Paul Hurst

He’s an interesting one, Paul Hurst. I always felt that his major frustration was that many of the fans’ perception of the club as being League One in size and stature was out of kilter with the budget he ultimately had in the Conference. He wasn’t judged in a fair context. We had a top 5 budget during our time down there, and we consistently finished top 5 - for me he did a good, if not brilliant job.

That said, I think he equally failed to acknowledge some of the things fans had had to witness and experience before his arrival. Years of failure and decline - those things naturally contribute towards an atmosphere of anxiety, anger and animosity. None of that was Hurst’s fault of course, I’m just not sure he ‘got’ what the club had been through and from time to time he would make naive comments that antagonised our support.

Still, I’m surprised that even with the benefit of hindsight, some posters (and generally pretty sensible ones at that) still feel that they felt it was time for him to go or they were glad to see the back of him. Going into his final game against Cheltenham we were 6th, which if I’m not mistaken would have been quite literally the highest we’d been in the division since 2006 (and still is). As we stand, is anyone willing to bet their house on hitting those heights next season?

Be careful what you wish for...

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

I'll take that wager, we'll finish above them, best them at BP and draw at Glumford Park..if PU gets them into the play offs I'll double my £25 from this year... how's that sound to you Forza?!

You're on! And I will double it if jolle Y gets us in the top 7. God, I hope i lose this bet!

Quoted from Ashby mariner

I will appluard him when he returns. He's the best manager we've had for many years. 4 years in a row in the top 5. Then we was in the playoffs when he left. I do however hope scunny struggle next year but I can't see it.

Just shows how expectations have fallen we were non league

Quoted from dapperz fun pub

Just shows how expectations have fallen we were non league

That's what I can't understand. A manager who had Grimsby Town in the top six of League One or top seven of League Two for four years in a row then credit to him, but not top five of the fifth division.

Quoted from ROKERITE

That's what I can't understand. A manager who had Grimsby Town in the top six of League One or top seven of League Two for four years in a row then credit to him, but not top five of the fifth division.

Exactly ... our budget was top 5 we finished on par every season , hardly remarkable in my book.

Quoted from thevera

Mother of God you're H aren't you?

i can categorically deny i have never been a member of Steps.

Quoted from Poojah

He’s an interesting one, Paul Hurst. I always felt that his major frustration was that many of the fans’ perception of the club as being League One in size and stature was out of kilter with the budget he ultimately had in the Conference. He wasn’t judged in a fair context. We had a top 5 budget during our time down there, and we consistently finished top 5 - for me he did a good, if not brilliant job.

That said, I think he equally failed to acknowledge some of the things fans had had to witness and experience before his arrival. Years of failure and decline - those things naturally contribute towards an atmosphere of anxiety, anger and animosity. None of that was Hurst’s fault of course, I’m just not sure he ‘got’ what the club had been through and from time to time he would make naive comments that antagonised our support.

Still, I’m surprised that even with the benefit of hindsight, some posters (and generally pretty sensible ones at that) still feel that they felt it was time for him to go or they were glad to see the back of him. Going into his final game against Cheltenham we were 6th, which if I’m not mistaken would have been quite literally the highest we’d been in the division since 2006 (and still is). As we stand, is anyone willing to bet their house on hitting those heights next season?

Be careful what you wish for...

That is all perfectly true. It is also true that Scunthorpe's manager(s) this season had a top ten budget despite Swann cutting back. Down they come. Budgets are not everything. Norwich are going up on a shoestring. Huddersfield come down on the same. It just doesn't work consistently. You need luck and you need some clever management of your squad in terms of teamwork and playing systems to keep overachieving. To me Hurst played the percentages far too much and was too easily satisfied with a point when two were more than possible. In fact he was doing what you say here, taking the club's position relative to its budget as success when success would have been exceeding expectations.

I also think he is easily frightened. He had Shrewsbury at the top of L1 for a while and in the automatic places for a while longer but seemed to get scared of continuing the play that got them there and went back to his old ways and lost games against the relegation fodder sides. The Shrews fans posted about this a few times as the season came to an end and then they lost in the playoffs. It surprised me that Ipswich took the gamble on him.

Now I think he has been found out as a "nearly manager" so he has to reinvent himself somewhere. It will be interesting to see where and if he carries on with the same conservative system. If he goes to Scunny he ought to get them back up according to the budget theory, but it won't be with free flowing footie and a Luton style charge at the top of the table. It will be the hard way, crawling through the playoffs.

I could never really make my mind up about Hurst first thinking yes he could do it then no he was not up to it.

It was his sly digs at the fans and constant bigging up of part time opposition  that finally turned me off him,

Yes he got us up but at most other clubs he would not have been given as long to do it.

He is a decent L1/L2 manager but if he wants to manage at a higher level he will have to take his club up there,  ( after Ipswich ) I only hope it is not with Scunthorpe

Hurst was unlucky at Wembley against Bristol Rovers.  The gods were not on our side.

Subjectively, I think that his reputation suffered because a) he could not deliver promotion earlier, b) he did not have a good rapport with the fans, c) his press conferences were uninspiring, and d) he was very cautious  - even against weaker opposition - and would accept a draw when 3 points were achievable. The fans wanted promotion back to the FL and some excitement.

All these factors combined over the years to give fans a poor view of Paul Hurst.  Their own frustrations (and mine) with being stuck in NL needed a scapegoat (or 2).  We had the view that we were better than where we were. Every manager has a limited lifespan.  Deserved or not.

What Hurst achieved at Shrewsbury (going from bottom to top in less than a season) was truly exceptional.  

Michael Jolley is more charismatic, articulate and outgoing than Paul Hurst.  This has helped to build up some credit with the fans.  However, results and performances must improve next season as these are the key indicators - not personality.

Quoted from Poojah

He’s an interesting one, Paul Hurst. I always felt that his major frustration was that many of the fans’ perception of the club as being League One in size and stature was out of kilter with the budget he ultimately had in the Conference. He wasn’t judged in a fair context. We had a top 5 budget during our time down there, and we consistently finished top 5 - for me he did a good, if not brilliant job.

That said, I think he equally failed to acknowledge some of the things fans had had to witness and experience before his arrival. Years of failure and decline - those things naturally contribute towards an atmosphere of anxiety, anger and animosity. None of that was Hurst’s fault of course, I’m just not sure he ‘got’ what the club had been through and from time to time he would make naive comments that antagonised our support.

Still, I’m surprised that even with the benefit of hindsight, some posters (and generally pretty sensible ones at that) still feel that they felt it was time for him to go or they were glad to see the back of him. Going into his final game against Cheltenham we were 6th, which if I’m not mistaken would have been quite literally the highest we’d been in the division since 2006 (and still is). As we stand, is anyone willing to bet their house on hitting those heights next season?

Be careful what you wish for...

I certainly don't think that many fans thought we were a League One club, I thought his main problem was his at times negative tactics and his failure to beat one man and his dog teams.