Goodbye Hurst

Quoted from friskneymariner

Two options either sack Hurst or get a decent striker in ,that entails a financial outlay either way.A .decent striker would pay for himself re attendances .Do nothing another season in this god awful league and ever dwindling gates.Its your call Mr Fenty.

Whats the point?  Hurst will still stick with LJL and Hannah upfront no matter what

Quoted from Maringer

We've got probably the 4th or 5th highest budget in the division so the play-offs should be the target at the very least, but you would certainly hope we would be up nearer the top spot as well.

It took Luton 5 years of spending masses of money (much more than we've got available) to win promotion and they were nowhere near automatic promotion during their first four seasons in the Conference. With the likes of Barnet, FGR, Eastleigh and Rovers all spending lots of money, I think the play-offs are the most likely route for us getting out of this division, though whether or not we'll manage it, I don't know. I had a lot more confidence that we could prior to last night's shambles, that's for sure.

They were runners up in their first season and playoff finalists twice. Their problem was bad management appointments after sacking Richard Money and compounding it by  backing those appointments with cash to totally revamp their squad twice in three years. No doubt cash helps but really they went up last year because they eventually saw sense and appointed a motivational manager who knew what he he had to be doing to create a title winning team. Signing John Still was by far the best use of money that Luton made in all of those years.

Quoted from A.l.f.

After the match it's so easy to criticise.  I actually agreed with the team selection and most people seemed happy with it prior to kick off that I spoke to.  With a big strong defence LJL was the right choice.
Unfortunately none of our players really were on their game and I thought Southport did the perfect away job on us (bit like we did at Kiddy).  I think Southport deserve some credit as they played better than I anticipated but we simply did not play well.  
Once those players cross the line, if they don't play well I really don't see how it's all the Managers fault.  I think Wenger would agree with me after some of Arsenals performances in the last 3 seasons and so would many top flight managers.

Football is unpredictable and that's why we all love it.  We will win some against the odds but also lose some that we don't expect to.  What matters is that we are at the top come the end of the season.  I've seen enough this season to tell me that if we can steer clear of more injuries we will be there.  Tonight with Pittman I think his extra pace would have been interesting.

Think the players have to write off last night and move on to Dartford and put things right as we should too.

I must point out that I too don't always agree with the Managers tactics but sacking him now would be a crazy thing to do.  Only a few weeks ago we won 6-1 away and 7-0 at home so it ain't broken, we just need a little repairing.

I think this statement sums up last night. Too many players lacked the energy for a result last night. Obviously PH has the ultimate responsibility for the team but he can do nothing about players who don't perform to the standard that they can. Not that I'm making any excuses for PH but pointing out one reason for last nights performance. Neilson had a quiet game and as a consequence town didn't seem to pose any real threat and this seems to be a pattern. Maybe Neilson should have been given a free role but with Southport playing a packed mid-field I don't think he would have got much joy there to be honest.
I said on one of the threads a few weeks ago that if we were mid-table by the end of October then JF and the Board would have to take a close look at PH's position and I still think this is the case. We have the makings of a good team but we do need another striker and maybe another manager could get what we have to be more consistent. Certainly another manager brought in by October end could appraise what we have and use the January transfer window to add to it but it would have to be the right man. All is not lost but each game without a result makes our goal that much harder.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

I am struggling to see LJL and Hannah as replacements for Rafferty and Portwood up front though!

What a strike force, and what quality Cliff Portwood.

I also wonder if JF really wants to get out of this league.  Big fish in a small pond probably appeals more.

Quoted from Tangerine Chris

Whats the point?  Hurst will still stick with LJL and Hannah upfront no matter what

How many games have we actually started with that pair this season? I thought he was supposed to be a serial tinkerer? Now he's being accused of never changing from the tried and trusted.

Quoted from GrimRob

How many games have we actually started with that pair this season? I thought he was supposed to be a serial tinkerer? Now he's being accused of never changing from the tried and trusted.

Unfair comment Rob. One was injured early on and the other was suspended/injured later so the favoured option wasn't available for quite a number of games. I think everyone knows he would like to play this combination as often as possible if he could and fiddle the rest of his attack around them.

Quoted from GrimRob

How many games have we actually started with that pair this season?

One game. Last night. Southport was the first time LJL/Hannah have started together this season.

For a preferred pairing, that's not very many starts...

I expect they are likely to start the next game together as well as they are the only two senior strikers who are fit at present.

Hopefully, everyone will play a lot better next game. They would certainly struggle to play any worse than last night.

Quoted from OneLove

Last night I stopped to give an old lady in a town scarf a lift as she was waiting at a bus stop, presuming she was going to the game and she was. 84 years old and having to go watch that shower of shite, getting on a bus for an hour there and back in the cold been following town since she was 16 year of age. I'd like anyone to challenge her opinions on what she thinks of town at this moment! We are in a rut, fans should be walking away from blundell park happy not angered most of the time because we either scraped a result or we played shite and lost to a part time team.

Bloody Nora...If Hurst is upsetting the grey vote he might as well call it a day....

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

I would love to think you are right Rob, being old enough to remember 1962 when we were many points adrift at Christmas then went on a long unbeaten run and romped into promotion. So yes, it can happen and I will be more than happy to recant my pessimism.

I am struggling to see LJL and Hannah as replacements for Rafferty and Portwood up front though!

I bet!!!!!

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

They were runners up in their first season and playoff finalists twice. Their problem was bad management appointments after sacking Richard Money and compounding it by  backing those appointments with cash to totally revamp their squad twice in three years. No doubt cash helps but really they went up last year because they eventually saw sense and appointed a motivational manager who knew what he he had to be doing to create a title winning team. Signing John Still was by far the best use of money that Luton made in all of those years.

Agree with all that...especially the bit about Still. I shall now go for a lie down in a darkened room..