James McKeown

Saw Macca in Home Bargains today. Times are hard lol

Lots of assumptions and lazy connections in this thread.

Big fan of Macca , and think he’s a nice and decent bloke , who’s done his bit for the community and made the town his home … disappointed for him , but all
Good things  do come to an end , would have liked to have seen a ‘
Nicer ‘ end if that’s possible but we needed an upgrade and injury did affect his form
..and think we should have seen him there Tuesday . I don’t think any of us can have a bad word to say about him , 10 years service is unheard of these days .. will he stay in some coaching capacity , or seek pastures knew ? i for on wish him
Nothing but the best and thank you ..

Quoted from goldenfish

Big fan of Macca , and think he’s a nice and decent bloke , who’s done his bit for the community and made the town his home … disappointed for him , but all
Good things  do come to an end , would have liked to have seen a ‘
Nicer ‘ end if that’s possible but we needed an upgrade and injury did affect his form
..and think we should have seen him there Tuesday . I don’t think any of us can have a bad word to say about him , 10 years service is unheard of these days .. will he stay in some coaching capacity , or seek pastures knew ? i for on wish him
Nothing but the best and thank you ..

*11 years

Well he's put it to bed on twitter, he was on a UEFA training course, booked long before the rearranged BW home game...no conspiracy theory...

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

Well he's put it to bed on twitter, he was on a UEFA training course, booked long before the rearranged BW home game...no conspiracy theory...

Beat me to it.

My question is though, if he was first choice would he have had to play and not be at the training course? 🤔

Town fans are famously fickle. James has done nothing but good for this club since he arrived. A fantastic servant and he's stayed through thick and thin even when times have been tough and he's had offers on the table from above us. It's time we showed him the same sort of loyalty and faith. On his day, his shot stopping ability is up there with some of the best keepers in the country. Yes, he has his flaws technically, but so does every player that has ever set foot on the pitch at BP.

Hopefully he is given the option to stay and fight for his place - admittedly on reduced terms, or if he wants the money, none of us could hold anything again him for going elsewhere. Football isn't s young man's game and everyone has to look out for their family's best interest first and foremost.

Football is a harsh game and very few players go a career without a spell on the sidelines - Max came in and did well , there's been no reason to drop him on recent form so it's only fair. Having someone of Jame's pedigree on the bench is a great blessing for any manager, and one can only hope we'll get to see him stay and fight for a place - which with the form he is capable of, I'm sure he could.

Well done to his wife for stepping in and squashing the rumours - it's been needed for a while and I think I speak for all town fans in apologising for the minority that somehow see it fit to spread rumours and slanderous comments.

Let's hope James gets a run out on Sunday - if anything were to happen to Max in the lead up to/during the playoffs, we need a man to rely on and James is sure as hell that man!

Let's get behind the squad for the playoffs and give them ALL the support they deserve. UTM

Quoted from jaf243

Town fans are famously fickle. James has done nothing but good for this club since he arrived. A fantastic servant and he's stayed through thick and thin even when times have been tough and he's had offers on the table from above us. It's time we showed him the same sort of loyalty and faith. On his day, his shot stopping ability is up there with some of the best keepers in the country. Yes, he has his flaws technically, but so does every player that has ever set foot on the pitch at BP.

Absolutely insane statement.

The man’s had 10 years of loyalty and support from the fans, and been paid handsomely by the club for his services. This is well-covered ground but he’s been no.1 under every manager he’s played for, for a decade, bar a short spell or two where he’s dropped form or we’ve had England players on the bench. THAT’S faith, especially for a player who’s made so many notable mistakes.

Between him and Crocombe there must be £3-£3.5k in wages every week, with a good chunk of that not even in the squad on a Saturday. Could we do better spending that on someone from a division or two above and keeping Battersby as no.2?

Quoted from jaf243

On his day, his shot stopping ability is up there with some of the best keepers in the country.

That just simply isn't true. He is/was a good shot stopper but to say a player that has played non-league for most of his career is as good as the best keepers in the country in ANY aspect is ridiculous.

Quoted from jaf243

Town fans are famously fickle. James has done nothing but good for this club since he arrived. A fantastic servant and he's stayed through thick and thin even when times have been tough and he's had offers on the table from above us. It's time we showed him the same sort of loyalty and faith. On his day, his shot stopping ability is up there with some of the best keepers in the country. Yes, he has his flaws technically, but so does every player that has ever set foot on the pitch at BP.

Hopefully he is given the option to stay and fight for his place - admittedly on reduced terms, or if he wants the money, none of us could hold anything again him for going elsewhere. Football isn't s young man's game and everyone has to look out for their family's best interest first and foremost.

Football is a harsh game and very few players go a career without a spell on the sidelines - Max came in and did well , there's been no reason to drop him on recent form so it's only fair. Having someone of Jame's pedigree on the bench is a great blessing for any manager, and one can only hope we'll get to see him stay and fight for a place - which with the form he is capable of, I'm sure he could.

Well done to his wife for stepping in and squashing the rumours - it's been needed for a while and I think I speak for all town fans in apologising for the minority that somehow see it fit to spread rumours and slanderous comments.

Let's hope James gets a run out on Sunday - if anything were to happen to Max in the lead up to/during the playoffs, we need a man to rely on and James is sure as hell that man!

Let's get behind the squad for the playoffs and give them ALL the support they deserve. UTM

I saw your comments on Facebook and, whilst I agree with your sentiments regarding his family and privacy, your comments regarding his ability are for the birds.

He happens to have been a decent player at a club at its' lowest ebb and you may not have watched Town for as long as me but I'm old enough to have seen Wainman, Turner, Batch, Sherwood, Coyne, Beasant, Davison, Crichton and Mildenhall, all of whom were better keepers than James.

That's not to say I don't respect him as a decent keeper at the level we're at but he's far from indispensible and has some serious flaws in his technique which have never improved and he's made a pretty good living for himself given the amount of time he's spent in non league football.