Thetownend.com

I'm not going to get into the whole fans debate (Although I do think there's some twats who are loving the fact we're doing badly so they can gloat about the fact they gave MM a hard time from day one) But I truly believe that Malpas is on his way out.

8 games isn't enough to judge him on, but it's not just the games. Something isn't right at the moment and the reaction of some fans today will probably be the impetus that Fitton needs to take action.

Malpas must take ultimate responsibility for the results, but he isn't being well served by some of our players, nor by some sections of the crowd.

I don't think there's any way back for Malpas now, even if we go on a winning run a section of our support will be straight on his back as soon as we lose.

No hard feelings Maurice, who knows what may have been....................

Agree 100% hertha, his time is up, i don't see the point in waiting any longer, fitton should act now rather than give him more time but it isn't going to change anything in my opinion.

i agree.its gone too far now and he has to go whether he is capable of turning it around or not.

He needs to act now.

Malpas appears to have lost the dressing room as well as a large proportion of the fanbase. In short he has taken a decent set of players (Top 10 when he took over) and turned us into relegation fodder in 8 months.

He persists on playing the same players week on week who put in little effort- and why the hell was Ifil not even on the bench- whi is our captain marvel so untouchable?

Time to do what should have been done in January Mr fitton- apoint a poven manager with his own backroom team. Its not just Malpas that should go its the whole coaching staff

I feel that he cannot turn it around but has had nearly a year here to get this team playing and organised and he has failed miserably, too many things are going on and things do not seem right, rumours of fall outs with players and members of the coaching team, poor tactics, no motivation, no organisation, alienates players, crap performances, bad results, all these reasons are more than enough to give him the boot.

Ifil has been shit this season.

Agree with you about Byrne and Williams though, Byrne is an embarrassing clown..........

Something i agree with bart with is aljofree makes alot of mistakes but he never gets dropped, why? he is a very poor captain who never speaks a word, he is one of the poorest captains i have seen in a swindon shirt, shaun taylor would be ashamed of you aljofree as would calderwood.

I just hope that Byrne doesn't get the job if malpas goes, malpas needs to go along with byrne, williams, granville etc, Bodin should stay but everyone else should go in my opinion.`

Well, which is it? Are they a decent set of players worthy of a place in the top 10 or a bunch of workshy shifters who don't put the effort week in, week out?

Herthab- i aint saying that Ifil has been good far from it- but other players (namely aljofree) have made worse clangers yet still play every week.

Sean O'Hanlon was a hundred times worse as Captain....

....not that I think Aljofree is a good captain, or should be our captain but he isnt our worst!

but who should be our captain?

Easton. Not the he played well either, but the attitude is right.

Totally agree with that.

fact is players are not performing for whatever reasons.ifil,and both keepers are the prime examples.
the buck stops with malpas and he should be sacked in the morning.

Jack smith has done ok this season and tries hard, he deserves the captaincy alot more than Aljokeafree

Along with Byrne and Williams

yes he should be but i have the feeling fitton won't sack him, he seems to like this guy alot and i just cannot see him sacking him for a long time, the only thing we can hope for is that he resigns but i don't think that is going to happen.

But there is a chance that if Malpas goes, Fitton could give it to Byrne.

That would be a suicidal move in my opinion.

We need an experienced manager- with his own backroom staff

I don't think Fitton will sack Malpas because of the chants today, equally no matter how much he likes Malpas if he thinks he's not up the job, I don't think he'll piss about. At the moment, results/performances (or rather lack of both) on the pitch are undermining/clouding all the good work being done off it. I don't see Fitton letting that situation continue much longer tbh

True but Fitton would surely have learned from Malpas?

I agree but this could happen. Byrne was doing a fine job when Sturrock was here, doing what Byrne knows best, youth team football... I'd kind of like to see Byrne return to that set-up in some capacity.

Quite. Be careful what you wish for.

Also, IF Malpas gets sacked, he's got at least a years worth of wages coming his way in settlement, where does that money come from? Selling Cox, Brez and Macnamee is my guess.

I could be wrong but didnt Byrne and Williams do well in their caretaker spell and didnt some fans want them actually hired as managers

No they are the devil

Didnt everyone love Budgie a few months back?

i'd take an ambitious rookie big name ex player to lift the place.

Giving it to byrne would be a bad move, an experienced manager with them bringing in their own coaching staff would be a much better move, if byrne got the job williams and granville will remain here and that would not be a good thing.

no track record = failure

not my words but you can see from other peoples opinions on this post that they want an expirenced manager & seem to think managers without a track record are rubbish...

A lot of people phoned/emailed Radio Swindon after the game, saying they wouldn't be paying the 2nd installment on their ST. Fitton will take notice of that...........

Look at Holloway and Leicester. He hardly impressed there despite doing well in his other jobs.

Fitton will be alarmed by that, but will he sack him this week though, that's the question?

Fitton could prevent that from happening by sacking malpas then the fans will probably pay the 2nd installment.

Not a fair comparison though really - Mandaric is a loony.

True.

...and this is it. The club worked very hard this summer trying to lure people back and it's these people that won't renew. One step forward, two steps back.

Nah, I always thought he was a twat

Exactly, so

Some Rookie managers do well, some dont.

Some expirenced managers do well at other clubs, some dont.

Paul Sturrock does well everywhere.

Even so i don't think fitton will sack malpas......yet! he may give him another game or two to turn it around.

I don't know how much of that is just piss and bluster though, or come to that how many of those saying it are actually ST holders or just hoping to pressure the club. I may well be wrong and it's a genuines serious threat, but to me it just seems like cutting off your nose to spite your face as you've already paid over half of it, and you only have to go to 6 games in the whole second half of the season and then you've paid your 120 quid anyway.

On a side note, I don't think technically it's optional anyway. You sign up for a ST, you sign up for it, end of. You're committed to making both payments, otherwise it would have been sold as a half-season ticket with an option to renew.

Except Southampton

he wasnt given enough of a chance...

Southampton are clearly better off having got rid of him....

Who was sacked because he wasn't respected by the players I believe.

Even if Malpas was booted out, who's available to take over? Some guy who was drifting down the stairs of The Don Rogers was going on and on about Nick Holmes from Salisbury?!?!!?!?

Discuss.....

No thanks, no league experience, would be a big gamble in my opinion.

Like many, I have been willing Maurice to succeed.  And while I'm still not sure we're at the point where he has to go, results like today's (and the manner of the defeat) do not help his cause.  I think it's fair to say that October has become a critical month for him...and the club as a whole.

What concerns me most, however, is that Maurice is very much Andrew Fitton's man - and Andrew Fitton does not strike me as someone who likes having his judgement questioned.  At the time of Malpas' appointment, when the response from the fans was lukewarm at best, Fitton came across very much as a Chairman acting on his convictions.  On the basis of a reportedly strong interview, Fitton appeared to have absolute faith in Maurice to face down his critics.  If he ultimately turns out to have made a poor decision, there will inevitably be a number of our fans ready to tell him 'we told you so' - and that will do nothing for the Chairman's relationship with the fans.

Players pretty much got him sacked - "him or us" kind of job. He has a very good reputation in the lower leagues and up to Championship level that stands him in good stead and commands respect from (most) players and fans. But it didn't seem to carry into the Prem - I'd say that says a lot more about the players than Sturrock.

I mentioned this in another thread. He has worked wonders at Salisbury.

I dont even think their biggest optimist would have thought they'd do as well as they have done.

Honestly, my main thought is our fan base wont give him a chance because he isnt a 'name' or proven manager. He'll be delt the same hand Malpas was.

Fitton made the mistake of appointing him, fitton has to face upto the fact that he did make a mistake, no-one is perfect, he will learn for next time not to appoint someone just because he came across in an interview.

Totally agree....

I've always considered Nick Holmes at Salisbury as a labour of love as opposed to a man who has dreams of managing at the highest levels.

Salisbury's rise has been dramatic and you could argue that they've massively over-achieved... A big fair play to them though.

You've made some of your points well, but you don't have to keep repeating yourself. I've already warned you once.

Some of your posts have been replies to other ones, which are fine. It's the ones where it's just a reworded...

 Fitton's got to get rid of Malpas. Fitton should get rid of Malpas but I'm not sure he will. Will Fitton have the bottle to sack malpas. Fitton appointed Malpas he should sack him. Fitton's got to learn from his mistakes. Fitton is wrong and I am right.

I think you've made your point.

If people think Malpas is boring,they should listen to Holmes-he could send an ADH kid to sleep

:D You're not wrong.

Exactly what was going though my mind when this chap was mentioning his name. He doesnt inspire me with his post match interviews.

Who else is out there that would inspire me? Not sure....thats the prob....

...he seems to inspire his team though.

The thing is, how do you judge the best person for the job? In my world, you submit a advertisement for a job, people then respond to that via an application (more than likely accompanied by a CV which demonstrates how you meet the competence requirements for the job). That gets you down selected for interview along with 2 or 3 others, and then its a case of impressing the interviewer in a one on one situation.

I'm struggling to understand how on earth Malpas made the sift in the first place given the other known candidates at the time. All I can say is it must have been one hell of an impressive interview, or all the others were complete clowns......

I've been willing to give him time. What happened to the team that I watched destroy Oldham last season? Who blew (an albeit abject) Port Vale off the park in 45 minutes? They don't become crap players overnight, but they've clearly lost confidence. Its the manager's job to instill that in them, and if Malpas can't do it, then his position has to be under threat.

I'm not sure what my point is now.....

Yes... He's done a fantastic job, nobody can argue that.

But I think my point is, when Malpas arrived it was "WHO?"

If Andrew Fitton called a press conference and introduced Nick Holmes as the new Swindon manager I honestly don't think that would have the anti-Malpas fans high-fiving and saying that this is a much better appointment.

We'd be in the same situation as before.

We miss Comminges.

I agree and pretty much said this oringinally and last week...

...HOWEVER...I know Adje wasnt being serious but judging a manager on how he sounds is wrong!

Otherwise Ian Holloway would be England manager by now...soapy tit wank

Not including the Player/Managers we've had.

Is Bobby Smith the last manager we've brought in as a manager directly from another club?

If so that's 30 years and quite incredible.

 Sounds right to me...we also got Bett Head from Bury...so Alan Knill it is.

I couldn't care less whether the manager is a name or not. I couldn't care less about thier personaility. They can bore me as shitless as they want as long as they send out a motivated, organised 11. Malpas being boring and not a name wasn't and isn't a problem. The fact he can't do the job he's paid to do at STFC is a problem.
If the position became avaialble and its a big if then there would be no shortage of takers for it. Holloway or cotterill don't do it for em and thank fuck that Allen is up the road safely tucked away from us.

that sounds about right, it's unbelievable really.

I simply can't believe that managing Swindon's not a huge temptation for other clubs managers.... ;)

I have been one of MM's biggest backers. But after today. He must go. Yes he is a nice guy and a very friendly bloke but that does not win games. First and foremost I am a Swindon Town fan. I am gutted for Maurice as I really wanted him to do well but the fans today show that it's the end of the road for Malpas and the end is nigh.  I still think it is too early to sack him but clearly the players have no confidence under him and that doesn't appear as if it will change. I will never chant Malpas out but MM now has to go. His position is pretty much untenable now.

Do you still sponser him Gaz? :D

you are right gazza.i wanted him to do well but it's gone too far now and he has to go.

Yes but I did ask the question after the game "does my sponsorship carry over to the new manager" I was advised "yes or you can sponsor whoever you want"

 We didn't exactly strengthen in the summer....we've also lost Roberts, Zaaboub and too a lesser extent Corr.

 Last season we were pretty mediocre and still are....in recent seasons we've had the odd good one when the old Board threw money they didn't have at it.  When trying to live within their means we slumped into shitness.

 Fitton has stated that there is no intent at throwing money at it, which is why a succession of players went elsewhere...the one who seemed sorted for money Mulgrew (2 goals at Celtic yesterday) didn't happen because of Sweatieness.

 At the moment our squad is wafer thin...the worry is that the XI being put out now, is by far our best pick....any injuries and we're seriously in the shit.

 

I still think maurice will be given 4 or 5 games to turn it around.

I think even if we win the next 3 games per say, once we lose fans will chant for Malpas to go. Gutted for the bloke as he is genuinely a nice guy who really does want to do well, but as I said, It's a results business. I hope he can turn it around I really do but despite being a good guy it looks as if his players really don't give a shit under him. Makes me wonder though, if we had Colin Calderwood or Steve Cotterill would the fans be slagging them off after 8 games?

Calderwood - No.
Cotterill - Probably

Just a quick question...was Fitton at the game today?
I really hope he was, I don't hate Malpas at all, but the players don't want to perform for him anymore its obvious. I feel sorry for MM but his time is up. Fitton should just come out, sack him, Byrne and Ady. And bring in someone with a proven record, who the players and fans will respect. Only way forward I'm afraid.

I was gutted when Malpas was appointed. His record with Motherwell was truely appalling and his first interviews with Ed Hadwin were a joke.

It's not often a manager gets appointed and everyone's really downbeat from the off.... Well apart from the time Kingy was re-appointed.

I think if someone else is brought in with a half decent record - fans would at least be optimistic (Cotterill, Holloway etc etc.) that would boost the team and give the new manager security for six months. This is a luxury that Malpas was never afforded.

Yes. Saw him and Jeremy Wray in the Car Park about 12:45

Come on guys!

I think he'll turn it around. :)

I dont really,its sad isnt it >:(

Pity as he's a nice guy. But you're spot on.

Aren't fitton and malpas supposed to be best buddies? and enjoy pub lunches together every other day?
That reminds me of when Mcmoan and Hunt were here and they were best buddies, i can't see fitton sacking malpas anytime soon if that is the case.

I think you seriously underestimate the bloke if you think any amount of pub lunches, random texts to Radio Swindon etc will make any difference whatever. When Fitton thinks it's time to move, he'll do it and sentiment will not play a part

I've never wanted a Swindon manager to succeed more than Malpas and to be honest the day he goes is the day I lose more of my faith in the Swindon fanbase. What kind of support has that kind of backing for their manager from day one?

He didn't stand a chance, and I wish all the best to bloke. I genuinely hope he goes somewhere else and does fucking brilliant. I really do. His time here is up.

It's a damned shame, but we all said that 10 games in we could make a fair assessment.

He's nearly had that now and there's not enough games left to turn it around, even in the unlikely event that we win the next two 3-0.

I think he's gone before the end of October.

I had the chance to watch both AF and JW who were sat at the front of the Directors Box yesterday.   If body language was anything to go by I'd say that things will be changed soon.

All of the guests in the Hospitality suits get to vote for the 'man of the match' award. I understand that it didn't happen yesterday because in Phil Kings words (he hosts the Sponsors Lounge) 'we can't do it because they were all crap'.



 

Ironic really that yesterday is the first time i have actually felt sorry for Malpas in the other games i have been unhappy at things he has or has not done but yesterday that was the soley the players fault and it hurts knowing we have a bunch of fuckers who will play for OUR club like that just to make a point.

Alot of you probably think i will be happy when he is gone but imo half those idiots yesterday should be gone with him.I have had long chats with Herthab about malpas and would of loved him to shove my opinion down my throat unfortunatly i dont think he has it in him.

Dreading Hartlepool now

Well fitton cannot allow this to carry on much longer, dire performances, unmotivated players, the team is not organised and we are not getting the results, some fans will stop attending matches until there is a change in management.

Malpas has had a chance, 9 months is long enough to stamp his authority on this team but we are worse than we were last season, we played better when we were in debt and close to folding.

Malpas has had money to spend unlike other managers but he has failed and i'm afraid that his time is up.

Blimey! You should have said something about this earlier!

Is it me or is there a broken record in here?

Ice Thin Skate

Good post. I'd rather Malpas proved me wrong than prove me right like most Town fans. Also spot on about some of the players. Whether you rate Jack Smith as a player or not, at least he has the character to stand up and be counted. He gave 100% again and showed some balls. Same about Nalis.  JPM is like an appendix. You know he's there but he doesn't really do anything. The only time you notice him is when you get a grumble.

I dont think thin Ice skates would be very good?

Felt a bit sorry for Nalis yesterday, its clear he was playing very poorly but at least he tried we only noticed was poor because he did not hide.

Easton was very very poor by his standards yesterday probably worse than Nalis

I have to say that I have always said & still feel that Malapas should be given to Xmas. I still think that this is the case, but many more performances like yesterdays & I think he will be going sooner rather than later.
I'm also pretty certain that AF will do the right thing when the time is right (Keep him or move him on) not only because, he's no fool, but also beacuse he has more to lose than any of us financially. That is what has gives him the right to make the decisions.
The thing that makes me laugh are those that say they will not pay the second installment on the season ticket. To me buying a season ticket is about supporting the club, not about being a fairweather supporter. Most of us have been through seasons where the team has been far worse.

Agreed Phil.

They played bad on purpose? I know that's their fault, but it just goes to show how much respect Malpas actually commands... He's in a no win situation!

i probably would have liked him to get more time(he may well get it)but i think he has to go now.players arguing with individual fans virtually every game,a high amount of players playing nowhere near their potential,fans calling for his head in large numbers,some not going to commit to the season tickets payments all mean that fitton needs to act, and quickly.
the results have been similar to what iffy got and he has had a better chance than iffy had.money troubles gone,a decent squad inherited,etc,etc.
i dont remember players getting the abuse that some are now when we were relegated that year.
the place needs a lift for sure

That's all well and good but those fairweather fans are exactly the people we tried to market with the season ticket inicitive when we promoted the "swindon experience"

Fair comment

It'll all work out good. The people who don't renew their season tickets will end up spending more on match day tickets when the season turns around and gets ace.

It's all a clever ploy by Fitton the sneaky devil.

i hope the people threatening not to pay the second instalment carry out their threats. i might get a better seat.

OneAndrewFitton, where do you sit? There was a guy sat behind me yesterday who repeated every single fucking moronic statement out of his gob yesterday...

He doesn't go to home games.

Dunno what he's complaining about then, he hasn't had to put up with recent home performances! Away games are where its at it seems.

Wrong, i go to home games if i can, depends on other commitments and whether i can afford to bearing in mind it costs me about £120 to go to a home game.

Where do you live?

Durham

i go to alot more away games than home games.

So what bad performances have you seen this season?

colchester. I also went to Franchise and stockport.

Not completely wrong though is it. We've had this debate before and I'm still of the same conclusion that you shouldn't go moaning/bitching/slating about performances such as yesterday when you didn't go to the game. I'd understand if you went to the game and had a valid opinion and made a decent argument of it, but you keep posting the same old shit and sound like a fucking broken record man, give it a rest!

What does my head in same is that despite not seeing a game in more than 8 yrs I can still at least try to add some reasoning, and if I cant then I say nowt.

Yet the Likes of OAF and Bart who supposedly go, say nowt but:

MALPAS OUT.

THIS IS SHIT, HE HAS TO GO,

etc etc.............

we played well at dons and stockport!

and why is it you only ever post when things aren't going very well? do you enjoy having something to moan about?

if so, please take an interest in the economic state of the world and fuck off elsewhere

120 notes? As you clearly find it traumatising I'd suggest just don't bother. Perhaps then you'd fucking pipe down and all.

I've only been once this season so far and have moved away now, I must say I'm quite pleased.

Well ive had 24 hours to get over yesterday...ime still in shock over the performance,i would like to say its  one off but i feel its time MM stepped down...even Cox didnt bother in yesterdays match.
The players we have cant play under pressure..to be fair MM hasnt had his own squad to work with in the main but he knew that when taking the job.
If the club stick by him then i will too....but it wasnt nice on the pitch yesterday and it was even more ugly off it.

The way you lot gang up on people is disgusting.

Bring in Cotterill!!!

I didnt go to Stockport, but I would have to say McDons was one of the most lucky away wins Ive ever seen. They had numerous balls fall to them in the box and didnt put any away. The standard of that game was very low and I said it after the game. Aldershot was well lucky too.

To be fair we nearly fluked a draw yesterday. We were second best in every position and it still went to 1-1!

The only game I rekon we have been really unlucky is at Hereford. We were much better than them and should have won convincingly. QPR was a good performance but they were just too good.

Even Tranmere, we got the first goal but they had some great chances early on, could have been very different.

Sorry, but thats how I see it.

That's how i see it too, we were not that great at stockport either.

And sonic i am entitled to moan, it's tough if you don't like it, it's a public forum i am entitled to my opinion, you can gang up on me all you want i am not bothered.

I agree but let them do it if that's want they want to do, it doesn't bother me at all i can look after myself.

Phew just shout if you need me

Hahahahahahahahahahah.

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

DRS stop fishing for angry replies! You all love it when that happens.

They're not ganging up on anyone... You voice your opinions and vice versa. All points are valid but as a more mild mannered TEF member, I do feel that alot of comments are going around in circles.

Nothing you can say on here can make a difference on TEF and some comments sound like people are having a go at those who were willing to give Malpas a chance. Heaven forbid.

Fuckin ace!

Me fishing rich? How dare you

:D I thought as much.

Its Scrappy Doo.

feeling left out?

Yep please abuse me

you're, erm, gay.

i can't do it. my love for you is too strong.

Thanks, is that why you go red and your glasses steam up when we cross paths

and i giggle like a schoolgirl, punch you on the arm and then run a way?

yes

So gay

I wasn't having a go at you OAF (Although your posts are annoyingly repetitive) I was genuinely interested in how many bad performances you'd seen.

I've been to all the games this season (Which means I know more than anybody else, obviously) and the only truly bad performances have been Colchester and Millwall, imo. Away from home we've looked ok, maybe a bit lucky on occassions, but that's the same as most away wins isn't it?

The difference this season is that the manager isn't wanted, so we turn everything in to a negative, even a win at MK Dongs, or a draw at Stockport...............

Totally agreed

I think Cheltenham edges into that list.

And leeds

tick tock

pass it to the cock