There is truth to it.
By the end of 13/14, from the previously successful play off challenges we lost:
Ulloa
Buckley
Barnes
Bridcutt
Lopez
Orlandi
Upson
Lingard
Ward
amoung others.
This culminated in a disastrous period of using loans that basically reaped it's rewards in the 2014/15 season where we had 10 or so loans that frankly took the piss.
The recruitment was changed, Burke went, it was restructured. How much Hughton played a part in this, who knows, but we started with solid signings 15/16, and 3 loans that included Sidwell, Wilson and Ridgewell. I don't think you can say what he inherited wasn't broken - it really was, the loan strategy nearly destroyed any remaining team spirit or belief at the club.
We were going down without Hughton steadying the ship. There really is no rewriting that. Then to take that team, of shattered belief and confidence, and lift them to within GD of promotion, I don't think you can reduce that transformation. Then to miss out with the worse luck you can imagine, both at Boro and in the PlayOffs, we went again and were even stronger.
The team spirit Hughton achieved perhaps up to this year was incredible. Got to say, think you're wrong on this one.
OK. I'll stand down on this one, but Hughton's starting line-up for his first game...
Stockdale
Calderon
Greer
Dunk
Chicksen
Baldock
Ince
March
Teixeira
Mackail-Smith
Holla
Not a disastrous set of players.