Which manager were you sorriest to see leave the Albion?

[Smythe]

Without a doubt it is Coppell for me, the job was only half done when he left, with him still at the helm there is no guessing where it might have finished.

Agree, he turned us into a very good team and like you say the job was only half done. He then went on to a team who at the time was at a similar level to us and took them to the prem and kept them there for 2 seasons, now looks like they could be going back........shame hes ex scum but would love him to still be our manager now......who knows where we would be now. Compare the team he produced for us in a very short time to the team adams is producing.

 

[Perry Milkins]

I would welcome the views of Bens Grandad and Knotty on Bailey and Melia

 

[Brovion]

I would welcome the views of Bens Grandad and Knotty on Bailey and Melia

I'm not one of those esteemed posters but you're going to get my twopennyworth anyway ...

Bailey got us to our highest ever finishing league position (13th) but he did it by playing a dour defensive eleven-men-behind-the-ball-and-hit-'em-on-the-break brand of football. And that was at home! It was actually the worst of both worlds as it got results, but not enough so we were ever in danger of winning anything. If he'd turned us into the Leeds of the 80s it might have been different, as it was it turned people off in droves. It's the old 'Do you want entertainment or do you want results?' question. Another manager of that era, Ian Greaves I think it was, was told that his team should be more entertaining. He replied "If fans want entertainment they should go to the circus."

The following year we manged to be boring AND we struggled so he got sacked and replaced by Coco the Clown. Bailey was always miffed that it was viewed as his team which got relegated but Melia's team which reached the cup final.

You could argue that Bailey was a bit too cautious, but he'd been brought up in the era of two points for a win and grinding out a series of 0-0 draws was better than winning 4-3 one week and losing 3-1 the next. Certainly he was STREETS ahead of Melia as a manager.

 

[Perry Milkins]

I'm not one of those esteemed posters but you're going to get my twopennyworth anyway ...

Bailey got us to our highest ever finishing league position (13th) but he did it by playing a dour defensive eleven-men-behind-the-ball-and-hit-'em-on-the-break brand of football. And that was at home! It was actually the worst of both worlds as it got results, but not enough so we were ever in danger of winning anything. If he'd turned us into the Leeds of the 80s it might have been different, as it was it turned people off in droves. It's the old 'Do you want entertainment or do you want results?' question. Another manager of that era, Ian Greaves I think it was, was told that his team should be more entertaining. He replied replied "If fans want entertainment they should go to the circus."

The following year we manged to be boring AND we struggled so he got sacked and replaced by Coco the Clown. Bailey was always miffed that it was viewed as his team which got relegated but Melia's team which reached the cup final.

You could argue that Bailey was a bit too cautious, but he'd been brought up in the era of two points for a win and grinding out a series of 0-0 draws was better than winning 4-3 one week and losing 3-1 the next. Certainly he was STREETS ahead of Melia as a manager.

Twopennorth welcomed.

George Takei would have been streets ahead of Melia as a manager.

I still subscribe to the view that he was building the side on a cautious basis. Even in those days we could not attract the players to delight and attack. Ask any older Charlton fan and they will subscribe tio the view that he had a flair team there.

 

[CHAPPERS]

In all honesty, Wilkins.

I thought he was improving steadily as a manager and a seventh place finish with all the upbeaval around Christmas last year was impressive. I really think he could have taken his side on and improved this season and was never given the chance (for whatever reason). I probably feel strongest about this because of who replaced him, I really didn't want Adams back. The only manager of recent times I'd have welcomed back would have been Coppell.

 

[judewri]

wilkins

putting together a great young team to carry us in to falmer,, and a really lovely man as well.. always stopped and chatted with me.... a really shame....

really fed up at the mo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[supaseagull]

I remember the uproar and the protests when Cattlin left. He bought in some amazing players reaching the end of their careers but still able to do a job like Dennis Mortimer & Frank Worthington and some of the football we played when he was in charge was fantastic.

I was also really sad to see Coppell go. I honestly think that had the stadium fiasco had been sorted when Coppell was here, then we'd now be watching the likes of Man United, Arsenal & Chelsea each week rather than Hartlepool, Huddersfield & MK Dons. After all, most of the players Reading had when they were promoted were the same ones Pardew had when we beat Reading for the League 1 championship in 2003.

What is interesting to see is that hardly anyone's mentioned Barry Lloyd...

 

[Scotty Mac]

coppell - class above. who knows where he would have taken us
mcghee - should have been supported financially in that january window. lost the support of the fans, but we had made a decent start to the following season

 

[Simster]

Chris Cattlin no contest

Indeed. Shocking decision.

 

[Knotty]

I would welcome the views of Bens Grandad and Knotty on Bailey and Melia

Bailey - got us to our highest ever league position and you simply can't knock that. It wasn't the most attractive football but we had to play the sort of football that was the most effective against teams with superior players and far more resources. I believe that, had he stayed, we could have stayed longer in the top division and more stability might have enabled us to buy the sort of players to play more attractive football. However, the club was badly in debt and I think relegation would have happened at some stage. Not Bailey's fault. As BG has said, the Bamber years were exciting but fatally flawed, and Keith Wickenden was a huge loss.

Melia - Coco was and always will be a joke. OK we got to the final, but our league play that season got what it deserved, although we had some very decent players. I put that down to the manager.

 

[Taybha]

Peter Taylor not the most entertaining football wise but the master of the 1-0 scrap