Quote Originally Posted by The_Don_ORiordan View Post
Rubbish. NA had over 30 players to pick from including a whole outfield team with hundreds of FL games of experience. And an England U20 goalkeeper.

His record even after the transfer window would have had us finish 18th that season. Sol’s record was mid table. He had a much smaller squad, and players that weren’t getting paid.

We really need to not keep re-writing history.

NA like all other managers that season underperformed with the squad and resources they had.

That squad should not have finished 18th let alone been relegated.
After the transfer window where we had mid table form, i.e. had we had that all season, we'd be mid table.

The damage had already been done by then, losing 4-0 at home to Yeovil, drawing Colchester 0-0 first game of the season, last minute goals that lead to losing Cambridge and Newport. Had the strikers put away the chances we created, had we had a decent goalkeeper and a midfield that could battle, we would potentially have ended the first 6 games with at least 5 points (maybe 6-8 had that made up for the trouncing from Yeovil at home!) Instead we had 1 point. Tell me, who's fault was only having 4 friendlies, 2 of which were two fingers up at those over the river? Not Ardley who was at AFC Wimbledon at that point!

After the Lincoln game, Nolan was sacked, Kewell was bought in and the offer to sign Karl Henry rescinded (he was due to sign until Kewell said he wanted to sign Jos Labadie who was under contract and we were out of the transfer window!) Henry have gone some way to providing some steel in the midfield that we all said at the time was lacking, also add some height! All of these decisions would have gone a long way to saving us, remember, we missed out on safety by 3 points, I've just identified at least an additional 4 in the first 6 games.

The squad was toxic, Kewell was pretty much sacked for not playing Stead who, lets face it, wasn't doing much. Ardley should never have taken on the challenge with that squad and owner, he was never going to win

Also an Under 20s England goalkeeper is not ideal when battling relegation, the season before Munto, where we scrapped through again, we signed Russell Hoult!