Back on the road today for the first time since New Year's Day, and the road's a good deal longer to Guiseley than it is to Kidderminster.
So the absolute must-win game on Saturday wasn’t won, it wasn't pretty, and things are looking increasingly dicey.
Marc Richards said after the
game, arguably inadvisedly but in his defence I assume in the heat of the
moment, that he has 'no problems' if
fans want to direct their anger and negativity towards him and he'll take
it, but booing the players is unacceptable. I agree, but blimey the players
were last in the line of blame.
The managerial recruitment process is all done and dusted now of course, but with, say, a Gavin Williams in charge at least even when losing there’d be an ‘in it together’ spirit. One can only conclude that he didn't apply, because if he had he would have been a blatantly obvious fit.
The managerial recruitment process is all done and dusted now of course, but with, say, a Gavin Williams in charge at least even when losing there’d be an ‘in it together’ spirit. One can only conclude that he didn't apply, because if he had he would have been a blatantly obvious fit.
Richards, I'd argue, let alone the players, is some way down the booing list. There's also the issue of him already having another job. This is a club, or was a club, with designs on regaining its Football League status. Clubs with serious ambitions in that regard don't employ coaches with full-time commitments elsewhere.
Resignations following Saturday’s performance and result were conspicuously
unforthcoming, and it looks increasingly likely that the management team will see out the season, with conjecture around some sort of Greener/Turner/Purdie/AN Other managerial rescue team looking to be just that. It is to be hoped, therefore, that all this hard work going on behind the scenes will finally pay off and some faith can be reinvested in them. It's hard though, when all you see is the evidence before your eyes on a matchday, not to feel, and OK express, disappointment and frustration. It's human nature. The 'phenomenal support' referred to by Ken Kinnersley is still there, but it isn't a bunch of happy clappers content to keep forking out to watch poor home draws against the bottom club. Any personal abuse is of course completely unacceptable, and everyone knows that all parties want the club to succeed, but to expect indefinite blind faith from all corners of the ground is a big ask.
Oh, the preview...
Firstly, the weather forecast suggests that the game could fall foul of some wintry conditions, but if it goes ahead, and it's been reported that no pitch inspection is scheduled, The Bulls go into the game with no new additions to the squad announced at the time of writing. There's a decision to be taken on who partners Josh Gowling in central defence, with Harvey Smith not enjoying the best of matches on Saturday. Otherwise, Richards still looks to be searching for a system that delivers more consistency and threat.
Guiseley recently enjoyed three seasons in the top flight of non-league football before finishing bottom last season to find themselves back in National League North this term. The Lions have won one of their last five and are dangerously on the slide, just one place and three points above the Bulls. They look pretty average, although of course so do we, but we're all right behind the players, and we'll somehow contrive to find a performance from somewhere tonight, win comfortably (a nice 3-0 would see us change places with them in the table), and all of the above will look unnecessarily negative and grumpy.
COYW