Special mention to him for how sh1te he's been since he arrived. I can't believe Slade got rid of Shaun Pearson for that donkey.

Anyone reckon he's cheaper than Sean Pearson? Can't imagine so, so more expensive and less able.

That's a jackpot signing.

I would be stunned if he was on less money than we paid Pearson. Clarke has to be up there with some of the worst signings this century due to the various factors surrounding his joining.

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

Anyone reckon he's cheaper than Sean Pearson? Can't imagine so, so more expensive and less able.

That's a jackpot signing.

More like tinpot signing.

We were warned :)!

Is he excrement? Was he at fault for any goals today?

Off the top of my head he gave away one of the pens (again).

Looks like headboy material though.

Quoted from davmariner

Off the top of my head he gave away one of the pens (again).

I thought it was Dixon and mills, but I could be wrong.

I am with a lot of people who think it's a total shocker from the club to allow Pearson to leave, but I actually think Clarke is not a bad player and he's certainly not anywhere near the calibre of Matt Heywood.

You're not giving our defence enough credit...NO RED CARDS!!  :) :)

(just 2 penalties conceded  :-/)

Quoted from headingly_mariner

Is he excrement? Was he at fault for any goals today?

How good he is is a matter of opinion. The facts are he wasn't responsible for any of the goals today. I don't know if the O.P. went today but in my view we failed as a team today. Clarke was part of the team last week that got generally positive feedback and kept a clean sheet.

Quoted from barralad

How good he is is a matter of opinion. The facts are he wasn't responsible for any of the goals today. I don't know if the O.P. went today but in my view we failed as a team today. Clarke was part of the team last week that got generally positive feedback and kept a clean sheet.

I went today and that's exactly as I see it.

He can't take the criticism because the club made a ridiculous financial decision to wait before offering Shaun Pearson a contract. That's something that the club has got massively wrong.

So far Slade's signings have been a horror show and 2 year contracts for a lot. I am furious and I fear for us this season. A lot of us would not follow us back in non league. I am normally very patient but Dixon looks rotten as does Kelly and did not even think Hooper was good against Crewe. Slade must get same treatment as Bignot in fairness but I much preferred Bignot's recruitment. Not perfect but not this shite utm

Thought Clarke looked decent last week.

Clarke did ok today but seems he is getting flack for not being Shaun Pearson.

The whole team didn't function today but Clarke seems to be getting singled out.

Quoted from Cloudy

Clarke did ok today but seems he is getting flack for not being Shaun Pearson.

The whole team didn't function today but Clarke seems to be getting singled out.

Think that is the crux of it. Shaun is a great bloke and a trier, but he was no Paulo Maldini, whatever fans may think of him.

Quoted from Cloudy

Clarke did ok today but seems he is getting flack for not being Shaun Pearson.

The whole team didn't function today but Clarke seems to be getting singled out.

Clarke gave away the second penalty with a halfhearted tackle.

Not good enough in my opinion.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Clarke gave away the second penalty with a halfhearted tackle.

Not good enough in my opinion.

the second  penalty that only one person in the ground thought was a penalty ??

Quoted from moosey_club

the second  penalty that only one person in the ground thought was a penalty ??

Just seen the highlights and he stands on their players foot, again not one of the Town players go to the ref to complain.

Whether penalties or not, both challenges were amateurish decisions and feeble..

Quoted from davmariner

Special mention to him for how sh1te he's been since he arrived. I can't believe Slade got rid of Shaun Pearson for that donkey.

Devastated to see a bloke like Shaun depart for a clown like this hoofing 34 years old donkey. Shaun is nearly 28, towards his prime and was Town through and through and born to defend. So gutted we have to witness this buffoon pretending to be better than Shaun.

Not been impressed with him at Stevenage or today. He was the marquee signing ? Yet to see it.

Just checked highlights he managed to jump under the cross for 2nd goal, no he isn't Shaun but he is far from a bad player just not great

Quoted from Madeleymariner

Just checked highlights he managed to jump under the cross for 2nd goal, no he isn't Shaun but he is far from a bad player just not great

He's shite.

I have only seen Clarke play against Wigan so can not comment,

BUT

I notice Wrexhams defence is watertight this season.

Well we have our scapegoat for the season,step forward Nathan Clarke,was on a loser the minute he signed for us because he replaced the footballing god that was Pearson,ffs give the lad a break he was no worse or better than anyone today and last week was very good against forwards who tore Pearson to pieces last season,or do your rose tinted I love SP glasses give you the ability to forget the drubbings with him at the heart of the defence,or the number of stupid freekicks he gave away around the box last season,of which by the way all seemed to find the top corner,and lets be honest if he was such a fantastic CH how come he went back to non league,because reading and listening to some fans surely Barceona or Real Madrid should have signed him,Bet there gutted to miss out!!!!!!!!!!!!

Absolutely ridiculous post in my opinion. Clarke was one of the best performers last week against an in form strike partnership in Dagnall and Porter, yes he was poor today but in an equally poor 11. Singling him out, calling him a poor signing and comparing him to a club favourite is a major over reaction.

Well at least we replaced the ability. to give stupid free kicks away.

If, as we were led to believe, GTFC were targeting play offs this season..

1 SP could have been retained as a back up
2 We should never have signed Nathan Clarke

Quoted from Bigdog

If, as we were led to believe, GTFC were targeting play offs this season..

1 SP could have been retained as a back up
2 We should never have signed Nathan Clarke

Did anybody actually fall for that.

Quoted from newarkmariner

Well we have our scapegoat for the season,step forward Nathan Clarke,was on a loser the minute he signed for us because he replaced the footballing god that was Pearson,ffs give the lad a break he was no worse or better than anyone today and last week was very good against forwards who tore Pearson to pieces last season,or do your rose tinted I love SP glasses give you the ability to forget the drubbings with him at the heart of the defence,or the number of stupid freekicks he gave away around the box last season,of which by the way all seemed to find the top corner,and lets be honest if he was such a fantastic CH how come he went back to non league,because reading and listening to some fans surely Barceona or Real Madrid should have signed him,Bet there gutted to miss out!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get a grip man and read some of the comments from those that have been today and also those who have been to all the games so far, Clarke isn't the only one being picked out.

I said from the very outset before the season started that I wasn't impressed by either Clarke or Collins in the friendlies, especially when a player from Stamford made them look like school boys not ex championship players. My wife could have made a better job of defending.

I suggest you watch the highlights here http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/11027879/mansfield-4-1-grimsby

His defending for two of the goals was pitiful.

Quoted from barralad

How good he is is a matter of opinion. The facts are he wasn't responsible for any of the goals today. I don't know if the O.P. went today but in my view we failed as a team today. Clarke was part of the team last week that got generally positive feedback and kept a clean sheet.

Erm, wrong.

Quoted from barralad

How good he is is a matter of opinion. The facts are he wasn't responsible for any of the goals today. I don't know if the O.P. went today but in my view we failed as a team today. Clarke was part of the team last week that got generally positive feedback and kept a clean sheet.

He was at fault for at least two of the goals! Did you go??

Quoted from davmariner

He was at fault for at least two of the goals! Did you go??

No I write on the Just Back thread as a ghost writer.

Quoted from barralad

No I write on the Just Back thread as a ghost writer.

We had some 'ghosts' on the pitch today. They certainly weren't in the real world that's for sure.

Well he is being singled out, I don't see a special thread for any other player.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Just seen the highlights and he stands on their players foot, again not one of the Town players go to the ref to complain.

having seen the tv now i still dont think he fouled him, he stuck his back leg out which gave Angol the opportunity to fall over and look at the ref...which he did and the ref obliged.......however what is more annoying is the fact that Angol's run into the box came from a simple throw in where he received the ball and just turned and without any real effort had walked into our box...woeful defending all round.

FFS Shaun Pearson was a massive donkey. Fans are even saying that Bignot was a good manager and we should have kept him. Worst manager in GTFC history. Ask anybody who knows football about Pearson and Bignot.  

Quoted from stevethefish

Not been impressed with him at Stevenage or today. He was the marquee signing ? Yet to see it.

"You don't just pass up on a Gavin Gun...I mean Nathan Clarke"

Wrong to single out one player for that fiasco the marking at set pieces and crosses is unacceptable at any level that is down to the whole team. The defence is leaking goals in like a sieve every corner or free kick just outside the area has goal written all over it at the minute.  

The team as a whole are to blame for the poor results so far,

I include Slade and his tactics in that as well.

Quoted from barralad

No I write on the Just Back thread as a ghost writer.

Well in that case I'd suggest that you take your head out of your own behind and actually watch the game. Smart @rse.

Clarke gave away one of the penalties. Can't really see how he was at fault for the others.

Quoted from Grantley

Clarke gave away one of the penalties. Can't really see how he was at fault for the others.

Watch the second goa,l misheads it.

Quoted from Mrs Doyle

Wrong to single out one player for that fiasco the marking at set pieces and crosses is unacceptable at any level that is down to the whole team. The defence is leaking goals in like a sieve every corner or free kick just outside the area has goal written all over it at the minute.  

Agree to some extent but Clarke is Captain and centre half so has double responsibility when it comes to clearing set pieces both organisational and personal with his own man.

What I have seen he has total lack of pace and regularly gets caught on his heels and just sticks out a leg by way of a tackle, remember first couple of minutes v Crewe and foul he committed on edge of our box?

I opted after last weeks game to recall Collins instead of Clarke for this week as think he is a much better player and Clarke and Dixon on left leaves us very weak pace wise. Despite our large squad a loan player for left  back and centre mid look urgent requirements to me.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Agree to some extent but Clarke is Captain and centre half so has double responsibility when it comes to clearing set pieces both organisational and personal with his own man.

What I have seen he has total lack of pace and regularly gets caught on his heels and just sticks out a leg by way of a tackle, remember first couple of minutes v Crewe and foul he committed on edge of our box?

I opted after last weeks game to recall Collins instead of Clarke for this week as think he is a much better player and Clarke and Dixon on left leaves us very weak pace wise. Despite our large squad a loan player for left  back and centre mid look urgent requirements to me.

Which can't happen until January which was why I was astonished RS didn't add any defenders on deadline day.

Quoted from HotToddy

FFS Shaun Pearson was a massive donkey. Fans are even saying that Bignot was a good manager and we should have kept him. Worst manager in GTFC history. Ask anybody who knows football about Pearson and Bignot.  

I know this forum is all about opinions but surely that title has to go to Neil Woods...no-one else even comes close to his "achievements"

Go back to the games this season I recall him giving away at least 4 goals it's simply not good enough he's been terrible admit it

I said it pre season and I'll say it again. Our defenders are too old. We've Clarke (35), Collins (37), Davis (36), Dixon (31). Only Zac Mills and the injury prone Karleigh Osborne (2 appearances for two clubs last season) under 30 years old. We are static, as a result, we have to play deep which means the opposition can play higher up the pitch and we are under pressure straight away. We have given several players their last contracts, we are giving away free kicks and corners all over the place as our defenders can't keep up and are resorting to fouls. And we don't seem too clever at defending these set pieces.

Dixon looks as bad as Clarke IMO, he's been shite and on a two year deal. We got rid of Shaun Pearson for these donkeys, inexcusable. I don't know what budget the manager has been given, in the boards defence, Slade has amassed a huge squad of around 30 'professionals'. Quantity over quality.

I would suggest, when fit Karleigh Osbourne should start, with Collins alongside him. Zac Mills at right back. We do have Jack Keeble to maybe bring in, he can't be worse than Clarke. Nothing personal against him, age catches all of us up.

And FFS, let's give Harry Clifton an extended chance in the middle of the park. Apparently, he was excellent in the ten bob cup against Donny, his reward was to be dropped from the squad on the Saturday. What's going on with Chris Clements as well? We're shite in the middle of the park as well. In fact, we're shite throughout the spine and crap in the full back areas, shite wide left as well! Though on a positive note, Dembele has been excellent so we've one player at least. Although his form is noticibly dropping off!

Terrible recruitment from Slade, it has to be said. We have all these shite players under contract, will cost massive money to ship them out as I don't see many taking over their contracts. We are in big trouble and I'd put us down as favourites for relegation to the national league.

Kin ell, I'm a ray of sunshine this morning.

Bloody hell, has Clarke aged two years overnight? I know it has been a tough start to the season, but that seems a bit of a leap. Dixon isn't 31 yet either.

There's got to be something going on with Clements. I bought the "missed a lot of pre season" stuff at first but he then puts Woolford in from the start who looks short of match fitness. Clements also tweeted something about "feeling sharp" after the reserves game last week, I saw that as a bit of a swipe at Slade to say he is fit and ready to go. He'd add a bit of creativity in there although to be fair I think Berrett has done well whenever I've seen him and I like Mitch Rose.

Clarke is woeful, I was at Chesterfield and said to my mate that he looked a liability. Gets far too tight to his man every time and gets turned easy. I struggle to see how he's ever played at a higher level. Osborne and Collins have to start on Tuesday.

Quoted from Maringer

Bloody hell, has Clarke aged two years overnight? I know it has been a tough start to the season, but that seems a bit of a leap. Dixon isn't 31 yet either.

Yep, he's only 33. My mistake.