Clarke on Barnet: “The lads were a bit heavy-legged on Saturday, but it is always only going to be about winning the games at this stage of the season. We did what we needed to do to get the result and we also got another clean sheet on the way to doing it. We have scored 10 goals in the last three games and I feel that we are in good form going into what are two massive games for us before the end of the season. We were poor on the day against Eastleigh a few weeks back, but since then we have quickly bounced back and been getting stronger and stronger with each game. You need plenty of experienced professionals in these situations and we have that in abundance at the moment. We have all the tools in the squad to make sure we finish the season on a high. It is not about looking backwards now, it is about looking forwards because to be on 87 points with two games to play is a fantastic effort. A lot of people would have taken being a point off the top of the table and challenging for the title with two games to go if they had been offered it at the start of the season. Barnet are in the driving seat but if they draw or lose one of their games we must be ready to take our chance to capitalise.” Clarke on Harrison: “The impact Ellis has had on our season over the last couple of months has been phenomenal. He is a strong boy with potentially all the attributes you need to be a really decent striker. He is still a young man in the early learning stages of his career and our job as a staff is to keep his feet on the ground and try and help him along the way. It has been getting harder and harder to pick the team. I certainly had a few sleepless nights after we had won at Kidderminster pondering who I would start against Southport. My philosophy of looking at each game as a separate project has been well-documented, but it is not easy when you have to tell someone who is in good form that they are not playing in the next one. The good thing for me is that the players have been here all season and they appreciate the way in which I work. I pick on the specifics of each game and I will continue to do that because that is the way we have done it all season and I think it has worked for us.” Clarke on the fans: “We can’t thank our supporters enough for the way they have been buying their tickets for both the Dover and Alfreton games. To get a crowds of over 8,000 in for a Conference game like we did on Saturday just shows how much potential there is at this club. The on-going fight with Sainsbury’s has meant that money has been pretty tight all season so to have the level of support we have been getting has certainly helped us out.” From the post.
I was a doubter last August, but I cannot fault DC on how he has conducted himself and how he's brought us so close to an immediate return to the league. In DC we trust indeed.
I said last season and I have not changed my mind, if we give DC a fair crack of the whip he will lead us onwards and upwards. I firmly believe that DC can be Bristol Rovers Sir Alex. When sir Alex started at Man Utd they played so badly that they nearly got relegated and he nearly got the sack. They stuck with him and the rest as they say is history. DC was really upset when we got relegated last year I don't think that it was an act and through instilling confidence in the players he kept and making some really good signings he has got us to the end of the season when automatic promotion is still a possibility. In DC and his team I trust
Anyone who says sack him needs their bumps felt. After our poor start we could have finished in mid-table obscurity but DC (backed by the board who have financed some decent signings) has relentlessly chipped away at Barnet's lead. I don't think we've ever gone 20-odd games without losing in my lifetime, so we need to keep DC because he WILL get us back up to the league. I agree with old timer about the emotion he showed when we were relegated - it's passion, and passion allied to nous is a very powerful combination.
Can you remember the start of the season when we were making our signings... did you think that these players would have got us where we are today?
I like DC but he does confuse with his tactics sometimes. I always thought we would be in with a chance of top 6, but didn't think we would be right in with a shout of auto promotion in our first season!
Was 10 years ago what that last happened. Carlisle were relegated and the following season - 10 years ago - they got promoted. Not happened since! Also they then got another promotion to league 1 straight away as well!
