Solihull Appoint Ardley

[Mapperleypie]

Of the 108 games Ardley was in charge I would hazard a guess that less than 5 of those were against opposition that had a higher playing budget.

Ardley had that advantage that I don't really remember any Notts manager having and he blew it by consistently caring more about the 'strengths' of the opposition than getting the best of the attacking players at his disposal.

Further to this he took us out of the football league, he can only really be considered a pleasant chap but an abject failure at Notts County.

[countygump]

Whereas Hardy, didn’t do his best to support NA and therefore what credit did he deserve had Notts succeeded?

Surely Hardy did his best to support Ardley, financially? The bloke ended up losing millions.

It's fascinating in a way. I spose when you think about it, us dropping into non-league is most prob the single biggest disaster that this club has ever suffered. You can understand why fans seem a little obsessed about it. Many Notts fans predicted it would inevitably happen sooner or later, the way we continually flirted with relegation, but even so, I doubt many believed it actually WOULD happen.

[Killerkline]

Surely Hardy did his best to support Ardley, financially? The bloke ended up losing millions.

It's fascinating in a way. I spose when you think about it, us dropping into non-league is most prob the single biggest disaster that this club has ever suffered. You can understand why fans seem a little obsessed about it. Many Notts fans predicted it would inevitably happen sooner or later, the way we continually flirted with relegation, but even so, I doubt many believed it actually WOULD happen.

In terms of financial support, I think there was a lot of smoke and mirrors. The players that were brought in under NA were either supported by Dennis going to Grimsby or were younger players whose paren club were happy to support their development.

A lot of the financial mess was created pre Ardley. Transfer fees, salaries; Enzio, Hemings, Dennis and Vaughan.

I never believed we were to good to go down and we’d been mismanaged horrendously since the departure of Derek Pavis. But, I always thought we’d pull through somehow.

[upthemaggies]

It's fascinating in a way. I spose when you think about it, us dropping into non-league is most prob the single biggest disaster that this club has ever suffered. You can understand why fans seem a little obsessed about it.

It'll be a death or a re-birth.

We're all clinging to the idea that it will ultimately be looked back upon as a re-birth, in the same way it's proved to be for Luton Town, Oxford and Lincoln City.

Other decent sized clubs who have got out haven't done so well though, Grimsby have just dropped back in, Bristol Rovers - who'd never spent a single season below tier 3 until 2001 - have just been relegated back into tier 4 and Stags have now had 6 out of 8 seasons finishing in the bottom half of tier 4 since they got promoted back up.

Spending time in tier 5 could weaken us psychologically in the long term which will ultimately lead to further structural damage, if we were not able to maintain momentum once getting back out.

[Killerkline]

It'll be a death or a re-birth.

We're all clinging to the idea that it will ultimately be looked back upon as a re-birth, in the same way it's proved to be for Luton Town, Oxford and Lincoln City.

Other decent sized clubs who have got out haven't done so well though, Grimsby have just dropped back in, Bristol Rovers - who'd never spent a single season below tier 3 until 2001 - have just been relegated back into tier 4 and Stags have now had 6 out of 8 seasons finishing in the bottom half of tier 4 since they got promoted back up.

Spending time in tier 5 could weaken us psychologically in the long term which will ultimately lead to further structural damage, if we were not able to maintain momentum once getting back out.

I like that … ‘re-birth’. I will cling to that. I often think of some of the positive experiences I’ve had watching Notts. Watching a Jimmy Sirrell team, back to back promotions under Warnock, Old Trafford 1st game of the season, Munto Season (positive on the pitc) and so on. I have reason to hope, but younger supporters?

[matt_magpie]

No i do not blame Hardy. He appointed and paid a manager to do a job, in which that manager NA failed big time. Hindsight is a wonderfull thing

Well yes definately Nolan, who had already proved he could turn things around when he came in after 10 straight loses, and i think Kewell would have too
I have said many times, even though its been ignored by the pro Ardley brigade, thats NA record over the first 12 games was worse than Fullartons, its that period that cast us 8 points from safety , who knows maybe even Fullarton would of kept us up, he certainly could have of done no worse

Here is a more interesting question for you, If IB had been appointed instead of NA, i believe IB would have kept us up

Same evening post who’s main correspondent is Leigh Curtis who holds Ardley in very high esteem

[matt_magpie]

Notts County will never move on, until we are out of this hole of a league
Hardy job was appointing managers, and making sure they are paid, which they were unlike macclesfield. ( who despite being unpaid, , and 7 points behind us when NA arrived stayed up - this shows NA incompetence, and you can not blame Hardy for that ) . The manager is totally responsible for matters on the field , if this was not the case, why have managers at all, when the chairman could just pick the team

So who’s fault was it for signing nearly 40 odd pros at the start of the season who after that season about 2 stayed in the L2 or higher? Nolan or Hardy?

[Davy500]

There was a rumour at the time that, that was his preferred option, as it would have realised him more money. You're right, Hardy must take some of the blame, if only for allowing his heart to rule his head and rush headlong into a bid to get promo, without a sniff of a plan, (other than throwing every penny he had into it), in place. IMO it would be fair to apportion the blame.

Hardy 2%.

Ardley 98%.

How does that sound?

Yes ok i think that sounds acceptable

[matt_magpie]

So in your eyes Hardy failed miserably when he appointed Ardley? That was his job as you say and he failed clearly with that appointment.

It's also Hardy's job (decision), when he terminates managers contracts and by your earlier posts he failed when he sacked both Nolan and Kewell as both would have kept us up that season in your opinion.

Still 100% Ardley? 0% anyone else?

Can someone step in and help Davy out here please?

If memory serves me right when Ardley walked in after Nolan, Kewell and Chettle, we had played 20 odd league games, had won 3 (all Kewell) , we had won 9 by then end of the season, I think anyone can deduce even if Ardley could have done better most of the damage was already done or do we just ignore the facts?

[Killerkline]

If memory serves me right when Ardley walked in after Nolan, Kewell and Chettle, we had played 20 odd league games, had won 3 (all Kewell) , we had won 9 by then end of the season, I think anyone can deduce even if Ardley could have done better most of the damage was already done or do we just ignore the facts?

If correct, great point. I can’t remember. I do recall from Jan onwards there was a big improvement in terms of points won.