Turner's Dilemma

Anyone who thinks running a football club is easy probably wouldn't not want to swap places with Hereford United chairman Graham Turner this morning.

The Bulls are currently 21st in League Two. Just under twelve months ago the, then League One, team brought off an excellent 2-0 win over the mighty Leeds United in front of 6120 at Edgar Street.

This coming Tuesday Lincoln City are the visitors. A sub 2,000 gate is expected.

The Bulls last won a game on December 1st. That was an away game at Northampton.

Since then just one point from a draw against Crewe and in six games just three goals, all by Leon Constantine.

His right hand man John Trewick has not had a good start to his first full season as a manager. Yet as a coach Trewick helped lift the Bulls out of the Conference into League Two and then, perhaps surprisingly, to League One.

However just 26 points from 25 games this season to date tells its own story.

Whether it's all Trewick's fault is questionable. It's not known how big a budget he was given for the season. And perhaps he has been asked to cut back further when Turner decided he had to put money aside for the Blackfriars End to be re-built. After all continually bringing young loan players to the club suggests there's not much money to play with.

Yesterday at Port Vale there were chants for former player Jimmy Harvey to be brought in to take over from Trewick. Harvey is currently without a job having left Chester and failed to be picked for the Kidderminster position.

In essence, Harvey hasn't been that successful since he left Morecambe after his heart attack. Whilst he lifted spirits at Forest Green, he left after a big fall out with the directors and threats of legal action.

It then appeared he was desperate for a job and moved to Chester. As is usual for that club no manager lasts very long and it's likely he was glad to leave when he did.

In the early 2000's Graham Turner appointed a manager to take over from him at a time when he needed to focus on keeping the club afloat. After a while it was apparant that Phil Robinson wasn't getting the results and Turner took over as manager again.

From that time onwards the Bulls had six or so years with Turner in charge both on and off the field. It was a good period both for the club and its supporters. Two play-off seasons in the Conference then the Conference final season, a steady first season in League Two, then the promotion season and finally a season in League One. Something one could only have dreamed about several years earlier.

With the hard work in planning for the rebuilding of the Blackfriars End of Edgar Street probably behind him, Turner might consider the pressure off the field has decreased although he's bound to be concerned by the drop in gates at home games.

In truth he has a dilemma.

Does he keep Trewick in charge for somewhat longer and hope results start to pick up. The Bulls have five of their next six games at Edgar Street.

Does he say Trewick has had his chance and bring in another manager - probably not the cheapest option.

Or does he take over as manager for a third spell.

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