We were 2-1 up with 2 minutes to go. We entered injury time losing. It was perhaps the worst few minutes in our entire history. It was the moment I realised we were doomed. We had just appointed the worst manager in our entire history. Who then picked the worst team who ever represented us in the Premier League. A team which included Mendy, Folan, ***in, Mouyokolo, Marney and that Dutch bloke with the stupid name. And a one legged twat with a perm. I wasn't against sacking the Tanning Salon rep but replacing him with a proven failure was suicidal. As it proved. 6 points out of 27 during his fateful tenancy.
Brownie had lost the trust of the players that was one of the reasons we couldn't sign anybody at the end of his time, thats why we ended up taking a chance with Bullard with all the consequences that came from that. Not a Premier League manager but certainly a City legend, in another life he would wind his neck in a bit
I was thinking about Brownie the other day in comparison to Pearson (Nigel) I think he was very similar to him in a lot of ways, arrogant for starters- but he did have a rapport with the fans unlike Nigel. That whole thing about him saving the jumper on the Bridge summed him up quite well
Timing of the sacking was awful. Probably the worst thing Adam Pearson did when he came back during that spell. It was on the back of some decent results too. Win against Man City, draw against Chelsea and an injury time defeat against Arsenal at home. I went to Pompy for Dowies first game. Folan was on one and got a brace. Bullard conceded a free kick, they scored and he laughed. Suffice to say on the long drive home I knew we were done for. The 4 points against the top sides were worthless if we couldnt open a gap up on those around us at the time.
It was an appalling decision to remove him when we did. And made even more appalling by replacing him with Dowie. Utterly bonkers.
I knew we were doomed that season, we didn't sign enough Premier League quality that season. We spent all Summer being linked to some proper larkers and then eneded up with dross. January came and went and we still had **** all. PB was so convinced that the players we had were PL quality that he didn't bother to try and push on and consolidate. Sacking him didn't make much difference, we were **** under him and a bit ****ter under Dowie. That season doesn't live long in the memory for a reason. I'll always be thankful that PB took us up for the first time, but he nearly bollocksed that up as we could've finished second ahead of Stoke and it's lucky that our players were able to pull us through the play offs. Keeping us in the PL was a miracle and that good start was the reason we stayed up, our win ratio in the last half of the season was appaling and I don't think anybody outside of the Hull City collective would've been too surprised to see us bite the dust. Thank you Phil Brown, for taking us to the top flight for the first time. But no thanks for completley making a hash of it a season later.
I had just joined the Hull CityMad forum and offered 75 quid for anyone that could pick Dowie's side for the Pompey match. Over 50 attempts but nobody won it!
whatever it's irrelevant you can't shape history and its the here and now, eh now what happened 5 years ago
If we had sacked him at Christmas time and replaced him with a manager with good history (ie. Not Dowie) I think we would have stayed up.
