to move? I must have missed that news.

Paul sturrock played his whole career in scotland, and i'd rather have him over martin keown,

So Martin Keown would make a better manager than Maurice Malpas because Malpas is Scottish?

Martin keown > Sir alex ferguson

Martin Keown because he was a good player? doesnt always work that way, Wenger & Mourinho were very very average players and are top managers, Gullit was a class player and a shite manager

Silly boy. The Scottish and English top leagues were well matched in the 1980's. Aberdeen won in 3 times, Dundee Utd twice and Hearts lost it in 1986 to Celtic on goal difference.

Some might even say the Scottish league was better in the 80's.

This whole thread is stupid.

Martin Keown > Matt Busby

No im not saying that' your taking my words out of context,he would have a better chance of attracting players than malpas,bearing in mind he's worked under better managers aswell.

He will also be known to many younger fans unlike malpas,which would put more bums on seats.I think if malpas would have played in england more people would have taken to him.Im sorry but people see the scottish league as a nothing league,compared to the english league.

Not many people wanted him from the start,you got to ask why that is.I do feel sorry for him he never really had a chance,all the fans negativity in the stands must affect the team on the pitch,and going by yesterdays reports that was evident,someone said when easton scored they celebrated in the middle rather than infront of the fans.

If we are not careful a relationship between the fans and players will sour.
  

If we start making appointments based on the wishes of the fans with loudest moanings, then we're going to head for an expensive disaster.

how is this thread stupid.

we have loads of fans who want the manager sacked, so seen as they are so certain he isnt the man for the job they must have thought about his replacement.

we'd end up with STFC Bart as manager....

Again, stupid and disrespectful.

Jim McLean got Dundee United (Malpas included) to a European cup semi final. Dundee United! Not Arsenal.

How many European cup finals did Martin Keown get to?

I think alot of fans are bemused by malpas's tactics and sometimes strange substitutions (i was yesterday).

It doesn't help when our captain goes off on one at the fans, i know some of our fans are stupid sometimes but aljofree should not have reacted, saying things like southern t*** and f*** off you p**** to fans is not going to go down well and is only going to make him more of a scapegoat.

Meh, shout and bitch at the players all you want. Just dont act all shocked and angry if they respond back.

And would keown really attract that many people. He's hardly a sexy name is he? Maybe some brief publicity, but would have nowhere near the impact appointing wise did.

If people weren't so ignorant and arrogant malpas would be treated a lot better than he is

And for the captain, hardly counts well in the "leading by example" stakes

Its just pointless, football moves too fast. He'll make christmas no matter what.

There arent many managers we would want who would leave clubs to come to us anyway.

Well a point away from home to Stockport, all that possession as well. Sounds like the tactics were spot on.

I actually think some of Malpas's substitutions have been really good this season. McNamee is a fan favourite but hasn't wonus the games we have won.

Well im not one of them who wants him sacked,the last thing this club needs is to end up like newcastle,I think your confusing me with a malpas hater.This thread asked if we did sack him and we were looking at a new manager. Who would you like to see come in to manage us.

And being realistic about it that would be my choice,he  needs a job he would be cheap,rather him than hollow legs.

Even if I do decide I don't think Malpas isn't cut out for the job (I haven't decided that yet and may never), it would be daft to sack him, say 10 games in, if we are in a comfortable mid table position.

 Out of interest if Keown is so hungry for a job, why didn't he apply when MM got it.

 Fellas like Keown are multi millionaires, he may be getting a bit bored doing little all day long...so hey I'll have a go at this management lark.

  Does he know anything about lower league football? 

Fabio Capello. Trapatoni as assistant.

Kevin Keegan

Lothar Matheus, Andy Brehmer assistant, Rudi Voller head coach.

Reg your guess is good as mine,Im just saying what he said on bbc,which was i would like to get into league management.

Did Macari.

Paul Gascoigne

With Waddle as assistant.

Geordie dribble dream team.

We'd run out to fogg on the tyne every home game. Sausage rolls!

 Exactly...so in other words want the job for the wrong reasons...if Keown wanted a job, he'd have put his name forward.

 One thing you can say for Steve McClaren, is that although he got a fat pay off from England...he didn't sit around on his arse doing jackshit, but got himself back into football....

Andy King

nijholt!

Al Pacino

For fucks sake, can we get some serious suggestions please?

Anyone who isn't Berti Vogts!

Kevin Keegan ;)

Point taken about the wrong reasons,maybe he didt feel he was ready then,he only said this a few months ago,malpas was in the job then.

Maybe your right tho it could just be talk,only he knows that,just one question tho did macari throw his hat in for the swindon job,or did we approach him ?

Holloway, Calderwood, Ling, Sturrock was on thin ice before yesterdays game

 :)

 No the club put an ad in the papers...he applied like me  ;D.

Reg was the applicant Fitton was referring to when he said there was one who he "wouldn't be able to work with".

When i applied i think the mention of badgers put them off

isn't keown a scummer?

paul simpsons - not doing terribly well with shrewsbury but good record with carlisle and preston...unfortunately an ex-scummer.

dave penney - successive promotions with doncaster and helped build them into a championship side...unfortunately an ex-scummer.

darren ferguson - difficult to establish if he's good or not as he's had the luxury of money...unfortunately a wife beater (but not an ex-scummer which helps).

and if we're going to go down the route of appointing an inexperienced but well known ex-pro, look no further than teddy sheringham

Dave penny is a very good shout.still in a job i thought though

Yep, Darlington.

indeed he is but i don't think that should stop us - we keep getting our managers poached and i think we can afford the compensation. it'd be a step up for him as well.

iirc i nominated penney when malpas was appointed...

I nominated Penny too, and Sean O'Driscoll.

We're alright aint we SY?

we know the score michael...we know the score.

Have a look on the internet at what Jim McLean did at Dundee United. Especially when you consider the young players that the club produced. Malpas was there for the whole lot.

Then tell me we should appoint Martin Keown? A SCUMMER!!!!

A better thread would be, which coach would you approach (if you were Malpas) to help out?

spot on. i really don't think byrne or williams are up to the job and malpas ought to be given the chance to bring in someone he wants.

John Gorman?

John Gorman is coming back...for a sporting dinner thing.

Thats more like it. Great shout. Maybe we should ask.

Billy McKinlay?

Academy boss at Fulham, will have played with Malpas at Dundee United.

if malpas isn't happy with the coaches he works with then that is between him and fitton.fitton should back his chosen manager if he wants different staff.

Malpas does not look in charge

He is a bit isolated though Arriba. Seems that way to me.

And the last man in. You wouldnt blame him for thinking twice about asking?

And you Sir are spot on with that comment, Byrne and Williams are not in my opinion good coaches (so I have been told not based upon my personal opinions) and TBH I think Granville can be added to that as well as it seems to be a coincidence that our keepers have dropped in form since he arrived at the club under Sturrock.

Unfortunatly Malpas's best mate and right hand mand Terry Butcher is already employed or I feel he may well have joined us as backroom staff.

well then we have a problem dell.byrne looks to be the main man during games(and we know he wants to be)but that doesn't mean malpas sits-stands there saying nothing.

I have always thought that Byrne seems to be "running" the team from the sidelines not Malpas, thats not right, I have wondered if it is purely that Byrne has a bigger gob than Malpas but I am not sure.

Surely on a match day the manager must be the man in charge.
I dont no much about the the backroom staff, but for me Malpas looks like he cannot impress his views with others raving from the line, tell them to sit down shut up.
Malpas take charge, please.

I wonder if Byrne and Malpas clash alot? Byrne seems to do all the talking and giving instructions and he's the assistant manager, i just thought maybe they might clash? especially as Byrne is not malpas's own staff, he had no choice but to work with him and williams.

if malpas took the job with fitton stating that he must work with the coaches who are here then fitton got it wrong imo.if malpas said he'd like to work with them, then the blame if it goes tits up lies with him.

True, but its not been perfect, now weve got to back our main man? Surely weve got to give him a real go? As things stand?

Byrne has the louder voice so gives out Malpas' instructions.

i'd be interested to hear what byrne does during games. it looks to me as though he runs his mouth off a lot. williams is as good as anonymous and granville's warm-ups are pathetic, the subs just take the piss trying to score silly goals.

sturrock's tenure and wise's to a lesser extent demonstrate the importance of a good backroom staff

maybe the main man hasn't complained, and is happy with his coaches?

with regard to byrne.he shouts alot of the obvious during games."win it" "get there" "second ball" slates the officials etc.maybe malpas doesn't think he personally needs to state the obvious to the players in a high pitched ranting way with a head that looks like it's going to explode?

i dont care who does what as long as we get results.

Everyone was happy to see Byrne and Williams stay after their managerial stint in which we did alright.

Now was that them doing a good job or just them carrying on Sturrocks work.

Exactly DV, and there's a lot of assumptions being made here that Malpas had Byrne forced on him and would prefer to get his own backroom staff in. But that isn't what he says and if you listen to the second part of the podcast chat we did with him, he sounds pretty happy with the relationship and feels they compliment each other well. Just because it's normally the manager who rants and the assistant stands quietly by, doesn't mean it always has to be done that way.

He also said no scapegoats last week paul.

Not sure I get the drift of that? Unless you mean you think Jerel's been made a scapegoat by being dropped? Otherwise, I'm struggling (genuinely) to see what it has to do with people's assumptions about the working relationship between Malpas and Byrne

You said malpas stated it was not forced to work with byrne etc,malpas also said no one will be made scapegoat for last week. The latter was obviously not true.so maybe he was just sayin what he thought we wanna hear paul.

it seriously annoys me that Malpas spouts all the same shit week in week out and everyone just accepts it, Malpas hasnt got the supports of the players, i have no idea how well he gets on with Fitton and that side of things, but on the footballing side the players dont like him, Malpas doesnt get on with Bodin, Byrne wants Malpas' job deperately, its a disaster

If malpas did happen to get sacked then byrne and williams should go to, i don't think byrne should get the job, i think it would be best to get rid of all the coaching team and let the new man bring in his own.

I actually think Malpas's interviews are quite good post match, and he says things that are relevant.

I also dont think he's lost the dressing room either. They might slag him off behind his back, but the respect is there.

The Senior pro's that I have spoken to respect him. Was told that his quiet demeanour on the touchline is in total contrast to what he's like when he's angry!

players arnt exactly going to slag off the manager to fans at a game are they

They're human, I don't like my boss.

its different in football, like a pro would never say another pro was shit in a interview or anything like that, away from the club they absolutely rip people

Yeah, but thats just the way it is. I say things about my boss I dont mean, just letting off steam.

The respect is there. Its there when the players talk to fans, so it must be there when the players are with the manager.

i can tell u now that if u spoke to the starting 11 yesterday at least 6 of them dont want Malpas as manager

Well fucking tough! You better tell them to stop fucking about and get on with it! Stop letting us down.

It aint a fucking Youth Club.

Making them automatically right in their opinion? This is why these players are in the 3rd tier of English football. No respect for their superiors :D

im not saying they are right or wrong, but when the manager hasnt got the players support things dont go well

Maybe but players should knuckle down and get on with it. I would wager that most clubs have the same situation.

the references to the podcasts are pretty tedious by the way...

i didn't assume malpas is unhappy with his backroom staff at all, just pondering. sturrock had the personnel required and we did well during his tenure, both byrne and williams lack experience and this level and i think a degree of loyalty was involved when keeping them at the club after malpas was appointed

and didnt cost much ££££££££

Is that a fact??

but they tell you everything, right?

No, of course it isnt.

Ive seen players even have the audacity to criticise a manager in the media.

Like I said, everyone slags off a hard boss in private. Did the players want to do all Macari's running in 1985 pre season? But if the discipline and hard work are there then things are working OK.

yes

I think people are tiring of mocking/questioning you and your knowledge this eve JPC ;D

Well fucking pardon me for referencing a source that some people perhaps hadn't listened to. Jeez.

What Spence said.

6 players just came out and said that ? if they did then thats the first ive ever heard of them telling fans,you may get the odd article in the paper at bigger clubs.

Thats something they would keep within the club knowing if it got out they could get relegated to the bench or worse.

And if they told you in confidence i wonder how they would feel knowing it was plastered all over a forum.

Heaven forbid.

hence ive never revealed any names and i know what i can say and what i cant

players do talk about other pro's and stuff when they feel comfortable enough to.
i believe jcp is correct whether the players are right or wrong in there opinions.dont shoot the messenger

I dont care i can honestly say brez has said that he dont like malpas but then thats quite obvious. But then if u think footballers are a funny bunch,take ifil,mcgovern,peacock,easton for example all been dropped may have a gripe and all influential charachters

I wasnt shooting the messenger Arriba,I just find that hard to believe they would say something like that,If we got 6 unhappy players how is this going to be resolved.

No wonder we are shit if players are not pulling their weight,Im sure 70% or more of the nation dont like their boss but they still have a job to do.

Any idea why they dont like him if this is to be the case.  

JCP - Juvenile Cock in Pampers
Not for this thread just in general

russ my comment was a general one,not directed at anyone in particular.
i'd bet peacock would be one of the players not happy,but he doesn't show it on match days does he

Fair enough,I would say peacock,brez, not sure about the others.

Lee Peacock will chat to anyone. I think most here know his thoughts on things...

i dont.but i dont think it takes alot to guess it right

I don't :(

Just happened to be leaving the CGH as Lee Peacock was getting into his chav wagon after Walsall at home last season.

Couple of us went over and said the fans were hurting and the season was finnished. I said to him that if he thought Malpas could turn it around then Id keep backing him. Peacock said Malpas could and would turn it around. Not half hearted, proper backed him.

Of anyone, Peacock has been messed around most by Malpas.

Obviously that was last season. We do have some unhappy players. Brez being one. I should think Ifil aint too chuffed this weekend either. But the players loyalty doesnt look a problem to me.

I cant see brez staying to be honest,his agent is more than likely touting him about now due to contract negotiations not forthcoming,It could end up like the minge situation,unless the club sell him in january.I hope we can hold onto him but i have my doubts.

To be honest, something had to change this weekend, and Malpas decided Ifil should go. People on here (not necessarily you Spence) seem to have automatically assumed MM has gone and said "Right Jerel, you spent 90 minutes last week running round like a fucking retard so I'm dropping you til you stop playing like a twat". Whereas the conversation may well have been more like "Jerel I'm going to leave you out this week. I think you just need a bit of time to sort out a few things in training and you'll be back in when we've done some work on those things"

Did anyone talk to the Team Coach driver on Sat as he seemed to want to talk to anyone who would listen on Saturday and say what he thought...........dunno how much he would know though as obviously all he does is drive the bus to away games.

What does he think??

I didn't speak to him personally hence why I asked.........I heard a few snippets from someone else that seemed similar to what JCP has said but I don't know how reliable either the coach driver or person I heard it off is so just wanted to see if anyone else had a chat to him.

I see Geraint WIlliams has been sacked (by mutual consent!) so a lot of clubs seem to be acting early in dismissals this year.

I'm sorry, but all this shows (If true) is that we've got some whiny, gutless cunts who play for us.

I don't give a fuck what the coach driver/tea lady/kit man/jpc says, it's all rumour that may be true, or may be complete bollocks.

We should back the manager, if some players aren't turning up on matchday because they don't like Malpas, we should be looking at their professionalism, not his.

If it's true of course........

Exactly i am inclined to agree with that, but if we should at the players we are wrong aswell

I haven't got a problem with complaining about players, I just think shouting abuse for the sake of it at a game is counter productive. Take Aljorfree on Saturday, up to the incident with the fans he hadn't put a foot wrong, but they still abused him. Why?

100% agree with Hertha.  At times in everyone's career you end up working for (or with) people you don't like (I'm sure Mucca and Bushey will agree here), but you just get on with it.  If this is true the players concerned should be ashamed of themselves, no wonder they put in dire performances at times.

Same reason people shout at me , i am a cunt

FFS, if it's getting to the stage now that people are regarding the coach driver's opinion of the manager as a reason to give the manager the push, why not go the whole hog and make the bloody coach driver manager? (with all due respect to said driver who I'm sure has valid observations on the team, game and the global financial crisis which are just as worthy of respect as anyone else's)

who is regarding that polish twats views?

Agreed.

i though glos robins first post was meant in irony.his second showed me i was wrong

My mate used to drive the team coach for the Scum. He said it was funny as fuck watching Ian Atkins give them abuse on a way back from a heavy defeat one day. He said players were in bed at 9 and coaches were on the piss till 2 or 3 am on the morning of a game :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Christ, we're now listening to the coach drivers opinion on Malpas.

fucking hell....

Again , who is listening from what he said one person did

Ive always said that a manager can only be judged over the course of a WHOLE SEASON - what may appear to be a sticky spell can be followed with a good one ... therefore give Mr Magic the rest of the season - if he hasnt produced or progressed us onwards as a team that is the point when you should consider a change.

Magic will turn it around ... our away record is one of the best ... and our home games havent been easy (Colchester were nearly top when we played them before they went off!) ... Easier games to follow at home will lead to better results - promotion is still on .. COME ON YOU REDSSSS

if fatbury is calling him mr magic then i hope he gets the boot asap

I think that's the coach driver's name

So what are you saying Paul, "let the bus driver have a whole season before judging him"?

Mr Majika ????

FFS Fatters !

i blame the tea man

...but the tea man said he liked Malpas!

but malpas doesn't drink tea.

i think we can all draw our own conclusions.

Sonic out!

Depends how long it takes him to turn it round really.

I don't blame the bus driver himself, he's been let down by his coach.

good managers drink tea...

Well I found it funny Jan ;-)

Cheers JFW!!!

I thought about Gascoigne (sp) today.

Not expecting anyone to agree with me, but is had/having troubles as were all aware, but would would relish the chance to get back into the game.
Also think he would be very thankful to Fitton for giving him a chance and plenty of contacts.
Obviously wont happen, but just an idea that popped into my head...

You're right, that's one of the most craziest suggestions I've read on this topic.

He's, sadly, closer to death than he is to employment.

the coach driver Pete the Pole is a big of a cock but to be fair to him hes clued up on whats going on at the club

Pete will be working for stagecoach next week.

:)

If its not a stupid question, how and why does the coach driver know so much?!

Because he drives the coach..... carrying the players..... who have the ability of speech......duh!

The coach driver knows nothing....pro players dont mouth off on the team coach..get used to the idea people but MM is here for the long haul.....for once weve got some stability at the club so why dont we just get behind him.

If ou want a relegation dogfight and to go back into league 2 then do just that.

Fitton needs to realise that if he wants to acomp[lish his 3 year plan on a shoestring he needs the right management team in place to do this. At the moment he is just delaying the inevitable

I'd ask questions, but you wouldn't answer them.

....and who is the right management team. We are not heading towards League Two for fuck sake

for what its worth I dont expect a response, fuck off bart

there we go.

Do you think we could persuade the bus driver to have a bit of an accident and run over Malpas?

Well you have got one!!

Under Malpas, we will not match last years 13th place finish, and will struggle to stay out of the bottom four. Fitton set a 3 year target to get into the CCC. Now this is season one. Unless we see animprovement on last year (13th), this 3 year plan is going to be difficult to accomplish.

Say we get relegated or struggle to stay up at best- to get promoted in 2 seasons will be tough going as there will be very little room for error.

Fitton is all for doing this on a shoestring- to achieve this you need an experienced management team who can wheal and deal and get the maximum out of an average set of players.Do not believe Malpas or his team have the ability to achieve this. Fact is with almost the same set of players 12 months ago under a diferent management team we were doing much better.

There endeth the lesson from the Rev. Bart!

Amen.

BART WHO WOULD YOU REPLACE MALPAS WITH?
Try ignore that.

last season we finished 13th, we 16th a whole 7 games into the season.

That gives us no indication where we will finish or whether will be in a relegation fight.

I agree that we need to progress past 13th this season but Malpas might do it (he might not) but we wont know unless he is given the season.

Dont make assumptions on where we will finish now because there is a very small chance of it being accurate.

Unless we are in SERIOUS trouble and by that I mean in the relegation zone in the new year than stick with Malpas and judge whether we have progressed at the end of the season.

It'll be easier to compare because final positions can be compared.

We're off form at the moment but there are easily much worse teams and a fair few of them. Our form results wise hasnt been any better or worse than last season.....I think the panic buttons are being hit a bit too early.

The danger signs are there for all to see- total tactical ineptness(Leeds), perservering with players who basically aint cutting it (Aljofree).

I ould go for Cotterrill or Holloway

Bart, I'm interested in how you have come to your conclusions. What is your reasoning for saying we will struggle to stay out of the bottom four?

I have to agree, Saturday was embarassing hearing the amount of abuse being spouted by some of our fans to our players. Aljofree looked pretty solid for the game (maybe being pulled out of position a couple of times), but got a fair bit. I took my girlfriend and, although not entirely clued up on football, didn't understand the amount of shit that was being directed at our own players from kick-off to the final whistle especially considering we walked away with a good draw and played well at times.

It is really embarassing to be honest. Fans are allowed their opinion, but to travel 200 miles and slate your team all game just illustrates that that small minority are either a) retarded; b) too pissed up (if possible) or c) both.

The fans just need to get behind the team, and the management. We're 7 games into a tough season with i still believe a good squad. An inconsistent start, but it is still too early to say Malpas can't turn it round, we know the players have got it in them just need to get on a good run. Not jumping on the players backs as soon as they run out the tunnel.

  Fact is at the same stage last season we'd won 2 league games, been knocked out of the LC by a CCC side at at CG, and beaten a L2 side in the Paint Pot.

  As you say Bart, much better.

Leeds was one game and they are the best side in the league. Having an extra man guarntees you nothing. Look at Brighton on Saturday, Walsall had a man sent off after about 20 minutes and another sent off after 40 and they bloody won 1-0!

Sure tactics and Leeds were questionable im not denying that but all managers make mistakes. On saturday Ferguson took off/moved his hard working wingers who stopped Chelsea going forward and bought on Ronaldo and it was all Chelsea after that. One mistake/wrong decision doesnt make a season. Neither do two or three.

Aljofree has played like everyone else....some good games some bad games and the odd terrible game. He hasnt been any worse than alot of other players but seems to be getting all the stick.

I can understand why people have been frustrated at the team and want the management to improve the issues which are quite evident on the pitch.

I don't understand why people do boo the manager or particular players. I want us to win and if I'm at the game I think supporting the team is more likely to make that happen. In truth, I walked out 10 minutes early at the Leeds game. I'd rather do that than boo, unless we were a club in crisis, then I'd have to dig out the orange gubbins and go round the back of the Arkell's stand once again.

I stayed to the end of the Leeds game to avoid the rush 8)

Last Season after 7 games. w2 d4 l1 Points 10

This season after 7 games. w2 d2 l4 Points 8

As Reg said, hardly a world of difference on a results level.

I wont boo during the 90 thats what forums are for. One thing though how comes when we lose every fucker bar malpas is to blame yet when we do well he gets it spot on

It's all your fault.

Rightly so

Malpas makes us lose to wind you up.

Well its working.  I just want a battling performance sunday if we lose but show fight i dont care

We battled Saturday but that wasn't good enough ?!

I was not their and have said it was a very good result.pardon me for being a pissed off at seeing us lose the last 3 games at home.

we get it - you're pissed off

Good,enough people back him and fair play. Im more pissed off tbf that because my opinion and barts differs its automatically wrong

I think we really need to win on sunday otherwise malpas will be under pressure, i don't have a lot of confidence in malpas but will give him a few more games to turn it around.

But its Bart. I just made a genuine question. Like you said Saturday was a good result yet some fans are calling for Malpas' head because of it. So he's not convinced everyone or anyone but eventually one way or another the fans will come to their own conclusion on whether he's right for the job - only time will tell

i'm always a little alarmed when i see teams losing more than drawing. can't quite explain why, it just suggests to me that a team capitulate too easily...

I hope he is cib. I have yet to say he should be sacked i would love him to turn it round

About this time last season I wondered if we were hard to beat, or just not good enough to win games. I went for the latter in the end.

Little has changed since :(

No, people think it's wrong. That's part of disagreeing with you. It's part of the whole point of people having different opinions. Nobody's saying you can't have your opinion, it's been pointed out that people like the fact that you tend to back your views up.

People get fed up when posts just start spouting stuff without backing it up. The whole point of discussing this is that people put their reasons across as to why they've come to the conclusion on our management that they have, what they want to happen and see change, etc.

Going down the "So my opinion doesn't count?" or "I'm allowed my opinion too" route makes it seem like you've don't want to back up your opinions anymore, like a kid throwing a strop and taking his ball home.

If you don't want to discuss the details of the current management and their future then stop posting, but crying about people disagreeing with you is a bit lame.

after the first 7 last season, we then proceeded to win 4, draw 1 and lose 7 out of the next 12  I hope we sacked the fucker in charge of that shambles.

If we end up sacking Malpas, I'm going to start an <insert name here> OUT campaign as soon as they get the job I think.  Fitton should appoint whoever I want as Manager and I have decided Bart should get the job with JCB as his Assistant.

That's not very loyal RobertT...

Annoyingly you make a good point ben. Btw your eyepatch is lame

Only because Yeovil broke it.

Why? Jealous twat

Hmm, let's see - c £6m just to dig the club out the shite when they first took over, £200k+ on Cox, whatever it was on Macca, making up the difference on a £750k-£1m annual operating loss, investing in the ground, facilities and the pitch, I'd hate to see the size of your shoes, if that's a shoestring. Fitton hasn't said he's going to accomplish the 3-year plan on a shoestring, but he's made it damn clear that he wants to build sustainable success for the long-term, rather than to buy short-term popularity and store up long-term problems by throwing money in willy-nilly.

Clearly, he's wrong and should be just chucking money around like a City banker with a quota of duff mortgage debt to shift, rather than trying to build sustainable long-term progress. I know who's judgment I'd rather trust on this.

Trust me paul

I will bet you ten English Pounds that we will better last year's position. Do you accept?

Sorry, Cypriot pounds only.

Willy-Nilly....Ha ha. Ace.

I quite literally love Andrew Fitton & co.

difficult one this...

I must admit, I'm with those who think Fitton and co. missed a trick by appointing Malpas - nothing against him personally -but he didn't gird my loins as much as the thought of a former Red in charge, and that isn't a guarantee for success either. I do think someone a tad more proven would have seen the board build on the enthusiasm of the takeover, though. They would have smashed 6,000 if we'd got a ling or someone IMO.

In saying that...

Having appointed Malpas I think it's important he's given at least half a season. I don't think we'll get dragged into trouble, similarly I don't think we'll go up.. but mid-table isn't bad for a club that doesn't have a great deal to spend on players (Cox aside) and - until Fitton took us over - was staring down the barrel of closure. There are so many teams with more spending power than us... but a few seasons with an increased season ticket fan base and we're gradually building the club on and off the field so that we can join that band of clubs.

We need patience, and sadly that's something a lot of Town fans don't have. Fact.

Fitton has done a lot of things right so far and in saving the club financially so he must have really impressed - and Fitton earned the right to make that decision as soon as he took the club over.

It's one thing expressing an opinion on here - that's what the forum is for and it's understandable, when we're not winning games, that people will look for scapegoats - it's another to boo players and coaching staff at games. If we were bottom without a win maybe, but look what happened when people booed kingy - ultimately it's the team that suffers.

FWIW I think Malpas could be a good manager, and I hope he is. I think he talks sense and while there are things I don't agree with - JPM in centre mid, for example - I think we've shown glimpses of being a superb side.

I do agree with those questioning Byrne and AW. Byrne seems old school to me, a shouter with little to say of any consequence. I could shout at the players from the touchline, in fact I do!, but it's the ability to turn things around, not simply shout, that makes a good coach.

As for what JCP82 or whatever his name is has been saying, I've heard the players actually have a lot of respect for Malpas. But even if they do mouth off about him, it means chuff all. I wouldn't say I got on paticularly well with my boss, but I think he's very good at what he does... It's not a popularity contest. Malpas is learning things about his team every week and he has to make decisions that will piss some off. If players can;t handle being dropped then they can jog on. No one's bigger than the team.

A win Sunday and all this talk will die down anyway!

I don't think it's the losing, it's the nature of the losses and the failure to improve on the errors. Personally speaking, I didn't know enough about Malpas at the time of his appointment to be pleased or disappointed. I thought I'd give the bloke a chance and I feel I am doing that.

I don't mind if we finish in mid-table, I'd just like to see a bit of progress. I think we've made excellent progress up front, but we've totally lost it at the back. What would happen if our key attacking players got badly injured? I don't think we have a different game plan. We'd be lacking goals and conceding them an awful lot. I think that's why I'm so concerned with the way the defence is performing.

Dead chuffed with the result against Stockport, we seem to be doing ok away from home. Certainly not terrible like we had been. We've sucked at home though, I hope to see an improved performance on Sunday and that is what will make me feel a bit better. I somehow feel if we can grind a result out at home it'll be a pyschological boost and we can build on it from there.

As for passing blame on to Byrne and Williams, if the management team as a whole are not performing you cannot point blame at two of the backroom staff and not Malpas. I'm not saying blame Malpas only, but he is ultimately responsible for their employment and man management. I thought listening from interviews that Byrne and Malpas are working together and offer similar explanations for 4-3.5-2.5 formations. That suggests the logic is shared between them and they probably bounce ideas off each other anyway.

The way i see it malpas is trying to please everybody by playing nice football,maybe its time to rethink and play ugly as malpas calls it.It's pretty evident that he wants his side to be a pretty passing side,but some of our players are having trouble in adapting to this style.Let's not forget we havent been a pretty passing side for years now,yet people expect some sort of transformation over night.

I fully believe patience is the key to this problem.

I wonder if the difference between home and away form is something to do with the fact that there are a lot more moaning booers in home crowds of 6-7000 as opposed to the obviously lower numbers at away games. The negativity created by them certainly won't inspire or motivate players to try harder. People say that as pro's they should be able to rise above it. Nonetheless, when it happens week after week, and they still hear some at away games, it must get very wearing.

And management bawling instead of firing up from the touchline will only exacerbate the situation. Particularly if they are not held in high regard by players.

There may be some grounds where the fans go out of their way to lift the players, but ours isn't one of them. However, while we do have some knobs who love to boo the team off at half-time just because we're not 3-0 up, most of the fans at the County Ground will respond positively to good performances. They will feed off a bright start and visible displays of effort, which can make for a mutually beneficial atmosphere. The football we played against Tranmere and QPR delivered decent atmospheres, the football we played against Colchester and Leeds didn't.

In short, the players should stop moaning (if they even are?), accept that this is what it's like where they work and get on with delivering the kind of displays that will have 6,000 fans backing them to the hilt. They'll enjoy their Saturday afternoons a lot more if they do. And so will I.

Malpas IN, by the way. And thanks to Juddie for mentioning Andy King and surely reminding everyone how much worse off we could be!

Pretty much my views - its not the losses its the nature of them. My expectation for the season was mid table. We may end up there but i'm not sure i'll enjoy the journey. We need a win on Sunday to get our home form back on track and give the home fans something to cheer about.

Agree with all that, but isn't it just like the only sing when you're winning attitude? If fans expect players to try harder when things are not going so well why don't they follow their own advice? We are supposed to be on the same side, although I think a lot of spectators only seem to go for their regular dose of knobhead therapy.

I've heard that Bart fancies Steve Bleasdale as the new manager (the bloke at the petrol station told me)

I heard bart told him to tell you that.

I heard that bart fanceis bum sex with a 3 legged goat

Goats are so cute, and the horns make them easier than sheep :-[

Which leg is missing?

his front left.