BUTOR

I met someone who has direct communications with JL at Coventry away (would be unfair to name them here), and he told me that Jon was actively against ‘vocal’ areas or any kind of expansion/change to the fan setup. He said that JL wanted to shut Section 82 down on numerous occasions last season. Sometimes for as little as bad language. When you hear that you realise the current atmosphere is exactly what the club wants. Sounds conspiratorial to suggest they’ve been purposefully diluting atmosphere over recent years but it’s 100% the case. So that’s what I was referring to when I said Jon would be raging.

Jon Lansdown will be raging with what happened in A block second half but surprise surprise having vocal home fans next to the away end makes a massive difference to the atmosphere. Changes the feel of the stadium. Tells teams we aren’t their bitches like that mans Brazilian wife said.

If Chesterfield can manage a win I’d be happy with that at home

I think it’s as simple as a North West heavy league with mode of our ‘local’ fixtures still to come. Nothing more, nothing less.

I don’t think Scott and Semenyo leaving is as far off, or as potentially disastrous as the consensus seems to suggest. 25m for the two of them could reset the club. How long can we go on being a hugely imbalanced, square pegs in round holes type team relying on a couple of players to keep us slightly competitive? Perhaps this might not be the window to do it, but we are not moving in a cleanly upward trajectory anyway. We need to take unpopular decisions to move forward and that probably means selling players at a stage most fans believe to be too early. Imagine if we had taken the high offers for Maynard before our finances plummeted, or more recently the 8m for HNM, we would be far more comfortable right now. Imo, particularly given his contract situation, Semenyo must be sold this window if there’s an offer above 10m, and Scott early in the summer. We need to take a more level headed approach to players leaving given our situation. How can we ever expect to ‘build a team around them’ when we are picking exclusively from the free agent market? We will simply go on as we have done for the past two seasons. It’s time for the sales of our valuable assets and a refresh.

The cryptoverse seems to be revealing itself as one big scam. What a surprise

His soul met the devil as soon as he was welcomed unto the FIFA payroll, he has lost any ounce of dignity he had long ago

On his day, he is as close as we have to an unplayable striker. He’s lit up games in a way no attacking player has come close to here since Bobby Reid. He’s worth persevering with and is still a hugely valuable asset, both on the pitch and in terms of a sale. Talent like that doesn’t disappear overnight. I don’t think we should accept peanuts in Jan. Perhaps we’d do well to remember he is still a novice in professional terms and has not had the benefit of academy football from a very young age. Imagine a boxer going pro with a small number of amateur fights, they will need to learn on the job, iron out inconsistencies and mistakes over a much longer period of time than someone with a wealth of top level amateur experience. But, as stated before, the raw talent is so high and rare that they are worth the investment. Even on an off night Semenyo will always give defenders lots to think about, to be wary of, to distract them. They had two or three on him on most occasions he had the ball last night. Plus, we are not talking about a maverick type who will have one superb game in five, but be generally unreliable the rest of the time. Once he plays himself into form, gets that little nudge of confidence, it sticks, and pays off for us immensely.

Out of the 5 points of sustainability the club pledged 9-10 years ago, the things we since have stuck to are now thriving, and one of those - the academy - has indeed saved us from relegation or worse. The ones we abandoned have put us in an eerily similar mess to the chaos we were in during those years, the chaos which forced these pillared pledges of sustainability in the first place. It is a confused, complicated, contradictory, and as you rightly say - harrowing - situation. Harrowing that we have made the same dangerous, progress arresting mistakes, in different dresses and to different levels of severity, for as long as I have been supporting the club. I’ve liked the noises coming out of Nige since he arrived because he has been telling us he recognises the mistakes we have made - mistakes which can summarise the ones we have continually made in the past - and that he has diagnosed the fix, and is beginning the overhaul. In a similar vein to O’Driscoll, who is well credited for laying solid groundwork by many involved with the club at that time, I think he has done very good things, and set the wheels in motion for some long overdue changes at our football club. But, as was the case with SOD, I also believe he has taken us as far as he can on the pitch before the situation becomes untenable, irreversibly damaging and toxic. I fully appreciate that you are right to point out this awful mess and the restraints he is working under, but feel like a new manager, a fresh energy, an attempt to stop a spiral, is now what the club needs.

An attempt to highlight the ridiculousness of Pearson’s words in any other working scenario. Fairly obvious I would assume? “Booed off bigger stadiums”, what a ridiculous thing for a football manager to say about his own supporters. I mean come on. It’s Barton, “I’ve scaled higher mountains” esque shite that I’m used to ripping the Gas for. It’s embarrassing us.

Gareth Ainsworth is the best shout I’ve seen. Within our reach, used to working under constraints and getting the best out of players. But is he really more appealing than Pearson?

“You’re performing poorly and your job is under review” “Doesn’t bother me. I’ve been shite everywhere I’ve worked, I’ve been so unpopular that I make thousands of people throw abuse towards me at much more reputable companies, it’s fine”

Overreaction to the ‘blaming fans’ scenario. However if he’s said the ‘bigger stadiums’ comment, he is old and wise enough to know exactly how that will be construed. He claims he can take it but at the first bit of serious flack aimed his way he’s very clearly bothered. And simply saying the phrase ‘I take responsibility’ in the middle of 6 minutes of blaming everything and everyone else is not taking responsibility.

Players arguing with the crowd?

So basically no one has a clue and the alternatives are worse or just as bad?

Justice for Scrumpy

James Piercy was excellent

That’s what France do.

Blatant request from a man who once said ‘I have to be seen’

**** sake. Armitage shanks on speed dial then.

Whyte was flat but much better defensively tonight

It’s all to bolster FIFA’s agenda that games should be 60 minutes long

Think Johnson and Moore could change this one. Very surprised he’s gone with this line up, looks to have got it horribly wrong. Having said that USA look like a decent proposition.

Swap Weimann and Scott (Andi AM) and I think that’s what he’ll pick.

He’s just as out of form as any this season