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Yeah, afraid so. We don’t need another left-armer and I definitely don’t want a cheat.

Hearing Mohammed Amir is being drafted in as Naseem’s replacement.

No doubt we’ve had some stinkers this season, albeit nothing compared to last season, but we’ve also had games in which we’ve played pretty well. We’ve dropped 33 points from winning positions this season. That doesn’t show we’re the worst side in the league; it shows we have defensive issues.

Naseem’s crocked his shoulder now and is out until the end of May. Bugger

You forgot to add Naseem to that, too. Tough start for us so far and Lancs away next up. On paper, our first XI looks very good. But there’s a few who aren’t quite up to it right now IMO. Taylor shouldn’t have the new ball, for example, Hammond is exposed at this level and Charlesworth is learning his trade. Dent, Harris, Bracey, Cockbain, Higgins, GvB, Lace, Gohar, Payne, Naseem, Dale would probably be my first choice XI right now.

Can’t see it happening myself. But if it were, I’d be asking serious questions of SL once again for overlooking the key appointment of a sporting director or DoF in favour of bringing home two old boys, one of whom took a hefty pay-off when sacked after playing a big role in increasing our costs way beyond what was sustainable.

With better decision-making in the final third, we could’ve scored three or four but for the final pass and Weimann would have 20 on the board. Other than that, can’t fault the second-half performance.

We’re lucky not to be going in behind at the break. Both sides lacking that cutting edge up top in the first half. Sheff Utd have looked decent on the ball, but they’re wide open at the back and have two CBs on yellow cards. Bentley looks like he’s got another gaffe in him tonight.

And if we hadn’t conceded so many goals in stoppage time, we’d be in the play-offs. Talking about ifs and buts is pointless IMO. We are where we are.

Semenyo either has to score or has to square it for Williams and we’re 1-0 up. Really poor. We should be leading.

I’ll DM you ??

Are you after any programmes in particular? I’ve got loads of programmes spanning around 20 years from the early ‘90s that might be of use.

What did Cotts come into? SOD had already signed Flint, Pack, Williams, Fielding, JET, Wagstaff — all of whom went on to be parts of our promotion side, plus Cotts had Keith Burt in the background as far as recruitment was concerned. Cotts had far more players, support, and cash available than NP’s had so far — and he made the most of all that.

Excellent post. One thing I would contest, and I said at the time, was that as good as GJ was, I thought he’d reached his ceiling at the top end of the Championship. He struggled to manage players like Trundle, Noble, Sno and Hartley. Once we’d got that high, I thought he was increasingly out of his depth. Not taking anything away from the job he did getting us there, though. Those were memorable times.

Beat me to it. Laughable to assert he was on £15k p/w, but whatever suits the agenda.

Do you not think professional footballers should take some responsibility and pride for their own performances, if not to give 100% for the shirt then to put themselves in the shop window to move up the football pyramid? Or perhaps NP is getting the best of out of them, but they’re either shit, over the hill, or just starting their careers? It’s never as simple as simply saying the manager is responsible, especially when he walked into a shit storm.

I heard everything was agreed with Maguire and Hull when Cotts went on holiday; the Gray deal still had work to be done. When Cotts came back, both deals were dead in the water. I also heard we were in for Lingard on loan that summer, before he went to Derby. If nothing else, that’s the last time we showed clarity both in terms of talent ID and intent, and that came from Burt and Cotts. Ashton initially undermined that and then ripped it all up once he was in office. Look where we are now.

LJ had three years left on the deal he signed in 2019 when he left us, happily took a seven-figure pay-off after playing a huge role in dismantling Cotts’ squad and increasing costs with his clubs-in-the-bag approach. He should never have got the job in the first place, a second time would be suicidal for the club. Assistant coach, fine. Head coach, no. Another crock of shit from Waconda / VT etc

I’m out of likes, but not for the first time you’re spot on IMO.

The Lansdowns are entirely responsible for the situation we’re in — for sacking Cotts, for letting that crook Ashton have anything to do with the club, for appointing LJ, for taking six weeks to appoint Holden. 20+ years and what’s changed on the field? Very little. They refuse to structure the club properly, with a sporting director or DoF, no scouting network, no long-term plan at all, limping from one crisis to another. They are the problem and nothing will change — for better or worse — until they are gone.

You miss my point. I’m not saying don’t use those; I’m saying I wouldn’t be committing billions of taxpayers’ cash on a crackpot scheme like this.

Pipe dream from that clown, Rees. Bristol is at or slightly above sea level and with sea levels set to rise due to climate change, building an underground is madness IMO.

Who does? He’s a good bat, though, and that ton Down Under should have boosted his confidence. Yates at Warwickshire, Haines at Sussex and Bohannon at Lancs are three others to follow with an eye on England IMO.

After scoring a ton against Australia A in the winter, Bracey picked up where he left off for us today. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he’s knocking on the door for England this summer.

Said with the benefit of hindsight… If you’re going to quote me, quote the full sentence for context. Good to see you and your bias are back, VT.