Ok I know it hasn't been announced yet but the rumours are Peter Taylor will be the new boss. Have we just travelled back 14 years? Just hear me out by Tony Pulis got us into this league (Div 2) by playing a certain type of football but couldn't get us up to the next level. All of a sudden he's sacked under mysterious cirumstances and is replaced by Peter Taylor. In one season Taylor took us to the promised land of Division One (Championship) before jumping ship to join Leicester. Fastforward to 2013 and Martin Allen has taken us up to League One (Div 2) by playing the same type of football. This football won't get us up to the Championship so is trying to recreate the 99-00 by giving Taylor the opportunity to do it again? Just some food for thought there.
Feel Pulis really laid the groundwork in that era which Taylor just built on but I feel with MA a lot of signings like Adam Barrett were short term measures that were for immediate success rather than sustained progress. In all honesty I cant see taylor getting it, I know Mr. Scally likes to revisit old success but don't think he will go for Taylor again due to his relative decline in prestige since around 2005. At least Hessy built a reputation as one of the best young managers in non-league after leaving us!
Was actually thinking the same myself, the difference though is that I felt the side Sir Tony left us with was stronger and just needed tinkering in order to get us up. Remember Tony's side were very, very unlucky against City back in 99 and probably deserved to go up whereas this side, even with some very good players, could not be seen as challenging for the playoffs.
And TP's side was very, very strong for div1, having finished 8th then 4th in consecutive seasons. It was a squad that could easily have been promoted under TP. PT just added the finishing touches. I think our current squad probably needs more than a few "finishing touches" just to stay in the division.
hope so...we might improve on the 200-300 that went to Shrewsbury and dwindling Priestfield gates in comparison to last season. Either that or i'll go chuck my head back in the sand
