Warnock or Bassett??

[davidpinder]

Over the last 25 years for me we have only 2 managers that stick in my head and that were hear for a while but who do you think did the best.

Warnock or Bassett??

 

[JJ Sefton]

Bassett. We were more screwed when he took over than when Warnock did. Also, he kept us up.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Agreed with WB. Also Warnock had McCabe around, whilst Bassett had to deal with some right tosspots!

 

[Grecian2000]

Harry. Reasons as above and I also liked him as a bloke more.

 

[Autumn]

Bassett, wonderful to work with.

 

[madeinsheffield]

Harry, tactically better than NW, and had to stretch each quid further!

 

[Darren]

I'd agreed that Bassett was the best and would place him second in the United post-war managers list. If anyone is interested, I would rate them as follows:

1. Harris
2. Bassett
3. Freeman
4. Porterfield
5. Davison
6. Furphy
7. Warnock
8. Blackwell
9. Kendall
10. Spackman
11. Bruce
12. Thompson
13. Mercer
14. Rowley
15. Sirrel
16. Robson
17. Heath
18. Peters
19 Haslam

 

[Grecian2000]

Glad to see the arse McEwan doesn't even register.

 

[JJ Sefton]

I'd agreed that Bassett was the best and would place him second in the United post-war managers list. If anyone is interested, I would rate them as follows:

1. Harris
2. Bassett
3. Freeman
4. Porterfield
5. Davison
6. Furphy
7. Warnock
8. Blackwell
9. Kendall
10. Spackman
11. Bruce
12. Thompson
13. Mercer
14. Rowley
15. Sirrel
16. Robson
17. Heath
18. Peters
19 Haslam

I didnt see Furphy's side but Id be hard pressed to put him above Warnock. He was manager for just shy of two years. He took over an excellent side and steered them to a good position. But, although lack of funds meant he probably wasnt to blame, he didnt do much in terms of rebuilding an aging side.

 

[Darren]

Glad to see the arse McEwan doesn't even register.

Whoops! I'd put him between Bruce and Thompson.

 

[Jon Bon]

Bassett's sides have given us the better times but if it is just choosing between two blokes - Warnock every time...

 

[Darren]

I didnt see Furphy's side but Id be hard pressed to put him above Warnock. He was manager for just shy of two years. He took over an excellent side and steered them to a good position. But, although lack of funds meant he probably wasnt to blame, he didnt do much in terms of rebuilding an aging side.

In Furphy's defence, he took us to 6th in the top division, only once bettered in the post war period. For me that must give him a high position. He also made two good signings in Field and Brown which were probably enough to propel Harris' decent side that those giddy heights. He would have been higher in my list had he not been in charge for the diastrous start to the 75-6 season and for the signing of Guthrie. He was sacked though after only 11 games in 75-6 and who knows whether he might not have done a Bassett 90-91 trick had the Board kept faith with him.

 

[JJ Sefton]

Perhaps. I remember reading though (it might have been in the book Blade Runners) that the Guthrie signing was driven by the board. Apparently Furphy thought £100k was crazy money for him.

 

[Revolution]

Interesting list Darren. I'd have 2 quibbles with it:

Arthur Rowley deserves to be a bit higher. His record is, essentially, the same as Steve Bruce's with one major plus point - he signed a fair number of the team that would win promotion 2 years later (Colquhoun, Powell, Tudor, Hemsley). That puts him above Bruce and Thompson in my view, and probably Mercer as well.

You could also have Teddy Davison higher, even if you didn't include his pre War record (1 promotion, a Cup final) and the League North win.

 

[mickle-blade]

I'd agreed that Bassett was the best and would place him second in the United post-war managers list. If anyone is interested, I would rate them as follows:

1. Harris
2. Bassett
3. Freeman
4. Porterfield
5. Davison
6. Furphy
7. Warnock
8. Blackwell
9. Kendall
10. Spackman
11. Bruce
12. Thompson
13. Mercer
14. Rowley
15. Sirrel
16. Robson
17. Heath
18. Peters
19 Haslam

I think I would near enough agree to that order. Harris was the manager when I started going to the Lane around 1959/60 so I cannot really comment on managers prior to that but as a manager and a person I would rate Bassett way ahead of Warnock.

 

[SwissBlade]

Bassett as a wheeler dealer manager.

Warnock as a personality and a legend

Bassett really went down in my estimation in the last couple of years

 

[Silent Blade]

I'd agreed that Bassett was the best and would place him second in the United post-war managers list. If anyone is interested, I would rate them as follows:

1. Harris
2. Bassett
3. Freeman
4. Porterfield
5. Davison
6. Furphy
7. Warnock
8. Blackwell
9. Kendall
10. Spackman
11. Bruce
12. Thompson
13. Mercer
14. Rowley
15. Sirrel
16. Robson
17. Heath
18. Peters
19 Haslam

very good list. Perhaps Thompson is a bit too high and Mercer a bit too low on the list

 

[lenners]

Bassett streets ahead of Warnock as a man and a manager.
In my time the best team was Furphy's though, by a long chalk.

 

[uniblade]

Bassett loved that time

2nd half of the first season we went up to the top flight FANTASTIC

 

[ken shabby]

Dave Bassett by a country mile (or 1.61 kilometres if your country is one of those foreign jobs)

Dave gave us a superb 5 season run, including 2 promotions, 3 great finishes in the top league and lots of fun & goals. Shame his chairman then bollocked things up, as did those to follow.

Dave made the team approachable, was massively approachable himself & the whiole club had a feeling of we`re in this together.

Warnock gave us 2 good seasons, 02-03 & 05-06, & other seasons of mind numbing frustration, tommy johnsons & danny cadamarteris

Still 2 seasons easy puts him ahead of tripe like Heath, mcewan, thompson, haslam, peters, etc.

I`d put Dave above Harris even. Harris was superb but neglected cover & injuries always cost us dear through lack of depth. His teams played some great football though.

Jimmy Sirrel wins the award for bad dentistry.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

I'd put Mercer and Rowley above Thompson. I might also swap Peters and Haslam if only for the fact that 'appy 'arry signed Alex Sabella. Shame he put that shining jewel in the middle of a pile of steaming crap!

 

[Fiery Blade]

Bassett far better than Warnock both miles better than Blackwell

BLACKWELL OUT

 

[Cassius Kray]

Bassett far better than Warnock both miles better than Blackwell

BLACKWELL OUT

Blackwell has won a higher percentage of his matches than either of them, has never relegated us, and is the only one of the three who's delivered year on year improvements

 

[Fiery Blade]

Blackwell has won a higher percentage of his matches than either of them, has never relegated us, and is the only one of the three who's delivered year on year improvements

Look at the quality of players at their disposal at time of commencement of duties Bassett or Warnock didn't have any players of the quality of Beattie, Speed, Ehiogu, Kenny, Stead, Hulse, etc, When will people realise that Blackwell is an ordinary manager not a bad manager certainly not a good manager. He did a similar job at Weeds then got found out, did nothing at Luton due to lack of funds and screwed up last year. Yes, I lay the blame for not getting promotion firmly at Blackwells door.

 

[bricktop]

Bassett's sides have given us the better times but if it is just choosing between two blokes - Warnock every time...

Warnock admitted in his book that he was worried about his new contract and how that might had have had an effect in the Wigan game where we went down. For me if he was a proper blade then he would have dismissed all contract thoughts out of his head and concentrated his thoughts on the match in hand and survival. Sums Warnock up for me, always in it for himself, and always a slightly bit too full of his own self-importance

Bassett as a wheeler dealer manager.

Warnock as a personality and a legend

Bassett really went down in my estimation in the last couple of years

What summed up Bassetts last couple of years was his blind loyalty and he could have thrown in the towel at any point from the sale of Brian Deane onwards without any real complaints from anyone associated with Sheffield United. Bassett knew the side from 1993 onwards needed a overhaul and new players bringing in, but was never allowed the money due to the awful stewardship of Reg Brearley and it was a bit too much of a big ask to build another premiership side on free transfers and speculative £50k gambles, especially as the game was becoming awash with Premiership money but none of it was filtering down to us.

Bassett far better than Warnock both miles better than Blackwell

BLACKWELL OUT

You really are a doughnut aren't you

 

[Fiery Blade]

Warnock admitted in his book that he was worried about his new contract and how that might had have had an effect in the Wigan game where we went down. For me if he was a proper blade then he would have dismissed all contract thoughts out of his head and concentrated his thoughts on the match in hand and survival. Sums Warnock up for me, always in it for himself, and always a slightly bit too full of his own self-importance



What summed up Bassetts last couple of years was his blind loyalty and he could have thrown in the towel at any point from the sale of Brian Deane onwards without any real complaints from anyone associated with Sheffield United. Bassett knew the side from 1993 onwards needed a overhaul and new players bringing in, but was never allowed the money due to the awful stewardship of Reg Brearley and it was a bit too much of a big ask to build another premiership side on free transfers and speculative £50k gambles, especially as the game was becoming awash with Premiership money but none of it was filtering down to us.



You really are a doughnut aren't you

Doughnut! Its not me that's the doughnut - Its the ones with blind faith in Blackwell!
But going back to the original point neither Blackwell or Warnock unearthed such treasures as Deane, Agana, Tracey, Booker, Bryson, Kelly, Rees, etc for peanuts and all lower division players that could cut it at the top grade!

 

[bricktop]

So what exactly was the point in ending your post with the words BLACKWELL OUT?

What you will find if you comprehend what the vast majority of Unitedites think towards Blackwell is that he is doing a decent job under the circumstances. He has had to sell 2 or 3 of his leading players and despite this has got us off to another half-decent start this season and we have a squad that looks solid, strong and has more options that we had last season.

If we was in the bottom 3, or if we finished last season halfway down the table then i could understand it, but whilst things are going well what is the point in writing nonsensical dribble like BLACKWELL OUT.

 

[La_Blade]

Bassett's sides have given us the better times but if it is just choosing between two blokes - Warnock every time...

I'd agree with that totally, I can't wait for Warnock to retire from the game and (hopefully) do more tv stuff cos he's always good value.

 

[Fiery Blade]

So what exactly was the point in ending your post with the words BLACKWELL OUT?

What you will find if you comprehend what the vast majority of Unitedites think towards Blackwell is that he is doing a decent job under the circumstances. He has had to sell 2 or 3 of his leading players and despite this has got us off to another half-decent start this season and we have a squad that looks solid, strong and has more options that we had last season.

If we was in the bottom 3, or if we finished last season halfway down the table then i could understand it, but whilst things are going well what is the point in writing nonsensical dribble like BLACKWELL OUT.

The nonsensical dribble as you put it is my opinion - I shouldn't have to tone it down to suit you or any other poster on this site - I would call having a squad this year stronger than last year nonsensical dribble - this year we have wingers but we don't have Speed, Beattie, Naughton, Kenny, Naysmith to date etc how is that a stronger squad.
It is obvious that we will not sign anyone before the window closes - at present if we get any injuries we will struggle big time!

 

[shorehamview]

As much as I liked Neil Warnock, he did have the ability to, well, piss people off. We didn't give a shit most of the time, because he was a Blade doing the dream job, and let's face it, if you were in his shoes you'd certainly have told Megson to fuck off, and knock that weaselly grin off Stan Ternant's face. I know if it had been me managing United I would have spent a lot of time in the stands and a lot of time at the FA telling them why I thought $tevie G was a dirty cheating Scouse arsewipe. I'd have beaten the shit out of Graham Poll too.
Having spoken to Warnock at a Player of the Season do he came across as a nice fella.

But Dave Bassett was different. Possibly the best manager this club has ever had, he had to contend with a maniac chairman and next to no money. Whereas Warnock had McCabe backing him, Bassett had Brearley trying to stick the knife in regularly.
Bassett was also a genius as finding talent. He brought us Deane and Agana, Kelly and Tracey, and the legendary Bob Booker for starters.
I met Dave Bassett a couple of times, and as well as being a great manager he was a really nice bloke too.

So it depends on what you want them to do. They both pulled us out of the shit, and if it came down to a fist-fight between benches then probably Warnock. I certainly wished he'd knocked Ternant out.
But as a motivator, a manager capable of getting a real team performance out of players who could easily have been playing two or more divisions lower than they were, a man who took us to the top and (all too briefly) kept us there, I'd pick Dave Bassett. Only just, but Bassett.

We should be thankful we've had them at the Lane for us to have this debate.