Thetownend.com

I spoke to Jim tonight, who used to post on here, and he's heard that Stuart Pearce is the 'surprise candidate'. He will be both u21 manager and our's. I said that was total bollocks but he said he heard it from 4 different people even one from inside the club. Not sure. Seems a bit too dubious to me. He has no reason to lie and has been correct in the past- speak to Bushey.

Oh I would put this in the managers rumour thread but it seems to be locked.

EDIT: Matbe I could of put it in the 'dream on' thread... :doh:

Jim as in Nicho's uncle Jim?

Lives near Fitton so maybe!!!

Huh??

Hmmm well could be true. Could be a good way to scout up and coming talent as well I guess plus AF did say he couldn't name him due to his circumstances.... Cant see it but fuck me that would be a good appointment.

I'd love it if it was Psycho! He'd certainly put a rocket up their arses!

the poster jim who used to post in here who was Andy Nicholas' uncle...

interesting.

i can also confirm jim's sources are pretty much always spot on, he's also a top bloke and i miss him around here.

Thats what I thought. Just seems a bit too good to be true if you get me...stranger things have happened.

Wouldn't mind that, even if he stayed at the U21's. Last manager to do that was Peter Taylor and he got Hull promoted twice.

does he live local pearce or did I imagine that?

 Shalbourne...which is kind of between Marlborough and Hungerford.

That would be fucking ace.

I would cream my pants if it's Pearce.

Eurgh, too much information Rich.

No way ... this deserves its own thread. Top rumour that.  If, just if ....

Aaaaand, as an amazing coincidence I've just posted something about a shower cubicle elsewhere which weirdly links in to the Psycho thing, yeah! Therefore it must be ordained, he's on his way here AS WE SPEAK!

We could rename our redeveloped ground "Bates Motel" ... :hide: :hiding:

Maybe he's under orders from Capello / The FA to get some club experience again if he ever wants to be considered for the top job.

I'd love to be proved wrong, but can't see it happening. Not sure what I think about not being the priority for him either.

Just what we want! A Stranglersfan at the helm!

Don't like the idea of job sharing, isn't he still involved in the senior national team too?  So that'd effectively be three teams he's involved with, although I do know that he lives near Marlborough, his kids go to the same school as my managers kids.

He's meant to be a nice bloke.

You'd have thought he'd be the favourite to take over from Calderwood at Nottm Forest...

Not necessarily DV like I say his family are settled in the Wilts area, why would he want to uproot them to go to Forest, it's not like he needs the money (or the hassle).

that would be awesome-o...

I've read his autobiography and he comes across as a really down to earth bloke.

Didn't get into professional football until relatively late and worked as an electrician for a London borough.

Don't know if he would suit the job though, his previous managerial experiance in league football is hardly awe inspiring.............

Yeah that's my feeling Hertha, big name, exciting for the masses, but no track record to get too excited about.

I never said he wanted to go there.

I guess I should have said the fans favourite, as he's a Forest legend and they all want Calderwood sacked.

English Malpas.

I never said you did say that DV.  Just giving a reason why he may not go back up to Nottingham.

FB said "English Malpas."

Ha ha, good point FB.

There are a few parallels. I think his record is a bit better though.

but he isn't scottish

According to wikipedia his brother's in the BNP, how topical.

I'll ask my manager to have a word with his wife, see if she gives anything away!

Good point Ben, nevertheless, I'd still be mightily satisfied with Pearce. He started out quite well at Man City IIRC.

I didn't mean it as a bad thing, I was quite happy with Malpas at the time. I'd definitely be happy with Pearce. The Under-21 and not particularly successful top flight experience in own country are ace similarities though, especially if these rumours turn out to be true.

I heard from an even more reliable source that another candidate is former Swindon and Everton stalwart Gary Stanley.

Pearce would be a fucking ace appointment. He's obviously still well connected and will no doubt know where to look and who to ask about possible players. He's in the 'fucking hell, yes of course I want to play for you and Swindon Town, Mr. Pearce. Where do I sign?' bracket of ex-player-turned-managers who's name and record preceeds him.

Not sure about the job share side of things. Fitton and Pearce would have to thrash that out between them, but I think I could put up with it if he brought a decent ASM with him. No one would of objected for instance if that situation had existed when Wise and Poyet were here. If Wise had had to fuck off to look after the U21's and it clashed with a town fixture leaving Gus to mind the till in SN1, fair enough. If he was leaving a cunt like say, Andy King in charge though, everyone would go mental, so they'd have to sort that out as well.

I must admit, signing Pearce as our manager gets my juices flowing a cunting sight more than when dear old Maurice was appointed ;D

Pearce would obviously call up Cox, Pook & Morrison to the Under 21s so we could get our games during the international break called off

Only concern would be the commitments of the U21 side especially if they qualify for tournaments.

I think it was Peter Taylor who tried to combine the U21 post and managing U’ll at the same time and a lot of the fans were fairly miffed at the amount of time he devoting to the national side.  Even claiming it was resulting in their poor form at the time although that could just be because he was crap anyway.

I thought he took them up when he was doing both jobs

P
Probably did my memory is a bit hazy but I do remember him getting a lot of grief for it at the time.

Did you know fact fans Peter Taylor has signed Junior Lewis for five different clubs and has even appointed him coach at Wycum?

I remember the lanky bugger on loan for us and his was fucking superb although we were pretty dire at the time.

I liked lewis. On the coaching staff at wycombe isn't he

Oops you did say that

Pearce and Martin O'Neil are disciples of God (Brian Clough).  He would not transgress the teachings of the almighty Brian.  The chosen one must be appointed. 

 Isn't Steve Wigley Pearce's right hand man for England U 21....perhaps it's Wiggles rather than Psycho.

 So legendary left back for his country, manager of that country's U 21, sketchy record managing in that country's top flight....haven't we been here before?

 

The acid test must surely be ....

What does Bart think? :hmmm:

(he does think, doesn't he?)

No, he just opens his mouth without engaging his brain.

I guess that makes nigel clough Jesus!
Fuck me, Jesus for manager!!!

wouldnt want Pearce ..

Job sharing never worked for Peter Taylor and quite frankly never rated Pearce as a manager either .. he is ok as a coach but when it comes to the buying and selling of players hes pretty clueless .. ask Forest and Citeh fans!

Uncle of Bart has spoken! Does doom and gloom run in the family Fatters? I bet its a fucking hoot at your family christmas party.

The idea of Pearce as our manager makes me wet. It's a very exciting possibility regardless of its likelihood.

well, I had a dream last night and i was having a coffee with alan reeves and he told me it was a done deal with peter schmicheal. Believe what you want but i reckon its the dane.

Wow this would be lush!! Ive loved him every since he came swimming at my sports centre!! some of his wifes family live in Calne

WOW he might come swimming at my sports centre again!!

i think this would be a class signing if it happend. Worried about juggling the U21's with STFC.
But for motavating the players would be easy for SP and he's obviously picking up some decent tips from Fabio and the other coaches at the England setup!!!

I would love this to be true, I have met him at his home a few years ago and hes a bloody top bloke, down to earth, all round nice bloke.

But

He did turn us down a few years ago before he took the England job when our previous encumbants approached him about becoming manager, why would his opinion change since then?

The only 2 possibilities are.......1....he personally knows Mr Fitton and would be willing to work with him closely......2...Mr Pearce does know Mr Arbib from his horseracing connections...maybe its him.

I am sceptical that it is him but can see the tenous links that are linking him (mostly due to his locality), I wouldnt be 100% happy about the job sharing with the U21's though but if he was appointed I would be happy as the proverbial Larry.

Didn't someone say Pearce lived in Marlbororugh? Maybe he laid 10k on John Ward the other week?

The Pearce rumours would certainly tie with what Andrew Fitton said in the Gazette and Herald today.

http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/sport/3926320.Fitton_excited_by_dream_applicant/

- Experienced
- Worked in the top flight
- Not somebody you would naturally associate with the club
- British

Blimey!!  Interesting stuff.  Would be nice to have a famous name as manager again.

Didn't Pearce do both?

definitely.
And everyone being scared of a big unknown coming in just look at what Ossie and Hoddle did for us!!!! Then Macca (before he went bad) got us playing good football so it's worth the risk in my opinion.

Pearce married a girl from my home village in the Wylye valley and he has close links to Wiltshire.

He once trained on our pitch with a bag of footballs, booting them up in the air and heading them away. He didnt take any Pens though!  :doh:

Why would someone turn down the chance to work for the old board but be prepared to come to the club under its new management? How long have you got!?

I've just been told by a very trustworthy source that it's definitely Stuart Pearce. He's the only manager currently in a job that we can talk to who won't require compensation.

Whether he actually gets the job or not remains to be seen.

Ohh i'm excited now. He still has to be interviewed with the rest of them though doesn't he? His wage would be pretty damn high as well i'd have thought.

Oh and Capello his number 2 please.....

Would it though, does Pearce need a huge salary?  He must have made a packet from his City job, and the u-21/coaching the senior team.  Like I said to DV it could be that SP sees this as a hugely conveniant opportunity to get back into day to day football management.

Yeah true. It's a good chance for him to impress and get noticed by a higher league team whilst maintaining his England connections. With him being local as well it's always a bonus. Pearce will put bums on seats at any club in this league. I guess we'd be in a position to pay him a few extra bob.

I've never trusted Capello since realising he looks far too much like Mr Whippy of "it's all in my head" fame

I think the issue is that he is using this as a stepping stone whereas I think AF wants someone who see's STFC as a long term development - SP would likely get us into the championship but would he continue with us longer term?

Fitton just sent me a text to confirm it is Stuart Pearce.

To be honest, getting us there would do for me right now.

WE ARE PSYCHO'S RED AND WHITE ARMY!

any decent manager will use us as a stepping stone - macari, ardilles, hoddle, wise, sturrock.

I like it better without the Red & White Army on the end.

Besides I have a sauce that told me over lunch that it's Big Brian "Robbo" Robson.  Whiskey an all.

That made oi larf. Even if I can't work out how to do a quote within a quote

Don't even joke about that Dazzzzzzzzzza!!!!

you've all heard wrong. Its Ian Pearce not Stuart Pearce

Ace. Fitton should do a weekly blog on the OS in the style of Nile Ranger

I heard it was Sir Ian Mckellen.

Rubbish. It's the Emperor from Star Wars. He'd be a great leader, and if the players misbehave he can shoot them with lightning from his hand.

I'm all for the emperor with Darth Vader as chief cone gatherer and General grevious as reserve team coach.

General Grievous can fuck off. It's all about Darth Maul.

He can do work in the community too, teaching kids the green cross code. Stop, look and listen.

Nah, same problem as Holloway - Brizzle thru and thru.

not Ian Pearce, Dave Pearce... the team comes out to his anthems before kick off

nearly pissed myself!! quality.

Does the fact I actually understand that joke prove I know far too much about Star Wars?

Yes. Geek.

It's Steve McClaren. Noooooooo!

You may be right. Maul could get invloved in the community work as well painting kids faces and that

Although grevious would clearly win a fight between the 2 due to his 4 lightsabe coolness

I would love to see The Shreddar as gaffer or Krang.

Pearce would be fantastic, but I think it may depend on how much time he is going to spend away from the club on u-21 duty though - but it may not matter I suppose if he is allowed to appoint a tried and trusted No 2 and other back room team.

Imagine the calibre of players he would sign.....and the other good thing is that Aljokefree won't last long !

I think Pearce would be too good to be true though....I'll beleive it if and when it happens

20/1 at most Bookies.
Worth twenty quid I reckon.

"He’s very experienced but just wouldn’t be an obvious choice"

Is Pearce classed as very experienced though ?

How about Curbishley ?

He's very expereienced and being just out of a premiershit job would be a good attraction at this level and he wouldn't be expected to drop to this level ?

Don't ever make a podcast - sonic will slaughter you

I think that may be a hope to far. He will surely get a CCC or Prem club to manage.

I know Fitton said it would blow us away, but that appointment would see me in a land full of midgets, accompanied by a tin man and a scarecrow following a yellow brick road.

It's Steve McClaren's brolly.

Would you be filled with speed to keep you going through the arduous adventure?

get over it girlfriend

The foreign manager that has applied is obviously the ex-stoke and Iceland manager, Gudjohn Thoradson or however you spell it as he has said he has applied for the Crewe job according to the BBC.

I think that would be a no as well.

Curbishley is the managerial equivalent of a ginger nut left on the patio in the sun all afternoon.

He looks to have lost the spark he once had at Charlton and looks like a beaten man every time I see him.  I think he’s one bet suited for the Championship and dropping down here in the depths I don’t think the face would quite fit.  

Whilst we are on the matter of naming random players/managers, Peter Reid drinks at my local.

Go me.

Would this make us the first club to have two fully trained Electricians as managers in a row? Certianly in modern times I'd have thought.

Have you commented on his "fucking monkey head" yet Cock?

Not spoken to him properly yet, seen him twice and both times I have been well bevvies up and said something along the lines of:

"Oi, Mate, Aree youn whoo I fimnk you are. Youre that facking Peeetr Reeid bloke int ya? Haaas it gawing managing the ole thailand ven"

He doesn't seem keen on talking to me for some reason, I may comment on his "fucking monkey head" next time I see him to see if I get a reply.

What a cool rumour, kudos everyone for getting excited.

Pearce strikes me as loyal, passionate and having very good contacts in English football. It's unfair to compare Pearce's potential work with Peter Taylor who's team was all the way up in Hull... Wigley would undertake the scouting for the International stuff.

Pearce should've started out in the lower leagues instead of starting in the top flight (not that he was an idiot for taking the job in Manchester). Tim Flowers as assistant/goalkeeper coach?

Interesting... we shall see.

It's good to see a new name emerging.

I can't find any bookies who are running it online....can someone link me to one?

maybe me reading into things, but why wouldn't he have said 'English' rather than 'British' if it is Stupot?? to keep people guessing??

its gonna be a taff I knows it...or another sweaty.....or a Tim...

Who's Nile Ranger?

TCP99's love child I think

Same, think i'll have to get off my lazy student arse and place the bet(s)

Darth Maul would split too quick!

Hahahaha! That is brilliant  ;D

Wise words mate.



Errrrr.....I think 8)

Victor Chandler is the only bookie online taking bets on Swindon manager.

Curbs did ok at west ham i thought

I am quite liking this rumour. There are a lot of aspects to it that make it quite feasible i.e the fact that he lives locally(ish), he would appear to fit in with a lot of the comments made by Fitton and all in all I think we could do a lot worse.

I can see it coming off.

I reckon he might keep Byrne on as well.

I got told it was Alladyce tonight.

Hasn't assisted in the Prem though - although I'm going by quotes from a local rag.

We'll see...

Martin Ling is favourite now!! Sorry but no for me

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/3933786.BREAKING_NEWS__Ling_new_bookies__favourite_for_Town_job/

Not quite sure where Ling's come from, but Pearce gets a mention in there too.

I'd take almost anyone who's been mentioned so far really, the calibre of candidates is pretty impressive.

The only thing with Ling is that he got an interview last time and generally talked himself out of the job- can't imagine Fitton would go for him after that.

Agreed, with the exception of Ward.

I just want it sorted so whoever comes in can stop the slide down the table...yes I know we arent losing games but we arent winning them and thats the sign of a side that will win games with slight adjustments which can be made by a new man in charge.

Why Ling?  He's on a terrible run of form.  Apart from being an ex-player why is he even linked with us?  Pearce is really starting to get me interested, hope there's some substance to that rumour, if only to shut up a condescending Forest fan at work. 

I think Victor Chandler are just after another bit of free publicity, it was them who 'leaked' the John Ward non-story.

ling would be the wrong move for me. When we have names in the hat like Dowie, Holloway, Pearce etc why even mention Ling. wouldn't be a foward step if you ask me

i dont really care about names,want a manager who we as fans can relate to

Ling has worked minor miracles at Orient in getting them up and keeping them up (so far). And they play nice attractive football.

To be honest of the names listed I think there are at least 5 who could do a very good job here, and I include John Ward in that.

I'm not as excited by Ling as the others, I would see it as more of a sideways step.

I've no idea what that means.  A manager that spends most saturdays on the piss?

From conversations I have had wih AF it is my uderstanding that he is keen to drive a business model around the youth set up which coincidentaly fits is with the new league ruling on home grown talent planned for next season.

When Malps was selected it was indicated that the other applicants were not keen to follow this route and initmated that they would require transfer funds which went seriously against them and one of those was Ling.

So, unless Ling has had a dramatic change of management plans I cannot see Ling being in the top 4 but could understand why Psycho would be hugely appealing to AF and why STFC may appeal to him

Some money must have gone on SP!!! Victor Chandler!

Manager Specials - Next Permanent Swindon Town Manager
Selections Odds   
Martin Ling  3/1   
John Ward  10/3   
Ian Holloway  4/1   
David Byrne  7/1   
Stuart Pearce  7/1   
Iain Dowie  10/1   
Geraint Williams  12/1   
Martin Keown  12/1   
Steve Cotterill  14/1   
Mark Robins  14/1   
Gus Poyet  14/1   
Colin Calderwood  20/1   
Phil Parkinson  20/1   
Billy Davies  20/1   
Lawrie Sanchez  20/1   
Richard Money  20/1   
Aidy Boothroyd  25/1   
Paul Tisdale  25/1   
Gary Speed  25/1   
Kevin Dillon  25/1   
David Kerslake  25/1   
Wally Downes  33/1   
Dennis Wise  33/1   
Nigel Clough  33/1   
Luc Nijholt  33/1   
Gary Waddock  33/1   

Did you put your tenner on?

If you did, did you put my tenner on as well?

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That would be the natural reaction from the current speculaion would it not?

I mean one who doesnt piss off fans like malpas did from day one! Wise had all fans on side

Only if there was a good sum put on him.

This isn't intended to be provocation, but what is the turnover and profit/loss for Orient over the last few years?

I never got the whole Ling love in. I think he is doing an average job at best. But I have nothing to base that on other than league position. If Orient had a ridiculously small turnover I could see where you are coming from.

It's not malpas' fault that fans hadn't heard of him.

Like your tenner?!

yes it is

I'm a bit dubious about the FA ruling.  Fine in principal as we’re unlikely to be fielding less than “4 home gowns” any time soon but it appears to be very much from the perspective of turning the football league into the Premiership’s vegetable patch.

Most people are of the opinion that experience in the league far outweighs the benefits of academy football and while the “big” clubs have been farming for years anyway it rankles that it’s almost becoming an officially accepted process and we’re being geared up to support this system even more.  The league should be doing everything it can to compete with the Premiership not support the bloody thing even more.


Plus if a club wants to challenge the ruling they’d piss it as it contravenes the old EU employment rules.

thats my list

Half your list is crossed out Magic!!

Dazza, Re: EU employment law, I dont think this rule would break the law, as it applies to a a yoof of any nationality, not just english.  So for example if for whatever reason we had a 16 year old german on our books, he would still count towards the 4 "home grown players"

I also disagree about it making the league more of a feeder for the PL, surely if clubs need to field 4 "home grown" players then they are going to be less likley to sell promising youngsters unless they really really need the money (like us with Tozer and Lukas).  Under this change of rules selling a talented 18 year old will have a greater impact as you would be basically pretty much obliged to have him at least on the bench.

I think it's a shit idea personally.

the ones which aren't are the ones i'd like out of what VC are taking bets on.
and Dennis Wise @ 33:1. yeah right!!!!

I was just kidding Magic, in a trying to be dumb kind of way.

Some money must have gone on SP!!! Victor Chandler!

Manager Specials - Next Permanent Swindon Town Manager
Selections Odds   
Martin Ling  3/1   
John Ward  10/3   
Ian Holloway  4/1   
David Byrne  7/1 
Stuart Pearce  7/1   
Iain Dowie 10/1   
Geraint Williams  12/1   
Martin Keown  12/1   
Steve Cotterill  14/1   
Mark Robins  14/1   
Gus Poyet  14/1   
Colin Calderwood  20/1   
Phil Parkinson  20/1 
Billy Davies  20/1   
Lawrie Sanchez  20/1   
Richard Money  20/1   
Aidy Boothroyd  25/1   
Paul Tisdale  25/1   
Gary Speed  25/1   
Kevin Dillon  25/1   
David Kerslake  25/1   
Wally Downes  33/1   
Dennis Wise  33/1   
Nigel Clough  33/1   
Luc Nijholt  33/1   
Gary Waddock  33/1   

My personal 4 but I can still see it being (just an instinct) Lawrie Dirty Sanchez, who I do not want at our club.

thing is i've really grown to the idea of Stuart Pearce being manager. How fucking ace would that be. He seems a top bloke and my god he'd soon kick their arses into gear. And being high profile his contacts list would be quite big for a couple of decent loan signings and discovering some hidden gems etc

Agreed I think Pearce is edging up my wishlist.  But, and it's a big but the U-21's still bugs me.  What would go on at the CG on the build up to internationals?  Maybe we could host an u-21 or two?

It would be ace, now shut up and stop getting my hopes up.

Same as Magic......

Here's my list.

Stuart Pearce  Any price whatever!!!!!!

yeah the U21 niggles at the back of my mind too. But that is something AF and SP + FA would have to talk about.

i'm not 100% on the complete commitment etc and his time away from STFC so that confuses me even more. but wouldn't we have to PP our games when the U21 play etc

Victor Chandler explain why Ling is the new favourite and why the odds on Psycho have been slashed...

http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/sport/generalsport/3933988.Ling_the_new_favourite_for_Swindon_Town_hot_seat/ (http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/sport/generalsport/3933988.Ling_the_new_favourite_for_Swindon_Town_hot_seat/)

Fairly snuff agree to disagree and all that banjo.  

I think it looks likely to be booted out by the clubs anyway.  From their perspective if a club like Town want to develop home grown youth they don’t need to have restrictions imposed on their first team to do so and I think it’s some of Whinney’s comments that for me point to the scheme being of benefit to the national side and Premier league.  Plus they’re trying to “gently gently” sneak it in the back door of the Premiership  at the same time.

Plus if you rumble in your Paddys, Scotch, Welsh who I presume wouldn’t qualify combined with a small squad then it could create a couple of sides a headache with injuries and suspensions  that there’s really no need for.  

A club should always play its best side whether it’s Hungarian, Guatemalan or English.

Completely agree, as long as they're not protestants!!

But thats the point dazza, paddys, welsh, Uzbekestanis etc, would qualify as long as they had been on the clubs books for more than 3 years before the age of 21

I think Pearce being the successful and respected coach of England's Under-21s would put us in a very nice position when it comes to picking up young Premier League talent on loan though, so it has an up side. Plus, of course, he has Capello's ear should he need a bit of advice.

I bet he hasn't even applied.

I think the mention of Pearce is getting everyones hopes up which will leave us dissapointed with who we actually appoint and we wont back them from day and we'll be exactly where we were this time last yearish...

what did malpas do to piss off the fans?

Exist?

Crikey! He really was up against it.

You are probably right, though no appointment is going to be universally popular I guess.

But please not Sanchez, Ling, CC, etc, etc :)

Unfortunately so. I actually quite liked Malpas, he wasn't a great manager but he gave us some of the biggest wins we've seen / are like to see for a while.

100% correct Batch.

Fucking hell cant even make a comment on here can you.  I woudl say half teh fans said malpas who? we expected a name after wise and sturrock etc and didnt get it

From that list here are my top REALISTIC 4
(in NO particular order)

Ian Holloway
Martin Keown
Nigel Clough
Billy Davies

I discounted the likes of Poyet, Wise, Pearce etc as being unrealistic

What do you mean?

Which says alot more about our fans than it does Malpas.

How the crap is Poyet less realistic than Billy Davies.

because its been said Poyet hasnt applied yet Davies hasnt been mentioned at all so there is a small chance he may have applied.

However Clough & Keown, fuck off!!

I see that Curbishley does not appear on VC list and if Ling is being mentioned that surely Paul Trollope should be as well as they both have ties with Swindon and are both doing an equally decent job at their respective clubs for the budget they have.

Bahh bookies odds.....they certainly got it right with Ward didn't they ?!

I suspect it is not Pearce but I do this we have been thorugh a lot of the british candidates and ruled them out for whatever reason so....

I suppose it's how Fitton wants to play it. You could spend money on compensation for a manager like Ling, or get in someone like Pearce and spend more on salary. Never rule out Byrne either, who loves youth players more than JPC.

Not that I am overly keen on Ling, but you can't deny he's done a good job at L'Orient and has provided them a stable management.

maybe Byrne IS JPC.


After the SPs are established aren't the odds just adjusted to whatever money they are taking on the various candidates. If I put £10K on Byrne he's probably become the new favourite. But I am not going to.

As indicated in the previous post, the bookies odds are based on the the amount of money placed for bets for each potential manager.  The odds could mean something or nothing.

Anyone for $5 on Bodin?

Nigel Clough??-have you finally lost it?

One name "hits me" from that list,Phil Parkinson-dont know why though

I know AF needs to appoint the right man and I know it might take some time.

But I wish it was done and dusted and all these rumours were put to bed.

There's no names that excite me like when Ardiles and Hoddle were appointed, it's all a bit meh.

(Not saying they couldn't do a job)

why the overreaction? i only asked what he did to piss off the fans. i wasn't aware that until results started to go against him and he made a few stupid comments that he'd done anything to warrant the vitriol directed at him.

you can't blame him for pissing off the fans because people didn't know who he was.

Have to agree - when Mo came in , i thought, Hoh hum this doesnt look good but give the bloke a fair crack of the whip.
It cracked, he cracked, he went, i was relieved......but i didnt agree with some of the personal abuse, as like you say even before he joined.

there were some sections of our supporters who were just waiting for him to slip up, it was never going to work out for him.

anyway, maurice is history.

pearce is the future for me - of all the names mentioned, he's the only one who makes me want to go watch the town again.

I think Paterson Joseph would make an ace Doctor when Tennant leaves next year.

nah, matt berry or paddy considine.

I think they should make Doctor Who a Woman......or a gay.

what about a gay woman?

Yeah, why not.

I've just realised who he is after about 2 seasons of the Peep Show.

"Psycho" is my first choice.  Too good to be true, though.

I'm not sure I'd be happy with him playing Doctor Who, managing us and the England under 21's.

Maybe if Stuart Pearce was busy playing Doctor Who then Paterson Joseph could play Stuart Pearce.

Daily Mirror reporting that Michael Owen has passed his coaching badges in readiness for a shot at management.  Would that blow anybody away?  Bit far-fetched really in my opinion.

He's not even 30 yet? WTF?

Didn't think he had passed his badges, just started to take them?

I've heard that Holloway is out of the running, he wanted too much money, not sure if he wanted to much for his salary or too much for players.

Not fit enough for the premiership though!

 We've been down this track before...either way, the Board have always said money wont be thrown at this.

 I'd imagine Lingy is in our price range, as is Ward.  Most other names aren't unless the Board have changed their mind.

 Unfortunately most of our fans have gone into slavering overdrive about fantasy names, which straight away puts the new modest name on teh back foot.

 When Rikki Hunt appointed Quinn, he thought this might appease the fans a bit....I hope AF isn't about to make the same mistake.

If that is true that has ruled out about everyone apart from Ward , Byrne or someone from non-league

Why are they all demanding the same exact same wage as Holloway?  Have they come to some managers agreement?  Or are they all planning on spending the same amount on players?

Apart from DB, JW and the non-leaguers?

Nah, Quinny is happy at the Muff :)

Ian Holloway is NOT a big manager name if he is too expensive then it rules out all the pie in the sky names that have been banded about unless we go for someone dour like Ward who will probably take the first thing offered to him. Ling would mean compensation as would Calderwood. So that leaves Dave Byrne and someone on the cheap from Non-league.
What I am saying if Holloway is the benchmark for what we can afford then I can't see too many socks being knocked off!!!!

Seriously, if Fitton goes down the cheap route (Ling/Ward) route then he'll have made the same mistake twice. Build the fans expectations and bring a turkey out of the hat instead of the rabbit.

I don't think he'll do that again. It just shafts the new man coming in.

Fitton is keeping everyone guessing.

He's said that it's highly unlikely that we'll go with anyone below us division wise... However, he also mentions that some on the list are employed which can apply to either Pearce or Ling.

It's always going to be an anti-climax but to me, the most important thing is that we get someone in ASAP, for stability alone.

To be fair Reg, I don't think you can blame people for speculating about big names when Fitton makes comments like this.."There are a couple of names in there that would really surprise people. In fact, they would blow them away I think."

FWIW I don't think there's any chance it will be Ling (just my humble opinion. I am not stating that as fact as some do when discounting certain candidates as if they have inside knowledge) I can see it being some one who absolutely no one has mentioned. A 'left field' appointment if you will. I just hope it's an 'Ossie Ardiles' left field as opposed to a 'Maurice Malpas' left field.

Just one other thing. Fitton has consistantly said that they would 'not throw money' at the club. Quite right too. But we don't really know what that means do we? It's quite a nebulous kind of statement really isn't it? He may think, for example, that paying 250K or 500K (or any amount you care to name) per year for who he believes is the right man for the job, is simply paying the 'going rate' and would not consider it to be ' throwing money at it' at all.

Any way, I think we might as well let Victor Chandler make the appointment. All this 'bookie's favourite' stuff is starting to get silly.

If Pearce was doing this along side the U21's, might that mean he'd be prepared to take a more 'reasonable' wage (ie: in AF's wage bracket), for the chance of day-to-day club management and get us into the championship, to enhance his prospects and mangement career for the future?

Or am I just a thick cunt and have missed something glaringly obvious?

Probably the latter. :jfw_emoticon:

I agree sussex

It's annoying that thisis are running headline articles that involve betting patterns because it's largely irrelevant. Owen Houlihan must be completely out of the loop.

I honestly can't see us wasting money on paying compensation to Orient. Well, I'd be very suprised anyway.

Aww! I'm blushing now  :-[

Any more inside info Jim? ;)

 FWIW I take not throwing money at it to mean their own money, any money spent must be generated within the business, which is partly why MM went for failure in the cups, particularly the JPT.  I think AF quite rightly thought we could go all the way in this so generate some cash.

 I heard some pundit saying that MM was probably the first manager to go for losing in the JPT.

 I believe AF looks towards John Madejski for a template...it's often forgotten it took years for JM to find a decent manager, because he refused to throw his own money at it

 At no stage did he go for a big name expensive boss.

 He hit on Coppell almost by accident...we'd offered Coppell the job but he could see STFC was a basket case so turned it down.

 I agree that AF was bound to get this reaction by his statement, just not sure whether he meant to.

Getting Ling would be a much cheaper option than say Boothroid or Dowie....compo wouldnt be a big issue cos Ling wouldnt cost the earth to pay.

Yeah - apparently a fat chap in red will be visiting on about 25th December, but keep it to yourself.

Still, it's something we haven't done in since the 1970's though (unless we paid for one of the old player/managers)

Good work - I shall have my baseball bat at the ready.

I can't believe it will be Ling. God I hope not. I wasn't keen first time around when we ended up taking Malpas. A lot of people were wetting their knickers over Ling and I just could not see the attraction.

Oh well, if Victor Chandler say he's the favourite.....

Coppell couldn't have come cheap though surely?

He was at Brentford and Brighton prior to Reading, he wasn't on mega bucks at either of those.

In a way that is the most impressive thing about this story - the lack of leaks. When Holloway or Bothroyd turn up for an interview anywhere else it makes Sky Sports. With Fitton no one really knows who is even on the list.

I know the Adver don't bother chasing stories and don't have any sources seemingly anymore, prefering to just call bookies - it would make the new patron saint of journalism Gus Haynes spin in his fictional grave.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=HdYa292KloU

VC said Ward was favourite last week....bookies are crooks,i dont know of anyone putting £10,000 on ward do you....its a way of getting others to do put money on as well.
Someone else will be favourite on monday....probably after Mr Fitton has told his gardener whos getting the job!

 Think the attraction of Ling is that he is a disciple of Saint Glenda..we could look forward to some attempt at sexy football....as a Wembley hero, he could tap into some goodwill, which MM wasn't able to.

 He also knows how to work on a limited budget.... and as a low key figure isn't so likely to jump ship at the earliest opportunity.

Just another Monday morning at the Swindon Advertiser 8)

Not Ling PLEASE!

 Exactly, which is why he was scuffing around the CG doing a bit for Kingy.

 After Man City, I think the perception was that Coppell wasn't a man for the pressure of a  big club...OK though in L1 etc.

 It's difficult to know the impact that Nicky Hammond has at Reading.

Getting beaten in the FA cup by a village team, while going down without any real fight, and making Iffy Onoura look good based on league performance, might also had something to do with it.

I suppose the suggestion is that the JPT defeat was the catalyst for him going. I don't actually think it was. I reckon He was 'dead man walking' after Histon. And rightly so.

 Had we scraped through Brighton, I'm sure MM would have gone on.

 Clearly AF had no one tapped up ready to step in.

So, Reg. Going back to this old chestnut:

"There are a couple of names in there that would really surprise people. In fact, they would blow them away I think."

What's your take on this? Is Fitton yanking our collective chain? This is suggesting that he's prepared to splash some cash doesn't it? That is if he is considering said names. If he is not considering them, then why mention them?

Is Ling's contract up at the end of the season? If not, I'd have thought he wasn't a cheap option.

 I think he's just giving us something to chew on...we haven't had much excitement a sa Town fan for many a long day.

it'll be pearce. i'm ignoring your devil's advocate nonsense reg :)

Let's bear in mind as well that the FA have to be happy with him job sharing as well, was it the FA that wasn't happy with Taylor job sharing ?

I don't believe it is Pearce though....there's probably still someone we haven't thought of....Pardew  - done ok at Reading ?!

Byran Robson has applied so I've been told. He better not be mr. knock our socks off

Captain Marvel began his management career with Middlesbrough in 1994, although he did not retire from playing until 1997. In seven years as Middlesbrough manager, he guided them to three Wembley finals, which they all lost, and earned them promotion to the Premier League on two occasions. He later returned to West Bromwich Albion for two years as manager, helping them become the first top division team in 14 years to avoid relegation after being bottom of the league table on Christmas Day. Less successful have been his short-lived spells as manager of Bradford City and Sheffield United, the former lasting barely six months and ending in relegation from what is now the Football League Championship, and the latter lasting less than a year and seeing his expensively-assembled side fail to challenge for promotion to the Premier League.

He's from Chester-le-Street and therefore, in my experience, can't be trusted :D

Where was Colin Todd from.... oh.

Yeah, I'm riding the Pearce Train. 8)

Whatever happened to Ron Atkinson and Carlton Palmer Reg? Do you reckon they've got a chance?

Have to agree with you on BasTodd  >:(.

I mentioned a Robson in jest the other day but I read a few months back that he's looking to drop down the leagues to get back into management.  Lord I really hope not.

I saw Hoddle mentioned in passing in a provincial rag today. 

More than likely off the back of the Adver article but given his academy shenanigans in Spain for young players I wonder if Fitton’s youth philosophy and Mr Hoddle would have some common ground.

Certainly an interesting one to ponder and not one that’s surprisingly gone through the grinder of the rumour mill yet.

Hoddle & Poyet dream team would do just nicely.

I never claim to have an inside track or to know anyone connected with the club, but someone I bumped into today who is well connected (you cunts wouldn't believe me if I gave you the name) told me today that we have 'no fucking chance of getting Pearce'.

In no particular order;

A: His salary demands would make Fitton wince.
B: He's very happy working within the England setup.
C: He'd only consider a high level southern based CCC or sustainable Prem club that would allow him to do the dual role stuff with England.

I didn't really want to hear all that as I thought he'd be class at SN1. Makes sense though.

I've heard the exact opposite. One interview yesterday, one today and three next week. 

I take points a and b but if point c is true than why on earth would he apply in the first place?

Are you saying Pearce is having 5 interviews??? Explain please.

Doesn't anyone ever get any sleep on here? :zzz: :zzz: :zzz:

I'd be gutted if it was Robson. I couldn't stand him as a player and he's a shit manager. My socks would stay well and truly intact if it was him :suicide:

AF says in today's adver that heshould have a shortlist of 2 or 3 by monday, they want to approach a manager in a job but the club sdon't want him to talk to the manager (Ling ?) so he's going to respect their position and not speak to the manager.

He also refused to rule out having spoken to Pearce or Keown, he did admit most names mentioned had been approached in one form or the other (what does that mean ?).

He says he got a call from a well known manager on Fri to register his interest.

This get's more confusing by the day, but Fitton goes to the US on Monday, so I wonder if they will decide who they want before he goes and leave it to Watkins to offer the job ?

There have been 2 interviews - another 3 next week. Pearce is one of them.

Shortlist down to 3 by Monday then. I'm going to stop speculating now. Can't be bothered to at the end of the day it's going to be whoever it is. Does sound like we might not see an appointment for another week or so yet though.

Last week Mr Fitton did say it would be 3 weeks before an appointment, which would make it around 12th December ish.

And I have come to the conclusion...it will be whoever it is as well, I wont be hugely dissapointed if it isnt one of my favourites for the job.

I think a lot of fans will be dissapointed when it isnt Stuart Pearce as I think we are thinking of ourselves as a bigger club than we actually are in the real world.

I would still be very happy if it was Holloway...a man who has expressed an interest in the job and is affordable and lives locally, even if he is an ex Brizzle Dog man....so was Steve White and he turned into a hero for us.

To knock my socks off I expect nothing less than Mourinho please Mr Fitton.

I quite enjoy listening to and reading about all the speculation....God bless Fitton for kindly asking MM to leave as it's more interesting talking about who our next manager may or may not be, rather than giving 101 reasons why MM wasn't up to it.....

its in Fitton's interest to get the right man for the job as a welcome appointment from a fans point of view will get more numbers through the turnstiles.....

say the right appointment brings an increase of around 1,000 fans(which would be realistic I reckon) and average ticket price works out at £15, correct me if I'm wrong but thats a £15k increase a fortnight on gate receipts alone. So based on those stats, we can afford to pay our new manager around £350k a year right?? (assuming we pay them in the summer months of course) that would get us a fairly decent manager wouldn't it?? or is that too simple an equation and I'm missing something here??!

even if the new appointment only put 500 on the average gate, that would equate to approx £175k a year and for a manager in League 1, that aint to be sniffed at shirley??

bollox, get someone in who will double our gates generating an extra £2mill a year which would pay for em to be here!

Agree Jimbob but we have to take into account money any potential manager may want for players and also backroom staff. Someone like Pearce would probably bring an expensive set of coaches with him as well.

i reckon the increase in hot dog sales would more than cover that me old mate  :D

Heard a little rumour this morning that David O'Leary had enquired about the position.

Diego Maradona flew into Scotland recently!! He was last seen at MMs place asking for some tips on how to impress Fitton at the interview.

That is a suprising one. The only prolem is he'd go more about his young team than JPC and Byrne combined!

It will be Sam Allardyce

Alan Pardew

Graham Rix.

Listening to Ed on the radio he broke Fitton's interview down and he's convinced the "blow your socks off" candidate is Pearce...fingers crossed, he really would get the place buzzing again and increase attendances, and of course would command instant respect from the players, have to contacts

Sounds like a win win situation to me

Colin Calderwood has been given permission to speak to Swindon I have been told. Could be bollocks but Forest fans want him gone and Billy Davies is linked with the Forest job so there may be something in this...

Adi Boothroyd is on sky now so he clearly isnt in australia.

must be coming to swindon

Ling is apparently favourite with the bookies!!!

I think we've been through that somewhere Dell.

Sorry, not been around for days.

Not your fault. I think the circular management discussions are making me a bit edgy.

listening to the lunchtime game on 5live, holloway was co-commentating - he is desperate to get back into the game. don't think he mentioned anything to do with us though.

Best rumour I heard today was a certain Dennis Bergkamp....seriously, where do people get some of these names from!

A man in a pub.

A dicky bird told me Mark Robins.....but i want Holloway....but i think its going to be Keown.

 Keown strikes me as a complete knob...

Mark Robins could well be that employed manager whose club doesn't want us sniffing around (as stated in adver interview).

Although I don't care about these sort of things but Mark Robins is an intensely dull person to listen too.

But a hard knob!!! Those were the days................

:flaccid:

  I thought Keown passed up Pompey, for sitting in the studio...maybe he just wants to be a number 1...

I really don't like the idea of entertaining the notion of Keown as manager, he really doesn't inspire me. I think he should stick to his work on MOTD2 and Oxford Uni FC - but I know very, very little about these sort of things.

Tis true Reg...think he wans to go straight into being top man.

Fitton has done a sort of well meaning, less deliberate, version of a Bob Holt hasn't he?

Heard today it's been whittled down to the last three; Pearce, Ling and Sanchez (cunt).

If that's true, I pray that Pearce gets it.

I concur

Ling all but ruled himself out last time.

These rumour threads are getting more and more ridiculous each day. People just seem to be dreaming up names now, they circulate on the rumour mill for a few days, then get reported in the paper as "strong rumours around xyz" on the basis of that, at which point everyone goes "oooh, it must be true then it was in the paper" and so it goes on in one big bollocky vacuous circle of pointlessness.

And it seems the longer it goes on, the more inflated the rumours become. I think we should get Neil Armstrong in. He could promise us the moon on a stick, he's got experience in that area.

EDIT: most of this isn't a response to Samdy btw, just heartily sick of the whole manager rumour thing now. I'm glad Fitton's taking his time to get the right man, because it is important he gets it right, but I kind of wish we could all stick our heads down a hole for two, three or however many weeks until it is sorted. And I'm worried that the longer it goes on and the more inflated people's expectations become, the less chance any new manager will actually have. Whoever it is is going to have to have at least 48 caps, been in two European Finals, win us the League Cup in his first season, the FA Cup and Championship title in his second, and cure AIDS and world hunger in his third.

It can only be Pearce if that list is true, Shirley?!?

As it stands there is only one U-21 game this season on the same day as we play Tranmere away in late March. Wigley and others will do the scouting, as they probably do already.

Regardless of who it is, I hope this meeting(s) tomorrow/Monday goes well.

Not Sanchez please!!!!!!!!!!!

If that list really is true is best be Pearce! otherwise not many people are going to be happy are they

Premiership season lacked internet conversation and also I wasn't at an age of knowing behind-the-scenes rumours.

Lawrie Sanchez played 8 games as a desperate late edition - he was poor... Is there any other reason he was hated for this stint at Swindon?

lawrie sanchez was on 5live as well today, on fighting talk.


he's full of stats

Thats not far off what I've heard but substitute the last name for one that hasn't been mentioned yet but is an ex Town player. 

who is?

Just name him man, everyone else has been named.

luc nijholt
colin calderwood
david kerslake
glenn hoddle
lartin ming

Tommy Mooney
Joey Beachump
Adi Whitbread
Kevin Horlock
Gareth Whalley

Oooh Shaun Taylor.

Personally I just don't like the manner of the bloke!  Comes across like he has a chip on his shoulder.  And IMO managed to be transformed from a manager who was league 2 level to a Premiership rated manager just by doing a stint as an international manager with Northern Ireland.

That and the fact that he was shite for us and probably got paid a fortune for it.

john stevenson

Lloyd Opara.

(who has had the most amazing career)

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

ben martin

I'll see your Lloyd Opara's career and try and raise you Trevor Benjamin's.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_Benjamin

I guess it's a judges decision, but TB was considered good by some people.

that's incredible. he really was gash though

Charlie Griffin,,,,who scored for Salisbury today.

My order of preference. Pearce, Pearce then Pearce.

I remember an interview with sanchez when he was talking about his time at swindon, i seem to remember the quote as.
"yeah i went to down help them out and stop them going down but they were always gunna!"
I kind of went off him after that, also check out his interviews , always looks at the interviewer for a short while then turns away like he is talking to someone else on the other side of the room. he has problems, mental problems! :) that's a good enough reason for me, I'll stick with that

I'm going to have that put on my gravestone  :)

Personally, i'd be happy with any of those 3, but i fear the baying masses won't be (except Psycho).

Lawrie Sanchez played 8 games as a desperate late edition - he was poor... Is there any other reason he was hated for this stint at Swindon?
[/quote]

When he came on for US against Wimbledon (in our Premiership days), he played like their 12th man (forgot he had on the red shirt, or just didnt care), he was subbed, never played for us again, and rightly so :>)  I hate the guy personally - This is one manager that woudld seriously make me consider whether I would go to the games or not, and that is not something I say lightly ....
NO TO SANCHEZ

Very true Mr D..it is all self perpetuating, thanks to lazy journalism, 'news' papers desperation to fill space and peoples' willingness to hang on every word of the most irrelevant and non-reserarched articles..then you have Victor Chandler sticking in their two pence worth now and then by saying, "Oooh, Big Fat Ron the Racist is the new favourite" (which is manna from heaven for the lazy Adver writers) and people think when they read the printed word there is no smoke without fire and Fitton must have at least spoken with BFRTR when in fact there is smoke without fire, BFRTR has not even applied, it is complete and utter bollocks and no one has the faintest idea who it is going to be.

I tell you what though. If it's not Pearce or Holloway, I'm never going again 8)

N.B. I made that up about Big Ron. I was just using him as an example. I don't know of anyone putting 10k on him at VC. I imagine he is currently sitting on a beach in Antigua like a beached whale and intends to stay there for the forseeable future. I can imagine this being the Adver's main headline tomorrow (because they will have been too lazy of course, to read this far down)

 I've heard the BFR rumour as well OST....mentoring Carlton Palmer :mrgreen: :creep:

Bloody hell - somebody's lost the plot.

I hope its you lot and not Fitton !!

This is the bestest rumour thread ever, even better than the Lomas one.

Here. Try this. See if it helps. I don't suppose it will but anyway...

IRONY (from the Ancient Greek εἰρωνεία eironeía, meaning hypocrisy, deception, or feigned ignorance) is a literary or rhetorical device, in which there is an incongruity or discordance between what one says or does, and what one means or what is generally understood. Irony is a mode of expression that calls attention to discrepancy between two levels of knowledge. In fiction, it is a demonstration of the distance between the character's knowledge and that of the audience.


You have to be able to grasp this concept. If not, this forum will be pretty much lost on you.

Hes fat, hes round, he is a big fat clown...big fat Ron...big fat Ron.

Once a scummer always a scummer.

I would stop going to games if that ever happened.

SANCHEZ WOULD BE A VERY UNPOPULAR CHOICE, FACT!

We want a Pyscho for a manager, Pearce or Roy Keane who might soon be available.

i dont really want sanchez after reading some of the other names mentioned.if he gets the job then i'll get behind him though

Same as Arriba.

Sanchez nearly relegated Fulham:

Club career

Sanchez had first played for Reading, between 1977 and 1984, before moving to Wimbledon for £30,000. He scored the goal that got the Dons promoted to the First Division in 1986. His most famous moment as a player came in 1988, when he scored the goal that won Wimbledon the FA Cup in 1988 against Liverpool, a match widely believed to be one of the biggest cup final upsets in history. In April 1993 Sanchez left Wimbledon for newly promoted Swindon Town, where he pissed-off a large number of the fans.

He is believed to be the first player to be sent off for a professional foul, after committing a deliberate handball in a Football League Trophy match against Oxford United in 1982.


Managerial and coaching career

Sligo Rovers

He became player-manager of League of Ireland club Sligo Rovers in 1994 and in his first season led them to the semi-final of the 1995 FAI Cup.He also managed them in the Cup Winners' Cup against Bruges FC

Wimbledon

In 1995, he returned to Wimbledon and became reserve team manager, winning the Football Combination in his first season in charge.After two years with the reserves he then stepped up to 1st coach under Joe Kinnear.

Wycombe Wanderers

Sanchez became manager at Wycombe Wanderers in Feb 1999,and with only 18 games left he rescued the team from imminent relegation.In 2001 he guided the club (then in the Second Division) to its greatest moment, playing Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-finals; Wycombe lost 2–1, having held Liverpool to 0–0 for most of the match.

After finishing 12th in 2002 and 11th in 2003, the upward progress came to an end with collapse of the OnDigital TV deal and the subsequent loss of both revenue and subsequently players. After a poor start to the 2003–04 season Sanchez left the club on 30 September 2003.

Northern Ireland national team

Sanchez was appointed manager of Northern Ireland in January 2004. At that point the side was ranked 124th in the world, had a 1,298 minute-long goal drought, and had not won a game for nearly three years. Northern Ireland improved markedly under Sanchez. By the time he left Northern Ireland were top of their Euro 2008 qualification group and reached an all-time high position of 27th in the world.

Notable results during his tenure included a 1–0 victory against England in a World Cup qualifying match, a 1–1 draw against Portugal, who went on to reach the World Cup 2006 semi-finals, a 2-1 win over Sweden and a 3–2 win against eventual Euro 2008 winners Spain in a Euro 2008 qualifying match, with striker David Healy scoring a hat trick. A book about his achievements with Northern Ireland was published in November 2007.

Fulham

While still manager of Northern Ireland, Sanchez was named as caretaker manager of Fulham following the sacking of Chris Coleman in April 2007. Having achieved his 32 day task of maintaining Fulham's Premier League position he was given the manager's job on a longer contract having first to resign from his position with Northern Ireland. His tenure at Craven Cottage came to a close in December 2007, with Fulham odds on for the drop.

Thirded. I'll be right behind leefer being behind arriba behind Sanchez. We could make a little conga line out the back of the dugout :)

If its Sanchez I'll go all STFC Bart....

if it's not who i want i'll throw my toys out of the pram

Sorry, OST, you're clrearly way too clever for me.

Curbs
Pardew
Ardiles
Allardyce
Keegan
Hughton
Evans
Atkinson
Palmer
Pearce
Hoddle

Exactly where does the list change from serious suggestion, to insanity to irony?

You forgot Sanchez

Lets hope Fitton does as well!

Sanchez would make sense, fits in wit AF's clues earlier in the week.  Really think he's judged Town fans wrong here though as not sure how many fans would be blown away with Sanchez.

none would

I'd put Sanchez on a par with Martin Allen.

 Blown away into giving up by the sounds of it...personally I've no particular axe to grind with Sanchez...when he left Reading Macari tried to sign him, but he opted for Wimbledon.  His Prem sojourn at teh CG was too short to have any real significance.

 He did have a bit of a spat when Gary Alexander scored a couple v Wycombe which knocked them out of a cup...can't remember which one...either LC or Skoda Hub Cap.

 He branded GA nothing better than a Div 4 striker...seeing how Alexander has played most of his football since at that level he was probably right.

 If he gets the job let's see if he can improve our present lifeless club....

I may get flames for this, but does Sanchez not have a decent managerial record?

Pretty crap actually

P279    W91   D79   L109   in the league with Wycombe & Fulham

That's on the assumption that:
a) Sanchez is on the list at all
b) It was Sanchez AF was talking about
For all we know (as in actually know, not have read about in rebaked rumour threads/betting odds recycled as stories in the Adver) Sanchez has neither applied or being considered. Or he may have applied and AF wiped his arse on his letter. On the basis of a series of hypothetical assumptions, I think you're being a touch harsh on AF there Jan.

Two clubs who were both playing above their level

I've disliked Sanchez since that stint with us in the Prem, he was as bad as Webb and a dick with it, since then he's done nothing to change my mind - in fact he's only fuelled my dislike for him so I'd be pretty pissed off if it were him.

Other than that I'm fairly appathetic at the moment, there are a few I really don't want involved with Swindon but there are a few I'd quite like to see here.  If I could choose I'd go with Pearce but other than that anyone with any semblance of a success in their previous jobs will do I suppose.

Which are my thoughts exactly smeghead.

Did he not also do a damned good job with N. Ireland, a country that are very low in the leagues of international football?

How true is this Stuart Pearce story?

I personally would love him as manager.

We may never know Ralphy. Still, probably best to have faith, belief is very powerful.

If he isn't our manager next week it's because you didn't believe enough. You bastard.

Also true. But he's not a NAME. We must have a name!!!

Pornthip Wangsalot.

Name of a Thai guy (It was on his business card) that I met last week, I had to stiffle a giggle.

Now THAT is a name, SIGN HIM UP!

I don't think Wycombe would say they were playing above their level.

Les Allen

Sanchez is the only one who I DO NOT WANT AS MANAGER others have got sketchy records but I would happily accept them, but I cannot forgive or forget how Sanchez played for us during his time here.

I do not think he is someone that would be instantly accepted by the fan's, most other managers would regardless of record.

Let's hope it is Pearce

Good post, spot on.

I think Sanchez would be as unpopular as Malpas, given his history. A couple of shit performances and plenty would just pile into him possibly starting another downward spiral which we could do without. It could go the other way, but is it worth risking after the Malpas fiasco?

I think Fitton knows from reading the forums exactly the type of manager the fans want. We may be divided by  some of the fine details, but someone with a good track record, with some bollocks to shake the place up a bit and to provide some leadership and desire for fans and players alike would be a good start.

Holloway, Pearce, Curbishly, Pardew = fit the bill.

Sanchez, Ward = Fuck off.

Allardyce, Keegan, Hoddle = Nice idea, but ain't going to happen.

Atkinson = STOP IT. NOW!

My feeling is Keown

Spot on.

reg's ultra negative posts are great. it's like he's trying to outdo bart.

I agree with this.....

I dont Curbishley and Pardew in the realistic list?

Ive been saying that, think it could be an ok appointmnet

Im loving this thread!!!

The names that are being thrown about are brilliant!! I also like the fact that there is NO concrete evidence of a name of a person that will be our next manager, but we are bickering like school kids.

I was quite young when we appointed Ardiles but old enough to know that he was/is a footballing legend. I could not believe it when he joined us at our small club. I was older when Hoddle joined but still i was amazed when little Swindon could bring in a genius like him.

Please Mr Fitton bring in the right man for the job. Yes a BiG name would be exciting but if my next door neighbour applied and was succseful and started winning more games than we lost then i would be smiling from ear to ear. Please just appoint someone who will bring some glory back to our small, drab, wanky little town.

I notice Lawrie Sanchez was on fighting talk this morning, following on from Ian Holloway a few weeks ago, they seem to be doing their best to identify our next manager.

We should bring in Bob Mills really.

Wont be installed until 10th December!!!

Which means MORE BYRNE!!! When will Fitton learn Byrne is half the reason we are where we are ..

he ends up giving him 5 games in charge ... so far 3 points out of 12 ... relegation form

then he suggests the new manager will be working alongside Byrne ... I despair!!

Mr Fitton - GET RID of BYRNE .. GET RID OF WILLIAMS ... if you wish to leave League 1 for League 2 then leave them there ...

Particularly annoyed as I am cannot make Yeovil or Brighton matches due to other engagements .. and I will miss the new managers opening games :(

Where does he say they will work alongside byrne?? He doesn't

Aw cock, Pearce hasn't applied and hasn't been approached.

 Fitton said he would be willing to discuss the vacant manager’s post with Pearce “out of respect,” but has assured supporters there has been no contact between himself and the Wiltshire-based coach.

“We did not think of Stuart for no other reason than we did not think of him,” said Fitton. “I can tell you he has not applied either.

The blow your socks off candidate was....

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/wdp/sport/Swindon-Town-wanted-Joe-Kinnear-new-manager/article-512486-detail/article.html

I got told again that David O'Leary is one of the blow your socks off candidates, I dont even know what he has been doing since Villa. Just relaying what I was told by someone who has no need to just make something up and knows someone with some inside info.

Was fairly shocked by the Kinnear story. And I feel sort of better now the Pearce rumour has been quashed, my expectations have returned to this planet.

all this inside info is complete bollocks, im very good friends with someone very high up in the club and fitton and watkins are not telling a soul.

You could understand why they'd want to keep quiet about you being friends with a senior member of staff though, highly embarrassing it that got out. I heard discussions are taking place with Joan of Arc's representatives

Dermot O' Leary would seem to fit the bill from what fitton has said..........

"Fitton held a meeting with one potential candidate on Saturday as Town went down 2-1 at Walsall, but the Advertiser has learned that applicant has not been successful".

I reckon that this could have been Holloway as he was at the Wolves v Birmingham game earlier in the day.

This is starting to become a bit of a joke........the build up is so big now that if a mediocre appointment is made we will all feel deflated!

In all honesty Flash, it is the fans that have built it up so we only have our selves to blame if our expectation levels are not matched

well said frederick

So who do we think has been ruled out?....

Get that list right and the shortlist will be very short

Just appoint someone ffs, i know we need the right man but every manager we are obviously going for is out of work. It could of been done by now.

We will be in the relegation Zone by the time a new bloke comes in

the cunt hasnt approached me so i reckon im out.

Nah, saving the best till last. They're working their way up to you, just practising the interview technique on some of the lesser candidates

Ruled out..Holloway for sure.

True enough.
We have so many ways of talking stuff up now with all this forum stuff and websites etc etc.... ???

I disagree, there is a lot of talk from inside that the new man will be a proven man. A motivator. And also that some of the applicants would "blow you away" and that the applicants on offer are of a much higher standard that expected. It's no wonder that fans are adding 2+2 and making 5.

To end up with a John Ward would be a disappointment because of this talk.

Of course the reality is we are an average division 3 team, and just because all of the above is true it doesn't mean we will pursue it.

Joe fucking Kinnear? Yeah, that's really one to blow your socks off.

I am sure AF will more quickly now to ensure you don't miss out Fatters!

come on, kinnear would not have blown anyone's socks off.

John Ward was at the Walsall game, or was at least expected because I heard the one of the stewards going through his list of visitors, so it could have been him ruled out if AF meant that his meeting took place at the stadium.

I agree with Fred, I am prepared for another low key appointment followed by fans wingeing and complaining because we didnt get a big name again. Fitton said the Bookies aren't often wrong so John Ward it is then!

Ward has been ruled out.

I had a dream last night where Sanchez was sat in a fire engine by the magic roundabout holding up a town shirt.

Sorry, nightmare. My socks would be firmly blown on.

All this 'big name' shite is seriously pissing me off.

Why would a 'big name' guarantee success?

Look at the teams recently promoted from League 1, I don't remember any 'big names'.

Appoint someone and get behind him, although a percentage of the fan base will no doubt be on their back from day one.............

So we've now got another game (At least) with Budgie in charge. The bloke has done ok since MM left but Fitton knows, we know and I'm sure even Byrne knows, he isn't the answer.

And that's the problem John. Too many Town fans are believing everything they hear and are going to be massively disappointed.

I don't give two fucks who AF appoints, I just want him to get a wriggle on!

Ruled out

Holloway - bad move sitting in the townend - ruled out
Ward - apparently met AF Saturday at Walsall - ruled out?
Ling - Manager tey can't approach - ruled out?
Calderwood - AF won't approach out of respect whilst still employed - ruled out?
Kinnear - at newcastle - ruled out
Poyet -  AF confirmed didn't apply - ruled out
Pearce -  AF confirmed didn't apply - ruled out


Which leaves amongst others Curbishley, Robson and Allerdyce none of whom have been denied by AF

You bastard! You deleted your post and made it look like I was replying to my imaginary friend!

Dowie? Hoddle? Pardew, Fitton had said another well known manager applied late Friday (presumable Pardew after he was sacked by Charlton?)

Sorry mate I read 2 pages back and relaised I had said exactly what others had said that the Pearce thing is pure hypotheitcal rumour.

We have absolutely no idea who has been ruled out, ruled in, applied, been rejected, had an interview etc etc etc.

Just let AF get on with it and stop making up stories about who has been interviewed and got rid of as WE DONT FUCKING KNOW only AF and the board know for certain.

It's all rumour.

I've heard that an approach has been made to Gary Speed, I know the person that told me is genuine, but it still doesn't make it fact, just another rumour..........

I like rumours tell me more...... :)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jRbOMuWON7I

i agree with john - let's stop using a discussion forum to discuss potential new managers because it'll clearly prevent fitton from doing his job.

someone close this thread please before more damage is done

How will it prevent Fitton doing his job ? am I missing something ? Does Fitton use the forums to interview his potential managers ?

Now where's that whooooosh smiley gone...

 
The ability to realise when someone is taking the piss.

Sarcasm bypass?

I agree Stuart Pearce was a cert until he read this thread and got cold feet ;D

Darren Patterson should be our new manager

Fucking magical.

 :smack:

Well done Sonic

If its not Stuart Pearce I'm not going ever again.

Its going to be someone shit isnt it.

I hope it's someone "shit" who then does ace. That would be my perfect combo.

It seemed the candidates were all a lot better just prior to Malpas being sacked, but I hate them all now. I think I've been jaded by the rather circular discussion which has been going on.

We need someone with a track record to get us out of our current hole ... otherwise its League 2 again next season and then we WILL be REALLY struggling financially.

People laughed at my Nigel Clough appointment .. but look at the facts

Burton Albion have little or no cash --- under Clough's ten years (loyalty!) they have raised enough to build a new ground - Pirelli Stadium - with crowds of about 1500 average and assembled a gradually improving side - until last year they made the play offs and this year currently sit top!
I think Clough knows how to work in a tough budget and deserves a higher club to manage ...


For a real left field appointment ... how about Steve Fallon and John Beck of Histon .. they have done WONDERS for a part time village side with no money AT ALL ... trouble is we all might get neck ache watching it!

you start your post off by saying you want someone with a track record then suggest Clough, Fallon & Beck!?

I want someone crap so I can moan, had enough of this getting behind the manager rubbish.

Beck was successfull a long time ago with cambridge (im talking Hoddle era!!), but he's very long ball route 1.

A track record in the lower league - even if it is Conference is acceptable as long as its a really good record .. Im talking track record as a good manager with little or no resources

Post of the month!

I ain't being funny DV but we've all got THE FUCKING POINT. Please please please stop posting every fucking little post in this fucking pretend-Bart manner, everyone with half a brain got the point months ago and those without a brain ain't gonna change their mind cos you're going on like a stuck record.

Thanks for the lack-of-Comedy heads up early on there. 

You were spot on by the way, not the slightest bit of humour at all

I can assure you I am being deadly serious.

He spoken to Hoddle. I would be delighted with him, finish off a job he started.

No, he's spoken to Hoddle for advice, not about taking the job.

what if hoddles advice is 'hire me'

but if he is talking to hoddle, he is bound to mention his mate Gorman.

What? Oh my god. That web page hasn't changed since it was first linked to from this thread about six hours ago. Amazing!

Sorry noob. I didn't mean it really.  :hug:

C'mon, be easy on the newbie.

good.then we can hire the pair of them again

...I hope DMR doesnt shout at me but I really wouldnt want that.

Hoddle has been out of management a fairly long time now and never really did well for the likes of Southampton, Spurs or Wolves. Gorman has never cut it on his own.

It would be a case of going backwards and they'd never in a million years have the same success here. Be great for nostalgia reasons....but no thank you

Is there a reason why Fitton decided to talk to Hoddle about the vacancy? Is there some history between them? Do they know each other? Does Hoddle really care about Swindon still? Any reason at all?

I'm not aware of any, so why talk to Hoddle rather than probably 100 other people he could of gone to instead?

Fitton has thought outside the box before, so what about if he's trying to do a deal with Hoddle coming to the club as manager and running his academy for released youngsters from the club at the same time? It would actually make a lot of sense, as Swindon would get first option on any of them that turn it round.

Even better if Gorman comes back as well. I'm sure everyone will disagree but I reckon Gorman was the last manager that had Swindon playing decent, attacking and attractive football. Sure the results weren't good towards the end but at least the games were worth going to.

Assuming Hoddle still worships at the alter of 3-5-2, Fitton would have to promise him the budget to completely overhaul the squad in January as we simply don't have the players.

I've done it again, haven't I? Hoddle is not in the running and never was, just like Pearce.

What he said really.

WTF is the link between Hoddle and Fitton?

keep the fans onside?

other than that I cant think of any other link unless Fitton it trying to get a link with Hoddles academy in Spain.

 I'm trying to keep a lid on the gushing big name overthetopness ...unfortunately I think AF has let it go to far.  John Ward wont stand a chance.

I think we wouldn't get so annoyed with these type of threads if we didn't lose/get rid of our managers so often.

I enjoy reading and contributing to them. Although it would've been a fun appointment I'm glad Fitton has ended the Pearce speculation... Joe Kinnear is an odd one, and he's work for Oxford no matter how badly he did there it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a sin.

Fitton & Co are big teases - the Hoddle thing is probably a red herring.

It'll be John Ward :) But what does it matter if it is?

I just want someone in place so we can move on and get on with the season.

Yeah it's PR. Makes a good headline if Fitton can say our new manager that loads of people haven't heard of has Hoddle's seal of approval.

I suspect he is talking to him as an ex-swindon manager, who has been an international manager, managed at the highest level, has contacts within the game to guage his thoughts on who is available and what type of person they are, and see if there are any 'left field' managers that they have missed out

Hoddle and Keown ... you wouldnt think there was a link there ... but apparently they are quite chummy and they both live in Berkshire

I love the way everyone's getting so agitated by Fittons comments.  Has anyone stopped for a minute to think that everyone own perception is causing the problem?  what may blow Fitton's socks off may be a dour shit appointment to Joe Bloggs of Swindon, especially given some of the numpties on thisis who seem to be suggesting any name you can think of that wouldn't even bother knowing we had a Managerial vacancy at our club.

I also love how people are getting angry at the club about potential names, when the club haven't even said who they are looking at.

Jesus wept.  We'll probably get someone like Ward and he may well do a bloody good job for us.  Most Managers that are available to us will have a shit stint in their records, if they didn't then they would be Managing a top team right now.  If we hit the PR jackpot then so bt it, but likelihood is we won't.

If there was even the remotest chance of getting these 2 back then fuck the rest, I'd snatch their hand off. As for going backwards - back to the days when we've played the greatest football I've seen here ever. Back to the days when the crowd got more than their money's worth.
Unfortunately, Fitton is asking Hoddle for advice.
Regardless of what is being said, Pearce is still a possibility.
Holloway, however, has no chance.

Whoever comes in probably wont get a fair crack, as we have the moaniest, most unrealalistic supporters going. I wouldn't bloody well want the job, lose,lose scenario.

Although most of us on here will go to watch Swindon regardless I think of the bigger picture and getting people through the gate

That means a high profile name with an excellent managerial record is the best for the job ... I dont think thats rocket scientist

John Ward may do a good job but if he should struggle it wont get punters in the door ... whereas a big name like Pearce would even with some bad results ..

I just don't care now. Most of the Press Talk has been Riverdanced on by Fitton. I like a good rumour but we still have another week of this... almost guarenteed.

To say that the new guy could well be in the stands on Saturday is just as hopeful as people still hoping there's any kind of truth behind the Pearce rumour!

Thing is though, this big name = big gates thing is only really true in the short term, especially when appointing a manger mid-season (no season ticket boost). If a "Big Name" (ex premier type, pearce etc) does come in then the gate might increase for a few games, but if the results aren't good then they'll drop again pretty swiftly. A less known manager might not get the instant boost, but gates will increase if we string results together.

The Malpas was shit, another lesser name will also be shit logic is also pretty flawed. If the club don't want to splash the cash for promotion then we might have to accept trying out a few cheaper options until something clicks.

There's the argument of the pay more, have success, don't have to sack them and pay them off, get compensation when they move on cycle. But it only has to not work out once and we're stuck with a big bill. I was happy when Fitton and co came in saying they were going to try the run in a more financially stable manner, and I'm still happy if they want to do that.

I get really fucking annoyed at all this "our supporters are cunts mallarkey." We're no better or worse than most. Are we worse than the so called religiuos Toon Army - are we fuck. Are we worse than the Slave Trader bastards - are we fuck. Are we worse than the Gooners asking questions of Wenger - are we fuck and so on and so on. We've been really short changed recently. This appointment is vital as the only thing we've got to play for in the next few months is not getting relegated and hanging on to our best players.
We want to be entertained,. We want our team to play decent football. We want our team to play with passion and put in a good shift. We want to be proud of our team. If we lose to a better team or a robbery then fair enough. We don't want our team beaten before the game starts. This is what all fans want. That's all I want. I don't expect Premiership football ever again. I don't expect regular Championship football. I don't expect players to stay with us for life. I expect us to yoyo thruogh the lower Divisions.

It always sound plausible, this myth that we need someone big to get the crowds in, that somehow people come because we are amanaged by a person they've seen on the TV, but it's bollocks.

3rd game under Ardiles (ignore the 1st two because they were against "big teams") was vs Barnsley.  Surely Ardiles being a new Manager, not to mention a 3-1 home win against Wolves under the belt, should have seen us fill the Maracana? nope, 6540 souls ventured into the CG that day, and barely 400 more for the next home game.  We drew that game but then won 3 consecutive home games 3-0.  For the next match after that, did they flock to see the new messiah against Stoke (a game we won 6-0), nope, less than 8000.

Even after God was installed we still had regular games of 7000 attendances.

We got big crowds when we did well or big teams came to Town.  It hasn't changed.

What has changed is we can now moan about things and rustle up a crowd of people in a moaning frenzy and pass on myth as fact.

Lets just let Fitton appoint the best man AVAILABLE to him and then support the poor bastard.  If he's shit, we can moan again and all be happily sad.  FWIW, someone like Ward could do well, he's done well in spells at clubs before.  Like most people in our range he'll also have some periods of failure under his belt.  Who knows though, he may not even be on the list, which is the point really.  Since when did appointing a new Manager become a Simon Cowell produced affair?

My friends parrot said that Bambi on ice will get the job!!!!!

The only thing I expect the new manager to do is stay up this season, Anything else is a bonus and we push on next year. So whoever the manager is and I don't really care who it is, PLEASE PLEASE dont mention playoffs. By all means say we have a good squad but lets stay up by a good margin then push on next year and work on our defenders!

Perhaps, but I still maintain words and phrases like "blow you away", "proven" and a "motivator" are bound to raise expectations.

Frankly it a perfectly normal thing to speculate on who we want and who we don't want. I think it's normal to speculate on getting people that are way out of our reach.

Its the way it is.

And I'll still be disappointed if its Ward or Sanchez .

I wish there was no interweb - I blame it for everything that is poo at the County Ground

Obviously as Martin Keown lives in Wheatley near Oxford.....

A Gooner and a Spurs legend... Friends? I smell a sitcom.

Do I smell last night's family guy?

Was it on last night? It was certainly in reference to that episode.

He is probably waiting to win a game and then will appoint Byrne.
Keeping Byrne is any capacity would be a massive mistake. Any decent manager should be able to bring in their own backroom staff, and as bad a manager as Malpas turned out to be, he should have been afforded this as well.

If Byrne is not appointed as manger then I'm going to ban Bart.

Beautiful.

Fitton has clearly, and by clearly I don't mean quotes in the advertiser I mean visual footage of our chairman actually stating that he's not a fan of promoting a caretaker manager to the full time job.

Good reality check. The first few months under Sir Lou were also pretty shabby, attendance and performance-wise. It only changed when we started winning every game.

I was really hoping for bit more of a reaction to this. I don't know, maybe an "Oooooohhhh!?!??!" or "Realllllly?????!!!". Basically any word with extended hard vowels or soft consonants with a follow up of extended punctuation. Even one of Samdy's snappy image macro things would have been nice (But I would have instantly banned him or anybody else for it).

ooooooooohhhhh realllllly?!?!?!?

[url width=480 height=360]http://www.shipmentoffail.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/failboat.jpg[/url]

 :doh:

:cunt:

I'm was interested in Fitton's comments on thisis RE: Malpas vs. The Fans....


As someone who gave Malpas all the chances in the world it's somewhat disappointing to read that he'd given up on winning over the Swindon fans long ago. Ho-Hum.

The new guy or any future manager simply cannot approach the Swindon faithful in the same way.

I read it as disappointing in the sense that not all fans had been on his back, he should have acknowledged the crowd as there were people in the CG willing to give him a fair crack of the whip. 

I expect MM to give up on footie now, which is a shame, would be good to see him as a coach somewhere, doing well for himself, he came across as a decent bloke to me.

I read that Sanchez has not been spoken to then.

Spot on..........im not unrealistic.....only a miracle would see us in the prem again, that was my dream and i lived it. Championship would be nice.
I dont want a team who roll over and die.
i dont want players who gesticulate at the fans when they spoon a pass into the crowd - you are a professional football player for fucks sake...take it on the chin.
I want passion and battle and inbetween a bit of play as a bonus.
i want a manager who knows what he is doing who can lift his side and talk to the fans.
Not too much too ask i know!!

To be honest most of our fans were never really going to give MM a chance. I had all the time in the world for the guy. He was genuinely a very nice guy, He was very passionate about succeeding I know this from talking to him at the end of season do last year as well as the team photo shoot. He wasn’t the most charismatic man. He seemed pretty thick skinned. He wasn’t going to take any non-sense from people questioning his ability. I told him at the end of last season to stick at it and try to ignore any abuse etc and he said “I will do ofcourse and that’s football, you get that everywhere” Now I’m not a motivational speaker and not my place to say anything or whatever to MM. His wife had said to me as well about how much Maurice loves Swindon and it was all he spoke about . In regards to not greeting the players I think its more to do with he had lost the dressing room than the fans. He could easily blame the fans as opposed to saying “well the players hate me so why should I?”. I would love to see what MM has to say about his Swindon experience to be honest but I doubt we will ever find out what happened really. MM was never going to be one to try and win over the fans, he is passionate about football. I believe MM gave up on football pretty match after leaving Motherwell and I would imagine he won’t get a management job again in England. I sponsored Maurice this season due to him being a great guy and when you speak to him he does make good sense, I think it’s a case of how he gets his ideas across etc that was his down point. He could potentially be a very good number 2. We saw flashes of good football under MM but he needs a mouthpiece and motivator to get his ideas across that’s where he fell down.

Said it before.....i hope he goes back to coaching and is a success.
I said i would give him a year and all for a few weeks so did Fitton.

That's the disappointment I'm talking about. I wasn't aiming to create a Malpas is a moron discussion or anything... However, as I mentioned the new regime cannot afford to do the same as what Malpas did in combating the Barts of this world.

From Fitton's comments is 100% obvious who this "Gary McAllister" style manager will be.  Jan Aage Fjortoft is coming to town!!!!  With his carrier bag!!  Whoa whooooooo!!!!!!

I was delighted to read that Sanchez hadn't been contacted too.

Ian Holloway was on Big League Weekend on Sky last night. They showed him the odds after the Walsall highlights and he talked the club up and said what a good job it would be for whoever gets it. It's not rocket science but he identified tightening up the defence and hanging on to Cox as the major challenges of the job. He said he sympathised with Fitton for having 50 applicants to wade through, but made it blatantly obvious he'd love the job.

His was probably the first name mentioned, there have been seemingly hundreds of rumours since then, and yet I'd still be perfectly happy if we gave this bloke the job.

Holloway would have been my first choice. Pearce would have been fantastic but reality soon sets in that it'd have been too good to be true.

I suppose we'll find out at the weekend

Holloway is still my personal fave for the job, despite his appearance in the TE a couple of weeks back and with him being an ex Rover (that never harmed Steve White!).

But there is a lot of talk down this end of the country that he's being lined up as the next manager of Yeovil, Slade is under increasing pressure with results not going their way and fans are calling for his head and Holloway is being widely tipped to get the job should Yeovil sack Slade.

Holloway is a no. Fact.

do you have info Juddie?

That's a fair commute, Yatton Keynell to Yeovil each day, horrible journey, still if it pays enough.

I know a nothing... but I've heard Holloway hasn't done himself many favours by touting himself around so publicly.

As to this 'magic' three, I have no idea.

I'd hate to think it would be ward or sanchez, though. I would mortified if it was either of these two.

Is Paul Bodin a possible for the job?

Who are you asking Fatters? there is 31 pages of fucking shit on here and you ask a fucking question like that

the fact is no-one knows anything, and every time Fitton talks we're even more confused!

I have no idea who is in the three, literally no clue.

Seems a shame if we've ruled out a capable manager purely on the basis that he has answered honestly when asked if he would like the job. Let's just hope Fitton has someone even better lined up. After all, if denying you are interested in the job is a prerequisite of getting it, I guess that puts Sanchez right back in the frame.

Manuel Peixoto was in Woolworths in Swindon on Saturday. His Avenir Beggen side sit bottom of the Luxembourg league with 5 points and he would be ideal to take over. He is charasmatic and has silver hair! Doesn't speak very good English but bought the ex-pat supporters cans of Strongbow in the clubhouse after a match a few weeks ago so he is my hero!!

Peixoto in!!

Here is the legend himself on the left

http://www.wichtelweb.net/eng/index.php?content=news&submenuid=2&showsubmenu=1

Looks a bit dour to me...

Juddie is right.......Hollaway is NOT going to be our manager.
And nor is Ward!

Beggen had just lost 1-0 and the club is in his heart!! He gets much less dour once he has had a few beers after the match!!

nobody on here has a fucking clue who it will be. some posts in this thread are ridiculous

i heard avram grant is the blow your socks off name. and that john gorman has applied

That's why its called a rumour thread I guess. If we all knew who it will be the thread would be called fact.

Ha ha, too true BO.  Come on fellas don't take this thread too seriously as BO says it's a rumour thread, nothing more nowt less. 

OK then..........Fact.....Not Holloway

Well I've just heard a rumour (I told it to myself, but it still counts) that although Holloway is still in the frame for the job, AF has put out false rumours saying that Holloway will definitely not get the job, just to throw a few people of the scent.

You heard it here first, it still might be Holloway.

Have you been talking to Jed Pitman too? thats what Jed told me!!

Erm no, I wouldn't waste time talking to Jed Pitman, it'd just get in the way of punching Jed Pitman.

Word

So if it isnt Pearce, Holloway, Ward, Boothroyd, Dowie, Poyet or Sanchez (although after the whole Pearce bollocks I dont believe a word any of you say)

Then just who the fuck is left? The only one person who name has been linked but hasnt been ruled out by the sauces is Martin Ling and I cant help but feel if we wanted Ling and Ling wanted to manager here it would have happened last year.

It must be Dave Byrne!!!

my 'sauce' says no. he enjoys working with the youths and having the time to help out at places like new college. doesn't seem like he has any ambition to go for the top job yet.

I seriously think it could be Fjortoft... that'd be a bit like McAllister?

My sauce say PB's too busy learning welsh at the moment, as he as always dreamed of managing The New Saints (old Total Network Solutions) in the Welsh league,since he was a nipper, as it was his local team.  He's also hoping to go on I'm a Celebrity get me out of here next year, to use it as a launching pad for his new aftershave range, "Romanian joy, Welsh tears".

i wasn't taking the piss for once!

tis what i've heard. although i expect JPC82 will shoot me down in flames.

I kind of got the impression you were being serious SY, but as you put it in the rumour thread, not fact thread, I couldn't be certain.

Its going to be Keith Curle with that cunt Paul Parker as assistant...

fair point!

...but...on the Bodin note does he even know if his job as youth team coach is safe? his record is excellent but what if the new gaffer wants to bring in his backroom staff and get rid of all of ours?

Then bye bye Bodin.

Can certain people stop putting FACT after their posts? It might give the impression to some feeble minds that the poster knows something.

When, in reality, they know fuck all.

FACT

Fitton suggested a manager needs to be like Gary McAllister which suggests someone like Gary Speed .. personally I think McAllister is a shite manager ... we dont want ANYONE like him!

Apologies for loss of words on orginal post -- now corrected

Edit --- Come to think of it .. he could mean an ex player would stand more chance

English please FatBart.

Speaking of which - I don't want Holloway as he is clearly a simpleton.

At least it seems that Sanchez, Kinnear & Nijholt has been ruled out which is good, so has Pearce & Poyet unfortunetly but we are getting closer to the appointment, interesting that Fitton is leaning towards a high profile manager who is british and has the ability to motivate and is experienced, and can interact with the fan's to get them on side.

In a sense due to the names ruled out Holloway stands out as having this ability due to his personality, not sure that Dowie or Ward have the charisma, but Pardew & Curbishley do but I would not have thought they are interested.

Fitton certainly knows how to confuse though, I still think who he appoints will surprise everyone though.

Does Russell Slade lives in Yatton Keynell? My family are Yatton Keynellers.

It's been almost 30 minutes since someone posted on this thread.

Maybe the rumour mill is finally slowing.

No Holloway's just bought a house there, not Slade.

Martin Keown might have been seen at the County Ground today

I've heard that Terry Venables was at the Walsall game - is he the next manager and he might bring Terry Fenwick with him as defensive coach and Graeme Rix as head of youth, with Wise in charge of scouting and Sheringham as striker coach.

My sauces have dried up...I'm throwing the bottles out and getting some new ones
 

speculation is good.saying it deffo wont be people based on fuck all evidence was what i referred to as ridiculous

Exactly as I stated earlier in the thread Arriba.

We don't know at all who is on the list or even applied, we onyl kinda know who it isnt because they have come out in the press and said so.

No one on this forum can state FACT and expect anyone with half a brain cell or more to believe it...but then some people do I guess.....

FACT.

That's funny you should say that - I thought would Terry Venable apply when I was driving to work this morning!

Yeah, heard almost the same except JCP69 and Rix were going to "look after" the youths between them!

anyone thought about roy keane??
said he is considering his position at sunderland!

no chance in S.Pearce but was a good rumor!
APPARENTLY we approached Joe Kinnear but got rejected!

how come no one wants Ling?
yet when sturrock left everyone was desperate for Ling!!!

all these "big names" being rumuored to be the new manager will mean that the manager we get whoever it will be will be a huge let down as everyone is after Pearce who has not applied!!

my choice would be Billy Davies!
realistic, not attached, been out of work for over a year and has contacts!!

Stupid cunt

Your use of punctuation hurt my eyes, I then actually read the post and nearly stabbed myself in the pupils. Nice work.

I'd heard the same about Kinnear. We approached before his contract at the Toon was extended.

Billy Davies is just waiting for CC to get the boot from Forest.

and you know this how?

Ok Im officially putting myself forward for Manager. I would be skill.

You get my vote mex

Except on Tuesdays when you forget there is a game on!

Whilst the chances of us getting Roy Keane are zero, he has been acting strange recently. He's got more and more relaxed, laid back and not caring since the start of the season and is now practically horizontal. Plus he's started talking about him not having long left there with recent results.

Sounds to me like he'll be leaving one way or another, but not for Swindon.

This thread is starting to make me feel ill. I must stop looking at it.

If this thread is locked a new sexier version will be created - I look forward to it.

I just console myself by imagining the wanton twattery that all the pissdrips and the mouth-breathers on the thisis thread have been flapping their meatholes about.

I can assure you if that happened then not only my socks, but all other items of clothing I was wearing would be blown off...I'd then round around the streets, naked, pretending to be an aeroplane.

They seem to have Rory Fallon playing for them...shirley he'd do well for them...

So, somebody explain to Sir Thicky (that's me by the way) why nobody here wants Ling when approximately 12 months ago we were (collectively) creaming our pants over him?

I think it is seen as he hasn't done anything since last year and that Orient seem to be around us in the table, so would he be that much better.

Saying that though Orient's budget is a lot smaller and as such are expected to struggle every year and he has kept them up the last few years, personally if it was Ling I'd be dissapointed as I think there are better but would still get behind him though as he can probably do a decent job, but it may be a risk as he isn't experienced.

Ling has progressed Orient every season he has been there. He'e actually done a great job. He's probably taken them as far as he can now though. They were always going to struggle this season.

How about David Platt??  Currently on Sky in the studio watching Burnley v Arsenal.
How would he fair down here?

I'd Rather have Richard Keys!

My Forest supporting mate has never forgiven Platt for his stint at Forest. There's a reason he'd not had a job since!

Quite. They must love/loved his tactics column in FourFourTwo.

Just to take this thread back further - does anyone know what exactly AF is looking for in a manager?  With Malpas's appointment I assumed he was looking for a manager who would build on the youth set-up & develop first team players from within.  Malpas has a good coaching record with Dundee United & later during his sojourn as no.2 to Terry Butcher at Motherwell.  He also coached the Scotland U-21 team with some degree of success. AF was hoping that he could make the transition to manager & head honcho, despite his poor record as manager at Motherwell.  I thought that over time he might do just that. Although I never met him or spoke to him he seemed committed & dedicated.  Shame it didn't work out for him
So is AF looking for a similar appointment or has his focus changed?  It seems to me that he's looking for a motivator, an inspirer with perhaps a better grasp of tactics. The attributes reportedly being sought suggest that these qualities have a higher profile than they did previously.  I'm sure (as has been said many times on this thread & others) that who ever is appointed will please some & disappoint others.  The successful candidate will almost certainly have some blots on his managerial record but I'm sure most town fans will support him & judge him on his team's performances & his record at the County Ground. I shall be especially pleased if it's a 'name' but provided he can get the team playing football on the deck, sort out the shambles that is the defence & get us climbing the table I shall be happy enough.

Question.

Would reading this 35 pages give me a clue of who our new manager will be?

All this talk of "he" and "him"

Perhaps the "blow your socks off" option is Cherie Lunghi?

There is a small chance that our new manager who has yet to be appointed gets at least a mention in this thread somewhere

Answer.

Of course not.

What if ...

AF appoints a mystery manager who wears an iron mask like the Count of Monte Christo was it? Or if that's too ridiculous or uncomfortable maybe a leather mask like Kendo Nagasaki, and he or she (the mystery manager that is) keeps it on until the end of the season so we can spend from now until next May trying to guess who he or she is. It could work as long as we don't lose so that the opposition manager gets carried away and puts our man or woman in a boston crab and tears the mask off, thereby bringing to an end the longest running rumour thread ever.

Attention!!! Peter Beardsly just checked in to the De vere at west swindon.


Why???

Panto?

Because the Hilton was full?

:)

Is Hunchback of Notre Dame on at The Wyvern?

Oh no then that means that Barry twat from Eastenders is our new manager  :doh:

... and Beardsley's been wearing his ugly mask for years.

That was indeed nice work. Keep it up maguire and hopefully Dave will cut his hands off aswell.

Laughed out loud and woke the missus up!!!!!!!!

Just announced from the De Vere hotel ...

Beardsley was offered and refused kippers for breakfast.

Sounds fishy to me.

A red herring

Maybe he's looking to get back into playing as a goalkipper

The possibility of him becoming our next manager is exaggerated and over soled.

Nick Watkins mentioned this thread on the wireless this morning!  8)

What'd he say, what'd he say?

Yeah, what did he say?

You fucking tease Sippo.

Sorry Turbot in, but if the Calderwood rumours are true Beardsley needs to get his Skates on if he wants to steal the job.

It doesn't take a brain Sturgeon to see he is a big name, however with no experience I think there would be too many ifs and Hali-buts left unanswered about him.

I think it is time to stop Carping on about him now.

Good Cod, I think I tried a bit hard with this one.

I said all the TEF are cunts!!

He jsut said that pearce hasn't applied and not been contacted but Jeremy Wray was stood next to him in Toys R Us. The pearce rumour was started on a forum and its just exploded from there.

Ian Holloway has applied, but didn't confirm or deny that he was on the shortlist.

Adver have an interesting story -

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/3947439.Town_s_manager_search_goes_on/

It's getting fucking boring now!

I really hope Byrne gets a few wins before the new man comes in, I'm starting to get a bit nervous about that bottom four.

I know Fitton wants to get the right man etc. etc. but it does seem to be getting a bit tedious and really dragged out to me.

It's only been 20 fucking days

Apaprently it took englerland 26 days to appoint cappello.

Yes but he'd applied for it years earlier before Sven took over.

So if this example works does that mean it will be Ling this time?

No it'll be Andy King

colin calderwood will not be swindon town manager. not now, not never. wishfull thinking on forest fans part

You seem very confident about this - Do you know Colin personally then?

me and him do pilates together

Furry muff  ;)

Personally I think there is some substance in these rumours. There's too many people 'in the know' for it to be bollocks. They can't all be wrong ... can they?

There were loads of people in the know about stuart pearce being the new manager. There were loads of people in the know about john ward being the new manager. forgive me for being cynical

Well it seems clear that the manager we appoint is currently already in a job ....

and that he is a Gary McAllister type appointment - ie ex player - perhaps ex Swindon - or does he mean ex Liverpool perhaps ala McAllister

he would have a track record of some kind in management

That would suggest Colin Calderwood - Martin Ling - Nigel Clough perhaps?
Are there any others that fit the pattern above??

fatbury <3 nigel clough.

Theres more chance of it being calderwood than clough. And theres little chance of that. It will be holloway. Here endeth the thread.

i would not be impressed with nigel clough

I have heard that Colin Todd is rumoured to be interested in returning.

Id be happy with Calderwood or Clough but not so keen on Ling

nah that cunt is too busy replying on forums ;)

Thats the one person it won't be. Here re openeth the thread and I would take a fair wager on it. Shot himself in the foot, I believe. 

some of the reasons I rate Nigel

taken from Setantas Rebecca Lowe column on non league

"Burton are looking good
As I write, Burton Albion are top of the tree for the first time in their 58-year history. With the departure of Daryl Clare to Rushden in the summer I was one of quite a few who thought they’d feel that hard and struggle to compete as strongly as they did last season. But the arrival of Greg Pearson, the good form of Shaun Harrad and the valuable input from the talented Aaron Webster and John McGrath has meant that Nigel Clough has steadily picked up from where they left off last season. And considering the incredibly harsh refereeing decisions they were on the end of in the play-off semis, it has been highly impressive to see them back challenging so quickly. Nigel Clough is proving year on year what an outstanding manager he is. To see him in the Football League would only be the reward he so deserves. Loyalty is a separate issue to talent but when you combine both it’s a special thing. So few sets of football fans can claim their manager truly loves their club. Nigel does and that is something to really savour. "

Its written by a woman, what do they know about football??

More than Fatbury!!  ;-)

Fuck yeah Nigel Clough  - 9 years to win one promotion, and having to switch leagues from the Southern to the Northern in order to acheive that.

If he was really any good do you think he'd still be at Burton?

I'd rather have Tisdale than Clough.

They appear to be the reasons rebecca lowe rates nigel

I think she fancies him

I would.

how dare you

A while back in this thread I asked why Fitton was speaking to Hoddle and what the link was. Not sure if anyone said this but it did just occur to me that while he was Swindon manager both Calderwood and Ling played for him, so I'd imagine those two were a big part of the conversation.

I reckon Fitton could be waiting to see what happens at Forest, with Calderwood being his first choice.

If Clough or someone else from a lower league or currently out of work then I reckon he would have appointed them by now. He is waiting on something, it doesn't take this long to appoint a manager for club like Swindon.

I also reckon he'll try speaking to Keane, pretty much zero chance of that happening but I reckon he'll try.

I'm actually starting to wonder if Fitton knows who / what he wants for the next manager, at the moment every week it is a different story, not that long ago he was having a shortlist of 3, and before that there was this 'knock your socks off' person, and noe there the 2 managers that are employed.

If he wants one of the managers, make the official approach and if the manager wants to come I'm sure he will tell his chairman he wishes to leave so that should hurry them into agreeing compensation, if not then move on to the next target.

Fitton's already ruled out going for a lower league manager, so Fatbury can fuck off with his Nigel Clough suggestions.

8)

At this rate we might get a new manager in January, giving him loads of time to assess the squad and get some fresh faces in. Oh wait, that was last season.

An ex-player now currently employed in Management, there cant be too many of those can there?

About 87 I would have thought in the football league in England alone!

I think that was my point.

I am fully aware. It was 4 the lez inteligant puple on her

According to the bbc:

Swindon have asked Leyton Orient for permission to make O's boss Martin Ling their new manager on the advice of Glenn Hoddle, who launched his managerial career with the Robins.

They know nothing, just pulled from somewhere else that knows nothing.

That's what the Forest guy said on the Calderwood thread. Apparently he's not your average internet BS merchant, but how he knows about what the  O's are up to is anyone's guess.

Again Ling fits into the information in the Fitton quotes, but again I'd be underwhelmed. Then again I never rated him that highly as a player either.

He wouldn't work with Byrne last time, why would he now?

Maybe he wouldn't be forced to work with Byrne this time, whereas last time I think Fitton was keen to keep Byrne at all costs.

In my faded memory I though the biggest problem with Ling was he didn't buy into the policy of youth being nurtured into the first team. Could be totally wrong, does anyone else remember if a reason was given as to why Malpas got the job and Ling didn't?

Shamelesly stolen from another site

With the chairman’s shortlist now down to the three names, Swindon Town midfielder Craig Easton has given his backing to Martin Ling for the vacant manager’s job.

Ex-Cheltenham boss John Ward and former Bristol Rovers manager Ian Holloway are the bookies’ favourites for the hot-seat.

But Easton, who played under the Robins legend at Leyton Orient, says there would be no better man for the job than Ling.

“I think he’s a great manager and one of the best I’ve played under in my career,” he said.

“If they decided to appoint him it would be a great thing for Swindon Town. I know from working with him at Orient how much he enjoyed his time here.”

Ling says he is yet to be contacted, but that he is in the same place as he was when Town appointed Maurice Malpas in January if they want to talk to him.

“A year ago there was a lot written about the situation and nothing came of it,” said Ling.

“There’s been no approach to me or the football club. Swindon know where I am.”
 

This is true. I think Dean Smith is his right hand man at Leyton Orient and has been for a good few years now.

Oh and I'm sure Craig Easton would be very happy indeed to see Ling join Swindon wouldn't he ;)

I'm sure he would be. Wasn't he the O's captain under Ling?

Didn't think there was any bad feeling between them?

In the Mirror as well today...

Which is where the Beeb sourced it from ;)

last year singing about ling always being swindon til he dies at brisbane road must have impressed him:)

Top day! (Apart from the result)

He's Swindon till he dies, he's Swindon till he dies. He's Martin Ling, He's Martin Ling, He's Swindon till he dies.

(Can't remember the game, but I can remember the song!)

Im so bored now anyone will be underwhelming - Hurry up I wanna press conference or something fun to happen!

Surpassed only by "we can see you washing up.."

ling is one of the names to excite me least.so be it if it's him, but wouldn't even be on my shortlist.

I'd prefer Ling to Calderwood

I remember watching us play Orient last season and wishing we could play the type of attractive, free-flowing football that they did.

He might not be having the best of times at the moment, but you have to remember the constraints he's under.

If he could get our current squad playing the way he likes, we would be in for some entertaining games.

Would people want Ling as manager if he wasn't linked to STFC?

Thought not...

But what are they (serious Q). All I have seen is claims of financial handcuffs (from loads of people) without any comparison to our own budget.

I was having a quick scan of an Orient forum and they seem to like him. Some chap even said ' Don't go, we love you' which is a bit creepy.

Some blokes just started this thread

http://www.leytonorient2.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=194912

Ling's from Mars. He get's my vote!

According to O's fans, if you take out the loanees and youth teamers, he has one of the smallest squads in the league. Also, Hearn is well-known for his lack of spending. Remember we got Easton when he was their Captain and player of the season.

Yup me too.

But who cares when were getting Pearce with Keano as his right hand man

exactly

Every forum has a Fatbury.


Fair enough, still not sure how significant  the gap is compared to our target budget.

If he had some really crafty tactics we might see how cunning Ling is at the County Ground ... :soapy tit wank:

Im sorry but of course people are more likely to be endeared to potential candidates if they have had previous connections with the club whether it be an ex player etc.

Agreed, think he likes to play the game the right way.  CC's not known for a beautiful style of fussbal.

I'm just hoping we appoint someone soon, or even just promote DB, I'm losing the will to be interested, but I just can't help spending far too much of my time reading stuff about the subject.

*fußball

ive just put a tenner on sheena.

The adver says that there is a shortlist of 5 - it's going up all the time

holloway, ling, easton, calderwood, pearce.

I see three became five again acording to the Wakins quote in the Adver today with Holloway having applied.

bloody jeeeeeeermans!

Exeter City fans discuss....

http://www.exeweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28363

good work Sir!

Just read through that. What a bunch of cunts most of them come accross as.

I thought exactly the same.

I though they were still in the conference!

They seem to miss the big picture - he'd leave them for us as Swindon are a bigger / better club than Exeter with the potential to be a Championship team. Exeter are a bottom of the football league team.

On current form, Exeter > Swindon.

Fair enough, but if that was the way managers thought about it then no one would ever apply for a vacant management position!

On current form, Swindon > Sunderland.

Does that mean Keane is packing his bags for the move down south?

Tisdale would be an ace appointment. Can't see it happening though.

Exeter are a tidy little club which have sorted themselves off and on the pitch during their conference stint. Obviously the Man U money helped.

He'd require a fair bit of compensation as I believe he's recently signed a fairly long contract. Could be wrong though.

I only read the first few pages but I didn't think the fans on that board were too bad.

Tisdale did indeed sign a new contract this season. It's just another rumour to add to the long, long list.

 I want to start a rumour about the manager after teh next one who appears to be Martin Ling. 

 I reckon Andy Gurney... just taken on WSM...Kingy to be his Director of Football.

 By this time Fitton and co will have had enough of abuse from the fans, and Mike Diamandis will buy the club for a pound.

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/7763091.stm

if fitton hires either calderwood or ling,i hope it is for their management skills,not just to appease the fan base.the more i think about it, the more the idea concerns me.
i honestly dont think ling  is worth paying compo to orient for.

I'm inclined to agree. Plus Ling was a good servant to this club, but he's not up there with Calderwood in the popularity stakes, or am I wrong?

It is probably unwise in the long term to bring someone in on the basis of popularity as a player but if they have the experience at management level then I see no problems with Fitton approaching those sort of candidates.

Fitton has got everyone in a spin, everyone is clutching at straws, everyones sources whether they are blokes down the pub or people closer to those who should be in the know are being told different things..... Your move Mr. Fitton.

Can someone rename this thread please. It's 7 pages out of date now. Thanks x x x

 Can it include something about the one after next as well...lazy sods.

There is clearly a + after 35 and its been there all day

Gurney was in my dream last night, I was playing football against him and I remember thinking "oh shit, this is going to hurt".

 I hope it had nothing to do with bananas....I think this confirms my theory that Gurney will be our next manager but one.

 Anyone besides JFW had any Gurney dreams?

If I were ling or calderwood I wouldn't take the job because if things don't go right, legendary status will be lost.

Lings not really that much of a legend is he?

Sure he was part of a legendary team made up of some proper legendary players but Ling?! I dunno. He had some right shockers

This is what I'm thinking. Good servant but I can't remember ever hearing or reading anyone regarding Ling as a legend.

Perhaps I'm being harsh.

No, he is not a 'legend'. He did a sterling job for us, make no mistake, but not sterling enough to be worthy of legendary status. The word Legend is horribly over used these days but I guess that Calderwood is probably worthy of that epithet.

I am sure that Fitton has far more about him though, than to appoint a manager purely on any perceived 'legendary' status which the applicant may hold. In fact, I know he has.

You tease!

Tisdale would be a good appointment. Would be happy with him.

  Calderwood is definitely an STFC legend....captain for 8 years, 4 promotions, two Wembley victories...numerous cup upsets. 

 Lingy a notch down as Wembley hero of 93....not a bad place to be, but no legend.

I wouldn't doubt Calderwood as a legend. Ling's career was the basis of my comment.

No inside info I assure you. Just going on what I've seen/heard/read so far. The man knows what he is doing and is a class act. As a Swindon Town fan that takes some getting used to but is true nonetheless 8)

Who in the name of Sweet Baby Jesus is this 'Tisdale' I keep reading about? Is he manager of Exeter or something? Is that him? What's the deal? What makes him so good?

Agreed. I remain sure that Fitton has everyone scratching their heads... If betting patterns are the only source the media can go by it is surely the case.

Yeah that's him. Started in the non leagues did an amazing job with Team Bath (think they are conference south now) and then joined Exeter where he has taken them to promotion from the conference to the top 6 in league 2. Not bad. Young and local. Could be a good choice.

Got a nice article about Tisdale on wikipedia and even if it biased as fuck he’s an impressive record and done a nice bit of business there with the players he’s brought in at that level and worked well with the resources at his disposal.

Tisdale has potential and ticks many of those Fitton requirements. However, no experience beyond where he is now and the fact that many people will have never heard of him could result in the likes of STFC Bart having cardiac arrests.

Tisdale wheres a cravat.

[url width=290 height=290]http://soccerlens.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/tisdale.jpg[/url]

Sorry if this has already been posted, Ling interview:

http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/sport/3954432.Ling__Swindon_have_not_come_in_for_me/

"I know my odds were slashed down from 16/1 to 3/1 but I don't know if that's just because fans are putting money on me.

"I don't know where this has come from. It can be agents putting things like this about but it has certainly not come from my side.

"I will say the same thing as I said earlier in the week, Swindon Town know where I am if they want to speak to me."

Yeah, I think I've read that somewhere on here... Meh, Ling can be seen staring at his telephone ready to pounce.

I posted it actually Dazzzmeister. I'm somewhat distraught you failed to read one of my posts (that's the scond time I've used the word 'distraught' on this forum tonight...I suppose that's the third ???)

From that, it looks like Lingy's gagging for a bit of STFC 8)

Meh, apologies this thread grows to quickly!

Where have you been hiding of late anyway?

I'm always lurking 8)

44 pages.... not to mention

3 pages for the Gus Poyet thread
5 pages for the Aidy Boothroyd thread
6 pages for the Dream On thread
11 pages for the John Ward thread
14 pages for the Colin Calderwood thread
26 pages for the New Manager rumours thread

Over 100 pages of utter, utter shite. Well done everyone.

:)

Please Mr. Fitton end our misery and let us begin the bemoaning of the new messiah!

Heh! heh!

That's good research Rich 8)

It's safe to say that my not-so-intensive research is the only fact on any of these threads.

Tis good fun, as far as having a preference on who takes over, well, I stopped caring a long time ago. But whoever it will be will get my support (which to the new guy means absolutely nothing :D)

I'm riding your train Rich 8)

It's a fantastic achievement of complete bollocks as per the TEF's motto. Now Rich can you do us a breakdown per poster both cumulatively and within each thread? I'd like to see some pie charts and pivot tables here.

I would, however I fear that I'd be very much up there in the upper echelons of rubbish.

I've decided not to back whichever manager comes in.