A personal plea to Steve Davis...can someone get it to him?

[BobScottsFurCoat]

I remember posting in the spring that for allowing us to lose so pathetically at Port Vale and mentally scar a few hundred Alex fans for life, only winning the Champions League would redeem Steve Davis. This was always going to be, shall we say, rather unlikely - but I was willing to give him a chance (everyone deserves a chance) and see how he does in the first third of the season before going from there...

After tonight's failure to progress to the Second Round of the FA Cup since Wham! split up, he simply has to go. I couldn't give a toss about whatever the JPT has turned into. In the League Cup we did ok - I say ok because we won against the odds at Sheff Utd - but threw away a two goal lead (again) against Blackburn, and subsequently cost Norman Ha$$all an extra few hundred thousand quid as well as the chance for the young players to experience the last surviving members of the Homo Erectus family fight amongst the pies in the crowd at Elland Rd.

As a result, I'm new to the fully paid-up Davis Out brigade so I have a lot more energy than the seasoned members. Therefore, forgive me for (in the spirit of the Ice Queen in Frozen), letting it go...

The time for protests, walkouts, boycotts of breakfast cereals in the club shop etc, have come & gone. We have to appeal directly to the conscience of the man who is slowly and systematically destroying the club we love. I know there's not a cat in hell's chance he will read the passionate drivel of a fan who's supported the club for 30 years and neither will the players - but I reckon there's enough people on the forum who can get the following cut & pasted, added to facebook (I don't use it), or maybe even blu-tacked onto the door next to the player's lounge:


Dear Steve,

The results since the autumn of 2014 have been nothing short of unacceptable. Unacceptable and at times embarrassing. Its fair to say there are two options available:

Option 1.)

You resign now with dignity. And I still think enough people, myself included, will remember you fondly as the man who won promotion against the odds in 2012. Admittedly, you had Westwood, Murphy & Powell - but you also had a deal with a combination of Dario's & Gudjon's nappies both being emptied onto your desk during your first day. So it was a remarkable achievement nonetheless. That unbeaten record we went on can serve as your legacy - it was brilliant to go through such a run as a fan, especially a Crewe supporter where the word 'undefeated' is actually the same as 'Dodo' in some South Cheshire dialects.

Option 2.)

What on Earth was that tonight? I've only seen the result so if anyone got injured, hit by flares, approached for a loan by John Bowler, I don't want to sound out of line - but this really is a new low, after everything we've had to endure already. Its now safe to say I won't be setting foot inside Gresty Road until you've gone. 5 successive home defeats is appalling at any level, but with our infrastructure, for that to happen against the level of opposition we've been playing of late, its bordering on criminal. We have an FA Cup record in the last ten years that would embarrass a Sunday league team. Attendances are as flat as the atmosphere in the ground. The team are incapable of holding onto a lead, retaining the ball and fighting back from a mid-game set back. The man who is accountable for all this is you. So be a man, please go & retain your dignity. If not, you are a man of such hubris & narcissism, you make Sam Allardyce look like Mahatma Ghandi.

All this without a mention of your wonderfully outrageous nepotism (as if we nor the players don't notice) & dealings in the transfer market. I hear the average human life is 650,000 hours long so I won't prod that one.

Please resign and let us rebuild our once great club!


Yes, I have been writing this since the 4th goal went in. I don't think I had much to worry about.

[gazan]

I wish to announce my application to join the 'Davis Out' club. I have fought against the knee-jerk reactions of some; ignored silly claims th at those who didn't want a sacking somehow thought he could do no wrong; worried that even if he went Collins would take over and carry on in the same vein but now, I cannot see any option. We cannot carry on as normal. The fact that we are sixth is misleading as we are just 3 points above 17th.
This is a crap league and we are pedestrian in it. There is never a plan B and nothing is learned- Cheltenham know how to play us but the reverse is not true- that in itself is damning.
Come on the board, time to take the plunge and save our club

[thnhouse]

I'm not part of the Davis out brigade, without being his biggest fan either, but do you really want to protest about being 6th in the league??

If we're 6th in the league at the end of the season that's not a bad year, we're not of such stature or budget that we can be demanding automatic promotion.

To add to this it's not like we're a million miles off, when you look at our defeats this season it's only really Wycombe that's particularly jarring , we were certainly unlucky to lose against Yeovil and Plymouth, and it's an otherwise promising start. For me if Davis manages to improve the squad depth without costing the developing young players to many opportunities in January he's done a good job so far.

[somersetcrewe]

I'm not part of the Davis out brigade

No, me neither but not necessarily because I like him.
Just that I fail to see what negativity achieves.
However, we are in testing times right now, even for me

If we're 6th in the league at the end of the season that's not a bad year

True, and if I'm honest, 7th is the least I expect this season.
Trouble is, we may be 6th but have you looked at how close 23rd are right now?
Whoever was in 6th at the minute, whether it be us or someone else, it could easily be interpreted as a false position. In the space of 2 or 3 games and we could be right in the ****!!

I have never called for the man's head, and never will, but it would be sweet symmetry if he did stand down, now of all times - almost 5 years to the day when he took over, when he started his tenure with a home game, in the FA Cup 1st round, losing 4-1, against League 2 opposition ............. against a team beginning with the letter C!!

My gut reaction after last night was that maybe his time has come now. Watching us 2 out of 3 times against Cheltenham this season (who are a non-league team in many ways if you look at their infrastructure) has been hard to bear. We should be so much better than them - but aren't!

Whilst not calling for SD's head, I'm not naive enough to suggest that changing a manager would not make any difference - sometimes it doesn't, but sometimes it does. We may just be at that point where it must be done. Which is a shame because I am proud of the fact that Crewe Alex are not a hire 'em/fire 'em sort of club but every manager does reach a certain point regardless of previous achievements.

I also find it sad that a small minority were probably waiting for that result last night, and in a curious way, enjoyed it. Anyone with that thought process are not real fans.

Is Collins up to the job??

[thnhouse]

No, me neither but not necessarily because I like him.
Just that I fail to see what negativity achieves.
However, we are in testing times right now, even for me






True, and if I'm honest, 7th is the least I expect this season.
Trouble is, we may be 6th but have you looked at how close 23rd are right now?
Whoever was in 6th at the minute, whether it be us or someone else, it could easily be interpreted as a false position. In the space of 2 or 3 games and we could be right in the ****!!

I have never called for the man's head, and never will, but it would be sweet symmetry if he did stand down, now of all times - almost 5 years to the day when he took over, when he started his tenure with a home game, in the FA Cup 1st round, losing 4-1, against League 2 opposition ............. against a team beginning with the letter C!!

My gut reaction after last night was that maybe his time has come now. Watching us 2 out of 3 times against Cheltenham this season (who are a non-league team in many ways if you look at their infrastructure) has been hard to bear. We should be so much better than them - but aren't!

Whilst not calling for SD's head, I'm not naive enough to suggest that changing a manager would not make any difference - sometimes it doesn't, but sometimes it does. We may just be at that point where it must be done. Which is a shame because I am proud of the fact that Crewe Alex are not a hire 'em/fire 'em sort of club but every manager does reach a certain point regardless of previous achievements.

I also find it sad that a small minority were probably waiting for that result last night, and in a curious way, enjoyed it. Anyone with that thought process are not real fans.

Is Collins up to the job??

I would almost agree with the false position idea if it wasn't for that I've seen us get beat or draw this season when we definitely deserved to win, but I've not seen us win when we deserved to lose or draw.

No idea why Collins gets grief, for the first time in ages the team seem to have a great spirit, are developing well and don't seem in bad shape.


I'd say that come Christmas you have to have a look at the three things that define success for any Crewe manager.

1) Are we performing well in the league?
2) Are we developing youngsters?
3) Are we making sound signings ?

For me currently it's yes to all 3, and bare in mind I'd have said no to this for the last two seasons.

[Furberstreet]

We are starting to drift down in this League. The team has a lot of potential but it certainly is not showing it very often. How many games have we won this season in a lower division with SD's admittedly decent signings? To say "yes" to the question are we performing well in the league seems delusional. Sure the FA Cup no longer matters as much as it used to, but we were overrun at times by a team we should surely be beating at home at least. Lowe showed the required passion and I cannot say that applies to SD. I do not know whether Collins is up to the job, but surely it is time for a change of manager.

[somersetcrewe]

No idea why Collins gets grief .......

No, me neither.
I certainly don't have an issue with him.
I only mention him in a foot-note because if SD did step down, JC would in all probability be fav to take over.
Wouldn't it be great if he had the same impact as SD if he did though?