Thetownend.com

What do you think?

Pah! I prefer the hokey cokey thread so shall abstain from this pointless poll.

depends on who is lined up as a replacement.
getting in another journeyman manager like wilson would be a waste of time imo.

I think you are boring the tits off most of us now

I listed possible replacements on the matchday thread:-

Gary Johnson (My personal choice to take over)
Paul Trollope
Gary Waddock
Paul Peschisilido
Phil Parkinson
George Burley
Paul Bodin
Paolo Sousa
Paul Buckle

Paul Peschisolido
Paolo Sousa
Ray Wilkins
Maurice Malpas
Paul Bodin
Tom Nordlie
Steinar Nilsen

I would love Paolo Sousa to take over, one of my all time favourites.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Nordlie

Luc Nijholt. Lou Macari?

 :nod:

Our new manager:

Nordlie is one of the most recognized coaches in Norway. His football philosophy is to be "insane but in control" and to "give a 100%, but also focus on one's tasks". It is not necessary to have been a horse in order to be a good jockey"

Can't you ask Jan?  I'd love him to be our manager.

How about Uwe Rösler?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uwe_R%C3%B6sler

 ;D

Uwe Rosler is a cult hero  :D Overcome cancer I believe. Man City fans used to wear shirts emblazoned 'Uwe's Grandad bombed Old Trafford' Legend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae9c0RC5gsE

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zden%C4%9Bk_Zeman

Both Nordlie and Rösler is out of jobs and free agents. Rösler is relocating to England, and made public interest in the jobs at both Burnley and Preston. He is maybe shooting higher than League One, but would be good in League One I guess!

Jan Åge is too comfy with his job at TV3 as a football host! He hasn't got his training badges either... but he was Nordlie's boss at Lillestrøm a few years ago!

I'd take him back as a striker!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhPRoouHvvM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhPRoouHvvM)

Uwe Røsler once sent his players at Lillestrøm out on night practice after a bad game. The same thing Wilson should probably be doing tonight!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzXfwgMOaNk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzXfwgMOaNk)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oipf8HZ7cN8&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oipf8HZ7cN8&feature=related)

Trouble is, any new manager would have to hit the ground running. He'd be handed a big cheque from the Austin sale which would need to be spent almost immediately before the transfer deadline.
Would  Fitton trust a new  manager, specially a foreign one, to have the knowledge of what's needed at the club, and what players are available, to make the signings within a couple of weeks?

So, imo, Wilson needs to either go immediately, or he stays - no faffing around waiting for the Rovers result.

I wouldn't trust Wilson to go to the bar for a round of drinks and come back with the right ones, yet alone 250k to dabble in the transfer market

He's not the future, his decision making over the last couple of months; tactics, substitutions and after match comments show a mixture of desperation and down right stubbornness.

He has a generic management style that appears devoid of ideas to get the best out of our players. If his team talks are as inspiring as after match comments no wonder Pericard plays like he's in a coma..!

He either goes right now or we accept survival and get rid at the end of the season.

Avram Grant

From where we're sitting now, I'll take survival.  Trouble is I don't think anyone's offering it for us to accept.   We're goiing to have to fight for it!

Where was the cocking fight today.???

From where I sat we capitulated and let a shit former non-league slope pitched bunch or wankers look cocking good...!!

WE ARE'NT FIGHTING WE ARE BENDING OVER AND LETTING TEAMS SHAFT US UP THE ARSE.

Sorry Danny but it's time to go. You've been great here especially last season and I thank you for that. But you really have run out of ideas and it's gone very stale. Every team has to change manager every so often. This is the time for us.

I still don't want Wilson sacked, but I am starting to wonder whether I am wrong on that.

Don't agree with that. We don't need new players, just a manager that can get them playing to their full potential. Provided we get a decent name in soon there is a better chance of Austin staying till the summer and maybe beyond.

Haven't got a clue who Nordlie is and didn't know Rosler was a manager now, but I can't see either being worse than Wilson. A foreigner could do the trick and bring in some unknown talent on the cheap from abroad.

I like Wilson but his lack of a plan B annoys me. It's very rare that he can turn things around when plan A fails. He's also spent a few quid of players, a luxury not afforded to King or Malpas. Yet his record this season is no better than theirs.

I think we need a spark to get our players going again and I'm not sure Wilson has it in him to turn things around. Therefore, I think we should look at getting in a new manager.

Dave

you were very angry today

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/15012011/63/wilson-quit.html

"I'm not in a position to walk away because a few results haven't gone our way.

"If people think I am then they're going to be disappointed. We'll get the players in on Monday morning and work damn hard and that's all we can do to turn it around.

"Maybe with a bit of luck well get a couple of players which might give us a spark."

he's not really got all the answers has he? i'm not sure what i'd expect to see him saying but some grasp on how many games haven't gone our way would probably have been a good start

I'm not convinced his plan a is all that either, just seems a 4-4-2 with attacking full backs and wingers out wide in midfield and telling them to pass the ball on the ground and attack down the wings. Hardly rocket science.

I reckon he was just lucky it all clicked last season following Austin's arrival. Now it isn't working he hasn't got a clue.

Was he full on red faced angry

That's exactly where I'm at right now Mr Batch. For some one who has expressed 100% faith in Wilson throughout his time at the club, that faith is now being pushed to breaking point.

Not as angry as I was against bournmouth

what were you screaming coming down the stairs just before FT ?

I quite like Angry Dave

To be honest i would keep him....the players have let him down badly...8000 there today which tells me the fans have been incredibly loyal.
Just wish he would be more positive...Ritchie,Dossevi and Austin spent most of the match tracking back.
Till the seasons end at least but i feel if we get trounced v Rovers he will probably quit anyway.

We only get 8,000 because most have paid for season tickets.

Him going next week would be a bad idea, If he's going to go it needs to be now to allow time for the new man to bring some players in.

Exactly, How many of them will renew with the way things are going?

I'm still in the Wilson "in" camp.  This is a particularly bad run in an up-and-down (mainly down to be fair) season but this club needs consistency. Give him to the end of the season and then judge him against Fitton's plans.

I'm not one of the fucktards who blindly believe we're too good to go down but I genuinely believe we have the quality, not the form, to be a decent top-half team.

You're seriously deluded. We're shit.

The no option is doing a lot better than I thought it would. It might be because polls are shit.

Apart from a striker and a centre back or two, what else do we need? If a new manager were to replace him, is two weeks long enough to make a judgement on the current squad, scout potential signings and complete the deal(s)? No, we'd be looking at the loan market and that doesn't close properly for quite some time so why rush things?

I've got no idea. Probably something to do with Timlin

Or someone who believes it's the players that are letting everyone down, not just Danny.

Of course it's the players. But why hasn't Danny sorted it? He's had 24 games FFS and that's just league games. Time is up.

I think I would too, but it is crunch time.  So only on the condition that he has a clear plan to get us out of this mess and start pulling up the table.  As others have said, if he is to go, it has to be now - in order that his successor has a fighting chance to make a mark.  But personally, I don't think the manager that took us to Wembley last season has become a crap manager during the space of less than 12 months.  I know he's made mistakes, but I still think he can turn this around.  Blind faith?  Maybe.


This is a point that needs to be made more often.  We're having a dog of a season, but the fans are still turning up.  I hope the board appreciates this.  Of course, the board played a part in this with the pricing policy initiative...but when they did it, they effectively challenged the fans to show their colours.  And I think the fans have upheld their end of the bargain.  I suppose what I'm trying to say is that the good work has not yet completely unravelled.  But crowds will start to dip again if people feel that the club is losing direction.

I hope the board and fans alike stay the course during a sticky period.  We remain one of the better supported clubs in this division.  Should be doing so much better than this.  Still time to turn this around.  We need signings.  We need a clear message from the manager about how he's going to turn this around.  And we need a strong finish to the season, even if that does only give us a mid table finish.

Next week will be very interesting.  Very important match as they are as shit as us at the moment.  On top if that Fitton is summarising on the radio during the match.

aint we got 5000+ season ticket holders? add the away support to that and it doesn't sound so great.

unless something chages big time, watch it drop next season.

Exactly Arriba.

True.....but for Yeovil at home,playing crap...two weeks after Xmas.....not bad at all.

Exactly Leefer

because they have season tickets.
how many will have paid on the gate?

If Austin goes it's 2 strikers we need.
Also for much of the season, including the last 2 home games I believe it's in midfield where our weakness has been most apparent.  We either need to sign another midfielder or find the combination of the current bunch that clicks.  I think Dougie is our best player but can only recall that he and Prutton have really played well together once.  

Also, why rush things?  We're in a relegation dogfight and maybe sooner rather than later the teams below will pick up the points to overhaul us if we don't react fairly quickly.

How many people won't renew next season because of how bad it has been?

At this rate probably between 1,000-2,000 as a rough guess, I already know of people who aren't/thinking of not renewing.

if we're in League 2 probably a good proportion.
If we manage to stay up it's likely to depend on who is manager by then and who we sign - a scrap ending in a narrow escape with Wilson still at the helm then many less ST holders next year - and expect crowds about 6,000 or less.

Really? That's 20-40%(ish).

I don't have one this year but I think I'd be more likely to if we were in league2

And if we finish the season strongly?

Why?  Did you watch L2 football last time we were down there?  the quality is crap.  I can't imagine it will be cheaper so why would you be likely to want to watch that?  Is it because you think we'd be winning most weeks?

A memory jogger from 5 years ago.  These were the first few home fixtures of 2006.

Sat, Jan 21 2006
STFC 4-2 Bournemouth
Attendance: 6,092

Tues, Jan 31 2006
STFC 1-0 Walsall
Attendance: 4,597

Sat, Feb 4 2006
STFC 2-1 Doncaster
Attendance: 5,100

Crowds have come on a long way.

Sorry my answer did focus on the negative.  If we do turn things around then the optimism will likely result in about as many ST holders as last year (but still not as many as this as I guess a good number were spurred on by the playoffs).

I think one of the main reasons for the increase in crowds has been the good pricing policy for STs.
Attendance figs always include ST holders regardless of whether they attend.
You only need to go to about 13 games to make it worthwhile buying a ST.  Before that it was about 18 or 19, like it is at most clubs.

Out STs are great value since Fitton arrived.  I noticed that a Crawley ST is more expensive than mine in the DRS.

Woo! 50-50 split.  Like Ben, wasn't expecting it to be so close.

I think DW still (rightly) has 'fan capital' remaining from last season.  It could run out soon, though.

I say get him gone and could we call on Budgie at least for 6 months with bodin his assistant?

If not ill take any up and coming manager not anybody off the managerial roundabout, such as wilson who go from club to club doing the same thing. Eg. Parkinson, Laws etc we don't it

That was the main reason for me getting a season ticket again after many years without one. But no matter how good the prices are there is only so much shit football you can put up with. No matter what happens over the next few months, if Wilson is in charge next season there is fuck all chance of me getting another season ticket.

It's all pretty frustrating though. Attendances are moving in the right direction this season and another good season would have pushed them even higher, which means more money which means better players and a better ground and so on. Instead we're looking at them going down next season and a massive step backwards.

Getting rid of Wilson now would avoid that, even if we end up mid table.

Thought you had lost faith the other night?

Really?  So if 1,000 people that had season tickets all missed the same game and the attendance was given as 7,800, it would in truth only be 6,800?

Back to the purpose of this thread, Wilson needs to go.  His record this season and from the back end of last is quite honestly appalling.    Last season was brilliant, but fundamently we got nowhere and we are now in a worse league position than when he took over.  

The other main issue is that it's clear to us all that there's disharmony within the team for whatever reason.  As the manager of that team it's part of his role to sort it out and clearly he's not able to.  

Nope. I said I was utterly fucked off with how this season is going. I han't lost faith in Wilson but I am seriously wavering at the moment.

cant be arsed to look up the stats, but if someone can could they please count how many games we have won since tranmere last season, which is in the region of around 30 games :hmmm:

In his interview tonight he said that one big win could change everything in terms of our confidence. If going to the Valley and putting 4 past a team challenging for promotion wasn't a big win then there's no chance of us getting one!

Yep, but he still trotts out the cliche  :bye:

This is what worries me. I've kept faith till now but I see no sign he knows what he has to do to turn it round. I mean look at the above - "We'll get the players in on Monday morning and work damn hard and that's all we can do to turn it around" - what, you mean up until now you've just been pissing about playing tiddlywinks? Or (I assume) you've been doing that and it hasn't fucking worked has it?

Then there's the not exactly confidence inspiring


See, there's so many qualifiers in there, I've had to use two different forms of emphasis to distinguish them. "Maybe" you won't, or they "might" not or you might not get that bit of luck. What then? It's not exactly a fucking plan is it?

I like Wilson and I really want to see him turn it round but like Batch and OST I'm losing faith he knows what's wrong, much less how he can put it right. Love to see him prove me wrong. Because that was fucking abject today

He should go now

Gotta go. I've given up on the post match Wilson comments - they're not as bad as that nutjob King but they offer no insight into why games were lost. There is nothing tactical in what he says - its all repetitive gibberish.

We're in a proper relegation scrap now and from all the things he does and his comments tonight, I have no faith he can keep us up and i'm not sure even he does - time to get rid for me unfortunately.

Before he see's you cry?

Who's to say a new manager will improve things?

Would they make it any worse. Today was total dross

jonny does
Apparently even people he hasn't heard of would be better. On which basis I nominate Zosimos of Panopolis, the Egyptian alchemist. Proven track record of turning unexciting looking things into pure gold
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zosimos_of_Panopolis

I reckon glos_robin must've hung himself. Hopefully Lumps'll do the same too.

Who knows?  I think there's a fair few Liverpool fans who thought that when Rafa was sacked.

I want him to tell me just what he intends to do now.

I'm happy to take the gamble. I've heard nothing tangible from Wilson as to how he's going to turn it around. Both he and the players are deluded that they were still talking about the play offs. I'm not sure they've woken up and smelt the coffee yet.

Was that Dave shouting at the town end for singing "your not fit to wear the shirt"? that was brilliant. "call yourselves fucking supporters, you cunts" said the guy leaving the match early :)

I do not believe that was me, no.

And I've done what to piss you off exactly? Had a different opinion about the future management of the club?

Yeah, clearly wishing me dead would be the only appropriate response.

Yeah!

he did alright with swansea in the championship, not at QPR though, but dont his teams have difficulty scoring goals? I think we can do better tbh

Gary Johnson (My personal choice to take over)
Paul Trollope
Gary Waddock
Paul Peschisilido
Phil Parkinson
George Burley
Paul Bodin
Paolo Sousa
Paul Buckle

Paul Peschisolido
Paolo Sousa
Ray Wilkins
Maurice Malpas
Paul Bodin
Tom Nordlie
Steinar Nilsen

Youve left Brian laws, Gareth southgate and Roy keane off those lists. All 3 would be credible better than wilson candidates.

Ray wilkins (if we could get him with wise aswell that would be a killer team), Gary johnson or Brian laws gets my vote. Fans seem to dismiss brian laws but he got scunthorpe out of this league recently on a budget smaller than ours, and has recent premiership and championship experience, burnely were only 2 points off the play offs when he was sacked which seemed a bit premature for me.
uwe rosler might be an unusual but good choice aswell. the rest of the names on that other than parky dont inspire me at all, definately not trollope.
Robbie savage as player manager been mentioned elsewhere too. Not sure about that one but he'd be high profile.

Best Euro Champions' final ever: Dortmund (incl. Sousa) humiliating Juventus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2VcWtvwu-0&feature=related

how can Wilson still have 48% of the vote not to be sacked  :badmood: i find that unbelievable!

I cant be bothered to go into the whys and wherefores, (perhaps I'll fire off a constructive email to the club) other than to say most other teams supposedly going for promotion (and with us having spent a bigger budget than most in this league) WOULD have sacked their manager by now, + hes failed in all the cups. He has to go without question. He cant take us any further let alone up and we're facing a relegation scrap under his tenure. Its not worth the risk waiting until close season to not renew his contract.It also doesnt sound like our starman Austin wants to play for us anymore and several others aswell. Hes lost the dressing room.
 notts co, crawley, oldham, yeovil , after each of these games I was feeling the end was near for wilson.

Beckham as Player/Manager. He'll only play for clubs that wear Adidas kit (hence not signing for Spurs) so we'd fit the bill on that score.

Rather more seriously, yesterday's performance was as bad as anything under Malpas. It appears Wilson has lost the dressing room, they certainly didn't seem to want to play for him yesterday.

It's the midfield that is that big problem for me. Last year we had Ferry and Douglas who were, in my opinion, one of the most effective pairings in the league. Ferry is now not getting a regular game, with Prutton seemingly able to command a place in the team without playing well.  The decision to keep Prutton on and take Ritchie off yesterday was baffling, as was the decision to bring on Timlin rather than any of the attacking options available. Even O'Brien would have made more sense.

Wilson did a cracking job last season, but he's had his chance. Everything he did last season will be wiped out if we go down, which looks likely on our current form.

Agree with this.  We've been overrun in midfield most of the season - particularly evident in Bournemouth game and again yesterday.  I still think Douglas is generally playing well but Prutton has really disappointed me.  At times you hardly realise he's on the pitch and I can only recall once all season when I think he and Douglas combined well with each other.  Yet he seems immune to any tinkering from Wilson for some reason.  Until we get this area sorted out I can't see that we'll recover our position.

I left when I heard that. Wasnt me though.

I still dont think all is lost with Wilson. I dont think he is the main problem.

Was the squad ever good enough this season? Yes Im shocked at how bad things have got this season. But sometimes this happens, you aim for the top and when it doesnt happen then things start going seriously tits up.

2 years ago we were in the same position and Danny Wilson put together a great side for the next season.

My reasons for wanting Wilson sacked are:-

1.Since Leeds away last year we have been shit barring the Play-Off Semi's against Charlton.

2.Questionable tactics and formations.

3.Has his favourites and keeps dropping people like Ferry.

4.Dithers in every transfer window and doesn't get the right people in, Failed to replace Greer & Paynter, Instead hoped people like Pericard would do the job when we all could see that it wasn't going to work.

5.His subsitutions are awful, Prime example again yesterday.

6.Losing/Lost the dressing room, I don't think the players want to play for him anymore.

7.The fans have turned on him and a lot of people now want him out.

8.We risk going down by keeping him in charge/Attendances will drop a bit.

9.Doesn't have a Plan B, Even his Plan A isn't working.

10.Has had more than enough time to sort things out and has failed to do so.

11.Still living off last season.

12.Failed his objectives of going on runs in the cups and the board's target of the play-offs obviously won't be met.

I think that covers most of it.

My reasons for wanting him to stay.

1. Playoff final last year...and watched some great football.

2.The players he has given the opportunity to have failed him miserably.

3.The wins against Saints,Hudds,Charlton,Wednesday,Rovers show me the players should burden a lot of the blame.

4.Two wins on the TV in the same season :D

5.I always side with an underdog...wich he certainly is at present.

My reasons for wanting Wilson to stay

- Proven experienced manager at this level
- Showed that he could take players previously not performed and got them playing (JPM. Paynter, etc.)
- Playoff final was no fluke. Done it before and will do it again.
- Has attracted good players to the club.
- Has transfer window to find key players, a new man would have naff all time.
- No-one better around. If sacked would probably be replaced Paul Trollope.

I am as pissed off as the next man. I don't think change is the answer. If he has genuinely lost the dressing room then that is different. To me we look a team short on confidence and absent 2 or 3 key players.

Yawn.

I added one ;D

9 times.  Brentford in the last home league game of last season and Charltoon in the play-off semi first leg.  The other 7 times have been this season.  Says it all really.

Of course he is under pressure.
Lets see what Fitton gives him to spend for replacements.....for me he should stay untill the seasons end.

Agree with this. Clearly something is wrong which is causing the inconsistency, don't think sacking Wilson will solve it.

I've just been sent a txt saying that a rumour that is flying around the messenger pub is that wilson has been sacked.

Truth or not I don't know.

What if he brings in a couple of players in the transfer window, but we still see no improvement Leefer?  Would you still consider he should be given until the end of the season?

Hate to say it, but i'm losing patience with him now.

I do....just because i feel any new manager would want his style and players in the team....that will take time(look at all the teams who have sacked managers)...my feeling is we will get enough wins under Wilson to stay up,.................change the manager in the close season to give him time to bomb out who he dosn't want..and who he does.
The club needs stability now.......but i do feel a trouncing at Rovers would be the end.

We will win at Rovers ;)

I can't see anything happening this week, sounds like Fitton has plenty on his plate with the Court thing. The Rovers game is absolutely massive now.

Both Rovers games are massive (Brizzle and Tranny)  lose both of them and its goodnight Vienna for Wilson.

I'd like to see him given more time to turn it around.
It's been a poor season, obviously, but I still think about the quality of football we played last season and getting to the playoff final. It's very easy to support the team and manager when everything's rosy, but when times are hard we need to get behind the team and the manager and have faith they can turn it around. The rest of this month is huge with some vital games coming up and playings coming in/going out.
I'd be disappointed to see him go at the moment to be honest, I still like Wilson and think he deserves the opportunity to turn it around.

Mischief-makers.

In the Messenger.....................no :D

Re: Should Wilson be sacked


No.

I've got to admit that I voted no on this even though I probably edge towards the yes end of the Wilson out spectrum.

I just really hate polls on stuff like this. Posts where people go into their reasons on being either side of the debate are worth a lot more than someone who'd put no justification into their thoughts, worth a hundred times more than any old thumb clumped maggot smashing their mouse at the screen.

I didn't post any justification. The justification is that despite playing shit we're reading the same play-offs just a couple of wins away shit in the paper from Wilson and certain players. That indicates to me that none of them have a clue at the predicament we're in.

Ask me now and I'll say that I do not believe Danny Wilson should be sacked.

It is semi-interesting how close this poll is and arguably a good indication as to why Wilson isn't going anywhere just yet.

It's been discussed well enough in other threads. A poll just seems pointless to me.

Good point (& first post.)

This is a subject that obviously divides the fans, lets face it we don`t need too much to divide us.  I may get called a cunt for this, but has anyone thought that it may not be just down to DW.  We all know AF has his badges and from what I am told was quite active when Hungerford chairman.  I am as grateful as the next man that he stepped in when he did and am sure that he has the best for STFC at heart, but maybe, just maybe, he is behind some of the problems.  Nobody can honestly say what is going on behind the scenes.  It could be that the time is right for us to appoint a Director of Football, someone with experience of the football league who could act as an intermediary between AF and DW.  Just a thought, and i apologise if it seems daft to some but it could work

cired45, are you wondering if Fitton is selling players for (in his opinion) footballing reasons rather than financial ones. Or whether hes picking the team or something?

Not having a go, just not clear to me what you are getting at.

If so, my opinion is I don't think he'd do that. IF there is a problem it would be between Wilson and the squad.

I do wonder if Fitton's development policy is one of the reasons we're playing Caddis ahead of Amankwah.

Wilson has obviously identified Caddis as a player he wanted and Fitton has splashed the cash.

Fitton seems willing to spend money on players that we can then sell on at a later date for a profit. It's part of his business model for the club.

Fitton has said repeatedly in interviews that players don't develop sitting on the bench or playing reserve team football, its competetive football thats required.

Therefore Wilson needs to play Caddis to develop him so we can sell him later.

That sounded quite sensible when it came into my head whilst out running, but looks like horse manure written down. I can't be arsed to delete it having typed it up though.

We're playing Caddis instead of Amankwaah because the latter has been woeful this season.

I agree he wasn't great at the start of the season, but he was carrying an injury for a significant period of time. I don't think Caddis has been up to much personally and would like to see a fully fit Amankwah given a run in the team now. it's not like we'd be breaking up a consistent defensive unit.

It is exactly right, and something I posted yesterday...(well think I did...heavy night) hence Greer goes, against Wilson's wishes, because Morrison is seen as a potential replacement...lo and behold we get 250K for Morrison.

Any new manager is going to have to work within this framework....

or maybe fitton needs to change his stance?

If that were true then surely we'd be playing Ferry ahead of Prutton, Douglas and Timlin.

And if this policy exists how does it fit with Prutton, Pericard, Dossevi and Rose?

All have been around the block and I can't think Fritton thinks Wilson will polish them in to cash cows.
 :hmmm:

I think it's the general position....obviously it doesn't mean 1-11 are going to be kids, but lets imagine that Wilson wanted to go and buy Nelson with the money we got for Greer, I'd think he'd get vetoed by the Board, whereas they are prepare to sanction Caddis/Ferry and Ritchie, as they might increase in value.

Fitton has always been open about his youth policy when it comes to spending money. There's no big conspiracy or anything.

Even with the sale of Greer, I don't think Wilson's been too hard done by. I'm sure their are plenty of managers who'd love to have the budget structure we have at this club.

Yeah, thats where it falls down. The Prutton situation I can only put down to Wilson's stubborness in persisting with him as a result of him being 'The' signing of the summer.

With Pericard, Dossevi and Rose, Wilson hasn't persuaded Fitton to part with cash with for up and coming players in the same position.

Wilson's spent over £700,000 grand in the last year or so, Most managers in this league don't get that kind of budget apart from Southampton, Huddersfield, Brighton, Wednesday.

You're turning into Wilson's bunny boiler.

Sheehan?

Free transfer.

I don't think it's an approach that is different from any other club outside the premiership.
Develop players yourself and sell them on and bring players in young, develop them and then sell them on.

It's always been like that, always will.

We have a chairman honest enough to tell it how it is that is all.

And I think it's the right approach for any club that wishes to be sustainable, I don't have a problem with it (Other than wishing to see Amankwah given a run at right back.).

I'd actually prefer to see Caddis given a run on the right hand side of midfield with Manks behind him. JP was superb last year but really hasn't been up to scrach this season.

Totally agree.

Although I think Caddis has been doing ok (yes a bit light weight) and in the side because Kev has been out of sorts this season.

What the fuck are you doing running - dopy cunt you'll kill yourself. Also your views are henceforth bollox. Running, next you'll be knitting. Get a bottle of white down you and a couple of pies to correct the damage you've done.

Fuck me, why did I never think of knitting as a form of exercise before!?

And I could knock myself up a nice pair of gloves at the same time.

Other than that, are you ok if I swap the White for Red and the Pies for a Kebab?

No Wilson shouldn't be sacked.

Yesterday, he took off Ritchie to bolster the midfield. Ritchie was ineffective.

Wilson can only do so much. The team are showing no commitment or passion.

Yes but the problem was he replaced Ritchie with Timlin who is not creative. Did you forget we were a goal down Sippo?

Red for white is quite acceptable. The pies are non negotiable - call yourself a football fan. I didn't get my fine figure from this running mallarkey.

...and the next question is why are the team showing no commitment and passion?

So that represents that over two million left unspent from Cox,Greer and Morrison....i thaught we were one of the best off clubs in the country these days.....£700,000 isnt alot on 4/5 players is it.
Not forgeting the wages we freed up on these players....Fitton has been frugal and rightly so,but dont pretend that Wilson has spent lots of dosh....because he hasn't.

A key part of the Manager's role I would have thought, is to get them committed and to show passion.

He's had a load more money than any manager since the Scouse fuck.

700k is a lot to buy a decent set of players at this level as well.

Considering most teams in our league probably have an average player valuation of £50-70K, i'd say that £700k is a lot of money for 4-5 players.

Disagree on the commited part. I think with the bigger wages of players now comes bigger responsibility. They are all grown men and they should go out and make sure they are putting in a proper commited performance.

Passion, yes I think the manager has a big part to play getting that little bit extra.

50/70.....all our players are worth more than that....an average player in this league will cost you....well probably what we paid for Ritchie....and yes he was fucking average yesterday for sure.
For the players we got for that £700,000 we paid about the going rate...Fitton himself has said he wont pay over for players,so why do you think he has spent over.
You can blame Wilson for lots of things if you wish...but overspending isn't one of them in my view Santas.

I agree they should but that doesn't mean they do sadly.

Dont let them get a good manager the sack then.

I'd suggest our net transfer spending is massively in our favour, which hasn't happened since the days of Hoddle and before.

That logic suggests we've sold better players than purchased, at least based on their actual ability at the time of sale/purchase.
Looking at Wilson's purchases with cash upfront, most will probably be sold at a profit unless they run their contracts down - Cuthbert, Caddis, Ferry, Austin & Ritchie.  The problem is the free transfers don't seem to be working out - the financial gamble pays off, but the performance of the team declines.  Prutton - unlikely to command a fee based on the seaso so far, Rose, Pericard, Dossevi and Lucas will all be the same - with nobody wanting to pay for them we'd just lose them at the end of their contracts or release them (based on this season).  Douglas is the only one worth money.

So, I think Wilson has purchased well but been much more patchy in picking up the freebies.

When malpas went fitton said lots of good coaches about but he wanted one that was a motivator.  I dont see any motivation from Danny really.  Personally i think division one is crap.  I wasnt impressed with huddersfiled when we beat them or southampton.  On the day they were nothing special.  Fitton talks about progress.  Well we are falling like a stone at present.  I find it funny that Danny says he can get us out of this shit as we were in the same shit when he came.  A but wasnt  the previous manager sacked because we were in this trouble.  This time danny you put us there.

Last season the team picked itself.  This season he brought in players for positions we all ready had filled.  And left other positions waiting.  His transfer dealings are at best 50/50 in good and bad ones.  Perricard and Dossevi arent up to it.  Prutton has been a massive disapointment.  A guy with experiance who should be looking to drive the team forward who vanishes in many games.  If it wasnt for him playing with his hair you wouldnt know he was out there.

Fans said at wembley we got beat up on the pitch.  Even danny says it after games now.  So why didnt he do something about it.  We are back to having snow white and the 10 dwarfs again.

Am a season ticket holder,  i dont boo.  I will continue to go to games.  I just dont like watching the town play with a lack of desire to want to win.  I like to see teams with balance and commitment.  Im not seeing it, and for me i dont care what happend last year.  What happened last year wont keep us up this year.  Hope wilson goes asap for me.

I don't think anyone can really make a comment on whether he can motivate players or not.  How would we know?  I don't even think motivation is a problem, it seems much more like technical problems to me.  Poor defending, based on poor choices or lack of concentration.  Poor runs being made or poor balls played.  These aren't motivation issues, they are the symptoms of a young team lacking in leaders on the pitch or the confidence to do what they do on the good days in every situation.  They also suggest a team that has been chopped and changed regularly, so people are less confident in each other.
Wilson must take some of the blame for that - he needs to insist on buying a couple of people in with experience and who play consistently at a level, even if that means players with less potential.  Players like Prutton and McGovern should also be providing more.  Both have ability but are not acting as role models to the younger players.

No, Wilson should not be sacked.

We will just avoid relegation this year.

Apologies if anyone has already mentioned this, but this season seems uncannily similar to the one 10 years ago. I wouldn't be surprised if we go into the final couple of matches with other teams likely to relegate us, but we have the odd miracle (like Invincible's goal v Peterborough) and we stay up by the skin of our teeth.

I think the time is now right for Wilson to step down , he has not really done anything he should be able to motivate the players by dropping them if there attitude aint right.

We have no decent forwards apart from Austin who is just waiting to move on, Dossevi runs but thats about it and well need i say anything about pericard !!!!!! how he ever became a pro only knows.

We are now selling our best defender this season, we have no creative midfielders prutton and douglas do the same job and just leave a massive hole where we should be attacking.

Give the bloke from Torquay the job i say we need to take a gamble on someone who is doing a good job lower down.

Otherwise we will just appoint someone else who has been sacked from elsewhere for doing a s**t job.

I did boo at the end on Saturday but didnt call for Wilsons head......BUT....he is under the cosh now for sure.....many more like Saturday and he will be gone.

My tuppence worth is it would be wrong to sack Wilson at this stage in the season.

I was aghast when Wilson’s name was linked to the job and when he was appointed I thought the club had dropped a bollock the size of Buster Gonad’s equipment.   On reflection he’s converted me, not quite on the merits of the Human Centipede as an erotic moving piece (he’s working on it) but as a manager he’s astute and I know I’ll be crucified for this but he actually appears to be a class above this league.  When I say that the style of football he plays is more suited to the Championship and with a narrowing gap between the two divisions I do think had we played the same way as we have done this season (in certain games not where we were just plain old shit) in the Championship we would have got a result.  What we are missing is all to clear, a couple of experienced battering rams at the front and back that can play dirty and lead the younger elements in the squad. 

Anyway, inexperienced young squad, too much tinkering, low confidence and an inability to play dirty are why we are staring down the barrels of a relegation fight.   We are two players off a different side and regardless of who the manager is to quote Steve Coppell, old scrotum face himself Ferguson would struggle to get the current squad in the playoffs. 

As far as I can tell, our style of play at the moment is to play shit and roll over and die at the first sign of a contest. I'm not quite sure how this converts to being a Championship side in the making, but each to their own.

I havent voted....there should be a 'fuck knows whats best' section.

I would sack him.

Cunt

You'd back and crack him as well...

Then make him feel used.

And abused....

He probably already feels abused.

How about used?

Well he's looking a bit second hand, so I guess the answer to that is Yes

Dont believe in sacking managers mid season - If at the end of the season we have majorly underachieved then we could look at another manager - but bear in mind stability normally brings positive results - a good season is often followed by a bad one before equilibrium occurs.

oh yes he has, its over 800k since two summers ago, Id say this season only southampton, huddersfield and brighton have spent more in transfer fees. Compare that to the kingy era.
Also average Teams who've spent next to no money are doing significantly better than us Eg carlisle, bournemouth, oldham, charlton, brentford, colchester. Its the manager thats the reason for this in my opinion.
 And although we've got a wage structure here we can compete with most in league 1 Im sure of it.

 If Wilson stays then its going to be very interesting to see who he brings in particularly up front for us, such is his record for signing strikers (tope, hutchinson, revell, pericard, dossevi, ball). Austin was already being lined up (and bournemouth would have signed him) so he cant really take the credit for that one. Dont hold your breath anyone I hear Sam parkins been mentioned..   



PS;barnard can you change your avatar please as I keep thinking I have to swat my screen doh  :crash:

Fitton isnt gonna sack him, he's a business man, so he'll just not renew his contract.... thats more of a smooth business-like transaction....

Mark McGhee will be installed as manager and he'll make Jerel Ifil his first signing, cos he loved him so much at Aberdeen...

Straight up, bound to happen.

If the Board start to believe we'll go down they'll have to take drastic action. The Rovers game is going to be pivotal I feel.

Good points...but my point was.......4 million in(with Austin)....a quarter of that out basicly...not a slur on Fitton or the club,bills have to be paid and all that.
I would like to see us spend some decent money....to get some decent players,thats all. ;D

If we lose against the Gasheads and Tranmere he's a goner IMO
Time for the players to put their differences aside (if there are any) and earn their fucking wages

Simon Ferry should be in the first XI for starters.

He might get one last chance against Rovers.

Has there ever been a question that has split the fan base in such a way? Yes - 63 (50%) No - 63 (50%)

Mhhhhh.....yes and no.

In all seriousness i think lose saturday and he will be gone.

It's fixed!

Yep, I think so to. A replacement would need to be appointed quickly, anyone been spotted in the Town End recently a la Holloway?

Rockin Robin.

That shitty rumours website says Paul Rideout is being lined up to replace him. soapy tit wank.

Would rather Dave Hockaday

Apparently the graphic novel nerds have been voting on it in an attempt to cause confusion :)

I think you're right.  Unless we suddenly go on a decent unbeaten run, I think any draw or even a win is probably just delaying the inevitable.

The concern would be if it happens after the transfer window closes, any players brought in are Wilson's choice and might not fit into a new managers plans.  A bit like what happened to Cox at WBA.

Think that if you dont get sacked after losing at home to Crawley and Yeovil.....you wont get sacked losing away to Rovers.
He will be here all season i think.

We'll pick up around feb/march time to get us safe, wilson won't have his contract renewed and we'll bumble along all summer trying to find a replacement.

Taaaa-daaaaaaa

Id like to think the board would have already thought of the possibility that wilson keeps us up but then doesnt have his contract renewed. Obviously the good choice of available replacements might not be as good at seasons end, unless they have spoken to people prior to this and have someone waiting to takeover. (Eg Gareth southgate might fit into that category)

Gareth Southgate wont come here!

Johnson, Trollope etc etc

No to sacking Wilson although my patience is wavering.... I would like Chris Hughton here. Fitton is a Newcastle fan, knows how to work with little to no money, Be a great appointment, Would he come here?? Who knows but Fitton tried to get Kinnear, Money etc here before so wouldnt surprise me if he tried to get Hughton.

If only Gazza!!!

I'm sure it was an accident that you missed Ward in that list

Revell was alright and....better than Vince and Dossevi...

Come off it Leefer - he hasn't got the Austin or Morrison money yet has he?. A fair bit of the difference will have gone on wages to people like Douglas, Lucas,Sheehan Prutton etc. Lets give 'em a chance to smell the cash before spending it shall we ?

Are you sure? I'm fairly certain that spending money we don't have hasn't been bad for this club in the past. In fact, it's a fairly common principle in the financial markets and i've never heard any downsides to that model.

Come off it Leefer. This board are trying to run us properly. Yes we'd love it if they splashed out but what do we do once it's all gone tits up?

Regarding strikers.. Pretty sure Revell has hit double figures for Orient this season.

No, no, no. Footballers play for the simple love of the game, not money so wages need never be taken into account when working out where transfer fees may have gone. You can simply deduct the amount you assume has been spent on subsequent transfers from the amount you believe you know was got from the transfer in question, then any money left unaccounted for has clearly been either wasted or trousered by an unscrupulous/tight-fisted board who've barely put a penny into the club, apart from the millions they have

Ah, That makes it clearer.

There should be a new poll now.

What that you're boring the fucking tits off of everyone? We know what you think you don't have to repost every 5 minutes on the same subject. And yes I am pissed off.

Another timely reminder that you should wrap your head in tinfoil.

Sorted:
http://thetownend.com/index.php/topic,42439.msg915449/topicseen.html#new

kaiser soze for manager

Wilson has had time to turn the season around. our situation on the pitch is pretty dire, and it seems to be a downward spiral this season which i think will only lead to relegation unless we get a new manager to freshen things up. wouldn't mind gary johnson.

If i am honest I think he is a great manager but lately some of the decisions he has been making are shocking, for example subbing Ritchie when he was the best player on the field, maybe it is time for a fresh start.

Have you got some strange definition of great that I don't understand?
I wouldn't call Hoddle a great manager and he took our little club to the top flight, managed in the top league for years, and managed his national side.

Pedant

Great pedant.

Great Bustard.

Great Scott!

Hahahahaahaahahahaha


Yep, that'll drag us out of the mire :D

I can imagine the scene in Danny Wilson's office Monday morning,

"Welcome to the club Aden and Jordan. We're not going to be putting any pressure on you at this moment in time, but we would like you to go straight into the starting line up tomorrow and save our season. Are you ok with that lads?......lads?"

There are some stupid fucking tossers around.

Surely he wouldnt resort to saying the word tossers :D

Ooh have we got two new players named after bits of the British Empire?  Could be what AF and Wilson are planning....a complete team. All the Indias I've met though have been birds, which might cause a problem.

Refusing to use agents is one thing but only signing players who are named after countries in the British Empire could be somewhat restrictive. I think there could be a flaw in their plan :hmmm:

I have an old map somewhere....I'd better check it out for clues as to our next signing.

I hope there's a player out there called Barnabas Pitcairn.

I've heard Tristan da Cunha is a useful prospect....

I've heard the same but his club Saint Helena are reluctant to let him go.

I reckon Terry Belize could do a job for us at the back

Sacked if we dont win the next two....

draws are no fucking good either....

Sounds terrible to me. Stephen Ireland's not doing much at the moment

Archie Pelago?

Maybe Taribo West (Indies) could be the answer to our defensive woes?

Maybe if he did, we might win occasionally...  ;)

I'm also pretty sure that hindsight has created many geniuses, as I recall very, very few comments who thought Revell was anything other than shit. Myself included.

Daily Mirror saying Ossie Ardiles has thrown his hat into the ring should Wilson go

At which the hat promptly got thrown back out again.

He has failed, often miserably, at every club he has ever been at since leaving us.

He did a good job at WBA getting them promoted in 93 but yeah apart from that i agree with you. I loved the football he got us playing in 89-90 and always thank him for that, never works second time though.

Oh the relief Nigel (why are you lot wearing Orange?) Bennett says its all allright, and there was me thinking that shipping 2 or 3 goals every game and watching my football team degenarate into a bunch of headless chickens was quite a serious matter.  But no the official (but nobody agrees with me) spokesman says its all ok!  Is it any wonder...oh why do we bother...

In fairness, I don't think he said it was all OK, just that everyone should get behind the team. Which may be something of a platitude, but I don't think is especially contentious

Well if Nigel 'there are no tanks in iraq' Bennett says everything is ok then it must be fine, is that the best the adver could muster up ?

But he didn't though. If you want to have a go at the guy, that's your prerogative but at least have a go at him for what he actually said

I think I've got caught up on  all the morning's threads but this seems like as good a place to check.

Am I right in thinking that Wilson hasn't been sacked and we've not signed anybody?

That's a fair assumption...

Well that was a waste of an hour reading all that shit.

My thoughts exactly - My missus thinks I have OC 'TEF' D - should could be right...

I just edited the poll to allow people to change their votes. We can then use the poll more acurately as the season continues to progress - or not as they case may be. Once we get the 3 left backs in I've no doubt we'll move more towards about 90% no.

You might want to start a new one because I got annoyed by the pointlessness of it and swapped round yes and no a few days ago.

I think my actions were fully justified as nobody fucking noticed.

Ha, ha, superb!

My vote of no confidence has made the voting equal...ah ha...been a supporter of DW`s but the clock has been ticking...one point in 3 games against teams at the bottom plus the sad fact that Alan O`Bastard must have be approved by DW and total lack of sorting out defence means its the absolutely right time for him to go...past his sell by date...so disappointing argh...

 
I worry when the number of votes cast is outweighed by the sum of the two options....time to call in the Electoral Commission.

The whole thing is completely meaningless.

2 people voted twice it would appear.....

There's been a lot more no votes than yes. No was ahead when I switched it to yes, and now no has caught up again.

This smacks of a Mugabi episode.

:o

Changed mine to no as its too late to sack him now.

Just have to hope they turn it around

Just changed my vote on this to yes. He did really well for us last year and I'll always be grateful but I don't think he's the man to turn it around this season.

You just want to pass on the pain. ;)

All 3 of us could meet up at the job centre Ben.

Having been firmly in the no camp, i'm starting to waver.  Think Wilson can turn this around but not sure how long we can wait for that to happen, I'd probably give him until Exeter away - 6 games.

Look at the players Danny Wilson has had to sell this year and the transfer fee's received.

Weve got 7 days for THE BOARD, yes THE BOARD to loosen the purse strings to enable Danny Wilson to sign a striker. You think Danny Wilson doesnt want to sign the best striker he can? His job probably depends on it. If we don't sign a striker then we will be relegated no matter what manager is in charge.

Danny Wilson has never criticised the board despite now having to sell a lot of first team players. He has shielded them from criticism. But if a new manager comes in then the fans will expect funds to be made available to overhaul the entire squad. So I suggest the board should be looking very seriously about signing a striker.

Thing is that we've been waiting for him to turn it around since the opening day of the season. If he is capable of doing it then why hasn't he?

Don't see why loosening the purse strings is the answer. Wilson signed Pericard and Dossevi, 3rd time lucky maybe? He didn't do an better with the left backs either, signed two and is now playing someone out of position instead. Nor with the midfielders with Prutton and Ferry relegated to the bench.

I still don't think new players is the answer. The squad we've got is more than capable of the playoffs. Wilson isn't.

Was 8 months back :hmmm:

There is more evidence to make a case of the opposite.

Even if no one meets the boards valuation of Charlie, which at the moment is entirely possible and he has to stay,  we still need a striker and cb

You still going to be saying that when we get relegated?


Ferry, McGovern, Cuthbert, Amankwaah, Lucas and Douglas have all been poor this season compared to last whilst other players are capable of more than we've seen from them this season. When so man players play so badly it's not just a drop in form, something else is going wrong and for me that is Wilson.

I think the line up yesterday was a fair reflection of Wilson's recent signings - apart from Dossevi none of them in the starting XI.

Couldnt disagree more Johnny. The team means a complete first 11.

Of our current players this season I would say that Austin, Douglas, McGovern and Cuthbert have been players at a top end of league 1 standard. You need 8 or 9 players at that standard, then you can carry 2 or 3 average players.

You cant carry 7 average League 1 players and expect to be right up there?

Like I said I think you couldnt be more wrong. Par for this team is about 16th, and we could still do that comfortably.

Hang on. You just said Wilson should be given funds to strengthen the team, yet now you're saying that his last seven signings (Ritchie, Frampton, Prutton, Ferry, Caddis, Dossevi, Pericard) aren't good enough?

And before you say Wilson needs money to buy decent players, the four you listed as being good enough cost under £200k combined and Ritchie, Ferry and Caddis cost £500k combined. Wilson has spent more than most managers at this level and we've nothing to show for it.

Yep.....but will add a few months ;)

Some of the football last season was brilliant.............been poor this season but i would like to see him stay.....sacking is the easy way out...........fact is he will be hear at the season's end..........get used to it.

So, Wilson takes a team that finished 5th - loses a few players and signs some players, then he takes that team and new set of players to 20th (or if we are being generous we'll go with your idea they are 16th place player) and the idea after he's taken us back 11 places with poor signings is to give him more money to sign more (poor?) players.

Going from 5th to 20th in 8 months is piss poor.

I'm with Johnny in so much that I think the team we have are alot better than the position suggests. No where near play off quality but better than 16th. The problem is just as much tactics, subtitutions, poor selections and motivation as it is players - all things that Wilson should be sorting out he hasnt.

If he was capable of sorting this mess out he would have done it by now, he cant.

I said he needs funds for a striker in order for us to stay up.

Of those signings I would say that Prutton and Pericard have been big mistakes that Danny Wilson must carry the can for. They are both only heading in 1 direction.

All the others are good enough to keep up in League 1. Ritchie, Ferry and Caddis have more to give and should be better next season. Although I do worry about Caddis, he still seems to be in reserve team mode. But weve spent money on promising younger players who will improve.

But its all about the team. If we let go of Austin we are pittifully short up front. You could have 9 great midfielders, defenders and a goalkeeper, but if youve got no strikers then you'll still be in trouble. This season the quality in our first 11 has been very patchy.

It always was a patchy squad. Some quality, some crap. You need a bit more consistancy across the first 11, and Ive said so all season.

16th or 7th doesnt really matter this season. Staying up is all that matters now. Then in the summer we'll just have to have faith that Danny Wilson can assemble a squad as he did in the summer of 2009.

You're right that 7th or 16th dont matter now, both positions are complete and utter failure and a huge backwards step.

Danny Wilson didnt take a 5th place team and turn them into a 20th placed team. He took on a 20th placed team, turned them into a 5th placed team and then took the team back down to 20th!

Has he gone yet?

People are forgetting that last season we OVER-ACHIEVED so banging on how far we've fallen is a moot point. 

So we're demanding to be play offs every year now? Its been a season of transition. Weve assembled a big transfer kitty. Utter failure 16th? You sound like a Liverpool fan.

Have we got a manager of keeping us up? Yes. Have we got a manager capable of rebuilding a team good enough to challenge next season? Yes.

If we do get relegated then that is an utter failure, and yes if that happens Danny Wilson should resign. But he deserves that chance to see this season through, and lets face it, he's going to get it.

which, by the way, was our best season for about 15 years. How many managers have we been through in that time?

And no DV, Sturrock didnt give us a better season.

I was jesting.

People have tasted a bit of success, it tasted good.

Indeed Spence.  Last season was the best overall season since 1995/96, beating 06/07 on the basis of the league it was in and the style of the team at times.

While I agree it's crap viewing at times right now, this season is much like any other season from 1996/97 until now bar probably 3, maybe 4.  Sure we've had one or two slightly over mid table finishes but I remember feeling much worse and finding them much less worth attending at times.  This is us, the average us.

We got spoilt for 7 years or so, the rest of my days watching Swindon have been as bad if not worse than this season.  I want Wilson to keep us up so we can become a team that starts becomming stable, because that will eventually breed more consistent periods of "success".

Untill the last course.

Interesting statistic of the day....

Maurice Malpas was in charge for 36 League games from which we got 45 points.

From our last 36 League games we have got 45 points.


Though of course the other factor in Malpas being sacked was us getting knocked out of the cup competitions by shit teams including one from non-league, whereas this season under Wilon we've....oh hang on a sec....

:D

Wilson has been running neck and neck with Malpas in terms of points gained for a while now.  His record hasn't just been poor this season, it stems from the back end of last season, something which ultimately cost us the second automatic promotion spot.  In the excitement of the Play-Off games, that is a fact that most people conveniently forget.  

I'm genuinely surprised that there are still a number of people who not only think Wilson should be given until the end of the season, but should have his contract extended and is capable of rebuilding the team.  What on earth is he going to do differently when everything he's done this season has failed so dismally?

Yes it might not work out. But you can't know that for sure. If the board of Manchester United had thought the same about Fergie then they wouldn't be where they today*.

Of course Wilson isn't Fergie. But the fact is Wilson took us to our highest position in many a year. Was it luck? I'm prepared to wait and see.

* OK he nearly got sacked but for the league cup win, but that doesn't invalidate the point.

Malpas is still ahead with his post match ''monkeys off our back'' and 'one swallow doesn't make a summer'' speeches, I actually warmed to him just because of those cliches!

No we fucking didn't. The board put the budget in place and set the target as a play-off spot, and DW banged on about challenging pretty much the whole season.

We achieved, we did not OVER ACHIEVE!

Not that it matters now mind.

We did well last season, and that was mostly down to Wilson - albeit with some luck too.  We got lucky with Charlie, Danny Ward and also injuries and suspensions.

But it was an average league.  By December we hadn't exactly set the world slight, we then hit some form, then limped over the line in the end.  We started the season like we are now, with only one one decent striker, a shaky defence and a habit of conceding late goals.

So it's well done Danny ultimately, but if we'd started and finished the season stronger it could have been so much better. Not sure if we can really blame him for that though.  It was progress after all.  I'd give Danny the benefit of the rest if the season, as it least he got us competing and playing football again in the first place.

The spiral back downwards this season has been a massive shit though.

So Andy King taking us to the play off semi's in 03/04 is just airbrushed from history now?

Fuck off did we OVERACHIEVE! We're one of the biggest clubs in this Division. We've certainly one fo the richer clubs. Being around the play-offs should be the minimum level of achievement. Shit some people are happy to accept mediocrity.

Thinking about it, that King season was similar to last season.

We were dodgy until December then stepped up and went on a mad run after that....

Lumps, pull your head out of your arse. As someone else said earlier best season in something like 15 years. The norm for this club is mid table in this division with an occasional foray into the play-offs which is exactly what we've done. This season has been horseshit but assuming we're always going to challenge for promotion is unrealistic.

Also I dont buy the we're one of the richest clubs malarky as the guys in charge are doing something unusual, they're running us as a business so won't risk the club by gambling on buying promotion.

Precisely, people are sugar coating last season. We were draw masters up until the end of October and then went on a couple of crazy runs that saw us through to the end of March. I make that 5 good months. Following that it went downhill a bit but luckily every other team in the chase were doing their best not to get promoted so we were still in the mix come the last game of the season.

Even if we did over-achieve last season, we did so by some margin or we're under-achieving now.

If we're under-achieving then perhaps Wilson can bring us up to a respectable level next season. Respectable, but not what is hoped from the board or fans. It's pathetic to blame the fans for wanting a play-off achieving team when that's all we hear from the board, manager and the players every fucking week. It's not like fans are throwing toys out of the pram for being 10th in the league when they want to be 6th or higher. We're stupidly close to being in the relegation zone last time I checked.

If it's true we over-achieved by some great margin last season then Wilson is unlikely to replicate that again, based on 5 out of 6 months of mediocre-to-shit football out this season with no improvement. Sure, he could probably improve things but the over-achieving argument would mean bring us up to mid-table consolidation levels.

I'm not buying this transitional season argument either. When Wilson arrived that was a transitional season. New manager, new approach etc. The next season was the one to kick on from that phase. Trouble is, he has thus far failed in two transfer windows and fucked around with last season's tried and tested formula for no apparent reason. He's brought in players he liked the look of with no idea how he's going to play them. The transitional season is Wilson's own making.

Spot on, that 03/4 side would have pissed all over last seasons side.

I didn't publicly set the targets for this season last summer!!

That was Fitton and Wilson - who both banged on about progression, the play offs and doing 'a millwall' we are 20th!

That isn't progression, the play offs or doing 'a millwall' its being shit.

Forgetting the fact if we did overachieve or not, what makes you think we're one of the biggest clubs in this division ?

Towards the end of last season people were bemoaning the "tried and tested formula" though. So many people on here were whinging that all we had was 4-4-2 and that teams had found us out so played 5 in the middle to dominate play.

Nasty case of big club syndrome, sounds terminal to me.

Its not wilsons fault he has had players sold from under him he has had little budget to work with, the dressing room is divided into 3 thats the problem they won't unite as 1. yes its his job to sort them out, with the money from charlie we need to have a big overhaul of the players and more or less start again, this season has been a waste.

Bollocks. People keep saying this, completely ignoring the wages we're paying out. Pericard, Douglas, Prutton, Austin all on big wages. The budget isn't just about transfer fees, people seem to have the idea that footballers play for the love of the game

+1 on the bollocks.

Wilson has spent £500k this season in transfer fees alone. How many clubs in League One have spent that much?

I haven't see figures, but I'd imagine we've one of the higher wage bills in the division. Would be interesting to see some stats on that, if someone's got the time to trawl through all the accounts of the clubs.

The players he's brought in haven't been bad players at all and are good for this level.
Cuthbert, Sheehan, Ferry, Douglas, Lucas, Prutton and to a lesser extent Rose & Caddis.
Just look at last season, these players didn't become shit overnight, it's just the balance in the side has changed and for whatever reason we just aren't doing it.

I trust Wilson to get us out of this and bring the right players in.

Although his record of signing strikers is pretty fucking shite to be honest (Hutchinson, Odejayi, Ball, Dossevi, Pericard.....)

I've got a feeling he might have struggled with forwards in the past - Would be interesting to find out.

At Brizzle Shitey he had Lita but didn't play him in the crucal game and then got the sack

Lumps, get your reading glasses on, I said 3/4 seasons were good since 96, that would include the season you rant at me for "airbrushing".

Ok, perhaps we did over achieve last season but what should have happened in summer is that those players that we lost they should have been replaced with simular types of players so we could kick on this season, instead we have gone backwards and are struggling, the bollox about not being able to get the right type of player to me is just bollox, how do other teams cope surely you get the best that is available to you for the money you have, he cliaimed to have a list of 5 ? players on his wish list for each position so where are they then, if you can't get No 1 then surely you go down the list, is it that nobody wants to come here then ?

We miss Greer's leadership and experience and have now got that type of player although he keeps getting injured, we miss Paynter for his hard work, hold up play and goals up front and we missed Ward for the creativity he provided, the 3 types of key signings we should have made in close season and we didn't.

Also not long ago they said they sit down together and write down the name of players we have faced who have caused us problems. Based on this year the list should be a lot longer than fucking 5

There's more to it than mere formation. Ferry and Douglas were brilliant in midfield last season but for some reason they aren't being played together this time round. Cuthbert + experienced centre back who could organise the defence and bully the forwards hasn't been in place. McNamee was sold because he was a luxury player but Ritchie is equally lightweight (fwiw I think Ritchie is a much better player). McGovern hasn't until recently been played on the right wing.

Fans will moan but it doesn't mean they're right. But we can all see what's happened this season hasn't worked most of the time and that is absolute fact.

Wouldn't help as they're all relating to last season. Those that have filed on time that is

I dont understand why you want to ram this back in the face of the people at the top of the club? Its very very sad behaviour.

The objective always has to be promotion from this league.

What are these 3 factions in the dressing room that some people keep on about?

There are 3 factions in the dressing room?

I'd guess at ex Leeds, Jocks and frenchies

Protoss, Terrans and Zerg

Defence, midfield, forwards? Absolutely no idea...

Could be labour, liberal and tories..!   :D

Playstation, Xbox and Nintendo?

According to corner

Long hair, baldies and gellers?

So Douglas hates McGovern who dislikes Pericard who is not fond of Sheehan who loathes Cuthbert who cant stand Jean-Francois.Who doesn't like OB?

everyone

i heard the split is due to disharmony over blackberrys, iphones and nokia 3310s

Crisp can't stand the OB cos they won't let him wear flares. Or something ...

Obviously, signing a Jordan and Aden was a coincidence, the plan isn't British Empire, but with Milan Misun signing, place names in general....although hang on, isn't Austin in Texas, or maybe it's Austen which might explain why he was shipped out. We live in STrange times.

No, its definitely Austin, Texas. Now that is spooky Reg, who else is available with a place name for a name?

Matt Derbyshire would be useful..

Jack Wilshere anyone..

Where's Wilshere?

los angeles isn't it?

Surely there must be a village called Huddlestone? So perhaps Tom is coming from Tottenham.

Strange as this may sound.........I genuinely believe that Austin finally sodding off is gonna do us the world of good. I'm normally the worlds most pesimistic cunt but we got into that horrible rut of trying to play everything through one striker. It was painfully evident at Rovers that without hoping he could conjour anything around the box the rest of the team didn't offer much at all (even when JP scored Austin looked like he wanted to take it off his toe). We all thought we were doomed when Cox went too but we weren't and i think where we differed last season compared to any in recent times is that we had two forwards firing on all cylinders and to be fare, that's fucking rare for us! I've got a really good feeling that tomorrow our midfielders will take more responsibility getting forward and our underperforming strikers will play with a bit less of a 'can I pass to Charlie' attitude and just get on with the business of shooting. A confidence boosting 3-0...........you heard it here first.

Ditto, except I'm normally half full. But I genuinely believe that was a turning point today, good as he's been, we became rather limited and easy(ish) to stop most of the time.

I would agree, but Exeter are a good footballing side.

One of the best down here last season.

Pericard is back tomorow..................last chance to shine?

I'd go 1 up front with Dossevi and put Pericard on the bench.

Agreed, play some decent passing football and have some decent players especialy Harley (Swansea bound at end of season).  What odds on that little cunt Cureton scoring against us?

i think the only goal we might score tomorrow is an own one.

Take heart that our best home performances this season (IMO) was the win against Wovers, and Charlie didnt play in that - Pericard played the lone striker with Ball and Ritchie supporting from the wings, could go with a similar formation tomorrow? Perhaps with Dossevi out wide instead of Ball.

I think that'd be the sensible choice AS. I been crying out for Dossevi on the wing for months.

they're a good footballing side and Tisdale has done very well on an absolute shoestring. Austin's departure has fealt like a huge weight off for us, so it'll be 10 fold for the players. It should give them the freedom to go out and express themselves more. That little arse jester cureton will be a worry but if we set out with intent a la charlton, we should see good things.

I know Charlie played against Charlton before it's said

Theres only one wing i would like to see him on.....Air France.

Ha ha ha, I thought exactly the same, but you beat me to it!!!

I wonder if Lucas will start or make the bench now there's less distractions.  :hmmm:

What's that supposed to mean?  Is this one of "those" rumours?

One of the many Austin rumours on this site. But if he makes the bench it does make you wonder if that one was true, which will be another positive for him leaving.

Wait... what?

Oh, I just can't bloody wait!  Or maybe Austin has been a distraction for him and now we will see what he can really do?!


Funnily enough, I had the exact same conversation with a friend tonight.  Would certainly point to the rumour being more fact than fiction if he does!

If he makes the bench it'll make me wonder why the fuck he isn't starting. We need him back asap. I know everyone loves smith but we are defensively shambolic and he is partly to blame in my eyes.

What rumour?!

yeah what rumour???

ah that rumour!!
reckon Lucas will start tomorrow if so.

It's funny you should say that, but I can't have been the only one to notice Pericard often appearing indifferent to Austin scoring and perhaps even a touch annoyed at times.

I've often noticed that..

It's fair to say most of the crowd have noticed Pericard being indifferent. Mainly to football in general, not just Austin.

hope lucas is in goal today at least that would be one positive out of the whole austin saga. To me he seems to organise the defence far better than smith & everyone seems more confident with him in goal - including me ! and obviously he's the all round better 'keeper

I wonder if Lucas is ever going to get back to what he was 12 months ago.

He's at that age where his fitness could just run away from him.

And he's northern as well, so his diet is mainly pies, chips and bitter.

Meh! Keepers don't need to be fit, Exhibit A)...

[url width=445 height=318]http://www.catflapfootball.com/uploads/f30e6f55-56a6-4d4b-b782-13ea64424487.jpg[/url]

He likes his heavy metal, surely theres a Bruce Dickinson Workout DVD out there somewhere? Perhaps its called 'Two Minutes to Weight Loss' (Thats an Iron Maiden related pun by the way)

Ive always liked him.  Man after my own fat encased, engorged heart!  

I've heard that Wilson is keen on former scummer Lee Mansell...currently at Torquay...his intention is to get Frampton in his place name team, as the Board like the bijou Cotswold village of Frampton Mansell.

Austin and Mrs Lucas.

did he smash it?  ;)

Hanging out the back of it

Iv heard your rumour is bullshit. Its only a rumour that your rumour is bollocks though.

Stat update....

Wilson's record is now 37 points from the last 36 league games.

Looks like the adver are starting to fuel the fire http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/8841832.Should_he_stay_or_should_he_go_/?ref=rss  only a matter of time before the board act IMO

0 wins from 8 games and only 1 win from 11 games is unacceptable.

7 points from a possible 33.

They should be piling up the wood, pouring on petrol and then setting light to it.

Pressure from the Adver might be enough to force the issue, it can't do any harm.

The timing of this article made me chuckle given Wilson's subbing strategy last night.

http://on.wsj.com/hgbJ3V (http://on.wsj.com/hgbJ3V)

Where's the bit about making your first sub in the 46th and second in the 47th minute?

Time to fuck him off. I was a bigger supporter of his but I've changed my mind. sorry chap but it's time to go.

Just watched Wilson's interview from last night on STFC player and he came across very emotional, stressed and agitated. Snapped a few times at the guy interviewing. Sign of a man losing it.

Yeah, he seemed really wound up and unsettled, beginning to feel the heat somewhat

Just watched that interview, Definitely seems like he has lost the plot! As for saying upfront is the problem and not the defence, What is he on? He's been slagging off the defence recently and now he's saying something completely opposite, A sign that he has lost it!

Do you mean 47?  The figures don't seem to tie in with your original post, it seems like we've lost points?

Largely irrelevant though as it clear for all to see it's dire.

Nope, the figures are right. They're for the last 36 games though - some wins dropped off the end for Wilson and were replaced with draws and losses. I did it like that for a straight comparison with Malpas when he was sacked.

It beggars belief he hasn't been sacked with a record like that - it did for Malpas.

I see our home record is 16/24 and our away record is 24/24  ???. Are we really the worst away side in this league? (well, yes according to this info)

I had the impression that our away form was ok and it was the home form that was dire.  :headhurts:

Performance wise we are supposidly better away from home. Results wise though we're just shit both home and away.

Didn't someone post earlier that we were something like top 6 on away results but 2nd bottom on home results?  Might not be those exact numbers but was around that...

I dunno how that works, we've won 2 away all season but 5 at home.

We seem to have to worst away record in the league (10 points). Even Notts C do us on goal difference!