the_mighty_bosh

1 minute ago, Guy Branston Pickle said:

That's where I'm at too. Parkinson, Millington etc. The way the fanbase has been the last couple of years, there's no way they'll get the time or patience required. We essentially need someone who can come in and get results straight away. Answers on a postcard please 

An interesting case that is extremely local to me is Gary Caldwell at Exeter.

Started the season well, went on a 13 match winless streak (10 defeats I believe) with a terrible goal difference, but since Christmas their form has been so good that they look like finishing top half in a league where they certainly don't have the budget that should get them there.

Unless there is a truly outstanding candidate to replace Mellon (basically Pete Wild in my opinion) then I'd rather we were the club that didn't make the change in manager.

43 minutes ago, Guy Branston Pickle said:

By desperate managers who are already out of work, I'd Imagine 

I'd be interested to see who is a better manager on paper than Mellon who's actually available (either unemployed or tempted to step up/down to us).

I currently wouldn't trust a head coach/manager who needs more than a year to establish a progressive style or philosophy, because there's no indication yet that they would be given the time to do it.

53 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

 

Promote from within, Paul Murray and the excellent youth team coach Chuka?

This is why I think Mellon is the least worst option at the start of next season.

I don't think this would necessarily be a bad idea in general, but it would show that the board have no idea what they are doing to do a complete u-turn in style and philosophy in this instance.  I want the board to show courage in their convictions when it comes to key decisions instead of swaying from one strategy to another.

Despite his record of promotions, Mellon has got a lot to prove at the start of next season after such an appalling run to close out the season.  That said, he has proven on four occasions that he knows how to get teams promoted (twice at this level) when he's had a summer window to work with.  I don't fully trust him, but I trust him more than any of the other key decision makers at the club right now.

Going into the final game of the season, only one team has won fewer home games in the league than us this season.

What the fuck is that all about?!

Beyond the Rothwells, while I wouldn't be against anyone who stays I also wouldn't be disappointed if anyone from our staff left.  What a disappointing underachievement this season has been.

18 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

 

He kept picking the same ones though and axing  some like Hobson who always put a shift in. Banishing 2 forwards like Tollitt and Willoughby when they could have been needed was ridiculous, same with Reid who should have been forgiven for his misdemeanour as he may well have fired us into the play offs.

 

 

There's a lot of positives about Hobson, but I actually didn't have an issue with him being dropped behind Raglan and Hogan because his distribution was absolutely awful in this bad run we've had.  Dagenham and Aldershot being clear examples where he was just hoofing the ball to nowhere on a regular basis.

That Mellon interview sounded like the interview that he's wanted to give for a couple of months at least, and I understand why he hasn't until now.

Board, management and players all need to be seriously questioned during the summer due to this level of collapse in the last quarter of the season and no one should assume their position is safe (Frank excluded obviously).

Out of those three categories Mellon and the management are the ones that I'd trust the most to bring us success next season due to the fact that he's won 4 of his promotions after his 1st summer window which shows he clearly knows how to shape a squad.  Added to this recruitment strategy from the board has been badly disjointed and imbalanced in the last two seasons and the application of the players at the crunch stage of the season has been woeful.

However, every situation is unique and if Frank and the key decision makers at the club believe that Mellon is the key cause of the shambolic end to the season then he won't be able to say that he's blameless in all of this.

What an utterly disappointing end to a season that actually could've been good for once.

Looks like two part time teams playing against each other, although one team at least has the excuse of actually being part time.

1 hour ago, Sloshed Joe said:

I understand all the arguments for reality v expectations. The reality is that we are not that far away from a team that could achieve the playoffs. Turn a couple of the numerous draws into scruffy wins and we’d be in the top 7. And finishing in the play-offs is what the majority of us expected.

But it’s also true that our home record this season is abysmal. 6 wins at home in the National League. There are only two teams in the division who have won less home games. Even with the culture shock of our first non league season and the transition from AL to Frank, we managed to win 11 home games in 2022/23. I’m not expecting us to take the division by storm, but anything resembling a respectable home record would see us where we wanted to be this season.

 

Credit to Mellon for the good run away run this season, it’s a shame I can only make games at BP. 

 

I've only just checked our home record this season.  Boreham Wood (our last home win back in February) have a better home record than us and they're in the relegation zone.

No wonder we're not getting in the playoffs with that home record.  

12 hours ago, deckyd said:

Understandable!  It was an extreme example! Do believe Sheron is a Fane type player- not too that of an extent though.

I thought it was a perfectly fair example.  You picked two players who needed the other type of player to function well.  Byrne had excellent technical ability but while he wasn't against scrapping for things I wouldn't trust him from a defensive point of view in midfield.

Fane was the polar opposite, breaking up play and covering ground very well but once he did win it then the sooner he gave it to someone else the better as you didn't want him anywhere near the ball afterwards!

6 hours ago, LightDN123 said:

They are all technically better than him by a mile. Gardner and Conlon played higher. McGahey is more trusted as the CDM. Lundstram is better than him. 

They are all technically better than Sheron and can pass the ball better than him (McGahey possibly being the only exception as I really don't rate him other than being a stopper in defensive midfield).  And yet they've all been worse than him this season in my eyes.  Not to say that Sheron is a world beater by any means but more that the list of players above has significantly underperformed on a regular basis.  Hopefully Lundstram's assist is more of what we'll see from him next season instead of what he's shown so far.

Can I also add on a technical level that Sheron is a really good tackler?  I'm not just saying that because he puts himself about, but he regularly times risky tackles well when he's pressing that breaks up opposition play.  It is needed in the centre of midfield as well as good passing ability and unfortunately this is shown when the other midfielder is Tom Conlan, who clearly has the ball control that Sheron doesn't but is frustratingly lightweight and often gets pushed off the ball far too easily for a central midfielder.

Like last year, if the manager and anyone responsible for recruitment can't find players who can perform better than Sheron on a regular basis they'll probably pay for it with their jobs just like Unsworth (and rightly so).  But I can't dislike Sheron because, unlike our other midfielders, he at least does the minimum that's expected whenever he's on the pitch compared to pretty much every other midfielder this season who regularly fall way below those levels.

5 hours ago, nzlatic said:

I'd be very surprised given we were actually in the play offs that it's just been accepted by everyone that it's ok to not go up this season.

 

However, if there's an acceptence at board level that the likelihood is we'll still be in this league next season given the players we have, then that'd be understandable.

It is unquestionably a disappointment that we look very likely to miss out on the playoffs given where we were 5 or 6 weeks ago, no one should avoid responsibility for it.

But I can't see us being a significantly smaller team at this level next season and we almost certainly will have an advantage budget-wise over almost everyone who's in the league, even without parachute payments. 

For me the big review should be the strategy for how to use the advantage in the best way possible, which in my mind wouldn't just be focusing the budget on the first team and would be putting more of an emphasis on a conveyor belt from youth team to first team to potentially playing at the highest level.  That will make us a healthy club for years to come, regardless of what division we're in.

On 5/1/2023 at 5:14 PM, oafcmetty said:

First Team Squad

1. Magnus Norman (2025)

13. Matt Hudson (2025)
x. Dan Langley (2024)

 

2. Sai Sachdev - on loan from Sheff U till end of season - send back

3. Mark Kitching (2025)

4. Liam Hogan (2025?)

5. Shaun Hobson (2025)

16. Charlie Raglan (2025)
17. Harrison McGahey (2024?) - release.
21. Will Sutton (2025)
27. Benny Couto (2024) - on loan at Ashton Utd till end of season

x. Llyton Chapman (2024?)- on loan at Chadderton

x. Fraser Cookson (2024?) - on loan at Nantwich till 6/2/24

 

6. Mark Shelton (2025) - transfer list

8. Josh Lundstram (2025)

11. Dan Ward (2025) - transfer list
14. Nathan Sheron (2025)
15. Devarn Green (2024, with option for 1 more year) - release
18. Ben Tollitt (2024) - season long loan at Chester - release

19. Dan Gardner (2024) - release

22. Brennan Dickenson (2024) - season long loan at Hartlepool - release

26. Oliver Hammond (2025)

28. Ethan Walker - on loan from Blackburn till end of season - send back

32. Tom Conlon (2026)
x. Jordan Windass (2024) - season long loan at Darlington - release

 

7. Kurt Willoughby (2025) - season long loan at Ayr United - transfer list

9. Mike Fondop (2024) - release

10. Joe Nuttall (2025) - season long loan at Cheltenham - transfer list

20. Hallum Hope (2024?) - release
25. Alex Reid (2025) - transfer list

29. Andrew Dallas - on loan from Barnsley till end of season - send back

30. James Norwood (2025, with option for 1 more year)

31. Kofi Moore (2024?) - season long loan at Guiseley

x. Jake Forshaw (2024?)- season long loan at Ossett

x. Joe Garner (2025)

 

Final Year Scholars
Oli Havens
Favour Okeke - offered deal
Mworina Doro

Oli Kilner - on loan at Bury till end of season

 

1st/2nd Year Scholars
TBA

In bold are the players that I'd release, transfer list or send back to parent clubs.  16 players for starters with others who should be kept on their toes.

Last year I was a fan of adding to what we had, this year I'm keen for us to cull a lot of players and build a smaller squad with the right mentality.  If we can start blooding more youngsters between now and August to supplement the squad that would be ideal.

32 minutes ago, kowenicki said:

Hobson is the one I guess I’d miss… but he’s most likely to leave. Could play at a higher level easily. 

He's got the perfect build for a centre-back, but his distribution is terrible even for a non-league centre back and I had no problem with him being dropped behind Raglan and Hogan if I'm honest.

32 minutes ago, GKing521 said:

Lock the thread they said.

Crazy they said.

Writing was on the wall after how that Kidderminster game went down.

I'm still saying it.  It is a joke thread now and it was even more of a joke thread when you started it in my opinion.

It's still not worth sacking him at this point and I don't see when it will in the near future.  Although he needs to show that he can do something different in the next four games to alleviate some pressure on him and he needs to be ruthless with this squad in the summer.  

Next four games are the opportunity for everyone involved to show that they can make a positive impact for next season.  I'd put much more faith in Mellon than the current crop of players, but he now has to prove that he can do something different to build back some faith.

I've disagreed with BP1960 about blooding the kids in the playoff push, but now is the time to give the best of them to show that they can improve the way we play.

There are players in the squad who show the attitude I see as a winning one.  For example, I like that Norwood is furious with the players who aren't up to it and they are right to be told it.  But no one should be exempt and all of them in the last four games need to show that they are worthy of a place at the club next season.

7 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

Probably, what I'm saying is the two can't work together. These players have effectively downed tools since Frank came back from rowing the Atlantic, not sure why but for me we need to rip it up and start again. 

It's been extremely disappointing that Mellon has seen us dropping out of the playoffs in such a limp manner and he should take some of the blame.

But it really looks a case of salvaging the small amount of players who have the right attitude to mount a proper promotion charge. 

Mellon and Brabin have previous in building promotion teams over the summer, I've not been impressed by what they've overseen but I'd trust them a lot more than the bulk of these players.

After the shambles on Friday, I can't see us winning tomorrow and the way it's looking it could be a hammering if we're not careful.

It's an absolute gut punch that we finally after all these years are actually at the right end of the table for once, and that we've fallen away so meekly with players and management staff who should know better and do better.

I have no idea how we're going to find an approach that wins with the way Mellon sets us up, with the players we have available and the attitude a lot of the players have.

Other than that, I think we'll be fine.

18 hours ago, AndyB2 said:

Be nice if you answered the question. Never mind. 

17 hours ago, AndyB2 said:

That’s a long time you have just spent on the bog. 
 

just after an answer sweety 

14 hours ago, AndyB2 said:

 

I am at pains to say, this is my opinion. I could not give a flying fuck if it isn’t yours or not. My views are not fact.

 

I am rarely wrong, unfortunately 

11 hours ago, AndyB2 said:

Every time some knob on here comes up with some crap like this, I will, without hestitation, draw attention to the fact that we have shit players. It starts and ends there 

11 hours ago, AndyB2 said:

Love to be proven wrong. I won’t be 

11 hours ago, AndyB2 said:

Can’t help but being right and not my fault people on here are mainly a bit simple. What am i to do? It’s a real dilemma.

 

Come back when I am wrong about all these players who have such a glorious past. I won’t hold my breath. 

11 hours ago, AndyB2 said:

It’s crazy that you are vilified on here for saying what you see. 

9 hours ago, AndyB2 said:

Happy to be vilified. Am not wrong  though am I ?

Not understanding the difference between castigation and castration is fair enough, one of those things and you learn and move on.

Being this aggressive and arrogant then complaining about being vilified is just strange.

18 minutes ago, Londonboy said:

Question has to be asked....has Mellon made us worse??

He initially made us better but has since clearly made us worse.  He should be taking us into next season with a foundation of a squad to build from, but he's overseen an extremely poor end to the season that he's lost a lot of credit that his prior success and early good form had brought him.

He should still get the summer for him and Brabin to show that they know what it takes when building a squad to win promotion (which they've shown at Tranmere they can do).  There's clearly so many gutless players in this squad that it's a reasonably big overhaul that's needed.  Despite the recent shit form I trust the manager more than the bulk of these players.

14 hours ago, deyres42 said:

Hopefully someone like a Macclesfield might be daft enough to take Norwood, get two strikers in with those wages.

Get rid of our top scorer to add two more to what is already a bloated squad of strikers on the books.  You can do better than this.

4 hours ago, AndyB2 said:

I was castrated for saying his signings have been shite last week.

 

I genuinely don't want to be the grammar pedant police, but as it's the 2nd time you've posted it...

"Castigated" is the word you're looking for, because castration is a lot lot worse.

I can be as much of a knob as the next person after a defeat, but I'd never castrate anyone for a different opinion.

I suppose you could say that we're still in the race for the playoffs, so if we do pick up at least four points from the Easter weekend we'll still have a decent chance of nabbing a top 7 spot (nabbing it is the best I can hope for with the way we're playing).

But that was the most disappointing performance of the season, on the back of a good performance last week, that has shot to pieces much of the hope that we are a playoff or promotion-winning team.  That was the game that we needed to step up and prove that we are the team to beat in the playoffs but it was such a laboured and turgid performance that was lacking in intelligence on the pitch.

Mellon should absolutely get the summer transfer window and I think we'll have the chance to get a lot of players with the wrong mentality out of the club which I can see him doing, but the performances are so bad that it's losing him credit with the fans ahead of next season which could put unnecessary pressure on him.  He could be doing a lot better than this with the players we have, regardless of their flaws.

1 minute ago, AndyB2 said:

I got castrated for being ‘negative’ last week after the mugs on here jizzed themselves over a point against chesterfield.

 

The tone appears to have changed.

 

Get a grip people. This team is gash. 

 

 

No wonder you aren't jizzing yourself over performances if you got castrated last week.  

It's the best yardstick for whether we're ready for promotion or not.

All conventional logic would say that we're not ready, but it wouldn't surprise me if some of our players see it as a big enough game to put in a big performance for.  Not the ideal attitude over the whole season by any means but it's what I'm hoping pushes us to compete today.