Down in The Valley, something stirred. V Charlton Athletic away Sat Aug 24th 3-0 'clock.

[GhostoftheBok]

Oh, one last thing.

When Pompey went on that bad run in January (about which I got a bit excited and thought we might have a chance to go above them...oh, those heady days) many of their fans wanted Mousinho out.

So, you know, football fans are all melts.

[GhostoftheBok]

I think we were all questioning if it was the right appointment when we got beat 6-3 at home to Port Vale! That Phoenix guy copped for some flack as well to be fair.

I wasn't, but I was wrong in the other direction.

I thought we'd get out of League One more quickly than we have (if we do under Evatt at all).

I had us pushing for Championship play off positions in 5-7 years and if the recruitment was right it'd be 5.

Well, this is year 5. For me it looked like a 2-3 season project at this level. This is season 4.

I've banged my head on the wall a few times at what I've seen as missed opportunities in the market, but equally Evatt has made more mistakes than I'd hoped he would - especially in his attitude last season, which I do feel probably cost us promotion.

Head down, talking about his own future in the summer, refusing to commit to the fight, calling out the players in public, etc.

When he arrived I said I was worried about his personality and its fragility, for me it's cost us there. I didn't expect it to be an issue this low down the divisions, but the pressure got to him.

I am sincerely hoping that he's gone away, had a look at himself, got some support and come back as his season one self (but a bit wiser).

A manager as good as Evatt thinks he is takes us up last season. So the question for me is can he be that manager, or will he get in his own way again. He clearly needs better release mechanisms. He's apparently had issues before around addictions, so the ones managers usually use (drink, betting, etc) aren't open to him.

Go paint some clouds, Ian lad. Or write a children's book.

[BWFC_Insane]

Oh, one last thing.

When Pompey went on that bad run in January (about which I got a bit excited and thought we might have a chance to go above them...oh, those heady days) many of their fans wanted Mousinho out.

So, you know, football fans are all melts.

Football fans have no patience. How many clubs of similar size would Evatt be manager of with our record? Derby, Sunderland, Preston, Blackburn…I don’t think he’d have survived at any of them in these circumstances. Evatt is lucky to be here. Incredibly lucky.

[GhostoftheBok]

Football fans have no patience. How many clubs of similar size would Evatt be manager of with our record? Derby, Sunderland, Preston, Blackburn…I don’t think he’d have survived at any of them in these circumstances. Evatt is lucky to be here. Incredibly lucky.

Well, depends how you weight it.

Those clubs come down into this division, they don't usually come up into it.

Their managers take over squads full of highly paid Championship sharks in a goldfish pond league.

I think the problem here is rather some Bolton fans' image of the club as being on a par with ones relegated from the Championship, because of the names.

This gets back to the point I keep making. The badge and the history don't win you games.

Managers who keep improving don't usually get sacked.

Last season Evatt didn't do well enough. Previous years he did. He's been lucky, but only once.

[BWFC_Insane]

Football fans have no patience. How many clubs of similar size would Evatt be manager of with our record? Derby, Sunderland, Preston, Blackburn…I don’t think he’d have survived at any of them in these circumstances. Evatt is lucky to be here. Incredibly lucky.

Well, depends how you weight it.

Those clubs come down into this division, they don't usually come up into it.

Their managers take over squads full of highly paid Championship sharks in a goldfish pond league.

I think the problem here is rather some Bolton fans' image of the club as being on a par with ones relegated from the Championship, because of the names.

This gets back to the point I keep making. The badge and the history don't win you games.

Managers who keep improving don't usually get sacked.

Last season Evatt didn't do well enough. Previous years he did. He's been lucky, but only once.

I meant if any of those had the same fate we did and Evatt managed them from league two with identical record. I just can’t see him surviving.

I’d find him less objectionable if he acknowledged that he’s lucky to still be here rather than pretending he’s doing us some massive favour.

[GhostoftheBok]

I meant if any of those had the same fate we did and Evatt managed them from league two with identical record. I just can’t see him surviving.

I’d find him less objectionable if he acknowledged that he’s lucky to still be here rather than pretending he’s doing us some massive favour.

Hard to prove a counterfactual. Strongly suspect both Blackburn and Preston would have kept him, though Preston fans would have turned years ago. Sunderland almost certainly would have got rid before his first January.

Yeah, I think he's a bit of a pillock. Shame. Genuinely believes Jesus wants him to be a great manager, so you can't do much about that.

[BWFC_Insane]

I meant if any of those had the same fate we did and Evatt managed them from league two with identical record. I just can’t see him surviving.

I’d find him less objectionable if he acknowledged that he’s lucky to still be here rather than pretending he’s doing us some massive favour.

Hard to prove a counterfactual. Strongly suspect both Blackburn and Preston would have kept him, though Preston fans would have turned years ago. Sunderland almost certainly would have got rid before his first January.

Yeah, I think he's a bit of a pillock. Shame. Genuinely believes Jesus wants him to be a great manager, so you can't do much about that.

End of the day whatever I say here - I don’t think he will be sacked this season. So I hope he does the necessary and takes us up. Because I’ve more than had enough of being in league one. It’s horrible. It’s been bar a few highlights a pretty awful 15 years following BWFC so I do think we are massively overdue our time in the sun. And the only way we can get that I suspect is Evatt making a success of this season.

The fact I think we’d be much better off without him is broadly irrelevant. Still want us to go up.

[GhostoftheBok]

End of the day whatever I say here - I don’t think he will be sacked this season. So I hope he does the necessary and takes us up. Because I’ve more than had enough of being in league one. It’s horrible. It’s been bar a few highlights a pretty awful 15 years following BWFC so I do think we are massively overdue our time in the sun. And the only way we can get that I suspect is Evatt making a success of this season.

The fact I think we’d be much better off without him is broadly irrelevant. Still want us to go up.

Again, fair enough.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Would you apply the same rules season 1 as season 5 at the same club? Dunno whether I would - probably not. Evatt has had three goes, this'll make 4. I'm not judging him by the same rationale I did in his first season in L1...

Indeed, I can't remember a single person calling for Evatt's head in his first season

Did anyone? Dunno - I wouldn't be entirely surprised, our league position at the beginning of Jan wasn't great.

Yep. Loads. Including the usuals. I dare say they’ll be right eventually.

I think we were all questioning if it was the right appointment when we got beat 6-3 at home to Port Vale!

I know I was.

[Worthy4England]

So, you know, football fans are all melts.

Of course, unless they see the world like me. They don't deserve to be allowed to hand over their hard earned and express opinions. The game will be better off without them.

[GhostoftheBok]

Of course, unless they see the world like me. They don't deserve to be allowed to hand over their hard earned and express opinions. The game will be better off without them.

Opinion is opinion. Bollocks is bollocks.

[Worthy4England]

Of course, unless they see the world like me. They don't deserve to be allowed to hand over their hard earned and express opinions. The game will be better off without them.

Opinion is opinion. Bollocks is bollocks.

Either way.