Flitcroft

[pauld]

I would suggest that having a well run club tends to produce a decent side, whereas conversely, having a poorly run club tends to produce a poor side.

Completely agree, my objection was more to your correlation between where those sides are now and how they played 10 years ago. My point was they weren't all basket cases 10 years ago, a lot has happened in the mean time to cause their downfall

[Reg Smeeton]

Completely agree, my objection was more to your correlation between where those sides are now and how they played 10 years ago. My point was they weren't all basket cases 10 years ago, a lot has happened in the mean time to cause their downfall

Let's make this evidential.  It might be assumed that if the standard was higher 11 years ago in the clubs that dropped, then there would be players at the time who went on to bigger and better. Let's have a look.....

I've picked out any players of whom I've heard since, who might be considered to have gone on and been better than Div 4, or who had previous rep but were slumming it. Or any players, with STFC connections to give a quality control.

HPool.  Dimi Konstantopoulis in goal, now 39 still kicking around at MBoro

Darlo. Patrick Collins and Daisy Duke

Wrexham.  Matt Done, now in Div 3 with Dale, has had a steady lower league journeyman career

Stockport. Ashley Williams. The odd Div 4 player can still make it up to the top flight. Last season Ampadu at Exeter did it.

Chester. Robbie Martinez played, although his rise was as manager as opposed to player.

Torquay. None

Boston. Dany N'Guessan. They also had a Mark Albrighton.... not that one.

Hereford. Alan Connell, Andy Williams.

Macclesfield. Colin Heath  

[pauld]

Let's make this evidential.  It might be assumed

This is the problem, there isn't an objective way of comparing it. I think both the criteria you've used (where clubs are now, what did some players go on to do) are rational, but far from conclusive and they don't really give a comparison as to whether the overall standard of football was better. There's just too many variables and it's too subjective. I remember the football then as being distinctly fourth tier, but of a reasonable standard nonetheless and largely enjoyable to watch whereas this season most teams have been bloody dire and the games have largely been dire to watch, although I quite enjoyed the Crewe game (but that was for entertainment value rather than any great standard of football). But that's just my view and as I have already said, I may well just be looking back on the Wise/Sturrock season with rose-tinted glasses. Think we'll have to agree to differ.

[Reg Smeeton]

This is the problem, there isn't an objective way of comparing it. I think both the criteria you've used (where clubs are now, what did some players go on to do) are rational, but far from conclusive and they don't really give a comparison as to whether the overall standard of football was better. There's just too many variables and it's too subjective. I remember the football then as being distinctly fourth tier, but of a reasonable standard nonetheless and largely enjoyable to watch whereas this season most teams have been bloody dire and the games have largely been dire to watch, although I quite enjoyed the Crewe game (but that was for entertainment value rather than any great standard of football). But that's just my view and as I have already said, I may well just be looking back on the Wise/Sturrock season with rose-tinted glasses. Think we'll have to agree to differ.

By way of justifying my test as fair, I'll offer a similar exercise from 3 seasons later when suggesting 09/10 was an unusually strong Div 3, with 7 strong sides in the running. That strength shown by what several of the players went on to do higher up.

Norwich. Fraser Forster, Chris Martin, Grant Holt, Wes Hoolahan

Leeds. Jonny Howson, Bradley Johnson, Jermaine Beckford, Robert Snodgrass, Max Gradel

Us. Charlie Austin. Jonathan Douglas

Charlton. Rob Elliot, Jonjoe Shelvey

Udders. Alex Smithies, Lee Peltier, Gary Roberts, Anthony Pilkington, Jordan Rhodes.

Soton. Kelvin Davis, Morgan Schneiderlein, Adam Lallana,  Rickey Lambert, Olly Lancashire  

Millwall somewhat bucked the trend by not really having a stand out individual. Steve Morison had a bit of a go higher up with Norwich and Leeds, but back to Millwall.

[Peter Venkman]

I see Gareth Ainsworth the manager of our Tuesday opponents won the Manager of the Month in the end.

[Reg Smeeton]

I see Gareth Ainsworth the manager of our Tuesday opponents won the Manager of the Month in the end.

Good news, gives us a chance on Tueday now.

[swindonmaniac]

I see Gareth Ainsworth the manager of our Tuesday opponents won the Manager of the Month in the end.

Whòooooooopeee must be a win for us then.