The manager's statement

Those comments from Paul Hurst are exactly why I won't be back until he's a. signed two strikers or b. got lucky - he's as inspirational as a wet dishcloth.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Those comments from Paul Hurst are exactly why I won't be back until he's a. signed two strikers or b. got lucky - he's as inspirational as a wet dishcloth.

Yeah that'll help...

Quoted from jimgtfc

Yeah that'll help...

No it won't, but if he's as inspirational with the players as he is with the fans, then we've got no hope.

You can imagine the pre-match talk ' Well I've told the press that I think we'll struggle to beat Woking at home, but go and give it your best, that's all I ask, I've covered your arses for you for now'

Quoted from BIGChris

Are there?

Well Chris, I can remember when people said it would never happen that we would  get regular gates of less that 6k then 5k and then 4k. The logical next step if we keep sliding down the league slope is .................

Disenchantment does breed apathy and there's plenty of it around.

Quoted from BIGChris

Are there?

Think what Grimps is implying is that we have a hard core of fans that will attend BP no matter what is being served up in respect of quality. A bit like when I was growing up & always watched my local village side even if they were getting thrashed all the time.

I just don't think there are people on here, or anywhere, who will be happy with a mid table finish

I will only be happy with promotion,

Anything less will be a failure.

Quoted from grimsby pete

It will not be long before a home attendance is lower than the amount of season ticket holders we have.

Unless things change of course.

I know what you mean but don't the club count season ticket holders as "present" regardless of whether they are there as they are sold tickets?  If that is still the case imagine how many might have actually walked through the turnstiles on Tuesday....

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Another pointlessly downbeat phrase in the interview "we can be a match for most teams in this league"

I cannot imagine Buckley for example saying anything but "we can be a match for any team in this league".

This constant playing down of expectations represents to me a lack of confidence within the bloke himself. Setting himself lower goals might, he thinks, allow him to claim success but he is not facing reality. Nothing less than promotion this season will be a success for this club. Anything else, even a playoff final defeat, will be a failure because he has had every chance to create his own team to do the job. He can't complain if he is judged by the facts and not his low expectations.

Glad you picked that up as I was going to say the same, why should we only be a match for most teams, did he set out at the beginning of the season writing off games against those we can't match??  No wonder the players are downbeat .

"It's Dover lads we might be at home but I've worked out we have no chance against this lot so I've not bothered with the tactics, just have a quick prayer and go out and try not to get hammered"..."for the match against tAltrincham, I've also worked out that we're no match for them but I've decided to gamble on using tactics, we'll go 1 up front as we won't score against them so it's everyone to defend, if you do get the ball lob it to LJL as usual and he'll figure out something to do with it, the rest of you legit forward if you like but make sure you legit back quick as this lot are too good for us"....."anyone remember who's in goal and which dugout I'm in?"

Jeez, if this doesn't make your blood f***ing curdle if you're a long-standing Town fan. If you thought Fenty's statement was asinine, Hurst tops it with an unwitting glimpse into the psycholgy of his management and low-rent expectations. Here it is - the ethos at the heart of the club. The manager thinks we lack self-belief, but then states that he thinks we are a match for most sides in the conference and that we can 'challenge for the play-offs'! And, the Chairman endorses it and sustains it! And people wonder why we're mid table?!

Here are all the answers. The low ambition, low expectation, mediocre standards, hope-for-the-best drivers that prop up the club. Evidently, it's too much to state that "We know we can beat anyone', or "We'll be aiming for two wins in the next two games", or "People don't want to play us" and words to that effect. I'll tell you what Paul Hurst and John Fenty; you reap what you sow in football. If you wonder about self belief and confidence, why not set a shining example? Where's the fight? The spirit? The confidence and pride? It has to come from within. No, if we try hard we can give most teams a good game?! The Club have to manifest self belief and share it with the supporters, but instead, this guff.

Honestly, it's right at the heart of the issue - the stinking lack of vision, ambition and drive at this club, and the tolerance of this small-time thinking. It accounts for our middling, go-nowhere situation to a large extent. Fenty accepts it and wants to retain it, and he expects you and me to go along with it too. Just a bit longer. Keep the faith. We're a match for most teams.

No thanks. Not for me. It's pathetic and it's infuriating.