Dear michael

Thank you,thank you,thank you.I am sat here in my local in the middle of nowhere getting gently drunk and with tears in my eyes as i contemplate what you have achieved. For all too rare an occasion i am wearing My town shirt with pride.  It's up there with the 3 Wembley finals.
The great thing is that I think you actually do understand what this means to thousands,and I mean thousands of people, who's history is wrapped up in this club from this little remote seaport with its poverty and it's problems and it's image problem. And you have made us proud again
I can't write too much more cos I'm too emotional.God am I looking forward to next season.You can have got yourself a real opportunity .just be aware that when gy gets behind its club and gets its momentum you will be going on a special special ride.thank you again.enjoy your evening and if you ever find your way to North marston there's a bottle of Portuguese red with your name on behind thebar

Still stand by those words but,christ,am I hanging this morning

Quoted from forza ivano

Thank you,thank you,thank you.I am sat here in my local in the middle of nowhere getting gently drunk and with tears in my eyes as i contemplate what you have achieved. For all too rare an occasion i am wearing My town shirt with pride.  It's up there with the 3 Wembley finals.
The great thing is that I think you actually do understand what this means to thousands,and I mean thousands of people, who's history is wrapped up in this club from this little remote seaport with its poverty and it's problems and it's image problem. And you have made us proud again
I can't write too much more cos I'm too emotional.God am I looking forward to next season.You can have got yourself a real opportunity .just be aware that when gy gets behind its club and gets its momentum you will be going on a special special ride.thank you again.enjoy your evening and if you ever find your way to North marston there's a bottle of Portuguese red with your name on behind thebar

Inebriated poetry - sums it up perfectly for me. And I know how you feel, some serious hair of the dog required this morning.

If I knew we’d need another 10 or so points when Jolley was appointed I’d have assumed we were down. It’s been a huge, huge achievement when you sit down and let it sink in.

I felt appointing Jolley was a major risk, given our predicament and his relative inexperience, but he may be, just may be, something special.

Well put forza.

Quoted from forza ivano

Still stand by those words but,christ,am I hanging this morning

Hope you didn't drink your local dry last nIght Forza and then have to revert to the Bottle you had left behind the bar for MJ.   Great post mate..

I thought it was a good idea to come home at 3 am already smashed and then drink a bottle of white wine we had in the fridge. I don't even like white wine. My head certainly doesn't like white wine today.

I just had a feeling MJ would be the man and he proved me right,

Not that my mate Swin (Ipswin ) was convinced  

Come on Swin tell us your thoughts now mate.

Well done Michael if you stay long enough I am convinced you will go down as the most popular manager in Towns history.

Quoted from grimsby pete

Not that my mate Swin (Ipswin ) was convinced  

Come on Swin tell us your thoughts now mate.

I was thinking the same thing today Pete. I would love to know if MJ has won you over now Swin or are you still not convinced?

Thought I would give it a day before posting. Had so many mixed thoughts yesterday but I celebrated our winner like I did at Wembley. You realise then how much it means and I have supported them for 35 years now.
I came to the match yesterday wanting this season to end as by and large it's been so painful don't really think I enjoyed any match or any period to be honest.
I now am looking forward to next season and the obligatory signing alerts/rumours throughout the summer. I am also honestly looking forward to see what sort of team Jolley builds on his own merits.
Two things stood out for me yesterday apart from the result was Macca's run from his box to celebrate the winner with his team mates and what it meant to Clifton, the local boy gets it!!
Finally, and I know it won't be popular, but seeing Fenty celebrate like the rest of us fans showed how much it meant to him as well. I hope that through all of this and all the mistakes made we can pull together and move the club forward because I think just maybe we now have a chance.

Big risk from Fenty putting his, and our, trust in a seemingly inexperienced manager in a do or die situation.

Now let's see some funds for him as 5,500 to 6,000 + fans (hopefully more with success) could be the norm next year as doubters return to the fold.

Could he turn into a modern day Lawrie Mac ?? He has made a great early impression.

In all the years I have been doing the Fishy (nearly 20 now) I can't remember a manager who the fans collectively were more behind. Buckley was reviled by sections of the supporters, as was Hurst and Slade in his first spell. In the years before that when it was harder to gauge opinion maybe Buckley in the early years and perhaps Laws in the first few months, but that's about it. I am not old enough to remember Lawrie Macc.

Having said that by Xmas sections of the Fishy might have turned against him!

Quoted from GrimRob

In all the years I have been doing the Fishy (nearly 20 now) I can't remember a manager who the fans collectively were more behind. Buckley was reviled by sections of the supporters, as was Hurst and Slade in his first spell. In the years before that when it was harder to gauge opinion maybe Buckley in the early years and perhaps Laws in the first few months, but that's about it. I am not old enough to remember Lawrie Macc.

Having said that by Xmas sections of the Fishy might have turned against him!

I think we are behind them all at the start! Mike Newell is the obvious one for me - the reception he got at Scunthorpe when he was appointed,  in some minor cup game was astonishing really.

Lawrie Mac came in when we were in a shocking position - the bottom end of the 4th division the season before he came, and the club and the town were crying out for a messiah. This could have a similar feel to it - Jolley knows that the fans need to be on side, he knows we have underachieved for years and is a good bet to turn around.  

To put what this team has done under Jolley into context, we have accrued 14 points from nine games, just over 1.5 points per game. If that is sustained over a full season, that makes 72 points to the nearest whole number and puts you right in contention for the playoffs in most years. I don't want to get too excited about next season, as we've fallen flat on our faces too many times for that, but it's hard not to when you look at it like that.

It’s actually 12 from 9.

And anyway, 1.5 points per game over 46 games is 69 points surely?

Well i doubt he could do any worse than the last manager, so the only way is up, even if that means comfortable mid table and some notable wins along the way. I have a sneaky feeling though, that this guy is extremely ambitious and driven and knows how to handle players mentality. There isn't much in this league between the teams. The ones who apply themselves correctly and with purpose rise to the top. Accrington aside, who have been the best side in the league all season, the rest haven't impressed me much at all. None of them looked as good as Donny or Portsmouth did last season. Even Luton, who scored a ton of goals didn't look that threatening when they won here. If we had this exact same squad next season, i bet Jolley would get them up nearer the top end.

Quoted from ginnywings

Well i doubt he could do any worse than the last manager, so the only way is up, even if that means comfortable mid table and some notable wins along the way. I have a sneaky feeling though, that this guy is extremely ambitious and driven and knows how to handle players mentality. There isn't much in this league between the teams. The ones who apply themselves correctly and with purpose rise to the top. Accrington aside, who have been the best side in the league all season, the rest haven't impressed me much at all. None of them looked as good as Donny or Portsmouth did last season. Even Luton, who scored a ton of goals didn't look that threatening when they won here. If we had this exact same squad next season, i bet Jolley would get them up nearer the top end.

Got to say that we did look very good on Saturday. Better than a side going for automatic promotion.

So, two months ago I couldn't wait for a mass summer clear out of players, I now wouldn't mind several of them staying,

I do think we need a decent striker and a midfield general though, and some of our aging defenders will need replacing. But I think it will be easier to bring in a few new faces to build on what we have rather than undertake a full scale replacement of the entire playing staff.  

Quoted from sonofmadeleymariner

I was thinking the same thing today Pete. I would love to know if MJ has won you over now Swin or are you still not convinced?

I am still far from convinced in fact the ridiculous surge of hero worship currently directed at him simply for avoiding relegation (which Slade might have achieved anyway - we will never know) does nothing to persuade me and how the players had the bare faced cheek  after the crap they dished up during the season to go on a lap of honour carrying their kids like they had actually won summat I'll never know

However we did avoid relegation under Jolley and as promised I have feasted on humble pie as promised since Saturday, He was the man to take us to safety and I was wrong but it will take more than scraping a few points together courtesy mainly of three penalties at the bottom-end of the season for me to elevate him to Godlike status and start licking his bottom like many on here

Quoted from Ipswin

I am still far from convinced in fact the ridiculous surge of hero worship currently directed at him simply for avoiding relegation (which Slade might have achieved anyway - we will never know) does nothing to persuade me and how the players had the bare faced cheek  after the crap they dished up during the season to go on a lap of honour carrying their kids like they had actually won summat I'll never know

However we did avoid relegation under Jolley and as promised I have feasted on humble pie as promised since Saturday, He was the man to take us to safety and I was wrong but it will take more than scraping a few points together courtesy mainly of three penalties at the bottom-end of the season for me to elevate him to Godlike status and start licking his bottom like many on here

Nice one Swin - that didn't hurt but I think that Humble Pie is giving you a bit of indigestion  

Quoted from Ipswin

I am still far from convinced in fact the ridiculous surge of hero worship currently directed at him simply for avoiding relegation (which Slade might have achieved anyway - we will never know) does nothing to persuade me and how the players had the bare faced cheek  after the crap they dished up during the season to go on a lap of honour carrying their kids like they had actually won summat I'll never know

However we did avoid relegation under Jolley and as promised I have feasted on humble pie as promised since Saturday, He was the man to take us to safety and I was wrong but it will take more than scraping a few points together courtesy mainly of three penalties at the bottom-end of the season for me to elevate him to Godlike status and start licking his bottom like many on here

To be honest I wasn't sure we had made the right decision in appointing a certain Mr. Jolley. I thought the situation might need a Martin Allen type to galvanise our under achieving players by giving them a rocket up the a***e.

However, now that we are safe, it is undeniable that he has the wow factor which will be great for next season and beyond.

As long as the club support him properly the future on the field should be much brighter.

Quoted from Ipswin

I am still far from convinced in fact the ridiculous surge of hero worship currently directed at him simply for avoiding relegation (which Slade might have achieved anyway - we will never know) does nothing to persuade me and how the players had the bare faced cheek  after the crap they dished up during the season to go on a lap of honour carrying their kids like they had actually won summat I'll never know

However we did avoid relegation under Jolley and as promised I have feasted on humble pie as promised since Saturday, He was the man to take us to safety and I was wrong but it will take more than scraping a few points together courtesy mainly of three penalties at the bottom-end of the season for me to elevate him to Godlike status and start licking his bottom like many on here

Christ, just be happy for once in your life. We're staying up, no matter how it happened, it has happened. Just enjoy the fact that we'll not be off to Bromley, Solihull, Barrow and the like next season. Enjoy the summer, watch The World Cup (on second thought's maybe not as England will no doubt depress us all again) and then let Mr Jolley build a team that we can be proud of again.

Quoted from Ipswin

I am still far from convinced in fact the ridiculous surge of hero worship currently directed at him simply for avoiding relegation (which Slade might have achieved anyway

Are you for real???
We were sinking like the Titanic whilst Judas was rearranging the deck chairs. We'd have been sunk without trace weeks ago if that useless twit was still in charge with 99.9999% certainty.
Jolley has done an amazing job in a very short period of time. Not a miracle but not far short either. The football at times on Saturday was sublime. Best for ages.

Slade might have saved us?what planet are you living on.

It’s not hero worship, just credit where credit’s due and showing a bit of gratitude for his hard work.
Hurst was conservative to the point of being negative, Bignot was chaotic, Slade was shambolic and we now have Jolley.
Calm, considered, calculating, positive, lucky and ultimately, to date at least, successful.
What are we supposed to do? Just give him a grudging ‘not bad lad but you’ve still got a lot to prove’?
FFS lets celebrate avoiding an awful fate, and if it all goes pear shaped next season Ipswin and the rest of the moaning brigade can say they told us so. But it won’t so long as Jolley is given half a chance.

Quoted from Ipswin

I am still far from convinced in fact the ridiculous surge of hero worship currently directed at him simply for avoiding relegation (which Slade might have achieved anyway - we will never know)

I think we can have a reasonable guess though

wow Ipswin you really are a male private ,jog on

We went from rock bottom of the form guide to 4th in the space of weeks. Not only that, we played some of the best football i have seen at BP for years in that victory on Saturday. It was no fluke and we outplayed a side gunning for automatic promotion. He couldn't have really done any better considering his management inexperience, and if he does nothing more than that in his time here, he deserves massive praise for what he has done this season. Swin enjoys swimming against the tide, so i wouldn't take too much notice of him, because if he is a true Town fan, and i suspect he is, then he will be just as ecstatic as everyone else for what Jolley has achieved.

Ipswin deserves twit of the week for that post

Unbelievable! I know everyone’s entitled to their opinion but really? Slade might of achieved anyway? Are you for real or do you watch the games with your eyes shut or do you go to many games?

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

To be honest I wasn't sure we had made the right decision in appointing a certain Mr. Jolley. I thought the situation might need a Martin Allen type to galvanise our under achieving players by giving them a rocket up the a***e.

However, now that we are safe, it is undeniable that he has the wow factor which will be great for next season and beyond.

As long as the club support him properly the future on the field should be much brighter.

Exactly my stance, I felt we needed a fire-fighter and that appointing someone who was looking to install a philosophy was far too risky in a relegation scrap.  Especially one so inexperienced at this level.

Some of his early selections baffled me, I compared his constant chopping and changing to Bignot and I thought that for all his good intentions he wasn't going to keep us up.

How wrong I was.  Patience is a virtue and I clearly have none.  The guy has worked a miracle here, no two ways about it. The way he's transformed a side that was on its backside into the one we saw on Saturday excites me for what he can do with a full summer to pick his own players and really install what he wants to see.

Quoted from ginnywings

We went from rock bottom of the form guide to 4th in the space of weeks. Not only that, we played some of the best football i have seen at BP for years in that victory on Saturday. It was no fluke and we outplayed a side gunning for automatic promotion....... .

Yes, but apart from that what have the Romans ever done for us?

I like Ipswin he is a nice bloke but tends to say things that most do not agree with,

He told me going back to the conference is only like being in division 5 and we might win a few more games,

Well mate I would rather win a few more game in L2 that takes to L1 and hopefully beyond.

See at you Colchester and Cambridge and maybe Boreham Wood  mate