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One thing about slade, while not everyone liked it, he had a regular style of play and the players knew what it was. Bignot has never once demonstrated he setup his team with a system or style of play. I'm looking forward to someone having a settled idea of how they want to play and not telling us that every successful team chops and changes etc. Just doesn't work

Quoted from Hagrid

Looks like its him. He's gonna have to do a hell of a lot to get the fans onside. What he did at cardiff was nigh on unforgiveable. Mind you if we'd had given hum the job in 2009 we'd have never gone down

It should never have got to that and his contract should have been sorted.

It'll be a strange feeling if we get Slade on board again as I believe he was firmly in the frame to get the job before we were relegated. I believe he was the man who would have kept us in the FL in the first place.
Maybe going down, although it took too long to get back up, was a good thing for the club, it gave us the kick up the backside we probably needed.
Anyway seven years later Fenty has the opportunity to appoint Slade, a decision which maybe he thinks should have happened in 2010 .

I'd be happier with Hasselbank, Jackett or Adkins though.

I wouldn't want him back and I can never understand this clamour for bringing back ex managers or players, especially ones that never actually achieved anything. If we do appoint a manager in the next two or three days then the odds are that he is unemployed and at this time of the season he would be unemployed for a reason and not a reassuring one at that.

I didn't much like Slade before the Cardiff debacle, so i won't be too chuffed if it's him. However, he has a clean slate for now and may have moved on from hoofball.

Results wise he did ok for us, quite early in his career. Also did ok at Yeovil and Leyton didn't he?

Obviously he's not done so well at Cardiff, Charlto. And Coventry, but we're they all poisoned chalices?

I don't know whether he would be the right appointment or not, and I certainly don't know what happened behind the scenes 11 years ago (I suspect not many on here actually do). But I do know I won't be ripping up tickets and protesting if he does get he job. I'll be supporting GTFC as usual.

No No No, dont want that politician back, totally dreadfull football, has never ever won promotion in well over 20 years in management, made total mess of the Orient job, all set for promotion and blew it big time...would campaign from day one to get him out...

I can not believe fans of our great club are saying they will not attend games if Slade gets the job,

Managers come and go but our club is for life.

As it happens I was pi ssed off with him when he jumped ship last time ,

That might have been Fenty's fault for not agreeing a new contract with him,

If he had stayed we would never had gone non league for 6 years that's for sure.

Lets see who it is before we make judgement on them,

Don't forget Adkins was 6 to 1 ON at one stage before we got Marcus who was not even in the running according to the bookies.

Quoted from Cod Cheeks

Not for me,
I Will NOT be renewing my season ticket if he comes back
Can't forgive the debacle at Cardiff, he sold us out Judas

Never mind, that will even out one of those who would not have gone if Bignot had stayed! You cannot please all the people all of the time as they say, but I would say Slade is a better bet than most that have been touted over the years. Has great experience, has unfinished business in a way, and knows the club. He played some lovely football at Yeovil for example so certainly isn't a long ball merchant for the sake of it.

Whoever it is, it will be nice to get playing proper formations and getting the best players to play in their natural positions.

Time to dust off the SOOT posts if it's true.....

I'd prefer someone who actually won promotion once in his career.

When was here, I use to drink with a family member of the board.

Slade did not leave in the best of circumstances. The story goes that he was touting himself and Mildenhall around to other clubs through his agent. One director of another club rang Town up to tell them of a phone call from an agent saying he could get Slade and the goalkeeper Mildenhall, at the end of the season. Crofty was playing for Town at the time, and found out the Slade had put his house on the market, but wasn't looking to buy another one around here.

At the time we were top and looking good, but after Christmas we slumped and only just made the playoffs. Slade resigned after the playoff defeat, and walked into the Yeovil job with Mildenhall.

Don't think that Slade is well thought of in the boardroom.

Quoted from ginnywings

I've heard that it's Slade and he could be in charge against Cambridge.

Source?

It is slade, will be confirmed in due course

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

It is slade, will be confirmed in due course

Similar to the above, Source?

Personally I find him a smarmy bar steward but less of a risk than MB

Would be really disappointed if its Mr Slade. A very boring period of watching town - boot over the top for Reddy to run on to and score. Yes we did ok result wise but can remember how low i felt leaving several matches.
We as a Club again look so unprofessional how we handle things.

A step back if true, gets sacked almost every year and his record elsewhere is crap.

Should of shown some ambition before mb and done everything possible to get Adkins would imo be exactly what we need a proven manger who doesn't mess around and has loads of decent level football league and premiership knowledge and experience would take him in a heartbeat-as we know what will be the case is another ridiculous cheap option as has always been the case at our club over the years i.e. Law Groves woods Rodgers hurst/scott bignot etc lets show some bolloks and get someone in who is capable of doing the job our fans have seen so much hurt in the last 10 years and we deserve better we put our hard earned money in every week,operation promotion,youth set ups and our incredible support at home and all across the country it's time to dig deep JOHN and give us something to be excited about as always UTM and onto the next game !!!

Quoted from mimma

When was here, I use to drink with a family member of the board.

Crofty was playing for Town at the time, and found out the Slade had put his house on the market, but wasn't looking to buy another one around here.

.

What ????

Slade put Crofty's house up for sale without telling him ;D

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Source?

One that's right more often than wrong. I would rate his info as 8 out of 10 on past experience. Gut feeling for me is that Slade will be our next boss but i hope i'm wrong.

I just can't believe fenty let bignot spunk money in January on about 50 midfielders then sack him two months later.

Gotta be something more to this , must have been playing Dan Jones in midfield that was the final straw.

Please John, Noooooooo! :-/

Not for me. I

Never go back. McClaren, even Jose.. usually ends in tears.

If it is Slade, it could show that JF lacks a level of confidence actually in himself. Since he became major shareholder the vast majority of the managers he has signed have been known to him prior to appointment. Graham Rodger, Alan Buckley, Neil Woods and Marcus Bignot (dealings with Omar). The two left are Paul Hurst and Mike Newell. This is a cautious list of appointments from a controlling aspect, Newell apart. Maybe the Newell reign has made him too scared of the unknown or maybe he likes to be certain of being the alpha male around BP, hoping Hurst and Bignot grateful enough of the step up not to question or ask too much of the boardroom.

Appointing Slade will just be like appointing from within again. We've certainly not been outwardly looking in general since JF took the reigns over. Has JF got the confidence to appoint someone of the ilk of Evans? Is it a control thing? Or is it just an issue of being tight with the most important budget of all, the manager's salary?

If it turn's out to be Slade, I'll have grave concerns about JF's selection criteria..

Lets go all out for the Cowleys in the summer if they get Lincoln promoted they've done there job. Move to a bigger club and help us reach league 1.

Cowleys are contracted until 2021. THEY ARE NOT COMING.

Quoted from ginnywings

One that's right more often than wrong. I would rate his info as 8 out of 10 on past experience. Gut feeling for me is that Slade will be our next boss but i hope i'm wrong.

Same to be honest, all I hope is that whatever happens we do it soon as having to secure a new manager and deal with signings/re-signings would be a bad place to be in.

Quoted from Freemoash88

Lets go all out for the Cowleys in the summer if they get Lincoln promoted they've done there job. Move to a bigger club and help us reach league 1.

Why would they think Grimsby is a better option than Lincoln and come here ?
Lincoln will possibly be in the same league, 2 mil in the bank from the FA cup and financial backing from an investor happy to put 100k plus in every year

They will move on but not to a club like ours

I can categorically confirm that Russell Slade is about to be appointed as manager and that he is having John McDermott as his number 2 and coach

This will be confirmed presently

Quoted from 120790

I can categorically confirm that Russell Slade is about to be appointed as manager and that he is having John McDermott as his number 2 and coach

This will be confirmed presently

Like a broken clock, Ascend could be right twice in a day.

You get a good 10-15 years from most managers, around the same length of time as a playing career. RS would have been an excellent appointment 5-10 years ago. Although he's not old at 56, my concern is he's not been successful in his last three jobs and we might be appointing someone in the twilight of his career.

Quoted from 120790

I can categorically confirm that Russell Slade is about to be appointed as manager and that he is having John McDermott as his number 2 and coach

This will be confirmed presently

That will do for me

I sincerely hope this is wrong. No thanks to both.

If you read slades Wikipedia page , which I know is a bad place to start he reads as a very good manager with turning clubs around .....

Quoted from StickfordMariner

If you read slades Wikipedia page , which I know is a bad place to start he reads as a very good manager with turning clubs around .....

A little worrying given our direction in recent seasons

According to managerstats.co.uk, Russell Slade has managed 793 games for 10 clubs and has 0 honours to his name. :) No promotion, no cup wins, but no relegations either. Good manager for mid-table mediocrity.

He nearly won promotion with us though!

Quoted from StickfordMariner

If you read slades Wikipedia page , which I know is a bad place to start he reads as a very good manager with turning clubs around .....

A sticking plaster type manager. If true, it will show a total lack of vision and ambition for me and will be the easy option. Seems to be a better the devil you know type deal as Bigdog alluded to.

Don't particularly want Slade, Rob but would you consider a manager who had managed the same amount of games if he'd won the FL Trophy once? Not many managers in our sights with Guardiola standard trophy cabinets.

No No No!

Not a good choice.

He's won nothing.

Me made the mistake of hiring has beens before we were relegated, except slade Kant even a has been because he had little to no success, ever...

Whoever manages GTFC will get my support, that applies to Slade if he comes back too. Whoever is in charge will not prevent me from buying a season ticket

Quoted from jonnyboy82

Unless it's woods

I will get a season ticket if Mickey Mouse is in charge even an incompetent manager like Zola but if Neil Woods were suggested.... I would not

If this is true, shockingly bad appointment never got a club promoted in his entire career, plays excrement football too.

I'm not rooting' for Slade but he ain't as bad as some people say, possibly these are folks who don't remember the really, really bad managers?

What gets forgotten is that our Russell started off with very attacking ambitions. We even had a French playmaker in midfield ffs. Things changed when teams sussed out that 3-5-2 is hard to play well and we got stuffed a time or two. Then things changed around and we played more or less 5-3-2 for the rest of the season to make the most of Reddy's pace on breakaways. We were great away but struggled at BP. A common story.

Nevertheless, we were very successful and but for a last gasp goal we would have had automatic promotion. People blame Slade for what happened at Cardiff but it does take two to tango. Any fair minded person would have to say Mr F was not blameless in what happened.

So would I want him back? Not really, but the field is a bit limited isn't it? It's full of has beens on the way down and apart from the Cowleys not many wannabes on the way up.

Not sure how 10 midfielders are going to fit into a Slade team. Saying that they're all used to being played out of position now.

I can understand the concern over re-appointing Russell Slade.

But if you were also concerned over the direction we were going in under Marcus Bignot, and feared a little for next season, then Slade would be a decent choice.

Not advocating it, just adding a bit of context to proceedings. Obviously we all want to aim a bit higher.

But let's also not forget that Slade brought many decent players to our club, built a strong spine (Mildenhall, Jones/Whittle, Bolland, Reddy/Jones) and got a team playing to a specific style in roles they each understood.

I also wouldn't say his tactics were aimless hoofball. There's been a thread that's re-appeared on here a few times about how detailed his plans actually were.

This is purely devil's advocate stuff. Just think it's worth considering before anyone realistically commits to never coming to BP again if Slade's re-appointed.

We had some good times under his management. We beat Spurs, we set a new club record of six consecutive away wins.

And I'm aware we had some bad times, too! Lincoln away, etc.

Quoted from LH

Don't particularly want Slade, Rob but would you consider a manager who had managed the same amount of games if he'd won the FL Trophy once? Not many managers in our sights with Guardiola standard trophy cabinets.

I liked Slade, thought the early Slade team was great with Reddy et al. My only concern is shelf life and appointing someone who is out of touch with the latest coaching methods, as we did with AB. I think players look up to a manager who is a few years older, but still one of the lads, not someone from their dad's generation.

Why does it have to be a manager thats won something?

I thought Slade did well whilst here....ok he left in strange circumstances but he's more experienced and there is no reason to say he'd be crap. Lets see how he does till the end of the season. Would Macca come here as assistance jumping ship from clee town and missing out on the fa vase?

He did a fecking good job with Brighton, Orient and Yeovil. He's a decent lower league manager and I would say he's made bad decisions in going to clubs like Cardiff, Coventry and Charlton who have all had off the field problems and he's gone in, in difficult circumstances.

Quoted from hampshiremariner

Not for me. I

Never go back. McClaren, even Jose.. usually ends in tears.

Buckley MkII

Can't say a Slade appointment would inspire me. But neither am I at S/T ripping up point (and not just because I haven't got one ;) ).

I can't think of many (or any?) exciting appointments that turned out well though.

Having said that, I don't have confidence in the people that took a decision to appoint Bignot thinking that he was the right man, only to let him go less than 6 months later.

So basically, I don't effing know what to think!!

Quoted from mimma

When was here, I use to drink with a family member of the board.

Slade did not leave in the best of circumstances. The story goes that he was touting himself and Mildenhall around to other clubs through his agent. One director of another club rang Town up to tell them of a phone call from an agent saying he could get Slade and the goalkeeper Mildenhall, at the end of the season. Crofty was playing for Town at the time, and found out the Slade had put his house on the market, but wasn't looking to buy another one around here.

At the time we were top and looking good, but after Christmas we slumped and only just made the playoffs. Slade resigned after the playoff defeat, and walked into the Yeovil job with Mildenhall.

Don't think that Slade is well thought of in the boardroom.

It is also alleged that the players knew this and some of them were on the urine the night before the match in Cardiff.

No to Slade for me.

Quoted from mimma

At the time we were top and looking good, but after Christmas we slumped and only just made the playoffs.

Only just made the play offs by 15 points!!! :o

Quoted from gtfc82

Only just made the play offs by 15 points!!! :o

Technically, we were 'outside' the playoffs with about 90 seconds of the season remaining. What might have been, eh?

He's a good manager in the lower leagues, we had him in his early days and although he hasn't had a promotion he has an excellent record of getting teams in the play-offs and he's often left clubs in a better state than he's found them.

Wouldn't be a shite appointment like Russ Wilcox.

Quoted from Poojah

Technically, we were 'outside' the playoffs with about 90 seconds of the season remaining. What might have been, eh?

Yep. What a day that was.

Really don't want him back but at least part of it for me is the devastation of those couple of minutes and then the no show in the final. Not sure how objective I can be about this, if I'm honest.

Quoted from SpudUDontLike

Yep. What a day that was.

Really don't want him back but at least part of it for me is the devastation of those couple of minutes and then the no show in the final. Not sure how objective I can be about this, if I'm honest.

Think you probably sum up the feelings of an awful lot of fans.certainly if he comes in on Wednesday then there is quite a bit of fence building to b done

Quoted from forza ivano

Think you probably sum up the feelings of an awful lot of fans.certainly if he comes in on Wednesday then there is quite a bit of fence building to b done

yep

I suppose he'd at least get us organised and set out a distinct style (or styles) of play, something distinctly lacking in recent months.

Just hope it would be less hoofy than last time and I'd guess it ought to be because there aren't many decent players around who are as rapid as Reddy or as tall as the stick Jones.

I only hope any post-Christmas signings aren't anything like Junior Flipping Mendes!

Quoted from Maringer

I suppose he'd at least get us organised and set out a distinct style (or styles) of play, something distinctly lacking in recent months.

Just hope it would be less hoofy than last time and I'd guess it ought to be because there aren't many decent players around who are as rapid as Reddy or as tall as the stick Jones.

I only hope any post-Christmas signings aren't anything like Junior Flipping Mendes!

they were like fish and chips, as a combination, perfect together utm

Quoted from 120790

I can categorically confirm that Russell Slade is about to be appointed as manager and that he is having John McDermott as his number 2 and coach

This will be confirmed presently

[tweet]851533735875031040[/tweet]

Now is the perfect time both financially and with us being in a stable(ish) position to bring Nigel Adkins to the club. Use some of the money from the bogle transfer to get him on a 2 yr contract and he has the next 5 games to access the squad before the end of the season.

Going back to slade would be a sideways step from bignot. Adkins has a proven record of improving and getting the best from the teams hes managed whilst playing attractive football and even got scunthorpe to the championship

Is there really anyone better that we can realistically get? He's a solid manager. His last three jobs have been at clubs that have been a circus off the pitch, so no point saying much about them.

I dont want Slade and his boring brand of football, but hey, who takes any notice of of a supporter for 60 years. Whatever happens will happen.

I don't want him back either.

Fenty and Slade would have to put the past behind them and can't see that happening tbh but you never know things do go full circle and with Cheltenham due how ironic would that be??

Still have and many others have bad thoughts about the way he walked out on us and left us down at Cardiff.

Some people blamed Fenty either way could the two of them ever trust each other again after bad blood??

Well Fenty ain't going anywhere so Slade would have to work under him again too much bad blood imho.

Quoted from forza ivano

Think you probably sum up the feelings of an awful lot of fans.certainly if he comes in on Wednesday then there is quite a bit of fence building to b done

Only fences more like BRIDGES, one of them is going to have to grovel big time and I can't see that being Fenty it is not in him and rightly so imho.

I can`t and wont forgive and forget the Cardiff debacle and I doubt I am alone with that? Parking that to one side for a moment he did a decent job on a small budget but the style of play was awful to watch and even when things were going well he massively divided opinion. If we had never had him previously I would say good appointment but I fear the worst with this.Any kind of bad run and vast swathes of support will be on his back it would be a very brave appointment in my opinion BUT at least an experienced head who knows how to set a team up.

We'll still all be singing ' Russell Slades black and white army' come Friday afternoon!

Quoted from AndyGTFC

Is there really anyone better that we can realistically get? He's a solid manager. His last three jobs have been at clubs that have been a [b][/b]CIRCUS off the pitch, so no point saying much about them.

Perhaps that's why the clown might come, he just can't stay away from them.

I suspect Slade will be able to attract a better calibre of player than Bignot could. I'm sure someone will correct me but it seems as if most the players we have are from the league below. I know there'll be a gem here or there but most are in non-league for a reason.

If I was a professional football player I certainly wouldn't drop from say League 1 to a team with a manager who started the season in the sixth tier of English football. Especially when the club has a very small coaching set-up as it is!

Sure it has been posted, but i've seen this interview with Slade doing the rounds, from a few years back when he was at Orient:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/11/russell-slade-leyton-orient-free-transfer

As mentioned...at the very least you'd think he could perhaps be able to attract a higher calibre of player seen as he's been in higher divisions since leaving us. You'd have to trust they will be the right characters.

Seems the likes of Gary Cohen, Whittle, McDermott and Woodhouse have all sang his praises too.

Slade is a huge no from me.

Most of our fans want football to be played along the deck and complained about hoodball with previous managers but we all known that spades style is long ball.

If the players that I suspect are the ones who have revolted then I'm even more dissapointed as I wouldn't be bothered if any of them were gone in a few weeks. Really sounds to me like a few senior players have spat there dummy out that changes are being made.

I think we'll live to regret sacking Marcus Bignot.

Quoted from sam gy

Sure it has been posted, but i've seen this interview with Slade doing the rounds, from a few years back when he was at Orient:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/11/russell-slade-leyton-orient-free-transfer

As mentioned...at the very least you'd think he could perhaps be able to attract a higher calibre of player seen as he's been in higher divisions since leaving us. You'd have to trust they will be the right characters.

Seems the likes of Gary Cohen, Whittle, McDermott and Woodhouse have all sang his praises too.

What have any of them said?

If RS gets the job it will be interesting to see the ST sales for next season I think the Club will have a hard job selling 2k personally? I think most fans will grit their teeth and back him some obviously still like him anyhow but lets be honest he will massively divide opinion.

Quoted from mariner91

What have any of them said?

Woodhouse on Twitter - "Grimsby Town, great club, great fans. If I was making the decision on the I'd be on the phone to Russell Slade. Can't think of a number 2"

Cohen on twitter in response to a Town fan saying is head/heart wasn't in it: "Disagree with this Sladey always knew how to motivate his players and a failing to win promotion via the playoffs is not a failure."

McDermott was complimentary in his book...not sure about Whittle, but saw someone mentioning that he's always sung his praises.

Must be my memory but I do not recall this "hoof ball" tactic being played all the time but certainly with a player like Reddy supported by Gary Jones you will play to your strengths a la Tees to Lewis and/or Brace. Hoof ball as its referred to is an issue if played with players who do not possess the aforementioneds attributes.

As a town fan if the ball ends up in the net and we are winning not too bothered about the journey it took to get there. The style of play will initially reflect the players we have so without real pace up front Cannot see hoof ball being a factor.

I thought the 2005/6 season was, apart from Lincoln away, a pretty enjoyable one to watch until bloody Cardiff but could be me not remembering things too well.

Anyway he is coming back so lets get behind him.

i don't see the problem with this appointment.

Yes we didnt play great football when he was in charge but we was up there and it cant be any worse than what we have seen with Bignot. When he was here last was a very long time ago and football has moved on since then so we may not play that sytle of football again none of us know.

When he left us he took yeovil to the play offs beating nottingham forest, and then he has over 2 years at cardiff who were a championship side so his pedigree is pretty good if you ask me.

When you look at his last 3 clubs cardiff charlton and coventry they all have political issued behind the scenes so not many managers will succeed at clubs like that.

I think he will take us in the right direction.

Quoted from MarinersOnTheUp

Slade is a huge no from me.

Most of our fans want football to be played along the deck and complained about hoodball with previous managers but we all known that spades style is long ball.

If the players that I suspect are the ones who have revolted then I'm even more dissapointed as I wouldn't be bothered if any of them were gone in a few weeks. Really sounds to me like a few senior players have spat there dummy out that changes are being made.

I think we'll live to regret sacking Marcus Bignot.

I am not a Slade supporter but this is simply untrue. His record is not one of a hoofer. Even here his sides didn't hoof it aimlessly. We saw far more of that under Lyons and Hurst than under Slade. There is a great clip we had on here of a Reddy goal at BP involving the ball being played up to Lump and slipped through for Reddy to go one-on-one with the keeper. That was pretty typical. He changed the system to a defensive one purely because he knew it was the way to get out of the division and it suited the players he had. Even Donny last week proved all season the way to do it is tight defence and quick breaks. I don't know where people get this idea that Slade is just a hoof ball merchant at all.

He is not my ideal manager by a long way but the choice is limited. The likes of Adkins are past their sell by and want too much money anyway. Evans is happy at Mansfield. The Cowleys have had the run of the ball but have yet to stay at any club long enough to prove anything. The rest are just your average run of the mill lower division managers. Take your pick. Sometimes it's time for the devil you know, it does work sometimes ....... look at Buckley.

If you take away his time with Charlton and Coventry, then he really hasn't done that bad...

Orient are much closer to us in terms of size, than Coventry and Charlton. Perhaps he does better at smaller, relatively stable clubs?

"In 2010, Slade was appointed manager of Leyton Orient and he led the club to two 7th-place finishes, an FA Cup fifth round replay against Arsenal and took the O's to the Play-off Final in 2013–14 – a feat which saw win the LMA League 1 Manager of the Year award. He left Orient to take charge of Championship side Cardiff City, and spent two years in charge of the side, finishing in 11th and 8th positions before being appointed the club's head of football. He resigned from the role after only two weeks and, in June 2016, was appointed manager of Charlton Athletic."

Did he play hoof ball at Yeovil and Orient?

This appointment screams sensible, if not spectacular.

I think he's more at home managing a smaller club where he has greater control of player acquisition. He's often spoken about being a man-manager, and right now some of our senior pros and potentially key players for next season need reassurances.

He did a great job of saving Brighton from the drop, too. A lot of what they're achieving now wouldn't have been possible without Slade turning things round for them.

Quoted from sam gy

Woodhouse on Twitter - "Grimsby Town, great club, great fans. If I was making the decision on the I'd be on the phone to Russell Slade. Can't think of a number 2"

Cohen on twitter in response to a Town fan saying is head/heart wasn't in it: "Disagree with this Sladey always knew how to motivate his players and a failing to win promotion via the playoffs is not a failure."

McDermott was complimentary in his book...not sure about Whittle, but saw someone mentioning that he's always sung his praises.

Thank you.

Quoted from RichMariner

Did he play hoof ball at Yeovil and Orient?

This appointment screams sensible, if not spectacular.

I think he's more at home managing a smaller club where he has greater control of player acquisition. He's often spoken about being a man-manager, and right now some of our senior pros and potentially key players for next season need reassurances.

He did a great job of saving Brighton from the drop, too. A lot of what they're achieving now wouldn't have been possible without Slade turning things round for them.

I remember a play off game of Yeovil when he was manager there and the football they played was fabulous for a club of the stature of Yeovil. I think they were playing Forest if I remember rightly. He certainly can play fantastic football if the players are there, and as Ron Rafferty's fan club says his supposedly hoof ball here was no such thing. A controlled longer ball game I would describe it as. If it is Slade we could have done a good bit of business there. He has a knack of getting really good players in as well.

Genuinely excited about this appointment- up the mariners

8 wins in 37 games with Charlton and Coventry.

Absolutely backwards appointment.

Utterly beyond belief if this is true.

But just 11 months ago he finished 8th in the Championship. No manager we could get will have done well everywhere. Some people (myself included) have been saying we'd love to see Adkins appointed and as much as I stand by that, he finished 11th last season in a division below the one RS finished 8th in. And I would argue that Sheffield United are a bigger club in L1 than Cardiff are in the Championship.

Quoted from mariner91

But just 11 months ago he finished 8th in the Championship. No manager we could get will have done well everywhere. Some people (myself included) have been saying we'd love to see Adkins appointed and as much as I stand by that, he finished 11th last season in a division below the one RS finished 8th in. And I would argue that Sheffield United are a bigger club in L1 than Cardiff are in the Championship.

Exactly. He did a good job at Cardiff in difficult circumstances. To say he "failed" because they didn't go up is ridiculously simplistic.

RS has been in regular employment as a football league manager - that speaks volumes. He's a good manager.

Last time he was here many fans didn't enjoy the style, but it worked to the extent of getting us into the play-offs.
He left because he could get more money for doing the same job elsewhere - tough to criticise, really.
(Or, if you don't like JF....we were penny-pinching.) That was then.....a decade ago. I was a BIG critic of RS, btw.

I'd say that - here and now - he's probably what we need.....and it's not as if we could have whoever we wanted, anyway.

Probably the biggest obstacle to him being successful this time is whether a significant number of the fans are prepared to
forgive and/or forget the manner of his departure. Hmmm...9 years is probably long enough to hold a grudge......but......

Here's a video with all of Michael Reddy's goals for Town. Only one of those goals came about from what I would call a "hoof". Yes there were some longer balls but they were looking for the run of Reddy in to the channel. It was clearly the game plan rather than just lumping it forward and if you had a player as quick and powerful as Reddy why on earth would you not take advantage of it? Likewise, the Cowley's have been very successful this year but have employed a fairly direct style to utilise their main striker who is Matt Rhead. I'd rather watch us play measured balls into the channel and have an obvious (successful) game plan than watch some of the turd that has been served up in the last three months where most of the time I had no idea what the game plan was.

Here's the link if you want to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEtrfl-HGUA

I'm not bothered by the Yeovil departure, it was a long time ago and things move on. Managers want to do two things, improve the club they are at and improve their own standing. They can do that at the club they are managing and eventually, someone bigger will come along and take them, it's the way of the world. I wasn't a massive fan of Slade and his direct style (not hoofball i agree) but i think he is a horses for courses type manager and will play whatever style he believes will bring the most points for a given set of players. He did bring in some very good players in his time and we were very effective up to a point. The downside is that he has never carried it through to completion anywhere and never won anything in a long career. Has he learned enough over the years to rectify that, or will he be a nearly man forever? He's mostly been managing at a higher level since he left us, so i'd like to think he is more than capable of holding his own in League 2. Is he capable of getting us out of League 2 though? Interesting times coming up.

I hope to god its not Rat features. If it is I will back the team as always.

What a myth it is that his style wasn't popular. When he was here last time we averaged 5,150. Before this season (around 5,200) that's our highest average by some distance since the Championship years.

Never go back, things never the same second time round.

Quoted from mariner91

Here's a video with all of Michael Reddy's goals for Town. Only one of those goals came about from what I would call a "hoof". Yes there were some longer balls but they were looking for the run of Reddy in to the channel. It was clearly the game plan rather than just lumping it forward and if you had a player as quick and powerful as Reddy why on earth would you not take advantage of it? Likewise, the Cowley's have been very successful this year but have employed a fairly direct style to utilise their main striker who is Matt Rhead. I'd rather watch us play measured balls into the channel and have an obvious (successful) game plan than watch some of the turd that has been served up in the last three months where most of the time I had no idea what the game plan was.

Here's the link if you want to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEtrfl-HGUA

Jesus Christ, Reddy was good, wasn't he?

Quoted from sam gy

Jesus Christ, Reddy was good, wasn't he?

In my opinion, the best striker we've had this century.

Frightening pace, amazing touch, cool as you like in front of goal.

Quoted from oldun

Never go back, things never the same second time round.

[img]http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/890000/images/_891386_alanbuckley300.jpg[/img]

Quoted from mariner91

But just 11 months ago he finished 8th in the Championship. No manager we could get will have done well everywhere. Some people (myself included) have been saying we'd love to see Adkins appointed and as much as I stand by that, he finished 11th last season in a division below the one RS finished 8th in. And I would argue that Sheffield United are a bigger club in L1 than Cardiff are in the Championship.

Exactly.  Put into perspective of this season, that's like us appointing Gary Rowett.

Yes he'll split opinion but with the exception of basketcase clubs like Charlton and Coventry this season, his record is pretty bloody exceptional. It's no secret I'm a big fan of his and I don't subscribe to this idea that his style of football was boring here, far from it.  It was a lot more entertaining than getting rolled over every three-four weeks.

My only slight concern with him is that he doesn't hang around long anywhere and I've come to quite like this stability lark.

I'm far happier now and believe he will come in and make do with the players he has inherited, with an ability to do so, I just wish he had been available when PH departed, it may have saved us a few quid on certain players.

Quoted from oldun

Never go back, things never the same second time round.

Alan Buckley and Matt Tees might have said that sometimes they are even better. ;)

Going back to Buckley was different though as he had actually been successful and built promotion teams.

How can you on the one hand say we are sacking a guy because we are ambitious and then on the other hand employ someone who has never achieved a promotion at any level. He has a track record as a steady eddie, ok if we want to bump along in league 1 for a while, but we're not in league 1.

For MBs faults I cant say that being unambitious appeared to be one of them. This club needs bringing into the 21st century, finally, otherwise I can't see us ever getting on a sustainable footing to compete back at Championship level. Is Slade really the guy to stick around 5 years and do that alongside moving us up a tier. I just can't see it his career just doesn't show that he is capable.

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

Going back to Buckley was different though as he had actually been successful and built promotion teams.

How can you on the one hand say we are sacking a guy because we are ambitious and then on the other hand employ someone who has never achieved a promotion at any level. He has a track record as a steady eddie, ok if we want to bump along in league 1 for a while, but we're not in league 1.

For MBs faults I cant say that being unambitious appeared to be one of them. This club needs bringing into the 21st century, finally, otherwise I can't see us ever getting on a sustainable footing to compete back at Championship level. Is Slade really the guy to stick around 5 years and do that alongside moving us up a tier. I just can't see it his career just doesn't show that he is capable.

Maybe he's the 'old head' to impart wisdom to his assistant?

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

Going back to Buckley was different though as he had actually been successful and built promotion teams.

How can you on the one hand say we are sacking a guy because we are ambitious and then on the other hand employ someone who has never achieved a promotion at any level. He has a track record as a steady eddie, ok if we want to bump along in league 1 for a while, but we're not in league 1.

For MBs faults I cant say that being unambitious appeared to be one of them. This club needs bringing into the 21st century, finally, otherwise I can't see us ever getting on a sustainable footing to compete back at Championship level. Is Slade really the guy to stick around 5 years and do that alongside moving us up a tier. I just can't see it his career just doesn't show that he is capable.

I dont see why appointing a proven Football league manager, who had a good spell here last time and did wonders at Yeovil, Brighton and Leyton Orient and indeed Cardiff for a while, would stop us being dragged into the 21st century?

I think Bignot was for the 22nd century with some of his madcap ideas. What is the point of ambition if you haven't got the strategy to carry it out? I would be amazed if Slade stuck around for five years, but what is the need for that? Football is short term and at this point he seems to be the perfect fit for me. Pragmatic and capable, I am sure he will be able to stabilize us and make us a force next season. He is still in his mid fifties isn't he, so plenty of mileage in the tank yet to prove what he can do.

Lets see what tomorrow brings, but I hope most will welcome him back once the dust has settled. I hope so anyway.

I'm a bit confused by all the negativity.

We finished 4th in League Two when he left us, never been anywhere near that since. In fact we've not even been top half.

He's never managed below League One since he left us.

We regard Hurst as a hero for getting us to 4th place and winning the play-offs in the league below.

Slade has a proven track record. His win% isn't great but look at the situations of the teams he's managed. Normally brought in to stop teams from going down or tasked with slashing the wage bill and staying competitive.

He left us to go to a league above, just like Hurst did. At the time it was a good decision for him, as proven by his manager of the year award that he received.

His win percentage at Yeovil was very impressive for a club that size in L1. He's very highly regarded by Orient fans and again, did well in a league where they weren't exactly a huge club. He didn't do badly at Cardiff under difficult circumstances and at Brighton and Coventry he came in with both sides doing terribly but he managed to keep Brighton up. The only blot on his record really is this season but we weren't going to get in someone experienced who doesn't have any bad tenures, they wouldn't come here. He's a safe pair of hands, knows the league, has plenty more contacts and experience since he was last with us and is supposedly great at motivating players. If it wasn't for the fact that he'd been here before, we'd probably all be quite pleased at the thought of appointing a manager who was 8th in the Championship 11 months ago.

Quoted from Jaws

I'm a bit confused by all the negativity.

We finished 4th in League Two when he left us, never been anywhere near that since. In fact we've not even been top half.

He's never managed below League One since he left us.

We regard Hurst as a hero for getting us to 4th place and winning the play-offs in the league below.

Slade has a proven track record. His win% isn't great but look at the situations of the teams he's managed. Normally brought in to stop teams from going down or tasked with slashing the wage bill and staying competitive.

He left us to go to a league above, just like Hurst did. At the time it was a good decision for him, as proven by his manager of the year award that he received.

Slade
excrement football
Never won a thing with 10 different clubs.
The bloke is as boring as his football and would drive fans away.
The only thing about him is I don't think he would ever get you relegated but then again he would never get you promotion.

Quoted from TAGG

Slade
excrement football
Never won a thing with 10 different clubs.
The bloke is as boring as his football and would drive fans away.
The only thing about him is I don't think he would ever get you relegated but then again he would never get you promotion.

Which aspect of the Reddy video clips was excrement football? Certainly not how I remember hi time and visits to BP were far more enjoyable under Slade then they have ever been under PH & MB. The main ingredient for dictating crowd size is results if we are winning we get 5 to 6 thousand and if losing we get 3 to 4 thousand.

We have great away support at present & decent home crowds but look back when we were last in the Championship & look at the average crowd size, despite playing some big clubs we were losing more than we won so not great home crowds. Lets face it the bloody Chimps attract a higher home gate than us at present & this seasons average will probably be higher than ours last season so for all our wish to see great football its winning football that attracts the numbers. Think Arsenal play decent football but not sure their crowd are too happy with this alone!!!

Can't believe people saying no to Slade because of hoofball and wanting the Cowleys!! Lincoln are hoofball personified.
I seem to recall the football being ok when he was last here, and even if it does become hoofball it'll be organised and the players will be committed. Remember Watford and Cambridge going through the leagues under Taylor and Beck. Hoofball in front of full houses every week.
Give the man a chance

Quoted from TAGG

Slade
excrement football
Never won a thing with 10 different clubs.
The bloke is as boring as his football and would drive fans away.
The only thing about him is I don't think he would ever get you relegated but then again he would never get you promotion.

He won't when he's always gone to clubs that need rescuing from relegation or are about to go bust? But he's always done what he went in to do (barring coventry, but they are royally copulated)

Quoted from Jaws

He won't when he's always gone to clubs that need rescuing from relegation or are about to go bust? But he's always done what he went in to do (barring coventry, but they are royally copulated)

He did get them to a Wembley final but unfortunately was robbed of the chance to lead them out.

Quoted from TAGG

Slade
excrement football
Never won a thing with 10 different clubs.
The bloke is as boring as his football and would drive fans away.
The only thing about him is I don't think he would ever get you relegated but then again he would never get you promotion.

What was your take on the end of the 2005/6 season Tagg old son? Was all that Slade's fault? did he run on really fast and headbutt Reddy, or perhaps score a cheeky last minute winner for orient? Slade was the closes we ve come to league one in more than a decade, he s brought us bigger scalps in the cup, a solid attacking partnership, and probably the best central midfielder in Paul Bolland the club has had for some time...

Quoted from mariner91

His win percentage at Yeovil was very impressive for a club that size in L1. He's very highly regarded by Orient fans and again, did well in a league where they weren't exactly a huge club. He didn't do badly at Cardiff under difficult circumstances and at Brighton and Coventry he came in with both sides doing terribly but he managed to keep Brighton up. The only blot on his record really is this season but we weren't going to get in someone experienced who doesn't have any bad tenures, they wouldn't come here..

I worked just down the road at Bridgend when Slade was at Cardiff and I never heard a Cardiff fan say anything good about him, so I wouldn't put that period up as one of his successes.

Quoted from 935

What was your take on the end of the 2005/6 season Tagg old son? Was all that Slade's fault? did he run on really fast and headbutt Reddy, or perhaps score a cheeky last minute winner for orient? Slade was the closes we ve come to league one in more than a decade, he s brought us bigger scalps in the cup, a solid attacking partnership, and probably the best central midfielder in Paul Bolland the club has had for some time...

I had three balls on the Lotto once. Close but not close enough.

As I say 10 clubs and won intercourse all.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

He did get them to a Wembley final but unfortunately was robbed of the chance to lead them out.

It was 1 of only 3 wins though

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

I worked just down the road at Bridgend when Slade was at Cardiff and I never heard a Cardiff fan say anything good about him, so I wouldn't put that period up as one of his successes.

And yet they're six places lower a year after he's gone. Not like the Welsh to know nothing about football.

I think TAGG is probably getting confused...i think he is talking anout Lincoln as that's his team lol....slade did well for us...ok he left in crap circumstances but the board didn't act in giving him a longer deal and went elsewhere.

Id welcome him back

Quoted from TAGG

I had three balls on the Lotto once.

Must have been record viewing figures for that draw.
Are you leaving your body to science btw?

Quoted from 935

Slade was the closes we ve come to league one in more than a decade, he s brought us bigger scalps in the cup, a solid attacking partnership, and probably the best central midfielder in Paul Bolland the club has had for some time...

You forgot to mention a fantastic defensive partnership in Whittle and Jones!

If he could sign players as good as G. Jones, Reddy, Whittle and R. Jones again then we'll be laughing. In all honesty in the summer we need a striker who knows where the goal is and will stretch defences with pace, basically Michael Reddy! A genuine left sided winger, who's actually decent! A high quality goalkeeper, not saying McKeown is a poor keeper but I think for a promotion push we need a very good keeper. We need an athletic centre half, a bit like Toto, and that should see us sorted. We need players of the quality the ones listed early in the post.

Quoted from mariner91

Here's a video with all of Michael Reddy's goals for Town. Only one of those goals came about from what I would call a "hoof". Yes there were some longer balls but they were looking for the run of Reddy in to the channel. It was clearly the game plan rather than just lumping it forward and if you had a player as quick and powerful as Reddy why on earth would you not take advantage of it? Likewise, the Cowley's have been very successful this year but have employed a fairly direct style to utilise their main striker who is Matt Rhead. I'd rather watch us play measured balls into the channel and have an obvious (successful) game plan than watch some of the turd that has been served up in the last three months where most of the time I had no idea what the game plan was.

Here's the link if you want to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEtrfl-HGUA

How I enjoyed seeing those again.

What a player he was. How did Slade get him here in the first place? There must have been a queue of clubs after him, but I do know Slade would not take no for an answer.

There will never be another Michael Reddy but if Slade can get us playing anything like that then surely we would be a happy lot.

Quoted from Mariner_09

If he could sign players as good as G. Jones, Reddy, Whittle and R. Jones again then we'll be laughing. In all honesty in the summer we need a striker who knows where the goal is and will stretch defences with pace, basically Michael Reddy! A genuine left sided winger, who's actually decent! A high quality goalkeeper, not saying McKeown is a poor keeper but I think for a promotion push we need a very good keeper. We need an athletic centre half, a bit like Toto, and that should see us sorted. We need players of the quality the ones listed early in the post.

His first job on the "to do" list is to secure the services of Collins, Andrew, Pearson and ideally (though I don't think it will happen) Dom Vose. Some posters are talking about some players only having 5 games to prove they are worth an offer, after the last few months maybe the club and the new manager only have 5 games to prove that they we are worth playing for.

Well, I'll not be parting with my money for another season ticket. I bought 3 last year. I REALLY DISLIKE THIS MAN. Sacked 3 times in less than a year. He's past his sell by date. Whatever people think Bignot is a young manager on his way up. Slade is yesterdays man on the slide. Slade, I'd rather have Noddy not Russell.

George Kerr with No 2 Sir Alan Buckley, now why not?

Bye! You wont be missed. Real fans support the club no matter what is happening off the pitch. Shame on you

Quoted from Hagrid

Bye! You wont be missed. Real fans support the club no matter what is happening off the pitch. Shame on you

Does that same principle apply to the Blackpool Fans who are boycotting their club or those boycotting B teams at BP?

Oh why if Slade signed all those fantastic players were we abysmal in the last game of that season, and even worse at Cardiff, we got what we deserved that day beaten by the poorest team ever to be in a playoff final.
Didn't make Fenty look like a real chump, or is that anyway.

Now Mr Hagrid, did i say I wasn't going to support Town, no only I'm not putting my hard earned cash into the club in one go. No, I'll go when I want home or away if I want. Now Mr Hagrid, don't make assumptions.
I am expressing my opinion. Isn't that what a forum is for.

Quoted from 140067

we got what we deserved that day beaten by the poorest team ever to be in a playoff final.

Nothing like ridiculous exaggerations!

Tbf we didn't turn up in that match, it was a totally soulless performance.

I agree we didn't turn up at that match! However it's hardly as if that's the only time in history that a team has played poorly in a final!

Didn't enjoy it at the time but I've had many a chuckle ever since about when he kept the players in the centre circle with Graham Rodger and a flip chart on a blustery day at Lincoln.
A classic, up there with the likes of 'did I not like that' and 'excuse me linesman do you realise our colleague has just got me the sack!'
Comedy genius.

Plenty of teams play poorly in finals, but it's the manner with what happened which grates on everyone.

I can take being beaten by a better team I.e. MK Dons final, I can take it if we get robbed by a bad decision I.e. Bristol Rovers, I can take it if we don't really give a excrement I.e. Halifax, but that game....

I'd prefer to remember the 48 games that got us there then bear grudges over the 49th. We've had equally bad play off games since.

Which ones were equally as bad, only Newport were poor performances I thought Hurst didn't get the rub of the green in the other two years.

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

Which ones were equally as bad, only Newport were poor performances I thought Hurst didn't get the rub of the green in the other two years.

Braintree at home was pretty dire, however, there was a second leg to remedy matters, no second chance in a final!!!

Hurst failed in plenty of playoffs yet most were happy for him to keep his job season on season.

Slade while many and me to a degree included aren't ecstatic about his imminent appointment he did a good job at town and quite a few other clubs but in the other hand done crap at others so it's a risky appointment for me and one which will either be the end of John fenty at town or a masterstroke.

Time will tell.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Braintree at home was pretty dire, however, there was a second leg to remedy matters, no second chance in a final!!!

We won the feckin final did we not?

Quoted from HertsGTFC

We won the feckin final did we not?

We are talking about Slade and our appearance in Cardiff, and Swansea' s comments about same, keep up !!!

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

We are talking about Slade and our appearance in Cardiff, and Swansea' s comments about same, keep up !!!

All this has been too much for my tiny brain, yes we where shocking that day.

It's a backwards appointment.

People moaned about Hurst bigging up the opposition each week but Slade was exactly the same! There wasn't a weekend where he didn't bang on about how tough the next game was or how he would have to tinker a bit with the formation to counteract the other teams '5 in midfield' or whatever it was.

People moaned about Bignot playing square pegs in round holes - Slade was the same with his 'lop sided midfield', playing a central midfielder (Toner) wide left.

Granted he did make some decent signings but he also signed some utter dross - Anthony Williams, Ronnie Bull, Terry Fleming, Clint Marcelle, Glen Downey, Terry Barwick, Junior Mendes ....

It's a typically bad Fenty appointment, yet again!

Slade Out!

Anyone remember "that Frenchman":-https://soundcloud.com/markstilton/slade-interview

I hadn't heard that before! He lost it completely, how was the "frenchman" incidentally?

Quoted from Mariner_09

I hadn't heard that before! He lost it completely, how was the "frenchman" incidentally?

Think he got over it eventually.

Quoted from Quagmire

It's a backwards appointment.

People moaned about Hurst bigging up the opposition each week but Slade was exactly the same! There wasn't a weekend where he didn't bang on about how tough the next game was or how he would have to tinker a bit with the formation to counteract the other teams '5 in midfield' or whatever it was.

People moaned about Bignot playing square pegs in round holes - Slade was the same with his 'lop sided midfield', playing a central midfielder (Toner) wide left.

Granted he did make some decent signings but he also signed some utter dross - Anthony Williams, Ronnie Bull, Terry Fleming, Clint Marcelle, Glen Downey, Terry Barwick, Junior Mendes ....

It's a typically bad Fenty appointment, yet again!

Slade Out!

I thought Toner only played wide left under Buckley.

Thought Slade only used him in the centre but he wasn't a regular there as Bolland and Kalala were ahead of him - and thrn Woodhouse too at the end of the season.

Think toner was in the middle whilst JPK went to AfCON then we brought woodhouse in and then eventually goodfellow. The latter was shite

Yeah that rings a bell but Goodfellow wasn't a central midfielder. He was a wide player or a forward. Used more as a kind of no.10 support striker as a substitute I think. Seemed a technically decent player but failed to make an impact.

For most of the season we had Parkinson on the left.

Slade has never been successful in his life=he's my worst nightmare-kick ball fly rings a bell from when I was a kid

Quoted from Sigone

Anyone remember "that Frenchman":-https://soundcloud.com/markstilton/slade-interview

Christ, that just reminds me what a d1ck he is. If Bignot had laid into a player like that, there would be hell on.

From a Cov fan sums up my feelings about appointing this clown to Manage our club.

Grimsby, don't do it to yourselves!! The clown in the cap should be barred from football management... Sacked by two clubs in a season - by March!! Embarrassing

The worst City manager of all time. SISU are the flipping problem but my god did Slade make things worse.
Yesterday at 9:31 PM

Don't see why it's slades fault at Coventry to be fair not his fault there in the excrement with no money and that I believe it was tony Mowbray who put them there in the first place, we will be fine am sure of it in sladey I trust if appointed that is 😂

Like most Town fans I was mightily disappointed by how the 2006 season ended and sickened by reports that Slade had decided to jump ship before the final. But I don't know if that was in fact true, and I don't know what the exact circumstances were. Some have suggested that he was offered an insultingly poor deal given how he had turned the club into genuine promotion hopefuls.

The fact that he is coming back to the club suggests that his conduct was possibly not as bad as some make out. I don't know the facts, none of us do. Anyway It's pointless dwelling on events 11 years ago. We should look to the future.

What we do know is that Slade took three clubs to play off finals in eight years. Ok, so he didn't win, but we all know that play off finals can go either way and can be something of a lottery. But getting to a play off is a real achievement, especially in L1. It means you have assembled a good squad, put out well organised teams and achieved a good level of consistency over 46 games. A guy that does that regularly clearly knows his stuff.

Finishing 8th in the Championship is no small achievement either. Steve Maclaren couldn't do it with Derby.

I don't think it is fair to brand Slade a failure given what he did with Yeovil, Brighton, Cardiff and Orient. He is an experienced manger with a decent track record in L1 and the Championship. If it wasn't for the memory of the 2006 final (when, incidentally we lost our main man after 20 minutes, and then suffered a terrible refereeing decision to deny a cut and dried penalty!) I am sure we would all be really excited about a guy with his record taking over.

Let's give him a chance. He will come here determined to succeed. I think there is every chance he will.

Yes of course they loved him down in Cardiff:

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/russell-slade-even-more-unpopular-10734331

The only way I can see the return of "Judas" Slade as a positive appointment is IF it's true Wilko is going to be number 2 and it is he who is going to be guided/groomed as the next Town manager. In other words a temporary "safe pair of hands."
Otherwise I can only see it as another in a long line of Fenty intercourse - ups. A more divisive amongst older fans appointment I'd have difficulty thinking of. :o

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

Yes of course they loved him down in Cardiff:

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/russell-slade-even-more-unpopular-10734331

Well he took them to 8th place, rather better than their miserable showing this season.

Quoted from Badger57

The only way I can see the return of "Judas" Slade as a positive appointment is IF it's true Wilko is going to be number 2 and it is he who is going to be guided/groomed as the next Town manager. In other words a temporary "safe pair of hands."
Otherwise I can only see it as another in a long line of Fenty intercourse - ups. A more divisive amongst older fans appointment I'd have difficulty thinking of. :o

Wilkinson is a great hero to us Town fans as a player. But he is pretty untried in management so it's a big unknown. Great players don't always make good mangers. Even the great Futch, who I thought was one of the most intelligent readers of the game to pull on the shirt never really made it in management.

Time will tell.

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

Yes of course they loved him down in Cardiff:

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/russell-slade-even-more-unpopular-10734331

That's one of the worst articles I've ever read. "Coming from Leyton Orient where reports suggested he was on the brink of the sack", yeah I bet they were about to sack him after they'd finished third in L1 and winning manager of the year for their division and only losing on penalties in the play off final. Stopped reading after that point.

The guy has been League one Manager of the Year twice. He knows what he is doing. Let's get behind him.

Just read Slade's wiki page and, if it's numbers are correct, Friday will be his 800th game as a manager (that includes a couple of caretaker spells at t'Blades)

Quoted from mariner91

That's one of the worst articles I've ever read. "Coming from Leyton Orient where reports suggested he was on the brink of the sack", yeah I bet they were about to sack him after they'd finished third in L1 and winning manager of the year for their division and only losing on penalties in the play off final. Stopped reading after that point.

Yep on brink of being sacked for Orient for poor start to season (2 wins in 10 games before he jumped ship):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/29205751

Quoted from RonMariner

Well he took them to 8th place, rather better than their miserable showing this season.

I watch Cardiff most weeks, they haven't been miserable at all. They've been pretty good to be fair.
My better half her family are all Cardiff fans and they were nothing but complimentary about the bloke.

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

Yep on brink of being sacked for Orient for poor start to season (2 wins in 10 games before he jumped ship):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/29205751

That was with Bechetti in charge so probably a good move by Slade. And whilst 2 wins in the first 10 games is not good, we've probably had starts nearly as bad and got promoted. 97-98 and 2015-16 spring to mind as seasons with poor starts.

Either been sacked or jumped ship before getting sacked at previous clubs. The Cardiff fans wanted Tony Pulis before Slade was appointed-absolutely wrecked their attendance figures-only resemblance to Pulis was his stupid cap. How many of his previous clubs would welcome him back. Admittedly very experienced manager--at leaving clubs in the shite.

He was on the verge of the sack after being given an ultimatum so I think he walked before he was axed. Wish you all the best I have nothing but respect for RS

Slade left us but since has always managed above this level, is only out of work for very short periods, unexpected play offs for unfashionable clubs, a wealth of experience contacts and knowledge YET many are critical that a lower half league 2 club in a geographical backwater cannot do better.

I cannot think of any other manager in League 2 who has finished in the top 8 of The Championship, or better, recently?

Slade and the board have my full support on this one simply because he is the man in charge. If he cocks up I will be critical but right now, bring it on. I was dreading next season, now I am positively optimistic.

UTM

I think you make a very good point mate, as you often do.

Maybe if he'd not wasted his time managing clubs in the top half of the championship he might have been able to boast of a L2 promotion on his record, and that would improve his credentials no end.

Russell Slade or Russell Wilcox.........let me think..........

Quoted from brisbaneroad

He was on the verge of the sack after being given an ultimatum so I think he walked before he was axed. Wish you all the best I have nothing but respect for RS

Thanks Brisbane ,only echoes what I've been told by my orient contact.think Yeovil fans are pretty complimentary as well, Swansea, so that makes two. Can't imagine Scarborough fans would have too bad to say either

Ps Brisbane the very best of luck in the future. You will absolutely hate non league, but I hope you pull through. Think the vast majority of town fans are wishing your club the best

Russell Slade's black and white army...

In a strange sadistic way I have kind of got butterflies this morning.

Can't wait to see the bald headed illegitimate now in that shitty gtfc cap.

I thought we would have brought in a more experienced League manager when PH left, so was not too happy with MB as he had no league experience behind him, was happy enough to plod on with him through the rest of this season and maybe up until xmas to see if he could change it around and get the best out of what he had assembled. Now gone and RS looks likely to be coming in to inherit MB's team and get them playing in his style, so pleased we are safe from the drop but really do not think RS will do much in the next 5 games. ST next season? Yep, not happy with Slade but he will manage the club I support so will get behind him for as long as it takes. 8)
UTMM

Quoted from gobby

I thought we would have brought in a more experienced League manager when PH left, so was not too happy with MB as he had no league experience behind him, was happy enough to plod on with him through the rest of this season and maybe up until xmas to see if he could change it around and get the best out of what he had assembled. Now gone and RS looks likely to be coming in to inherit MB's team and get them playing in his style, so pleased we are safe from the drop but really do not think RS will do much in the next 5 games. ST next season? Yep, not happy with Slade but he will manage the club I support so will get behind him for as long as it takes. 8)
UTMM

I wonder whether Slade was actually first choice five months ago but for one reason or another, probably contracts and money, he wasn't available, so Fenty went for MB instead?

For sladey wanting to come back clearly either desperate for a job or he has unfinished business with us to do put things right time will tell, quite looking forward to it

Quoted from Cloudy

Slade left us but since has always managed above this level, is only out of work for very short periods, unexpected play offs for unfashionable clubs, a wealth of experience contacts and knowledge YET many are critical that a lower half league 2 club in a geographical backwater cannot do better.

I cannot think of any other manager in League 2 who has finished in the top 8 of The Championship, or better, recently?

Slade and the board have my full support on this one simply because he is the man in charge. If he cocks up I will be critical but right now, bring it on. I was dreading next season, now I am positively optimistic.

UTM

Good post, nothing wrong with having black & white blood but I agree that certain fans expectations in the quality of Manager we can attract is at best misguided and that is reflected in the alleged list of candidates. Interviwed following departure of PH.

I was nervous about next season but also clung on to some faith that MB was working on a longer term project that would bear fruit but thats not to be so Slade is an acceptable option as replacement. Whoever gets the job though must address the gap between the first team and our youth team to ensure some players can come through the ranks.

Friday should be a full day Golf at Grimsby in Am-am at 9.00am, fish & chips and then over to BP to see what will hopefully be a town win.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Good post, nothing wrong with having black & white blood but I agree that certain fans expectations in the quality of Manager we can attract is at best misguided and that is reflected in the alleged list of candidates. Interviwed following departure of PH.

I was nervous about next season but also clung on to some faith that MB was working on a longer term project that would bear fruit but thats not to be so Slade is an acceptable option as replacement. Whoever gets the job though must address the gap between the first team and our youth team to ensure some players can come through the ranks.

Friday should be a full day Golf at Grimsby in Am-am at 9.00am, fish & chips and then over to BP to see what will hopefully be a town win.

The more I've thought about it, the more I think Slade will do a decent job for us. However, the bit in bold above is one concern I have with him. In that I've always seen him as a short-term type manager and not one that's too interested in long term development/planning and introducing young players from Academies. Although I admit to not knowing everything he's done at all his clubs in great detail.

Quoted from OllieGTFC

For sladey wanting to come back clearly either desperate for a job or he has unfinished business with us to do put things right time will tell, quite looking forward to it

Can`t see him short of a bob or two so no desperation there, unfinished business with us, do managers really care that much about their previous teams.
I seem to remember that phrase being used before by someone in our management history, he`s coming back because he misses the day to day aspect of being a football manager and our situation fell into his mood right now, people who work for a living especially doing a job that they like can moan a lot at work but would if they were truthful miss it if they were fired.

Welcome back Russ, hope you rekindle nights like Spurs and Newcastle and prove you are capable of achieving promotions. It's a yes from me.

I think this appointment is a mistake.

Since the Bristol Rovers play-off final defeat I think the board and fans all seem to be pulling together. There has been such positivity around the club which we haven't seen for many years. With promotion this only increased.

It may have waned a little this year as we achieved our initial objective of safety relatively quickly and only ever really flirted with the edge of the play-offs.

However, I can't imagine a more divisive appointment than that of Russell Slade. He left us, not for a bigger club but for Yoevil. He made that play-off final all about him, in the build up, with the speculation surrounding his future. The football his team produced was dire (not just in that final but general style of play), anyone remembering anything else are deluding themselves.

This is a very backward appointment but typical of Fenty's managerial appointments, he's just not very good at them. In football, nobody ever knows for sure but in my mind you have made one huge mistake here, John.

wouldnt say it was dire, it was effective. We used what we had with a solid spine. the 2 up top for us that year were exceptional

Quoted from MarinerMal

I think this appointment is a mistake.

Since the Bristol Rovers play-off final defeat I think the board and fans all seem to be pulling together. There has been such positivity around the club which we haven't seen for many years. With promotion this only increased.

It may have waned a little this year as we achieved our initial objective of safety relatively quickly and only ever really flirted with the edge of the play-offs.

However, I can't imagine a more divisive appointment than that of Russell Slade. He left us, not for a bigger club but for Yoevil. He made that play-off final all about him, in the build up, with the speculation surrounding his future. The football his team produced was dire (not just in that final but general style of play), anyone remembering anything else are deluding themselves.

This is a very backward appointment but typical of Fenty's managerial appointments, he's just not very good at them. In football, nobody ever knows for sure but in my mind you have made one huge mistake here, John.

Agree with this.

I think this will be an uninspiring, depressing return to safety first football with a 'don't lose it' rather than a 'let's win it' mentality from a manager who's never achieved a promotion despite all his years in the game.

Hope I'm wrong but I fear Slade hasn't changed since he abandoned ship after Cardiff.

UTM

Quoted from MarinerMal

He left us, not for a bigger club but for Yoevil. He made that play-off final all about him, in the build up, with the speculation surrounding his future.

Whether we like to admit it or not, Yeovil were a league above us so it was a step-up for him.

Quoted from MarinerMal

The football his team produced was dire (not just in that final but general style of play), anyone remembering anything else are deluding themselves.

The football that Hurst and Bignot have had us playing has been pretty dire to watch too for the most part, even when effective and winning games it hasn't really been great football (in the traditional sense of the word and the way you'd describe a Buckley team).

Not overly excited by this appointment but the previous gamble on a young, up and coming manager backfired so perhaps a safe pair of experienced hands is a wise move.

I thought Slade was fantastic when he was here. As Rob has pointed out for all this talk of hoof ball attendances have rarely been higher and I remember lots of exciting matches and going to away games expecting to win narrowly which will be a refreshing change. The gut has consistently managed higher up the pyramid than Town have been for decades and he will have learned an awful lot from the basket case clubshe has managed.

I loved Bignot when he first arrived but the novelty quickly wore off and I am a lot more hopeful of a promotion charge next season now we have Slade.

UTM.

Slade always seemed a bit of a bullsh!tter to me.

Anyway, he's going to be our manager so I'll give him my support.

Just wish JF would have been a bit more outwardly looking in his selection process and appointed someone who'd get the fans really excited.

Easier said than done Bigdog. I don't think we could appoint anyone who would excite everyone. There'd always be some not in favour of appointing any manager i think. Though Slade does probably divide opinion more than others.

Quoted from Tommy

Easier said than done Bigdog. I don't think we could appoint anyone who would excite everyone. There'd always be some not in favour of appointing any manager i think. Though Slade does probably divide opinion more than others.

I just think that JF's managerial appointments say more about JF's character than maybe what the club could get Tommy. There's plenty of managers out there and a finite number of clubs. Look at Mansfield!

Quoted from MarinerMal

I think this appointment is a mistake.

Since the Bristol Rovers play-off final defeat I think the board and fans all seem to be pulling together. There has been such positivity around the club which we haven't seen for many years. With promotion this only increased.

It may have waned a little this year as we achieved our initial objective of safety relatively quickly and only ever really flirted with the edge of the play-offs.

However, I can't imagine a more divisive appointment than that of Russell Slade. He left us, not for a bigger club but for Yoevil. He made that play-off final all about him, in the build up, with the speculation surrounding his future. The football his team produced was dire (not just in that final but general style of play), anyone remembering anything else are deluding themselves.

This is a very backward appointment but typical of Fenty's managerial appointments, he's just not very good at them. In football, nobody ever knows for sure but in my mind you have made one huge mistake here, John.

Yeah I hated watching Reddy and Jones bully defenders. I couldn't stand having two central midfielders who could out-compete their opposite numbers and it was awful watching us counter attack at speed.

Quoted from Tommy

Whether we like to admit it or not, Yeovil were a league above us so it was a step-up for him.

The football that Hurst and Bignot have had us playing has been pretty dire to watch too for the most part, even when effective and winning games it hasn't really been great football (in the traditional sense of the word and the way you'd describe a Buckley team).

Maybe if he hadn't have been hawking his services out to anyone who'd listen at the time of the play-offs, instead of concentrating on winning promotion, we too could have ended up a league above.

Where is the logic in, the last two managers football has been dire to watch so lets get another manager in who's football is dire to watch?

There were other options out there, I for one wouldn't have minded given Neil Redfearn a go. From what I've heard his sides play decent football, he's very good at developing players and he would have been someone new not a step back.

Quoted from forza ivano

Thanks Brisbane ,only echoes what I've been told by my orient contact.think Yeovil fans are pretty complimentary as well, Swansea, so that makes two. Can't imagine Scarborough fans would have too bad to say either

Ps Brisbane the very best of luck in the future. You will absolutely hate non league, but I hope you pull through. Think the vast majority of town fans are wishing your club the best

That's really nice and full respect to you and your club too. If players are not paid by Friday apparently they are allowed to walk away which could leave us with no team to play Luton!
Another meeting with the PFA today according to SSN...I might not hate non-league as will probably just be grateful to have a club left :)

Quoted from brisbaneroad

That's really nice and full respect to you and your club too. If players are not paid by Friday apparently they are allowed to walk away which could leave us with no team to play Luton!
Another meeting with the PFA today according to SSN...I might not hate non-league as will probably just be grateful to have a club left :)

It's not all bad down there. You will probably win a lot more games than you do at the moment, get to visit lots of unusual places you have never heard of, be on TV more and have local derbies over Christmas. The novelty soon wears off though so do a Bristol Rovers not a Grimsby!

Quoted from mariner91

Yeah I hated watching Reddy and Jones bully defenders. I couldn't stand having two central midfielders who could out-compete their opposite numbers and it was awful watching us counter attack at speed.

And he achieved what again with such a wonderful team?

Quoted from MarinerMal

And he achieved what again with such a wonderful team?

Not done any better for the last 12 years!

Quoted from MarinerMal

And he achieved what again with such a wonderful team?

30 seconds from automatic promotion and lost (admittedly with a poor performance) in the play off final. He came two years before that and had 3 players on the books with the club in freefall and with not a pot to piss in. He stabilised the club and stopped the rot. He brought in some of the best players we've had since the turn of the century and gave us one of our best wins in living memory by deservedly beating a nearly full strength Spurs side. But you're right, it was an abject failure.

I'm with Bigdog in that i think Slade is a bigger bullsh1tter than Bignot. Just seems a boring safe option type appointment to me but as ever, i'll wait to see what happens.

Spurs had 5 current England players in their that night, so I see what you mean by "nearly a full strength Spurs team". ;) We might have been in trouble if they were Icelandic internationals.

Quoted from ginnywings

I'm with Bigdog in that i think Slade is a bigger bullsh1tter than Bignot. Just seems a boring safe option type appointment to me but as ever, i'll wait to see what happens.

well, he must be bloody good at bullsh1t ginny coz he's now managed 800 games with a decent enough win record!
i think you're being a bit too harsh on him.i'm not dancing with delight but whilst i can't forget cheltenahm/play offs/the departure i think it's fair to also remember the spurs and newcastle games plus the football he played early on with crowe, pinault and sestanovich firing on all cylinders. we didn't get the results, but the football was as thrilling as anything under buckley and laws.
also, if he hadn't been here before and we didn't have this history i think we'd probably be delighted to get such an experienced manager who's been a boss for along time at a much higher level than we are at present

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

Spurs had 5 current England players in their that night, so I see what you mean by "nearly a full strength Spurs team". ;) We might have been in trouble if they were Icelandic internationals.

We really should have coaxed Slade into the Vanarama for us, he'd have made mincemeat of Chasetown ::)

Hopefully Wilkinson alongside him will steer him towards a more attractive style of football than we saw last time, but over all I think he will be good for the club and help us push on next season.

One thing that's bugging me though, and it may have been mentioned somewhere in the last 23 pages, but does anyone else remember the stories of Slade being told by JF to get us into the playoffs from an automatic positions?

May have just been rumours at the time, and given he's been brought back probably untrue...

"It's the French mans fault, even a girl could play better".
So says the xenophobic, racist and sexist Slade.

Quoted from 140067

"It's the French mans fault, even a girl could play better".
So says the xenophobic, racist and sexist Slade.

Baldist.

No Sladest (ist). Look wot he's dun, goodbye to slade,mama weer all crazee now.

Quoted from mariner91

30 seconds from automatic promotion and lost (admittedly with a poor performance) in the play off final. He came two years before that and had 3 players on the books with the club in freefall and with not a pot to piss in. He stabilised the club and stopped the rot. He brought in some of the best players we've had since the turn of the century and gave us one of our best wins in living memory by deservedly beating a nearly full strength Spurs side. But you're right, it was an abject failure.

You're right. Almost promotion was a fantastic achievement.

Quoted from MarinerMal

You're right. Almost promotion was a fantastic achievement.

Just like the 5 fantastic seasons under Hurst when we nearly got promoted. I also nearly won the lottery, (5 balls away!) Those who think Slade is a good manager because he nearly achieved something are crazy. His football was hit and hope, look at the highlights from that season, even with all them screamers, the ball was just lumped forward.