Londonboy

Very happy with this appointment and the pieces of the jigsaw seem to be coming together to allow us to begin some sustainable progress. A few more weeks I fear before we start to see any substantial improvement on the pitch, but this is Ok as long as we can keep some light between us and the bottom 4 over the next 6 or 7 games and nick a few results.

Can't say I'm overconfident!

As you know BP these are under 18s and not many make first team squads at any level, never mind in the Championship. Physicality is the main reason for this imo. Trust me I've been present at many academy training sessions over the past 12 months and from what I've seen players spend 75% of their time working on technical ability and team shape. It's the coaches that drive the work ethic and winning mentality so hopefully our new youth coach Louis Dean will enstill this into us. Clearly the old set up was poor. My guess is we saw who we were playing, took the game too easily, got a man sent off, and struggled from there. And btw ...they don't just run around

Paddy...any update on what's gone wrong?

All valid comments. However I speak on this topic from a personal perspective. My 16 year old plays for a National League academy club and they play their 3rd qualifying round next week against a lower ranked club. It's the biggest game of their season to date, and the biggest competition they will play in until they turn pro. Both the boys and coaches will be devastated if they fail to make the first round proper and are so well prepared and drilled for it it's scary. Perhaps that's the main issue throughout the club. As Unsworth has quoted we don't have a winning mentality and we need improve this across all levels at the club. We accept defeat too easily and seem to make up excuses for not winning? Individual development is important but it's greatly assisted by winning, and we need to understand why we are not winning games we should, and change it now. Hopefully the new structure will begin to address this. Obviously circumstances over the past few years have hindered success, but I went to watch our U18s last season at QPR in the 3rd round I think, they were magnificent and and only narrowly lost. Very sad that we don't even make the 3rd qualifying round this year that's all....

FFS what's your point Dave? Should we or shouldn't we beating them?

Cracking

Agreed but that's not the point Dave...we SHOULD be beating them.

Wardie this is step 8....level four of the national League pyramid. Our lads should be beating them 10 men or not.

Jesus we should have beaten them!

Like I said none did great...all mentioned above were not close to the level they were at first time round. Realistically who would even consider coming back anyway that we would want? New owners, new ere, move on

Can't think of many who have ever returned as a player who I can honestly say we're worth it

Let's move on from ex players....rarely are they any good at our level...

Hope your right Paddy....you usually are to be fair in these matters!

Done a cracking job at Rotherham. Saw a video of him at pre season at Rotherham and his preparation, discipline and general standards he expects are all top notch....right down to fines for players who didnt unroll their dirty socks before they were sent to be washed!!

We were truly shite all over the field end of.... Could have been 6 or more without Norman. Every single player bar Norman was below par, most well below. The young loanees were all crap with the exception of Wellens for 15 mins. They may be good players but need to learn to play a simple ball more often. The midfield just didn't seem to know where they should be playing or in what formation. Can't even remember any of them passing to each other the whole game. What the fuck Shez and that waster Tommy Wright do all week in training is a mystery...

Yep was just thinking similar. No clean sheets since the opening day of the season, and we've scored once away from home so far.....nailed on Latics 2-0 win

Sorry brain freeze....course he is. And yes I'd take him back tomorrow!!

Interestingly league 2's top 3 managers are Richie Wellens at Orient, Brown at Barrow and Evans at Stevenage. All clubs that changed their manager late last season, got a bounce and stayed up, and continued with great form this season. ....just to be clear I'm NOT saying I'd take any of them, just an observation

Cracking result that!

That waste of space Garrity scored again yesterday for Vale.....

Class player. Imagine if we had a striker of his quality on Saturday.....

Signed one year deal

All the positivity this week and it looks like another piss poor performance and loss to a team in a league below us. Not panicking yet but it seems we need some quality reinforcements asap on loan or perm otherwise we may have the best ladies toilets in the National League North next season

I have a good grip of the situation thanks....I'm just saying we haven't won for 10 games....since the 2nd April actually, and we could do with one to at least build our confidence...that's all. Would you prefer we go to Torquay having not won in 12/13 games then?? And there is a world of difference from the Dowie days and pre season 2006 than where we are today!