10 years ago today… (1 Viewer)

[Sick Boy]

No capable manager would've stayed under those conditions.

If Thorn had any integrity and or self-awareness he would've resigned at the very latest in November.

His inept tactics were largely to blame.

 

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[rob9872]

Bristol City away at the end of that season was the worst thing I'd watched involving City up to that point. Never threatened once, lumped balls to Platt to have them skip off the rain-soaked pitch for goal kicks all game long. At least at Villa Park we had a f*cking go. This was just a team that couldn't play football showing exactly why we deserved to be relegated. Horrible.

I still think we would have won at VP if Derby weren't losing. 2nil and coasting it at HT, Hadji amazing.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

No capable manager would've stayed under those conditions.

If Thorn had any integrity and or self-awareness he would've resigned at the very latest in November.

If I remember correctly G in his previous guise said Thorn was too busy ‘cashing in his pay cheque for worshipping at the temple of Sepalla’

 

[ajsccfc]

remember Alex Nimely - the one game wonder!

What a debut! Followed by What the hell is this?

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

His inept tactics were largely to blame.

I don't even necessarily blame Thorn. The only aspect of his tenure that truly annoys me is that he lacked self-awareness to call it a day when the time was right.

The decisions made by SISU/Dulieu over that entire season were appalling and would've put any manager in a hugely difficult position. From letting our best players all leave on frees in the summer, appointing a manager that couldn't be less qualified, giving zero backing in the window to replace those that had left and then to sell Jutkiewcz, without bringing in a suitable replacement in January.

Thorn may have taken us down in terrible fashion but to put the blame solely on him is nonsensical. As lets be honest, we would've gone down the season after anyway if we had somehow avoided relegation as more sales would've been made and cheap replacements, or none at all, would've been inevitably brought in.

 

[Sick Boy]

I don't even necessarily blame Thorn. The only aspect of his tenure that truly annoys me is that he lacked self-awareness to call it a day when the time was right.

The decisions made by SISU/Dulieu over that entire season were appalling and would've put any manager in a hugely difficult position. From letting our best players all leave on frees in the summer, appointing a manager that couldn't be less qualified, giving zero backing in the window to replace those that had left and then to sell Jutkiewcz, without bringing in a suitable replacement in January.

Thorn may have taken us down in terrible fashion but to put the blame solely on him is nonsensical. As lets be honest, we would've gone down the season after anyway if we had somehow avoided relegation as more sales would've been made and cheap replacements, or none at all, inevitably brought in.

I don’t only blame Thorn either, no other club would have employed him as a manager, the club was a shambles at the time and it was made even worse by the idiot fans who trotted out endless excuses for him.

 

[Grendel]

If I remember correctly G in his previous guise said Thorn was too busy ‘cashing in his pay cheque for worshipping at the temple of Sepalla’

To be fair to Thorn he had a brass neck. Its pretty obvious Delieu sat on the bench to embarrass him to resign but he wasnt having any of it - he knew no other idiots would employ him

Well there was one other idiot and his subsequent job at Kidderminster was even worse.

Promotion favourites and owner recruits him as a big name. Collapses - he blames the owner for forcing him to play negative football - owner forced to leave as family are threatened, Thorn is sacked whining players were sold beneath his feet and then the club went on something like a 12 game unbeaten run

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

I don’t only blame Thorn either, no other club would have employed him as a manager, the club was a shambles at the time and it was made even worse by the idiot fans who trotted out endless excuses for him.

Exactly no other club would've employed him as a manager yet our owners thought it was some kind of coup giving him a permanent contract. And what's worse tried to brainwash the fans to agree with that line of thinking.

I think that's always going to happen with fans though. It's no different to the idiots who think Biamou could still do a job for us despite him bombing out at Dundee United, or defending him to the hilt last season.

 

[skybluesam66]

It was clear from Leicester h 1st game. They went down to 10 and instead of taking the initiative the clown - fans favourite because he posted on social media - Carl baker got sent off. We never recovered all season

 

[Legia Sky Blue]

It was clear from Leicester h 1st game. They went down to 10 and instead of taking the initiative the clown - fans favourite because he posted on social media - Carl baker got sent off. We never recovered all season

The 'fans favourite' thing always seems to get pushed by people with an axe to grind about him. There were as many people giving him stick as there were that supported him, the same as with Doyle.

Personally I thought Baker was a good league 1 player and served us well in that league. I don't think he warrants the stick he gets because some people get uppity with a social media presence. He wasn't so effective in the Championship, but to blame us going down on one incident in a 46 game season is ridiculous and unbalanced.

You maybe correct that the writing was on the wall for us from that 1st game, as I remember feeling the same at that time, but that had more to do with starting the season with three 17 year olds in the team, and having lost Westwood, Turner, Gunnarsson and King, with only a keeper being brought in as a replacement. All with a rookie manager in charge too.

 

[Sick Boy]

The 'fans favourite' thing always seems to get pushed by people with an axe to grind about him. There were as many people giving him stick as there were that supported him, the same as with Doyle.

The embodiment of post-truth.

 

[fernandopartridge]

The embodiment of post-truth.

Baker wasn't a fans' favourite in the Championship tbf, he became one once he got to his level

 

[Sick Boy]

Baker wasn't a fans' favourite in the Championship tbf, he became one once he got to his level

I thought he was on about Thorn; agree about Baker.

 

[13th_choice_seamer]

Bristol City away at the end of that season was the worst thing I'd watched involving City up to that point. Never threatened once, lumped balls to Platt to have them skip off the rain-soaked pitch for goal kicks all game long. At least at Villa Park we had a f*cking go. This was just a team that couldn't play football showing exactly why we deserved to be relegated. Horrible.

I was there too, miserable day out all round. Bad pub, crap food, poor beer, knackered old stand pre-redevelopment, got soaking wet walking to the ground in the rain across a field and through some grim underpasses. Woeful game left us set up for relegation. We needed to win and we went down like a sack of potatoes. Bank holiday Monday as well if I remember rightly.

 

[13th_choice_seamer]

What happens when you sell Turner and Juke, having allowed Westwood, Gunnar and King leave on fees - none of the 5, the spine of our team, was replaced. We were doomed from the summer and the bile that was launched at Thorn was entirely misplaced.

 

[Sick Boy]

What happens when you sell Turner and Juke, having allowed Westwood, Gunnar and King leave on fees - none of the 5, the spine of our team, was replaced. We were doomed from the summer and the bile that was launched at Thorn was entirely misplaced.

He was way out of his depth and should have resigned from September. He was a dreadful manager.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

What happens when you sell Turner and Juke, having allowed Westwood, Gunnar and King leave on fees - none of the 5, the spine of our team, was replaced. We were doomed from the summer and the bile that was launched at Thorn was entirely misplaced.

 

[ccfctommy]

What is Thorn up to now?

 

[Sick Boy]

What is Thorn up to now?

Think he’s a scout at West Brom.

 

[Liquid Gold]

I think given that MR had our L1 relegation team playing at upper mid table form it isn't bat shit to suggest he'd have had this team putting up more of a fight than it did.

 

[13th_choice_seamer]

He was way out of his depth and should have resigned from September. He was a dreadful manager.

I was always shocked by the degree of spite and bile he attracted from a small minority of fans - as I remember, he was a generally popular figure amongst the fanbase. A minority hated on him as a means of deflecting criticism from the owners. When he left, they did the same with Wasps, the council, etc etc. "It's everyone's fault except Sisu....."

 

[Liquid Gold]

I was always shocked by the degree of spite and bile he attracted from a small minority of fans - as I remember, he was a generally popular figure amongst the fanbase. A minority hated on him as a means of deflecting criticism from the owners. When he left, they did the same with Wasps, the council, etc etc. "It's everyone's fault except Sisu....."

That's a weird take.

The only reason Sisu appointed him was because there would have been a riot amongst fans after he kept us up the season before.

He was hated because he was a useless shithead. Our second worst manager ever behind Slade.

 

[rob9872]

I'm amazed how so many of you can recall incidents from such meaningless games a decade ago. I've seen virtually every game this season yet could barely recall the score in some let alone how well we played or didn't.

 

[skyblue025]

He kept us up the season before and he was on peanuts. Ch ching right up SISU's alley. Wasn't it around this time we got the "We're unsustainable in the Championship " speech from Timmy?

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Exactly no other club would've employed him as a manager yet our owners thought it was some kind of coup giving him a permanent contract. And what's worse tried to brainwash the fans to agree with that line of thinking.

I think that's always going to happen with fans though. It's no different to the idiots who think Biamou could still do a job for us despite him bombing out at Dundee United, or defending him to the hilt last season.

That’s definite revisionism here. The majority of the supporters wanted us to hire Thorn because he did well as caretaker.

In another dimension where we get relegated that season without Thorn as manager, you bet he’d have had an Eric Black type aura.

It was a short Honeymoon period and Thorn overstayed his welcome.

 

[SkyblueDad]

Although Thorn was terrible I'm not so sure we would've stayed up if Robins was in charge.

The Starting XI wasn't awful but the squad on the whole had zero depth so there was no one we could bring on to help change things when we were chasing the game.

Couple that with two terrible windows, the sale of our best chance of staying up in Jutkiewicz and a complete disdain amongst the fanbase and it would've been a minor miracle if we'd stayed up, regardless of who was in charge.

Let’s not forget we had a chairman (still have) Tim Fisher and that faggot Waggot driving the club down with their plans, pre-Northampton, it’s a wonder we are still here at all, trying to run any sort of team here with those two planks steering the club must have been a nightmare.

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

A fit Willis would get into our current side - in fact a speedy centre back is what we need. His distribution was very suspect though.

 

[Tommo1993]

A fit Willis would get into our current side - in fact a speedy centre back is what we need. His distribution was very suspect though.

I dunno. Maybe on the bench. But he certainly wouldn’t get ahead of Fadz, Hyam, JCS or even wobbly Rose.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

I think given that MR had our L1 relegation team playing at upper mid table form it isn't bat shit to suggest he'd have had this team putting up more of a fight than it did.

Probably. Only to be sacked as a failure the following season when we struggled again, mind you.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

That’s definite revisionism here. The majority of the supporters wanted us to hire Thorn because he did well as caretaker.

In another dimension where we get relegated that season without Thorn as manager, you bet he’d have had an Eric Black type aura.

It was a short Honeymoon period and Thorn overstayed his welcome.

Yep, giving Thorn the job wasn't the wrong move, it was being overly loyal to him once he had it. I'd even excuse him relegation really, as the club was on a long decline and intrinsically rotten, but staying on for the next season he managed to trash any chance of us going straight back up by doing so.

Although Richard Shaw managed the rare achievement of being even worse when caretaker!

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

I dunno. Maybe on the bench. But he certainly wouldn’t get ahead of Fadz, Hyam, JCS or even wobbly Rose.

He was better than L1 imo, but he played alongside a lot of average players, and injuries did for him. Hope he made a few quid at Sunderland.

 

[The Philosopher]

We played our last game in the Championship before relegation and ended it with a 4-0 loss at Saints, an absolute whimper of a performance under Thorn

The side that day was:

Murphy
Clarke
Willis
Cranie
Hussey
Baker
Bigi
Norwood
Thomas
McSheffrey
McDonald

It’s been quite the journey since then but glad the club are in a far better place now than our last stint in this division

When you look back, the squad at the start of the season looked good enough to at least not get relegated.

Selling Juke left us with only one tall striker - Clive Platt. We had a 6 foot 3 Icelandic International over on trial who wasn’t taken on.

No big striker meant that we had limited options as to how to play and a front line of short strikers is ok for some situations but a team needs to be able to mix it up a bit.

Technically we still had Freddy Eastwood who, for whatever reason, flopped.

Thorn was hopeless. Started well with his diamond formation but as soon as opponents worked out how to nullify then he had no plan B. Any decent, experienced manager, I think, would have kept us up. Thorn was totally inexperienced and that was the problem.

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

That’s definite revisionism here. The majority of the supporters wanted us to hire Thorn because he did well as caretaker.

In another dimension where we get relegated that season without Thorn as manager, you bet he’d have had an Eric Black type aura.

It was a short Honeymoon period and Thorn overstayed his welcome.

It's not revisionism at all. I'd happily admit I didn't share the same thoughts at the time, as we'd indeed nosedived in form to such an extent that season that when Thorn came in it was a refreshing change.

However, once the window was finished and we'd lost the majority of our best players, only three signings made, and we'd ended August with no wins and only a couple of goals scored, my attitude quickly shifted and I began to think that we'd probably made a fundamental error in bringing Thorn on full time. Even then I gave it until probably November/December time before I truly lost all hope.

It wasn't very long before it became very apparent that Thorn was completely out of his depth and was simply brought on because SISU had turned the tap off and he was the cheapest option available.

Appointing a caretaker manager off the back of a handful of 6 reasonable results is idiotic and rarely ever works, especially under the same constraints Thorn was under.

 

[The Philosopher]

That’s definite revisionism here. The majority of the supporters wanted us to hire Thorn because he did well as caretaker.

In another dimension where we get relegated that season without Thorn as manager, you bet he’d have had an Eric Black type aura.

It was a short Honeymoon period and Thorn overstayed his welcome.

Can’t compare Black to Thorn.

Eric Black had loads of coaching experience and learned under Fergie. Just as important was Archie Knox who was a renowned Asst Manager.

Today we have Ade - and that’s a huge reason as to why we are doing rather well.

Andy Thorn had no experience, and I can’t even think who the assistant manager was; Carsley? Shaw? No experience at all.

Either way, the fundamentals of comparing Thorn / Carsley with Black / Knox are simple:

Eric Black & Archie Knox were experienced coaches.

Andy Thorn was anything but.

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

A fit Willis would get into our current side - in fact a speedy centre back is what we need. His distribution was very suspect though.

I'm not so sure.

He's never consistently played higher than League One and his height, or lack there of, would pose a pretty sizeable issue.

The fact he's not particularly technically astute with the ball and his distribution was poor would only highlight his flaws and expose him terribly.