The threat of well meaning amateurs?

[ramAnag]

Not sure how we're going backwards FT. We're only two games in and it's been very disappointing so far but...Mel's first season in charge resulted in a top six finish and we came very close to beating a team in the play offs who beat the Champions yesterday. The season before Mel took over we finished eighth so how is that backwards?

Aren't all chairman effectively 'amateurs' anyway...they then employ professionals to do the job and at least ours is, as you suggest, 'well meaning' and a genuine supporter.

[FrenchTrimmed]

Not sure how we're going backwards FT. We're only two games in and it's been very disappointing so far but...Mel's first season in charge resulted in a top six finish and we came very close to beating a team in the play offs who beat the Champions yesterday. The season before Mel took over we finished eighth so how is that backwards?

Aren't all chairman effectively 'amateurs' anyway...they then employ professionals to do the job and at least ours is, as you suggest, 'well meaning' and a genuine supporter.

You may well be right to say that our sixth place last season indicated forward progress given the previous year's poor finish but then again we reached Wembley in 2014. Also there was considerable disquiet among supporters last season regarding the way the team was being managed and some pretty lack lustre performances which didn't really improve as time went on - with one or two notable exceptions. I wasn't trying to judge the club's current position on a few pre-season matches and three competitive games.

Your point on all chairman being amateurs really sums up where I was coming from - We have employed professionals for both on-field and off-field activities e.g Sam Rush; the question is, are they being allowed to do the job or is the amateur doing the job they are being paid for?

[ramAnag]

Take your point but are you really suggesting that MM is going to the trouble and expense of employing the likes of Rush, Pearson, Powell and Idiakez and then telling them all what to do and how to do it? Just can't see it.

[swaledale]

Take your point but are you really suggesting that MM is going to the trouble and expense of employing the likes of Rush, Pearson, Powell and Idiakez and then telling them all what to do and how to do it? Just can't see it.

Lets take comfort that despite a premier league manager, newcastle haven't won yet either!

[FrenchTrimmed]

Lets take comfort that despite a premier league manager, newcastle haven't won yet either!

Funny how things come round - still not seeing where Mr Morris is taking us. Desperately hope he's not our Nigel Doughty.