New Year New Era

A new year, a new start for the club. We will have new owners,  now a new manager and hopefully a new stadium. 3 points against Cambridge would be an ideal start as we have a further 4 games with teams around us in the league in January.

The past is the past and that's where it should stay. Financial problems from TV Digital started the rot which was a downhill spiral. So lets hope some financial input will come from the new owners to help PH enhance our league position with automatic promotion new season.

UTM

Good first post DB. I joined this forum December 2008 and the first ever thread I started was very similar in tone. Most people were quite optimistic for the future at the time.

Little did we know it would be bloody awful for most of the next 12 years. Let's hope things can improve with a fresh start.

The fan base of gtfc need to get behind the new owners and management and do their part in the resurrection of the club

Would love a new stadium but what I’d love more is a team to be proud off challenging for promotion that would be my priority
Good luck to the lads tomorrow UTM

Quoted from louth_in_the_south

The fan base of gtfc need to get behind the new owners and management and do their part in the resurrection of the club

Fully agree and when we are allowed back we need to get our average gate up and around 5000 and try and recreate some atmosphere in BP which has become far too quiet in recent years.

Good post DB I totally agree.

I’ve just listened to the Paul Hurst interview and he sounds different to last time he was here  (more upbeat) I think he’ll keep us up and bring in the players we need to climb the table.

I agree Chris smile on his face and had more to say than he used to

Interview very positive, compared to the chaos that preceeded it. A breath of fresh air.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p092t5wc

Quoted from GrimRob

Interview very positive, compared to the chaos that preceeded it. A breath of fresh air.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p092t5wc

I take far more comfort listening to Hurst than I ever did to Holloway’s ramblings

Quoted from cmackenzie4

Good post DB I totally agree.

I’ve just listened to the Paul Hurst interview and he sounds different to last time he was here  (more upbeat)

That could be because he has returned here having garnered more experience, and contacts, at some teams far better than us (that doesn't include the Scunts BTW)

Quoted from GrimRob

Interview very positive, compared to the chaos that preceeded it. A breath of fresh air.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p092t5wc

Without over egging it he shows he gets it. Understands the challenge but we can get out of the pit. He knows what’s wrong and what we need. I feel quietly confident. Usual Hurst, slowly slowly catch-ye monkey. But as others have said he seems a bit more relaxed than before.

Some of the relaxed feeling is probably because he is new to the job and not under any pressure at the moment.

Great to see him acknowledge our problems. "Without criticising anyone" and then basically went on to criticise Runaway.

Sounds like we are a mess off the pitch. Diplomatic in his response about the scout Runaway brought in so I suggest he will be shown the door before long.

"I spoke to Ben and he does a lot of jobs"

We have a part-time analyst at the moment but Hurst will be making that a full-time role at the club.

Runaway was part of the board. How much of this mess is his own doing?

Also looks like Macca was being shipped out on loan in January. Hurst sees Russell as a coach and will need to deal with that. Certainly sounds like there is more than meets the eye with that one.

Has a massive job on his hands, I can't think of a previous Manager coming to the club with the side in such a perilous (as he calls it) state.  The Situation seems a lot worse than when Jolley came in. Fans are upbeat due to the buyout, but it remains a distinct possibility that we will be relegated.

Its the worst squad/side in my 50 years as a supporter, sub-standard, and not even close to being something that could be deemed professional.  This is of course not his fault, and blame lies firmly with the previous manager, who should have been sacked after Dagenham.

Im sure he will improve the squad, but its a major overhaul thats needed, not just the sacking off of every Holloway player in the squad, but improving it and quickly, he has no time.

I would not be the least surprised if we are relegated,

It's not the worst side we've had. They all try at least, unlike the useless bags of skin masquerading as footballers we had under Newell.

Unlike that side, this one could be vastly improved with 3 or 4 players in key areas. I think relegation is far from a given at the moment.

Quoted from ginnywings

It's not the worst side we've had. They all try at least, unlike the useless bags of skin masquerading as footballers we had under Newell.

Unlike that side, this one could be vastly improved with 3 or 4 players in key areas. I think relegation is far from a given at the moment.

Think the side that lost 5-0 to Braintree must be close to our worse ever team

I’m not going to argue that this squad does not contain a lot of mediocre players but there is within this group a strong core, Macca, Hendrie, Waterfall, Pollock. Hewitt, Rose & Morais, supported with what I would describe as squad players to include the likes of Wright, Clifton, Preston, Gibson, Jackson Jnr & Scannell.

I heard Hurst say there is currently space for 4 players but hopefully this will be extended with others leaving, however, should we sign as a minimum 4 quality players that would make a significant difference. The one factor we have not been able to utilise this season, because of our erratic form, is confidence. It should not be underestimated the difference confidence makes not only to the better players but also those on the fringes who come in to cover suspensions and injuries.

Why I’m pleased to get Hurst back, given our position, is the knowledge will be in doubt what system they are playing and what their role is. Draw a couple win a couple using his tactics and that confidence comes flooding into the team and maybe players who have looked average thus far will show they can provide much more.

Maybe this is me just being hopeful but we’ve seen many other teams change completely once that confidence arrives most recently at Southend so let’s hope it’s our turn shortly and by the end of this month we are starting to share that confidence.

We don't need a massive upturn in form to get ourselves safe. To get to 50 points and probable safety, we need to be taking 1.2 points per game from now on. That equates to 4 wins from the next ten games, then same again from the following ten, and a couple from the final five. We are currently averaging slightly shy of 1 point per game.

If any wins come in six pointers with the teams around us then all the better. We have a run of such games coming up, but unfortunately we may be tackling them without the benefit of new players coming into the squad just yet, as Hurst needs time to assess and recruit

There are a lot of mediocre sides in this division and I think with the addition of 5 or 6 astute signings, our fortunes will have an upturn. Think it will take most of the window to achieve the necessary changes, but I trust Hurst with the task at hand.

Quoted from ginnywings

It's not the worst side we've had. They all try at least, unlike the useless bags of skin masquerading as footballers we had under Newell.

Unlike that side, this one could be vastly improved with 3 or 4 players in key areas. I think relegation is far from a given at the moment.

if there is a bigger excuse ever its that they try...they are excrement, shitter and excrement.  Players i genuinely hate, all down to scumbag Holloway. If only that illegitimate was sacked when he should have been,

Quoted from ginnywings

It's not the worst side we've had. They all try at least, unlike the useless bags of skin masquerading as footballers we had under Newell.

Unlike that side, this one could be vastly improved with 3 or 4 players in key areas. I think relegation is far from a given at the moment.

Agree to a point, but don't think Tilley, Williams and Green put much effort in the other day.

Quoted from IlkleyMariner

Think the side that lost 5-0 to Braintree must be close to our worse ever team

As shocking a result as that was, the starting 11 that day included McKeown, Pearson, Disley and Hearn, so I’m not having that. I recall the likes of Pearson and Hearn finding it particularly tough making the step up to the Conference, but never looked back once they got going.

It’s difficult to make an assessment on the current crop as there are so many of them and ‘the team’ has changed so much from game to game. However, I’d take a look at the lineups from our defeats to Bath in 2009 and Chasetown in 2011 and see how many players you’d want to bring into what we’ve got now.

I’m also of the opinion that what we have is salvageable. We have a back 5 that is easily capable of playing in League Two. I am confident that Hurst will bring some structure and rigidity to our game and that, along with some basic improvements in terms of personnel should be sufficient to keep us up. The bar is very low - even minor progress should keep us above it.

Quoted from gytone

Agree to a point, but don't think Tilley, Williams and Green put much effort in the other day.

Lots of sensible posts on this thread,

If ever there was a few lines that illustrates the inheritance the manager has walked into it’s the ones above.

Green - Good attitude but past it.

Williams - Probably a squad player at best but a bit of a fanny. Dead ball specialist my @rse.

Tilley - Looks like he needs an arm around him or a massive boot up the backside. Clearly has skill not sure about the application.

Other than Macca. Hendrie, Pollock, Waterfall and Moraise I don’t see that we have many other “1st names on the team sheet” though there is a pool of players in the squad that could add value with a bit more experience and work rate alongside them to take some of the weight off them.

We have half a dozen max who are up to it, another similar amount who could make up a squad but some gaps are big ones.  

I think Hurst will find defenders up to it and also a ball winner and a ball player for the mid field, getting the 2 strikers in we need and getting them going quickly will need all his expertise and luck.

I don’t agree that we’re doomed but it wouldn’t surprise me if we went down as there is so much to do.

Paul Hurst has no doubt been brought in to keep us up and move us forward and I’m optimistic if not confident he will.

If we drop through the trap door we’ll all have to stay on the same page behind a manager who we know from history can bring us back.

This could take a long while to truly fix and get a bit bumpy but without a doubt “we’re on our way” as the song used to go.

We need 3 or 4 new players coming in and we will be fine.

That means 6 to 9 players going out if we can either find loans for them or paid off.

If Hanson can not get back to fitness I believe he can be paid off  by the PFA  so that want cost us so much.

Quoted from Poojah

As shocking a result as that was, the starting 11 that day included McKeown, Pearson, Disley and Hearn, so I’m not having that. I recall the likes of Pearson and Hearn finding it particularly tough making the step up to the Conference, but never looked back once they got going.

It’s difficult to make an assessment on the current crop as there are so many of them and ‘the team’ has changed so much from game to game. However, I’d take a look at the lineups from our defeats to Bath in 2009 and Chasetown in 2011 and see how many players you’d want to bring into what we’ve got now.

I’m also of the opinion that what we have is salvageable. We have a back 5 that is easily capable of playing in League Two. I am confident that Hurst will bring some structure and rigidity to our game and that, along with some basic improvements in terms of personnel should be sufficient to keep us up. The bar is very low - even minor progress should keep us above it.

the back 5 isnt that good at keeping clean sheets, you over estimate their ability.  Pollock is ok. Waterfall a liability, Preston average and Hendrie ok....nothing at all spectacular, and a keeper who has made much more mistakes than we are used to.

Of course when the midfield is as powder puff as ours,its only to be expected

Quoted from Boris Johnson

the back 5 isnt that good at keeping clean sheets, you over estimate their ability.  Pollock is ok. Waterfall a liability, Preston average and Hendrie ok....nothing at all spectacular, and a keeper who has made much more mistakes than we are used to.

Of course when the midfield is as powder puff as ours,its only to be expected

Our defence is okay although we could do with a more experienced left-back. Our shambolic midfield leaves the defence exposed again and again.

New Dawn for Grimsby. We will at last have the impetus to do what we really deserve. We have not had real investment in this club for nearly 90, since the Barretts stand was built in the thirties and top flight football, two FA Cup semi finals!

Football is different today?

We were close back in 1985, but football is different today?

We have had, whatever the thoughts have been, JF and sticky plaster philosophy at the club for far too long. There was a brief respite in the early 2000's, but itv farcical put paid to any of that. There is talk on other threads about the resulting actions! That is all history now!

Today is now. So realistically what can be done?

This season, the only option is survival, we are too adrift to even consider a run at the playoffs! Coming above the Scunts has to be number one priority.

But for the future. I can only see PH as caretaker in reality. He has a tough job on his hands and if we are not in for a place next season, then I fear change will be cruel. I could also be wrong.

The main question is real investment. BP is a dump! Only one new stand in 90 years. But how long before we can get into the new stadium. Realistically I see this as five years.

So where should we be in five years? Championship is a must?

The road is going to get much more bumpier!

Quoted from ginnywings

It's not the worst side we've had. They all try at least, unlike the useless bags of skin masquerading as footballers we had under Newell.

Unlike that side, this one could be vastly improved with 3 or 4 players in key areas. I think relegation is far from a given at the moment.

Totally agree. It's not as if we have to spend a lot of money. Shipping out 5 or 6 players could free up enough wages to pay 3 decent players. It's not how much you spend that counts, it's how you spend it. A prime example is Hanson and Green. Probably quite high wage earners but should never have been signed, especially Green who was released by Salford when they got promoted to our level!

I think Edwards clearly would have stayed for the time being if not recalled. Also Hurst as much as said Morton is no loss.

If the match 18 looks like staying pretty much the same apart from replacing Edwards that shows he doesn't think much of the players on the fringe (gomis, taylor, spokes, sisay) in terms of turning us around apart from maybe those that are currently injured (Wright, Hanson, scannell) from the dvds he must have seen so far.

Very clear from that interview (albeit diplomatically) that he feels we have a lot of dead wood to clear out ('some aren't ready for this level now, if they will ever be ready" or words to that effect).

I would think plenty even in the 18 squad will be eligible for moving on if he can get takers/come to an agreement.

Think we're overestimating our defence - we've got the second worst defensive record in the league, only behind Oldham (who we couldn't even score against ourselves!). I don't think our 'best' back 5 of Preston, Pollock, Waterfall, Hendrie and McKeown is anywhere near good enough. Personally I'd like to see Preston replaced with someone a lot more solid and Waterfall moved to 3rd choice behind a new and much better centre half.

I think the chaotic approach from Holloway, the constant excuse making meant we never really saw anything like a settled side note did the squad look settled.

They’re detached from us and it felt like going through the motions.

I think hurst will change that and whilst he may not be the most chipper of chaps I’d take a dour yorkie over that bullshitting wurzel gummage girl private...

Now is the time for the club to alter from top to bottom. We need to support that but we need patience and to manage expectations...but it couldn’t have gotten any worse...

It's nice that this is a generally positive thread and it feels like some hope has been discovered from a train crash situation. The most encouraging thing in the interview was recognition that the club has been left behind in terms of it's structure and it's going to change. He didn't use the term cheapskate but think he inferred it!
Like many others I think we have the basis of a defence and with greater protection from the midfield, and better organisation I think the first thing he'll focus on is getting clean sheets. The more difficult task will be fixing the scoring issue because that's not tinkering it's a major rebuild. We could stick Harry Kane in the current set up and he'd look crap (but I would like to try that)
Love the phrase "we need to get some quality up front", made the hairs stand up on my neck!!

By the way I was at Braintree "that night" with 3 generations of my family and we were truly dreadful. However, think I'm right in saying Hearn hadn't scored by that stage but he was the only positive from a shambles. Hope Ira Jackson can reproduce the same impact

Quoted from Chrisblor

Think we're overestimating our defence - we've got the second worst defensive record in the league, only behind Oldham (who we couldn't even score against ourselves!). I don't think our 'best' back 5 of Preston, Pollock, Waterfall, Hendrie and McKeown is anywhere near good enough. Personally I'd like to see Preston replaced with someone a lot more solid and Waterfall moved to 3rd choice behind a new and much better centre half.

I think Pollock, Hendrie and Waterfall with competition will prove to be good enough. Preston is learning. They all need to start working as a unit and they need better support from their mid field team mates. At minimum we need another CB,  a left back and a utility defender this might have to stop Hewitt helping out and allow him to add more value in mid field.

Quoted from Chrisblor

Think we're overestimating our defence - we've got the second worst defensive record in the league, only behind Oldham (who we couldn't even score against ourselves!). I don't think our 'best' back 5 of Preston, Pollock, Waterfall, Hendrie and McKeown is anywhere near good enough. Personally I'd like to see Preston replaced with someone a lot more solid and Waterfall moved to 3rd choice behind a new and much better centre half.

I think that's too simplistic.

Our defence isn't too bad - the forwards and midfield are the problem. A team defends from the front, but if you have forwards who can't hold up the ball and midfielders who are pushed aside like matchsticks, then our defence is going to be left horribly exposed.

Apart from Preston who always seems to be caught out of position, I think the rest of the defence is quite capable of keeping clean sheets - if there is some half decent protection in front of them.

There’s about 6 or 7 who are fit and good enough. Hanson, Scannell and Wright would be a decent front three in their own right. Problem is lack of quality in the front 6 whether or not that’s in 442 or 433 and lack of application in a couple of them who should be doing better/more (Williams and Bennett)

I think we need 6 signings, probably a left back and centre back, some energy in midfield and a couple of strikers.