Has he gone yet?

[j charles]

Dont care what anybody says about too many sackings at the club Cox needs to go and please send Lillis and Musselwhite with him. None of these people bring anything to the club worth having. It must be the worse team in our entire history, definitely in the last sixty years it is. There is nobody capable of turning things round and were going into the second half of the season as candidates for the drop into non league football. The performances by all involved are abysmal with about eight of the team selected to play each week either unable or unwilling to have an impact on the game. They should all hang their heads in shame they are an utter disgrace to the shirt. Come on Mr Swann take action now put the club back where you found and then call it a day yourself because your not as clever as you think you are either.

[Northumbiron]

So Cox goes along with Lillis (has he been here anyway, or just a cardboard cutout?) and Mussy. Then what?

We’re back to where we were this time last year. Swann will put Wilcox in temporary charge (again) and do the minimum in the transfer window.

Eisa and McAttee will be on the blower to their agent. Will Cygnet will likewise call up a few to see what’s in the bargain bucket and if we’re lucky we may get another Ike Ugbo or George Miller on loan to solve our striker problems.

This will mean we can’t afford to appoint a new manager (we’ll be paying off Cox & Lillis as well as Hurst & Doig) so Russ will stick it out until summer, then Swann will appoint another cheap option who “shares his vision for the club and will be in it for the long term”.

I’m afraid we’re stuck in Groundhog Day until major changes are implemented.

[j charles]

If you read the post properly Northumbiron the whole point of it was about what you stated in your last line.

[Gurnelista]

Well yes, he agrees, but I think he’s saying it won’t happen until summer, and why.

It’s probably true that it’s the worst Iron side, certainly in memory, if not in history, but we should be careful what we wish for in terms of ownership. As has been said elsewhere, who would buy the club, currently?

How does that old joke go? WHat’s the quickest way to become a millionaire? Start with a billion and buy a football club. It’s never been truer.

[j charles]

Gurnelista.No I wont be careful or apologetic for that matter about wishing for improvements to be made at the football club I have supported since the late 1950s. Also how do you know things will change in the summer and that there would be no interest in buying Swann out currently?

[Ferrite]

All of the following absolutely needed to be sacked according to plenty of folk on here:

Wilcox
Hurst
McCall
Daws
Alexander

Has any of those sackings made even a shread of positive difference to the state of the club? Has our decline even been paused for a few minutes since Alexander left?

If this is the word team in 60 years (and as I’m not old enough to remember the mid-70s, I will take your word for it), then surely the manager has to be cut some slack for the fact he’s been dealt some absolutely terrible cards?

[Gurnelista]

JC – nobody’s saying you need to be careful or apologetic about wanting improvements. Improvements are what we all want.

I also have no idea if things will change in the summer but NI has pointed out that things will be unlikely to change until then, and his reasons why. You might disagree and have other reasons, of course.

I don’t know either if things will change in the summer, or if anyone will be interested in buying Swann out now, but given the hardships everyone’s currently facing, the money the club is currently losing, the need for a new ground, and the fact that SUFC not a ‘sleeping giant’ with an interesting history, or in an area with great potential to build up a big following, it isn’t currently a very attractive proposition to many investors, wealthy or otherwise.

[Deereyme66]

‘All of the following absolutely needed to be sacked according to plenty of folk on here:

Wilcox
Hurst
McCall
Daws
Alexander’

Good point Ferrite. Amazing how some posters on here come out with self congratulatory garbage like ‘it’s Bru wot done it!’ and try and take credit when things go right whilst happy to forget about past indiscretions.

[Anonymous]

I think the idea that the Bru needs to get credit for us doing well is silly. I’ve seen some suggest such, but I’d be rather worried if Swann or the management team are basing decisions on this site.

For what it’s worth, I was happy when Laws, Wilcox and Robins got the boot. Less so with Alexander, but I could see why he was fired from Swann’s mentality, even if that doesn’t make it right*. The issue is clearly deeper and while I think Cox is a useless manager without a clue how to motivate his team with endless bollockings, sacking him wouldn’t achieve much, because there are many severe issues at the club and I hope no owner is daft enough to give much weight to my opinion.

*As alluded to elsewhere, Swann came in with big promises and failing to meet that cost jobs. Alexander risked his Championship football dream. At the time the club seemed to be heading upwards and Swann was confident he could get it right with a new man. Unfortunately his actions since (and maybe during then) led to a spiral downwards and all we have left is bluster.

[cokeovenkid]

Maybe Swan is more intelligent than we thought, he’s got the manager with experience for where we’re going next season ( and most of the squad) so let’s all just sit back and watch the car crash unfold.

[alcazar]

Northumbiron wrote:

I’m afraid we’re stuck in Groundhog Day until major changes are implemented.

Hence his telling Swann to call it a day?

The longer that idiot is in charge, the deeper into the kopros we sink.

Run a football club? He couldn’t run a p*ss up in a brewery.
Everything he’s touched has turned to sh1te.
Club, new stadium, relationship with council, relationship to supporters, catering, kit, shop, office, recruitment, all pure sh1te.

Swann, Swann, get y’self GONE!

[Awaywego]

Why did people think Cox was a good choice anyway?, Oh I know why he’s ex scunny,as if that makes them world beaters. Most Scunny fans couldn’t even realize what they had in Alexander challenging for 3 consecutive seasons,wanting and helping to get him out,fools. And j charles why does Wilcox get to stay?, He has probably been our biggest problem.

[MK Iron]

It would appear fron the outside that the main reason Cox got the job is his willingness to not argue the chairman’s decisions.

We now know for certain that Hurst was not prepared to tip his hat to the owner. Similar desire to make the football decisions possibly played a part in the demise of Alexander and maybe even that of Robins.

It would probably help everyone in and around the club if Mr Swann just appointed himself manager then at least everyone in and around the club would know where things stand.

[Northumbiron]

j charles wrote:

If you read the post properly Northumbiron the whole point of it was about what you stated in your last line.

Duh! Yes, I know, that’s why I wrote it!

But the title of your thread was “has he gone yet?” Which would suggest that you blame Cox for the current malaise.

What I’m saying is that it won’t make tuppence-worth of difference whether we sack him or not as long as Swann is doing the hiring.

See Ferrite’s post above.

AWG it wasn’t a case of people on here wanting Cox, the popular choices were Ian Evatt and Tim Flowers. More he was accepted as a reasonable appointment because we’d tried just about everything else.

But hey! We could have brought in a well known character with Premier League experience. You know, just like that club down the road. That went well didn’t it?

I wish there was a simple fix but I don’t think there is.

[WonderGoals]

The squad is substandard and to stay up, in my opinion we need an experienced manager to try and extract the most they can out of the squad.

No doubt expecting Cox to rinse the squad of every single last bit of quality available “which isn’t a lot” is expecting a hell of a lot for a rookie manager.

[Sanfran49]

Very concerned when a manager says that in training they start with what the management want do but gradually it ends up with the players doing what they want !!

WHAT !! That is ridiculous those players need removing from training and sending home !! Was surprised at Mr Swanns choice, was not mine. Mark Lillis I did and still do want back.

[Awaywego]

Your right there NI if there was a simple it would have been done by now. So stick by Cox no matter what happens this season. Don’t go along with Cox is a Swanny yes man, Swanny insisted that Rory was going to be number 1 this season,when we all knew he wasn’t good enough, I said at the time we would find out who was in charge once Cox and Lillis had a look, and been allowed to change perceived weak link if really in charge to me Swanny yielded.

[j charles]

How much more evidence is needed after today’s performance that the shower in charge of our football club need to be gone? The worst team in our entire history.

[bartonscorpion]

Well —-j charles, I couldn’t have summed up the club and teams situation better than you have put things, but I just cannot see why Cox and party have so many fans that think that they are not doing anything wrong. We are nearly bottom of League 2, we were knocked out of all three Cups 1st round, we are serving up utter rubbish week after week, and although we are in dire trouble no action is being taken by top management. I ask the question, do supporters actually want us in Non-League football??????????, because that is where we are heading, and it is not easy to get back up, ask clubs like York, Wrexham, Chesterfield, Hartlepool etc.

When you see the ceap being served up each week, remember that it is Cox, Lillis and Mussa that are training these guys.

Only point where you are wrong Mr Charles is that it is the worste Scunny team in 69 years and not 60 as you say, I have watched them since 1951 mate thats why.

[Northumbiron]

Yet you write like a ten year old who didn’t get the present he wanted for Christmas!

bartonscorpion wrote:

although we are in dire trouble no action is being taken by top management.

Did you read Peter Swann’s New Year suicide letter the other day? If you did you’ll know why no action has been taken and why it is unlikely that any will be this January.

We ALL know it’s crap. We all know that the club signed a bargain bucket of non-league hopefuls in the summer and then appointed a rookie manager to try and polish the turds.

Given the fact that we are losing £££££s every week, with no prospect of fans being allowed back into the stadium anytime soon, please give us the benefit of your 69 years of support and tell us what the club should do.

[IronIronIron]

NI, what the hell are you thinking?

Asking BS to write even more BS is unforgivable.

[vader]

Cox is going nowhere, The chairman said as much in his Hullberside interview after the Walsall game.

[Ironawe]

Swann to my knowledge is the only one who has come out and said the only aim is to survive, coming from a family worth £300m (granted maybe a lot less now) that is some going. Not saying he should plough anymore money in but he decided to offer silly contracts, build stadiums, fall out with developers, councils, authorities, fans, players, managers,

In the same interview he said the players were exciting (still!) whilst saying we’re 20th in league two so who is going to buy them. walking contradiction.

When he took over he said the club were run like a hobby with no structure – well what do we have now? (Rodwell anybody? golf course player purchases?). Even the bad chairman knew not to just select and purchase non league no hopers without any football knowledge. Just when this club needs strong leadership we have a rookie manager out of his depth a teenage scout and a chairman who is taking the ship down (but is looking to abandon ship).

I can see nothing being done in January

[j charles]

Every club at our level are playing to empty stadiums and losing money hand over fist right now so that is not exclusive to the iron, some even have a chairman with no clue of how to run a football club, however a lot of those teams are playing football worth watching with players that put a shift in and earn their wages. What can be done is bring in an experienced manager, pay of all the dross,send those wage thief loanees back and play the youngsters. That will do for starters.

[Northumbiron]

Agree with most of the above, but JC, can you really see what you suggest in your last paragraph actually happening?

Even if it did Swann’s recent recruitment record is not particularly inspiring.

[Sanfran49]

Ironawe – where does the £300 million come from ?

By my understanding in the city pages at the time Mrs Swann sister bought her out of Wilko’s, also seem to think it was less than £50mil.

[WonderGoals]

Swann could pay the contracts up of the crap players HE HAND A HAND IN BRINGING IN but he won’t. I think he’s lost interest if truth be told.

This could easily be solved by him if he really had the desire to. Let’s face it, he’s the one to really blame here.

No doubt he could pay the players up…send the crap loan players back and pay up Cox.

All his doing.

He should get an experienced manager in till end of season, pay up/send the crap back and give it a go..only this time let the manager have a huge say on who comes in.

I don’t think he’ll last much longer, if we stay up this season I think he’ll move on. Swann needs to anyway.

Fingers crossed he clears off.

Swann somehow gazumping Dennis Hobson at the last minute is the worst thing that could have ever happened to this club.

Criminal overspending when he flirted with the play offs twice and the most unconvincing promotion with Wilcox at the helm isn’t worth what the clubs become now.

Absolutely shocking.

[Ironawe]

Sanfran – it was a source online, probably linked to the Wilko family so I stated the family rather than the man. When he talks on RH he doesn’t sound like a man plenty of reserves. He sounds like he’s given up to be honest.

[mistertonmick]

Sanfran49 wrote:

Ironawe – where does the £300 million come from ?

By my understanding in the city pages at the time Mrs Swann sister bought her out of Wilko’s, also seem to think it was less than £50mil.

she was worth over £300m before she sold out to her cousin, and that is since they have owned the club.

[Anonymous]

WonderGoals wrote:

Swann could pay the contracts up of the crap players HE HAND A HAND IN BRINGING IN but he won’t. I think he’s lost interest if truth be told.

This could easily be solved by him if he really had the desire to. Let’s face it, he’s the one to really blame here.

No doubt he could pay the players up…send the crap loan players back and pay up Cox.

All his doing.

He should get an experienced manager in till end of season, pay up/send the crap back and give it a go..only this time let the manager have a huge say on who comes in.

I don’t think he’ll last much longer, if we stay up this season I think he’ll move on. Swann needs to anyway.

Fingers crossed he clears off.

Swann somehow gazumping Dennis Hobson at the last minute is the worst thing that could have ever happened to this club.

Criminal overspending when he flirted with the play offs twice and the most unconvincing promotion with Wilcox at the helm isn’t worth what the clubs become now.

Absolutely shocking.

This sounds all well and good in an ideal world, where there can be no negative outcomes to the decisions we want to happen, but the problem is money. We have no reliable source of income at present, Swann sounds negative with regards to the financial situation. Where are we getting the money from to pay up the squad of garbage and Cox? You could say Swann should put up, but it’s hard when he’s not making much money either. The entertainment industry is struggling at present.

None of this is to defend Swann. His catastrophic mistakes have led us to where we are now, from poor managerial appointments since Alexander left to trying to build a squad of inexperienced youth on the cheap, using the expertise of dodgy agents selling off their duds as great stars of the future without thought of a proper scouting system. I don’t like how the club is tied so closely to him. Under Wharton there could be a greater chance of disagreement with board members not so directly linked to him, but with so many Swanns and Cygnets on the board it makes it easier to ignore criticism because it’s not forthcoming. He has oversold his ambitions to supporters, with his dreams of a Championship club in a brand new ground failing to come to fruition, though I appreciate the council weren’t exactly blameless here. He has even oversold this season with regards to his comments about us being excited by what these young players can do.

If someone came in to buy the club from him I wouldn’t be sad. However, I realise that things are difficult for him now and he might not be able to make these large scale changes you demand. People say he should go, but we can’t just discard an owner like we would with an empty crisp packet. There needs to be someone to pay the bills and we need to have someone interested to have a chance of having him gone. If he put it up for sale we might get interest, but we would need to be careful as to who we could have, because we could get worse.

I have no idea as to whether Hobson would have been better, but I am sceptical of any hindsight which says he would have been. He seemed another gob at the time full of promises, but I don’t know whether he’d have been good or bad and I don’t think anyone can make an honest assessment over whether he would have been.

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