ray savino

Went to that with my dad. Jimmy Greaves scored both goals for Spurs, one a penalty if I remember correctly. Jantzen Derrick had a great game for City and it was rumoured Spurs were scouting him afterwards.

Granted the windy conditions look bad, but this is such a shit game. This looks a real end of season performance from us, very poor and disappointing.

We will win 4-2 I tell ‘ee. 4 bloody 2.

He’s a dead ball specialist that we’ve signed on loan allegedly. And yes he will score a corker direct from a free kick.

Oh and 0-0 till the last 5 minutes, so don’t leave early whatever you do.

We will win 3-1. Scorers Conway, Vyner, Twine for City. Grimes for Swansea.

I remember listening to that at the time and thought and still think that if we truly had ambition we should have moved for NP when he was 6 years or so younger at that time instead of LJ. But no, get in someone that you’re familiar, cosy and comfortable with. For me, the opposite of what happened to grow HL from what I’m led to understand.

We’ll be the ones in the red shirts.

Alan Dicks

The biggest signing SL should have made is a Sporting/Football Director (Stuart Webber type of Huddersfield/Norwich successful period) who was football world street wise, knowledgeable and experienced, to run and establish that side of the club. SL should have someone (GM is it?) to oversee the financial and business stability of the club. Finance after all is his expertise, football vision isn’t. I think SL thought he had done this with Mark Ashton, but SL’s hands off approach and JL’s inexperience seemed to let MA run riot. MA seems to be managed by Ipswich owners and SL give him too much freedom. I think that is why SL doesn’t trust football industry people through this and his dealings with agents so forth. Pearson, however good or bad a manager debated to death. But he told so home truths about the strange passive running of the club and comfy attitude. SL doesn’t trust relinquishing much control but he should have done to a football CEO/Director to run that bit. So what next? Can’t see Manning going easily, as this seems the Boards attempt of a planned football strategy and template. To me it feels a bit lightweight, but they have publicly announced it so they have to live or die by their decision. So if Manning does stay(barring a relegation catastrophe this season), then they have to back him properly if they have faith in him. But for me, as with his previous business at HL, he should have got in some pretty heavyweight experience in to run and structure the football model to the available budget to grow that side of the club. Sure of one thing, we can’t vote the owners out, we can only hope that they get an appointment right for a change.

We’ll win 2-1. I base this on I just can’t believe we won’t respond with some fight after the last 2 matches. And I also base this prediction on blind optimism.

Yep, emotionally it pains me to say stick with him and back him at the moment. He needs to be given the time and investment to try and do what he apparently showed after a pre-season and restructure in playing staff at Oxford United. Can’t judge him on MK Dons as you might argue that Russell Martin had began to build the guts of that team and LM was taking up the reins from a manager/coach who already played LM’s preferrred style. At Oxford it would be more a comparison with our situation. He will have had around 2/3 of a season to suss out the club, players and staff, who he wants to keep and who he doesn’t think will fit in. Then recruit for the gaps in playing staff to what he and Tinnion think is needed... and see where it goes. I have a feeling that this could end badly, or should I say mediocrely as per usual (hopefully not relegation as many past outcomes). But... reality is that he will be given time as the latest project to prove himself under his preferred conditions/terms. He won’t be sacked this season unless we go on an horrendous losing run and more importantly coinciding season ticket sales taking off with all the aeronautic capabilities of a lead balloon. The Board would then get a bit twitchy particularly if the fans reactions become toxic at games. This whole situation is ultimately on the Board’s heads. As fans we have to ultimately judge them, cos by past track record they sure ain’t gonna hire and fire just like that, so SL and JL will do exactly what they want. They’ve chosen the direction, they make the decisions and they will have to live with the consequences. Their track record hasn’t been good (in fact mediocre) on the football side, but I sincerely hope it works by them properly backing their man. If it works then we will all be delighted and they can bask in their success. If it’s a disaster they will get full pelters I should imagine. I too think, and have for ages, that we have needed to invest in the talented, streetwise football world-wise brains to run that football side of the club. As has been proven by the many clubs who have implemented strategies, plans and stuctures that have overtaken us over the years, particularly since Cotterill’s League One successful season. The present Board seem not to trust (possibly understandably after the profligacy of the Ashton CEO years) these models which have been successful elsewhere. But indeed, @ExiledAjax, that is a wider and perhaps the most important conversation. So, forget all the ”manager‘s crap, players aren’t good enough, the pie’s are shit whatever”, we look like we’re stuck at the moment with the only hope that the Board’s latest plan will turn out just fine. I genuinely hope it does because I would just love this club to taste a little bit of success at the top table for the first time in 45 years! And another thing we’ll beat Cardiff on Saturday and we’ll be Champions elect 2025, then lose v Ipswich and relegation looms again. The habits of a lifetime following this club! Hope, hope and more bloody hope!

Ha. Yes just trying to convince myself that it might all be worth it and stay positive. After 58 seasons of hoping (bar 4 seasons in the top flight, a few of enjoyable and creditable cup runs and lower tier promotions) it’s getting harder to feel positive believe me. I sometimes wish I could change my allegience but it’s too late now. It was all my Dad’s fault for taking me back in 1966!

All of my previous post would be for this season obviously! Next season a real crack at getting into the top 6!

Like it or lump it, that’s the choice we’ve got and always had. We can stick with following the team or not bother going down. Always been this way. Frustrating as it is, I know that I shall probably see my way to buying a season card for next year... more through heart, habit and hope than logic! What would soften the decision to buy my ticket and give me hope for next season? 1) A top 10 finish with signs that the new regime were turning the corner with more convincing attacking performances and more consistency. I think psychologically getting top 10 would be a clear progressive boost for the club and supporters. A platform to kick on. 2) A transition in style that does not rely on another ridiculous and over expensive churn of playing staff. Invest in a few/couple more quality key players to supplement a solid hard working squad (relatively expensive investment but not to put us up shit creek as before). Also we really do not have the cash for such a churn like before. 3) LM and staff to show more signs and vision to be be adaptable and pragmatic at times in developing his style to get results. Particularly to be more flexible and effective in changing tactics in game to bring results. If LM and the club can achieve this, then I believe it would start to reunite the fan base and create a less toxic, more positive atmosphere. I don’t want to be able to turn round and carry on spouting “I’ve heard it all before”, just want some hope but most of all some entertainment and the signs of some real success. Bonus: To beat Forest and get a nice little run in the cup. Be brave v Man Utd and give them a game (Beat them obviously). There. Not asking for too much is it. Or is it?

I can understand that as a long suffering fan myself, to some extent. But the statements made about ‘best squad we’ve had since I’ve been here’ (JL) and don’t want this season to just stumble along is not Mannings fault. It’s on the heads of those who told the fans this and will have to ultimately justify these things if it doesn’t deliver. LM has to do a lot to convince me he was the right choice. But he’s got to be given time, that to me looks patently obvious with the inconsistency in our performances. The time scale management and its communication to the fan base is all down to the Board.

Yep. All I was trying to say was that in reality I think it could be a timeline of Manning’s contract. I agree, I think it took NP longer to build and he was a year behind, because it was a bigger mess than he envisaged and how hard it was to get rid of the big wage contracts still on the books. Such is the nature of the Championship you can never rule out everything aligning, few injuries, etc. and we have dream season next year. But I think it is going to take sometime to instill that consistency in the playing squad unless he can get in some key players in, with a decent amount of financial backing.

I’m not particularly happy with yet another rebuild that could take at least 2 years or more. But without substantial investment (in terms of our clubs financial position) I can’t see it being anything but a gradual process again with the way Manning wants to play. Coventry look to be well ahead in terms of a settled philosophy/strategy, but then they’ve been building with Robins in charge since their dark days of League 2. In contrast we seemed to flip flop between trying to find the coach and style we think we need. Pearson was a firefighter. It was a shitshow by the end of LJ/MA/DH, with too many underperforming players and a bloated wage bill to match. NP and Gould helped put the club on a more stable footing without suffering our usual relegation after such a disappointing previous period. To be fair, LJ had his moments (with good backing), but ultimately it all fizzled out and failed. Now we seem a relatively comfortable if not somewhat underwhelming mid table team, at least there’s the chance to build now. That is largely down to the NP /Gould stewardship. Sad the way NP leaving was handled, we needed his type at the time. We needed him 8 years younger I believe. But now it was decided we needed a new coach to progress fair enough. Pearsons sacking isn’t LM’s fault, he’ll need backing and time from the Board and the fans. If it doesn’t work out, then the decision makers will have to take ultimate responsibility for the directions and decisions they have made. We as fans can’t decide the manager. The owners can and do. If it comes off they’ll take the success, if it doesn’t they’ll take the flak.

I agree with this, but I believe the Board panicked in their comms and seemed ill prepared in their PR/narrative. They could have constructed a far more palatable narrative to all fans avoiding the divisiveness that was caused, and unintentionally adding pressure to the new coach. Its inevitable that a club will spin stuff, but in this case I think it was clumsily handled at best.

LM was given a 3.5 year contract wasn’t he? Year One (and this season the half year!) Next Season 24/25 I would suspect that he will need a turnover of squad to accommodate players that will perform more comfortably in the roles he wants for his team. Plus a pre-season of coaching on the grass, I reckon we’re going to see next season as the one of change not challenge the top. Year Two Season 25/26 I would expect we should have a squad and team looking like it is challenging for play-offs. Year Three Season 26/27 Serious challengers for promotion via play-offs or even auto. (Plus 10 year anniversary celebration of our defeat of Manchester United). Whether I’m happy about the timescale as a fan is immaterial (unless of course performances don’t markedly improve consistently to give us fans real belief - thereby potential for drop off in attendances). That is all up to the owners and what they need to invest again to back the manager. Given that it would appear that there won’t be risky huge amounts of cash to spend for a quick go at success and the sort of young players to develop that we seem to want to sign, then inevitably it looks like another significant amount of time and patience that we are going to have to have before we have a tangible squad to become one of the favourites for top six and not just an optimistic outside bet/dark horse. If Manning doesn’t come up to scratch in this time, or he does and is poached by a bigger club, I would at least hope that the changes the club have decided to make will would mean they would stick to their strategy and appoint a replacement that would suit the style and properly have a succession plan. Meanwhile if we can’t win trophies or get promotion, let’s hope we can see more performances with the passion and commitment we saw in the cup games, starting on Friday.

These are my thoughts too. Could it be for accounts purposes so we can get another in and we will likely buy in the summer? I reckon with all the conflicting reports today we might have been close-ish to a perm deal, but ultimately Burnley wouldn’t budge enough. The other explanation is that they really believe he can make such a serious difference to our team’s results, enough to keep fans interested for the rest of the season, and most importantly for next season ticket sales. Will this be a bit like a Tomlin situation, whereby he has a great entertaining loan and the board gets massive support for spending a lot on him? Anyway, let’s hope he can do the biz and put us in the mix till the end of the season.

That second half was very poor. Didn’t have any idea what to do to break them down. We just haven’t got the players that are anywhere near consistent enough. The frontline looked so naive and inexperienced. Okay, they’re decent enough individually on their but together far too light weight. Conway is a good young finisher, but he’s no way a lone striker at this stage of his career. After watching Coventry move the ball around (albeit against a 10 man Leicester) to break a team down, we look a mile behind them. Top ten will be an achievement for us this season. Wouldn’t panic now about signings this window. Assess squad, then spend in summer. We need at least 4 first team starters then. Nowhere near consistent enough. On a good day (Watford, Swansea away, WHU) we look decent. On a bad day we look pretty toothless and clueless, so mid table mediocrity is where we are. Call out to Joe Williams. Kept going, need his attitude throughout the team. Probably on good wages still so can see him getting a chance at a decent Championship team with money if we cant keep him at the end of the season. What’s the betting we go and beat West Ham now!!!

To a point true. But I think it would have shown more class and a sense of confidence in their decision making if the Board would have done this more effectively in their handling of the sacking and appointment process. Their communication was so blindingly obviously desperate when they saw the general reaction to the sacking. That’s their issue and they live or die by the decision ultimately. I was upset in the manner Nige was sacked and will always be grateful to him for doing a thoroughly good job of giving us a platform for someone to build on. I really hope Manning is a blinding success. He seems a decent enough bloke, don’t think he shows signs of ego or arrogance and I don’t blame him for how Nige was sacked or possibly undermined. All that politics (and communicting the reasons with the fans) lay with the Board. The board have got to now back the manager to improve the squad as they should and (and looks no doubt probably could have with Pearson after Scott was sold).

Yes definitely. Also liked his post match, I think he sees the strengths and weaknesses we all do with the squad and I liked how he seems to want to encourage some belief in individual players to be braver. Warming to him and what he says, seems a bit more relaxed with less jargon now. Loved Pearson because he was the right person to sort us out, give us some spirit in the squad and guide us to some stability without getting relegated. And point out a few home truths. Make no mistake we were in a mess and whatever the qualities of our squad he started putting together they can never be accused of not trying now. Manning needs time and results, but on their day they look a decent team who can move the ball more than just side to side. We look a little more confident and are showing more intent. Realistically we need two or three players of good quality who can help the squad to turn out more consistent positive performances. Reckon that this season will be a build/development. Despite the clumsiness of the board in their handling of the whole affair I just hope as a fanbase we can all move on and get behind what is now the present management team whilst still being able to acknowledge the groundwork of the previous regime. Felt proud of the club, players, management and fans today. Looking forward to the replay. Well done all!

Alan Ball boots? Lad at our school had a pair, nearly broke his ankle as they twisted when the rest of him came to a stop!