Unofficial Halesowen Town FC Forum

Absolute no brainer for me, not even a debate. Smudger has to stay and be given the chance he deserves to lead us at Step 3 next season.

To back this up heres the stats

Under smudger P18, W14, D2, L2 44pts from possible 54. 77.7% win ratio

WHAT MORE COULD ANY FAN WANT

Thats better than any Premiership manager this season, Pep, etc LOL

For a more realistic comparison one of our potential rivals, Bromsgrove Sporting have just confirmed the reappointment of their manager with the following last 18 game stats P18, W4, D4. L9. 16pts from possible 54 22.2% ratio.

Now I am not saying we compare ourselves directly to a club like Bromsgrove, a club obviously in crisis, on and off the pitch and favourites for next season relegation but I am just saying Smudger on those stats alone deserves his chance.

In turn that will give us a solid foundation with added continuity to start immediately building on from now, and over the summer. Smudger has the professional attitude and approach, ability and contacts to enable us to press on next season.

We will have a well run and respected, club, owners and management team, that I believe will give us the 'pull' of the best step 3 local players over our rivals, vital ingredients to attract these players over so many other clubs.

The Hard work now begins back to a Level where at least we should be playing, Promoted with a side maybe not as good as previous seasons but if any club deserves it it's this club well done to everybody from the board to the players ground staff and most important the supporters who do really make this great club.

Makes up for 40years today when we lost the vase 1-0 to Rugby still never got over that defeat.All the best to those still with us and those departed on that brilliant team.

On the manager all depends if he want's to carry on if he does got to give him a chance next season.

No debate really. As perhaps someone closer to Paul than most on here you really couldn’t come close to a better manager at this level in terms of commitment, and planning.

It really is a no-brainer! Any manager who gets promoted deserves a crack at the level above…

Should be his job if he wants it.

Yeah. I agree. Its only fair he gets the chance if he wants it.

For me we have to give Smudger a chance. Just have to iron out this going long football. When he has the lads playing on the deck we look great. I think Saturday was the perfect example of the good and the bad styles

On the style of play, to be fair smudger was constantly encouraging, urging, insisting that the lads play it on the deck 'be brave', take chances, play it wide etc.......these instructions were for long periods, I wouldn't say ignored, but you have to take into account the pressure of the game, and confidence of individuals would have ebbed and flowed throughout i.e when under pressure in such a massive game the easiest, safest thing to do is lump it forward, who would want to be responsible for going 2-0 down?

Towards the later stages of the 90 minutes, players confidence grew again, we pushed it wide, took chances and the goal came - it was never in doubt from that moment on, IMO.

That analogy applies to every single game btw but is magnified 10 fold in play off finals.

Smudger isnt and never has been a long ball manager, conditions of a game and individual players confidence and ability sometimes dictate otherwise.

Main thing is we found a way, and the desire to keep going to the end, even when you arent playing like Brazil is a very important thing.

Over the next 2 weeks, 2 months, 2 years 99% of people wont remember exactly how we won the play off final, they will remeber and cherish the fact that we did.

I cant wait for the summer and start of next season to see who Smudger has signed/resigned and how we get on

Ive sat and thought and pondered the whole thing and it still hasnt sunk in, but a couple of thoughts YB.
Confidence. We started with it and played really well. Then we lost it, equalised and found it again.
Over the whole 120 minutes, Id say we bossed about 50 of them and Spalding easily better for 50 ish too.. and about 20 minutes of even keel.

When you balance that out its actually an even spread of play. The thing that made it so uncomfortable and then exhilerating, is that Spaldings dominance all came in one chunk and for such a long period we were pegged in.

Ill always remember how we won it. Because its taking an age to sink in and rationalise.

Naturally there will be changes in the team and squad next year as happens but I think Smith has to be given the chance.

Is there even the slightest possibility he won't be given the chance? If he wants to be manager next season then he will be. It's as simple as that, surely?