Chris Clements

Quoted from 75

Agree completely, but there is no evidence to suggest this board learns from it's mistakes. I don't know if Slade really was as inept as it appears or is it more likely he was under instruction to clear out the high earners from Bignot's brief reign? Agree the board / RS thought it had enough points and went into coasting mode from Christmas, but I do not have faith the board will learn. Three brushes with relegation from the football league and six long years in the cesspit suggest they don't.

There were certainly things that happened with JO that could and should have been managed better. I actually don’t think Fenty would force any manager to sell a player if the manager felt he was worth it. I’m of the opinion that Slade was a bombastic, thick twit. He felt that if players didn’t fit in, he wasn’t arsed about keeping them. I’ll bet Cheapside is a much happier and professional place now.

Quoted from oldun

Pete, with respect that is all supposition on your part. I don't think any of us are party to what may have gone on and how he might have been treated.

Agree, certainly in his first spell out players (Gary Cohen, Michael Reddy) said the players were running through walls for Russ. I have no reason to think any different this time regarding his man management. Even from this spell, I hear Russ was meticulous in his preparation, the performances, the tactics and results spoke for themselves though of course.  I don't ever want to see Town playing like that again, we made Lincoln look like Ajax's total football!

As far as Clements goes, I doubt it's a straightforward case of the club not supporting him when he sadly suffered a bereavement. Was it a case of him coming back seriously overweight? That seems to be the clubs stance, perhaps it was also a case of him being on a big contract (for reasons I can't see - he was nothing special), and it isn't like Bignot sorted the wages out. Maybe a simple case of he wasn't value for money.

Certainly didn't look value for money at Ilkeston against County reserves on a hot day. Players on peanuts like Hall Johnson, Clifton, Cardwell and DJ all looked more promising. He was tubby and laboured but could still spray some good passes every now and then.