If the unthinkable happens and

[AFC1320]

we do go down then I will still be buying my season ticket and supporting the Manager and the team.

I like a bit of loyalty and imo PS/SP deserves this from the club after what they have achieved for us even with a bad season this year.

Hopefully we do stay up but if not and we can keep the likes of Travis/Hammy/Linn/Nicoll/Banjo/Cook/McManus/Doc and the youngsters coming through then that would be a decent squad for an attempt to win another title next season.

Support the Red Lichties.

[SassenachSteve10]

Ha Ha Ha ha ops fell over. Ha ha:D

[ectolichtie]

No matter what league we are in, the manager does deserve until Christmas, to show that he can take the club forward, but the squad needs rebuilding, Linn, McManus, Cook, Travis, Nichol and Little, and hope the Laddies continue to improve, but as for the rest they are gone

[glasgowlichtie]

A solid goalkeeper would help to build the team around, no offense to Morrison, but we let in far too many easy goals this year. Some of that is the defense to blame.

Its a pity Rab Douglas went to Forfar as he would have been a good choice.

Football Merchandise (http://www.footballmerchdirect.com)

[Mr_Refhater]

The manager does not deserve such support. His time should be up. We look, almost certainly, doomed for life in league 2 next season. The manager is still living on past glories, particularly winning the Division 3 title. We have been in steady decline for two seasons. The committee should act quickly and replace him. At the same time, ensure they rid the club of the deadwood, i.e. horrific performing players such as Ross Chisholm, Alex Keddie, Scott Morrison, possibly even Colin Hamilton too! We need to start again with a new man at the helm. Only if we remain up should Paul Sheerin remain. Our club has been overly patient. We have spiraled so low that we no longer look to have the gumption required to escape the mire we are in!

I ain't clairvoyant, and I would never lie about this, but I saw this coming. The warning signs were evident as early as pre-season, more so in retrospect of the cup defeats to Stenhousemuir and Montrose.

The football has been truly woeful at times. I've bee

[ectolichtie]

Replace the manager with whom?

We spent over 20 years changing managers each one worse than the one that was replaced, there are no guarantee that changing managers will improve our fortunes, so always be careful what you wish for

[Mr_Refhater]

It's time for a change, no matter what lies ahead under a new manager. Sheerin has had his chance. He's made so many mistakes and not learned from them. We're heading down and yet we should be good enough to remain in this league. We could be the biggest club in Angus. The club has been mismanaged this season and certainly for parts of the previous one. The team has never been able to defend! We're heading in the wrong direction because of the man who makes the decisions every Saturday afternoon. That is my material point.

[timlichtie]

It's time for a change, no matter what lies ahead under a new manager. Sheerin has had his chance. He's made so many mistakes and not learned from them. We're heading down and yet we should be good enough to remain in this league. We could be the biggest club in Angus. The club has been mismanaged this season and certainly for parts of the previous one. The team has never been able to defend! We're heading in the wrong direction because of the man who makes the decisions every
Saturday afternoon. That is my material point.


We all share your frustration and disappointment at the performances this season. I suppose the main difference in attitudes relates to experience. Those who have lived through this cycle many times recognise a management team who are trying to do the right things, but not always getting it right. They still have time within their contract to turn things round. For me, that's a much better bet than going bac

[Bellevue]

What's unthinkable about being relegated? We have only won 6 games all season and there are only 6 league games left. Is it really believable that we can take enough points from them to stay up? Not as far as I can see.
Changes will have to be made for next season, whatever league we are in, if we are to be competitive and start moving in the right direction. Easier said than done, but attendances will fall if there is no improvement in performances on the pitch and I suspect the manager will stand or fall by results early next season.

[Nonsmokingsmokie]

Hey don't undersell us - we've won 7 so far this season. Can we reach double figures?

Nothing unthinkable about relegation for the Lichties. Three times we've been relegated in the past 11 seasons.

I'm tempted to say that it can be a bit boring staying around in the same division for more than a couple of seasons but it might be nice to be in the active hunt for survival.

[Bellevue]

Oops, sorry, it is 7 wins. I tend to lose count if I have to count on more than one hand. Don't think it makes much difference to the end of season situation though.
Hope we give Rangers a game tomorrow, not expecting to take any points from them but would be good to put in a good effort and not give away too many goals.

[housecaptain]

I am behind Mr; Refhater all the way about Sheerin and our results and displays this season.For him to be retained as the manager of A.F.C. should we be relegated is un-thinkable and I for one will be selective in the games I would attend next season.
Regretfully I am now at the stage where all my enthusiasm and appetite for watching A.F.C. this season has been knocked out of me by insipid and lacklustre displays orchestrated by the manager and his head in the sand approach.
I recently spoke to a respected professional player who has great respect for A.F.C. and mentioned the managers comments regards Chisholm being a great captain in the dressing room.He replied that in all his days of playing this did not win games but what happened on the park was what mattered and the captain should lead by example.I cannot re-call this occurring in any game this season.
Concerning those supporters who continually ask who would we get if the manager is sacked,then you have only to read the reports

[ectolichtie]

[quote="housecaptain"]I am behind Mr; Refhater all the way about Sheerin and our results and displays this season.For him to be retained as the manager of A.F.C. should we be relegated is un-thinkable and I for one will be selective in the games I would attend next season.
Regretfully I am now at the stage where all my enthusiasm and appetite for watching A.F.C. this season has been knocked out of me by insipid and lacklustre displays orchestrated by the manager and his head in the sand approach.
I recently spoke to a respected professional player who has great respect for A.F.C. and mentioned the managers comments regards Chisholm being a great captain in the dressing room.He replied that in all his days of playing this did not win games but what happened on the park was what mattered and the captain should lead by example.I cannot re-call this occurring in any game this season.
Concerning those supporters who continually ask who would we get if the manager

[m4d_lichties]

With the fifers result last week I think that is us doomed. I am, however, strongly opposed to changing the manager. Nothing to do with past glory, but I have never thought the instability caused by changing helps. This is the first bad season PS/SP have had and they will learn from it. I believe they should be given that chance. Plus, they have the experience of getting out of the third division. They have done it and know what it takes. They have made mistakes, bad signings etc. and they have had bad luck, last second hitting the bar v airdrie, the post v stenny, etc but we are where we are because we have not played well enough all over the park. They will learn from this, and I believe they will get us back up should the nearly inevitable happen. They've won the third before. They know how to. Don't knee jerk, it usually doesn't make things better.

[ClashCityRocker]

I think we should remain loyal to Paul Sheerin for at least one more season .

He deserves the fan's backing for the previous success he has brought to the club .

Arbroath are also a club with roots firmly in the local community and should not be jumping on the managerial merry go round - Arbroath are better than this.

Paul Sheerin also has a proven tracj record of winning promotion from the 3rd Division - it could be argued he is better experienced than other managers in Div 3.

I think the management team deserve and have earned another season at Gayfield.

We also still have an opportunity to avoid relegation - lets rally round and support the players, management and the club.

[maroonie]

There are pro's and cons in both sets of opinions. The first is the financial implications of terminating his contract now and the compensation which would be required for PS to be persuaded to leave now. With 1 year left on his contract this could be substantial. Notwithstanding this , would a new manager be the catalyst to rejuvenate us and maybe preserve our stay in this division? Imo it is too late for changing managers at this late stage of the season. We are not relegated yet and PS might with a lot of luck keep us in this division albeit it seems unlikely with the breaks continually going against us. If we do go down will it be a big financial drop, will the crowds drop or will it bring back support if we are challenging for the title? As mentioned above, as fans we are all disappointed with this season and it is the first bad season of Sheerin's reign. When you elect to support a club like ours then you take the rough with the smooth. It is relatively easy to pull on a Rangers

[AFC1320]

Good post maroonie and a lot of sense in it.

If we do go down then imo PS/SP deserve a chance to get us back up next season at the very least up to December.

As has been said they have the players backing so if he managed to keep main players like Linn/McManus/Nicoll/Travis etc then that would be a great start to our squad add to that the Doc (who once fit I am convinced he will score goals) and maybe Banjo/Little/Hammy/Morrison/Wood your are on your way to a good squad.

Regardless who the Manager is I will stick with MY team through thick and thin so those so-called Red Lichties fans who will not come back if PS/SP are in charge then good riddance imo as there have been plenty Managers in the past who I never rated but I still supported MY team.

I suppose they can jump on the bandwagon and go to Tannadump or pick a O/F team to support ;D

Support the Red Lichties.

[SimonLichtiee]

All this talk of picking and choosing games and not attending matches due to opposition to the management seems utterly alien to me.

I have my opinions on our management, players, committee and whatever like everyone else, but irrelevent of that I support Arbroath football club, and when I am free and can afford to attend (luckily for me I am in a position where both are possible every Saturday) I will be there.

I can fully understand the frustrations and disappointment at this seasons performances, I feel exactly the same way myself, but I genuinely can't understand how someone could go from travelling the length and breadth of the country to support their club then deciding due to their opinion of one member of staff that they won't be attending any games the next season.

[maroonie]

Support the Red Lichties.
This. Every hour, every day, every week, every match for ever. C'mon lichties for life.

[ectolichtie]

It is quite a modern thing that clubs change managers so often, up until very recently it was the very much the norm that clubs were relegated or went through bad runs of form and managers remained in charge and were given a chance to put things right

[Mr_Refhater]

I am behind Mr; Refhater all the way about Sheerin and our results and displays this season.For him to be retained as the manager of A.F.C. should we be relegated is un-thinkable and I for one will be selective in the games I would attend next season.

Thanks for the backing housecaptain. Great minds think alike eh?

At what point do we say enough is enough? The season began miserably, yet patience endured. Results picked up here and there with the good form of Alan Cook and the thankful addition of Lee Erwin (where would we be now if it wasn't for him?)on loan. Most fans remained faithful and patiently waited for an improvement. Yet, insipid display followed insipid display.

Continually our defence let us down. Although we remained faithful that there was enough quality in the squad to have little thought of relegation threat. I even recall many a supporter on these pages stating that we looked 'good enough' or had 'enough qu

[maroonie]

Careful what you wish for Mr R. The grass is not always greener...

[ectolichtie]

I am behind Mr; Refhater all the way about Sheerin and our results and displays this season.For him to be retained as the manager of A.F.C. should we be relegated is un-thinkable and I for one will be selective in the games I would attend next season.

Thanks for the backing housecaptain. Great minds think alike eh?

At what point do we say enough is enough? The season began miserably, yet patience endured. Results picked up here and there with the good form of Alan Cook and the thankful addition of Lee Erwin (where would we be now if it wasn't for him?)on loan. Most fans remained faithful and patiently waited for an improvement. Yet, insipid display followed insipid display.

Continually our defence let us down. Although we remained faithful that there was enough quality in the squad to have little thought of relegation threat. I even recall many a supporter on these pages stati

[Bellevue]

We are a small provincial football club with part time players. We are never going to be in the top flight of Scottish football. Realistically our level is in the bottom two leagues. The club cannot afford to pay big wages so the players who are likely to sign for us are not going to be top players, but as it has been said on another thread, players and managers come and go but the main thing is that the club survives.
I was taken along to Gayfield as a boy and lifted over the turnstiles by my father in the 1950s and have followed the fortunes of the club wherever I have been since then. AFC is in my heart and blood and no matter who is manager or whatever league we are in I will continue to follow. Yes, I have criticised the players and managers over the years. And I've felt the disappointments and the joys of the ups and downs over the years, but always come back to Gayfield to watch MY team.
So it's with great disappointment that I read that Mr Refhater won't be there next season.

[ectolichtie]

By the way, stop being so pedantic and condescending ectolichtie.[/quote]

If I appeared "pedantic and condescending", it was not my intension, for that I apologise

[Mr_Refhater]

So it's with great disappointment that I read that Mr Refhater won't be there next season. His posts are always entertaining and worth reading whether you agree with him or not and I hope that he will have second thoughts. Who else is going to write with such passion and venom about the Scottish football officials who turn up on Saturday afternoons? So come on Mr Refhater, the club needs your money and deep down I hope that you feel like I do and need the club.

Very kind of you! I really appreciate these words Bellevue...

[DougLichtie]

Interesting thread, its great to read differing views and what different individuals would like to see happen.
I really hope we don't see an aeroplane flying over Gayfield display a "Sheerin Must Go" banner (Take note Ref_hater!!!!)
At the end of the day, its not the committee, the management team or the individual players I support, its the club.
Whatever division we are in next season and whoever we have in the dugout, I will go and sit in the freezing cold wind and horizontal rain with my kids (why should they get away with it!!) at Gayfield and support the club.
C'mon the Lichties

[Mr_Refhater]

[quote="DougLichtie" banner (Take note Ref_hater!!!!)[/quote]

Dinnae much fancy flying over Gayfield Doug. Nae with all those high winds were gettin down there! XD