I've always felt that McCabe is doing what he thinks is right for the good of the club, but also the Scarborough Group. I don't believe that the club is in any danger of going under.
McCabe got a lot of credit for guiding us, with a good Championship level manager, in Warnock to the Premier League. I always felt that his plans, had we stayed there, were ambitious enough, but they were always his plans, not the fans plans. In theory it was simple. Buy up small clubs to use as feeders, manage the way they are run in the blades way. Take a Chinese club and watch the brand take off in China. Great ideas in principle. I bought into the idea, I'm not adverse to doing things differently and trying new things... so why not.
But nothing went as planned... and like a bad gambler he was chasing his losses. Perhaps there was a reason why nobody else tried the things we did...
I'm not sure if it was bad guidance, bad judgement or just nobody willing to question his judgement, but all of the problems that we have today stem from the appointment of Robson and we all know how that went.
On top of this, the footballing empire collapsed around him. Turry's activities in Budapest, Chengdu getting relegated on the back of match fixing and Robbo's absolute failure to name a few.
Blackwell was the right appointment at the time. He appeared to be doing the job he was employed to do, but things started to get desperate, perhaps some loyalty got in the way after the Play Off Defeat, who knows. But the timing of Blackwell's eventual sacking was woeful, but that still wasn't enough to concede relegation. The decline had set in and going from a Top 3 side, to relegation in a year can't be laid at the feet of one man. So many factors, so many people. I don't blame McCabe for relegation, I blame him for relying on expensive loanees. I feel that more could've been done to delay the sacking of Blackwell (we weren't going to be relegated under him, just end up mid/ lower table at worst). Speeds departure was badly timed, going into a one month transfer window with a new manager, Micky Adams had little chance to sort things in the transfer market. All he could've done was stop the rot, just like Blackwell had done. It didn't happen.
So relegation was confirmed, Micky Adams wasn't given a chance to make amends and McCabe saw a chance to change a lot with Danny Wilson's appointment. Call it confidence, call it arrogance, but he believed in Danny Wilson. I didn't. But he made the call and I think we all agree that last season was one of the most enjoyable... up to MK Dons away.
So we end up sat in 2nd place in the New Year, we know things are tight financially, but so far there appears to be backing for the manager with two new signings. Potentially Murphy looks a very exciting prospect, Higgo, looks a steady, experienced player.
I think McCabe has a lot to answer for, he's guided us to what he thought was the best for the club (and I'm sure for himself as well) and it failed. We're two divisions below where he and we want to be, but I think things are being put right slowly.
It now comes down to his nerve and looking at the long term plan. Do we need to sell the likes of Long and Harry? Sure we could do with 1 or 2 million, but were part of the bigger group, so we don't really need to make a profit at the club. We get decent attendances and whilst TV and advertising revenues are low, we are getting by (with the help of McCabe). But Long and Harry's wages won't be huge, there will be bigger earners, so there is no real benefit in selling them.
Whether McCabe is able to resist his chance to roll out the old line of "well, when the big teams come knocking its hard to turn them down" will remain to be seen at the end of the month or the end of the season.
One thing is for sure, McCabe's stock will rise if he resists the chance to sell the best players and concentrate on giving Danny Wilson the resources necessary to give us the best chance possible of promotion. Then the real work will start for everyone at the club
