[Football] Russell Slade

[Cowfold Seagull]

Debatable - Steve Gritt and Chris Cattlin must be up there.

As must Dean Wilkins.

 

[Peteinblack]

Debatable - Steve Gritt and Chris Cattlin must be up there.

Some on NSC would say Chris Hughton is right up there (not me, though). Personally, I though Dean Wilkins was sacked very harshly for 'only' finishing 7th.

I was at that Bristol Rovers game, too, by the way. Left feeling quietly confident that we'd stay up.

 

[Weststander]

A good bloke, I wish him all the best.

We were part of the 2009 pitch invasion on the final day escape, where a few thousand were singing his song, whilst fans kept patting him on the head. He took it all in good humour, a really down to earth person.

Crikey .... 10 years ago.

 

[Napper]

That great escape is up there.

Would love to see some stats from that season but we were gone.

Harty kept us up in the end. He was absolutely unbelievable those last few games .

 

[Weststander]

Part of that Great Escape was at Hereford, and Bristol Rovers. Both very memorable away games. After the game at Bristol I really believed we could do it.

After the Swindon 2-3 home loss, we were as good as down at 6 points from safety, odds on favourites to drop.

With three of our remaining games away at top half Hudd, Bristol Rovers and Colchester. Muzza out injured.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

After the Swindon 2-3 home loss, we were as good as down at 6 points from safety, odds on favourites to drop.

With three of our remaining games away at top half Hudd, Bristol Rovers and Colchester. Muzza out injured.

Gordon Greer and Billy Paynter both scored in that Swindon game. We were basically relegated after that, I really felt that was it. But then we go to Colchester a couple of days later and get the win which kick started the whole thing. Amazing end to the season, it still feels more like something out of Dream Team than reality.

All the best to Sir Russell Slade at Hereford, he's not had much luck more recently but fair play to him for keeping on going.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

After the Swindon 2-3 home loss, we were as good as down at 6 points from safety, odds on favourites to drop.

With three of our remaining games away at top half Hudd, Bristol Rovers and Colchester. Muzza out injured.

The standout goal at Hereford was a bicycle kick by Tommy Fraser, for the winner.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Some on NSC would say Chris Hughton is right up there (not me, though). Personally, I though Dean Wilkins was sacked very harshly for 'only' finishing 7th.

I was at that Bristol Rovers game, too, by the way. Left feeling quietly confident that we'd stay up.

Dean Wilkins wasn't sacked for only finishing 7th. He was sacked for making senior players like Guy Butters and OGH train with the youth, locking himself in his portacabin and refusing to talk to people.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Dean Wilkins wasn't sacked for only finishing 7th. He was sacked for making senior players like Guy Butters and OGH train with the youth, locking himself in his portacabin and refusing to talk to people.

I never knew any of that. Interesting.

 

[Miami Seagull]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdnL1v4U3b8

Ace summary of everything here..

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I never knew any of that. Interesting.

Paul Reid wanted to play a final game before he left, so he asked to play in the Sussex Senior cup final at Langney. Guy never got a final game.

 

[Weststander]

Dean Wilkins wasn't sacked for only finishing 7th. He was sacked for making senior players like Guy Butters and OGH train with the youth, locking himself in his portacabin and refusing to talk to people.

This. The Directors had to speak to him for treating Muzza like shite in training, playing to the gallery of everyone there. Most un-Wendy like behaviour once he had power.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Paul Reid wanted to play a final game before he left, so he asked to play in the Sussex Senior cup final at Langney. Guy never got a final game.

But Butters did play 26 times that season, including playing right up to April. Did the mistreatment of him happen afterwards? We won his final 2 games in the side so I can't imagine he was being punished for a costly error or anything like that. Genuinely interested because I've not heard anything about this before.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Yes, most of our legendary managers are remembered for saving us, rather than winning anything. Slade is high amongst their ranks.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

But Butters did play 26 times that season, including playing right up to April. Did the mistreatment of him happen afterwards? We won his final 2 games in the side so I can't imagine he was being punished for a costly error or anything like that. Genuinely interested because I've not heard anything about this before.

26 times out of how many games? No, and it wasn't just Guy, it was the senior players.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

26 times out of how many games? No, and it wasn't just Guy, it was the senior players.

Not exactly being ignored entirely though, is it? If it was every game until the new year, then maybe you could argue he was being ignored. But he was playing up to April, pretty much covering off the whole season. I know there was the falling out with Murray and there was talk of others, but I hadn't heard anything more specific.

Shame for Guy Butters, I'll always remember him as someone who turned around a terrible opening to his Albion career to be a genuine legend.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Not exactly being ignored entirely though, is it? If it was every game until the new year, then maybe you could argue he was being ignored. But he was playing up to April, pretty much covering off the whole season. I know there was the falling out with Murray and there was talk of others, but I hadn't heard anything more specific.

Shame for Guy Butters, I'll always remember him as someone who turned around a terrible opening to his Albion career to be a genuine legend.

I was told directly by at least three players as to what was happening.

 

[Icy Gull]

Wilkins now head of coaching at Palace, what that means. Wonder how he gets on with Zaha and Co

 

[Ninja Elephant]

I was told directly by at least three players as to what was happening.

I'm not questioning you at all - we saw enough from the Sunderland documentary that what you see publically can be nothing like what is actually happening privately. For example, Steele's confidence was totally gone by the end of August but he was in and out of the team repeatedly despite that. It's not hard to imagine a manager picking a player they don't like, for example - and it's not hard to imagine a manager not including a player all week and then playing him from the start on the saturday.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

That Bristol Rovers away game is still in my top 5 of all time I think. Complete bedlam on that side terrace.