It has to happen now! Why are so many disillusioned that PH is the right man for the job??!!

I listened to yet another interview where he refers to the Club, the Fans and the Players as 'they' and how important it is to 'them' to win promotion. Never have I heard 'we'! Isn't that quite alarming that after 4 or 5 years he still can't say 'WE'?

He lacks desire, passion, personality, but more importantly, tactical awareness. Wingers on the bench, Nath on the left??!!

The Manages desire needs to match the fans and this great club. Because of him, the efforts of Operation Promotion have dwindled into an anti climax.

Please relocate to Yorkshire because Ronald McDonald could reach the playoffs with this squad!

On a right downer today after yesterdays match, i bloody hate losing. Hopefully we can turn it around but its dissapointing losing to your rivals

Ruins the weekend doesnt it. Could be down in the middle if the table again come 5pm 😩

Get a grip FFS!

I'm not saying I want him sacked or anything but if this is how he comes across on interviews he must be asked the question? It sounds silly to some but saying 'them' and not 'we' makes me feel annoyed.
In the same kind of scenario I joined a new football team and within a couple of weeks 'ypu' and 'they' turned into 'we'

I'm still p1ssed off this morning. The crowd were desperate for something to get behind last night but yet again, the dampest of damp squibs descended on BP. Cheltenham were a shambles 6 months ago and now they are better than us. I'm not Hursts biggest fan as you know but again i was willing to give him another chance. Again the same sh1te is happening and our home record is dire. The away record is not as good as previous seasons either. If FGR and Cheltenham are the best this division has to offer, then we should be doing better. Fresh ideas desperately needed IMO.

Quoted from Mrs Doyle

Get a grip FFS!

You get a grip. Hurst isn't good enough and it should be obvious by now. Teams that have been in this league for mere months are leaving us standing.

Quoted from ginnywings

I'm still p1ssed off this morning. The crowd were desperate for something to get behind last night but yet again, the dampest of damp squibs descended on BP. Cheltenham were a shambles 6 months ago and now they are better than us. I'm not Hursts biggest fan as you know but again i was willing to give him another chance. Again the same sh1te is happening and our home record is dire. The away record is not as good as previous seasons either. If FGR and Cheltenham are the best this division has to offer, then we should be doing better. Fresh ideas desperately needed IMO.

I agree. That was a great attendance last night, and the paying public deserve better. There are teams in L1 who won't get that attendance today. How ere they rewarded? - a non performance as so often happens. The thing that's annoying me most this morning is that Cheltenham are hardly a particularly good team. They were decent, but were able to outsmart us because we have no contingency or particular creativity to fall back on, and no alternative method other than hopeful lumping. Additionally, we couldn't even manage one decent set piece delivery - so often a decisive factor in these type of tight games. That's inexcusable in my opinion as we had plenty of corners and free kicks.

I'm afraid that I'm with Ginny...I really have had enough of Hurst. He's had time and backing and fans have been patient. The writing is on the wall. For me, this season had to be a title challenge. I really can't see how that will come to pass.

Quoted from 1542

It has to happen now! Why are so many disillusioned that PH is the right man for the job??!!

I listened to yet another interview where he refers to the Club, the Fans and the Players as 'they' and how important it is to 'them' to win promotion. Never have I heard 'we'! Isn't that quite alarming that after 4 or 5 years he still can't say 'WE'?

He lacks desire, passion, personality, but more importantly, tactical awareness. Wingers on the bench, Nath on the left??!!

The Manages desire needs to match the fans and this great club. Because of him, the efforts of Operation Promotion have dwindled into an anti climax.

Please relocate to Yorkshire because

Ronald McDonald could reach the playoffs with this squad![quote]

Being saying this for years it seems, if we got rid of hurst now it wouldn't do any harm at all to our promotion prospects (play offs) you could stick the cleethorpes town manager in charge  and I would bet large we would still be in the playoffs come the end of season.

It's about time the happy clappers that are quick to congratulate Mr Hurst on reaching the playoffs woke up, because this team is capable of winning the league but at present we are not even challanging for it!!! the league quality is at its lowest ever but we now have arguably the best squad since being down here, so let's get someone else in now who can get the best out of them we have nothing to lose.

Macca with AB mentoring him = Promotion and PASSION!

JF and co. will not do anything as they would need to pay up the rest of this years salary as PH is on a 1 year rolling deal.

Also who would he get in? They have not exactly got a great record in appointing quality managers.....They would just give it to Doigy or get Stuart Watkiss from overseas, absolutely no imagination.

I don't blame the players as in the first half last night at least they worked their socks off, faded a bit in the second but tried hard.

Last season my dad was stood at the bus stop with a former Town player (we all know him as he's around the club and is part of the tapestry & this site  but it's not fair to name him) and even he said PH was all right but does not have a plan B.  

We can't put together 3 wins on the bang, can't beat fellow promotion contenders and can't change during a game to get a result.........This has been the same since PH has been in charge. There are lots of good things e.g. everybody travels away, players not playing do their fitness in the warm up great engagement between fans and players but this was meant to be the "Operation Promotion Season" the clue is in the title.    

Apart from Arsenal tell me another team (or job) where a manager can get away without delivering what he must have been the key objective that has been set by his employer?

Come on JF show some balls, do it now!.

6 months rolling so there's half the cost gone straight away!

Quoted from Abdul19

6 months rolling so there's half the cost gone straight away!

Perfect....... maybe worth using the Operation Promotion money for that?

Does our season need saving, we are second favourites to win the league and only a couple of levels behind the favourite? We are also favourites to win the play-offs. If you think the bookies have got it wrong then put your money where your mouth is and bet on us not getting promoted.

Saying our season is over now is like saying Arsenal's season is in tatters.

I feel it needs saving .

Quoted from ginnywings

You get a grip. Hurst isn't good enough and it should be obvious by now. Teams that have been in this league for mere months are leaving us standing.

The season is 46 games, not 19. We have just lost for the first time in 13 games. That is not a crisis. It is a setback, no more, no less. If that makes me some sort of "happy clapper" or whatever term of abuse you or others wish to use, that's fine. I just don't believe in making knee-jerk reactions on the basis of one result, as that is clearly what you are doing no matter how much you try to protest otherwise.

Quoted from 1542

Macca with AB mentoring him = Promotion and PASSION!

Oh dear.

Quoted from GrimRob

Does our season need saving, we are second favourites to win the league and only a couple of levels behind the favourite? We are also favourites to win the play-offs. If you think the bookies have got it wrong then put your money where your mouth is and bet on us not getting promoted.

Saying our season is over now is like saying Arsenal's season is in tatters.

Rob why do you always come back at people with the bookies balderdash.

You say were second favourites for the title, so should we be sat second then?

I'm not a betting person and won't be betting on town failing, but come back with your own thoughts and not what the bookies think, if possible

Quoted from GrimRob

Does our season need saving, we are second favourites to win the league and only a couple of levels behind the favourite? We are also favourites to win the play-offs. If you think the bookies have got it wrong then put your money where your mouth is and bet on us not getting promoted.

Saying our season is over now is like saying Arsenal's season is in tatters.

You are very much a betting man Rob. Given your posts on here could you then tell us if you have had a large bet ( by your standards) on Town going up ?

No guarantees that any change would make us better. We have a top 5 team and a top 5 budget to match, what do people expect?

Got uSed to defeat over the years
It's the manner of the defeat last night that's the worry
We where so poor second half in what for me was simply a must win game
Come on Town!!

Quoted from EY Mariner

The season is 46 games, not 19. We have just lost for the first time in 13 games. That is not a crisis. It is a setback, no more, no less. If that makes me some sort of "happy clapper" or whatever term of abuse you or others wish to use, that's fine. I just don't believe in making knee-jerk reactions on the basis of one result, as that is clearly what you are doing no matter how much you try to protest otherwise.

Nonsense; on many fronts. It's been a consistently proffered idea that Paul Hurst does not have the requisite skills to make a side champions. This opinion has not been arrived at overnight; it has not been made as a "knee-jerk" reaction; it has been made many times, at length, by some - including the target of your post - for quite some time.

It is clearly not what he was doing, no matter what you believe otherwise.

Anyway, I'm personally not at all happy with him as our manager and this dis-satisfaction has been growing for a year or more now. Fans or others using below expectation results, consistently, as proof of why he should be trusted/wanted doesn't sit well and never will.

To me, Mr Hurst would probably make a 'nothing much to be grumbled at' manager of an average non-league side.

We aren't the size of, have the support of, have the facilities of, have the budget of - never mind any aspirations or expectations to be - an average non-league side.

Some people have made up their minds about Paul Hurst. Our results tend to back up these thoughts.

PPMariner saved me the bother of posting.

WHS

Quoted from psgmariner

PPMariner saved me the bother of posting.

WHS

Your right PSG. , No need for abuse , we've given him long enough to improve but we are stagnating .  Good defensive coach , not a manager to take us to the next level

I too am frustrated, but can you blame PH for Amond wasting a golden chance by kicking the ball at the keepers foot when he was practically laid down, and the ref bottling a pen decision?
I agree second half we were poor, I've nothing against the long ball at times, but not much point without a target man who can win a header!

Quoted from lee65

I too am frustrated, but can you[/b]blame PH for Amond wasting a golden chance by kicking the ball at the keepers foot when he was practically laid down, and the ref bottling a pen decision?[b]
I agree second half we were poor, I've nothing against the long ball at times, but not much point without a target man who can win a header!

No maybe you can't, but he didn't fill me with much confidence last night when he said he's not concerned with us not converting our chances.

Fair point, I'm concerned  :)

I just want to point out how extremely different things look, depending on what stats etc to lean on:

PRO - We went twelve games unbeaten, amazing run!

CON - We only won six of them, and one was in the FA Cup against Harrogate, mostly wins against poor sides.

PRO - We didn't lose to Tranmere or Forest Green, and we beat Gateshead - whom at that point were high up in the table.

CON - We didn't beat Tranmere or Forest Green either.

PRO - We should've been up by at least two goals and we got robbed of a penalty. We got the team right from the beginning, Cheltenham had to adjust.

CON - Cheltenham did adjust, and after this we were very poor. Did not seem to get going at all.

These are just some examples. I often tend to agree with Rob on here, even though he's response is usually bookie-related. Here's my thinking:

I honestly think Paul Hurst is a good manager who cares about the team and this town. Otherwise, I have extremely high doubts as how many solid signings would choose us. The team spirit he manages is for me very important, I think the chances of promotion is much higher which such an united group of players.

I respect and accept that people don't think he's got that little edge that can get us straight up as champions, nor the ability to change the outcome of a match from changing systems etc.

I do think however, that we still should be as united as ever. Of course we were poor for the last 45 last night, but before that we actually were pretty decent, and had some good build-ups, and - not to always be the one blaming the ref, but there's been many of these decisions that has gone the wrong so far this season. We should have had a clear penalty, and if so - I don't think we would've lost whatsoever, almost certain it'd at least be a draw, hopefully three points.

Sacking the manager now, that for me is just plain stupid. We're still in a pretty decent position, we should be at least in the top five, and there's no team that seems so much better than anyone else yet. The next period of games is critical, november needs to be an almost perfect month - and hopefully we'll get a cup run to be proud of too.

To sum it up... We're still in this together, I hope, and we've still got the best strikeforce in the league, and a very good defence too with a great Macca behind. Turning draws into wins would go a long way, and this just isn't entirely up to Hurst who I think gets too much criticism. If the strikers takes their early chances, we'll win most games. The first goal is just ridiculous important for us it seems. Here's to a perfect november, and that we'll be top of the league after beating Lincoln this Christmas. UTM.

Quoted from EY Mariner

The season is 46 games, not 19. We have just lost for the first time in 13 games. That is not a crisis. It is a setback, no more, no less. If that makes me some sort of "happy clapper" or whatever term of abuse you or others wish to use, that's fine. I just don't believe in making knee-jerk reactions on the basis of one result, as that is clearly what you are doing no matter how much you try to protest otherwise.

Of course you are right. I detest it when we lose, but it could easily have gone our way - especially if the penalty had been given. We were the better team for long periods of the first half but I was shocked how we couldn't raise our game when they scored.

There is a long way to go yet; I think we all agree there are no outstanding teams this year (including us sadly) and if we get to the play offs we could make it this time.

It always seems the end of the world when you lose an important match, but unless we start plummeting down the table we will have to regroup and get on with it.

Quoted from EY Mariner

The season is 46 games, not 19. We have just lost for the first time in 13 games. That is not a crisis. It is a setback, no more, no less. If that makes me some sort of "happy clapper" or whatever term of abuse you or others wish to use, that's fine. I just don't believe in making knee-jerk reactions on the basis of one result, as that is clearly what you are doing no matter how much you try to protest otherwise.

PPMariner said it as well as i could have but i'd just like to point out 2 things.

1. I don't abuse anyone on here.

2. I have been consistent in my opinion that Hurst isn't the right man for us going right back to when Scott was sacked. I said at the time, he should have gone too. Nothing has changed my mind since.

Bored of it all now tbh , the club the manager the excrement league.

Nowts gonna happen as much as i would like it too so lets all stay bored together  >:(

Im resigned to another 10 game unbeaten run with 6 draws and then come unstuck to a better team with a better manager.

Repeat repeat.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

Of course you are right. I detest it when we lose, but it could easily have gone our way - especially if the penalty had been given. We were the better team for long periods of the first half but I was shocked how we couldn't raise our game when they scored.

There is a long way to go yet; I think we all agree there are no outstanding teams this year (including us sadly) and if we get to the play offs we could make it this time.

It always seems the end of the world when you lose an important match, but unless we start plummeting down the table we will have to regroup and get on with it.

What other choice is there than to cry in your beer? Nothing will happen, the manager has JF's support and in any case there is nobody else apart from Doig as caretaker at least. We might think this manager is failing the team and the supporters, some of us are pretty certain of it,  but all we can do is stick out our lower lip and sulk.

Quoted from Civvy at last

You are very much a betting man Rob. Given your posts on here could you then tell us if you have had a large bet ( by your standards) on Town going up ?

I did I have £150 on us at the start of the season to win the league. After our poor start I was offered to cash most of it back at a small profit after about three games so it seemed to good an offer to turn down. Since then I have put relatively small bets on a few other sides, so I have positions on Chetlenham, Eastleigh and Tranmere, plus some of the pre-season bet on us left. I still think Cheltenham are probably the best bet out of the top four favourites, Eastleigh I think are a good outside bet. I don't fancy us at the odds quoted, but I am not a favourite backer by nature I tend to go for outsiders.

I do think though it's a good idea to step back and look at the betting odds for the title before becoming too despondent about the prospects for the season. The bookies look objectively at all 24 clubs and consider lots of different factors when they draw up their books. Supporters look at one team, see all the problems that any side has, and virtually ignore the other 23. Yes I know the price is also market driven but a lot of the serious money probably comes from indiviuals who have also looked objectively at the remainider of the season as a whole. Realistically there's probably a group of about six teams two of who will get promoted and we're one of them.

Quoted from GrimRob

I did I have £150 on us at the start of the season to win the league. After our poor start I was offered to cash most of it back at a small profit after about three games so it seemed to good an offer to turn down. Since then I have put relatively small bets on a few other sides, so I have positions on Chetlenham, Eastleigh and Tranmere, plus some of the pre-season bet on us left. I still think Cheltenham are probably the best bet out of the top four favourites, Eastleigh I think are a good outside bet. I don't fancy us at the odds quoted, but I am not a favourite backer by nature I tend to go for outsiders.

I do think though it's a good idea to step back and look at the betting odds for the title before becoming too despondent about the prospects for the season. The bookies look objectively at all 24 clubs and consider lots of different factors when they draw up their books. Supporters look at one team, see all the problems that any side has, and virtually ignore the other 23. Yes I know the price is also market driven but a lot of the serious money probably comes from indiviuals who have also looked objectively at the remainider of the season as a whole. Realistically there's probably a group of about six teams two of who will get promoted and we're one of them.

Whilst I think we differ quite often on things Grimsby Town - quite funny to read you've established positions on Cheltenham, Tranmere and Eastleigh just as I have jumped on the exact same three, at various points as the season has developed.

Whilst home versus Halifax isn't currently going as I might have envisaged - Eastleigh, fourth favourites pre-season, priced as low as 3/1 since season began, with a game in hand and seven points from top...were available at 23 (twenty three) to 1 yesterday on Betfair. Incredible value, I think/thought...

UTM

According to someone on the Cheltenham forum, he got them at 4/1 to win last night, so the bookies aint always right.

Anyway, i don't give a shoite what the bookies think. I think Hurst has never endeared himself to a good chunk of our fans and never will. That's what is important to me, not what some outsider who hasn't got the emotional attachment we have thinks of our chances.

Quoted from ginnywings

According to someone on the Cheltenham forum, he got them at 4/1 to win last night, so the bookies aint always right.

Anyway, i don't give a shoite what the bookies think. I think Hurst has never endeared himself to a good chunk of our fans and never will. That's what is important to me, not what some outsider who hasn't got the emotional attachment we have thinks of our chances.

Agree, wholeheartedly, as regards Hurst and Grimsby. Probably how I usually seem to be at odds with Rob, despite perhaps occasionally enjoying the same odds as Rob  ;)

Cheltenham were indeed 4/1 for a while on Betfair yesterday.

Quoted from GrimRob

Does our season need saving, we are second favourites to win the league and only a couple of levels behind the favourite? We are also favourites to win the play-offs. If you think the bookies have got it wrong then put your money where your mouth is and bet on us not getting promoted.

Saying our season is over now is like saying Arsenal's season is in tatters.

Sorry I don't want to sound offensive but that's complete "pony" if favourites always won bookies would give up taking bets. As of 5pm today we sit 9th 8 points behind the leaders who both after one attempt we have failed to beat.

Oh yes above us sit the likes of Dover, Bromley, Braintree amongst others. The only team above us who could be considered a "bigger club" is Wrexham and that's debatable.

So the evidence after 41% of the season having gone is that something needs saving if not just the sanity of the loyal supporters.  

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Sorry I don't want to sound offensive but that's complete "pony" if favourites always won bookies would give up taking bets. As of 5pm today we sit 9th 8 points behind the leaders who both after one attempt we have failed to beat.

Oh yes above us sit the likes of Dover, Bromley, Braintree amongst others. The only team above us who could be considered a "bigger club" is Wrexham and that's debatable.

So the evidence after 41% of the season having gone is that something needs saving if not just the sanity of the loyal supporters.  

The Pos column is not that important at this stage, it's the Pts one that is. It's developing into one of the most open divisions around at the moment. Loads of teams still in .with a shout. Hard to believe that some of our so-called supporters have written us off in what promises to be a really exciting season with lots of twists and turns.

Quoted from GrimRob

The Pos column is not that important at this stage, it's the Pts one that is. It's developing into one of the most open divisions around at the moment. Loads of teams still in .with a shout. Hard to believe that some of our so-called supporters have written us off in what promises to be a really exciting season with lots of twists and turns.

Are the sceptics not true fans then?

Quoted from GrimRob

The Pos column is not that important at this stage, it's the Pts one that is. It's developing into one of the most open divisions around at the moment. Loads of teams still in .with a shout. Hard to believe that some of our so-called supporters have written us off in what promises to be a really exciting season with lots of twists and turns.

Rob, I am not writing them off but 8 points behind the leaders with 40+% of the games gone does not look good, don't lose sight of the fact that there is only one automatic place, do you want another play off lottery?  

Admittedly like most seasons in this league I can see the likes of Bromley and Dover etc.. dropping off and I am sure we will be there or there about's but I don't think it's too much of an expectation to be if nothing else breathing down the necks of the top 2.  

Optimism is why we all turn up every week I get that but the reality is that in the last 3 seasons at least nothing has really changed you could have predicted last night at 6pm....... cameras, big gate, decent start, decision goes against us, faded and lost shape, opposition nick a goal that looked like it was coming for 10 mins before, subs put on too late, 5000ish go home disappointed.      

Before today, FGR had won 3 and lost 5 of their last 10 games, yet we are still 8 points behind them. When you smell blood, you have to kill. We invariably don't.

Optimism is why we all turn up every week I get that but the reality is that in the last 3 seasons at least nothing has really changed you could have predicted last night at 6pm....... cameras, big gate, decent start, decision goes against us, faded and lost shape, opposition nick a goal that looked like it was coming for 10 mins before, subs put on too late, 5000ish go home disappointed.      


Great comment, very succinct;

This is so true, it's like Groundhog Day, but it's not just a day, it seems to be lasting forever!

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Rob, I am not writing them off but 8 points behind the leaders with 40+% of the games gone does not look good, don't lose sight of the fact that there is only one automatic place, do you want another play off lottery?  

Admittedly like most seasons in this league I can see the likes of Bromley and Dover etc.. dropping off and I am sure we will be there or there about's but I don't think it's too much of an expectation to be if nothing else breathing down the necks of the top 2.  

Optimism is why we all turn up every week I get that but the reality is that in the last 3 seasons at least nothing has really changed you could have predicted last night at 6pm....... cameras, big gate, decent start, decision goes against us, faded and lost shape, opposition nick a goal that looked like it was coming for 10 mins before, subs put on too late, 5000ish go home disappointed.      

8 points is nothing at  this stage and reaching the play-offs is an acheivement for us in any season when there are teams with bigger budgets than us in the division which as ever is the case this season.

There's been plenty of cases when people go home happy, we've lost very few games at BP in 2015, I can't be bothered to work out how many, but it's not many.It's selective memory to say we always fail! We wouldn't be playing if front of record crowds at this level this season (and far higher than before PH came) if everyone wasn't more or less happy. I can't remember many spells when we have challenged at the right end of the table for so many consecutive years, we've picked up a whole new generation of supporters as a result of the relative success of the last few years..

We have lost 3 games. To suggest sacking the manager based on this is extremely harsh.

Quoted from GrimRob

8 points is nothing at  this stage and reaching the play-offs is an acheivement for us in any season when there are teams with bigger budgets than us in the division which as ever is the case this season.

There's been plenty of cases when people go home happy, we've lost very few games at BP in 2015, I can't be bothered to work out how many, but it's not many.It's selective memory to say we always fail! We wouldn't be playing if front of record crowds at this level this season (and far higher than before PH came) if everyone wasn't more or less happy. I can't remember many spells when we have challenged at the right end of the table for so many consecutive years, we've picked up a whole new generation of supporters as a result of the relative success of the last few years..

Post like this are why Fenty won't get rid of Hurst...... Acceptance is a dangerous precedent

Quoted from ackomariner

Post like this are why Fenty won't get rid of Hurst...... Acceptance is a dangerous precedent

But Rob will sleep at night....

Quoted from GrimRob

8 points is nothing at  this stage and reaching the play-offs is an acheivement for us in any season when there are teams with bigger budgets than us in the division which as ever is the case this season.

There's been plenty of cases when people go home happy, we've lost very few games at BP in 2015, I can't be bothered to work out how many, but it's not many.It's selective memory to say we always fail! We wouldn't be playing if front of record crowds at this level this season (and far higher than before PH came) if everyone wasn't more or less happy. I can't remember many spells when we have challenged at the right end of the table for so many consecutive years, we've picked up a whole new generation of supporters as a result of the relative success of the last few years..

Agree with that to an extent defiantly about the new generation of supporters, which is good to see. Oh and by the way I don't think I posted anything along the lines of "we always fail" but recent history tells us we miss the dual opportunity of beating promotion rival and advancing up to the top 2/3 positions at the same time. I think Cambridge away on a Tuesday night was the last time we achieved that double whammy.

"Record crowds at this level this season" o.k. and more season ticket sales than in the last few years again which illustrates what we are doing off the pitch which overall is more and better than ever before. The initiatives to engage fans young and old have been brilliant and possibly never been seen since the players used to train at local comprehensives (I went to Havelock and they did that a few times there)  and John Newman and Alec King used to visit Junior Schools to do Q&A's with kids which they did when I was a 12 year old at Edward St.

But and this is a "big but" we may not have the biggest budget but we have a good squad and a manager learning his trade what we need to get out of this league is a good squad and a manager who knows his trade..........PH is a really good guy with a great eye for a player but maybe he should follow the  example of Steve Croudson who went to a big club (ouch that hurts) to further his coaching career.  

Off the pitch as Orphan Boy sang "now is our time" on the pitch it feels like it's always next week/month/season..........what does that suggest?      

  

Quoted from barralad

But Rob will sleep at night....

Only if the bookies have him as second favourites  ;)

I really think to be champions you not just have to have a good team  you have to have a winning mentality,that is nothing short of a win is goon enough,sadly this is not present and to say we are only 8 points behind is not the attitude of champions. Perhaps there is too much acceptance of mediocrity,could be what Rob Scott was hinting at.

Quoted from ackomariner

Only if the bookies have him as second favourites  ;)

;D

The crass statement when people say we are 'on an unbeaten run' is the one that gets me. Draw 6 games and it's all rosy but winning 3 and losing 3 is 3 more points! Am not saying we should go gung-ho every game but, it seems at times (comments from Fridays fall out) that people are more often than not satisfied with a point.

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

The crass statement when people say we are 'on an unbeaten run' is the one that gets me. Draw 6 games and it's all rosy but winning 3 and losing 3 is 3 more points! Am not saying we should go gung-ho every game but, it seems at times (comments from Fridays fall out) that people are more often than not satisfied with a point.

Draws are a waste of time to title winning chances. 9 draws= 9 points.

3 wins, 6 defeats= 9 points also, yet 9 unbeaten is bandied about as a victory of sorts. It isn't.

See Neil Woods.

Quoted from ginnywings

Before today, FGR had won 3 and lost 5 of their last 10 games, yet we are still 8 points behind them. When you smell blood, you have to kill. We invariably don't.

This in bucket loads!

When we beat Crawley away in our first ever game in this illustrious division I remember that Evans was interview afterwards. He said that he wasn't worried. Grimsby were a big club. If his side beat all the teams they should beat they would be promoted. They did.

The context is exactly the same. Losing to Cheltenham would still have been a disappointment if we had all those lost points from all those draws in games we should have won. But losing to Cheltenham would not have felt so threatening to our promotion hopes as it does now.

Does anyone else feel this - the manager is too easily satisfied? We are heading for another play off lottery at best and I think that is the manager's aim. Of course he would love to win the title but for him the play offs is a realistic aim. For me it isn't. This squad could win the title if it performs consistently with the conviction we have seen in some parts of some games and if it beats the teams we ought to beat.

Let's face it, Cheltenham were a good workmanlike team but certainly not better than Town man for man. The same applies to all the "top" sides we have played. Nobody has looked class or had players that really stood out as better than the division. So when this inconsistency happens it is down to the manager to iron it out.

He will try. But my bet is we will see him do it with another loan striker and Bogle/Amold on the bench again. He will not try to get us going as a steamroller outfit, just as a workmanlike one that shades enough results to make 5th place and if we are lucky a bit higher. That is his realism at work.

But football isn't just about realism and budgets. If it was, would we see the likes of Dover up above us? Would Wimbledon ever have won the cup?  This club would never have been up there in the old Div 2 not so very long ago if realism was the only criterion. Of course it takes some determination and character to convince a team that it can beat anyone and there are risks.

Football is just as much about belief and teamwork and a team will reflect its manager's attitudes. That is what we are seeing out there on the park. Good football at times, pressing football as well for parts of games, but no real belief on the bench that taking the game to the opposition will take us where we want to be.

^ Thought provoking post Ron(thumbup)

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

When we beat Crawley away in our first ever game in this illustrious division I remember that Evans was interview afterwards. He said that he wasn't worried. Grimsby were a big club. If his side beat all the teams they should beat they would be promoted. They did.

The context is exactly the same. Losing to Cheltenham would still have been a disappointment if we had all those lost points from all those draws in games we should have won. But losing to Cheltenham would not have felt so threatening to our promotion hopes as it does now.

Does anyone else feel this - the manager is too easily satisfied? We are heading for another play off lottery at best and I think that is the manager's aim. Of course he would love to win the title but for him the play offs is a realistic aim. For me it isn't. This squad could win the title if it performs consistently with the conviction we have seen in some parts of some games and if it beats the teams we ought to beat.

Let's face it, Cheltenham were a good workmanlike team but certainly not better than Town man for man. The same applies to all the "top" sides we have played. Nobody has looked class or had players that really stood out as better than the division. So when this inconsistency happens it is down to the manager to iron it out.

He will try. But my bet is we will see him do it with another loan striker and Bogle/Amold on the bench again. He will not try to get us going as a steamroller outfit, just as a workmanlike one that shades enough results to make 5th place and if we are lucky a bit higher. That is his realism at work.

But football isn't just about realism and budgets. If it was, would we see the likes of Dover up above us? Would Wimbledon ever have won the cup?  This club would never have been up there in the old Div 2 not so very long ago if realism was the only criterion. Of course it takes some determination and character to convince a team that it can beat anyone and there are risks.

Football is just as much about belief and teamwork and a team will reflect its manager's attitudes. That is what we are seeing out there on the park. Good football at times, pressing football as well for parts of games, but no real belief on the bench that taking the game to the opposition will take us where we want to be.

Never before since we have been in this league as a manager had a squad with this (relative) quality, But we are predictable if you play the ball off the ground against us it destroys our tempo and any pattern of play  We only have a plan A, sit too deep and don't press the ball consistently. We have pace outside but all too often promising positions result in poor delivery to a lack of numbers in the box We are also poor at set pieces.

The manager insists on playing people out of position whilst a good player who can play in that role sits on the bench. Additionally we import loans and they are picked ahead of signed players??? Loans should be brought in as a last resort in my view. When we are up against it we don't change things until 70 mins if at all, only once can I remember PH changing personnel at half time.

All of which suggests that the manager is over complicating things which in turn could generate a lack of belief when we need it most.

Sums it up really well RRFC.

I always say we have an amazing fan base that deserves the football league... It's hard for me to still think that after seeing the entitled, arrogant views of people on here recently.

I don't understand that reaction at all. What's your position then mate? What do you think?

Quoted from WetFlannel

I always say we have an amazing fan base that deserves the football league... It's hard for me to still think that after seeing the entitled, arrogant views of people on here recently.

Just a shame we haven't got the manager to deliver it....

Quoted from GrimRob

I did I have £150 on us at the start of the season to win the league. After our poor start I was offered to cash most of it back at a small profit after about three games so it seemed to good an offer to turn down. Since then I have put relatively small bets on a few other sides, so I have positions on Chetlenham, Eastleigh and Tranmere, plus some of the pre-season bet on us left. I still think Cheltenham are probably the best bet out of the top four favourites, Eastleigh I think are a good outside bet. I don't fancy us at the odds quoted, but I am not a favourite backer by nature I tend to go for outsiders.

I do think though it's a good idea to step back and look at the betting odds for the title before becoming too despondent about the prospects for the season. The bookies look objectively at all 24 clubs and consider lots of different factors when they draw up their books. Supporters look at one team, see all the problems that any side has, and virtually ignore the other 23. Yes I know the price is also market driven but a lot of the serious money probably comes from indiviuals who have also looked objectively at the remainider of the season as a whole. Realistically there's probably a group of about six teams two of who will get promoted and we're one of them.

If I have understood the above, it tells me that you had confidence in Town to win the league before the season started.  After only three games you lost confidence in that bet (correctly it would seem) and cashed in.  You are now betting on other clubs, leaving only a small bet on Town to go up. Yet you still post on here that all is well and use the argument  that the bookies still rate us to back that up. However, after telling the doubters to 'put their money where their mouth is' you would appear to be doing the opposite.  I apologise if I have misunderstood your post, but that's how it appears to me ?? !!

Quoted from Civvy at last

If I have understood the above, it tells me that you had confidence in Town to win the league before the season started.  After only three games you lost confidence in that bet (correctly it would seem) and cashed in.  You are now betting on other clubs, leaving only a small bet on Town to go up. Yet you still post on here that all is well and use the argument  that the bookies still rate us to back that up. However, after telling the doubters to 'put their money where their mouth is' you would appear to be doing the opposite.  I apologise if I have misunderstood your post, but that's how it appears to me ?? !!

Have you go money on us too Civvy?

You're completely right of course Civvy.  :P

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Have you go money on us too Civvy?

Not sure what the question implies ?? But to answer it anyway.

Yes, fortunately it is to go up as opposed to winning the league. So there is still a chance.

I am very much a casual betting man so the bookies normally win I'm afraid.  I'm not savvy enough (or rich enough) to sort out laying it off by betting on other teams.  I don't blame anybody that does though.  But then I'm not on here saying that Town are still in a good position after cancelling a bet on them !!!  However, I've asked the question, Rob has been honest enough to answer it, I really should let it lie.

I agree with Civvy as well. :)

Quoted from Civvy at last

If I have understood the above, it tells me that you had confidence in Town to win the league before the season started.  After only three games you lost confidence in that bet (correctly it would seem) and cashed in.  You are now betting on other clubs, leaving only a small bet on Town to go up. Yet you still post on here that all is well and use the argument  that the bookies still rate us to back that up. However, after telling the doubters to 'put their money where their mouth is' you would appear to be doing the opposite.  I apologise if I have misunderstood your post, but that's how it appears to me ?? !!

No surprise here really as he bet on us to lose last year if my memory serves me correct  :X

Quoted from Civvy at last

If I have understood the above, it tells me that you had confidence in Town to win the league before the season started.  After only three games you lost confidence in that bet (correctly it would seem) and cashed in.  You are now betting on other clubs, leaving only a small bet on Town to go up. Yet you still post on here that all is well and use the argument  that the bookies still rate us to back that up. However, after telling the doubters to 'put their money where their mouth is' you would appear to be doing the opposite.  I apologise if I have misunderstood your post, but that's how it appears to me ?? !!

Yes you are quite right there is a contradiction but there are two principles at stake. Essentially I am making a point that the most likely league table after 46 games can be determined by looking at the bookies odds to win it not by the current table. That is in response to the point that the OP made that the season is almost over.

Like anyone else I don't always agree with the bookies odds and that is my second principle. That doen't mean to say I think the Town price is way too short, I think there is more value in the other clubs in the betting market. I think there are probably around six clubs in with a serious shout two of whom will go up, so we have a 1 in 3 chance of getting promoted by either route. We're in with a shout but right now Eastleigh are 25/1 and that looks a bargain to me compared to our price!

In the summer there is no doubt the Town price was very generous at the start of the pre-season so I put £150 on. After 3 poor results we were still shorter odds than when I backed us in the first place so it seemed crazy not to cash in. I have less than £50 in total on now on this market so don't have a very big position on anyone but I am sure I will be putting more bets on at some stage. I will certainly back us again if I think we're good value in the market. But if I really thought we had no chance like some seem to then I'd have a lot more money on the other clubs.

Hope that explains it!

PS after writing all that I just put another tenner on Eastleigh lol

Quoted from GrimRob

Yes you are quite right there is a contradiction but there are two principles at stake. Essentially I am making a point that the most likely league table after 46 games can be determined by looking at the bookies odds to win it not by the current table. That is in response to the point that the OP made that the season is almost over.

Like anyone else I don't always agree with the bookies odds and that is my second principle. That doen't mean to say I think the Town price is way too short, I think there is more value in the other clubs in the betting market. I think there are probably around six clubs in with a serious shout two of whom will go up, so we have a 1 in 3 chance of getting promoted by either route. We're in with a shout but right now Eastleigh are 25/1 and that looks a bargain to me compared to our price!

In the summer there is no doubt the Town price was very generous at the start of the pre-season so I put £150 on. After 3 poor results we were still shorter odds than when I backed us in the first place so it seemed crazy not to cash in. I have less than £50 in total on now on this market so don't have a very big position on anyone but I am sure I will be putting more bets on at some stage. I will certainly back us again if I think we're good value in the market. But if I really thought we had no chance like some seem to then I'd have a lot more money on the other clubs.

Hope that explains it!

PS after writing all that I just put another tenner on Eastleigh lol

All that explains is that you like to hedge your bets, just like Hurst does. Bookies odds mean fook all to me and many like me.

Quoted from EY Mariner

The season is 46 games, not 19. We have just lost for the first time in 13 games. That is not a crisis. It is a setback, no more, no less. If that makes me some sort of "happy clapper" or whatever term of abuse you or others wish to use, that's fine. I just don't believe in making knee-jerk reactions on the basis of one result, as that is clearly what you are doing no matter how much you try to protest otherwise.

I don't know your medical history but have you just come out of a 5 year coma?

I hate using it but apt here.

'Lol'

Mourinho has lost 6 league games this season. Paul Hurst has lost 6 games since 2nd January 2015!