Nicholls & Sockett Gone - Smith Returns

[Rich]

I think Smith will have the respect of the players, something I don't think the previous 2 had.
Will be interesting if Socks and Nico take/are offered supporting roles as will be big task to bring in totally new support at this time.

like has been said though would like to thank the 2 for all their efforts in taking over the team mid season

[Rich]

What's the point of bringing Paul Smith back, we may as well left Craig and Soc in charge just be the same old same old. We need a manager with fresh ideas and a shake up. Not have a squad of most players in their 30s and don't look fit.

I guess you want a Manager who will pick all the kids??

[OnionYeltz]

Big risk at this stage of season but will ultimately only be proved right or wrong if we go up or not......

As much as I like Craig and Martin, there were no signs that they could arrest the slide we were on and we had no chance of going up without a change

[OnionYeltz]

Stats on their tenure here and where they fit in the Pantheon of Greats from the redoubtable Yeltz_Bear's mega sheets.
Good win record, but with the asterisk that they picked up a side going well in a largely poor league.

Taking the league stats, it's played 22, won 13, drew 4, lost 5. That's 43 points at 1.95 points per game.

Over the course of season, that would equate to 74 points, which is way off what we need.

It's got to be said, that considering the squad we have that is a rather poor return.

[RobYeltz]

Gutted to see them go, yes the last few weeks haven't been great admittedly, some poor refereeing decisions haven't helped in what was our poorest spell of results. With the exception of Cox (who was an emergency/last minute signing) all of the players who have come in have improved the quality of the squad, but perhaps in hindsight that might have upset a few, as things haven't looked right for a while.
In a results based business and the automatic promotion hopes disappearing quickly I admire the action taken by Karen and Keith in the sense that they're clearly doing as they always do - act in the best interests of the football club. We'll see if Paul Smith's return helps us in due course I guess. It's a long old way to Dereham on Saturday on that coach, but hopefully them all sitting on the bus together for so long might just have a positive effect in them having some bonding time, a win and it'll be a positive journey home together that could be a big help for the coming weeks.

[410viawednesbury]

Mr Smith,
Yesterday I asked, on this forum, if anyone knew of a certain Norwegian agent's phone number as he appears to be too good for the league he is in. Nothing has changed.
If you do manage to secure his services on loan until the end of the season you can tell him from me, with confidence, that for each goal he scores dor us I will buy him a cheese and onion cob for each goal he scores. This will then rise to a FULL HAM SALAD on completion of a hat-trick,all purchased from the pub next door to the Grove.
Yours hopefully and good luck
410

[drummyb]

Is a Fulham salad a hat trick of sending offs?

[drummyb]

What's the point of bringing Paul Smith back, we may as well left Craig and Soc in charge just be the same old same old. We need a manager with fresh ideas and a shake up. Not have a squad of most players in their 30s and don't look fit.

I guess you want a Manager who will pick all the kids??

Well Withymoor Colts were at the Ground on Saturday

[GaryJ]

What's the point of bringing Paul Smith back, we may as well left Craig and Soc in charge just be the same old same old. We need a manager with fresh ideas and a shake up. Not have a squad of most players in their 30s and don't look fit.

I guess you want a Manager who will pick all the kids??

Well Withymoor Colts were at the Ground on Saturday

I guess you would reply with that! Would be good to have a squad that hasn't got an average age of 30 and more like an average age of 25 and who look fitter than the current squad. Also a better style of football instead of hoof ball.

[Josh1873]

I guess you want a Manager who will pick all the kids??

Well Withymoor Colts were at the Ground on Saturday

I guess you would reply with that! Would be good to have a squad that hasn't got an average age of 30 and more like an average age of 25 and who look fitter than the current squad. Also a better style of football instead of hoof ball.

I agree that fitness is seemingly an issue given how often the opposition players work harder and fight harder than us, but age has nothing to do with this, surely?

A 30-something year old can be fitter than a 20-something year old if they're given an adequate training plan (i.e have our players been trained adequately, fitness wise, this season? Or is it an attitude/mental problem?). Biggest example - James Milner.