Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Where fellow sufferers gather to share the pain, longing and unrequited transfer requests that make being a Wanderer what it is...

Moderator: Zulus Thousand of em

Post Reply
User avatar
Hoboh
Immortal
Immortal
Posts: 13303
Joined: Wed May 31, 2006 8:19 am

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by Hoboh » Sun Feb 16, 2020 11:38 am

I think the lack of someone on the pitch to grab them by the balls is a large factor as well.

User avatar
TonyDomingos
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 2751
Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:27 pm
Location: Sarf East London

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by TonyDomingos » Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:47 pm

LeverEnd wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 9:40 am
Wimbledon tickets on sale tomorrow. Will be taking the opportunity to watch us give another relegation candidate a leg up. And really piss Tranmere off.

Will they be on open sale? I'll buy you a pint at this one! :D
Às armas, às armas!
Sobre a terra, sobre o mar,
Às armas, às armas!
Pela Pátria lutar!
Contra os canhões marchar, marchar!

Enoch
Icon
Icon
Posts: 4269
Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2012 7:08 pm
Location: The Garden of England.

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by Enoch » Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:11 pm

TonyDomingos wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:47 pm
I'll buy you a pint at this one! :D

:shock:

User avatar
Dave Sutton's barnet
Immortal
Immortal
Posts: 28435
Joined: Sun May 14, 2006 4:00 pm
Location: Hanging on in quiet desperation
Contact:

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by Dave Sutton's barnet » Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:16 pm

...which might mean I'm buying tickets for both AFC New Original Wombles and McDons Franchise FC in the same week, like someone sending Christmas cards to both sides of a bitter divorce...

LeverEnd
Legend
Legend
Posts: 9969
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2012 11:18 pm
Location: Dirty Leeds

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by LeverEnd » Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:24 pm

Enoch wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:11 pm
TonyDomingos wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:47 pm
I'll buy you a pint at this one! :D

:shock:
We've only been given 700 standing and 74(!) seats.
Hope that's just an initial allocation.
...

User avatar
Prufrock
Immortal
Immortal
Posts: 23959
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:51 pm

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by Prufrock » Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:28 pm

Yeah, defo a yellow.

That first goal though. Oh my. Laughed out loud.
In a world that has decided
That it's going to lose its mind
Be more kind, my friends, try to be more kind.

User avatar
TonyDomingos
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 2751
Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:27 pm
Location: Sarf East London

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by TonyDomingos » Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:45 pm

LeverEnd wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:24 pm
Enoch wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:11 pm
TonyDomingos wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:47 pm
I'll buy you a pint at this one! :D

:shock:
We've only been given 700 standing and 74(!) seats.
Hope that's just an initial allocation.
I think that's all we'll get. It's a tiny ground.
Às armas, às armas!
Sobre a terra, sobre o mar,
Às armas, às armas!
Pela Pátria lutar!
Contra os canhões marchar, marchar!

Athertonian
Promising
Promising
Posts: 275
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2016 10:18 pm

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by Athertonian » Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:54 pm

I think most Bolton fans knew what they was getting in Keith Hill, especially if you listened to his pre/post match interviews whilst at Rochdale. Like most, we wrote this season off before a ball was kicked but, I did expect a gathering of players good enough to at least compete in this league. What does bother me is next term. Despite trying to get back into this league I will call it progress, many wont.
Having experienced Hill as manager I can't place trust in producing a side that can compete in that bottom league let alone gaining promotion. We shall have to wait.
What now is needed is a strong finish to the end of this season to keep interest in the fans, many won't renew a season ticket expecting the same again. As it stands, we still command a decent home crowd which surely adds to profitable income? I will stand corrected on that one.

User avatar
Dave Sutton's barnet
Immortal
Immortal
Posts: 28435
Joined: Sun May 14, 2006 4:00 pm
Location: Hanging on in quiet desperation
Contact:

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by Dave Sutton's barnet » Sun Feb 16, 2020 4:06 pm

Athertonian wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:54 pm
I think most Bolton fans knew what they was getting in Keith Hill, especially if you listened to his pre/post match interviews whilst at Rochdale. Like most, we wrote this season off before a ball was kicked but, I did expect a gathering of players good enough to at least compete in this league. What does bother me is next term. Despite trying to get back into this league I will call it progress, many wont.
Having experienced Hill as manager I can't place trust in producing a side that can compete in that bottom league let alone gaining promotion. We shall have to wait.
What now is needed is a strong finish to the end of this season to keep interest in the fans, many won't renew a season ticket expecting the same again. As it stands, we still command a decent home crowd which surely adds to profitable income? I will stand corrected on that one.
Problem is mate, our income - which should be among the highest in the division, even if we drop to say 8/9 thou per home game - doesn't mean squat for next season itself as we're still under embargo for both the next two transfer windows. It's not like an FFP thing where we have to earn it to spend it; we're simply not allowed to spend it.

True, I'd rather we have the money in the bank or at least to hit what will probably be laughably low wage ceilings. But we can't pay a transfer fee, we can't pay a loan fee, we won't exactly be at the front of the queue for big clubs' best kids (because we'll be fourth division)... So what we need is a manager who can find unwanted players - not just transfer-listed players, but cast-offs and rejects - and mould them into a team. I think with their experience Hillcroft might be the best combo we can get in terms of finding players... but sadly it's becoming obvious that getting those players to play well is a big, ongoing problem.

If Simon Grayson were interested in dropping a division below his level, I might be tempted. But I still don't know who might be better *in our situation*. On the long long journey back from Lincoln, The Mighty Flanners and I went through a long long list of managers with lower-league experience who are available. The best option we could come up with was Sean O'Driscoll. I'd be genuinely intrigued to hear other names.

TKIZ!
Legend
Legend
Posts: 7067
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 9:19 pm
Location: Simon Farnworth's glove bag

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by TKIZ! » Sun Feb 16, 2020 5:12 pm

Nathan Jones?
Had Luton playing decent football before having his head turned by Stoke
Pfffft.

TKIZ!
Legend
Legend
Posts: 7067
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 9:19 pm
Location: Simon Farnworth's glove bag

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by TKIZ! » Sun Feb 16, 2020 5:17 pm

Grayson didn't come across well in the Sunderland documentary acn be very polarising, if you don't like Hill then Grayson is not the man to lead Wanderers
Pfffft.

User avatar
Dave Sutton's barnet
Immortal
Immortal
Posts: 28435
Joined: Sun May 14, 2006 4:00 pm
Location: Hanging on in quiet desperation
Contact:

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by Dave Sutton's barnet » Sun Feb 16, 2020 5:31 pm

TKIZ! wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 5:12 pm
Nathan Jones?
Had Luton playing decent football before having his head turned by Stoke
As Nicholaldo posted on another thread:
Nathan Jones reportedly turned down Bristol Rovers in December, with their local newspaper being quoted as follows:

"It is understood that Jones, having managed in the second tier, isn't quite ready to drop down into League One unless he feels it's to a club who can be considered Championship-ready, both on and off the field."

He won't be joining us, whether Blackpool are in for him or not.
.
TKIZ! wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 5:17 pm
Grayson didn't come across well in the Sunderland documentary acn be very polarising, if you don't like Hill then Grayson is not the man to lead Wanderers
Yep, this was mentioned last summer when discussing possible replacements for Parkinson if the situation remained untenable. Sunderland wasn't the right move for Grayson and the shine seems to have come off - Blackpool started well this season then slid. Maybe his time has gone but let's face it, we're going to struggle to get somebody in-demand. It's all part of reassessing our place in the scheme of things.

For the record, I don't mind Hill, and I was one of many saying his appointment made sense. I just fear that this situation might be beyond him. I find myself wondering if Flitcroft would be better. Certainly I wouldn't go for somebody suicidally inexperienced or "different" just for the sake of it. Maybe, maybe if we didn't have the embargo and we could go into next season with relative financial muscle, attractive to players etc then a greenhorn would work - the top three in League Two all have managers in their thirties, but none are under the fiscal restrictions our man will face. I just feel this is no job for a callow youth.

User avatar
Hoboh
Immortal
Immortal
Posts: 13303
Joined: Wed May 31, 2006 8:19 am

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by Hoboh » Sun Feb 16, 2020 6:01 pm

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 5:31 pm
TKIZ! wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 5:12 pm
Nathan Jones?
Had Luton playing decent football before having his head turned by Stoke
As Nicholaldo posted on another thread:
Nathan Jones reportedly turned down Bristol Rovers in December, with their local newspaper being quoted as follows:

"It is understood that Jones, having managed in the second tier, isn't quite ready to drop down into League One unless he feels it's to a club who can be considered Championship-ready, both on and off the field."

He won't be joining us, whether Blackpool are in for him or not.
.
TKIZ! wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 5:17 pm
Grayson didn't come across well in the Sunderland documentary acn be very polarising, if you don't like Hill then Grayson is not the man to lead Wanderers
Yep, this was mentioned last summer when discussing possible replacements for Parkinson if the situation remained untenable. Sunderland wasn't the right move for Grayson and the shine seems to have come off - Blackpool started well this season then slid. Maybe his time has gone but let's face it, we're going to struggle to get somebody in-demand. It's all part of reassessing our place in the scheme of things.

For the record, I don't mind Hill, and I was one of many saying his appointment made sense. I just fear that this situation might be beyond him. I find myself wondering if Flitcroft would be better. Certainly I wouldn't go for somebody suicidally inexperienced or "different" just for the sake of it. Maybe, maybe if we didn't have the embargo and we could go into next season with relative financial muscle, attractive to players etc then a greenhorn would work - the top three in League Two all have managers in their thirties, but none are under the fiscal restrictions our man will face. I just feel this is no job for a callow youth.
Christ on a bike, absolutely no.

nicholaldo
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 2362
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2018 8:23 pm

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by nicholaldo » Sun Feb 16, 2020 6:09 pm

I think next season is going to be difficult. As has already been pointed out, we'll be operating under a registration embargo which is even more restrictive than the one we're operating under now, but we'll also be faced with the prospect of having to build a full squad practically from scratch again. If that weren't already enough, the majority of the supporter base expects promotion. Any manager we have next season will be tasked with meeting the expectations of one of the "biggest" clubs in the league whilst working without the financial advantage that comes with it. That's a tough gig for anyone.

We can certainly forget Nathan Jones, and I doubt Grayson would want the job. I've also heard Sam Ricketts' name touted, but again, he won't be tempted here in our current circumstances.

Gary Bowyer and Paul Tisdale are both out of work?

User avatar
Dave Sutton's barnet
Immortal
Immortal
Posts: 28435
Joined: Sun May 14, 2006 4:00 pm
Location: Hanging on in quiet desperation
Contact:

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by Dave Sutton's barnet » Sun Feb 16, 2020 6:15 pm

Out of interest, why so against Flitcroft?

Tisdale (who did well at Exeter then took MK Dons up) would be worth considering IF he'd come up north. He's definitely a southerner, and at fourth-tier level these things start to matter: wages and opportunities aren't always worth uprooting your family for.

By the same token, scouser Ryan Lowe might feasibly be interested if he's fed up of the weather in Plymouth (it rains more there than in Manchester, fact fans) and he took Bury up but only after they massively overspent. Interestingly, Matt Taylor (not our one), who replaced Tisdale at Exeter and has them in the top three, was born in Chorley...

User avatar
Dave Sutton's barnet
Immortal
Immortal
Posts: 28435
Joined: Sun May 14, 2006 4:00 pm
Location: Hanging on in quiet desperation
Contact:

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by Dave Sutton's barnet » Sun Feb 16, 2020 6:37 pm

Here's a thing, by the way. Much has (rightly) been made of how we keep conceding in the first and last five minutes of each half. There's another, less heralded trend, which is that we're also awful at scoring in the middle third of each half - 16-30 and 61-75 minutes.
.
Screen Shot 2020-02-16 at 18.30.43.png
Screen Shot 2020-02-16 at 18.30.43.png (44.22 KiB) Viewed 13107 times
.
From 16 to 30 minutes we've scored just one league goal all season - COG's 28th-minute opener in the home win against Fleetwood. (In the same time period, AFC Wimbledon have scored eight.)

From 61 to 75 we've scored three - Daryl in the win at Bristol and the home win against Southend, plus COG in the home win over Tranmere. (In the same time period, Tranmere have scored eight.)

You may have noticed that every time we've scored in those time periods - which, after all, represent A THIRD OF THE SODDING SEASON - we've won. Indeed, the only time we've won without one of those goals is the late one against MK Dons.

User avatar
Dave Sutton's barnet
Immortal
Immortal
Posts: 28435
Joined: Sun May 14, 2006 4:00 pm
Location: Hanging on in quiet desperation
Contact:

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by Dave Sutton's barnet » Sun Feb 16, 2020 7:09 pm

An optimist might say we could try to tempt Ian Evatt, the ex-Blackpool defender who's helping Barrow romp back into the league playing Guardiolaball on a bottom-six National League budget. He might, I guess, make the calculated gamble that he could go further with Bolton than Barrow. But then, he might laugh at the very idea.

Interview/feature here but it's probably behind a paywall. Sorry, journalism isn't always free.

https://theathletic.com/1579893/2020/02 ... guardiola/

User avatar
Harry Genshaw
Legend
Legend
Posts: 9097
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2005 10:47 pm
Location: Half dead in Panama

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by Harry Genshaw » Sun Feb 16, 2020 9:39 pm

I was just reading on one of the lesser forums, a comparison with the last time we sank to the bottom division.

Phil Neal had taken us over when we were in dire financial straits and despite the early success of a Wembley final, poor signings meant we were relegated the year after. Amongst the hysteria of Savage's winner at Wrexham, it's easy to forget how mediocre we were that season and how bloody lucky we were to nick that last promotion spot. In the end though, sticking with Neal turned our fortunes around and laid the bedrock for what came next.

Whilst my faith in Hill has gone, given the above, perhaps talk of getting shot now is premature?
"Get your feet off the furniture you Oxbridge tw*t. You're not on a feckin punt now you know"

User avatar
Dave Sutton's barnet
Immortal
Immortal
Posts: 28435
Joined: Sun May 14, 2006 4:00 pm
Location: Hanging on in quiet desperation
Contact:

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by Dave Sutton's barnet » Sun Feb 16, 2020 9:58 pm

Oh I think so, Harry, but it’s worth looking around.

For the record, I think we are in a worse position now than then. Better ground, yes; maybe a bigger fanbase. But then we could pay fees - not much and not often, but some.

We do have a better youth system now but that’s also been decimated by the admin clusterf**k.

I have absolutely no intention of bailing and I’m quietly interested in seeing some new/old grounds. But I think Pompey might be a fair comparison and they didn’t bounce straight back.

User avatar
Harry Genshaw
Legend
Legend
Posts: 9097
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2005 10:47 pm
Location: Half dead in Panama

Re: Day after St Valentines day massacre? Bolton v Wycombe Home, Sat 15th Feb. 3-o'clock.

Post by Harry Genshaw » Sun Feb 16, 2020 10:18 pm

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 9:58 pm
Oh I think so, Harry, but it’s worth looking around.

For the record, I think we are in a worse position now than then. Better ground, yes; maybe a bigger fanbase. But then we could pay fees - not much and not often, but some.

We do have a better youth system now but that’s also been decimated by the admin clusterf**k.

I have absolutely no intention of bailing and I’m quietly interested in seeing some new/old grounds. But I think Pompey might be a fair comparison and they didn’t bounce straight back.
Aye, agree with all that. The debts we carried into Division 4 last time would make anyone look well run now!

Oddly enough, Accrington aside, I have quite enjoyed this season and looked forward to games more than I have the last couple of years. Next year will at least give us chance to see a few new grounds and reacquaint ourselves with some old ones. Like Pompey did, I hope enough of us keep the faith.
"Get your feet off the furniture you Oxbridge tw*t. You're not on a feckin punt now you know"

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 96 guests