My Malpas blog

[juddie]

feel free to abuse:

http://fourfourtwo.com/blogs/

[Bogus Dave]

Good stuff

[janaage]

Any chance of a c&p job as I can't get on there at the moment.

[DV]

Fan Nick Judd wonders whether calls for a change at the top are knee-jerk reactions to a slow start to the season

I’m 29 and I’ve already seen Swindon promoted and relegated four times – plus a demotion – as well as 16 managers and two administrations. Not surprisingly, Town finished fifth in a recent study attempting to find the most stressful club to support in the UK. Littlewoods Pools used such scientific tools as promotions/relegations, managerial sackings and off-field dramas in finding Notts County top of the pile.

If County fans are anything like us they’re a suspicious bunch worn down by years of drama on and off the field. Such perennial palava has made some Town fans so used to doom and gloom that they’re instantly resentful when anything goes wrong. Two wins in seven games this season, for example, has seen a growing number call for Maurice Malpas’ head.

 
Malpas: Feeling the heat just seven games in 

Malpas’ appointment in January – Chairman Andrew Fitton’s first major decision – wasn’t greeted with champagne and bunting. Townies wanted a big name or former favourite, but ended up with a dour Scot with a poor managerial record north of the border. Yet we respected Fitton’s decision. If anyone deserved the right to pick the manager it’s the man who saved us from the brink of closure. Malpas, he urged, impressed over the other candidates and could bring us Championship football within three years. Who were we to argue?

We’re now eight months in and the club has improved exponentially off the field. On it Swindon remain consistently inconsistent. Our 3-1 home defeat against 10-man Leeds last week infuriated as many as the opening-day win against Tranmere enthralled. Malpas has polarised opinion – much like our old boss Andy King – but Colchester United’s sacking of Geraint Williams this week has fuelled the fires of discontent; Colchester thumped us at home three weeks ago.

Malpas could just be a victim of circumstance. Town fans are a hard bunch to please after years of upheaval: those pleading time in favour of the Scot forget that, for many, patience has slowly been eroded.

My feeling is there is no need for change just yet. When Steve McMahon left we had no option, he was a man so despised Town fans left in droves. Some never came back. Those that stayed saw King as the final straw. Though he sweated blood and tears at a difficult time in the club’s history, his old-school ways and regular radio rants infuriated many.

 
McMahon: So disliked some fans still stay away 

Me? Well, I guess I’m on a longer fuse than others. Malpas has identified our defensive problems and threadbare squad – what he does about them will form my opinion. What’s clear is that those venting their spleens at games aren’t helping. It didn’t help under King – where fans continually called for Lou Macari’s return – and it won’t help now.

On the subject of Macari, like Malpas, he won just two of his first seven games. And look at what he achieved…

[Weasel]

Another good read, nice one Juddie.

[janaage]

Cheers DV and quality "piece" Juddie, made a lot of sense.  Good work mate.

[Rich Pullen]

Good work Juddie,

I'd like to see Bart's Blog emerge one day.

[Arriba]

good read was that.pretty much summed up how most of us must feel

[Weasel]

Good work Juddie,

I'd like to see Bart's Blog emerge one day.

Maybe Juddie can host a guest writer one week?

[pauld]

Top blogging! Although you didn't seem to make enough of the "mates with the youth team/coach driver" angle which is apparently central to the whole debate :-)

[juddie]

feel free to discuss it on the site, so it looks as though people are reading them!!

[juddie]

I think my next blog is going to be about rumours and people saying 'I've heard this cos I know this person' or something...

[DV]

Good work Juddie,

I'd like to see Bart's Blog emerge one day.

Bart does have his own blog. Here is weeks 1 entry

'Malpas Out'

week 2

'Malpas Out'

week 3

'Malpas Out'

week 4

'Malpas Out'

week 5

'Malpas Out'

week 6

'Malpas Out'

week 7

'Malpas Out'

I look forward to week 8, dont know what to expect could be anything...

[janaage]

Your next blog should mention "prossies on Manchester Road", fit that into your blog seamlessly and impress us all.

[pauld]

Your next blog should mention "prossies on Manchester Road", fit that into your blog seamlessly and impress us all.

Along the lines of "[opposing player x] made a laughable penalty shout, going down with all the grace of a Manchester Rd prossie" - something like that?