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Fitton admits his reputation is on the line
8:30am Monday 22nd December 2008

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By Steve Butt  »

ANDREW Fitton admits his reputation is on the line as he continues to work behind the scenes to appoint the “highest cailbre candidate available” as Swindon Town’s next manager.

Town’s chairman admitted talks on Friday had broken down with their chosen candidate, believed to be Newcastle Academy Director Richard Money, hence the club’s decision to reassess the selection process over the weekend.

An appointment before Christmas remains unlikely although Fitton claims the board are exploring every avenue open to them and he admitted to being a big fan of Gary McAllister, sacked as Leeds boss this weekend.

Fitton though refused to reveal who is now in the running or a time frame when Town fans could expect an appointment to be made.

McAllister could now be a contender for the Town hot-seat while Danny Wilson is one of the latest names to be linked.

Interest in the likes of Gary Speed, Richard Money and Colin Calderwood may now have cooled although Fitton refused to rule anything out.

“We have to get this right. I seriously believe my reputation stands or falls on this decision so maybe you can understand why I want to take my time and get the right man in place,” said Fitton, who was at Town’s 3-2 defeat at home to Yeovil on Saturday.

“There is no point stoking the fire until we have something concrete to say. Our comment is pretty much the same as the one issued on Friday and I don’t think anything has changed.

“We said we wanted the weekend to decide whether to restart the process or go back to some of the previous applicants.

“What I want to make clear is that I don’t think it is down to the Adver or anyone else to tell me what time frame to put on making an appointment. We only have the very best interest of the club in mind and that has to be made clear. We want to find the highest calibre of candidate available.”

Fitton talked for the first time about how talks with their chosen manager at the end of last week broke down, saying: “We thought we were ready to make an appointment but we were thwarted by things beyond our control. The four people on our shortlist were in work so getting them was always reliant on their clubs letting them go. We thought we had our man until we discovered a last minute change in his contractual details.”

The Town chairman moved to reassure Town fans there is no need to panic, adding: “We have been working hard all weekend, making calls and speaking to lots of people but there is no point in me naming names and getting people excited unless we have something concrete.

“In a way I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t, that’s why now I think it’s best to make no comment.

“The situation is changing all the time with new managers becoming available like Gary McAllister and Danny Wilson.

“There are also a lot of inadequate managers out there and I don’t think the fans would appreciate me appointing one of those.

“I have already said I am a big admirer of Gary McAllister but is he really going to want to jump straight back into a job within 72 hours?

“We are as eager as the fans are to make an appointment but we have to find the right man.”

Meanwhile Dave Byrne urged the board to make an appointment quickly, saying: “The sooner it is put to bed and we put a line under it the better. We need someone in now who is going to galvanise us and get us out of the quagmire we are in.”

I admire DB's honesty but "Meanwhile Dave Byrne urged the board to make an appointment quickly, saying: “The sooner it is put to bed and we put a line under it the better. We need someone in now who is going to galvanise us and get us out of the quagmire we are in.” suggests to me DB has started to panic a little and realise he can't turn things around.

Worrying times at the CG.

thats only coz some mug wants him at their club and he dont wanna miss out  :bye: :eek:

Can Byrne be a good number 2, with the right manager? No one knows.

Can he be a good number one? Facts would say no.

All the talk about Byrne being partly culpable for the current situation is wrong, imo. Malpas was the boss, he dictated everything: tactics, squad, discipline, etc. As a number 2, you support your boss. If you disagree, you can tell him, but ultimately what the manager wants to do, he does.

Malpas was sacked and Byrne was left holding the baby (and what a bawling, pampered, brat of a baby!) Did he want it? Of course he did! We all want to progress in our chosen careers. He now realises he isn't up to the task at hand and has admitted it.

I've got no problem with Bryne staying (If that's what the new boss wants).

Byrne, IMO has just undone all the work he did when in charge the 1st time with his loose mouth this time around.

course he is partly to blame...he didn't have to take on the caretaker role did he!

Sorry, but the only announcement I want to hear now is "The new manager (who we've actually signed to a contract and sorted out all the bollocks) is ......". And in the meantime, I'd also quite like the Adver to stop "linking" names to the job on the basis that someone on thisis has randomly mused "Oh, I see so and so is out of work"

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Get on with it!

No he didn't. He could have walked out. He gave it a go and was found wanting.

What would anyone else do in the same situation?

If we had a new manager after a couple of weeks, Byrne would've been thought of much differently.
As it is, he's been left in charge too long, even he thinks so!

Is that down to him?

Oh and i would like to add that Steve Butt from the adver is a total fucking Knob Jockey. Anyone see his bit in the adver saturday slating Fitton calling him a joke etc.

Mr Butt i suggest you get your own house in order before slating people and take a leaf out of the western daily press's book on how to report. Not just do a load of interveiws on a saturday and stretch them out over a week you lazy bastard

Fully agree with that DRS.

yes it is down to him...correct me if I'm wrong but you can choose to chuck the towel in at any point cant you?? he is partly to blame as he was and is part of the 1st team set up as is williams and goalkeeping coach.byrne was part of Team Malpas and that is reflected in the shit we're currently producing.....most successful managers have a decent number 2 behind them and likewise most unsuccessful managers have a number 2 that aint up to it either.

If we're getting someone semi-proven in, I'm hopeful they'll bring their own team with em....e.g. holloway and tim breacker from memory??...not quite sure what'll happen if we appoint a first time manager but if its Speed, then chances are, it'll be zippy...

either way, i won't be too disappointed to see the back of byrne tbh

Also agree. The adver havnt had a clue about the manager situation from the start.  They should hold their heads in shame that the brissol based WDP has their finger closer to the STFC pulse.

yeah, lets vent our anger at the local press to make us feel better  ::) :doh:

It dosnt make me feel better.

The adver hacks are still no better informed than some people on here though

Would you be happy with Zippy as assistant manager then? Granted Dave byrne has not got the results and he has admitted this himself but surely you can see he has a team playing and i would say close to half of them are just not interested or are simply not good enough.

Now i am not privvy to this information but explain to me what Byrne or any manager can do when in reality the first 11 picks itself and we have no fringe players pushing for starting place whatsoever because of bad signings in the summer. Mgovern has no one pushing him aljofree doesn't either. Phil smith if reports of brez wanting to leave are true has no one breathing down his neck.Paynter and cox are a dead cert judging by peacocks performance up front saturday and barry corr is miles of being fully fit.

If players do not want to play or are simply not good enough even fergie would struggle.

Yeah, you can chuck the towel in at any time. Byrne, like most of us, has a mortgage and bills to pay. His position at the club is assistant manager. He was asked to fill in as caretaker. If he refused he would probably have gone. So he filled in and it hasn't worked out.

It's called ambition. It's also called employment.

You don't know what he's like in his proper role, no one does. If he had refused to look after the team, what would you have thought of him then?

Did anyone say that? No. i am simply stating that before slating others they should sort themselves out first

 Shooting the messenger does seem a bit unnecessary at the moment...of greater concern, should be AF"s angsty outpouring...is this a clever ploy, or the signs of a man starting to doubt his ability to do the job?

Did you see the article on saturday Reg?

 This would have been the Adver sports desk comment on matters STFC?

 Nah don't read that shit.

Yeah that was it. Was totally uncalled for in my opinion

what did it say?

The adver has got worse since Cryer left.

Never thought I'd miss the shitty fan.

Loads of words and shit

 Which is why I don't read it...

firstly I believe we've got a good enough squad to be mid-table. Secondly if the players do not want to play, that spells that the man-management isn't right i.e. some players will need an arm put round them and others will need to be bawled at along with telling each individuals their jobs for the day e.g. lets not chase them down on the half way line as they're not going to hurt us there (cough) but just gets 2 banks of four and keep the shape.

Fergie would have us in the play-offs as he would get the best out of them because he knows how to man-manage.

and yes I would be happy with Zippy as number 2 and Digby reckons he should be as well so that seals it for me ;-)

They have indeed. I wonder if they have been cut out of the official information.  

What we seem to have now is numerous "the next manager could be.." with random names seemingly plucked out of thin air or internet message boards. It's like the Salem Witch Trials, but with less witches. And not in Salem. And noone is on trial.

you're right, its all speculation....how do you know he has a mortgage?? his Mrs might pay the bills?

how do we know he would have gone if he didn't fancy stepping up to the mark?? ambition I admire but realism is where its at...he will never be good enough to manage at league level but he has unfortunately found that out at our expense.Come on, did he really have that belief?? I'd have had a lot more respect for Byrne if he'd have said at the start that he wasn't up to it...and we'd have then appointed an interim manager and be sniffing play-offs by now ;-)

I beg to differ that no-one knows what he is like in his proper role....players will know, fitton certainly knows which is why Byrnes name has never really been in the frame in all honesty.

hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I actually thought when fitton sacked MM that he had someone lined up-I should have never doubted fittons integrity

There is no way I am saying 'fair play' to this Fitton statement.

We're shit and in serious trouble and all this statement says to me is

WE STILL HAVENT GOT A FUCKING MANAGER!

Perhaps Fitton should spend less time making pointless statements to the adver and instead

GET US A FUCKING MANAGER

There is no point and no need to drag this out, I dont care if we just get someone in till the end of the season to do a job, bloody do it.

In conclusion

MANAGER NOW!

Come on Dan I think Fitton knows we need one ASAP. He's been in contact with Wilson and McAllister by the looks of it. What more can he do?

Seriously Dv you are starting to sound worse than Bart. Do you not think that we are trying to get one. There is obviously a reason why we have not got anyone yet.
 

I think DV's gone a bit mental.

Started to like the look of his own shouty CAPSLOCKS a bit too much.

Cake DV Cake.

Well, heres a novel idea Rich

He could appoint a manager.

I agree with DV and pauld here. After watching that latest dross on saturday, Fitton needs to shut the fuck up and deliver us a manager now. The excuses are wearing thin. Don't get me wrong, Fitton is a legend for saving this club but it does not make him exempt from criticism when he fucks up.

I'm inclined to agree with MR, CV and PD. This is bad, really bad, and procrastinating is killing us... we're in danger of turning fans against the board once again - sad, but true, but on the pitch without a manager we're clueless, gutless and devoid of any ideas.

We need a manager before leyton Orient & Brighton otherwise we're writing off six points.

I am starting to wonder, yes

Its taken too long as it is - we got told last week they had their man or that it was down to two. A week on and we still have no one and now we are being told we wont have anyone before Christmas.

Look, Fitton will always be our saviour, but in this instance we have to act and act fast. We can't afford to lose our next two games, and we will with Byrne at the helm.

I just can't help thinking we need to appoint someone out of work to avoid the compensation madness.

Like everyone else (including Mr Fitton no doubt), I am frustrated and concerned that we still don't have a manager but I'm sure there have been valid reasons why supposed nailed on appointments have fallen through. Maybe I'm naive but I still have faith in those running STFC and trust them to get it right.

As for Steve Butt at the Adver, his 'comment' in Saturday's paper came across as nothing more than the rantings of a tin-pot local journo trying to get all 'hard-hitting'. Utter bobbins.

I just think needs must. When Malpas was fired we had time to look around and Fitton was right to shop around. Now he must realise we don't have that luxury. The situation has been made worse by Byrne and the players inability to win games and  I believe if we wait til January to appoint a new manager we'll be in the bottom three with confidence utterly shattered.

It's a shame that Fitton is a good guy and has morales that he sticks to.

If he was a sneaky, underhanded bastard, we'd have had a replacement lined up before Malpas left.

bring back diamond mike as recruitment director

Not at all, I think Fitton played a good game and was right to scour the market. It's simply that five weeks ago we had time and now we don't. Our results have taken that luxury away.

I've got to leave my office and go to Castle Cary and Frome.

I'll be back at around 5pm, by which time I fully expect Fitton to have announced the new manager.

I saw it, I think the words clown etc were used when talking about Fitton saying it is pantomime season and the ringleader is Fitton or something along those lines.

 I'm always impressed by the fact Castle Cary, has a station with 3 platforms and two lines.

 Back in the early 80's before the dead hand of Thatcher reached out and finally killed off the railways in Britain...there used to be a mega, mega ace, special summer train from Swindon to Weymouth...complete with name board for the class 37 that was in harness....The Weymouth Wizard. The Wizard set off early morn and then returned late evening,just right for a day on the beach...

 The Wizard did a sort of Betjemanesque route via Chippenham, Trowbridge, not forgetting Dilton Marsh, Westbury, Frome, on to Castle Cary via Bruton. At Castle Cary there often seemed to be a delay for an up train from Taunton. Still there are worse things in the world than sitting about in rural Somerset for 10 or so minutes.

 The Wizard was invariably packed with happy campers, but the Thatcherites didn't like the idea of having rolling stock kicking around not doing much so sent the lot to the breakers.

 The sidings out down back of Rodbourne, became full of Class 31's 33's  and 40's and just waiting for the cutters torch...gave the buggers in the Works something to do before it too went to the knackers yard.  :cry:

I still cannot fathom why Money fell through.

He quit his post at Newcastle, was reportedly due to be unveiled as our new manager only for the whole deal to collapse at the 11th hour.

Now I presume that prior to him jumping off the Geordie Wonderland gravy train at the very least he held initial discussions with our board.  I think it would be naïve not to say that during those initial discussions an adequate salary and package was tentatively agreed.

So why commeth the grand unavailing did Dickie Dosh suddenly have a change of heart?  

The Adver reported it this morning as a change in his “contractual details” which reads very much that the bald loon was asking for a thicker wedge than we cared to pay.  I would imagine he has possibly had a snifter of another position becoming available and as a result used it as leverage.

I think old Andrew has to step up the gears a little though otherwise he’s going to find himself in a vicious circle of results and performances deteriorating and the calibre of manager willing to take over our leaking or more than likely sinking ship is going to become even narrower.  Are the men perceived as capable of getting us to the Championship really going to want to take over a club in the relegation zone and staring League two football in the face?

Money never quit Newcastle, that was all bollocks.

Ta DV.  That would make a lot of sense (said the Bishop to the Baker) and would explain the contractual shenanigans.  I’d still be tempted to have a punt on Money managing again before January is out though.

It also raise the question of Fitton’s rather admirable but perhaps doomed  philosophy (quoted in the Adver recently) of only hiring people in work and in-demand in both the beautiful game and in his businesses in general.  If we’re not in a position to pay these chaps off or compensate their existing employers then sights need to be set lower.

Please for the love of Cliff Richard though don’t let it be Danny “Bloody” Wilson.

Either go out and drag Gary Speed by his testicles or settle for Ian Holloway.

I can't understand how we've gone from having 3 or 4 options who would love to manage us to still having no manager.

Did all 3 or 4 deals fall through? If they did, then a couple of weeks have probably been wasted which is a shame.

fitton should say nothing now until the work is done.

As I posted earlier, I was told the deal fell through due to a clause in the contract, which Money got the hump with and just stormed out, he was not a happy man at all.

I agree arriba. I think it's good he has been honest recently, I think the main error on his part was all the talk of the wow factor and getting fans expectations up.

Should get a deal done before Christmas and announce it on Wednesday. That would be awesome.
That may seem quick, but we must have interviewed most of the managers who would come here so there is no need to interview them again.

I think the problem is that fitton is setting his criteria so strictly that it rules out a lot of decent managers who could do a job for us straight away.

I can understand the emphasis on bringing youth through, but he's hiring for a 1st team manager here, so the focus should be on the candidates ability to manage the 1st team,  with their ability / willingness to play youth team products as a strictly secondary concern.

Its great trying to plan for the long term, but in the short term we're looking increasingly desperate. We need someone to fire a rocket up the 1st teams collective arses and bring some new ideas and players.  If the youths are good enough then they will get games regardless. All lower league managers cant be that opposed to playing youngsters at times - squad sizes and budgets will dictate that

Nah would be better if Fitton sorts the next manager out away from the public attention.  Then on Sunday they can introduce a bloke onto the pitch dressed as Father Christmas, all the adul;ts in the ground groan, not interested, then the Father Christmas takes off his hood and beard and way hey!!  It's Ian Holloway, our new manager.

Do you think that's the case chief?  It does seem a bit rash even for Money who has a fairly “lively” temperament and something like that in a contract is there to be resolved.  You don’t march out unless you’re being offered a real bum steer on what must have been agreed verbally.

Although if he had marched on a point of issue rather I wouldn’t blame Fitton for kicking him into touch there and then and starting the ball rolling again on looking for someone new.  After all could you or would you ant to work with someone like that?

It must be difficult with the clock ticking down to Christmas and knowing that post festive season we’re going to be realistically more of an unattractive proposition than we were a few weeks ago. 
 

I'm not sure if I believe it or not tbh Dazzza, but it sounded to me that one thing had been agreed,l then when it came down to actually going through the contract point by point there was some nasty surprise, as it were, for RM, causing him to spit the dummy.

I suppose if you'd decided to leave one roll after thinking you'd be offered "A" and you get down to Wilts to sign up only to find offer "B" was now on the table, you ain't gonan be impressed.

surely it was simply a case of Newcastle offering him a better deal to stay?? and probably matching what we were gonna be paying him and he thought fuck it, less hassle, I'm staying put.....and don't want to work with that cock-byrne either!

i wouldn't want to work with a cock burn. sounds painfull

glad u got the pun dave

I think that Options 1 and 2 fel through  (Calderwood and Money) and in the meantime other options became available who were deemed better than options 2 and 3 and so they tok the decision to re-assess rather than bow to pressure and opt for second best

So is option 3a paul ince?

I hope so. but its probably Danny "couldnt get the shit heads promoted" Wilson

I haven’t dared looked but I can already smell that thread on the Adver forum!

Not a bad shout albeit pretty unrealistic as I see it.  He did a sterling job at Macclesfield and the abomination before his stint at Blackburn but I can see him hanging on for a decent Championship club.  The only saving grace is he’s the sort of character that’ll be itching to get back into work and prove himself again after being canned.

I really hope Danny Wilson isn’t an option or big Garry Mac.  I think I’d rather take a punt on an unknown.

Come on chaps, Paul 'manager of three clubs in two years' Ince????

How long do you reckon it would be before he was fucking off at the first sniff of a half-decent offer from a Championship club?

That would be such a bad, bad, bad appointment. Can we please not mention him ever again on this forum???