mikeroyboy

Who next? There’s the rub. There are a few out there but I can’t bring one to mind who hasn’t been sacked for failure, most by clubs with bigger playing budgets than we can offer. Maybe there is someone out there who wants to try and do us a favour like Baxter. Is there a managerial appointment more frustratingly difficult than a successful football manager? I wonder what the ratio is of managers who are head hunted and those that are sacked.

My view on Dickov is that he could easily be replaced within the next 2 weeks. What happened with the sackings is unusual to say the least and I just can’t help feeling that Corney has something up his sleeve. Corney is seeing the same inadequacies in tactics as we are. We have all seen the number of different names in the frame for mentor or replacement manager. One man with the cash will choose. In his head Corney may be looking at a coach who will step up to manager very shortly. I don’t buy the statement that it will be Dickov’s choice. That just doesn’t stack up for me. I just don’t see Corney sleepwalking into relegation. But as Tommy Doc once said – “it’s all about opinions”.

The Chairman is the last person we need to be worrying about. Unless that is, who is going to pay the wages next month. He is as sure as hell making mistakes – flattening the Ford Stand the biggest in my view – and as sure as hell he is keeping us afloat. Corney has never shown any enthusiasm for relegation but finding a winning formula in football is a lottery. Dickov will no doubt go if things become desperate but let’s see what happens in the next 2 weeks staff wise. We are not exactly adrift in the bottom 4. Surely, something is going to be done to complement Baxter’s passing skills? I know it is another loss but at least we are blooding our younger players now without looking any worse. I know I am maybe over optimistic but being negative never, ever helps. It is not in Corney’s interest to be relegated and it’s not in ours for him to walk.

Whether it was spun or not doesn’t really make a negative difference. He has been here the last 4months and he is here next week. On the positive side I am sure it provided a great deal of entertainment to many before the game trying to guess what the announcement would be. Our little group had Baxter in the frame but only till the end of the season. Because of this he was discounted, because we didn’t think that was a ‘huge’ enough announcement to be worthy of the drama. I hope him and the club get their just rewards. Corney must surely try and build something around him while he’s here.

I agree entirely. I said a couple of months ago when he started to look the business that it may be possible for him to make a gesture like this as a thank you for the leg up we have given him. As I said then, I wouldn’t mind betting there is a % of the selling fee in it for him when he eventually goes. Injuries apart I can only see this being the best signing we have made in a very long time taking into account the potential profit for the club. I also think it is an indication of the direction we are going and bodes well for next season. Corney and Dickov can’t possibly have talked him into this deal expecting him to play with general standard of players we have now. Some of his passing today was awesome. A very rare young man in this day and age. A saint if he stays two and a half years.

'we'?

This looks like a positive move to me. What’s going through Corney’s head regarding Dickov remains to be seen. In 9yrs of keeping us afloat Corney has never shown the slightest enthusiasm for relegation. It would also be unlikely that he has made no preliminary enquiries as to the way forward. I wouldn’t mind betting that Dickov knew what was coming before Saturday. His none contact with the substituted players was completely out of character. Dickov’s rolling contract will, like a terminal contract, have clauses and conditions. It would be fair to say that we are all guessing at what those would be regarding settlement or cancellation. It will also be no coincidence that this move coincides with the January window. But, will it be Dickov attempting to bring players in?

Did anyone else notice there was no movement towards any of the substituted players by Dickov, or vice versa for that matter. Unusual?

I was there but only remember it because it was on MOTD. I don't remember too much about the game but watched it a few weeks ago on YouTube. I was shocked at the pace of the game, it would send a glass eye to sleep. So would Kenneth (they think its all over) Wolstenhome. He was the sole commentator, with no expert analysis assistant. He also did an half-time summary and a full time interview with Jimmy Mcllroy, both pitch-side. When skilful players of yesterday are compared with todays players going off this game they would be run into the ground before half-time. Albert Quixsall looked a long way from being a boy wonder. Latics winning secured safety from relegation. Happy days.

2 out of 10. can't quite believe it, I was feeling quite confidant. With due respect to referees, I very rarely have a rant at them. I feel they have an impossible job with the speed of the game and players antics. Now I have got to take into consideration learning the bloody rules as well.

Thanks Harriers9. Don’t worry about your kids, we may see them but we won’t hear them. You are in for a treat atmosphere wise, and I hope football wise as well from the 2 teams. Hope you make some cash.

Does this stack up - Baxter is enjoying himself and seems quite happy with the shirt. He will also appreciate the platform the club have given him. Could he be persuaded to sign a 2yr contract in January, with a release clause allowing him join any club he chooses at the end of this season at any price. With another clause giving him a percentage of that, if any, fee. Up to now he is looking out of our league, maybe he feels he could just do us a favour for the lift we have given him. Or am I being soft?

Apparently black players, led by a leading human rights barrister Peter Herbert, are contemplating starting their own association. The proposed name is Black Players Association. Interested parties include some black Premiership players. Is that racist? Can you imagine a White Players Association being muted?

This is not Football Manager we are playing on Saturday. There will be consequences for not winning and I can’t think of a positive one. Leave squad rotation to a couple of clubs I don’t care to mention. Strongest team please. Start with Smith if it means getting 6-8 more league matches out of Derbyshire.

He got more coverage than we did in our excellent show at Sheffield last week.

I thought it was something I had said about the Croft incident

So, if it was Uniteds throw-in it was an outragous piece of time waisting, aided and abetted by the ball-boy because none of their players seemed to be interested in going for the ball and he wasn't moving it towards them. There were at least 3 of them near the touchline. So the United players are equally culpable for this mess.

Has anyone else picked up from the TV footage that not a single Latics player was running towards the ball lying stationary against the hoardings as the ball-boy slowly climbed over them. Croft was actually trotting past the ball into a defensive position and Wabara was stepping backwards likewise. For none football reasons and to my regret I had already left the ground, but was there an issue with whose throw-in it was? It was only when Croft had passed the ball by a few yards he turned to go back towards him. By this time the ball-boy was standing with the ball at his feet with no player seemingly wanting to claim it. Croft’s arm then came into camera shot a couple of yards from the touch line apparently requesting the ball. The kid didn’t release it, why? It was only when Croft realised that he was going to have to go for it himself that he became animated and the kid kicked it passed him. There seems to be 4 ponderable’s here. Why were there no Latics defenders rushing to take the throw-in? Could the kid, at first, have been confused by whose throw-in it was as well as our players? Why did the kid not release the ball on Croft’s universally acknowledged arm out request? Why did the kid finally kick the ball past Croft. It is my belief your honour that the evidence put before the court indicates that Latics, at first, did not think it was their throw-in, and neither did the kid. The kid was happy to wait for a United player to saunter up for the ball. When Mr Croft requested the ball he became belligerent and when my client became agitated the kid had a ‘Kevin’ moment and hoofed the ball away from him. Me, normal now: I can’t for the life of me see how Croft or any player would have been inclined or stupid enough to racially abuse a ball boy. I hope the police take the trouble to run players, management and coaching staff from both clubs through the seconds before the incident along with the match officials and 2 adjacent cameramen.

What about Robert Powell, (actor). He gave a convincing performance playing Jesus of Nazareth a few years ago, including performing miracles. That’s we need.

A misplaced apostrophe between the g and the e in managers and a weird looking thing between the r and the s.

"We just need a Russian or Arab to give us a spare 5 million or so" Or Richards to go for 25m.

The Victor Meldrew Stand

Have you tried ‘Where There’s Blame There’s a Claim’?

You have missed it! 4-0pm to 7-0pm.

It looks good but I think it's only a basic artist’s impression of the development rather than a precise design of the build. As already noticed there are no dugout, camera gantry and tunnel. Plus no wall. I have farted about trying to count the seats. I get 6 blocks of 14 rows 20 seats to a row and 2 end blocks of 7 to a row. From this I can’t make it more than a 2,000 capacity. If that is the case (and Corney says it’s a 3,000 capacity) we may be in for a pleasant surprise as to how it looks from the pitch. I am looking forward to seeing the actual plans next week.