New player guesses

[GranthamPie]

A great example of that was on another thread when someone posted a list of our staff and Luton's staff and the reason we're bottom of the league is apparently because we have more staff. When another poster pointed out that someone had missed off some of Luton's staff they were told not to disagree with people who have followed Notts all their lives - in other words stop being sensible and don't get in the way of the lynch mob.

“Lynch mob”... are you actually being serious? In a previous post to the Luton example, i said that the club was top heavy with hangers on and people on a last pay day. The Luton example was from a club who managed to get back into the football league and are now climbing the leagues with a prudent philosophy and logical club structure. My example was to highlight that Hardy has actually thrown good money at Directors of Football, coaches galore and three football managers, with Kewell actually being signed from Crawley for a fee and then sacked.. unfairly, in my view!

It’s not just about players... 38 pros and counting.... most of the money has been squandered elsewhere in the club. All of this money and we still find ourselves propping up the entire football league. Hardy is getting it badly wrong and as a supporter, I have the right to point this out.

I thought this site was a football forum... you know, a place to sound off, agree, chat, debate... stuff like that?

Lynch mob?.... fcuks sake.

I’ll leave you guys to arguing amongst yourselves.

[drillerpie]

most of the money has been squandered elsewhere in the club

Has it really? Have you seen the club accounts? Could you tell me the split between player and off field wages? Or are you just making it up?

Lynch mob was in reference to the poster after you telling someone to be quiet when they made a perfectly sensible point, because it didn't go along with the mob mentality opinion of AH.

Of course you've got a right to say things are bad, but as it is a message board with different views you can expect to have your opinion challenged. I think that's perfectly normal and if you're going to flounce off the forum as a result I think you're being unreasonable.

[Frigiliana Pie 1]

S

Some on here live in cloud cuckoo land TT.
They think we can sign who we want. We are bottom of the whole league, so who really wants to sign for us.
Some think that FFP is a myth and we don’t have to worry about it, we can simply sack any of the players or in some cases all of the players. There are going to be some disappointed people on here when the number of signings is below what people want.
Then there is the question of available players. January is a much smaller market compared to that of the summer. The players that move to clubs in League 2 are going to be surplus to requirements at there existing clubs, whether that’s permanent or loan moves. So are these players going to be better than what we have?
The irony of all that has happened this season is that the chairman and Nolan have listened to what fans have said. They wanted to change the way we play and get rid of ‘dads army’, yet the latter is precisely what we have missed. Maybe Ardley should speak to Shola and Smudge to see if they could give us 5 months. There influence in the changing room would definitely assist.

The reality is we will probably sign 3-5 players, most on loan, these players will in the main be slated on here before a ball is kicked in anger.

I totally agree with this, which outlines the difficulties very clearly. The only thing which might work is to recruit young loan players who weren’t available in August but are now available to get 4 months experience in the lower divisions. We have to hope that the ones chosen turn out to be like Grant, Yates and Bola, rather than being like Virtue or Clackstone.

But even this is problematic, partly because the players and their clubs will prefer to go elsewhere than the club at the bottom of the league, and partly because the manager might not know a great deal about them and will have to take them on recommendation from someone else. I only hope that Paul Hart has had his ear to the ground and can produce a few rabbits out of the hat.

[Notts78]

Well done, Bridg4d and spot on.
Ardley came with optimism. He thought he had handled crap situations in the past and this was just another one. Now he clearly thinks other.
A gypsy's curse is no laughing matter and needs to be taken seriously.
So, Neal, here are the key questions
1. If Hardy is patient and gives you the chance, will you mastermind our return from the National League?
2. At what point will you accept that Notts are inescapably relegated?
3. When that point is reached (probably in about 10 games time), are you prepared to experiment with youth and new players?

And people moan that the players have given up.
Despite the fact we are poor, there are 4/5 other teams similar to ourselves. 50 points won’t be needed. It’s more likely to be 43/44. Cambridge is massive, and our home form will be key, but what the players don’t need is to fear playing at the Lane.
As for Ardley’s demeanour on Tuesday, it might have more to do with his mood after the performance he had seen and the close proximity from end of game, to *******ing the players to media duties.
All we can do as supporters is precisely that. We have to back the players during games, particularly at ML.
For those that go to watch Hull City etc, piss off and stop **** stirring.

[SwalePie]

I agree but it's just the way it is unfortunately. Football is an emotional game so you can't expect rational analysis. You can expect revisionism, short-termism and scapegoating though.

A great example of that was on another thread when someone posted a list of our staff and Luton's staff and the reason we're bottom of the league is apparently because we have more staff. When another poster pointed out that someone had missed off some of Luton's staff they were told not to disagree with people who have followed Notts all their lives - in other words stop being sensible and don't get in the way of the lynch mob.

Another example would be AH needing to get his business done early in the summer and just give the manager money to spend and not interfere, then when he does exactly that he's a fool for doing exactly that.

Another would be people threatening to stop going to watch Nolan's 'hoofball' then with the benefit of hindsight criticising the chairman for (naively in my view) trying to rectify that.

Another would be Jon Stead being a useless dead weight who should be never be seen at the Lane again in June but in December a priceless asset who we shouldn't contemplate letting go.

Another would be everyone predicting a relegation struggle or at best mid-table after the first game of last season, then changing that to Nolan being a failure for not getting automatic promotion.

Another would be Sheridan being useless, although his track record before and after seems to suggest otherwise.

I can't help noticing that few football clubs are well run and lots of them are run badly, which indicates to me that running a football club is quite difficult. I don't know about anyone else but personally speaking the first time I do something new I tend to make mistakes, so I can understand AH not being a perfect chairman from the word go.

I could go on but my point is that while Hardy has made mistakes (social media, change of playing style, possibly sacking managers too early) he's not the problem here. Our club has been underperforming for years now and needs to get back to basics, ie giving a proven manager time and money to build something solid, and hopefully that's what he's going to do now.

AH is not perfect, is not someone I'd particularly like to go for a pint with, but as long as he learns from his mistakes could be a good chairman in the long run.

Anyway back to the topic of the thread. The core of this team was crap before Yates and crap after Yates but pretty good with Yates, so first of all I'd sign a **** hot all-action midfielder and see what happens.

Put so much better than my attempt

[SmiffyPie]

Yes I did Queenie. He was talking last September about Notts financially.
I know other signings were made pre season, so my point was is there really money available to add to an already bloated squad?
Clubs have to ship out as well as in, to at least reduce the wage bill.
Based on this alone, I think my question is valid.
You supporters are screaming for fresh blood and are demanding a certain type of player. Unfortunately when you set target requirements, that usually means you have to spend cash.

I will happily be proven wrong but I have it on very good authority that there is nothing in the piggy bank. A big spoonful of reality is being poured and will soon be fed to the masses.

[SwalePie]

I will happily be proven wrong but I have it on very good authority that there is nothing in the piggy bank. A big spoonful of reality is being poured and will soon be fed to the masses.

I don't think it's a surprise to anyone for two reasons. One reason being that we already know the squad refreshment needs to be in the region of 'cost neutral'. Two being that we must be already pushing the boundaries of the SCMP rules, meaning we couldn't do much even if that wasn't the case. Point two may well be the simple reason for point one.

[sidders]

I will happily be proven wrong but I have it on very good authority that there is nothing in the piggy bank. A big spoonful of reality is being poured and will soon be fed to the masses.

Tell this to Notts 78, Smiffy, and he might temper his abuse. I agrees with you, chap.
I'll watch football wherever I want to (Hull, Middlesbro, Scarborough Athletic) and I will support who I want to in my own manner of choosing (Notts County).

[BigFatPie]

I feel sorry for the manager if his demeanour and attitude are being judged immediately after a 2-0 defeat and another piss poor performance.

Like last year, , the transfer window will be crucial to what we do for the rest of the season. Last season’s was a bit of a disaster and that’s what cost us promotion. If there is no money left to improve the squad and we can’t get players out, then it’s likely going to cost us our league status. I can’t think of many seasons that have been turned round without the injection of new blood.

[roweyp]

I will happily be proven wrong but I have it on very good authority that there is nothing in the piggy bank. A big spoonful of reality is being poured and will soon be fed to the masses.

We are financially in a mess, there never was much money and now Hardy has spent way beyond what is affordable. Problem is though if we go down then the club's value plummets even further. We could easily become a York or Stockport