There does appear to be an anti-IB agenda at times on the Magpie Circle, embodied by Paul Mace’s “need” to apologise to Martin Tyler re IB’s “disrespectful” post-match comments about Woking “going long”. Seemed a very over-the-top reaction and Mace himself could be accused of being disrespectful about IB’s career in Sweden, which he conveniently boiled down to a relegation and bottom-six finish.
What is undeniable, though, is that the pressure is on IB and the players after the last three defeats, which may not be a bad thing. Maybe the four-year contract brings with it a little complacency and sense that as long as the stats are in our favour, the owners will overlook the actual results.
What the owners must recognise, though, is that if they want the club to generate more income, that will only happen by returning to the Football League - and a little more pragmatism will be required to do that. We’ve already thrown away 10 points from winning positions, which is why we’re currently 10th rather than first. That can’t continue if we’re serious about promotion (to use that horrible old F-word slogan that turned out to be highly ironic).