Although I know I will be positive and optimistic about the Carlisle game I have to realistic and face the facts that relegation is staring us in the face. So plan A is not working, it doesn't look like survival is going to happen so I began to think about plan B.

Then to me a penny dropped. Is plan A still on course for the consortium?

To help those who like to red cross me without reading here's some help XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

For those others I would you like to think about a question I asked on another thread. Who employed Hurst? Their is no love between Fenty and Hurst so it must have been the consortium, and why no other applicants. It was a closed shop, or if somebody knows name some names of managers who didn't get the job. Why did the consortium want Hurst and why did he come to a club he described as in a mess.

As somebody posted weeks ago, when I was pillared for querying what the consortium was going to do, the consortium are intelligent business men. They obviously wanted Hurst who is very experienced at NL level. So did they already know/realise that the takeover would not be completed before mid March at the earliest and perhaps, just perhaps, Hurst had told them their was no chance of Town staying up! Remember Hurst said the club was in a mess, which wouldn't bode confidence in the squad he inherited. Hurst is given an 18 month contract to cover this period, otherwise these intelligent business men would fire a manager, be it football or otherwise, if he didn't deliver on his promises.

I would like to think I am wrong but too many things are happening along these lines. Is Hurst slowly preparing for the NL and has that been the aim all the time. Now nobody is going to come out in the open and say it are they. Look at the signings Hurst has made, with the exception of JLL the rest all terminate in the summer with a host of others. Team rebuilding starts then in the NL and it looks around JLL.

Like every fan I want Town to stay up but it certainly looks like plan A is going along nicely.

I believe that one of the consortium has stated on twitter that PH is going no where. :-/

Quoted from arryarryarry

I believe that one of the consortium has stated on twitter that PH is going no where. :-/

I don't do any social media but you have confirmed my suspicions

Quoted from DB

Although I know I will be positive and optimistic about the Carlisle game I have to realistic and face the facts that relegation is staring us in the face. So plan A is not working, it doesn't look like survival is going to happen so I began to think about plan B.

Then to me a penny dropped. Is plan A still on course for the consortium?

To help those who like to red cross me without reading here's some help XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

For those others I would you like to think about a question I asked on another thread. Who employed Hurst? Their is no love between Fenty and Hurst so it must have been the consortium, and why no other applicants. It was a closed shop, or if somebody knows name some names of managers who didn't get the job. Why did the consortium want Hurst and why did he come to a club he described as in a mess.

As somebody posted weeks ago, when I was pillared for querying what the consortium was going to do, the consortium are intelligent business men. They obviously wanted Hurst who is very experienced at NL level. So did they already know/realise that the takeover would not be completed before mid March at the earliest and perhaps, just perhaps, Hurst had told them their was no chance of Town staying up! Remember Hurst said the club was in a mess, which wouldn't bode confidence in the squad he inherited. Hurst is given an 18 month contract to cover this period, otherwise these intelligent business men would fire a manager, be it football or otherwise, if he didn't deliver on his promises.

I would like to think I am wrong but too many things are happening along these lines. Is Hurst slowly preparing for the NL and has that been the aim all the time. Now nobody is going to come out in the open and say it are they. Look at the signings Hurst has made, with the exception of JLL the rest all terminate in the summer with a host of others. Team rebuilding starts then in the NL and it looks around JLL.

Like every fan I want Town to stay up but it certainly looks like plan A is going along nicely.

He’s not prepping for the National League he’s just trying to work with what he’s got to keep us up at the moment. He’s made some odd calls but he’s only focussed on one thing for sure. That’s your plan A.

Quoted from arryarryarry

I believe that one of the consortium has stated on twitter that PH is going no where. :-/

Jason Stockwood openly supported Hurst last weekend on Twitter..could be the dreaded vote of confidence..who knows.

Quoted from DB

Although I know I will be positive and optimistic about the Carlisle game I have to realistic and face the facts that relegation is staring us in the face. So plan A is not working, it doesn't look like survival is going to happen so I began to think about plan B.

Then to me a penny dropped. Is plan A still on course for the consortium?

To help those who like to red cross me without reading here's some help XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

For those others I would you like to think about a question I asked on another thread. Who employed Hurst? Their is no love between Fenty and Hurst so it must have been the consortium, and why no other applicants. It was a closed shop, or if somebody knows name some names of managers who didn't get the job. Why did the consortium want Hurst and why did he come to a club he described as in a mess.

As somebody posted weeks ago, when I was pillared for querying what the consortium was going to do, the consortium are intelligent business men. They obviously wanted Hurst who is very experienced at NL level. So did they already know/realise that the takeover would not be completed before mid March at the earliest and perhaps, just perhaps, Hurst had told them their was no chance of Town staying up! Remember Hurst said the club was in a mess, which wouldn't bode confidence in the squad he inherited. Hurst is given an 18 month contract to cover this period, otherwise these intelligent business men would fire a manager, be it football or otherwise, if he didn't deliver on his promises.

I would like to think I am wrong but too many things are happening along these lines. Is Hurst slowly preparing for the NL and has that been the aim all the time. Now nobody is going to come out in the open and say it are they. Look at the signings Hurst has made, with the exception of JLL the rest all terminate in the summer with a host of others. Team rebuilding starts then in the NL and it looks around JLL.

Like every fan I want Town to stay up but it certainly looks like plan A is going along nicely.

He’s not prepping for the National League he’s just trying to work with what he’s got to keep us up at the moment. He’s made some odd calls but he’s only focussed on one thing for sure. That’s your plan A.

Completely plausible and I believe that is the Plan B, it has to be. They're not going to throw all their eggs into one basket, which is Plan A - to stay up -, because we will be in even more of a mess if it does go wrong and we end up being relegated - which looks more than likely now.

Jason Stockwood is a big town fan and wants the best for the club.

Unlike Fent y who said he loved the club but his main object each season was to take money out.

I don't think the club has set up to be relegated, but there will certainly be a plan B, there has to be in business. I think Hurst was employed due to what he did with Shrewsbury when they were down the bottom, plus that he knows how to get out of non league if it were to happen. The investors knew the club is in disarray and there was always the chance we could go down.

Is Hurst the right man? I thought he was, not so sure at the moment but yesterday was better. But if we do get relegated then maybe Hurst will be the right person. Someone who knows what is needed to get out the league, it took him 2 years last time to figure it out. This time, with more financial backing, it may not take as long. But we are staying up though  :-/

Quoted from DB

Although I know I will be positive and optimistic about the Carlisle game I have to realistic and face the facts that relegation is staring us in the face. So plan A is not working, it doesn't look like survival is going to happen so I began to think about plan B.

Then to me a penny dropped. Is plan A still on course for the consortium?

To help those who like to red cross me without reading here's some help XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

For those others I would you like to think about a question I asked on another thread. Who employed Hurst? Their is no love between Fenty and Hurst so it must have been the consortium, and why no other applicants. It was a closed shop, or if somebody knows name some names of managers who didn't get the job. Why did the consortium want Hurst and why did he come to a club he described as in a mess.

As somebody posted weeks ago, when I was pillared for querying what the consortium was going to do, the consortium are intelligent business men. They obviously wanted Hurst who is very experienced at NL level. So did they already know/realise that the takeover would not be completed before mid March at the earliest and perhaps, just perhaps, Hurst had told them their was no chance of Town staying up! Remember Hurst said the club was in a mess, which wouldn't bode confidence in the squad he inherited. Hurst is given an 18 month contract to cover this period, otherwise these intelligent business men would fire a manager, be it football or otherwise, if he didn't deliver on his promises.

I would like to think I am wrong but too many things are happening along these lines. Is Hurst slowly preparing for the NL and has that been the aim all the time. Now nobody is going to come out in the open and say it are they. Look at the signings Hurst has made, with the exception of JLL the rest all terminate in the summer with a host of others. Team rebuilding starts then in the NL and it looks around JLL.

Like every fan I want Town to stay up but it certainly looks like plan A is going along nicely.

You are a bit mad but I love your energy and enthusiasm. Probably better applied to something that deserves it

Quoted from LouthMariner

I don't think the club has set up to be relegated, but there will certainly be a plan B, there has to be in business. I think Hurst was employed due to what he did with Shrewsbury when they were down the bottom, plus that he knows how to get out of non league if it were to happen. The investors knew the club is in disarray and there was always the chance we could go down.

Is Hurst the right man? I thought he was, not so sure at the moment but yesterday was better. But if we do get relegated then maybe Hurst will be the right person. Someone who knows what is needed to get out the league, it took him 2   6 years last time to figure it out. This time, with more financial backing, it may not take as long. But we are staying up though  :-/

Corrected for you   :)

Roy Keane quoted today saying that SAF would not have played for a draw at Chelsea last weekend. He would have gone for the win. Even putting Giggs on at LB if necessary to get as many attacking players on the pitch as possible.

Hurst does the opposite - and we lose.  Plan not working.

Quoted from promotion plaice

Corrected for you   :)

To be fair you can minus the years Shouty was here, he was more of a hindrance.

Hurst is Plan B isnt he ?

So technically we should be referring to Plan C as the next plan

Quoted from moosey_club

Hurst is Plan B isnt he ?

So technically we should be referring to Plan C as the next plan

Anyone know what plan F is ?

Quoted from promotion plaice

Anyone know what plan F is ?

We've been in Plan F since 29th July 2004.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

He’s not prepping for the National League he’s just trying to work with what he’s got to keep us up at the moment. He’s made some odd calls but he’s only focussed on one thing for sure. That’s your plan A.

His players, 10 games, 1 win, 1 draw and 4 points. Whatever you think his plan is it's not working.  I'm probably the most positive optimist on here, and it's a win at Carlisle for me, but there has to be a hidden agenda that we're not told about.

Quoted from promotion plaice

Anyone know what plan F is ?

rhymes  with luck all

Quoted from DB

Although I know I will be positive and optimistic about the Carlisle game I have to realistic and face the facts that relegation is staring us in the face. So plan A is not working, it doesn't look like survival is going to happen so I began to think about plan B.

Then to me a penny dropped. Is plan A still on course for the consortium?

To help those who like to red cross me without reading here's some help XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

For those others I would you like to think about a question I asked on another thread. Who employed Hurst? Their is no love between Fenty and Hurst so it must have been the consortium, and why no other applicants. It was a closed shop, or if somebody knows name some names of managers who didn't get the job. Why did the consortium want Hurst and why did he come to a club he described as in a mess.

As somebody posted weeks ago, when I was pillared for querying what the consortium was going to do, the consortium are intelligent business men. They obviously wanted Hurst who is very experienced at NL level. So did they already know/realise that the takeover would not be completed before mid March at the earliest and perhaps, just perhaps, Hurst had told them their was no chance of Town staying up! Remember Hurst said the club was in a mess, which wouldn't bode confidence in the squad he inherited. Hurst is given an 18 month contract to cover this period, otherwise these intelligent business men would fire a manager, be it football or otherwise, if he didn't deliver on his promises.

I would like to think I am wrong but too many things are happening along these lines. Is Hurst slowly preparing for the NL and has that been the aim all the time. Now nobody is going to come out in the open and say it are they. Look at the signings Hurst has made, with the exception of JLL the rest all terminate in the summer with a host of others. Team rebuilding starts then in the NL and it looks around JLL.

Like every fan I want Town to stay up but it certainly looks like plan A is going along nicely.

Are you into conspiracy theories by any chance DB?

Quoted from Humbercod

Are you into conspiracy theories by any chance DB?

Not at all, but that's all I'm left with. Apply what logic you like to the current situation and as the saying goes it defies logic.

On the pitch no sensible tactics, take attacking midfielder off and bring on a full back who's been crap. Bring on Green who hasn't played in the first team for weeks. Play a 10 man defence and it's not working.

Look at what's happening in the boardroom, nothing. What do the consortium say, nothing.

Nothing is happening, so what are you left with?

Hurst has always been a manager that has been expected to work within a low budget, even at Ipswich he had to get rid of his best and highest paid players and replaced them with ones that cost less. Like the majority of supporters I spoke to Hurst was generally thought of as someone who had a chance of getting us out of the s hit we were left in by runaway and the usual suspects. Never been a fan of Hursts football but think he’s doing his best. As for replacing the management now, who do you really expect us to be able to attract.maybe we should just try to get behind the team until the end of the season and hope miracles really do happen.

Quoted from DB

Not at all, but that's all I'm left with. Apply what logic you like to the current situation and as the saying goes it defies logic.

On the pitch no sensible tactics, take attacking midfielder off and bring on a full back who's been crap. Bring on Green who hasn't played in the first team for weeks. Play a 10 man defence and it's not working.

Look at what's happening in the boardroom, nothing. What do the consortium say, nothing.

Nothing is happening, so what are you left with?

I can’t stand this conspiratorial nonsense. The kind of “logic” that suggests prospective new owners would rather own a non-league club than a League Two club is the same used by people who think the moon landings never happened.

First, the consortium cannot have hired Hurst as they do not own the club. They might have had a say and given their approval, but they cannot have hired him. Second, whilst Hurst has good knowledge of non-league, he also has good knowledge of the FL; he has enjoyed success at both levels. Third, in no way are Hurst’s tactics “designed to get us relegated” – we just have rubbish players. He brought Bunney on against FGR because Bunney plays all up the left side, including up front. We haven’t seen him play anywhere other than LB, plus he wears No. 3, so people understandably assumed Hurst replaced El Miz with another defender. I have no issue with his tactics against FGR – again, we just have rubbish players.

The consortium have not said anything since they released a statement saying “we’re not going to release any more statements until the deal has gone through”. They are simply doing what they said they would. Buying a football club is not like picking up a pint of milk from the corner shop – it’s going to take time.

I appreciate that you, and most others, are itching to see the back of Fenty because the club was in a right state long before Hurst arrived. The club was in a right state before even Holloway arrived. Fenty has turned this club from a good League One club which punches above its weight whenever we get into the second tier to a “good” National League club which struggles to stay in the FL. His stewardship is where the blame should ultimately fall.

Personally, I’d like to see Hurst given a chance to build the club again, though I am sympathetic to the view that we should have a total clear out and start again from scratch in the summer.

I think Hursts' Plan B has to persist with a settled side based on yesterdays performance. The longer a starting eleven play as a unit then the greater the chance that they will gel.Our survival as a league team looks bleak but I haven't given up hope but Hurst has to stop chopping and changing just to counteract the opposition. I know it sounds laughable but let them worry about us ! If you know the oppositions strengths then coach your team to negate that .

Quoted from Grimsbynewhope

Hurst has always been a manager that has been expected to work within a low budget, even at Ipswich he had to get rid of his best and highest paid players and replaced them with ones that cost less. Like the majority of supporters I spoke to Hurst was generally thought of as someone who had a chance of getting us out of the s hit we were left in by runaway and the usual suspects. Never been a fan of Hursts football but think he’s doing his best. As for replacing the management now, who do you really expect us to be able to attract.maybe we should just try to get behind the team until the end of the season and hope miracles really do happen.

I have said before I am sure there are plenty of out of work ex League or up and coming Non League managers that would love to manage a club like Town.

Let's not forget we have just employed a manager that was sacked from his last two clubs.

Quoted from kafunanapar140909

I can’t stand this conspiratorial nonsense. The kind of “logic” that suggests prospective new owners would rather own a non-league club than a League Two club is the same used by people who think the moon landings never happened.

First, the consortium cannot have hired Hurst as they do not own the club. They might have had a say and given their approval, but they cannot have hired him. Second, whilst Hurst has good knowledge of non-league, he also has good knowledge of the FL; he has enjoyed success at both levels. Third, in no way are Hurst’s tactics “designed to get us relegated” – we just have rubbish players. He brought Bunney on against FGR because Bunney plays all up the left side, including up front. We haven’t seen him play anywhere other than LB, plus he wears No. 3, so people understandably assumed Hurst replaced El Miz with another defender. I have no issue with his tactics against FGR – again, we just have rubbish players.

The consortium have not said anything since they released a statement saying “we’re not going to release any more statements until the deal has gone through”. They are simply doing what they said they would. Buying a football club is not like picking up a pint of milk from the corner shop – it’s going to take time.

I appreciate that you, and most others, are itching to see the back of Fenty because the club was in a right state long before Hurst arrived. The club was in a right state before even Holloway arrived. Fenty has turned this club from a good League One club which punches above its weight whenever we get into the second tier to a “good” National League club which struggles to stay in the FL. His stewardship is where the blame should ultimately fall.

Personally, I’d like to see Hurst given a chance to build the club again, though I am sympathetic to the view that we should have a total clear out and start again from scratch in the summer.

According to most reports Hurst left Town because of Fenty being tight, the porta cabin fiasco being his las straw. So it is highly unlikely Hurst came back for JF. As you correctly say the consortium do not own the club so who did employ Hurst?  

Hurst was ok with Town and Shrews but not so good at Ipswich and Scunny, so his CV is not as glowing as you make out.

Theirs nothing wrong with his tactics you say, but the players. You forgot it is Hurst who brought the players to the club so effectively you are saying he brought rubbish players in, but of course according to you it's not Hurst fault. Who's fault is it then?

You said the consortium said “we’re not going to release any more statements until the deal has gone through”. So why are fans on here posting about tweets from them?

I am not thinking of any type of conspiracy plot, but I am passionately concerned about the position town are in. Their is no leadership on or off the field. How many captains has Hurst used in 10 games? The club is adrift, literally, with nobody at the helm . Hurst has a 18 month contract and as I've posted with the exception of JLL he has given a log term contract to anybody else.

Looking at the facts, and not our thoughts, is their another conclusion

The one point I did raise that nobody seems to have an answer to is about Hursts appointment. Was their anyone else or was he the man?

The last game we actually looked like the beginning of a team, yeah forest green were on a bad run but they are a a top 4 team and they had to resort to diving and throwing themselves on the floor to get past us. You could try another manager but they’d have to hit the ground running and could you guarantee they’d do any better than now. Nothing is certain in football, who knows we might go unbeaten for the next 10 or lose all of them all we can do is try and get behind the team we have and hope our cards not already marked

Quoted from rancido

I think Hursts' Plan B has to persist with a settled side based on yesterdays performance. The longer a starting eleven play as a unit then the greater the chance that they will gel.Our survival as a league team looks bleak but I haven't given up hope but Hurst has to stop chopping and changing just to counteract the opposition. I know it sounds laughable but let them worry about us ! If you know the oppositions strengths then coach your team to negate that .

This was an ongoing theme all those years in the conference, I don’t expect nothing to change.

Quoted from Humbercod

This was an ongoing theme all those years in the conference, I don’t expect nothing to change.

1 win,1 draw and 4 points in the next 10 games

Quoted from DB

According to most reports Hurst left Town because of Fenty being tight, the porta cabin fiasco being his las straw. So it is highly unlikely Hurst came back for JF. As you correctly say the consortium do not own the club so who did employ Hurst?  

Hurst was ok with Town and Shrews but not so good at Ipswich and Scunny, so his CV is not as glowing as you make out.

Theirs nothing wrong with his tactics you say, but the players. You forgot it is Hurst who brought the players to the club so effectively you are saying he brought rubbish players in, but of course according to you it's not Hurst fault. Who's fault is it then?

You said the consortium said “we’re not going to release any more statements until the deal has gone through”. So why are fans on here posting about tweets from them?

I am not thinking of any type of conspiracy plot, but I am passionately concerned about the position town are in. Their is no leadership on or off the field. How many captains has Hurst used in 10 games? The club is adrift, literally, with nobody at the helm . Hurst has a 18 month contract and as I've posted with the exception of JLL he has given a log term contract to anybody else.

Looking at the facts, and not our thoughts, is their another conclusion

The consortium cannot have hired Hurst as they don't own the club - it is impossible. And yes, Hurst did leave the club due to Fenty's stinginess but that doesn't automatically mean he could never work for the club again - it wasn't a chickengate-level fallout. There are only so many jobs in professional football management, I'm sure he was more than happy for a club to hire him again. His records at Scunny and Ipswich were not good, but Ipswich was, at the time, in all sorts of turmoil (still is by some accounts) and Hurst isn't the first to have found working with Swann intolerable. Prior to those two, his record is excellent.

Yes, Hurst brought in pretty much all of this (current) team. As he said at the time, though, there are only so many players who would be willing to join a club at the wrong end of League Two. There's also a reason he only gave out short-term deals - regardless of whether we stayed up, many would not be here next season.

Fans post about tweets from the consortium because we're excited about their taking over. I'm looking forward to seeing the back of Fenty as much as the next Town fan but, as hard as it is, we just need to be patient.

Quoted from kafunanapar140909

The consortium cannot have hired Hurst as they don't own the club - it is impossible. And yes, Hurst did leave the club due to Fenty's stinginess but that doesn't automatically mean he could never work for the club again - it wasn't a chickengate-level fallout. There are only so many jobs in professional football management, I'm sure he was more than happy for a club to hire him again. His records at Scunny and Ipswich were not good, but Ipswich was, at the time, in all sorts of turmoil (still is by some accounts) and Hurst isn't the first to have found working with Swann intolerable. Prior to those two, his record is excellent.

Yes, Hurst brought in pretty much all of this (current) team. As he said at the time, though, there are only so many players who would be willing to join a club at the wrong end of League Two. There's also a reason he only gave out short-term deals - regardless of whether we stayed up, many would not be here next season.

Fans post about tweets from the consortium because we're excited about their taking over. I'm looking forward to seeing the back of Fenty as much as the next Town fan but, as hard as it is, we just need to be patient.

One of us believes in Fairy Tales, it's not me.  

The idea that Hurst "took six years" to get us out of the National League is a little bit of a misnomer. Yes, it was not until 15/16 that we actually earned promotion, but, after an 11th-placed finish in his (and Scott's) first full season, we were straight into the play-offs in 12/13. We all know the cliche about the play-offs being a lottery, so we could have easily gone up that year. To get into the play-offs in four out of five full seasons, and four on the bounce, is a pretty good effort and shows that he knows how to *consistently* achieve results at that level.

I know that we'd love to see some free-flowing football at the same time but, personally, I'd rather just get out of the flipping league and surely a manager who has proven experience of that should be the way to go. Plus you'd like to think, with some progressive owners at the helm, we might take to non-league a little better than last time.

Quoted from DB

One of us believes in Fairy Tales, it's not me.  

I think that reply means you've run out of "logical" arguments  ;)

‘ We all know the cliche about the play-offs being a lottery,’

Yeah logic baby!

The idea that Hurst "took six years" to get us out of the National League is a little bit of a misnomer. Yes, it was not until 15/16 that we actually earned promotion, but, after an 11th-placed finish in his (and Scott's) first full season, we were straight into the play-offs in 12/13. We all know the cliche about the play-offs being a lottery, so we could have easily gone up that year. To get into the play-offs in four out of five full seasons, and four on the bounce, is a pretty good effort and shows that he knows how to *consistently* achieve results at that level.

Best argument yet for hanging on to Hurst, whatever happens

Quoted from moosey_club

Hurst is Plan B isnt he ?

So technically we should be referring to Plan C as the next plan

Ironic that Hurst is plan b considering he never has one himself

Can honestly say i'v been one of a few optimistic fans thinking we can climb out of trouble but if we lose at carlisle on tuesday & then again at home to colchester on saturday then it's national league for sure , the most dissapointing aspect for me is the league this year is tosh , how the f--k we ended up in this situation , think it could take us a few yrs again to get back as well !!!GUTTED

Plan B Curtis Woodhouse  with Nathan Arnold as his assistant certainly bring some pride and passion back.

Quoted from Garth

The idea that Hurst "took six years" to get us out of the National League is a little bit of a misnomer. Yes, it was not until 15/16 that we actually earned promotion, but, after an 11th-placed finish in his (and Scott's) first full season, we were straight into the play-offs in 12/13. We all know the cliche about the play-offs being a lottery, so we could have easily gone up that year. To get into the play-offs in four out of five full seasons, and four on the bounce, is a pretty good effort and shows that he knows how to *consistently* achieve results at that level.

Best argument yet for hanging on to Hurst, whatever happens

So only a 25% success rate of winning the play-offs?

Quoted from Garth

The idea that Hurst "took six years" to get us out of the National League is a little bit of a misnomer. Yes, it was not until 15/16 that we actually earned promotion, but, after an 11th-placed finish in his (and Scott's) first full season, we were straight into the play-offs in 12/13. We all know the cliche about the play-offs being a lottery, so we could have easily gone up that year. To get into the play-offs in four out of five full seasons, and four on the bounce, is a pretty good effort and shows that he knows how to *consistently* achieve results at that level.

Best argument yet for hanging on to Hurst, whatever happens

I didn't/don't have inside information on our or other teams budgets, but I would imagine we had a top 5 budget every year we were in the conference. Admittedly not the biggest budget (there was usually a Crawley/Fleetwood/Luton chucking money at it) but surely consistently a top 5/top 6 budget?

So therefore the expectancy would be to finish in the play-offs every year. Good managers achieve over and above expectations that are dictated by budgets or status - hence why league tables dont always just finish top-to-bottom exactly in line with budgets.

A competent manager, which I would've classed Hurst as until the last few months, would achieve around about where your budget dictates you should be. If we go down again, I'd rather have someone who will be able to over-achieve and win that division. Or at least threaten to.

One final point and one not specifically aimed at you Garth, as its a common cliche, but the play offs are not a lottery. The team who performs best and is more effective throughout the play off competition wins promotion. Labelling them as a lottery is what managers who aren't successful in them do.

Quoted from Tommy

I didn't/don't have inside information on our or other teams budgets, but I would imagine we had a top 5 budget every year we were in the conference. Admittedly not the biggest budget (there was usually a Crawley/Fleetwood/Luton chucking money at it) but surely consistently a top 5/top 6 budget?

So therefore the expectancy would be to finish in the play-offs every year. Good managers achieve over and above expectations that are dictated by budgets or status - hence why league tables dont always just finish top-to-bottom exactly in line with budgets.

A competent manager, which I would've classed Hurst as until the last few months, would achieve around about where your budget dictates you should be. If we go down again, I'd rather have someone who will be able to over-achieve and win that division. Or at least threaten to.

One final point and one not specifically aimed at you Garth, as its a common cliche, but the play offs are not a lottery. The team who performs best and is more effective throughout the play off competition wins promotion. Labelling them as a lottery is what managers who aren't successful in them do.

Refereeing decisions are beyond the control of a manger. First time in the play offs, we were rubbish and soundly beaten by Newport. Second time, it all went t1ts up at Gateshead when Neilson was sent off, which if I remember was a bit soft. Third time, their keeper. should have been sent off against Rovers but wasn't. When we finally made it fourth time, there was luck along the way. The Braintree defender losing the plot, giving away a pen and then getting sent off. The first goal at Wembley was also a fluke. Luck plays a big part in play offs.

Quoted from kafunanapar140909

I think that reply means you've run out of "logical" arguments  ;)

You're obviously on Hurst's Christmas card list. So if sacking a man who players he brought in can only win 1 game, draw 1 game and lose 8 is illogical, what is logical in you mind.

I'll restate my old theory about Hurst's tenure in Non league.
He and Scott were in their mid 30's when they took over and it was their big chance, having had a very successful track record. They'd started pretty reasonably and then suddenly Scott threw his wobbly and Hurst is left holding the baby
He was on his own, for the first time in his career, at the biggest club he'd ever managed. get it wrong and the likelihood is that he'd never get another professional managerial job. He's still got a wife and family plus a mortgage to pay & the kids to get through uni. So i think he deliberately played the percentages game.
yes we had one of the biggest budgets, and so he made damn sure that he did everything he could do to get the team into the play offs. And if that meant doggedly scrapping for narrow 1-0 away wins, then so be it. Just imagine if he'd tried to play attacking, flowing footie and it didn't bring the results.He'd have been sacked within a few months, be jobless , unable to pay the bills and mortgage and with no chance of getting a job in the only industry he's ever been involved with.
Eventually it came good ,and not unreasonably, having worked for a boss like Fenty, he took the first chance he had at a better club with a bigger salary. The stints at Shrews, Ipshit and the Scunts will have left him comfortably off, and with the experience and knowledge which will allow him to get further managerial stints.
So, in conclusion, i'd say that the Hurst we have now is a different man to what we had 6 years ago, and his footballing outlook has probably changed accordingly. IMHO we won't get many better managers for the non league life that awaits and i'd certainly give him next season. if it doesn't work then, yes, he will have to go, but i think (& most importantly Mr Stockwood seems to think) that he deserves a chance