There have been quite a few suggestions over the last few weeks as to who was responsible for our latest relegation. Obviously the bottom line is that the guys on the pitch couldnât get their act together and score enough points. So letâs break it down. We had two players chosen for the League Two team, JJ and Smithy and I reckon Mildenhall must have missed that by a whisker. The defence played pretty well most of the season; the midfield never played as a unit; and the attack was; was what? Did we ever have one? IMO the problems started when Lennie gave way to Trollâs demands to be the sole boss. Since then the club have had a series of calamities. Players who didnât give their loyalty to the club. Players who acted completely unprofessionally on the training ground (or perhaps not even turn up!!). Chasing players for too long who obviously would prefer to play elsewhere. Etc. etc. But back to last season. Ward did a great job saving us to play in the Football League and earned his appointment for the new season. He chased JJ too long and if JJ didnât really want to come, look elsewhere. It seems to me that JJ considered himself the senior midfielder. As such it would have helped considerably if he had managed to bond with his fellow midfielders and fashion some form of cohesive midfield unit. All I saw was JJ strolling around and a bunch of guys in numbered shirts doing their own thing. Almost every game I watched, the oppositionâs midfield took our disparate lot apart. Wardâs tactics meant we didnât have an attack, so nuff said. The Board obviously recognised the danger signs and allocated funds to get in new blood, but apparently Ward was turned down by 15 loanees in the window. Was anyone surprised?? Clarke took over too late and when he did he was lucky with the last second goal to win his first match. Then his luck ran out at Portsmouth. The team were playing much better and three key injuries pretty much put an end to our season. Of course itâs the Boards fault; they choose who to buy or bring in on loan; they pick the team; they dictate the tactics the team will play! Or of course fortunately they do not!!!!!!
Have to say I agree entirely with you. On balance, after his efforts the previous season we were all happy with John Ward staying on but ultimately it was his tactics and failure to recruit that cost us our League status. He was given a competitive budget for the Division by the Board. We have to remember that BRFC is not a publicly owned company and as such, we as Supporters do not have any rights to vote for change. Indeed the Board members own the club and if they stop funding our losses and walk away there will be no Club!! There are no Lansdown types in the background and until the new Stadium is built there is no potential for new investors.
I think the departure of Lennie and the departure of loads of leaders on the pitch in a short time -Elliott, Disley, Lambert, Campbell, Hinton etc ripped the heart out of the club and we have never recovered. Who's to blame? Well, who's responsible for recruitment at retention? Who sets the budget? Who sets the direction and strategy for the club? The fact is that on Higgs' watch the club has recruited/ retained the wrong people and the whole place has seemed a shambles. I'm sure he means well, but honestly if the club had decent leadership you would see the difference almost immediately.
What about the previous three seasons ladies and gents ? We must be very masochistic if we keep picking crap managers and players. come along to the June 10th meeting and let's talk about something more than Rovers had bad luck and try to take a few more layers off the old onion !
