[The Earl of Chesterfield]

h again, on Apr 21 2008, 10:20 AM, said:

You're really pinning your hopes on those poor crowds, aren't you? I'm afraid you'll be disappointed.

Are you seriously suggesting crowds won't be affected if Richardson stays? This season has seen reduced season ticket sales and our worst average attendances for eight years - is that because people are happy with Hubbard's appointment?

Or are you simply saying that Hubbard won't sack his appointment no matter what level gates fall to?

[malcolmr13]

MDCCCLXVI, on Apr 21 2008, 05:04 PM, said:

Are you seriously suggesting crowds won't be affected if Richardson stays? This season has seen reduced season ticket sales and our worst average attendances for eight years - is that because people are happy with Hubbard's appointment?

Or are you simply saying that Hubbard won't sack his appointment no matter what level gates fall to?

I recognise my coinage on judgement of crowd numbers is decimal compared to your experience. My reading is that the new board will be announced soon, the new ground talk will get more exciting and the season ticket sales will see a modest upturn.
Tell you what troubles me about your viewpoint, if you are interested. It is that you appear to be use the low ST sales as some sort of threat. I am not clear where the threat is directed. Is it the old board, the new board, fans less critical of the manager, or the club. Or a bit of everything.
Do you write to the chairman on these matters or only to these boards? I know which is more likely to get an ear.
Anyway, power to your elbow.

[The Earl of Chesterfield]

malcolmr13, on Apr 21 2008, 05:22 PM, said:

I recognise my coinage on judgement of crowd numbers is decimal compared to your experience. My reading is that the new board will be announced soon, the new ground talk will get more exciting and the season ticket sales will see a modest upturn.
Tell you what troubles me about your viewpoint, if you are interested. It is that you appear to be use the low ST sales as some sort of threat. I am not clear where the threat is directed. Is it the old board, the new board, fans less critical of the manager, or the club. Or a bit of everything.
Do you write to the chairman on these matters or only to these boards? I know which is more likely to get an ear.
Anyway, power to your elbow.

I'm not in any way trying to threaten Malc, i'm attempting to articulate a desperate concern.

Simply put, the new ground is our greatest ever opportunity and the thought of that opportunity being in any way squandered because failure continues to be tolerated, scares the brown stuff out of me.

I agree with your assessment about new people in the Boardroom illiciting renewed interest on the terraces, however i genuinely fear the strength of feeling against LR will be underestimated.

[malcolmr13]

MDCCCLXVI, on Apr 21 2008, 06:02 PM, said:

I'm not in any way trying to threaten Malc, i'm attempting to articulate a desperate concern.

Simply put, the new ground is our greatest ever opportunity and the thought of that opportunity being in any way squandered because failure continues to be tolerated, scares the brown stuff out of me.

I agree with your assessment about new people in the Boardroom illiciting renewed interest on the terraces, however i genuinely fear the strength of feeling against LR will be underestimated.

I take note of the concern. I believe that allowing LR to continue next season does not amount to a tolerance of failure. We know we failed to gain a shout at promotion but to hold that as unassailable evidence that next season will be too is simply unfair. That word is at the heart of these debates; if you didn't want LR in the first place the present situation justifies the sack. If you had taken the appointment as a justifiable risk (as opposed to choosing a manager who had been around the block a few times) then he is still good for the second year, yes, provided he still has the confidence of the new board.
Your views are coherent and I have no problem with the opposing viewpoint.
I admit that the vilification meted out by some contributors against LR - and BH - I find awful. Maybe I am too sensitive, but using real names might be a way of moderating the language. That observation is not directed to you, by the way.

[Town_Fan]

malcolmr13, on Apr 21 2008, 06:28 PM, said:

I take note of the concern. I believe that allowing LR to continue next season does not amount to a tolerance of failure. We know we failed to gain a shout at promotion but to hold that as unassailable evidence that next season will be too is simply unfair. T

What evidence is there to suggest next season will be any different considering the form of this season? You will also have to consider the likelihood of a tighter budget and the fact that Richardson willl start with about 5 players at his disposal. Looking at his signings so far I think we will be in for a bigger struggle rather than the putting right of the underachievement amassed so far.

[malcolmr13]

Town_Fan, on Apr 21 2008, 06:32 PM, said:

What evidence is there to suggest next season will be any different considering the form of this season? You will also have to consider the likelihood of a tighter budget and the fact that Richardson willl start with about 5 players at his disposal. Looking at his signings so far I think we will be in for a bigger struggle rather than the putting right of the underachievement amassed so far.

I know evidence is a hard word to respond to, when all any of us have is opinions.
My view is that he can learn from mistakes, he has an opportunity to make new signings and he can be in no doubt about the requirement!
I know nothing about the new board - though I believe its existence - but they must have been keeping a close eye on LR.
Would you give them (if not LR) the benefit of a fresh judgement and decision, if they continued with LR.
I am interested in your view - and it is hardly a trick question, is it?

[Town_Fan]

malcolmr13, on Apr 21 2008, 06:45 PM, said:

Would you give them (if not LR) the benefit of a fresh judgement and decision, if they continued with LR.

Richardson has failed and I believe his continued employment will hurt the club. I believe the board would be foolish to keep him, so from that respect it is highly likely he will continue.

Personally I believe they are compounding the mistakes of last summer, that is my judgement of the situation and I dont see that changing anytime soon. Why should it, the board dont seem to care for fan opinion?

Edit: Apologies, I misread your post. I would hope that any new board would see the resentment out there and deal with it accordingly.

This post has been edited by Town_Fan: 21 April 2008 - 05:56 PM