Comes across as a beaten man no wonder the players have no confidence in him or his style of play.

Job done for him, big fat pay off and he can gracefully retire unless someone else is enough of a mug to believe he still has what it takes. His one demand up front on taking this job seems to have been the length of his contract, he was happy to work with whoever was here. Now we know why  :-/

Next time can we have a hungry, upcoming manager? Bignot was the right idea, just the wrong person.

If you think I'm going to listen to one more syllable of one word of one sentence from THAT man, then you're VERY much mistaken. Jog on Judas.

Quoted from GrimRob

Job done for him, big fat pay off and he can gracefully retire unless someone else is enough of a mug to believe he still has what it takes. His one demand up front on taking this job seems to have been the length of his contract, he was happy to work with whoever was here. Now we know why  :-/

Next time can we have a hungry, upcoming manager? Bignot was the right idea, just the wrong person.

Yep nice long contract... do enough to just bob along knowing if it goes wrong he gets a nice big big pay off and just sit back on some hot beach somewhere

It's over for him by the sounds of that, Monday's board meeting could be interesting.

Why can't he just be honest and say Jamey is not coming back and we're negotiating his exit.

It would be good to have someone in the mould of Kevin Nolan. Young, fresh and who will use their contacts to bring in some decent players that we otherwise wouldn’t have got.

Sounded terrible as I drove back to South Yorkshire but watching just now was cringing! Got to say, I am fed up with all manager and player interviews. Predictable and pointless. Ok for website fodder but awful radio.
Noticeable difference when Burnsy was answering Matt Dean's questions about City's requirements for the Jan window. Blunt and direct. JT a little too nice? Time to call it as it is RH.

Quoted from Marinerz93

Comes across as a beaten man no wonder the players have no confidence in him or his style of play.

Did you say, "style?" Shurrely some mistake?  :-/

Quoted from Badger57

Did you say, "style?" Shurrely some mistake?  :-/

No mistake, his style is hoof ball and don't call me Shurrely  ;)

Seems at a loss without his computer.

A behaviourist would have a field day watching that. Along with the interminably boring interview that Wilko gave, i have absolutely no faith in either of them.

It has been said that JF and Slade are mates. Well i learned from bitter experience not to employ your mates. I had to get rid when he turned out to be not fit for the job and it wasn't pretty. People warned me but i didn't listen.

Quoted from Nelly GTFC

Yeah, this is the route I would take again, someone who's doing great in the National League, hate him as much as you want for that horror tackle all those years ago, but Dave Challinor has had numerous promotions with AFC Fylde and they are near the top of the National League and he will know the best players out of the non-leagues.

Arent Fylde backed by a mega bucks chairman who is chucking major funds at them......and no way Jose would i accept Challinor here.

Quoted from Nelly GTFC

Seems kinda obvious now it wasn't a 6-month rolling contract like his predecessors, because Fenty would not give any details this time around compared to when Scott/Hurst / Hurst / Bignot was given their contracts.

I'd go down the Conference table and look at anyone under 40 who is doing well for the size of the club they are at. There can't be that many, then start from there!

I only wish someone had told him it was "PowerPoint" and not , "PowerPunt" Oh, and it was out of date by 2000 anyway! ;)

Like I said above, all interviews are pointless Wilko being especially dire. Points are all that matters.
STH rang in to RH as he drove 100 miles back to Derbyshire. Told it as it is, expressing his sadness at how the club treats loyal fans. Time for some proper journalism. No tweets. Just tell us what you think and what you know.
Fed up of feeling that some close to the club know what is behind this spiral of death but scared to tell us.

Quoted from ginnywings

A behaviourist would have a field day watching that. Along with the interminably boring interview that Wilko gave, i have absolutely no faith in either of them.

It has been said that JF and Slade are mates. Well i learned from bitter experience not to employ your mates. I had to get rid when he turned out to be not fit for the job and it wasn't pretty. People warned me but i didn't listen.

Yes but you weren't know that about your mate, he hadn't worked for you before so you took him on due to good intentions, not your fault it didn't work out, it's his!

In Fenty's case he is to blame regarding Sladeball.

Quoted from GrimRob

I'd go down the Conference table and look at anyone under 40 who is doing well for the size of the club they are at. There can't be that many, then start from there!

Luke Garrard has got part-time Boreham Wood, who average 711 at home, to just outside the play offs in the NL. They're equal on points with Tranmere and have a plus 10 goal difference. Doing significantly better in the NL than Bignot was at Solihull, at a smaller club and in less time as well.

Uncomfortable viewing. Could only stand half of it. Clearly a man who knows he's out of his depth.

Apart from his apparent failings, I wonder how much of this is down to the players?

Quoted from Nelly GTFC

Seems kinda obvious now it wasn't a 6-month rolling contract like his predecessors, because Fenty would not give any details this time around compared to when Scott/Hurst / Hurst / Bignot was given their contracts.

Yep. I think Pete is owed a few apologies.

Quoted from Nelly GTFC

Yeah, this is the route I would take again, someone who's doing great in the National League, hate him as much as you want for that horror tackle all those years ago, but Dave Challinor has had numerous promotions with AFC Fylde and they are near the top of the National League and he will know the best players out of the non-leagues.

There is no way he would come here.

I've actually thought that Slade has sounded extremely lacking in confidence quite often during this spell with us. During his first tenure, he seemed very confident regardless of the situation but not at all this time. Before we won those three wins in a row, I thought he seemed nervous, then confident for a while after those, but now he sounds very uncertain once again.

I wonder how much of this is him realising that his statistical approach isn't working with this bunch of players? Yet another game where we've been outpaced, outmuscled and outplayed by a very average team indeed.

I can't remember the last time that we consistently beat a team in the air or ran past them. In fact, I can't remember the last time we had parity in these areas with the opposition.

It takes some effort to sign a squad almost completely lacking in threat because they are too slow, old and weak.

Quoted from Maringer

I've actually thought that Slade has sounded extremely lacking in confidence quite often during this spell with us. During his first tenure, he seemed very confident regardless of the situation but not at all this time. Before we won those three wins in a row, I thought he seemed nervous, then confident for a while after those, but now he sounds very uncertain once again.

I wonder how much of this is him realising that his statistical approach isn't working with this bunch of players? Yet another game where we've been outpaced, outmuscled and outplayed by a very average team indeed.

I can't remember the last time that we consistently beat a team in the air or ran past them. In fact, I can't remember the last time we had parity in these areas with the opposition.

It takes some effort to sign a squad almost completely lacking in threat because they are too slow, old and weak.

Which suggests he's made a right balls up of his statistical approach. I thought it was all-out heat maps and kilometres run.

Quoted from Maringer

I've actually thought that Slade has sounded extremely lacking in confidence quite often during this spell with us. During his first tenure, he seemed very confident regardless of the situation but not at all this time. Before we won those three wins in a row, I thought he seemed nervous, then confident for a while after those, but now he sounds very uncertain once again.

I wonder how much of this is him realising that his statistical approach isn't working with this bunch of players? Yet another game where we've been outpaced, outmuscled and outplayed by a very average team indeed.

I can't remember the last time that we consistently beat a team in the air or ran past them. In fact, I can't remember the last time we had parity in these areas with the opposition.

It takes some effort to sign a squad almost completely lacking in threat because they are too slow, old and weak.

The difference is that every player in his first spell was far superior to those now . They’d pi.ss all over this team . His signings in the summer were absolutely pathetic. The writing was on the wall . Good job we’ve racked up a few points in the first half of the season because it means we only need 15 more to reach safety .
I say only without real confidence btw .

On days like this I find it genuinely remarkable that we’ve actually managed to win 9 games of football this season.

I wouldn’t give Slade a budget for January signings. He sugned Cardwell. He signed Hooper. He signed Matt. He can’t get the best from Jones and Vernon’s confidence is shot.

Even a half decent manager could work with those five to get us scoring, if not winning.

The fact that he can’t speaks volumes, so what’s the point in letting Slade spunk more cash on misfiring strikers?

Other than Summerfield, every other player that he inherited has got worse during his time in charge. I don’t trust Slade to take us forward, I don’t like his tactics, his approach, his style of football... there really isn’t much left to say.

Other than he should never have been reappointed, but what can you do when your majority shareholder makes a rushed decision.

Quoted from GrimRob

I'd go down the Conference table and look at anyone under 40 who is doing well for the size of the club they are at. There can't be that many, then start from there!

And that’s how we got Bignot

Quoted from bawarmy

And that’s how we got Bignot

I was talking to an ex Town player who was at that time involved with a club in the NL shortly after Bignot was appointed and when I mentioned his appointment he shook his head and without saying too much clearly wasn't impressed and suggested his success at Solihull wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

This is where due diligence should come in, the board should try to speak to as many contacts in the game as possible when deciding on an appointment and listen to what people have to say.

Slade must also be the scruffiest manager to represent GTFC, unshaven,same attire,reminds me of Onslow from Mrs,Bucket , doesn't give a great example of us.

He looked and sounded a beaten man,, and does not know how to sort it,, so bye bye  mr Slade

I didn’t even listen just go Slade just go and take Wilkinson with you

As many have said, he looked a beaten man. He seemed down, at least that shows he cares. I like Russ, think he’s as honest as he can be in the role, I don’t hold his departure a decade against against him. We don’t know what went on. I found the comment about switching to a diamond in the second half curious, that may have been his intention, but the players certainly didn’t implement it. We got some joy when we got the ball out wide and ran at them. Definitely not a diamond.

Anyway, to sum it up, the end is nigh, I think he knows it as well. The board must act. If only the board would follow him.

Quoted from arryarryarry

I was talking to an ex Town player who was at that time involved with a club in the NL shortly after Bignot was appointed and when I mentioned his appointment he shook his head and without saying too much clearly wasn't impressed and suggested his success at Solihull wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

This is where due diligence should come in, the board should try to speak to as many contacts in the game as possible when deciding on an appointment and listen to what people have to say.

I've pointed this out on here before only to get told I was wrong. He did nothing in his first four seasons (finishing 19th, 9th, 8th then 12th) so the theory that he was building something here for this current season was a stretch. Some claimed that he'd done the same thing at Solihull, i.e gone in and tried different formations and players out of position before completing a huge turnaround to get them promoted which would only hold true if he'd been messing around for four seasons.  

The season he got them up he basically signed an entire squad from both Kidderminster and Nuneaton who were both local and had financial issues meaning they had to release all their best players. It wasn't some long term masterplan that had finally come to glorious fruition. It was right time and right place. Which is not how I'd want any manager I might potentially employ to have got their success.

Getting an up and coming manager is still a good idea potentially but it requires due diligence. It's plainly obvious that the board didn't bother looking into it very deeply or speak to many people before appointing Bignot and given their track record of appointments I'd say it's highly likely that they won't this time (should the bald one go).

We'll never know how things would have turned out with Bignot in charge but if you told me last April after beating (soon to be promoted) Blackpool away from home in front of over 1000 town fans that we'd be in this mess I wouldn't have believed you.

I think you're attaching emotions that you feel onto his body language. He was clearly disheartened, which is understandable after being beaten comfortably by two poor teams in succession.

I got the feeling as the interview progressed that he genuinely thinks he's going to turn it around. And I think he feels that we've played well in the second half of the last 2 games because we've had a lot of the ball in harmless areas where a team has sat back and defended what they've got.

I feel a bit for him, because he inherited a very large squad full of players that weren't good enough to meet expectations and had to deal with the fall out of the previous manager who turned out to be a clown and had already spent this season's budget. My expectation was that this season we'd have to tread water whilst the players already contracted had time left on their contract.

The worst part is, this has happened at a terrible time. We basically have three options as far as I see it:
- Sack Slade and bring in somebody new, but this will take a few weeks, then the transfer window is closed and he has to make do with what we have.
- Invest in more players. It's not going to be enough players to change the style of football and I doubt it would bring disenchanted fans back to the stadium. Without offloading some, the large squad is likely to bring even more disruption because players don't like not playing.
- Stick with what we've got and re-evaluate at the end of the season.

He signed not inherited a very large squad. He's dished out 19 contracts since he has been here, in less than one season!!!

Quoted from pen penfras

[b]I feel a bit for him, because he inherited a very large squad full of players that weren't good enough to meet expectations and had to deal with the fall out of the previous manager who turned out to be a clown and had already spent this season's budget[/b[. My expectation was that this season we'd have to tread water whilst the players already contracted had time left on their contract.

I agree to a certain extent that it wasn't an easy job inheriting a large squad consisting of players wanted by two different managers. But that being the case, why on earth did he then sign 13 players, the vast majority of which are not fit for purpose. Quite a few of them are on two year contracts as well. Talk about inheriting a mess and making it ten times worse.

He'd have been better off getting three or four quality players in where we needed them and ensuring we had a strong spine.

He'd have been better off getting three or four quality players in where we needed them and ensuring we had a strong spine.

Unfortunately they wouldn’t come.

Changing the manager at this stage is no good, I think, sadly we have to sit it out to the end of the season, or until we’re safe (hopefully) and then see what we do.

I know most aren’t going to agree with me, but that’s my view.

Quoted from NorthseaMariner

He'd have been better off getting three or four quality players in where we needed them and ensuring we had a strong spine.

Unfortunately they wouldn’t come.

Changing the manager at this stage is no good, I think, sadly we have to sit it out to the end of the season, or until we’re safe (hopefully) and then see what we do.

I know most aren’t going to agree with me, but that’s my view.

Yep, the sensible choice, but for me it goes beyond competency. Even if we were moderately successful, the football is appalling.

I wasn't defending the choices that have been made since he came. They are poor. The football is dire, he signed too many players, he signed too little quality. I just don't think this season was ever likely to be a roaring success after the instability that had come before.

I think a season to stabilise before making a big push for promotion was required. I'm not sure how many fans would have bought into this approach given that finishing mid table made so many unhappy last season.

It also speaks volumes that several of the players he has signed are not preferred to those already on the books.

Dixon is the only left back we have and he can't now displace Davies playing out of position.

Hooper and Cardwell can't displace Jones playing out of position.

Kelly can't even make the squad, not even sporadically.

Rees-Hall loaned out as soon as signed even though he has a 1 year deal.

Killip given a go and quickly droped for a loan keeper because he's not ready for the first team.

Evan Matt and Rose have spent long periods out of the team with Vernon and Berrett preferred.

How can he have so little trust in the players he has signed is beyond me. Shambles is the word that springs to mind.

Quoted from promotion plaice

https://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/2018/january/freeview--morecambe-reaction/

Dead man walking

I wonder if RS underestimated the job here.

In his first spell, we were a big team at this level, having been in the second tier just two seasons previous. Because of that, we obviously could attract a better quality of player and I imagine the budget then was a lot healthier.

The GTFC of today is a totally different beast. We’re not yet an established league 2 team, and we’re fresh from 6 years in non league. We’ve got squads leftover from Bignot and Hurst, and we’ve got no money.

I don’t think he’ll go, so I hope he can get rid of a few and bring in some better quality.

Over to you Sladey.

Quoted from sam gy

I wonder if RS underestimated the job here.

In his first spell, we were a big team at this level, having been in the second tier just two seasons previous. Because of that, we obviously could attract a better quality of player and I imagine the budget then was a lot healthier.

The GTFC of today is a totally different beast. We’re not yet an established league 2 team, and we’re fresh from 6 years in non league. We’ve got squads leftover from Bignot and Hurst, and we’ve got no money.

I don’t think he’ll go, so I hope he can get rid of a few and bring in some better quality.

Over to you Sladey.

Do you trust him to bring in better quality and how do we get rid of those he has signed on two year contracts that even he doesn't think are good enough?

Quoted from bawarmy

And that’s how we got Bignot

and Buckley, Slade mk 1 and Hurst

We'd probably have been better off sticking with Bignot, to be honest, than the route we went down. He was a good signing on paper he just was hell bent on change for change's sake.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Do you trust him to bring in better quality and how do we get rid of those he has signed on two year contracts that even he doesn't think are good enough?

Absolutely no idea, that’s why I said ‘over to you Sladey.’

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

It also speaks volumes that several of the players he has signed are not preferred to those already on the books.

Dixon is the only left back we have and he can't now displace Davies playing out of position.

Hooper and Cardwell can't displace Jones playing out of position.

Kelly can't even make the squad, not even sporadically.

Rees-Hall loaned out as soon as signed even though he has a 1 year deal.

Killip given a go and quickly droped for a loan keeper because he's not ready for the first team.

Evan Matt and Rose have spent long periods out of the team with Vernon and Berrett preferred.

How can he have so little trust in the players he has signed is beyond me. Shambles is the word that springs to mind.

I was wondering the same Swansea.  He may as well have just stuck with what was already here.

A lot of those players worked with WIlko before so maybe he put a lot of faith in his assistant and those recommendations are found wanting?

We could easily get rid of 10 players who never make it close to the match day squad.

Quoted from sam gy

Absolutely no idea, that’s why I said ‘over to you Sladey.’

At this moment in time considering the crap we are having to endure, the only thing that should be "over to you Sladey" is a P45.