desperado

Fair enough a good response to back your claim if you saw Thomason playing the role he’s playing now. I’d love you to be right about Conway and I’d give you credit if that’s where we end up seeing him, but I just don’t see it myself.

I’m getting used to your categoric definitive claims 😂 You and everybody including blind people (low bar) can see he’s a better midfielder.. …yet to this point Schumacher and his previous two managers haven’t seen this. Im not saying you’re not allowed to have an opinion and Im not saying that MC hasn’t shown glimpses of midfield qualities. Maybe you are being contrary for a reaction and including a WB as a midfielder.. But I fail to see how you’re right (he’s a better midfielder) and his previous 3 managers are wrong (playing him as a FB and WB)

It really was fantastic. I reckon about 80-90% of folk joined in. I was surprised there was some criticism on here about it pre-match. Lots of players commented favourably about it. Ive seen one photo from the other end which caught it really well, I can’t find it now. That said, I think it’s a Wembley/special occasion thing…. On a warm day! 😂

😂

Good post. There’s fine lines that are debated to hell after defeats/poor spells. Some of it good, some of it poor IMO I don’t mind the grumpiness, the fan opinion, the debate about players, formations, tactics etc. That’s why we are here. The line gets crossed for me when folk become categoric about football players and management. Writing players off after a bad game, insisting that changing things to suit their opinion will make THE difference, and calling their opinion out to make more sense than what the manager is currently doing as if they hold a UEFA A license and have multiple years of coaching experience at a high level. Very different to me than a healthy debate about differing fan opinions. Some folk, this season, were very negatively catergoric about certain players - who helped us get promotion and about SS and his tactics - which also led us to promotion. It would be nice to think, that next season, the debate that follows defeats/bad spells is reasonable and rational (after the in game hysterics 😂), keeping pitchforks well and truly buried, while being aware of our realistic goals and targets.

I’m the same, I can get behind most English clubs in Europe - United aside. Especislly when there’s quite a bit of English interest; Rice, Lewis-Skelley, Eze and Saka. Im definitely up for them tomorrow

Lots of purple ones there! 😂

The Bradford one will go down as an all time commentary classic. SJM is wearing a T-shirt on today’s promo saying “Get it right Up Ya!” But I generally agree with you that in the main they give the opposition a lot of credit. But a bit of Bolton Bias has its place. Anyway get it watched if you haven’t seen it it’s brilliant!

It wasn’t one element or one section of players. It was the combination and SS’s selection and management of these players that was the key. We all know that side that swanny has put out wouldn’t survive in the championship - but there’s some who will have a real say and impact next year.

I do like the Wanderers acknowledgment outside of Bolton; neighbouring Lancashire towns, down south, home nations, on holiday. Best one I ever had was on honeymoon in Fiji. In the breakfast queue with my Wanderers top on, bloke behind says something along the lines of “White Army” . We’re still good mates now and it’s Toby Ritchies dad!

Did he? Which game(s) was that then? All I remember is some folk suggesting SS should do that.

Loving the ACD conspiracy theories! 😂

Maroon, purple, I’m shit with colours. Yeh it’s maroon init 😂

😂

I like the purple

So that’s the new home kit is it? Buy it and picture with the cup tomorrow if anyone fancies it.

Yes. See @Eddie above 👆 I’d be surprised if Sheehan doesn’t start that first game in the championship in August.

I’m with you on this. It’s ridiculously fine margins. The way our manager and some of our players have been written off this season has been extreme IMO. And I don’t mean the game to game opinion and analysis which can understandably, after a defeat, be overly negative. I’m on about the seismic dismissal of our players and manager not being good enough. I really do hope we remember what’s happened this season before folk write-off our next player or manager.

🤣👏

I’ll be honest I don’t know who does what. But I have had conversations with one member of the board and that’s how I know how highly they regard FH

It really was. What a contribution Rodrigues has made. Without him we may not have been promoted. He was the best rabbit out of the hat! 😂

I’m happy if the rabbits are as good as this season. Objective achieved. Every reason to be optimistic he can do it again or even better it.

Duberry, Forss, Apter, Kenny and CBT were, on paper, a fantastic coup for a L1 club. As you say, some work out and some don’t. There’s no guarantee from even the best scout/recruiter in the world for a player not performing to their potential or getting injured. We all know about ACD’s contribution. Kenny and CBT great up until injuries. Forss and Apter are real head-scratchers, they didn’t show any of the potential they were identified for. Debatable whether Burstow, Bonham and Cissoko were a success, I’d argue they were - all contributed towards promotion. Throw Rodrigues into the mix, (and assuming FH influenced most signings last year) I think Harkins identification and recruitment was pretty good in his first year (as you say also taking into account he came to the party a little late from the continent)