Another wembley defeat for hurst.

So pleased the yorkshire dwarf and sniffer doug lost again at wembley.
I wonder if he had of won, would he run down the touch line with his had to his ear again.

Cowley is to good a manager for hirst.

DO NOT FEED THE TROLL

intercourse them both.

Quoted from Yoda

So pleased the yorkshire dwarf and sniffer doug lost again at wembley.
I wonder if he had of won, would he run down the touch line with his had to his ear again.

Cowley is to good a manager for hirst.

Yawn

I have no bad feelings towards Hurst and Doig. Look what their successors have done to us.  

The Crowley’s are a much better version of Sladeball. When they move on will they be able to do anything other than lump it ?

Be good to hear them defend Reads blatant charge on Henderson, also agree their football is not pretty and technical, just functional.

Quoted from Gaffer58

Be good to hear them defend Reads blatant charge on Henderson, also agree their football is not pretty and technical, just functional.

It’s very effective though but agree it won’t work so well up the pyramid

Pulis and Allardyce have made decent careers out of it

Another Wembley defeat for Hurst

Ascend.. Ascend.. You out there Ascend?  

Its rumoured Ipswich are in for the Cowley boys,

They would be better off going for Hurst imo.

Maybe a defeat but with over 40,000 there, it's cash in the coffers for the cause!

Atleast they managed to get their team there again. Think of the extra money they'll have next season for the budget.

Quoted from grimsby pete

Its rumoured Ipswich are in for the Cowley boys,

They would be better off going for Hurst imo.

They’ve just bought houses in Lincoln apparently ?
I think the brothers egos in the end will force a move but I think they realise the higher up you go the more ruthless it becomes and for now will stay put

Quoted from dapperz fun pub

They’ve just bought houses in Lincoln apparently ?
I think the brothers egos in the end will force a move but I think they realise the higher up you go the more ruthless it becomes and for now will stay put

Haven't bought here but have been looking to buy to save on the commute according to a few itk people on our forums. Doesn't mean they still won't move though of course, but I don't think they will be going to Ipswich.

[justify][/justify]

Quoted from Impish2

Haven't bought here but have been looking to buy to save on the commute according to a few itk people on our forums. Doesn't mean they still won't move though of course, but I don't think they will be going to Ipswich.

Big stadium biggish core support close to Essex it must be crossing their minds though

Quoted from dapperz fun pub

[justify][/justify]

Big stadium biggish core support close to Essex it must be crossing their minds though

Probably is but I reckon a club like Ipswich will want a chosen name to take the reigns, maybe an ex player or someone that has more FL experience.  If/when they leave they owe us nothing, hoping we can get a little more time from them first.

Quoted from Impish2

Haven't bought here but have been looking to buy to save on the commute according to a few itk people on our forums. Doesn't mean they still won't move though of course, but I don't think they will be going to Ipswich.

Been looking? For nearly 2 years?

Jolley moved here within the month.

Quoted from ginnywings

Been looking? For nearly 2 years?

Jolley moved here within the month.

AND

Hurst never moved in over 5 years.

Quoted from Impish2

Probably is but I reckon a club like Ipswich will want a chosen name to take the reigns, maybe an ex player or someone that has more FL experience.  If/when they leave they owe us nothing, hoping we can get a little more time from them first.

The problem with Ipswich is well known - no money. To get a “name” would mean a big investment plus a bigger transfer budget than McCarthy’s. It must have crossed their minds that the Cowleys are relatively local and a manager on the way up is better than one on the way down.

As far as style of play, the Cowleys are bright. They will not clone the Lincoln method but they will use a higher pressure game than Ipswich fans have been used to. The Cowleys would be adaptable. Hurst isn’t. Shrewsbury are playing exactly like Grimsby just with some better players in a league where fewer sides are outright cloggers. Hurst will do OK, he may even get promoted but to win things he would have to be a lot better tactically in selections and during games.

Quoted from grimsby pete

AND

Hurst never moved in over 5 years.

No, but he never said he was intending to. I have heard several times over the last year that the Cowleys are looking to move to Lincoln. It's not that difficult if they meant it. I think it's probably wishful thinking by Imps fans, as they try to convince themselves that their manager will be staying around. Hurst wouldn't have stayed here for 5 years had he got us promoted as quickly as the Cowley's did with Lincoln. Good managers are ambitious managers and there is only so far they can go with Lincoln.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

The problem with Ipswich is well known - no money. To get a “name” would mean a big investment plus a bigger transfer budget than McCarthy’s. It must have crossed their minds that the Cowleys are relatively local and a manager on the way up is better than one on the way down.

As far as style of play, the Cowleys are bright. They will not clone the Lincoln method but they will use a higher pressure game than Ipswich fans have been used to. The Cowleys would be adaptable. Hurst isn’t. Shrewsbury are playing exactly like Grimsby just with some better players in a league where fewer sides are outright cloggers. Hurst will do OK, he may even get promoted but to win things he would have to be a lot better tactically in selections and during games.

Anyone would have to pay compensation to Lincoln as both Danny and Nicky are under contract until 2021. Pocket money to some teams yes, but not for others.

I don't see any Lincoln fans thinking that the Cowleys will stay for ages, it's what happens and who we appoint in the future when they leave that will be important. The good news for us is the infrastructure and investment is in place to carry on (hopefully) but any manager appointment is a lottery.

Quoted from ginnywings

Been looking? For nearly 2 years?

Jolley moved here within the month.

True but houses are cheap on West Marsh  

I think that should Lincoln come close to or win promotion this season, the sharks will be circling and someone will take a punt on them. Enjoy it while you can. That's all us smaller clubs can do.

Quoted from Ipswin

True but houses are cheap on West Marsh  

Even cheaper on the East Marsh.  

Quoted from Impish2

Probably is but I reckon a club like Ipswich will want a chosen name to take the reigns, maybe an ex player or someone that has more FL experience.  If/when they leave they owe us nothing, hoping we can get a little more time from them first.

Favourites are Tony Mowbray if they can prise him away from Blackburn or the current manager at Venlo in the Dutch Eredivisie

Quoted from ginnywings

Even cheaper on the East Marsh.  

True! I can just see him stepping out of a terrace on Stanley Street

Might I suggest you see how many Manager`s Ipswich have had in the last 50 years and compare that to Lincoln or Grimsby it will be staggering? I would say the Ipswich job is one of the very best in football traditionally and you have the potential to really do well and sustain top flight football. This in turn could be in the case of the Cowleys who are young and should be ambitious a stepping stone to something bigger still West Ham for example who I believe they supported? The Cowley`s are on the way up but this is a golden period for them and in turn the Imps it won`t last it isn`t sustainable at Lincoln City even if they make League 1 or dare I say it the Championship. If they turn down Ipswich what are they waiting for realistically? Take Paul Hurst had a great Season on paper so far if they fail to get promoted and people track back through his results he consistently gets teams up the top of the table but seldom delivers a prize.This will handicap him with potential suitors he will aquire the rep of being a nearly man.

Quoted from Ipswin

True! I can just see him stepping out of a terrace on Stanley Street

In full riot gear.  

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Might I suggest you see how many Manager`s Ipswich have had in the last 50 years and compare that to Lincoln or Grimsby it will be staggering? I would say the Ipswich job is one of the very best in football traditionally and you have the potential to really do well and sustain top flight football. This in turn could be in the case of the Cowleys who are young and should be ambitious a stepping stone to something bigger still West Ham for example who I believe they supported? The Cowley`s are on the way up but this is a golden period for them and in turn the Imps it won`t last it isn`t sustainable at Lincoln City even if they make League 1 or dare I say it the Championship. If they turn down Ipswich what are they waiting for realistically? Take Paul Hurst had a great Season on paper so far if they fail to get promoted and people track back through his results he consistently gets teams up the top of the table but seldom delivers a prize.This will handicap him with potential suitors he will aquire the rep of being a nearly man.

He can take the crown abandoned by Slade. To be fair to Hurst, he has actually won stuff, albeit at a lower level. If you play the percentages as he does, you are as likely to lose as win.

Quoted from ginnywings

He can take the crown abandoned by Slade. To be fair to Hurst, he has actually won stuff, albeit at a lower level. If you play the percentages as he does, you are as likely to lose as win.

I think PH is a decent Manager and he is very good at setting up a team and getting points on the board however when it comes to key games and getting the job done in big games he more often than not fails.Shrewsbury had more than an hour to break Lincoln down and failed and we saw this at Grimsby loads of times that shocking tactical nouse when Plan A failed it`s Paul Hurst`s Achilles heel .

According to Clive Nates on the radio last night, the Cowleys are about to put pen to paper on another contract at Lincoln. Doesn't look likely they will be going to Ipswich or anywhere else sometime soon. What it does do though is make another club have pay even more for compensation should they leave. Looks like they are still aiming to buy a house(s) locally to bring their families up from Essex too.

Quoted from Impish2

According to Clive Nates on the radio last night, the Cowleys are about to put pen to paper on another contract at Lincoln. Doesn't look likely they will be going to Ipswich or anywhere else sometime soon. What it does do though is make another club have pay even more for compensation should they leave. Looks like they are still aiming to buy a house(s) locally to bring their families up from Essex too.

Contracts mean nothing nowadays. They are probably signing the deal to safeguard Lincoln financially for a few more years. If you don’t go up I fully expect them to leave this summer. If you do get promotion then they’ll stay

Quoted from Impish2

According to Clive Nates on the radio last night, the Cowleys are about to put pen to paper on another contract at Lincoln. Doesn't look likely they will be going to Ipswich or anywhere else sometime soon. What it does do though is make another club have pay even more for compensation should they leave. Looks like they are still aiming to buy a house(s) locally to bring their families up from Essex too.

As someone once said "well he would say that wouldn't he"?.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

I think PH is a decent Manager and he is very good at setting up a team and getting points on the board however when it comes to key games and getting the job done in big games he more often than not fails.Shrewsbury had more than an hour to break Lincoln down and failed and we saw this at Grimsby loads of times that shocking tactical nouse when Plan A failed it`s Paul Hurst`s Achilles heel .

Similar pattern developing at the business end of the season again for hurst and take a look a Henderson for Charlton's second   , I fancy Rotherham for the play off spot winners

Quoted from Impish2

Anyone would have to pay compensation to Lincoln as both Danny and Nicky are under contract until 2021. Pocket money to some teams yes, but not for others.

I don't see any Lincoln fans thinking that the Cowleys will stay for ages, it's what happens and who we appoint in the future when they leave that will be important. The good news for us is the infrastructure and investment is in place to carry on (hopefully) but any manager appointment is a lottery.

It is a lottery and you only have to look at us to see how easy it is to get it wrong, very wrong.

When Hurst left the feeling was that we were in a strong position, we had a side that needed some subtle tweaks and we would have been there or thereabouts at the end of the season.  We were adopting a policy of bringing talent through from non-league with a view to operating at a profit and despite a complete lack of effort from the club, gates were up.

Some even felt that Hurst moving on was the right time, that he had taken us as far as we could go, that a new manager was needed to take us to the next level.  I was one of those.  The appointment of Bignot was widely acknowledged as a good one and exactly what we needed, in reality it was a disaster followed by an even bigger disaster six months later.  Within a year our hope was gone, our policy of buying cheap to develop and sell was abandoned, we had a squad of aging journeymen and even worse the club blamed us for everything.

I was a big supporter of Hurst and was sorry to see him go. He was steady, if not spectacular - and, crucially, he delivered. It might not have been quick enough for some, but I enjoyed supporting us when he was in charge.

However, if there was one thing that really niggled away at me about his management was how his teams were far more expressive before the January transfer window, and then we'd tighten up and play safety-first football and do just enough to get where we (roughly) wanted to be.

Then we had no momentum for the play-offs.

I remember looking into our margins of victory before and after January. Generally speaking, our biggest wins were all before Christmas and our 1-0s followed in the new year.

Shrewsbury haven't been winning games by huge margins at all this year, but yet again it looks as though he's got his team playing tighter and more defensive since January.

It's a very obvious trend to me. Something happens to him in January. When things are going well, he'll never go for the jugular. He'll tighten up, play to not lose and do enough to make the play-offs - then it's difficult to break off the shackles of that mentality.

I do wish him well, and I'd like to see Shrewsbury in the Championship ahead of others that are in the race for promotion. But if you're an opposition manager you'll find a way to beat him at this stage of the season - it's one of his very few weaknesses.

Quoted from dapperz fun pub

It’s very effective though but agree it won’t work so well up the pyramid

It didn't do Wimbledon any harm when " The Crazy Gang " played for them. It's not what I want to watch but " the end justifies the means ".

Quoted from rancido

It didn't do Wimbledon any harm when " The Crazy Gang " played for them. It's not what I want to watch but " the end justifies the means ".

They were not the first team to do it. Watford were very successful even in Europe with a route one system under  Graham Taylor using Ross Jenkins height and Luther Blisset's speed. But the ace of Route One was John Beck, another former Lincoln manager who used this at Cambridge to batter the opposition into submission. He would leave long grass in the corners so they could belt the ball into the channels without it going off for a throw or goal kick. They would hose the pitch down before games and also soak the away dressing rooms which were left unheated in the winter.

Quoted from topuphere666

Contracts mean nothing nowadays. They are probably signing the deal to safeguard Lincoln financially for a few more years. If you don’t go up I fully expect them to leave this summer. If you do get promotion then they’ll stay

We shall see, DC intends to bring his family up here and I don't think he would say that a few days ago if he intended on leaving in the summer. I don't doubt the contracts are about safeguarding us in case they leave, I just don't see them leaving in the summer regardless of whether we go up or not.

Quoted from rancido

It didn't do Wimbledon any harm when " The Crazy Gang " played for them. It's not what I want to watch but " the end justifies the means ".

How many years ago was that ? Things move on

Quoted from Impish2

We shall see, DC intends to bring his family up here and I don't think he would say that a few days ago if he intended on leaving in the summer. I don't doubt the contracts are about safeguarding us in case they leave, I just don't see them leaving in the summer regardless of whether we go up or not.

He clearly sees a benefit to his kids having 6 fingers. Maybe he wants them to be goalkeepers 😉

Quoted from Posh Harry

He clearly sees a benefit to his kids having 6 fingers. Maybe he wants them to be goalkeepers 😉

That's Boston, we live in a thriving modern (but historic) city.

Quoted from Impish2

That's Boson, we live in a thriving modern (but historic) city.

Is that Higgs Boson? The thing that gives mass to Matt Rhead?

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Is that Higgs Boson? The thing that gives mass to Matt Rhead?

That's the one.  

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Is that Higgs Boson? The thing that gives mass to Matt Rhead?

So Higgs Boson is another name for a Meat and Potato Pie then?

“So bemused as to why we have suddenly changed our approach to games. This last month has been such a diversion from the style, approach and tactics to what got us into this position in the first place.

Hanging on against teams that, on our day we are so much better than, is frustrating and in real danger of spoiling the efforts of management and players alike.

As we head into the Play Offs I really, really hope that Hurst does not persist with his current approach and that he reverts back to our early season form.”

Could have been a blast from the Fishy past but actually is from the Shrewsbury forum last night.

Business end hurst falters would love Jon Nolan back though

I wonder what would have happened if his mate was not sacked and they both got the bullet a bit later,

Would he had got another job with him or branched out by himself at a lower level,

Sometimes fate gives you a big helping hand.

Serial choker his end of season results always seem to tail off at just the wrong time and I always felt his 2nd half of the season results where because his style had been sussed?When you see how many points the Shrews have amassed they should be nailed on to get up via the Play Offs but would you bet on it?

More likely a case that those with money have the strength and depth in the squad to keep going until the end of the season. The bizarre Hurst-hatred continues unabated with some gleeful comments that he's somehow bottled it because Shrewsbury (with a budget a fraction of that of some of their competitors) have only managed 24 league victories so far this season.

In comparison, our much-lauded 1998 team (which had one of the biggest budgets in the division thanks to the Oster money) won 19 games and won just 72 points.

Some football fans are really, really weird.

Quoted from Maringer

More likely a case that those with money have the strength and depth in the squad to keep going until the end of the season. The bizarre Hurst-hatred continues unabated with some gleeful comments that he's somehow bottled it because Shrewsbury (with a budget a fraction of that of some of their competitors) have only managed 24 league victories so far this season.

In comparison, our much-lauded 1998 team (which had one of the biggest budgets in the division thanks to the Oster money) won 19 games and won just 72 points.

Some football fans are really, really weird.

I get your point but no Hurst hatred here I bought back to back Season tickets for his last two years at Grimsby but never renewed for Slade. PH good manager BUT seldom won the big games that mattered in his time at Grimsby the stand out wins being Scunny in the Cup and FGR.Also we petered out every season after usually being in a good position Xmas time we used to blame it on the FA Trophy.

Quoted from dapperz fun pub

How many years ago was that ? Things move on

Of course things move on but with the right players " route one " is a very effective tactic. To a lesser degree it is used at Premiersh*t and Championship level but not as a " be all or end all " tactic.

Quite pleased the tinker man has screwed up just as I predicted, I now fully expect him to fail in the playoffs before blaming the fans, the fans that pay his wages.

Quoted from Grim74

Quite pleased the tinker man has screwed up just as I predicted, I now fully expect him to fail in the playoffs before blaming the fans, the fans that pay his wages.

I would quite like to see him make it , despite the way it ended here and i was happy for him to move on at the time as his style of play and the patterns were becoming all too obvious.....don't begrudge him any long term success.  

People are just pointing out the similarities to his season patterns, type of results (1 goal margins..draws)  and the all too familiar comments from Shrews fans.

Looking from the outside, just take their result Saturday...1-0 up ...concede an equaliser just before the 70 min mark ....all too common a scenario in his time here....the in joke of his 70th minute sub coming just after we usually conceded a goal in the 50 -70 min period.

Find it embarassing some of the vitriol towards a good bloke and a decent manager.

He has done an unbelievable job at Shrewsbury given budget and resources.

Quoted from moosey_club

I would quite like to see him make it , despite the way it ended here and i was happy for him to move on at the time as his style of play and the patterns were becoming all too obvious.....don't begrudge him any long term success.  

People are just pointing out the similarities to his season patterns, type of results (1 goal margins..draws)  and the all too familiar comments from Shrews fans.

Looking from the outside, just take their result Saturday...1-0 up ...concede an equaliser just before the 70 min mark ....all too common a scenario in his time here....the in joke of his 70th minute sub coming just after we usually conceded a goal in the 50 -70 min period.

Pretty much my thoughts as well. Yes it was time for him to leave us. I’ve no doubt he was just as relieved as we were to move on.  Having half the fan base against you and then having the non chairman not deliver (allegedly) must be pretty depressing when you have just won promotion back to the league.  Whatever happens in his future I can’t say I will be overly bothered either way. But as an outsider, what he appears to have done at Shrewsbury seems pretty damn good. Even if (yet again) the fans don’t seem to think so 🤔

I suppose the parallels are quite accurate to some degree, though his budget will be relatively lower (in comparison to the opposition) than when he was with us. We were reportedly outspent, often considerably, by at least a few clubs every season that he was in charge of us in the Conference, so I was never surprised we didn't get particularly close to winning automatic promotion. Our finishing position was generally around where you would expect from our budget.

Rather more than a few clubs will have outspent Shrewsbury this season, so he's overachieved this time around whether or not they manage to win through the play-offs.

Off the main topic but as with Shrewsbury, another team who have bottled it big style this season is Wrexham.

They were actually top, not that long back and then looking nailed on for the play-offs (which actually go down to 7th in The National League this season) but after another deafeat on Saturday they are now down to 10th and their fate is now out of their hands.

Quoted from Les Brechin

Off the main topic but as with Shrewsbury, another team who have bottled it big style this season is Wrexham.

They were actually top, not that long back and then looking nailed on for the play-offs (which actually go down to 7th in The National League this season) but after another deafeat on Saturday they are now down to 10th and their fate is now out of their hands.

That's because a couple of months agoe their manager (Keates) upped and left to go to Walsall.  According to my Wrexham mate, Shaun Pearson was asked by the press if he would be interested in Player Manager to end of season, but declined as he wanted to just concentrate of football.  

He no doubt has a limited budget and he has concentrated on the loan market. I think he has done well in his Hurstian percentage way. When you think they were relegation candidates when he went there he has turned things around. Certainly his sides are hard to beat but once again his team does not score goals. His leading scorer in the league only has 10.

Is it nerves that makes Hurst so conservative, so poor at tactical subs, or does he just not know how to inspire his team when the chips are down? Coming after the Lincoln game the fans are not surprisingly anxious. To struggle against Bury who have had a terrible season is a bit ridiculous when you need a win to stay in touch with the auto places. Almost as though they have given up, job done, let’s wait for the play offs. Maybe it will work but personally I would not wager on Shrewsbury to go up now.

I don’t know but I suspect Jolley could be a better bet in a one-off situation.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

He no doubt has a limited budget and he has concentrated on the loan market. I think he has done well in his Hurstian percentage way. When you think they were relegation candidates when he went there he has turned things around. Certainly his sides are hard to beat but once again his team does not score goals. His leading scorer in the league only has 10.

Is it nerves that makes Hurst so conservative, so poor at tactical subs, or does he just not know how to inspire his team when the chips are down? Coming after the Lincoln game the fans are not surprisingly anxious. To struggle against Bury who have had a terrible season is a bit ridiculous when you need a win to stay in touch with the auto places. Almost as though they have given up, job done, let’s wait for the play offs. Maybe it will work but personally I would not wager on Shrewsbury to go up now.

I don’t know but I suspect Jolley could be a better bet in a one-off situation.

I remember Town failing miserably to beat Guiseley at home under PH and the crowd were very frustrated by the lack of shots on goal.I agree his sides were usually hard to beat and excellent at grinding out results especially away from home but the Achilles heel was failing to kill teams off at home.Also overturning a goal deficit by virtue of no plan B seemed to crop up a few times.Based on results PH would merit 7/10 on the Manager scale for me which is very good but I don`t see him being higher .Most fans want fast attacking football and the end result of winning the prize and for that he would need to change something.

7/10 would probably be right for me as well.

If he'd been a bit better, we'd have been competing for automatic promotion in the Conference a little more, despite being outspent by a few teams. The best managers can make something happen, even on limited resources. We were always 1 or 2 players away from being a really good side in the Conference - possibly due to budget constraints, I suppose.

I don't really think Hurst's tactical approach made a massive difference. Lower-division players aren't generally capable of free-flowing football and I was always quite happy when opposition teams tried to pass it out from the back as we'd invariably nab a chance or two.

My biggest issue for some years is that we've been really poor on the counter-attack and that's not something you can really get away with if you're going to defend in depth. Perhaps I was just spoiled during the Buckley Mk. I and II eras where we had some players who were very good at breaking forward?

Arnold,Amond and Bogle all displayed that ability usually fed in by Nolan

Even with those players in the team, I remember us butchering no end of decent counter-attacking opportunities. Nothing compared to this season, of course, but still could have been better.

I suppose you have to expect that lower-division players won't be great on the break, but some of the passes and decision-making have been just dire over the past decade.

Over the recent years I have followed Town we always seem to have been short of midfield player`s who could link defence and attack with a killer pass or ghost past the opposition and make something happen at whatever level? Disley and Nolan were our best midfielders of recent seasons before that you would have to go way back to Bolland to find a decent midfielder in my opinion. I have grown to like Summerfield but his passing is a major flaw so is his lack of goals for minutes played however he would be the perfect foil for a Nolan type midfielder to kickstart the type of counter attacks we all long to see.

Hurst really has 'overachieved' at Shrewsbury. He's done an excellent job there. Some of the same comments some of us made have surfaced at Shrewsbury apparently. One Shrews fan told me at the weekend that he always leaves it too late to make a substitution. I guess he's just spoiled though because he remembers them in the (proper) Second Division in the 80s  .

Quoted from Maringer

7/10 would probably be right for me as well.

Interesting sentiment. 7/10 is what I would say for Hurst when here, however it appears to be being used as a way to say he wasn't that good. I'd say how many managers have we had that are better than 7/10? Probably only Buckley in my lifetime.

What Hurst has achieved at Shrewsbury is truly remarkable. To take a side that 18 months ago looked doomed, then turn it around and one year later be challenging for promotion is incredible. I'm sure some of their fans will be disappointed now, but if you offered them 3rd place last season, every single one of them would bite your hand off.

I don't expect Shrewsbury to get promoted through the play offs, but not because of Hurst. I think he had terrible luck when here in the playoffs. The problem for Shrewsbury is that they will be disappointed and their position will put more pressure on them. A team that just sneaks in has less pressure and is on a high from making it. It's a bit of a leveller psychologically.

Quoted from pen penfras

Interesting sentiment. 7/10 is what I would say for Hurst when here, however it appears to be being used as a way to say he wasn't that good. I'd say how many managers have we had that are better than 7/10? Probably only Buckley in my lifetime.

What Hurst has achieved at Shrewsbury is truly remarkable. To take a side that 18 months ago looked doomed, then turn it around and one year later be challenging for promotion is incredible. I'm sure some of their fans will be disappointed now, but if you offered them 3rd place last season, every single one of them would bite your hand off.

I don't expect Shrewsbury to get promoted through the play offs, but not because of Hurst. I think he had terrible luck when here in the playoffs. The problem for Shrewsbury is that they will be disappointed and their position will put more pressure on them. A team that just sneaks in has less pressure and is on a high from making it. It's a bit of a leveller psychologically.

7/10 is not meant to be a criticism I was giving what I think is a fair assessment of his ability and like you in my time he is only bettered by AB and arguably Laws? The point being can PH do better and get to 8 or 9 on a scale? Yes he can in my opinion because he is relatively young still but he would need to change and take more risk in games especially the big ones and personally I don`t see that happening?

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Hurst really has 'overachieved' at Shrewsbury. He's done an excellent job there. Some of the same comments some of us made have surfaced at Shrewsbury apparently. One Shrews fan told me at the weekend that he always leaves it too late to make a substitution. I guess he's just spoiled though because he remembers them in the (proper) Second Division in the 80s  .

You've just brought back a very pleasant memory for me KM

First game of the 1980/81 season at Gay Meadow... and the first time I had ever seen us play at that level

Took an age to get to the ground as we'd been stuck in traffic for some country flower show but just made it there in time to see us as a 2nd Division side

A gloriously sunny day with Kev Drinkell equalising for us after going behind and everyone behind the goal going crazy

Don't think I'll ever see us at that level again but what great days they were following the Town  

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

You've just brought back a very pleasant memory for me KM

First game of the 1980/81 season at Gay Meadow... and the first time I had ever seen us play at that level

Took an age to get to the ground as we'd been stuck in traffic for some country flower show but just made it there in time to see us as a 2nd Division side

A gloriously sunny day with Kev Drinkell equalising for us after going behind and everyone behind the goal going crazy

Don't think I'll ever see us at that level again but what great days they were following the Town  

Only ever got there once in the Buckley II era when we failed to beat 10 men from a winning position. Didn't even have enough time to look at the town.