A poor Christmas, the Peterborough debacle and an overreaction after Port Vale didn’t warrant SS getting the boot.

Getting 7/9 iffy points and beating Wigan doesn’t mean we’re going up. 

Read a lot, but not been posting on here for a while, personal things mainly, but after Northampton I felt my thoughts would have just ended up being inflammatory, as I disagreed with the large majority and I thought some of the drama queens and Uefa A coaches were well wide of the mark.

Then there was Peterborough. What a shit-show that was. 

I didn’t know whether I was starting to turn…

I started to agree with some of the negative analysis and comments.

The defence that day was a shambles, keeper worries, same issues not scoring enough, I hated that dragging off of Sheehan and Gale…

But still some overboard shit about Sharon/FV, SS and the players. 

That said it was nothing compared to some of the drivel and click-bait extremities I was reading on Twatter/Facemither

It seemed the whole fanbase became embossed in a cloud of negativity where amateurs were being listened to as if they were philosophers or esteemed scholars of the game 

SS out posts and polls 

Tailspins about what a mess the club is in.

It felt like everybody was trying to outdo each other on what the tactical solution should be. 

The transfer thread is/was a case of realism and sense going out of the window. 

The screechers reaction v Port Vale was fucking hilarious! 😂 People crying out for change, he makes it in a game we don’t care about and gets a farcical and  disproportionate amount of grief. Maybe they’d have preferred him gambling and experimenting at Wigan, rather than testing it and  utilising it effectively it for that game. 

And then those first half comments in the Wigan thread fuck me. What a bunch of surrenderers you negative in-game posters are. 

Then the Wigan euphoria - that’s why we do it. Left my son’s hospital bed, so that release was quite emotional. Fucking loved it 👏

Don’t get me wrong I was as frustrated as anyone and really pissed off with that run of games over Christmas/New Year, even more so Peterborough. 

After Christmas I still felt we weren’t far away. Relative to the rest of the division, our defence wasn’t an issue then and isn’t now, despite every defender receiving criticism. I couldn’t believe some of the grief not only our standard players were getting, but also our best players this season and of course the manager (almost everybody who was posting thought they knew better than him)*  

Some of the criticism and discussion was fair. 

But crikey, some of the suggestions for what he should have done, (definitely, definitively, steadfastly, without doubt should have done) the different tactics/formation he should be adopting, who should be playing and where players should be playing, was a case of expert fan overload. 

One of the best things posted was that SS was told he had to play attractive (not winning) football in his interview! 

He’s Just like Evatt eh, not willing to adapt and change approach/formation 😉 

Some posters totally absorbed in their own pontificating- something they excel in when things are going bad - they love it on here when things are going badly. Not so prominent on here when the manager and players are doing ok. 

Long way to go though. today was a tough watch, we need to do more to sustain a promotion charge. There will be more bumps in the road, it’s far from perfect. I just hope a bit of a balanced perspective will be applied the next time we play poorly and draw/lose a game or two. 

Anyway I’m back to fight the good fight and keep them doom-mongers and UEFA A coaches on their toes 😂

COYFWM 👏👏

Edited January 24Jan 24 by desperado

8 hours ago, desperado said:

 

Yeh I was there.

In today’s on line nonsense Allardyce would have been hounded out.

But I think this was the season before the Crewe defeat.

I disagree entirely.

Sharon hasn't dispensed with managers over on-line comments.

Results, performance, reactions in the stadium, crowds dropping off yes.

Online is just the new pub-talk.

 

 

37 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Sharon hasn't dispensed with managers over on-line comments.

Well, tbf, she's only dispensed with one & she was guilty there of being too faithful, too patient, too loyal.

Which, as failings go, are well intentioned ones.

20 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

Well, tbf, she's only dispensed with one & she was guilty there of being too faithful, too patient, too loyal.

Which, as failings go, are well intentioned ones.

Two, but tbf she knew her onions with the first one.

1 hour ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

Well, tbf, she's only dispensed with one & she was guilty there of being too faithful, too patient, too loyal.

Which, as failings go, are well intentioned ones.

Indeed.

They weren't due to online bitching though.

Results, performances, and the manager's behaviour were.

1 hour ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

I disagree entirely.

Sharon hasn't dispensed with managers over on-line comments.

Results, performance, reactions in the stadium, crowds dropping off yes.

Online is just the new pub-talk.

 

 

Fair point,

On reflection, I’d re-phrase that sentence as Allardyce would have faced an intense level of fan scrutiny, much more than what he faced back then. 

Just now, desperado said:

Fair point,

On reflection, I’d re-phrase that sentence as Allardyce would have faced an intense level of fan scrutiny, much more than what he faced back then. 

I recall clamour to replace him with Peter Reid midway through the 2002/03 season

9 hours ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

Well, tbf, she's only dispensed with one & she was guilty there of being too faithful, too patient, too loyal.

Which, as failings go, are well intentioned ones.

Or, incompetent, out of her depth, caught in the headlights!? 

Now I don't think those things and believe the truth is closer to your adjectives, however she will come under scrutiny at some point. Fair or otherwise.

Both SS and SB must be feeling extra pressure with the money being put in. And Fergal come to that!  Signing his mates lad has worked a treat!

 

26 minutes ago, JimmyRiddle said:

 

 

Signing his mates lad has worked a treat!

Who's that?

Temple?

8 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

Who's that?

Temple?

Kenny.

2 hours ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

Who's that?

Temple?

Shirley not.

14 hours ago, Alf Hartigan said:

Shirley not.

Get back down the yellow brick road

I’m trying to think of an occasion from one game to the next, where we have looked so poor, then so good, in league games?

It really is a farcical comparison.

But another reason why we shouldn’t go to either extreme when appraising our players and manager.

Just because of that great performance last night, we are not now in a position to say our play-off concerns should be abated, our players have rid themselves of the criticism we’ve heard previously or that SS has now found the magic formula.

If this season has taught us one thing, it’s that we are too inconsistent for that.

How we would love to be proven wrong. And there is a chance now, with a new combination of players at Schumacher’s disposal for the players to finally find some consistency.

But equally, if/when we do falter, please lets not have the opposite extreme come into play. Surely the doom mongers can see now the over-reaction from Cardiff was extreme? *

And I’m not talking about the reasoned discussion, where there’s differences of opinion. But the predictions of doom, the  player/manager bashing that is relentless, the need to only comment when you’re telling us for the 1000th time that Johnston’s shit, Sheehans shit, Gale shouldn’t be seen in a white shirt again, the manager is clueless. 

If last night taught us anything, it’s that those things can’t possibly be true can they? Not many (me included) would have picked Gale last night - SS did because he surely knows him better. He knows that man-managing him in the right way, having him on the pitch at the same time as ACD and giving him some defensive protection can bring the best out of him. But we also know he’s a L1 standard player, who is young, inexperienced and finding his way in a new culture - it’s not going to work for him every week. You can tell his form had hit him hard. The players yesterday were all over him after Kenny’s goal.

Sheehan and Johnston are not shit (if anything they’ve been two of our best players this season!) despite what the haters will have you believe. Inconsistent and limited - yes. But no more so than everybody but Dalby in our squad! 

One thing they’ll all benefit from these last 6 games is some unconditional support. I think that’s possible, now we know there are no issues of surrendering, effort, attitude (hopefully another myth from Saturday we can put to bed). I think they’ll respond to that positively and this will give them the much needed confidence that will be required to get us to promotion.

* all opinions valid, we’re here for debate/discussion etc etc etc 

We were all saying similar things about Dalby after Doncaster on New Year's Day. Look at the difference the run of games and some confidence has made.

Edited April 15Apr 15 by BeeversLeftPeg

38 minutes ago, desperado said:

I’m trying to think of an occasion from one game to the next, where we have looked so poor, then so good, in league games?

Managed it in reverse only earlier this month. A load of mard arses at Port Vale and the next game at Plymouth they were absolute trojans.

Similarly the comeback at Wycombe led in to the atrocious first half at now relegated Rotherham.

Not an especially rare phenomenon for us this season, and exactly why they’re twatting around the play off places when only a handful of draws turned in to wins would have had us home and hosed.  

3 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Managed it in reverse only earlier this month. A load of mard arses at Port Vale and the next game at Plymouth they were absolute trojans.

Similarly the comeback at Wycombe led in to the atrocious first half at now relegated Rotherham.

Not an especially rare phenomenon for us this season, and exactly why they’re twatting around the play off places when only a handful of draws turned in to wins would have had us home and hosed.  

The draws are what have absolutely killed us in the autos this season, off the top of my head games we (performance-wise) drew but should have won:

Lincoln H

Reading H & A

Blackpool H

Then thrown in points dropped against sides we *should* on paper be beating:

Doncaster H & A

Northampton H

Rotherham A

Last night certainly showed what we are capable of even against sides doing well and who are notoriously difficult to break down. Consistency is key at this time of the season and as much as we are thinking about 3 more in Saturday and resting players/managing their game time I'd say being at home 2nd leg is crucial for us.

37 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Managed it in reverse only earlier this month. A load of mard arses at Port Vale and the next game at Plymouth they were absolute trojans.

Similarly the comeback at Wycombe led in to the atrocious first half at now relegated Rotherham.

Not an especially rare phenomenon for us this season, and exactly why they’re twatting around the play off places when only a handful of draws turned in to wins would have had us home and hosed.  

 

Our previous four wins by more than one goal have been followed up by drawing at Barnsley (12th), drawing at Orient (17th), losing to Northampton (24th) and beating Wycombe (11th) in a game where we were rank for 89 minutes and 2-0 down. And then we rode that wave of elation into not beating any of Rotherham, Doncaster or Port Vale.

This team is unfathomable. I'd say we should try and get beat by Luton on the final day to give us a boost going into the playoffs.

 

4 minutes ago, Tombwfc said:

 

Our previous four wins by more than one goal have been followed up by drawing at Barnsley (12th), drawing at Orient (17th), losing to Northampton (24th) and beating Wycombe (11th) in a game where we were rank for 89 minutes and 2-0 down. And then we rode that wave of elation into not beating any of Rotherham, Doncaster or Port Vale.

This team is unfathomable. I'd say we should try and get beat by Luton on the final day to give us a boost going into the playoffs.

 

Brilliant 😂👍

You’re right one crazy season.

I still think, performance wise, these last 2 games have shown the biggest chasm amongst all the others 

2 hours ago, BeeversLeftPeg said:

The draws are what have absolutely killed us in the autos this season, off the top of my head games we (performance-wise) drew but should have won:

Lincoln H

Reading H & A

Blackpool H

Then thrown in points dropped against sides we *should* on paper be beating:

Doncaster H & A

Northampton H

Rotherham A

Last night certainly showed what we are capable of even against sides doing well and who are notoriously difficult to break down. Consistency is key at this time of the season and as much as we are thinking about 3 more in Saturday and resting players/managing their game time I'd say being at home 2nd leg is crucial for us.

Should have won Blackpool away for me as well

And we should've got a draw at Stockport but didn't

7 hours ago, desperado said:

I’m trying to think of an occasion from one game to the next, where we have looked so poor, then so good, in league games?

It really is a farcical comparison.

But another reason why we shouldn’t go to either extreme when appraising our players and manager.

Just because of that great performance last night, we are not now in a position to say our play-off concerns should be abated, our players have rid themselves of the criticism we’ve heard previously or that SS has now found the magic formula.

If this season has taught us one thing, it’s that we are too inconsistent for that.

How we would love to be proven wrong. And there is a chance now, with a new combination of players at Schumacher’s disposal for the players to finally find some consistency.

But equally, if/when we do falter, please lets not have the opposite extreme come into play. Surely the doom mongers can see now the over-reaction from Cardiff was extreme? *

And I’m not talking about the reasoned discussion, where there’s differences of opinion. But the predictions of doom, the  player/manager bashing that is relentless, the need to only comment when you’re telling us for the 1000th time that Johnston’s shit, Sheehans shit, Gale shouldn’t be seen in a white shirt again, the manager is clueless. 

If last night taught us anything, it’s that those things can’t possibly be true can they? Not many (me included) would have picked Gale last night - SS did because he surely knows him better. He knows that man-managing him in the right way, having him on the pitch at the same time as ACD and giving him some defensive protection can bring the best out of him. But we also know he’s a L1 standard player, who is young, inexperienced and finding his way in a new culture - it’s not going to work for him every week. You can tell his form had hit him hard. The players yesterday were all over him after Kenny’s goal.

Sheehan and Johnston are not shit (if anything they’ve been two of our best players this season!) despite what the haters will have you believe. Inconsistent and limited - yes. But no more so than everybody but Dalby in our squad! 

One thing they’ll all benefit from these last 6 games is some unconditional support. I think that’s possible, now we know there are no issues of surrendering, effort, attitude (hopefully another myth from Saturday we can put to bed). I think they’ll respond to that positively and this will give them the much needed confidence that will be required to get us to promotion.

* all opinions valid, we’re here for debate/discussion etc etc etc 

Can tell it's school holidays........

 

 

*I'm sure you're a teacher.....

1 hour ago, jeep said:

Can tell it's school holidays........

 

 

*I'm sure you're a teacher.....

🤣

Having a shit keeper cost us about  9 points up to the new year . Next season that’s something we have got to get right 5 keepers brought in this season 

6 hours ago, Farnywhite said:

Having a shit keeper cost us about  9 points up to the new year . Next season that’s something we have got to get right 5 keepers brought in this season 

Genuinely forgot we had TSL for first half of the season. 

In theme with the thread title I think SS/Fergal have had a pretty equal split of success/jury still out/failure, in the transfer market this season. 

SUCCESS

ACD, Kenny, Rodrigues, Dalby, CBT (albeit only for a few games) 

JURY STILL OUT

Gale, Erhahon, Simons, Bonham, Cissoko, Christie (nearly put him in failure) 

FAILURES

Forss, Taylor, TSL, Miller, Apter (I would love to eat my words on this one after he’s scored the play-off winner!) 

Done this off the top of my head, must have missed someone? 
 

edited - they also deserve a lot of credit for balancing the books with outgoings - Thomason, Collins and Morley in particular 

Edited April 16Apr 16 by desperado
Note on outgoings

On 15/04/2026 at 08:45, desperado said:

Brilliant 😂👍

You’re right one crazy season.

I still think, performance wise, these last 2 games have shown the biggest chasm amongst all the others 

Outsiders looking on from afar would make the assumption that a team that's drawn so many must be solid and consistent. The contrariness of football is that we've drawn all those games yet been badly inconsistent. 

3 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

Outsiders looking on from afar would make the assumption that a team that's drawn so many must be solid and consistent. The contrariness of football is that we've drawn all those games yet been badly inconsistent. 

Yeh, it’s been a very odd one that’s for sure.

What a time it would be to find a bit of positive consistency.