BCFCGav

Named for us. We own that competition.

It's tricky because we are still working with some unknowns regarding fitness, I think I'd give Kal another week to really make certain he's ready. As once he is back, he can cover so many positions and be really useful, so we need him to stay back. So on that logic, I think I'd go (4231): O'Leary; Tanner, Vyner, Dickie, Pring; TGH, Knight; Sykes, Conway, Bell; Cornick. Subs: Bajic, Naismith, Weimann, Yeboah, Mehmeti, J. James, Knight-Lebel, Nelson, Idehen. I think Conway and Cornick would benefit from having the other buzzing around them. Both have historically performed better with someone to play closely with. And I'm just shading Bell over Mehmeti, I think he'll be back to what we know soon.

No strong feelings on this one either way. Would rather Nige. It's a big risk. He's shown he's capable of picking up points and making play-offs, albeit in League 1. Sounds like he plays exciting football which is nice, though I don't mind a gritty defensive manager that gets results myself. I dunno. I'll back whoever comes in, but my god will they have a job on their hands.

This season is the best we've looked defensively since Webster Kalas. And they're doing it with a Vyner they rejuvenated and a free Naismith. Kalas and Webster cost 10 million.

The timing of sacking Nige was so poor that I think a caretaker for the season is the way to go. We are not in a good position right now to appoint with injuries and massive fan dissatisfaction. I’d be happy if Fleming was given it til summer. Or bring an external hire in, but with a contract til the Summer. Warnock or someone.

And if the new guy does drop points in these games, you can already hear the comments of 'Nige would have got us something', 'I thought the new guy was getting top 6?', rods the club has entirely made for their own backs. Sunday's decision just feels dumber with time. Swallow your pride Steve and get him back ffs.

I mean, we need to win both because our recent form has been poor. But our recent form has been poor because of injuries, and we still have injuries, so winning both will be really tough. I'm finding it very hard to recapture the optimism I was feeling as recently as the Coventry win!

Hope this one goes the way of Eustace. I’m not totally convinced by his managerial chops, and he’s gonna need them with a thin and injured squad. Probably demand a wedge too, so if it did go really south and we needed to make a change, it’d be a pricey contract to pay off.

Thought crossed my mind too. I just fear for the new guy already given the injury list and fan frustration. Could all turn so sour, so quick.

Want Fleming (til Christmas, this is currently an awful situation for a new manager to walk into). Then look who’s out there.

That poor planning/decision making may well cost us a season. Heads had to roll for it imo.

Now now gents. You both have a fair point. The OP has interesting and unique insight given their previous career, but on the other hand we do have a vast number of threads on SL's intentions. I think this is just going to be one of those weeks OTIB is a bit crazy. I'm certainly looking forward to it settling down, it's hard to keep up at the mo!

Sadly we live in a world where realising you made a mistake and undoing it is viewed as an absolute no-go. I'd love them to be like, 'well, that was a bad shout. Come back Nige, 3-year deal, we'll back off and let you get on with it'. Can't see it happening, but what a world to live in!

We can only hope they'll play for us. We need to get our support right the next few weeks/months, back the players, bemoan the board. The lads on the pitch have fought tooth and nail for the Robin on their chest this season, we need to show them we recognise that and how much we appreciate them. I'll be there on Saturday, backing the boys.

The solution is having an owner with the stomach to hire a manager and trust his expertise. He’s a roadblock to our success at this point. No idea re selling the club, but I’m sure buyers are out there. I concur on not wanting to be state owned, and certainly not by a state with sketchy human rights records.

I too feel sorry for Luton and Burnley, the memories they made last season marching to the title and winning promotion at Wembley respectively will surely haunt those fans forever. And now they have to suffer away days at Anfield and the Emirates, battling together to try and survive. Then if they do go down, only a few hundred million in parachute payments to secure the club and try to get promoted again. Why on earth wouldn’t we clamour for that? Why follow a club if you don’t believe they can win something? I agree promotion feels a way off right now, but just accepting the ups and downs of the Championship and existing in a never ending purgatory at this level? I’d rather go down and climb back up then stagnate forever.

Between the massive fan backlash, the outpouring of player love for Nige and now national coverage of City’s shortcomings, the Lansdown’s have nowhere to hide. Even they can’t get their heads that deep in the sand.

I would honestly go King or Fleming until Christmas. A new manager right now would be drinking from a poisoned chalice - coming into a team where the fans want the old manager back and the squad is in tatters. They'll likely get off to a bad start, and fans could turn quick. Anyone coming in now, certainly from the above list, seems doomed to fail.

No, we don’t. We’ll scrap the odd point during this injury hit period, before re-finding our stride when we have a squad again. I will say this - if we do manage to get relegated, we’ll have the greatest League 1 squad ever assembled. I accept some players will be picked off, but between those that are left and the ability to buy up the best League 1 talent due to our stature down there and the money we have, we’d go 100+ points. I’m almost taking myself into it.

What a situation for the new man to walk into… reason #754 sacking Pearson was a terrible decision.

True but I’ll forewarn you now, guessing ‘return’ dates is like trying to shoot bats blindfolded. The club are reticent to give timeframes and when they do, they’re often miles out.

We have so few players at present whoever it is will need a strong stomach as the first few months will be very challenging. Maybe we need to play on that, get an ‘us against the world’ type manager. Enter, Neil Warnock.

This is my main thought right now, and well put. Lansdown has now said these 13 fit players have to get promoted or it’s failure. No pressure to the newbie. I really hope - for the new managers sake - he isn’t appointed until the international break in a fortnights time. At least by then he’ll have some semblance of a squad to use.

Fab work Nige, we were going in one direction when you arrived and it wasn’t a good one. I now feel we’re moving in the right direction (barring the shocking decision to fire you). The fans don’t want this and you’ll be remembered for all the good you did.

Special, special player. One of those players where I usually think ‘man why can’t he be English…’ but this time he is! The gem in the crown of a good crop of English talent. We’re winning next summer.