Jolley has to go, and go now.

A fraud, a total fraud.

Harsh that, i was here today and yeah we were crap but we basically had a team of kids. That comes from fenty and a excrement budget. FENTY OUT

Thought the kids went back to school last week?

I wouldn't be that harsh with him, I just think he is out of his depth, failed promises, no pressing attacking football, the team just likes it is going though the motions, could that be most know they are on their way out or is it just the general malaise from boardroom down. I guess having a low budget is part of the problem.

Quoted from Hagrid

Harsh that, i was here today and yeah we were crap but we basically had a team of kids. That comes from fenty and a excrement budget. FENTY OUT

we didnt have a budget last year, Slade was sacked, why is this clown being given the benefit of the doubt?  

Agree need a complete shake up before the next season starts, only thing worth watching is the performance of the youngsters, Jolly out

...because he has also had us playing some of the best football we've played for ages at times. He also made a lot more decent signings than previous managers (Hess, Hendrie, Davis, Ohman, Embleton, Vernham and Thomas). Yes, he's made mistakes but it is his first full year as a manager, he's a bright guy imho and will have learnt a lot through the season.

Quoted from The Boys Paddock

A fraud, a total fraud.

Have a day off don't be a pratt all your life.

I thought his team and tactics were excrement today. More hoofball than Slade.

We lost easily to the second worst team in the league.

I fear that he could easily lead us out of the League next season.

He should be sacked for playing Woolford.

Quoted from The Boys Paddock

A fraud, a total fraud.

I take it this is clickbait.

Our leading scorer has gone, we've been without a major signing all season, our signed skipper was a waste of space, our best loanee injured and we have more points than we did last year with what appears to be an uncompetitive budget. How much of this is Jolley's fault?

Gotta say after watching that 90+ mins i am more frustrated than ever.....for 15 mins we did well...pressed....were first to every second ball....won all individual battles....the only thing missing was some sort of attacking threat....no quality delivery from midfield and Rose looked like a lost kid in reality, he got sucked into to giving fouls away virtually every time we went forward.

Then we just stopped..County grew and bossed the next 70 mins without any problems....we only livened up again in the final few minutes which resulted in a consolation.

We need strikers and quality from midfield....from todays showing we have none in the squad right now at all.......we need someone who can deliver a decent dead ball.....every single time County got a free kick or corner the delivery was excellent and had us flapping. With the exception of a couple today our delivery was fking woeful.

I hope Notts County go down, after their gamesmanship today once they went a goal up i want them gone...ball boys not fetching the ball, players kicking the ball away etc etc.....but even more frustrating for me was the lack of complaints from our players....again the only urgency on this was in the very final few minutes when we started fetching the ball.

Without a big splurge in the summer and some proper quality in the attacking sense then its looking like a long old season.

Only positive for me today was the few glimpses of Max Wright, quick positive and forward looking.

You really want to try another manager, who will have to assemble his squad again, on a poor budget no doubt.
Wise up, this is as good as it’s going to get with town given our club set up and budget. Until the day comes we either have investment and, or a new stadium this is where will stay, or perish the thought, lower.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

I take it this is clickbait.

Our leading scorer has gone, we've been without a major signing all season, our signed skipper was a waste of space, our best loanee injured and we have more points than we did last year with what appears to be an uncompetitive budget. How much of this is Jolley's fault?

Thomas went because he thought the footabll was crap, Jolley signed Welsh, he brought in one of the best strikers in the division on loan and didnt play him, we have 2 points more than last year with a game to go, and lost more games this year than last....I would say all of it

He will be with us until Xmas whatever.

Quoted from The Boys Paddock

Thomas went because he thought the footabll was crap, Jolley signed Welsh, he brought in one of the best strikers in the division on loan and didnt play him, we have 2 points more than last year with a game to go, and lost more games this year than last....I would say all of it

Thomas hasn't gone...
Dennis has played in every game except 1 since signing...

This thread is barmy.

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

Thomas hasn't gone...
Dennis has played in every game except 1 since signing...

Thomas has been told he won't play again. What part of that don't you understand?

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

Thomas hasn't gone...
Dennis has played in every game except 1 since signing...

from the start? Scored 20 plus in a relegated side last year....

apalling man management by Jolley, seen again today by picking Woolford from the start and not Wright....and dont get me started on Cardwell

he's a fraud

Quoted from arryarryarry

Thomas has been told he won't play again. What part of that don't you understand?

plenty, what part of appalling man management by Jolley do you not understand?

Quoted from NorthseaMariner

You really want to try another manager, who will have to assemble his squad again, on a poor budget no doubt.
Wise up, this is as good as it’s going to get with town given our club set up and budget. Until the day comes we either have investment and, or a new stadium this is where will stay, or perish the thought, lower.

Erm this squad is very poor we are going to need a shed load of players to stop us getting relegated next season whoever is manager

Quoted from The Boys Paddock

plenty, what part of appalling man management by Jolley do you not understand?

Erm I never made any comment on how he has been managed in fact on what I have seen this season I don't rate Jolley as a manager and based on today's pile of crap it wouldn't bother me if he left.

I believe in him, I think his biggest mistake this season was mid-season when we were in good form and he thought he could take advantage of that by switching to the style of play that he wanted to, with our transfer business being in that mindset and not signing anyone for an alternative style should that fail and leaving us overeliant on Embleton and Thomas for creativity and goals.

Its only something I can comment on in hignsight though, he could've pulled it off and I remember a few games where we looked like we might take to it and do well. We also don't know who he tried to sign and didn't get.

It could only take 2 or 3 signings to unlock the potential in the team its just whether we find them

Quoted from The Boys Paddock

A fraud, a total fraud.

You Twit

Quoted from The Boys Paddock

we didnt have a budget last year, Slade was sacked, why is this clown being given the benefit of the doubt?  

How are you Russell?

There are two sides to this.

Today ought not to be taken as typical for the simple reason the team on the park was picked partly because of absentees and partly to let the kids show what they can and cannot do in the real world of L2. It would be unreasonable to judge a team, players or manager in that situation especially when the other side were desperate for points.

On the other hand if you look at the season as a whole the manager has not impressed where it matters, on the playing side. People excuse him as being inexperienced but then say he is bright. Someone with his qualifications and intelligence should not take a full season to produce what looks something like he promised - pressing, urgent football aimed at creating chances. 40 odd games he has had to do that and let’s be honest if his name was Slade he would only have got 20 the way his side has played.

Yes, there have been several minutes of good football as some posters have said, involving some of the newer signings, is it really enough?

But it is all academic, Jolley will not be sacked. He will be allowed to sign players and start again in August. Unless things continue to go pear shaped for the first 10 games, he will be secure again until Christmas at the soonest.

Jolley does seem to over complicate and think things but I reckon he’s like most managers in the bottom half of L2 knows what he has to do to improve things but is held back by the resources and players he has to work with.

I’m sure he’ll be the first to admit that this season has been a massive learning curve for him on and off the pitch one that at times he’s not dealt to well.

Quoted from Roast Em Bobby

...because he has also had us playing some of the best football we've played for ages at times. He also made a lot more decent signings than previous managers (Hess, Hendrie, Davis, Ohman, Embleton, Vernham and Thomas). Yes, he's made mistakes but it is his first full year as a manager, he's a bright guy imho and will have learnt a lot through the season.

I don't think that is right at all.

All of our better football is in areas that doesn't harm the opposition.

Players come and go, and on paper some are reasonable signings but no more than that.

Old matches come up on my You Tube feed all the time, and some of the players in there (in the league and the Conference) are a lot better than the current crop. If we could keep 11 that have passed through our hands in the last 10 years we would have a League 1 team at least.

A lot of this is not Jolley's fault, but the team he has assembled does not remotely look like the sort of team he promised. A huge re think is needed and most importantly of course a new boardroom of people who can get things done.

I don't know about Wright and the other youngsters but if we have to rely on Rose (or even if he is just part of a striker partnership next season) then God help us

He needs backing by us, the fans, and the club financially. I personally have faith. The spine is there. We need a creative midfielder (or two) and at least one striker. Maybe more, but we’ll improve next season.

Release Woolford and Collins, re-sign Whitmore and Davis.

Improvement absolutely demanded and expected next season. Jolley deserves a bigger budget, though.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Jolley does seem to over complicate and think things but I reckon he’s like most managers in the bottom half of L2 knows what he has to do to improve things but is held back by the resources and players he has to work with.

I’m sure he’ll be the first to admit that this season has been a massive learning curve for him on and off the pitch one that at times he’s not dealt to well.

Then he has to adapt what he wants to do....Notts County looked shite today in general play....for all the budget and profile players they have they still look like a Sam Allardyce/ Kev Nolan style side that plays for free kicks and corners...and then deliver those into dangerous areas...score a goal and then just disrupt play at every opportunity.....its awful to watch but their players knew what to do.....with our 2/3 different formations and systems today we didnt look like we knew what we were doing and resulted to lumping it up to a small inexperienced striker.

You can't judge jolly on today's show. Too many players missing. And a lot of people have been saying try the youths. And when he does they moan. But you can judge over the season. And to be honest it's not been anywhere near good enough. Two points more over the season is crap. And he seems to think that it is good enough.. Well its not Mr jolly

Rumours are that we have two players lined up already. All of this squad is his now due to contract renewals etc so no excuses there.

The most games Wes Thomas has played for a club is 50. He is a journeyman and doesn't stick around long so you have to ask yourself why. We got 13 goals out of him and we have to thank him for that and move on. John Welsh, signed as our captain, looked miles off the pace from day one but could time a sliding tackle. On paper it was a great signing but arguably a year or 2 too late. How much we knew about his alleged crime at the point of signing depends on how much you can blame MJ for that one.

We have the makings of a good squad in McKeown, Hendrie, Öhman, Clifton, Hessenthaler and Vernam. Whitehouse is an unknown quantity and Wright impressed today. We need at least 6/7 good signings across the pitch and MJ will be judged on those additions.

MJ joined in March last year and we didn't have an idea what division we would be in. His focus was the job in hand and couldn't start planning everything from signings to the pre-season schedule until after the Notts County game last season and he had to amass a whole new squad. There will undoubtedly be some players we have missed out on the last two windows that may be available again but MJ has had a full season to draw up his shortlist for the summer. Pressure is on to get it right and I hope he does.

Quoted from denni266

You can't judge jolly on today's show. Too many players missing. And a lot of people have been saying try the youths. And when he does they moan. But you can judge over the season. And to be honest it's not been anywhere near good enough. Two points more over the season is crap. And he seems to think that it is good enough.. Well its not Mr jolly

Think this statement is pretty much spot on. A significant majority of forum posters have wanted to see the younger generation given a chance & today he did that in part. It could be argued that Wright should have started in front of Woolford and in his interview on RH he confirmed Wright will start next week v Crewe and also said they had wanted to recall him sooner but regs prevented this. This is though in some ways an example of poor planning as the club should have ensured we were in a position to call him back as and when deemed appropriate.

I also agree with posters who feel MJ is probably guilty of over thinking tactical plans and perhaps making what should be a simple game too complicated. In addition for the umpteenth season our business in January made us weaker and not stronger and we have two seasons running left ourselves short of midfield players who I think would have helped us get better results, thinking of Rose & Pringle. We certainly missed Pringle on dead ball situations and Rose, whose form was never consistent, certainly had games when he was more asset than hindrance. The end of the season not helped by the fact that we lost Embleton, Cook and Thomas which was pretty much our entire attacking threat.

Key for me what has MJ learned this year and is he brave enough to share some of this with the fans? I would not expect him to deliver “Confessions of a football manager” but I believe it would help the relationship with fans if he clarified some of those aspects he had learned in his first season & the difference he has found between U23 coach/ Swedish experience and managing in L2.

Listening to him on RH he was pretty explicit that the 11 that start next season will be significantly different from the 11 that finish this season. He also confirmed that errors made today in respect of goals conceded only confirmed what they already knew and this makes me believe at least 2 of today’s back four will not be retained & given Hendrie has a contract that is actually 2 from 3.

Undoubtedly he has made some poor signings, but even the best managers are guilty of that, but the extension of Cardwell’s contract still remains the biggest mystery in my book. Anyway let’s see what the summer brings and pray that firstly, he has a more competitive budget and secondly, we adopt and put into effect the style and approach he promised.

Were 17th, like it or not that's just about where our budget says we should be.

Sacking the manager now would be incredibly stupid. We'd just end up months behind everyone else in terms of preparation for next season which would them lead to another difficult season next year and everyone wanting the next manager sacked too. A big problem last summer is that due to the uncertainty and how late in the season Jolley was appointed, preparation for this season didn't start until after the season finished. Now were in a completely different situation, pre season training, friendlies, transfer shortlists etc have all been planned for months.

If we sacked Jolley, we'd be back to square one. It'd take weeks to find someone else, then if a new guy came in all that would go out of the window because he'd want to do things his way. We'd have no pre season schedule, no transfer targets and end up either rushing or feeding off scraps. It wouldn't work. We'd be in a much worse position. More to the point, I don't think there are any other decent managers out there that we could afford so we'd just end up with someone rubbish.

Chopping and changing managers all the time does not work, every club that does it ends up in big trouble/fighting relegation and we've already gone through too many managers in the last few years.

The best thing we could do is to keep Jolley and be patient.

We are making progress
Last season we had to battle to stay up, this season we didn't
What more can you expect?

I'm sorry but he baffles me...today we we're 2-0 down and what's he do....??..takes off Vernham and leaves Woolford on..beyond comprehension why he made that switch .. I'm not in the Jolley out camp as yet but in all honesty our football this year has generally been pretty woeful with a squad he assembled....and let's not forget he did sign every player, be it with new contracts or new to the club, and we have not perform on a consistent basis...and you can only blame 1/2 men for that....Jolley and limbrick

No doubt we will have the "Jolley Out" banner on the flyover next.
Stick with the guy. Someone on here last year stated it could well take three/four transfer windows to mould a team based on the budgets available to him.. I think that may be right. Thats the benefit of giving someone time and I think we should give him that. He may still be cutting his teeth in this division but so did a number of (eventually) successful managers.

It's obvious MJ is already in preparation mode for next season we had 6 academy grads in play today and some players will be released over summer possibly.

The FA cup money and wage bill releases from this season will hopefully be put to good over the summer.

We know what we need: goal scoring striker.

Let's get one in!

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Jolley does seem to over complicate and think things but I reckon he’s like most managers in the bottom half of L2 knows what he has to do to improve things but is held back by the resources and players he has to work with.

I’m sure he’ll be the first to admit that this season has been a massive learning curve for him on and off the pitch one that at times he’s not dealt to well.

Resources have nothing really to do with tactics. We play a young forward that has hardly played many league games put him up front on his own then spend most of the game hoofing the ball up to him. I felt sorry for the lad as well as Vernam who hardly had a decent pass all day and this against one of the poorest teams in the league, we were lucky to get away with only conceding two.

Keep the bloke on.
Give him 8/10 games at the start of the season to get off
to a flyer and if he doesn't then get rid.
I can understand people's frustrations but he needs more time IMO
UTM

We had the bare bones of a squad for today's game, with no experience whatsoever up top. I'm not going to judge Jolley on today's performance or result.

I think there are (quite rightly) question marks over his performance as manager throughout the season. I don't think he should go because I'm still unsure how that'll change the bigger picture. What we need is a miracle worker because the next manager will only face the same issues - a weak budget while reporting to a board with no vision and no succession planning.

You can ask why Jolley did business in such a way that it left us with the depleted squad we have today. You can ask whether he is tactically astute enough to succeed in this game. I don't blame fans for questioning his abilities.

But please can we be mindful that we've been here before. One failed manager leaves, another sorts out his mess and then gets the heave-ho for the next in line to sort out. Rinse and repeat.

It's this that's getting boring - never mind our recent brand of football - and there comes a point where you just have to say 'no, let's stick this time' because to keep twisting out of blind hope is no way to run a football club.

There is literally no other manager out there right now who will realistically come to Grimsby Town and guarantee improvement. Frankly, I'm getting tired of reading the same topics, the same rants, the same discussions that all eventually lead to you-know-who's stranglehold on the club, and until that changes our fortunes will remain the same.

If budget guaranteed league position then County would be near the top so I dont get some of the comments, MJ has had a budget good enough to be competitive but you do have to question some of the signings and decisions this season,
Letting our two most creative wide players leave at Xmas, signing Welsh who reportedly was one of the highest wage earners and not playing him, extending Vernam and Cardwells contracts for another season when neither have shown anything near good enough this season to warrant being in a L2 side.
MJ is obsessed with playing a system that requires wing backs and pace and we lack both with this team, Today was a fine example of his lack of experience, Chopping and changing formation with no clear plan of how to break county down, How Woolford gets in the team in beyond me and playing Rose up front on his own then hoofing the ball over his head all the time just does not work.
Lastly do we ever practice corners or set pieces because for weeks we either hit them a foot off the floor or so deep they go straight out of play, County today looked worlds apart from us a set pieces which really does worry me.
One positive today was Max coming on near the end and showing why he was so highly thought of at Boston.

I do fear a bit what MJ will do next season with what ever budget he is given based on some of the signings he has made this season.

Quoted from moosey_club

Then he has to adapt what he wants to do....Notts County looked shite today in general play....for all the budget and profile players they have they still look like a Sam Allardyce/ Kev Nolan style side that plays for free kicks and corners...and then deliver those into dangerous areas...score a goal and then just disrupt play at every opportunity.....its awful to watch but their players knew what to do.....with our 2/3 different formations and systems today we didnt look like we knew what we were doing and resulted to lumping it up to a small inexperienced striker.

Like I say over thinking it rather than getting the ball and numbers Forward quickly

Quoted from Rob_in_Grimsby

If budget guaranteed league position then County would be near the top so I dont get some of the comments, MJ has had a budget good enough to be competitive but you do have to question some of the signings and decisions this season,
Letting our two most creative wide players leave at Xmas, signing Welsh who reportedly was one of the highest wage earners and not playing him, extending Vernam and Cardwells contracts for another season when neither have shown anything near good enough this season to warrant being in a L2 side.
MJ is obsessed with playing a system that requires wing backs and pace and we lack both with this team, Today was a fine example of his lack of experience, Chopping and changing formation with no clear plan of how to break county down, How Woolford gets in the team in beyond me and playing Rose up front on his own then hoofing the ball over his head all the time just does not work.
Lastly do we ever practice corners or set pieces because for weeks we either hit them a foot off the floor or so deep they go straight out of play, County today looked worlds apart from us a set pieces which really does worry me.
One positive today was Max coming on near the end and showing why he was so highly thought of at Boston.

I do fear a bit what MJ will do next season with what ever budget he is given based on some of the signings he has made this season.

I agree.

One win in 12 is it? That must be relegation form, if after 10 games next season with his new players and we are in the same form then he surely has to go.

We can not have another Woods situation.

Quoted from The Boys Paddock

A fraud, a total fraud.

FFS Have a day off pal.

I'll mention one name in all this .. Daniel farke!!..

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

I'll mention one name in all this .. Daniel farke!!..

?

For me MJ has done a good job with a meagre budget.

It has been a big learning curve for him, his first full season of first team management. At times he has got us playing some good football and other times bloody awful.

Where I think he has been naive is the formation. FGR opening game of the season we lined up exactly as England did in the WC and we all saw it didn’t work. He changed and we played relatively well, and we went back to it and for the second time .... it didn’t work .. what we didn’t have was a plan B. No wingers in the squad which is proven to work in L2..

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

I'll mention one name in all this .. Daniel farke!!..

What about him?

Do you have him in mind to replace Jolley when the witch-hunt forces him out of Town?  

Quoted from HertsGTFC

?

Has just taken Norwich up to the premier league, under pressure at the end of last season, sold his best players, brought in freebies and outcasts, he had zero experience of the championship and the board stuck by him and allowed him time to get it sorted... does it ring any bells?!

Why not look at the common denominator Fenty and the board. Lack of investment is stagnated this club for years. What decent manager will come here knowing that? At least the youth are getting a look in unlike the other jokers in charge.

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

Has just taken Norwich up to the premier league, under pressure at the end of last season, sold his best players, brought in freebies and outcasts, he had zero experience of the championship and the board stuck by him and allowed him time to get it sorted... does it ring any bells?!

We stuck by Woods and where did that get us?

Quoted from arryarryarry

We stuck by Woods and where did that get us?

He took on a poisoned Challis at the time...we we're in a downward spiral that no one could stop... we'd tried sir Alan and he failed...all I'm saying is at the moment we are relatively stable, maybe this season MJ has learned not just how this league works but more importantly, how GTFC work.. I saw enough today to think we'll be okay next season ..as long as he f@cks Woolford off

Have to give him 10 games next season but if there isn’t a big improvement in playing style and he is still trying to talk his way out of things in the post matches then time to bring to change
What about that fella who was sacked at Scunny as Manager when they was in the play offs?

Graham Alexander

What Jolley needs is proper backing and based on what JF said at the Trust Q&A is that he’ll be trusting Jolley with a bigger budget and I hope he keeps his word. 10-12 games into next season is when we can really judge Jolley as he will have a squad fully assembled by him and had 18 months to have tried to instill his methods, tactics and motivation on this squad. If we show some improvement (meaning top 10 or thereabouts) then I think we can say there’s reason to continue to back him. There’s still a huge amount of rubbish in that squad. For me, Macca, Hendrie, RHJ, Ohman, Hess, Vernam and arguably Clifton, Davis and Cook (as sporadic squad players) are good enough but the midfield desperately needs more creativity and physicality, the defence needs more athleticism and composure on the ball, the left wing back needs more of everything (pace, energy, defensive awareness and delivery) and most important the strikers need to be able to score more goals and offer an outlet better! We may have more players contracted for next season but some still aren’t good enough. I still believe Jolley has the capacity to sign some gems that nobody’s ever heard of but if we’re still messing around in 17th and below I’d happily hold my hands up and say he just isn’t cut out for it. It’s a big summer for everyone!

Quoted from Ipswin

I don't know about Wright and the other youngsters but if we have to rely on Rose (or even if he is just part of a striker partnership next season) then God help us

Ah, here we go.....

“Give the youth a chance” they cry.

Fast forward a few games and it appears that, shock horror, the youth won’t set the world alright instantly.

“The youth aren’t good enough.”

If Jolley hadn’t kept us up last season and this was his first season at Grimsby then he would be gone by now. His great escape has kept him in a job.

Statistically he has been terrible and his signings have been more miss than hit. Welsh being the obvious mistake but the imbalanced squad and persisting with a system that doesn’t work are a a huge concern for me.

I think he has lots to learn as a manager and is far from the messiah but would give him next season. We are not going to attract a better manager in our current state so should stick with him and pray he keeps us up again.

Quoted from Rob_in_Grimsby

If budget guaranteed league position then County would be near the top so I dont get some of the comments, MJ has had a budget good enough to be competitive but you do have to question some of the signings and decisions this season,
Letting our two most creative wide players leave at Xmas, signing Welsh who reportedly was one of the highest wage earners and not playing him, extending Vernam and Cardwells contracts for another season when neither have shown anything near good enough this season to warrant being in a L2 side.
MJ is obsessed with playing a system that requires wing backs and pace and we lack both with this team, Today was a fine example of his lack of experience, Chopping and changing formation with no clear plan of how to break county down, How Woolford gets in the team in beyond me and playing Rose up front on his own then hoofing the ball over his head all the time just does not work.
Lastly do we ever practice corners or set pieces because for weeks we either hit them a foot off the floor or so deep they go straight out of play, County today looked worlds apart from us a set pieces which really does worry me.
One positive today was Max coming on near the end and showing why he was so highly thought of at Boston.

I do fear a bit what MJ will do next season with what ever budget he is given based on some of the signings he has made this season.

Sums up my worries.

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

He took on a poisoned Challis at the time...we we're in a downward spiral that no one could stop... we'd tried sir Alan and he failed...all I'm saying is at the moment we are relatively stable, maybe this season MJ has learned not just how this league works but more importantly, how GTFC work.. I saw enough today to think we'll be okay next season ..as long as he f@cks Woolford off

You must have had a different view from where I was sat.

All I saw was a team that lost 2-1 to the poorest team in the league, could have been more.

Dreadful defending, a midfield that cannot create chances, not one player that can take a decent free kick or corner and no forwards that looks like they would get more than a couple of goals in a whole season and hoof ball tactics.

2-1 wasn't it?

I don’t understand the people saying he should be given 8-10 games next season. Why would we give him the whole budget to spend in the summer to bring his players in and then get rid after 10 games? Surely if we’re going to get rid it has to be now. Or we give him until at least jan.

There's no way he's going to be sacked. People need to get real. Let's just see who signs in the summer and go from there. It's alright talking about giving him 8-10 games next season, but every single manager would be under pressure if they had a bad run in that spell of games so  crack on I say...
Clear lessons from this season and a crying need for a better budget.

Please enlighten me where this new mesiah is coming from who can storm the league next season???

Mr Fenty admitted this seasons budget for players wasn't big enough......let's see if he is true to his word and backs Jolley a bit more in the summer.

People fantasising about ousting Jolley have lost the plot, frankly. Yes, our form in the last few months has been frustrating and worrying.

But we took a gamble on a relatively young, inexperienced manager. It's clear that he's doing a lot of his learning in this job and that he's still rough around the edges.

But in Jolley we have, firstly, a clearly intelligent guy. Clearly a decent guy. He's taken a strong interest in local affairs. He is keen to promote youth into the club in a way that no manager has done years. Has tried to introduce some stability into the team with longer contract terms.

This season we've had some fantastic games.. the way we played at Palace will be forever etched into my mind, for example. The most passionate game of football I've seen town play in years. So clearly he's able to motivate the players, and put together a competitive team.. I think he's been the circumstance however of some bad luck, and some bad decisions. But he has to be given time to learn and improve. I'm more than happy for him to have next season and, if by Christmas we're in trouble, then we need to re-evaluate. But for me, at this point, sacking him would be an unfathomable and short sighted decision.

We were pretty terrible today though.. apart from a good spell at the start and of course the goal towards the end, we looked clueless. And as I say, I won't dispute these kinds of performances are rather concerning.

Quoted from arryarryarry

You must have had a different view from where I was sat.

All I saw was a team that lost 2-1 to the poorest team in the league, could have been more.

Dreadful defending, a midfield that cannot create chances, not one player that can take a decent free kick or corner and no forwards that looks like they would get more than a couple of goals in a whole season and hoof ball tactics.

So, you didn't see Max Wright, Burrell, Grayson's curler go just over, Whitmore hardly putting a foot wrong, RHJ winning just about every header, Hess and Clifton battling,...
I know we weren't our best yesterday and Jolley got the contract extension of Cardwell completely wrong but there was enough to say that 2-3 players ie, striker, creative midfielder( in the Embleton mould) and, inmho, a keeper who can distribute the ball better or at the very least push Macca for the shirt...

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Jolley does seem to over complicate and think things but I reckon he’s like most managers in the bottom half of L2 knows what he has to do to improve things but is held back by the resources and players he has to work with.

I’m sure he’ll be the first to admit that this season has been a massive learning curve for him on and off the pitch one that at times he’s not dealt to well.

I wonder if he sees the Season being a disapointment though like I do? Since we reagined league status I have felt league 2 has been very poor barring the odd decent side and any half capable side could achieve the play offs . Our first Season we had a squeak of a chance despite numerous changes etc and Bignot decided it wasnt for him and boosh the wheels came off a bit. This league is very poor and I dont see anything coming up or down that will change it and sadly I dont see Town getting any nearer to the Play Offs at this time under MJ . These losing streaks worry me also I would think if you lose 3 straight games most Manager`s would change something to ensure they avoid defeat and this lack of experience we have put it down to has now gone. The blokes had a full season after performing a miracle last he talks a good game so lets see him deliver.

Quoted from promotion plaice

Mr Fenty admitted this seasons budget for players wasn't big enough......let's see if he is true to his word and backs Jolley a bit more in the summer.

Why do I visualize JF with his hand down the sofa rooting about for a 50p piece?

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

So, you didn't see Max Wright, Burrell, Grayson's curler go just over, Whitmore hardly putting a foot wrong, RHJ winning just about every header, Hess and Clifton battling,...
I know we weren't our best yesterday and Jolley got the contract extension of Cardwell completely wrong but there was enough to say that 2-3 players ie, striker, creative midfielder( in the Embleton mould) and, inmho, a keeper who can distribute the ball better or at the very least push Macca for the shirt...

Sounds great however our defence conceded 2 goals to a team so wretched it hasn`t got out the bottom two for Months and it took us over 90 mins to get a consolation goal.Not good enough.

When was the last time sacking a manager had a positive effect? MJ is doing better than his predecessor although the last few months doesn't feel like it.

Quoted from GrimRob

When was the last time sacking a manager had a positive effect? MJ is doing better than his predecessor although the last few months doesn't feel like it.

I still think he`s worth a shout personally but he needs to hit the ground running a bad start and the knives will be out Rob.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Sounds great however our defence conceded 2 goals to a team so wretched it hasn`t got out the bottom two for Months and it took us over 90 mins to get a consolation goal.Not good enough.

In all fairness their first goal was more luck than bad defending, it flicked off , I think Davis's leg, and fell to a striker who is far better than league 2.. the second was calamitous I'll give you that..but given we did miss Ohman in the centre of that defence who no doubt would have got his head on that....
Still maintain Jolley needs some guidance, he has the brains but seems to be somewhat unable to see his own mistakes...poor substitutions and a lack of a workable plan B...
I would say 75% of this squad are good league 2 players and 25% are conference level at best and if MJ can't get a tune out of them, then he has to admit to himself that for all his badges and ambition he just hasn't got what it takes to be a football league manager and maybe go back to coaching the young guns...
What I will not accept is that he never, ever admits to getting it wrong..even yesterday in his post match interview he laid the blame at the players feet...but who bought/signed them,set them up and sent them out on to the pitch?..yes, MJ... he's got it wrong more times than he's got it right and needs to hold his hands up and admit it...a good tradesman never blames his tools,...

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

In all fairness their first goal was more luck than bad defending, it flicked off , I think Davis's leg, and fell to a striker who is far better than league 2.. the second was calamitous I'll give you that..but given we did miss Ohman in the centre of that defence who no doubt would have got his head on that....
Still maintain Jolley needs some guidance, he has the brains but seems to be somewhat unable to see his own mistakes...poor substitutions and a lack of a workable plan B...
I would say 75% of this squad are good league 2 players and 25% are conference level at best and if MJ can't get a tune out of them, then he has to admit to himself that for all his badges and ambition he just hasn't got what it takes to be a football league manager and maybe go back to coaching the young guns...
What I will not accept is that he never, ever admits to getting it wrong..even yesterday in his post match interview he laid the blame at the players feet...but who bought/signed them,set them up and sent them out on to the pitch?..yes, MJ... he's got it wrong more times than he's got it right and needs to hold his hands up and admit it...a good tradesman never blames his tools,...

The last 3-4 games though have been free hits for Town they knew they had 1200 fans at yesterdays game we not be bold and adventurous. They had done the hard part keeping it to 0-0 after 20 mins and flattening the crowd we should have been at their throats and took them on in an end to end game.The football is boring and predictable and when you put the results on top of that it`s all very disheartening I watch for new signings hoping for a miracle.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

The last 3-4 games though have been free hits for Town they knew they had 1200 fans at yesterdays game we not be bold and adventurous. They had done the hard part keeping it to 0-0 after 20 mins and flattening the crowd we should have been at their throats and took them on in an end to end game.The football is boring and predictable and when you put the results on top of that it`s all very disheartening I watch for new signings hoping for a miracle.

Absolutely I agree with you and the fault has to lay at Jolleys door...if he doesn't change his approach, which I doubt he will, I honestly believe a more attacking minded manager could get thus squad firing.
All I am saying is the majority of our squad are not bad players, to me, they are just badly played..

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

Absolutely I agree with you and the fault has to lay at Jolleys door...if he doesn't change his approach, which I doubt he will, I honestly believe a more attacking minded manager could get thus squad firing.
All I am saying is the majority of our squad are not bad players, to me, they are just badly played..

I agree I think we have some good players and mostly young but they are not being played to their strengths at present.

Quoted from sam gy

Ah, here we go.....

“Give the youth a chance” they cry.

Fast forward a few games and it appears that, shock horror, the youth won’t set the world alright instantly.

“The youth aren’t good enough.”

I have never cried 'give youth a chance', in fact with the exception perhaps of Clifton I don't think any of our youth are ready or good enough.

As far as Rose is concerned posters on here constantly refer to his speed. Sadly if that's all he's got he isn't going to be our star striker or even our star strikers partner.

We've invested a lot in him, waited for his clearance but I'm afraid he just hasn't got it and is massively over-rated

As far as Clifton is concerned 'performs well in moderate company' could well be applied to his performances this year. Next season will hopefully tell.

Quoted from Rob_in_Grimsby

I do fear a bit what MJ will do next season with what ever budget he is given based on some of the signings he has made this season.

Which is a good reason (in Fenty's mind) not to give him a lot of money. Would you risk a larger budget on Jolley? If he blows it all and felicitations it up there won't be anything left for the new man in January

Quoted from Ipswin

I have never cried 'give youth a chance', in fact with the exception perhaps of Clifton I don't think any of our youth are ready or good enough.

As far as Rose is concerned posters on here constantly refer to his speed. Sadly if that's all he's got he isn't going to be our star striker or even our star strikers partner.

We've invested a lot in him, waited for his clearance but I'm afraid he just hasn't got it and is massively over-rated

As far as Clifton is concerned 'performs well in moderate company' could well be applied to his performances this year. Next season will hopefully tell.

Spot on for me Ipswin, i havent seen anything from Rose thus far, yes maybe we as fans expect too much too soon but he isnt 17 years old, he’s near enough 21, has to be showing more for me

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

In all fairness their first goal was more luck than bad defending, it flicked off , I think Davis's leg, and fell to a striker who is far better than league 2.. the second was calamitous I'll give you that..but given we did miss Ohman in the centre of that defence who no doubt would have got his head on that....
Still maintain Jolley needs some guidance, he has the brains but seems to be somewhat unable to see his own mistakes...poor substitutions and a lack of a workable plan B...
I would say 75% of this squad are good league 2 players and 25% are conference level at best and if MJ can't get a tune out of them, then he has to admit to himself that for all his badges and ambition he just hasn't got what it takes to be a football league manager and maybe go back to coaching the young guns...
What I will not accept is that he never, ever admits to getting it wrong..even yesterday in his post match interview he laid the blame at the players feet...but who bought/signed them,set them up and sent them out on to the pitch?..yes, MJ... he's got it wrong more times than he's got it right and needs to hold his hands up and admit it...a good tradesman never blames his tools,...

Contrast with Neil Warnock's open admission that he played it wrong yesterday and said he only had praise for his players. All we got from MJ was 'players not doing their jobs'. Do Limbrick and Moore get a say in the debrief? Was it necessary to say that the team next season will be very different to the one that finishes this one? Rather mealy mouthed about the Wright/ Boston saga too.

Quoted from Croxton

Contrast with Neil Warnock's open admission that he played it wrong yesterday and said he only had praise for his players. All we got from MJ was 'players not doing their jobs'. Do Limbrick and Moore get a say in the debrief? Was it necessary to say that the team next season will be very different to the one that finishes this one? Rather mealy mouthed about the Wright/ Boston saga too.

It is only a feeling, I have no proof, but I sense the manager has more than a few off-field issues on his mind.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

It is only a feeling, I have no proof, but I sense the manager has more than a few off-field issues on his mind.

Is that feeling based on anything? Are there rumours going around the Grimsby area that, being up on Wearside, I'm unaware of?

Quoted from ROKERITE

Is that feeling based on anything? Are there rumours going around the Grimsby area that, being up on Wearside, I'm unaware of?

No not really. I don't have contacts at the club. It is just his body language and the way his approach to interviews has changed over the past few weeks. There isn't the same openness and affability that we saw even under pressure last year.

Quoted from Ipswin

I have never cried 'give youth a chance', in fact with the exception perhaps of Clifton I don't think any of our youth are ready or good enough.

As far as Rose is concerned posters on here constantly refer to his speed. Sadly if that's all he's got he isn't going to be our star striker or even our star strikers partner.

We've invested a lot in him, waited for his clearance but I'm afraid he just hasn't got it and is massively over-rated

As far as Clifton is concerned 'performs well in moderate company' could well be applied to his performances this year. Next season will hopefully tell.

Worth noting that Harry Clifton has been playing with an injury for around 6 weeks.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

No not really. I don't have contacts at the club. It is just his body language and the way his approach to interviews has changed over the past few weeks. There isn't the same openness and affability that we saw even under pressure last year.

My understanding from my contact is that there were several players involved in the Thomas affair at least one backed up MJ.

I was also informed he is not very well liked by some of the admin staff.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Worth noting that Harry Clifton has been playing with an injury for around 6 weeks.

Also worth noting rose is playing through an injury, he was clearly in a bit of pain last Monday, grimacing and feeling his leg etc , hence why he hasn't opened up the taps more. Anyone that has watched him play pre injury will know that he is indeed very fast, you could put the fastest player in the world in this team but unless you play the right Football you won't reap the rewards. Lumping aerial balls up to rose isn't how he should be played!

Quoted from arryarryarry

My understanding from my contact is that there were several players involved in the Thomas affair at least one backed up MJ.

I was also informed he is not very well liked by some of the admin staff.

It's Cloughy at Leeds all over again  

Fraud maybe a bit harsh but I'm struggling to see the progression under his non existent attacking football.

Serious questions to be had but being a a manager under this board must be like having herpes.

Quoted from Rob_in_Grimsby

If budget guaranteed league position then County would be near the top so I dont get some of the comments, MJ has had a budget good enough to be competitive but you do have to question some of the signings and decisions this season,
Letting our two most creative wide players leave at Xmas, signing Welsh who reportedly was one of the highest wage earners and not playing him, extending Vernam and Cardwells contracts for another season when neither have shown anything near good enough this season to warrant being in a L2 side.
MJ is obsessed with playing a system that requires wing backs and pace and we lack both with this team, Today was a fine example of his lack of experience, Chopping and changing formation with no clear plan of how to break county down, How Woolford gets in the team in beyond me and playing Rose up front on his own then hoofing the ball over his head all the time just does not work.
Lastly do we ever practice corners or set pieces because for weeks we either hit them a foot off the floor or so deep they go straight out of play, County today looked worlds apart from us a set pieces which really does worry me.
One positive today was Max coming on near the end and showing why he was so highly thought of at Boston.

I do fear a bit what MJ will do next season with what ever budget he is given based on some of the signings he has made this season.

This is the bit that concerns me. He spent all pre-season trying to set us up for a formation that he didn't sign the right players to play. So either he doesn't fully recognise what's needed in the team for the formation to work or he's not pragmatic enough to play to the strengths of his squad. Both of these attributes are worrying.

I'm not calling for him to go as who else would come in? But he's got a lot to prove.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

It is only a feeling, I have no proof, but I sense the manager has more than a few off-field issues on his mind.

Could be on his final warning. May have been told that he had to improve on Bignot and Slade, so I presume he is a very worried man. Maybe already "laser lediga kolumner"in Sweden.

Quoted from 139847

Also worth noting rose is playing through an injury, he was clearly in a bit of pain last Monday, grimacing and feeling his leg etc , hence why he hasn't opened up the taps more. Anyone that has watched him play pre injury will know that he is indeed very fast, you could put the fastest player in the world in this team but unless you play the right Football you won't reap the rewards. Lumping aerial balls up to rose isn't how he should be played!

That's exactly what we were saying, playing a player who doesn't look fit on his own up front then just hoofing it up to him.

Pointless tactics.

What worries me is we have no identity
Neither a direct team (Lincoln) or a decent footballing team (Bury, MK)

Hence we fall between two stools all the time and poss why he tinkers with formations so much

Say what you like about Slade MK1 - and I wasn't a huge fans of the style - we had an identity, we were 442, long ball, play off Jones to Reddy etc etc

Lincoln - awful to watch but they are very good at what they do... direct, bullying style, with very good L2 players to do the job in both boxes

It's pragmatic and almost anti-football in terms of entertainment but it works and players know what they have to do

Lumping balls to Rose is pointless; we are always taking the pace out of the game by going backwards or sideways; 352 only works with fast and attack-minded full backs (Fox was the man for that).

You need the players but also they need to be set free in a system that works

Unless he solves that puzzle it will be more of the same next season I fear

I'm pretty sure MJ's game plan wasn't lump long balls to Rose yesterday. It has more to do with our players not being good enough as a unit to carry out instructions under pressure and due to lack of composure or confidence have to resort to long balls to get the ball clear. Game plans go out of the window if player for player your team is not able to win their individual battles. We've just got a squad short on quality with six or seven than can be part of a decent League Two team as long as the other four or five are of better standard than the ones we've got.

At the minute I'd assess that we've got the following starters for a team looking to make the play-offs..

Macca
Hendrie
Hess
Vernam
Ohman
One of Whitmore or Davis

Squad players

Clifton
One of Whitmore or Davis
RHJ
Rose
Cook
Russell
Whitehouse?
Wright (raw pace and direct running was very impressive yesterday)

Development / loan out for experience, assess after pre-season

Pollock
Buckley
Burrell
Curran
Battersby
McPherson

Probably/definitely not good enough

Cardwell
Ring
Collins
Woolford

One left footed centre half, defensive left sided player, attacking players on both sides, at least two centre mids, at least two strikers, that's eight at least needed and five of them need to be of a better standard than the best we've got already. Massive job for MJ to find them and probably nigh on impossible due to budget constraints unless one or two of the kids blossom over the summer..