Don’t forget!

Quoted from Grimsby2012

As apposed to having a manager relegate us?

Hurst has already done that

Quoted from Ipswin

Can't recall another manager beating Liverpool

Slade beat Spurs. Is he your mate too?

Quoted from Ipswin

Can't recall another manager beating Liverpool

Didn't get us promoted though did it Swin, which I believe is your requirement for Hurst's continued employment.- in fact we only just staved off relegation during that hopeless league season during which Lawrence was sacked.

If your choice wasn't Hurst, then I'd be keen to know who you'd have preferred - whether they were on the short list or not. You must have had someone in mind? And whoever that person was, can you honestly hand on heart be quite sure they would have engineered the incredible performances we've seen so far?

In a remarkably short space of time, a group of players has been assembled which is producing some of the best football we've witnessed in 20 years. The signings he's made, including those players on loan (who barely anyone had even heard of) have proved to be inspirational.

So let's go back to the original question - who would have done better than this?

There’s opinions - and there’s opinions. Would be a decent argument re PH not being right if not conveniently forgetting he left first time round as didn’t get the backing/improvements he wanted, could see the club was stagnating/going backwards and got frustrated. Then went on to prove himself at Shrewsbury, before it went sour at Ipswich, where..let’s be honest ..a fair few have. Maybe it came too soon? Spell out the game..did ok under the circumstances at Scunny, got sacked - maybe prematurely- and came back here, too a team/club that was up excrement creek. Yes- had time to keep us in league, didn’t- but it was a fair effort given what he inherited. Common knowledge he came back only because he knew the owner was going, and had spoken to the new ones.

Arguments about ‘who knows what manager we could have had’ because of no interviews can also be twisted to suit - in that it could be suggested they/he knew it was the right fit. He knew the club,area, players, non league etc etc - was open to the move even knowing we could well lose League status.

Once the season was completed, he’s ripped the squad apart, developed a new one, given opportunities to be proved wrong (Waterfall), been a major influence in improvements with regards to fitness/strength/conditioning/attitudes, developed a squad with the work ethic and unity his squad always has.

The start of the season has got a team playing with a positive approach, desire, commitment, and a willingness to get points in different ways. I think you’d agree the points/start has surpassed everyone’s expectations- and whilst acknowledging there’s 75% of season to go - based on the evidence thus far it is going to be a better season than most bargained for.

The stance of ‘going up - anything else is failure’ is fair enough - each to their own - but again, put in context where the club was on and off pitch a few months ago, I think most fans were realistic enough to accept a play off position, top half at worst - with room to kick on after.

It’s all too easy to put up a stance, then say ‘told you so’ - as has been seen before.

Why not, just acknowledge that PH and staff are doing a damned good job at present, and will continue too hopefully, whether we finish 1st, 5th, 10th or 15th..

The supporters are enjoying the club and football produced - in numbers - and as we all know they can be a hard lot to please at times. I think that in itself speaks volumes about the feeling towards the club, set up, manager and staff.

What will be - will be - but I don’t think PH has anything to prove to anyone else personally. I suspect the only one PH has to prove himself too is himself.

He’s a damned good manager, at the right club, at the right time. And partly responsible in the recovery of a club that was left in absolute shambolic state by the old regime.

UTM

I think it’s become clear that Hurst getting us promoted last time given the circumstances was actually quite some achievement, with proper backing and trust between himself and the boardroom he’s shown he can be even more effective. The limitations placed on him last time were no doubt extensive but we’re currently reaping the rewards of this. I just hope it continues indefinitely, we will have a crap run, we will get beat by someone crap at home, players will get injured and lose form. We’ll have to see how we cope when/if Towler and Hunt go back although I’d always back Hursty to find more than adequate replacements. It really does feel different this time, in 2010-16 we’d have taken 1 or 2 points from these last 2 games, we have 6 this time.

Quoted from arryarryarry

When PH joined hadn't the change of owner just about been completed as I am sure he mentioned he had spoken to the new owners?

Hurst & Doig returned on the 30th December 2020. The change of ownership took was completed on the 5th May 2021, some 5 months later.

Quoted from DB

Hurst & Doig returned on the 30th December 2020. The change of ownership took was completed on the 5th May 2021, some 5 months later.

It was very clear Hurst came back Becauee the deal was going through and the outgoing idiot had little to do with the appointment…I suspect it took that long to get over the line as the due diligence probably took longer than expected and Fenty was desperately clinging on, probably in the hope of more…instead creating a deal that still felicitations over the club he allegedly supports. He’s gone though and Hurst looks a different man, his time away has changed him for the better and with owners that give him autonomy and freedom I think we’re reaping the benefits of that.

The fact he gave us a chance of staying up is something, especially when you hear just how bad it was. The club was in a mess, a serious mess, that takes time to change.

If people’s honest belief was promotion is the minimum this year then that’s fine but in truth it’s unrealistic after the previous few years of decline and chaos…nobody predicted this start which is why people are enjoying it. As someone pointed out, even in the year we went up, I don’t think we’d have taken 6 points from those two away games…