Sees today as a positive because no one capitalised on our defeat and it's a tough game out of the way.

Fook me, no wonder we are always the bridesmaid. Boring twit.

Bridesmaid?? Are you serious? Really! We're not even invited to the evening do!

Anyone listen to Mark Robins on RH? Okay, they won, we lost but he was so upbeat, positive and full of enthusiasm. He had a bit of banter and even had me chuckling at one point. Hurst came on and all I heard was the same drone, I missed large parts of his interview as I couldn't focus on his drawl. I hope he isn't like that in the dressing room.

He could watch a dog do a excrement in the street and see it as a positive.

What's new?

Did anyone see or hear anything at all during the game from the touch line?
Any bold tactical or personnel changes to try and take control of the game ( or at least, try to create more)? Nope.

Got it wrong today Jolley is not the man to lead thev front line he is not strong enough against big defenders never won a thing in the air which was obvious not the right tactics against them. All that happened is  we fed their defenders with high punt and immediately put ourselves under pressure again pity Hurst never picked up on this until it was to late.
  

Quoted from jonnyboy82

He could watch a dog do a excrement in the street and see it as a positive.

Allow me;

"well ...although the dog did a massive sh!t it wasnt in us street so all in all i am happy with the dogs performance"   :P

Quoted from moosey_club

Allow me;

"well ...although the dog did a massive sh!t it wasnt in us street so all in all i am happy with the dogs performance"   :P

;D perfect summary.

I think hirst is wrong stating no one capitalised. Halifax certainly did and they are now a massive threat for our play off place again.

I feel sorry for the fan who only turns up when the gate is over 4,000.

He has not seen us win for years. :B

[quote=32]

Allow me;

"well ...although the dog did a massive sh!t it wasnt in us street so all in all i am happy with the dogs performance"   :


He did have the opportunity to bring on a dog warden well before the dog had shat, but decided to do that when the dog had finished sh1tting.  Thus leaving it far too late to actually change anything !!

Another sludge-like home performance. I'll not criticise him for the starting line up as it was pretty much nailed on given the injuries. I will though criticise for not making a sub earlier when it was glaringly obvious, I'll also criticise him for his failure to manage the one player today's game was crying out for. I'll criticise him too for not learning anything in all the years he's been here. There's an argument for getting rid now and giving a new man a chance to get things ready for next season with an chance in the roulette of the play-offs for this season. I've about had enough.

Quoted from Theimperialcoroner

Another sludge-like home performance. I'll not criticise him for the starting line up as it was pretty much nailed on given the injuries. I will though criticise for not making a sub earlier when it was glaringly obvious, I'll also criticise him for his failure to manage the one player today's game was crying out for. I'll Crocker him too for not learning anything in all the years he's been here. There's an argument for getting rid now and giving a new man a chance to get things ready for next season with an chance in the roulette of the play-offs for this season. I've about had enough.

I agree and just said as much in another thread.

Me too.

Listening to JTs interview with PH whilst driving home tonight left me annoyed and frustrated, especially as JT no longer seems willing to challenge PH about his tactics and just let's him ramble on moaning about all the bad luck, bad decisions etc. I just wanted him to ask PH why he left it to 80+ minutes before making any substitutions and trying to alter Town's pattern of play. LJ-L had won nothing all game in the air against the Rovers defence yet with his first opportunity Hamish managed to win a header and create a chance.

Quoted from Barrattstander

Listening to JTs interview with PH whilst driving home tonight left me annoyed and frustrated, especially as JT no longer seems willing to challenge PH about his tactics and just let's him ramble on moaning about all the bad luck, bad decisions etc. I just wanted him to ask PH why he left it to 80+ minutes before making any substitutions and trying to alter Town's pattern of play. LJ-L had won nothing all game in the air against the Rovers defence yet with his first opportunity Hamish managed to win a header and create a chance.

Whs......hamish did more in ten mins than LJL did all game and as for jt, he's as boring as hurst

JT daren't challenge anymore. Daren't ask awkward and obvious questions because Hurst and/or Fenty bleat and cry about it and accuse RH and/or supporters of negativity.

Quoted from Theimperialcoroner

Another sludge-like home performance. I'll not criticise him for the starting line up as it was pretty much nailed on given the injuries. I will though criticise for not making a sub earlier when it was glaringly obvious, I'll also criticise him for his failure to manage the one player today's game was crying out for. I'll Crocker him too for not learning anything in all the years he's been here. There's an argument for getting rid now and giving a new man a chance to get things ready for next season with an chance in the roulette of the play-offs for this season. I've about had enough.

There's an argument for getting rid now giving a new man a chance to kick behind and get us promoted.

Quoted from promotion plaice

There's an argument for getting rid now giving a new man a chance to kick behind and get us promoted.

Will never happen though as fenty has already stated, seems he's happy to be sat where we are atm.

I said a few weeks ago that were not playing well but somehow were in the playoffs....but fear we won't be in them at the end of the season, and still stick by that

Quoted from northbankmariner

I think hirst is wrong stating no one capitalised. Halifax certainly did and they are now a massive threat for our play off place again.

Yea Halifax quietly sneaking up, games in hand as well, , about a dozen of us going for 4th and 5th  :o

Don't agree with sacking Hurst now if I am honest, think we have to stick with him and back till the end of the season and hope he proves us doubters wrong, if he was to go needed to be before now in my opinion.

But seeing he said that really pissess me off.  For over a year we have been saying on here lets go and show we are the team to be afraid of, to be the positive team that makes others fear us.  Instead a home defeat to a rival club he can see as a bloody positive?  Credit to Rovers, they seem likely to be straight out of this place while we languish on for another few years, i cannot see that changing with Hurst in charge who thinks a home defeat can ever be a bloody positive.  Just for once Paul admit that we are not good enough!

The reality of Hurst is this is his character. If he is like this round the players no wonder we tend to look uninspired. I'm tired of watching football like we watched today and that man saying their were more positives than negatives. He even thought we controlled most of the game. Arnold has no first touch or vision. Mackreth can't beat a man, Clay was either not fit or not bothered. I could go on. Not for the first time we looked like PH sounds. And that's getting to where its not worth the £36 I paid for 2 tickets

With Palmer missing, there was a serious lack of hold up or splitting their two centre halves - they kept close to Lenny and just waited for Macreth and Arnold to run to each bye line then not finish off with centres properly.

Physical enough to do all of the crafty nudges just as balls arrived to put players off balance without giving away fouls.

We lost the midfield game of head tennis all day - they were after every second ball while we were content to hoof ball again. When will Brown be fit again?

Magnay must have been frustrated yet again, played his heart out, but the midfield seemed back to a weak set up, losing many balls in 2nd best challenges.

Bristol set out to frustrate us and succeeded, and had the best diver in their bearded forward - think his number was 10, looked to foul or be fouled at every opportunity and the ref lapped it all up. Their right winger gave Gregor a bit of a pasting as well.

I think of you look at it carefully there is something fundamentally conservative about the way he sets his teams out. Like we always throw the ball down the line, play a sideways pass or long ball rather than  switch of the play, aim near post on corners as to avoid getting counter attacked. I think he is a very goo manager in one situation. Away games to our rivals, you'll all say "we lost last week" but you can't blame him for Hannah missing a sitter and Toto and Diz playing them in twice. He is tactically clueless, no plan B. We fall behind nothing change. We go in front we don't press home our advantage, its nil nil in the 93rd minute at home to Nuneaton, we play sideways or long, no slick, incisive passing. If we do go up fair enough but if not je has to go. Also, Ross Hannah, what is the point. Scores but is offside (as always) and has now missed two sitters in a week. Get rid of him first

Quoted from SamTheMariner

I think of you look at it carefully there is something fundamentally conservative about the way he sets his teams out. Like we always throw the ball down the line, play a sideways pass or long ball rather than  switch of the play, aim near post on corners as to avoid getting counter attacked. I think he is a very goo manager in one situation. Away games to our rivals, you'll all say "we lost last week" but you can't blame him for Hannah missing a sitter and Toto and Diz playing them in twice. He is tactically clueless, no plan B. We fall behind nothing change. We go in front we don't press home our advantage, its nil nil in the 93rd minute at home to Nuneaton, we play sideways or long, no slick, incisive passing. If we do go up fair enough but if not je has to go. Also, Ross Hannah, what is the point. Scores but is offside (as always) and has now missed two sitters in a week. Get rid of him first

Bang on Sam. Hard to argue with any of your points.

The thing that frustrates me most is that Hurst can assemble a good team. He can get them playing attacking football.

There have been times when we've given teams a right stuffing (admittedly when Scott was part of the management team). We've put 7 past Stockport and Alfreton, 6 past Gateshead and 5 past the likes of Barrow and Alfreton (again, twice).

When Scott and Hurst managed Boston they recorded some massive wins. When they were appointed Town managers I was genuinely excited at the prospect of us at least going for it. If we conceded a few along the way, so be it.

At times Hurst looks like he could get the team playing fluid, attacking football. We conceded more chances than the 6-1 scoreline at Gateshead suggested, but we had a go. And then we really took it to Alfreton in the next game. We showed no mercy that day. Proper ruthless performance.

But as the season progresses it all gets just too cautious, too cagey. Attacking players are rotated, no partnerships are allowed to develop and it becomes a big mess. We scrape our way through the last dozen or so games and go into the play-offs with no form and no threat up front.

That can't be his plan, surely. I think he's so scared of losing that he can't let his flair players off the leash. He couldn't control Neilson when he demanded a disciplined performance. Instead of seeing him as an asset, he saw him as a liability.

The trouble we have now is that if he did want to grow a pair and really take a game to someone, we can't do it. John-Lewis isn't a flair player. Mackreth is one dimensional (although hard working). Not sure about Jolley yet. Arnold looks like he has some creativity in him, but he looks too scared to try anything half the time.

In some  ways I'm  glad I'm  ill and missed the game . Seeing as I had to listen to the match on the radio I can't  really pass comment , unlike the fans who did. What I do think though is if we don't get a result against Barnet and drop out of the play off spot serious decisions  must be made . If Hurst is still manager next season fans will be not renewing  season tickets . Two of my friend have already said this , I won't  be seeing them till later this week to get an honest match review , but going to watch us at home is now getting to be a chore.

[quote=3172]With Palmer missing, there was a serious lack of hold up or splitting their two centre halves - they kept close to Lenny and just waited for Macreth and Arnold to run to each bye line then not finish off with centres properly.

Physical enough to do all of the crafty nudges just as balls arrived to put players off balance without giving away fouls.

We lost the midfield game of head tennis all day - they were after every second ball while we were content to hoof ball again. When will Brown be fit again?

Magnay must have been frustrated yet again, played his heart out, but the midfield seemed back to a weak set up, losing many balls in 2nd best challenges.

Bristol set out to frustrate us and succeeded, and had the best diver in their bearded forward - think his number was 10, looked to foul or be fouled at every opportunity and the ref lapped it all up. Their right winger gave Gregor a bit of a pasting as well.rke
[/quotle]

Agree about Magnay our MOTM by a  country mile he made one last ditch block in the box that he had no right to get it had goal written all over it. His booking was deserved but you could see it was out of frustration by the lack of movement up front. The times he had the ball but nobody moved or made themselves available, so his only option was to try and hit Lewis who had a double man on every time it was so easy for them.

Same old same old.

4/5 games without defeat, not playing well but carry on regardless because we're picking up points.

Soon followed by key defeats and calls for Hurst to be sacked.

We'll get in the play offs but won't progress.  We're not good enough and are largely stifled by negative tactics.

Get rid now. Maybe new manager will fluke us through the play offs, Hurst certainly won't. Don't care who takes over, just someone remotely more dynamic than Hurst.  A tree perhaps.

Note to Hurst:

Jolly is not a holding up forward man like Palmer.  He is a player that needs the ball PLAYED IN FRONT OF HIM NOT TO FEET OR IN THE AIR How frustrating was it watching him getting beaten time and time again in the air it is clearly not is type of game. Play to his strengths FFS Get him out wider running at the derence and use someone bigger in height and bulk to win the ball up front. No wonder our defence was the busier it kept fecking coming back they had no rest. Everybody else could see this FFS.

Quoted from Mrs Doyle

Note to Hurst:

Jolly is not a holding up forward man like Palmer.  He is a player that needs the ball PLAYED IN FRONT OF HIM NOT TO FEET OR IN THE AIR How frustrating was it watching him getting beaten time and time again in the air it is clearly not is type of game. Play to his strengths FFS Get him out wider running at the derence and use someone bigger in height and bulk to win the ball up front. No wonder our defence was the busier it kept fecking coming back they had no rest. Everybody else could see this FFS.

You would think that if a manager was forced to play someone up front because of injuries, he would change the shape of the team to account for the lad not being 6ft 13in tall wouldn't you? But no, he slots the lad in as direct replacement for a giant and the team play in exactly the same way. Some will say this is down to the players on the field but I doubt it and even if it was, why does the manager take 80 minutes to do something about it? To be honest I think he had settled for 0-0 before the game.

The idea of getting rid of your manager at this point of the season remains bonkers. No more to say about that.

As I said in the other thread, I've got no angst about the result yesterday. They were simply better than us on the day and we just didn't play nearly well enough in attack against the strongest defence in the division. Of similar importance was that our midfield was much weaker than theirs. Clay didn't look properly fit to me and should have been replaced by McLaughlin a lot sooner. Unfortunately, the central midfield remains a problem for us as we just don't have enough strength or pace in there and we're often outfought in the middle of the park. Whoever is in charge next season really needs to sort this out as pretty much every one of the promoted teams I can think of had athletic and powerful midfielders who helped them run the game (York being the exception as they relied on pace and skill in the middle). If you're going to set up to play defensively as we do, we need a stronger midfield than we've got, simple as that.

Personally, I didn't think the two wingers were too bad today. Both worked hard and got some dangerous crosses in/won plenty of corners. The issue was more a lack of anything coming from the forwards.

Defensively, we were generally OK yesterday but were a little unlucky to concede that deflected goal. The problem remains that we're just not quite good enough throughout the squad - could have got a draw yesterday but didn't, could have scored the winner at FGR last week but didn't and instead conceded to lose. I doubt any new manager would make a huge difference with this squad of players.

We'll have to just continue to hope that we'll win ourselves a play-off spot then manage to put a few good performances together but this remains a hope more than an expectation.

Quote`s from Maringer

The idea of getting rid of your manager at this point of the season remains bonkers. No more to say about that.
We'll have to just continue to hope that we'll win ourselves a play-off spot then manage to put a few good performances together but this remains a hope more than an expectation.

My View
Hurst IMO is not what Grimsby supporters require in a manager, too dour,lacks invention tactical nouse and above all seemingly without passion,  to say that yesterdays debacle was a plus was just insulting, would I change it at this stage of the season,  because I don`t think we will progress to the league this season Yes

Quoted from Garth

Quote`s from Maringer

The idea of getting rid of your manager at this point of the season remains bonkers. No more to say about that.
We'll have to just continue to hope that we'll win ourselves a play-off spot then manage to put a few good performances together but this remains a hope more than an expectation.

My View
Hurst IMO is not what Grimsby supporters require in a manager, too dour,lacks invention tactical nouse and above all seemingly without passion,  to say that yesterdays debacle was a plus was just insulting, would I change it at this stage of the season,  because I don`t think we will progress to the league this season Yes

I have to agree with you about Hurst, but I do not think changing a manger will give us any chance of promotion this season, sticking with Hurst will at least give us a chance.  If we wanted to change manager this season it needed to be earlier.  That didn't happen so now our best chance of promotion IMO is sticking with Hurst.  That said quotes like we heard after yesterdays game are what convinces me that we will need to make the managerial change in the summer as I think the chance that Hurst will get us up is quite small when he thinks losing to a rival can ever be described as a positive because it is "a tough game out of the way"

The question is if a new manager did come in now and we missed out on the play-offs then what? I am not being critical in any way but it is a massive gamble at this stage of the season imo.

If we get into the play-offs, then fail again, then what? Keep Hurst another season, or bring someone else in who hasn't had chance to even see what players are worth keeping, and who to let go?

At least if you bring someone in now, they have a chance to weigh up the actual squad and still have chance of making the play-offs.  Preferably someone who knows how to get out this league, not the leagues below, as it's worked for many teams who have got promoted.

I said as soon as last season finished get Micky Mellon ASAP, kept Hurst and now Shrewsbury Town are at the top of League 2, he's done all his transfers on freebies as well, not like he did at Conference level before someone mentions that i.e. Vardy 100K etc, what a bargain that turned out to be...

Hurst seems to be able to bring in good players, he just doesn't utilize them to their full potential because his tactics are all negative.

I would love to know what the hell John Fenty actually thinks watching from the Upper Smiths, because if he's watching from the same stand as everyone else, surely he thinks what the majority of everyone else is thinking?

Thankfully I can't go for the rest of the season, because if I was one of the poor souls who shelved out £18 to see us lose and the man in charge of motivating the players saw it as a 'positive' I'd be absolutely enraged.

There's absolutely no excuse to treat the fans like such idiots with such a ridiculous comment. The sad thing is, some of the fans standing by the bloke all last week seem to have picked up the negative vibes he gives. People are constantly looking for positives in the fact we've lost 4 games in 6 now. It's nowhere near good enough, a new guy now could be a huge lift or a huge mistake. However you could argue that a huge mistake will only give the same result as if Hurst remained in charge. He's accustomed to failure at this club and he seems to think that, that's somehow acceptable. If we'd gone down in the play offs and got close the last 2 seasons id be willing to give him a chance, but we've been weak as urine both times and I've seen nothing to see that changing this year.

0% of him going mind.

He won't go - Fenty hasn't got the balls to change it now. Get the prayer mat out and hope we get lucky - see you all at Barnet!

If Hurst went then it'd only be Doig and Moore taking charge till the end of the season. We should make the playoffs, the team is good enough. Anything can happen then. Knowing us we'll probably win at Barnet next week and all will be rosy again.

Quoted from Nelly GTFC

If we get into the play-offs, then fail again, then what? Keep Hurst another season, or bring someone else in who hasn't had chance to even see what players are worth keeping, and who to let go?

At least if you bring someone in now, they have a chance to way up the actual squad and still have chance of making the play-offs.  Preferably someone who knows how to get out this league, not the leagues below, as it's worked for many teams who have got promoted.

I said as soon as last season finished get Micky Mellon ASAP, kept Hurst and now Shrewsbury Town are at the top of League 2, he's done all his transfers on freebies as well, not like he did at Conference level before someone mentions that i.e. Vardy 100K etc, what a bargain that turned out to be...

Hurst seems to be able to bring in good players, he just doesn't utilize them to their full potential because his tactics are all negative.

I would love to know what the hell John Fenty actually thinks watching from the Upper Smiths, because if he's watching from the same stand as everyone else, surely he thinks what the majority of everyone else is thinking?

He's also brought in some poor ones as well.

If you go back a year on here you'll see the exact same posts re Hurst.  Nothing improves, he doesn't learn, it's the same old same old - and it's not good enough.

People on here saying we shouldn't sack the manager at this stage of the season last year - and what good has standing by him done?  Absolutely nothing.  The same problems crop up time and time again - a lack of creativity in the team and no goalscorer.

We're pretty much in the same position as last year ie limp into the play offs and hope for a bit of luck.  In fact if anything we're now concerned that we'll even make the play offs.

We will not be promoted under Hurst, it's as simple as that.  He has to go.

Unfortunately he won't.  We'll probably end up saying the same things next year as Hurst is given another crack at it in the summer in the name of 'continuity'.  

Hurst will (& should IMO) remain in charge until the season is over. At present we have a chance of the play-offs and that could yet mean promotion, especially if we can recapture the performances against Barnet & Eastleigh.

If we dont go up then I think it will be time for a change. Not because we will have 'only' made the play offs but the fact that the home form has been so far short of the required standard in both style and results

Whoever said "A week is a long time in politics"  obviously had an eye on professional football as well. Not three weeks ago all the talk on here was about catching Barnet and winning the league. Now some of the same people are reverting to the "we have no hope" view.
It is patently untrue to say Hurst cannot motivate a team and you don't have to go very far back for the evidence. Somebody quoted along the lines of we've won without playing well?? From that one can only assume they weren't at the Barnet game or at Eastleigh (the best away performance since Cambridge last season).
I genuinely don't understand why people put so much stock on what the bloke says in a post match interview. Less than a month ago he was saying there were no plans to sign Jolley FFS.It's an obligation they have to fulfill. I don't listen to it and don't feel my life is in any way diminished by not doing so

Barnet have dropped 9 points in the last 6 games. They've had their bad stint, unless 3 teams absolutely collapse for the remainder of the season we've no chance of being top, we need to be looking over our shoulders.

Quoted from BIGChris

Hurst will (& should IMO) remain in charge until the season is over. At present we have a chance of the play-offs and that could yet mean promotion, especially if we can recapture the performances against Barnet & Eastleigh.

If we dont go up then I think it will be time for a change. Not because we will have 'only' made the play offs but the fact that the home form has been so far short of the required standard in both style and results

We do have a chance of a play off place Chris - if we can score some goals. But can anyone say where these goals will come from? I'm less worried about the style than the results. It doesn't bother me if we have only 35% possession in a game as long as we create and take chances with that possession. Of course it would be nice to have a sweet passing Buckley style as well but the name of this game is get out of this league.

Hurst won't be sacked unless there is no chance of a play off place, we all know that. It is too late now. By the time the wheels of the Fenty Appointment Revival Tour start turning again, the season will be over.. Several players will be on the move then in any case so as long as a new manager comes in quickly in the close season it will make no difference to his team building plans.

Quoted from Quagmire

If you go back a year on here you'll see the exact same posts re Hurst.  Nothing improves, he doesn't learn, it's the same old same old - and it's not good enough.

People on here saying we shouldn't sack the manager at this stage of the season last year - and what good has standing by him done?  Absolutely nothing.  The same problems crop up time and time again - a lack of creativity in the team and no goalscorer.

We're pretty much in the same position as last year ie limp into the play offs and hope for a bit of luck.  In fact if anything we're now concerned that we'll even make the play offs.

We will not be promoted under Hurst, it's as simple as that.  He has to go.

Unfortunately he won't.  We'll probably end up saying the same things next year as Hurst is given another crack at it in the summer in the name of 'continuity'.  

This entirely.

Quoted from barralad

Whoever said "A week is a long time in politics"  obviously had an eye on professional football as well. Not three weeks ago all the talk on here was about catching Barnet and winning the league. Now some of the same people are reverting to the "we have no hope" view.
It is patently untrue to say Hurst cannot motivate a team and you don't have to go very far back for the evidence. Somebody quoted along the lines of we've won without playing well?? From that one can only assume they weren't at the Barnet game or at Eastleigh (the best away performance since Cambridge last season).
I genuinely don't understand why people put so much stock on what the bloke says in a post match interview. Less than a month ago he was saying there were no plans to sign Jolley FFS.It's an obligation they have to fulfill. I don't listen to it and don't feel my life is in any way diminished by not doing so

Not by everyone it wasn't. We have been stuck around 4th/5th for about three seasons now and simply never look like moving to that next level. We may go up via the play offs but we may not. Three other teams will be just as keen to make sure we don't.

He starts talking about the play offs way too early for me and did the same last year. His comment yesterday was almost saying that it didn't matter that we were beaten by a team who were clearly going to finish above us because only Halifax of those behind us capiltalised.

As someone else pointed out, we were having this same conversation last year. The year before we were just happy to be involved in the end of season games for a change.

Sometimes you have to make bold decisions to achieve your aims and it seems those in charge of the club and the team are not prepared to do that.

Our previous claim of doing better against sides in the top has gone with defeats to FGR and Brizze Rovers. We can make the play off's and still get promoted but that will only be possible if the players treat every game as a cup final.  Hurst has yet to show he can motivate a team in the business end of the season.  So I am struggling to see that ever changing.

I believe that Big Chris has hit the nail on the head and failure to get us up this season will result in Hurst going at the end of season.

Quoted from barralad

Whoever said "A week is a long time in politics"  obviously had an eye on professional football as well. Not three weeks ago all the talk on here was about catching Barnet and winning the league. Now some of the same people are reverting to the "we have no hope" view.
It is patently untrue to say Hurst cannot motivate a team and you don't have to go very far back for the evidence. Somebody quoted along the lines of we've won without playing well?? From that one can only assume they weren't at the Barnet game or at Eastleigh (the best away performance since Cambridge last season).
I genuinely don't understand why people put so much stock on what the bloke says in a post match interview. Less than a month ago he was saying there were no plans to sign Jolley FFS.It's an obligation they have to fulfill. I don't listen to it and don't feel my life is in any way diminished by not doing so

Really?, I don't think so, many have been saying, me included, that despite the odd good performance and result we are nowhere near to winning the league and a play-off spot might be in doubt soon if we don't pick up and start to put a winning run together.

Defeat to Barnet and then at home on Tuesday to the bottom club might have JF looking for his PAYE tax document files.

My frustration is that Hurst has built a very good squad. It's a squad that most other managers in this league would be envious of.

Sadly, I also feel that another manager could get more out of this side.

BUT - if we lose in the play-offs, Hurst goes, and we get a new manager in, he probably won't build a team as good as this one.

And so we'll not even make the play-offs and become the new Wrexham (perennial play-off losers and then mid-table dross).

Hurst remains upbeat ( Grimsby Telegraph ).

http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/Boss-Hurst-remains-upbeat-Grimsby-Town-defeat/story-26029187-detail/story.html?

Quoted from Quagmire

If you go back a year on here you'll see the exact same posts re Hurst.  Nothing improves, he doesn't learn, it's the same old same old - and it's not good enough.

People on here saying we shouldn't sack the manager at this stage of the season last year - and what good has standing by him done?  Absolutely nothing.  The same problems crop up time and time again - a lack of creativity in the team and no goalscorer.

We're pretty much in the same position as last year ie limp into the play offs and hope for a bit of luck.  In fact if anything we're now concerned that we'll even make the play offs.

We will not be promoted under Hurst, it's as simple as that.  He has to go.

Unfortunately he won't.  We'll probably end up saying the same things next year as Hurst is given another crack at it in the summer in the name of 'continuity'.  

Thanks for writing that mate as it's exactly what I wanted to write but just couldnt be arsed. Hurst has drained any enthusiasm I had. I know I will get pilloried for this, but IF we make the playoffs I hope to God we don't fluke promotion (and it will be a fluke) as it would validate the man's utter delusions. Worse than that it would mean he would keep his job and I'd like to bet that we'd come straight back down with him at the helm.
Get rid now and let's have a good crack at the playoffs with what would be new found enthusiasm that is sadly needed desperately throughout our ailing club. We could do it with an inspirational Lawrie Mac kind of guy in charge!

So you don't want us to get promoted? Nice.  :-/

That's not what I said. I said I didn't want to get promoted with Hurst in charge.

Quoted from Badger57

That's not what I said. I said I didn't want to get promoted with Hurst in charge.

Has anyone seen FFS?

Quoted from Badger57

That's not what I said. I said I didn't want to get promoted with Hurst in charge.

I know what you are getting at, but no need to worry mate because between hurst and lewis as number one striker were going nowhere.....so hurst will be gone and hope he gets another job and takes lewis with him

Quoted from arryarryarry

Really?, I don't think so, many have been saying, me included, that despite the odd good performance and result we are nowhere near to winning the league and a play-off spot might be in doubt soon if we don't pick up and start to put a winning run together.

Defeat to Barnet and then at home on Tuesday to the bottom club might have JF looking for his PAYE tax document files.

And if we manage to beat Barnet and Telford the talk will revert to-"we can still do it"-until the next defeat and so it will go on.
For the record I didn't name you (or anyone else for that matter). You have been consistent throughout-but the evidence is there if you care to look back at the threads. It might be human nature but I'm sure I'm not the only one who finds such mood swings bizarre...

Quoted from Badger57

Thanks for writing that mate as it's exactly what I wanted to write but just couldnt be arsed. Hurst has drained any enthusiasm I had. I know I will get pilloried for this, but IF we make the playoffs I hope to God we don't fluke promotion (and it will be a fluke) as it would validate the man's utter delusions. Worse than that it would mean he would keep his job and I'd like to bet that we'd come straight back down with him at the helm.
Get rid now and let's have a good crack at the playoffs with what would be new found enthusiasm that is sadly needed desperately throughout our ailing club. We could do it with an inspirational Lawrie Mac kind of guy in charge!

I don't suppose there is much point in getting technical but if a manager gets a team promoted then surely his management style is validated-if that is the task that was set him?
The bit about betting we'd come straight back down is pure conjecture without any points to back it up. As for hoping we don't get promoted through the play offs with him in charge-not really the sort of comment I'd expect from someone who purports to be a Town fan...

Quoted from RichMariner

My frustration is that Hurst has built a very good squad. It's a squad that most other managers in this league would be envious of.

Sadly, I also feel that another manager could get more out of this side.

BUT - if we lose in the play-offs, Hurst goes, and we get a new manager in, he probably won't build a team as good as this one.

And so we'll not even make the play-offs and become the new Wrexham (perennial play-off losers and then mid-table dross).

Wrexham are slightly different to us in that their finances look much worse than ours resulting in them having to move better players on.
Whilst it is a somewhat dystopian view I must admit that my fear is that the more seasons we stay down here the likelihood that we will become completely stuck increases.

23rd February 2011 was the date Neil Woods was sacked with us in 9th position.
I quote the Grimsby Town statement issued at the time: "It is important the club makes a timely appointment to keep alive their play-off aspirations"

I wonder what the actual scenario will play out over the next two games... Makes you wonder.

Quoted from barralad

And if we manage to beat Barnet and Telford the talk will revert to-"we can still do it"-until the next defeat and so it will go on.
For the record I didn't name you (or anyone else for that matter). You have been consistent throughout-but the evidence is there if you care to look back at the threads. It might be human nature but I'm sure I'm not the only one who finds such mood swings bizarre...

Would it not be more apt to say that you find the the swings in performances bizarre.

Quoted from Nelly GTFC

23rd February 2011 was the date Neil Woods was sacked with us in 9th position.
I quote the Grimsby Town statement issued at the time: "It is important the club makes a timely appointment to keep alive their play-off aspirations"

I wonder what the actual scenario will play out over the next two games... Makes you wonder.

We've achieved a lot in those 4 years*. We've finished a whole five places above that two seasons running and may do so another time.

* Four years. Has it really been four years!

Quoted from KingstonMariner

We've achieved a lot in those 4 years*. We've finished a whole five places above that two seasons running and may do so another time.

* Four years. Has it really been four years!

Yeah, but if we give Hurst just a little more time, he will get it right.

Hilarious that some seem to be back onto the 'Lenny isn't good enough' shtick once again.

We're in fourth place in the table, he's 5th in the scoring charts. Pretty reasonable when you consider he's been leading the line with little support for much of the season. Didn't play well yesterday, but then he was pretty much up front on his own most of the time as Jolley was in such poor form. Could do with LJL getting back in the groove for scoring, however, especially as the other attackers aren't netting nearly enough and it could be very important for us for Jolley to find some confidence and form.

A bit worried that Palmer's problem is said to be a hamstring tweak - they can be very difficult to resolve quickly and, on current form, we need him available.

Its not about him personally its about P.H.'s one dimensional approach.We must me an opposing managers dream ,he only has to give one instruction,i.e double up on L.J.L. and hit them on the break.

But the thing is, we really aren't all that one-dimensional in our style of play. Now, I'm not talking here about having a selection of different formations we can choose to play effectively depending on the game (we have a few variations, all of which seem to be about as effective as any of the others).

We do certainly hit it long towards LJL a fair amount, but we do try and play it along the wings and through midfield as well. Unfortunately, I think our relatively weak central midfield and the often indifferent form of our wingers leads us to end up launching it towards Lennie too often.

One thing I thought I noticed yesterday was that Rovers seemed to stand off Toto when he had the ball at his feet - almost as if they knew there was a good chance he would just end up passing the ball straight to them!

Mr Hurst is embarking on a final poor run (having swapped certain personnel for similar replacements), which, if no Grimsby player can produce a goal, will be fatal to the club's alleged ambition of getting back in to the Football League. More own goals gratefully received!
PS - The League Table suggest Town can still be promoted.

Have we got a winger who can consistently run at players with ball and beat them.

Unfortunately not, at the moment. Luckily very few teams have such a player either. Can't remember the last time that any of our defenders got a real roasting by a winger though it stands to reason they will lose out on the odd challenge from time to time.

As for our bunch, Mackreth and Arnold each got some decent crosses in yesterday (including a couple of good ones on the byline from Mackreth) so they did a reasonable job at times. Not quite as much as we might have hoped, but there you go, that was just matching the general tone of the whole performance.

Everyone hopes for a winger who is going to skin the opposition defence week-in, week-out, but you don't seem to get many of them and I've not been overly impressed with most of the ones I've seen play us at BP this season.

Quoted from Maringer

Hilarious that some seem to be back onto the 'Lenny isn't good enough' shtick once again.

We're in fourth place in the table, he's 5th in the scoring charts. Pretty reasonable when you consider he's been leading the line with little support for much of the season. Didn't play well yesterday, but then he was pretty much up front on his own most of the time as Jolley was in such poor form. Could do with LJL getting back in the groove for scoring, however, especially as the other attackers aren't netting nearly enough and it could be very important for us for Jolley to find some confidence and form.

A bit worried that Palmer's problem is said to be a hamstring tweak - they can be very difficult to resolve quickly and, on current form, we need him available.

Johnny's back passage is looking safe again though isn't it?

Quoted from ginnywings

Yeah, but if we give Hurst just a little more time, he will get it right.

Indeed. Another 3 seasons and we'll be pushing second, which will be an excellent platform for the following season because by then England will have run out of millionaires prepared to back villages and small towns, so we should get promoted around 2019.

Quoted from Maringer

Hilarious that some seem to be back onto the 'Lenny isn't good enough' shtick once again.

We're in fourth place in the table, he's 5th in the scoring charts. Pretty reasonable when you consider he's been leading the line with little support for much of the season. Didn't play well yesterday, but then he was pretty much up front on his own most of the time as Jolley was in such poor form. Could do with LJL getting back in the groove for scoring, however, especially as the other attackers aren't netting nearly enough and it could be very important for us for Jolley to find some confidence and form.

A bit worried that Palmer's problem is said to be a hamstring tweak - they can be very difficult to resolve quickly and, on current form, we need him available.

I'm not back onto the " Lenny isn't good enough bus" again.........I've always stated that he's not good enough

Hurst won't drop him because he's backed him to the hilt over the last two years, and built this team around him. As I've stated loads of times before on here, as long as hurst keeps him as the number one striker were going nowhere

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Johnny's back passage is looking safe again though isn't it?

Did any of you really think my anus was in doubt ?

Quoted from ackomariner

I'm not back onto the " Lenny isn't good enough bus" again.........I've always stated that he's not good enough

Hurst won't drop him because he's backed him to the hilt over the last two years, and built this team around him. As I've stated loads of times before on here, as long as hurst keeps him as the number one striker were going nowhere

He's scored 13 goals so far this season, a total bettered by 4 players.

In comparison, Parkin (obviously a more capable player), has been on a great scoring run over the past month or two and is now up to 16 goals though he's also made half a dozen more appearances.

Don't forget that LJL is leading the line, often with little support. On Saturday, I'd say Blissett showed he was a good target man and certainly did a better job in this role than Lenny. On the other hand, he's only scored 9 goals this season from a similar number of appearances.

Our problem isn't LJL. It's the fact that all our other strikers combined have scored less goals than LJL alone!

whilst people calling for PH to go is valid IMO, i assume you all mean after this season ?

get a new guy in before end of the season won't help IMO.

but should we not go up, i agree, its time to let him go.

whilst he has continuously got us in the play-off picture which shows he is a good manager, he hasn't got us that step further which is automatic.

Quoted from Maringer

He's scored 13 goals so far this season, a total bettered by 4 players.

In comparison, Parkin (obviously a more capable player), has been on a great scoring run over the past month or two and is now up to 16 goals though he's also made half a dozen more appearances.

Don't forget that LJL is leading the line, often with little support. On Saturday, I'd say Blissett showed he was a good target man and certainly did a better job in this role than Lenny. On the other hand, he's only scored 9 goals this season from a similar number of appearances.

Our problem isn't LJL. It's the fact that all our other strikers combined have scored less goals than LJL alone!

I agree totally, LJL is an excellent worker but he is not a main goalscorer and never will be. I'm not convinced playing him with Palmer will work well either in the long run because Palmer is not a goal scrounger either. He might provide LJL with more space to run about but overall this pairing is unlikely to solve the goalscoring issue on its own. Jolley is a winger and needs the ball in front of him. As a supplementary goalscorer he could be handy but will he be here long enough to rediscover his old Newport form?

It all comes back to that failure to sign a proven goalscorer at the start of the season and/or a failure to get the best out of the one proven goalscorer he has - Hannah. It isn't simply that Hannah hasn't had enough games either.

People do have different views on Hannah but, given the right team set up, he is surely likely to be a 20 a season man. It always seemed very foolish management to me that Hurst, having failed to sign a striker, did not shape the side to get the best from his existing assets early in the season. Instead he wasted Hannah's time on the bench. But it is far too late for change now and to be honest, the way things are, I can't see how this side will ever score enough goals to get anywhere near promotion.

I'm not sure about Jolley, because the Newport fans were adamant that he is a striker, not a winger. He certainly 'looks' more like a winger to me, but it's a strange one as to how he should be played if he has done his best work up front. Regardless, we need him to find some form because he looked badly lacking in confidence to me at the weekend. Must be tough for some players to settle in quickly at a new team mid-way through the season, I suppose.

Unfortunately, I have come to the conclusion that Hannah is simply playing above his level. His initial purple patch during the loan spell was good, but he's never looked like recreating this form since then. He's a willing worker but lacks any real pace, strength or skill and he gets caught offside way, way too often. Of more worry is the number of decent chances he misses. That effort at the death on Saturday had to hit the target but it was loosely flipped well over the bar, his attempts to score the one-on-one against FGR which could have led to a win were just rubbish and I can think of several other similar chances he's missed this season. He missed two absolute sitters against Torquay in the home defeat this season, for example. Sorry, not good enough for me, even if you were to try and build a team around him. I expect he'll leave at the end of the season and find a club in the Conference North.

Quoted from Maringer

Our problem isn't LJL. It's the fact that all our other strikers combined have scored less goals than LJL alone!

No.  Our problem is the bloke stood with his arms folded on the side of the pitch.

Even minus the much spoken about Thomas and Neilson this squad is good enough, more than good enough, to go up.  The biggest hindrance is the tactics, or lack of them.

We've not progressed at all under Hurst in the last two years.  Any notion that he will take us up via the play-offs is completely deluded.  He has been constantly out thought by any remotely competent manager since he's been here.    His sole tactic of soaking up pressure and picking teams off with single goal wins is fine, but we've not got the players to do it.  At the back we're ok, over reliant on Magnay and Pearson a bit too much for my liking but otherwise we're far too inconsistent.  We're not quick enough on the break, we depend on goals from a guy who is prone to purple patches.  We don't have enough energy where it matters.  Just simply not suited to that tactic.  

From back to front it's clear, to me anyway, that we have a wealth of players who are desperate for the shackles to be taken off and actually have a proper go at teams.

Worst thing for me is not the defeats, the boring style of football, the fact we seem devoid of any excitement but that there's an ever creeping sense of apathy.  Saturday's performance was so sub-standard it should have been an embarrassment, there should have been at least some outrage at it - yet another chance to make up ground on the top sides wasted.  Instead it was a collective shrug of the shoulders.  

We're at the cross-roads Luton were at two years ago.  Stick with the status quo and be there or there abouts for the play-offs or be bold, accept that the last four years have been absolutely pointless and make a brave decision.

Worst case scenario, we make a change and it backfires and we finish 6th.    That's the worst we can hope for.   Stick as we are and we'll more than likely fall at the semi-final stage of the play-offs.....just as the last two seasons.

In the highly unlikely event, I'm talking bloody lottery winning chances of happening, we fluke our way through the play-offs and we go up - does anyone actually believe Hurst would be capable of doing anything in the league?
Poster earlier on this thread got slated for saying he didn't want to go up with Hurst in charge, I can't say I disagree with him.  Of course the priority is just to get out of this league, however I've no confidence he would do anything than lead us straight back down.  

Quoted from Maringer

I'm not sure about Jolley, because the Newport fans were adamant that he is a striker, not a winger. He certainly 'looks' more like a winger to me, but it's a strange one as to how he should be played if he has done his best work up front. Regardless, we need him to find some form because he looked badly lacking in confidence to me at the weekend. Must be tough for some players to settle in quickly at a new team mid-way through the season, I suppose.

Unfortunately, I have come to the conclusion that Hannah is simply playing above his level. His initial purple patch during the loan spell was good, but he's never looked like recreating this form since then. He's a willing worker but lacks any real pace, strength or skill and he gets caught offside way, way too often. Of more worry is the number of decent chances he misses. That effort at the death on Saturday had to hit the target but it was loosely flipped well over the bar, his attempts to score the one-on-one against FGR which could have led to a win were just rubbish and I can think of several other similar chances he's missed this season. He missed two absolute sitters against Torquay in the home defeat this season, for example. Sorry, not good enough for me, even if you were to try and build a team around him. I expect he'll leave at the end of the season and find a club in the Conference North.

You may well be right about both players but my point is that the side simply isn't set up to get the best out of what the manager has available. If Jolley is a striker then he certainly doesn't want to be playing with his back to goal or trying to out jump man mountain defenders. Again, maybe he needs a different set up and play in front three or something like that. He could prove to be another Stuart Brace if played in that role.

Hannah's finishing is a different issue I suppose. Strikes me he might be trying too hard to make the most of the minutes he's been allowed on the pitch and he knows the manager does not have much faith in him. Just guessing there.

(Edit: replying to DHM)

The main point where we differ is that I don't think the squad is particularly good and I don't think a new manager would be able to make much of a difference. It is probably marginally better than last season's squad and that was marginally better than the one the season before, but the general standard of the central midfielders just isn't good enough for a title-winning team and we have no depth in the forwards. For me, the idea that Hurst's managerial problems are down to a lack of tactical nouse ignores the fact that the problems lie within the abilities of the players themselves. When players don't put in a good enough performance to win a game, there's a pretty good chance that this is because they simply aren't good enough and not due to the way the team is set up.

Hurst's failure to sign enough strikers at the beginning of the season has cost us points and this is an error that I have continued to criticise. Just think where we might be had we signed somebody such as Palmer at the start of the season? Having a couple of strikers on 10+ goals would have made a big difference. Unfortunately, as feared, Pittman has been in and out due to his recurring injuries so he's only played in around half of our games this season. This means we've been basically left with just Hannah who isn't in any sort of decent form to try and back up LJL.

In midfield, Disley was dropped early in the season but after returning to the team has proven to be our most consistent central midfielder. Despite this, you wouldn't describe him as the most dynamic player you've ever seen, would you? Brown has been the biggest disappointment to me. Looked really sharp at the start of the season but has since been in and out with some injuries since then and hasn't really performed well for months that I can remember. Clay has put in the odd decent performance here and there but has also not looked right following various niggling injuries. Pell did OK for a couple of games on loan before dropping right off and, of course, McLaughlin has never been in favour so has only been a bit part player (amazed he didn't leave in the summer, to tell the truth). I reckon that the 33 year-old Disley is probably the quickest of our central midfielders and, in this division, that just isn't good enough.

To summarise, I think our strike force as a whole is weak and our central midfielders aren't good enough. One of the key points on Saturday (as so often) is that we lose the midfield battle. Our central midfielders don't have any real pace or strength between them and they aren't skilful enough to pass it around the opposition. This, and the lack of goals from the forwards, is why we are likely to fail to win promotion.

It's Hurst's team so he can be blamed for these weaknesses in the squad (though I don't know how likely it would be that a new manager would do much better with the budget available next season), but I just don't think a new manager would be able to make any real difference with the players available.

Very fair points and as always it's a matter of opinion.

Be it tactics, selections or individuals we're not going anywhere soon.   I'm that confident we won't go up regardless this season I'd rather make the decision now. Giving the new manager that extra bit of time to assess the players that are here allowing him to deem which are good enough for next year, as opposed to a bit of a stab in the dark come the summer (especially when so many will be out of contract).

Quoted from Maringer

(Edit: replying to DHM)

The main point where we differ is that I don't think the squad is particularly good and I don't think a new manager would be able to make much of a difference. It is probably marginally better than last season's squad and that was marginally better than the one the season before, but the general standard of the central midfielders just isn't good enough for a title-winning team and we have no depth in the forwards. For me, the idea that Hurst's managerial problems are down to a lack of tactical nouse ignores the fact that the problems lie within the abilities of the players themselves. When players don't put in a good enough performance to win a game, there's a pretty good chance that this is because they simply aren't good enough and not due to the way the team is set up.

Hurst's failure to sign enough strikers at the beginning of the season has cost us points and this is an error that I have continued to criticise. Just think where we might be had we signed somebody such as Palmer at the start of the season? Having a couple of strikers on 10+ goals would have made a big difference. Unfortunately, as feared, Pittman has been in and out due to his recurring injuries so he's only played in around half of our games this season. This means we've been basically left with just Hannah who isn't in any sort of decent form to try and back up LJL.

In midfield, Disley was dropped early in the season but after returning to the team has proven to be our most consistent central midfielder. Despite this, you wouldn't describe him as the most dynamic player you've ever seen, would you? Brown has been the biggest disappointment to me. Looked really sharp at the start of the season but has since been in and out with some injuries since then and hasn't really performed well for months that I can remember. Clay has put in the odd decent performance here and there but has also not looked right following various niggling injuries. Pell did OK for a couple of games on loan before dropping right off and, of course, McLaughlin has never been in favour so has only been a bit part player (amazed he didn't leave in the summer, to tell the truth). I reckon that the 33 year-old Disley is probably the quickest of our central midfielders and, in this division, that just isn't good enough.

To summarise, I think our strike force as a whole is weak and our central midfielders aren't good enough. One of the key points on Saturday (as so often) is that we lose the midfield battle. Our central midfielders don't have any real pace or strength between them and they aren't skilful enough to pass it around the opposition. This, and the lack of goals from the forwards, is why we are likely to fail to win promotion.

It's Hurst's team so he can be blamed for these weaknesses in the squad (though I don't know how likely it would be that a new manager would do much better with the budget available next season), but I just don't think a new manager would be able to make any real difference with the players available.

Wouldn't disagree at all. That has been the state of play all season and it won't change now. Given what we have though, the side could be tweaked to be a more effective unit. They are never going to outplay opponents but they could outfight them and they could have a formation and tactics that make the most of limited abilities. As things stand however, I don't have confidence that Hurst can make any of these happen.

When fit, I think we now have the forwards to play in a 4-3-3 - plenty of strength, pace and mobility between Palmer, LJL, Jolley and Pittman. The problem is that I'm not convinced the midfielders we have are up to the job!

Quoted from diehardmariner

No.  Our problem is the bloke stood with his arms folded on the side of the pitch.

Even minus the much spoken about Thomas and Neilson this squad is good enough, more than good enough, to go up.  The biggest hindrance is the tactics, or lack of them.

We've not progressed at all under Hurst in the last two years.  Any notion that he will take us up via the play-offs is completely deluded.  He has been constantly out thought by any remotely competent manager since he's been here.    His sole tactic of soaking up pressure and picking teams off with single goal wins is fine, but we've not got the players to do it.  At the back we're ok, over reliant on Magnay and Pearson a bit too much for my liking but otherwise we're far too inconsistent.  We're not quick enough on the break, we depend on goals from a guy who is prone to purple patches.  We don't have enough energy where it matters.  Just simply not suited to that tactic.  

From back to front it's clear, to me anyway, that we have a wealth of players who are desperate for the shackles to be taken off and actually have a proper go at teams.

Worst thing for me is not the defeats, the boring style of football, the fact we seem devoid of any excitement but that there's an ever creeping sense of apathy.  Saturday's performance was so sub-standard it should have been an embarrassment, there should have been at least some outrage at it - yet another chance to make up ground on the top sides wasted.  Instead it was a collective shrug of the shoulders.  

We're at the cross-roads Luton were at two years ago.  Stick with the status quo and be there or there abouts for the play-offs or be bold, accept that the last four years have been absolutely pointless and make a brave decision.

Worst case scenario, we make a change and it backfires and we finish 6th.    That's the worst we can hope for.   Stick as we are and we'll more than likely fall at the semi-final stage of the play-offs.....just as the last two seasons.

In the highly unlikely event, I'm talking bloody lottery winning chances of happening, we fluke our way through the play-offs and we go up - does anyone actually believe Hurst would be capable of doing anything in the league?
Poster earlier on this thread got slated for saying he didn't want to go up with Hurst in charge, I can't say I disagree with him.  Of course the priority is just to get out of this league, however I've no confidence he would do anything than lead us straight back down.  

Well said that man, basically my thoughts.

What concerns me if we do not get promoted this season is,

If Hurst stays or goes  how many new players will we see next season,

With most of the squad on one year contracts,

How many do we want to stay and how many will want to stay,

As I see it with or without Hurst we will see another season of players getting to know each other,

We have got to do it this season or we will be down here for a very long time.

Quoted from Maringer

He's scored 13 goals so far this season, a total bettered by 4 players.

In comparison, Parkin (obviously a more capable player), has been on a great scoring run over the past month or two and is now up to 16 goals though he's also made half a dozen more appearances.

Don't forget that LJL is leading the line, often with little support. On Saturday, I'd say Blissett showed he was a good target man and certainly did a better job in this role than Lenny. On the other hand, he's only scored 9 goals this season from a similar number of appearances.

Our problem isn't LJL. It's the fact that all our other strikers combined have scored less goals than LJL alone!

Been saying that for 2 months now though. This is the time of year that matters and he's stopped scoring.

When Hurst and Scott took over how long did they get to get us promoted?  I'm sure it was something like a three-year plan.

Back end of 10/11 - Total write-off, as crappy as it was throwing away all those 2 goal leads it wasn't their team so can't fault them for anything in that campaign.  
11/12 - Brought in a spine (McKeown, Pearson, Disley, Hearn) and we made massive improvements.  At this point I thought we were going somewhere even though we failed to make the play-offs at least we had hope for the future.  I think the majority accepted this was a building phase.
12/13 - More consistent, better additions made to the squad (2 years into a 3 plan to get to the Cup Final and Semi-Final of the Play-Offs isn't bad going).
13/14 - Absolutely no progress at all.

That's the 3-year plan gone.  The fact Hurst got this year after a season of no progress was a surprise, surely to god this season should have been excrement or bust!

Hurst and Scott moved us from a side lurking on the edge of the play-offs (but never having enough to make serious in-roads) into a side that was at best challenging for the title - at worst a play-off side.

Since Hurst has taken over solo we've become a side that's grateful to be losing at home to a promotion rival and taking a positive from it.   That for me is going backwards.  

Much was made of Hurst as the 'brains' of the two, especially when Scott was sacked.  I'm not sure that's actually the case.

I don't subscribe to the notion that we need a screaming lunatic on the sidelines but for the first time since he was dismissed, I was thinking we missed Scott on Saturday.    

Quoted from diehardmariner

When Hurst and Scott took over how long did they get to get us promoted?  I'm sure it was something like a three-year plan.

Back end of 10/11 - Total write-off, as crappy as it was throwing away all those 2 goal leads it wasn't their team so can't fault them for anything in that campaign.  
11/12 - Brought in a spine (McKeown, Pearson, Disley, Hearn) and we made massive improvements.  At this point I thought we were going somewhere even though we failed to make the play-offs at least we had hope for the future.  I think the majority accepted this was a building phase.
12/13 - More consistent, better additions made to the squad (2 years into a 3 plan to get to the Cup Final and Semi-Final of the Play-Offs isn't bad going).
13/14 - Absolutely no progress at all.

That's the 3-year plan gone.  The fact Hurst got this year after a season of no progress was a surprise, surely to god this season should have been excrement or bust!

Hurst and Scott moved us from a side lurking on the edge of the play-offs (but never having enough to make serious in-roads) into a side that was at best challenging for the title - at worst a play-off side.

Since Hurst has taken over solo we've become a side that's grateful to be losing at home to a promotion rival and taking a positive from it.   That for me is going backwards.  

Much was made of Hurst as the 'brains' of the two, especially when Scott was sacked.  I'm not sure that's actually the case.

I don't subscribe to the notion that we need a screaming lunatic on the sidelines but for the first time since he was dismissed, I was thinking we missed Scott on Saturday.    

That's the way i see it. No progress made and i think Hurst has taken us as far as he's likely to unless we have a great run of good fortune.

In 2012/13, we finished 4th and averaged 1.8 points per game. In 2013/14 we again finished 4th but averaged 1.7 points per game. We are still 4th and still averaging 1.7 points per game, in what is a weaker league IMO. Progress?

A lot of people think it's a big gamble to change managers at this point in a season with us looking fairly good for the play offs, but sometimes you have to be bold and have direction. Maybe it's that just a change of face and different approach is all that's needed. Sometimes a change for change sake is the answer as things can eventually get stale.

I remember the outrage when Madkins got sacked from Southampton after he had rescued them from near obscurity and rampaged back to the top, but their board knew he had taken them as far as he could and if they wanted to cement their place in the Prem, they needed better than the parochial Adkins. Where are they now?

If you look, there are plenty of examples of new managers getting more out of the same players in a relatively short space of time. Unfortunately those sorts of managers get thinner on the ground, the further you go down the leagues and the board would argue that to change now would be madness. Well, doing the same thing for 4 seasons and expecting a different outcome is madness too.

Quoted from ginnywings

That's the way i see it. No progress made and i think Hurst has taken us as far as he's likely to unless we have a great run of good fortune.

In 2012/13, we finished 4th and averaged 1.8 points per game. In 2013/14 we again finished 4th but averaged 1.7 points per game. We are still 4th and still averaging 1.7 points per game, in what is a weaker league IMO. Progress?

A lot of people think it's a big gamble to change managers at this point in a season with us looking fairly good for the play offs, but sometimes you have to be bold and have direction. Maybe it's that just a change of face and different approach is all that's needed. Sometimes a change for change sake is the answer as things can eventually get stale.

I remember the outrage when Madkins got sacked from Southampton after he had rescued them from near obscurity and rampaged back to the top, but their board knew he had taken them as far as he could and if they wanted to cement their place in the Prem, they needed better than the parochial Adkins. Where are they now?

If you look, there are plenty of examples of new managers getting more out of the same players in a relatively short space of time. Unfortunately those sorts of managers get thinner on the ground, the further you go down the leagues and the board would argue that to change now would be madness. Well, doing the same thing for 4 seasons and expecting a different outcome is madness too.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Albert Einstein

I keep saying that the home form (or lack of it) will ultimately be our (or PH's ) downfall

2011/12 23 home games 40 points 51 goals
2012/13 23 home games 44 points 42 goals
2013/14 23 home games 40 points 40 goals
2014/15 17 home games 27 points 27 goals

If the home form continues we will end up with 36 home points and 36 goals

The lack of points gathered and goals scored at Blundell Park has been getting progressively worse. Looking at these stats you wonder how crowds have held up so well.

Quoted from ginnywings

Been saying that for 2 months now though. This is the time of year that matters and he's stopped scoring.

He scored against Barnet. That was less than a month ago.

Anyway, regardless of that, it's a pity about Palmer's injury as the two looked to be forming a decent partnership. Could be important for Palmer to get back fit and then stay fit as soon as possible.

Quoted from ackomariner

I'm not back onto the " Lenny isn't good enough bus" again.........I've always stated that he's not good enough

Hurst won't drop him because he's backed him to the hilt over the last two years, and built this team around him. As I've stated loads of times before on here, as long as hurst keeps him as the number one striker were going nowhere

I said this after the Eastleigh game "after we lose to Bristol Rovers, all you "Lenny is Sh!te and Hurst Out" gang will be out again. You disappear and when we lose a couple of games they all come back.

Lenny adds an awful lot to the team, he's good in the air, brings others into play, holds the ball up and in October and November was the hottest striker in the league.

I agree that Hurst has no plan B, but if we get promoted, fair enough, I'd love to get promoted under Hurst but I just don't think we will.

And also are you one of the "Hannah is our saviour" because he isn't.

Whats Nigel Atkins doing at the moment ? 8)

Quoted from SamTheMariner

I said this after the Eastleigh game "after we lose to Bristol Rovers, all you "Lenny is Sh!te and Hurst Out" gang will be out again. You disappear and when we lose a couple of games they all come back.

Lenny adds an awful lot to the team, he's good in the air, brings others into play, holds the ball up and in October and November was the hottest striker in the league.

I agree that Hurst has no plan B, but if we get promoted, fair enough, I'd love to get promoted under Hurst but I just don't think we will.

And also are you one of the "Hannah is our saviour" because he isn't.

Hannah can't be a saviour if he isn't in the team.  ;)

The more I think about it the more I am starting to agree with earlier posters who think promotion this year under Hurst would not be any guarantee for future league status. If we did go up this year several players will go and others won't be good enough. We would need a whole new team in the close season and I don't think Hurst is anywhere near good enough at getting the best players available. Teams that go up and stay up tend to have a good nucleus of players and aim to do more than just survive in their new division. Think Buckley and think John Newman/George Kerr.

Quoted from Maringer

He scored against Barnet. That was less than a month ago.

Anyway, regardless of that, it's a pity about Palmer's injury as the two looked to be forming a decent partnership. Could be important for Palmer to get back fit and then stay fit as soon as possible.

A penalty, which is still a goal i know but could feasibly be taken by any competent footballer. If Hannah was a regular, LJL would have what? 9 or 10 goals without the pens.

I've no truck with LJL, he is good at this level at what he does but having no consistent partner is really biting us on the ar$e, especially when he is having a bit of a drought. Palmer's absence doesn't help either.  :-/

Quoted from BIGChris

I keep saying that the home form (or lack of it) will ultimately be our (or PH's ) downfall

2011/12 23 home games 40 points 51 goals
2012/13 23 home games 44 points 42 goals
2013/14 23 home games 40 points 40 goals
2014/15 17 home games 27 points 27 goals

If the home form continues we will end up with 36 home points and 36 goals

The lack of points gathered and goals scored at Blundell Park has been getting progressively worse. Looking at these stats you wonder how crowds have held up so well.

Yeah, this is one of the big problems. If we had the same points but most of them had been gained at home, i don't think there would be as much apathy around BP.

Quoted from ginnywings

A penalty, which is still a goal i know but could feasibly be taken by any competent footballer. If Hannah was a regular, LJL would have what? 9 or 10 goals without the pens.

Yeah just checked, 4 penalties scored, one missed I think, so 9 from open play.  Last goal from open play was 8 matches ago that we won 2-1 against Forest Green.

Quoted from ginnywings

A penalty, which is still a goal i know but could feasibly be taken by any competent footballer. If Hannah was a regular, LJL would have what? 9 or 10 goals without the pens.

I've no truck with LJL, he is good at this level at what he does but having no consistent partner is really biting us on the ar$e, especially when he is having a bit of a drought. Palmer's absence doesn't help either.  :-/

Hannah's not the regular taker anymore though after missing one earlier in the season is he?

Although a penalty counts as a goal the same as any other goal,

We all know if the said  player did not take penalties,

His goal count would be less than it is now,

It's goals in open play that really shows you if the player is prolific or not,

John Lewis is a decent player but not in the same league as Akinde,







OOPS , yes he is. :B

8 of Akinde's 24 goals are penalties.

Quoted from Abdul19

8 of Akinde's 24 goals are penalties.

Thought we were talking about Lennie, not someone else's striker.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Thought we were talking about Lennie, not someone else's striker.

Were we?

Penalties only count towards a striker's tally when you're trying to make (or more generally ignore) a point about something or other, I suppose.

Quoted from Maringer

Penalties only count towards a striker's tally when you're trying to make (or more generally ignore) a point about something or other, I suppose.

Quite. Akinde's a very good Conference striker, but not superhuman.

And seeing as penalties don't count, he's only scored 5 more goals than Tony Gray of Telford, who no-one's heard of   (get your house on him scoring next Tuesday now I've said that)

Quoted from Abdul19

Quite. Akinde's a very good Conference striker, but not superhuman.

And seeing as penalties don't count, he's only scored 5 more goals than Tony Gray of Telford, who no-one's heard of   (get your house on him scoring next Tuesday now I've said that)

A bit sad when the bottom club in the league has a player with more goals than our top scorer.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

A bit sad when the bottom club in the league has a player with more goals than our top scorer.

Yeah but yeah but yeah….……............….

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

A bit sad when the bottom club in the league has a player with more goals than our top scorer.

He's probably one of the 28, 29, 307, however many it is.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

A bit sad when the bottom club in the league has a player with more goals than our top scorer.

Yeah, but not as sad as when he has scored more goals than all our other strikers put together as well.

Anyway, I thought we were talking about the important goals i.e. the ones in the Conference? He hasn't scored more of them than than LJL, though sadly, he has still scored more than all our other strikers combined.

Quoted from SamTheMariner

I said this after the Eastleigh game "after we lose to Bristol Rovers, all you "Lenny is Sh!te and Hurst Out" gang will be out again. You disappear and when we lose a couple of games they all come back.

Lenny adds an awful lot to the team, he's good in the air, brings others into play, holds the ball up and in October and November was the hottest striker in the league.

I agree that Hurst has no plan B, but if we get promoted, fair enough, I'd love to get promoted under Hurst but I just don't think we will.

And also are you one of the "Hannah is our saviour" because he isn't.

Sam, take a bit of time and look through some older posts on here and you'll find that I've never rated lewis, never have and never will.

I've not disappeared when we won a few, I've always stated that hurst should've gone not the Christmas just gone but the Christmas before....take a look for a thread I started last season about if we don't get promotion hurst should go

To get back to PH , whether intentionally or not he has put the Board in a very tricky position. There are some on here who would have seen him sacked at Christmas but would that have been a sensible decision by the Board seeing as we were in a play-off position and games in hand of the leading team? It would take a very brave person ( at any club and at any level of football ) to have done this knowing the consequence of things not turning out. Even now while we are still in the play-offs then it would be a foolish decision. It would have been much easier if , before Christmas , we had been about 8th or 9th and on equal games as the teams around us. We might think that , based on the past two seasons, even if we get in the play-offs then we won't get promoted but anything could happen over those three games. If we don't get promoted then I honestly think that PH will be dismissed. The interesting thing is if we do get promoted , then what? Will PH be retained to lead us on in League 2 ?  

Quoted from grimsby pete

Whats Nigel Atkins doing at the moment ? 8)

Seriously, Nigel Adkins upbeat approach, at this point, is just what we need. Whether, with the 'just functional' players we have retained, that is enough - who knows for this season. Would love him to be our manager - his achievements considering his modest background are impressive.

Quoted from Teestogreen

Seriously, Nigel Adkins upbeat approach, at this point, is just what we need. Whether, with the 'just functional' players we have retained, that is enough - who knows for this season. Would love him to be our manager - his achievements considering his modest background are impressive.

Nigel Adkins was very good at " psyching " players up and making them believe in themselves. He always came across as very positive and this certainly rubbed off on his players.

Quoted from Teestogreen

Seriously, Nigel Adkins upbeat approach, at this point, is just what we need. Whether, with the 'just functional' players we have retained, that is enough - who knows for this season. Would love him to be our manager - his achievements considering his modest background are impressive.

If this happens we could be back to "we want Slade".  ;D

[url]http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/nigel-adkins-cardiff-city-sitting-8668519[/url]

Well, it would be great if our Chief Executive (whose name escapes me) could invite Nigel to our next home game, and not forgetting to let everyone know.

Then ' cum on feel the noize'.  

That's motivation - surely.

Adkins is manager at Barnsley

Well not quite yet, but he should probably be a championship manager on credentials. Still, the pure fantasy that he might, for a moment, like to be a conference manager was amusing wasn't it.  ::)

Russell Slade? For once, I'd love Paul Hurst to stay...

To be fair to PH, as useless as he is getting a team automatic promotion, he seems to be a playoff specialist.
What is it, 4 playoff positions in what 6years? And heading for another. 2 promotions. I've got a feeling he'll be here for another season if we make the playoffs.
If he gets the boot, I'd imagine he'd be more than capable of managing a championship side, providing theyre not expected to go up of course.

If Paul gets us promoted it would be tough to dismiss him. He would deserve a crack at league management.

Quoted from oldun

If Paul gets us promoted it would be tough to dismiss him. He would deserve a crack at league management.

Maybe. But to be honest I'd rather it was with somebody else.

Quoted from BIGChris

Adkins is manager at Barnsley

We know Adkins is manager of Barnsley Chris,

We were talking about Atkins  ;D

Joint 3rd favourite for Barnsley - Town still have a chance. If I was him, I'd relish an opportunity to get Town up a couple of divisions. This is what he does.

You do make me chuckle

Quoted from Teestogreen

Joint 3rd favourite for Barnsley - Town still have a chance. If I was him, I'd relish an opportunity to get Town up a couple of divisions. This is what he does.

This is a joke of course, yes?