Sorry Nigel you fucked it up.

[Woodwardfan]

It was all there for you. You fucked it up.

Good luck to you in whatever you do. You were what you were and never pretended to be anything else.

You. your chosen Head scout, your Assistant Manage, your MD. and your other cronies. You fucked it up.

You never pretended to be anything other than what you are, Sheffielders took to you because you were so straightforward and called a spade a spade.

But it was all so limited.

'Nuff said.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Am I the only one hoping the next manager doesn't have a brother who ends up being chief scout for us.

UTB

 

[Woodwardfan]

Am I the only one hoping the next manager doesn't have a brother who ends up being chief scout for us.

UTB

Not that likely. Impossible in fact.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Am I the only one hoping the next manager doesn't have a brother who ends up being chief scout for us.

UTB

Harry would bring in his mrs , Sandra and there Jamie. . Both could play up front or scout the south coast.

UTB

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Where it all began...

26 October 2013
Sheffield United 3-1 Crewe



Where it ended...

11 May 2015
Swindon 5-5 Sheffield United

 

[billyblademan]

Where it all began...

26 October 2013
Sheffield United 3-1 Crewe



Where it ended...

11 May 2015
Swindon 5-5 Sheffield United

2 headed goals from a centre half in the Crewe game, something I doubt we've had all season.

 

[Bladesway]

Am I the only one hoping the next manager doesn't have a brother who ends up being chief scout for us.

UTB

Why has anyone ever mentioned it previously. I'm concerned for WWF. What's his agenda going to be now? In fact what's his entire reason for being?

I'm really sad Clough has gone because I thought another season and we could have cracked it. At least the decision is understandable because ultimately we failed but I do think all the jumping on his grave from the usuals is a little uncalled for. After all every time you have to sack a manager you are once more going backwards. The money spent, the players who will no doubt not fit into the new man's plans etc etc.

I'm sorry but now we have to appoint another manager we then don't have time to recruit the players and I think this means another 2 seasons in this division minimum. I think the last time we appointed a manager who got us up first season it was Ian Porter field. That was some time ago.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Why has anyone ever mentioned it previously. I'm concerned for WWF. What's his agenda going to be now? In fact what's his entire reason for being?

I'm really sad Clough has gone because I thought another season and we could have cracked it. At least the decision is understandable because ultimately we failed but I do think all the jumping on his grave from the usuals is a little uncalled for. After all every time you have to sack a manager you are once more going backwards. The money spent, the players who will no doubt not fit into the new man's plans etc etc.

I'm sorry but now we have to appoint another manager we then don't have time to recruit the players and I think this means another 2 seasons in this division minimum. I think the last time we appointed a manager who got us up first season it was Ian Porter field. That was some time ago.

Agree with those sentiments Bladesway. The glee and hindsight expressed by WWF borders on second rate am-dram with every ropey cliche thrown in for good effect. Rather than leave well alone, not knowing when to afford the outgoing manager the good grace he deserves displays stupefying gloating.

I'm now waiting to see who replaces Clough. I hope the new manager manages to achieve what Clough was unable to in approximately a season and a half. Clearly lines were crossed in the boardroom and once that happens there's little chance of going back. Now's the time to look forward, hope the next appointee is the right person for SUFC. Let's see, am I wrong, or is that 10 managers we've had in 10 years? Surely those who hold the reins of power at SUFC aren't possessed of the decision making powers they probably wish they had. That's McCabe of course, but now we have the Prince who will appoint and ax anyone who doesn't achieve (what the specifics for this criteria are I'd love to know).

You may well be right, at least two more seasons in Division 1, and that doesn't include the dose of optimism or luck any team will need. Right now I'm concerned, I hope that feeling changes to something more positive, otherwise I fear we may be in for a long, long period of underachievement, much longer then most of us have known.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Why has anyone ever mentioned it previously. I'm concerned for WWF. What's his agenda going to be now? In fact what's his entire reason for being?

I'm really sad Clough has gone because I thought another season and we could have cracked it. At least the decision is understandable because ultimately we failed but I do think all the jumping on his grave from the usuals is a little uncalled for. After all every time you have to sack a manager you are once more going backwards. The money spent, the players who will no doubt not fit into the new man's plans etc etc.

I'm sorry but now we have to appoint another manager we then don't have time to recruit the players and I think this means another 2 seasons in this division minimum. I think the last time we appointed a manager who got us up first season it was Ian Porter field. That was some time ago.

I think there's some truth in what you say about the gloating but it was such a shock and such an exciting day. I wrote this OP after looking at the poll which said 60% of fans thought Clough shouldn't have been sacked. I am keen for the Board to be understood and supported and tried to redress the balance a bit too crudely.

As for my agenda don't concern yourself, a year ago you you were the biggest Board slasher on here, writing reams going back to the times of Warnock and Harris et al. Remember my coined phrase " biggest Board slasher, biggest Clough clapper", that was you. Eventually it dawned on you there was a new Board and you found a new agenda and moved on and you even tired of Clough by the end of the season. Not at any point was anybody concerned for you, though you have had a bad season in some ways!!

By nature I am a clapper but not if the club is not going in the right direction and I think we stand a better chance now. I did think Clough might be given a few more months but in my heart of hearts knew it would only have proved beyond doubt that he wasn't up to it and wasted another season. As it is now, 60% of fans think he was sacked too early and always will, but 40% think the opposite.

Fingers crossed re the new manager. IMO he couldn't be much worse but if he is we are in real trouble. On the other hand the appointment might be your ultimate proof that this Board mean business, I hope so.

 

[Edinblade]

Clough failed because he's a totally inadequate manager. When McGuire left he knew we needed at least one centre back. He even went out and signed one. What happens next is totally inexcusable.
You cannot go 5 matches never mind a whole season without good reliable centre backs.
1) he signed a CB from Blackpool who clearly wasn't ready.
2) He signed a CB from Walsall, who should have been good enough but failed to manage him.
3) He failed with Collins. Not the best but better than those he ended up playing as they were not CB's
4) He signed Brayford to play the role he had done so brilliantly the previous season, only to waste him at CB
5) He played our most reliable midfielder at CB, ruining the midfield.
6) He completely failed to build a consistent front line.
7) All these issues were completely obvious to everyone, even Clough knew he had the problems but FAILED in every single case to rectify the issues.
Our opposition knew our weaknesses and took full advantage. This is why we HAD to change manager. Clough is NOT a manager, he's a failure.
Fail to plan, plan to fail, simples.

 

[boo radley]

Do not understand this gloating thread. actually I do some fans need to grumble and blame. Fine he failed. I'd much rather have been sat here applauding had he had success. We're not. We're in another period of uncertainty and hope that some peole choose Wisley. Well they have not since 2007.
Woodwardfan and others, enjoy your comfort in your gloat. I will move on to hoping again.

 

[grafikhaus]

I fail to see any 'gloating' about Clough. We've offered him an incredible amount of support and hoped we had finally found 'the one'. Now he's gone, the gloves can come off. He's set this club back years. Disentangling the web of poor player's contracts, relatives etc. will cost money that could have been used on players suitable to get us out of this God-awful division. I hope the first act of repairing the damage will be to tell Doyle, J C-R and Butler that there's a future for them at United.

 

[Woodwardfan]

I fail to see any 'gloating' about Clough. We've offered him an incredible amount of support and hoped we had finally found 'the one'. Now he's gone, the gloves can come off. He's set this club back years. Disentangling the web of poor player's contracts, relatives etc. will cost money that could have been used on players suitable to get us out of this God-awful division. I hope the first act of repairing the damage will be to tell Doyle, J C-R and Butler that there's a future for them at United.

Doyle for maybe another 12 months, that's interesting. We could do a lot worse; " leg's gone", certainly not from what I saw.

Certainly a leader and what dignity when interviewed, just the subtle hint re Clough when he said Wilson was the best manager he'd played for.

 

[BerksBlade]

Harry would bring in his mrs , Sandra and there Jamie. . Both could play up front or scout the south coast.

UTB

As an added bonus, his dog could manage the offshore bank accounts!

 

[Sean Thornton]

It was all there for you. You fucked it up.

Good luck to you in whatever you do. You were what you were and never pretended to be anything else.

You. your chosen Head scout, your Assistant Manage, your MD. and your other cronies. You fucked it up.

You never pretended to be anything other than what you are, Sheffielders took to you because you were so straightforward and called a spade a spade.

But it was all so limited.

'Nuff said.

He didn't choose the MD. You keep saying that and it's utter bullshit.

Plus you were all for him at one time, "Mr Sheffield United" you named him and applauded him for building a "dynasty", which included his brother.

 

[Bladesway]

I think there's some truth in what you say about the gloating but it was such a shock and such an exciting day. I wrote this OP after looking at the poll which said 60% of fans thought Clough shouldn't have been sacked. I am keen for the Board to be understood and supported and tried to redress the balance a bit too crudely.

As for my agenda don't concern yourself, a year ago you you were the biggest Board slasher on here, writing reams going back to the times of Warnock and Harris et al. Remember my coined phrase " biggest Board slasher, biggest Clough clapper", that was you. Eventually it dawned on you there was a new Board and you found a new agenda and moved on and you even tired of Clough by the end of the season. Not at any point was anybody concerned for you, though you have had a bad season in some ways!!

By nature I am a clapper but not if the club is not going in the right direction and I think we stand a better chance now. I did think Clough might be given a few more months but in my heart of hearts knew it would only have proved beyond doubt that he wasn't up to it and wasted another season. As it is now, 60% of fans think he was sacked too early and always will, but 40% think the opposite.

Fingers crossed re the new manager. IMO he couldn't be much worse but if he is we are in real trouble. On the other hand the appointment might be your ultimate proof that this Board mean business, I hope so.

I think the difference between us is I am prepared to see and accept change, which the board showed in the past 12 months. Previously the facts I stated remain and McCabe did what he did. Can you move on and see another side? Be good if you stopped being so smug and condesending and moved on.

 

[DorsetSUFC]

Sorry Woodwardfan, it may just happen again if we stupidly appoint Gary Johnson - his brother does his scouting and look what happened at Yeovil.

 

[bertieblade]

What about Johnson and Johnson?
Dad as DOF and son as manager?

 

[boo radley]

I fail to see any 'gloating' about Clough. We've offered him an incredible amount of support and hoped we had finally found 'the one'. Now he's gone, the gloves can come off. He's set this club back years. Disentangling the web of poor player's contracts, relatives etc. will cost money that could have been used on players suitable to get us out of this God-awful division. I hope the first act of repairing the damage will be to tell Doyle, J C-R and Butler that there's a future for them at United.

 

[Woodwardfan]

He didn't choose the MD. You keep saying that and it's utter bullshit.

Plus you were all for him at one time, "Mr Sheffield United" you named him and applauded him for building a "dynasty", which included his brother.

Great first post. Welcome to the Forum. Fantastic memory for a new member.

In actual fact I "moved on"( ironic that Bladesway is saying I can't move on) from Clough's faultless first half season to the shambles that emerged in the 2014/15 season. It was down to poor signings and it took a while for us all to realise it. I have to say I was one of the first to cotton on to what was happening, way behind Deadbat though, from whom I begged for patience. Bladesway gave me a really hard time for months on the two big issues but both are done with now I agree.

Once you realise just how bad things are you can't stop seeing things repeated time and again and it is difficult to say so on Forum when the vast majority are "In Clough we Trust" mode. Anyway the inevitable happened and we all move on to better things we hope.

Everything revolves around the new manager of course

 

[Linz]

Gentlemen... can I remind you to keep it civil please.

Much obliged.

 

[Esablade]

...must say I'd always had WWF down as a clapper...so to see his progressively more intense anti-Clough stance was interesting, certainly made me question my support for Clough at times, particularly re:the scouting.

 

[georgebernardshaw]

Had a look at that fount of all wisdom, WIKI, just now, to see what the relevant win %s are:

Nigel Clough at SUFC: 47.12%
Nigel Adkins at Reading: 36.25%
Darren Ferguson (career): 41.83%

Oh, and Danny Wilson at SUFC: 51.89%

 

[SotonBlade]

I'd like to see Cloughs win percentage for last season alone....should be telling,as it's the reason he's gone!

 

[secretchief]

I'd like to see Cloughs win percentage for last season alone....should be telling,as it's the reason he's gone!

I make it 41.30% in the league.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Great first post. Welcome to the Forum. Fantastic memory for a new member.

In actual fact I "moved on"( ironic that Bladesway is saying I can't move on) from Clough's faultless first half season to the shambles that emerged in the 2014/15 season. It was down to poor signings and it took a while for us all to realise it. I have to say I was one of the first to cotton on to what was happening, way behind Deadbat though, from whom I begged for patience. Bladesway gave me a really hard time for months on the two big issues but both are done with now I agree.

Once you realise just how bad things are you can't stop seeing things repeated time and again and it is difficult to say so on Forum when the vast majority are "In Clough we Trust" mode. Anyway the inevitable happened and we all move on to better things we hope.

Everything revolves around the new manager of course

I've read the forum for some time. Thanks for the sanctimonious reply, I expected nothing else.
Good to see you were one of the first to see things going wrong though. Was that after the close season signings, the opening home defeat, the failure to replace Maguire or the multitude of other errors Clough made? Were the rest of us do blind we, unlike you, failed to notice these things?

You got it totally wrong about him and now claim you were one of the first to "get it right."
Being right is really what it's about with you.

We are now back where we started although the squad needed a rebuild anyway but it's yet more money down the drain as any new guy will want a large part of the team replaced. I'm not against Clough being sacked at all but worry more about what's next for the club rather than preening - and stating the obvious - on a forum.

 

[super_pig]

I'm really sad Clough has gone because I thought another season and we could have cracked it.

i didn't .. and neither did HRH by the sound of it

 

[LSF]

I've read the forum for some time. Thanks for the sanctimonious reply, I expected nothing else.
Good to see you were one of the first to see things going wrong though. Was that after the close season signings, the opening home defeat, the failure to replace Maguire or the multitude of other errors Clough made? Were the rest of us do blind we, unlike you, failed to notice these things?

You got it totally wrong about him and now claim you were one of the first to "get it right."
Being right is really what it's about with you.

We are now back where we started although the squad needed a rebuild anyway but it's yet more money down the drain as any new guy will want a large part of the team replaced. I'm not against Clough being sacked at all but worry more about what's next for the club rather than preening - and stating the obvious - on a forum.

Sean old chap, you took the words right out of my mouth, except I lack the intelligence to write them.
Great observation.

 

[super_pig]

what's WWF? world wildlife fund? world wrestling federation??

 

[Woodwardfan]

I've read the forum for some time. Thanks for the sanctimonious reply, I expected nothing else.
Good to see you were one of the first to see things going wrong though. Was that after the close season signings, the opening home defeat, the failure to replace Maguire or the multitude of other errors Clough made? Were the rest of us do blind we, unlike you, failed to notice these things?

You got it totally wrong about him and now claim you were one of the first to "get it right."
Being right is really what it's about with you.

We are now back where we started although the squad needed a rebuild anyway but it's yet more money down the drain as any new guy will want a large part of the team replaced. I'm not against Clough being sacked at all but worry more about what's next for the club rather than preening - and stating the obvious - on a forum.

Very good second post.

I must say I wish I had been right about Clough last season and not this. However we all like to be right of course we do, especially when getting flack for expressing unpopular views. I am proud of my track record, nothing wrong with that.

As a regular reader of my stuff you know I long for a "Messiah" to completely transform the culture of the club and lift us two levels. Will we get a man big enough for the challenge? There aren't many about that's for sure.

I'd try to prise Gary Rowett from Brum or Karl Robinson ( never rated him much before this season, wrong again!), Paul Lambert,( Gary Neville!, Jamie Carragher!) -give 'em a proper job!.

I was a disciple of Sean O'Driscoll you will remember, but perhaps that would be too risky now. Wrong again!