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Post by callum on Oct 14, 2014 19:18:27 GMT 1
I've been invited to a sportsmans dinner at the Wynnstay in Oswestry, Ronnie Whelan and Ratcliffe are the guests. I'm torn between not being able to stand being in the same room as him or pay the £30 and give him dogs abuse. What do others think?
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Post by Bordershrew on Oct 14, 2014 19:54:59 GMT 1
I had the same invite with Four Crosses, I couldn't bring myself to hear his stories!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2014 19:57:27 GMT 1
A great defender in a very successful team in the mid eighties. As Town manager I thought Shrewsbury played entertaining football, unfortunately he got it wrong resulting in a shocking 4 months in the history of Shrewsbury Town. Matt Ashton will tell you he probably has still not recovered from that experience.
I hold no grudges against him, he did inherit probably a worse team from Jake King and against all odds gave us the Great Escape in 2000 but only delayed the inevitable trip to the Conference 3 seasons later! Also managed Shrewsbury in achieving one of our best giant killings in the FA Cup!
If you don't like the guy don't go ....but to go to an event for the sole purpose of giving him some stick over our relegation a decade ago which the club recovered from 12 months later imo lacks class. Water under the bridge!
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Post by thesensationaljt on Oct 14, 2014 20:18:00 GMT 1
If he was giving a talk in my conservatory, I'd shut the door, close the curtains and turn up the tele to drowned out his arrogant voice.
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Post by mattmw on Oct 14, 2014 20:32:16 GMT 1
Similar feelings to Fred, in that I don't really have any grudges against him.
Was an odd period when he was in charge as we had some great, really memorable games under him like the Great Escape game at Exeter and the Everton game.
The November to April period of his last season was bizarre as it included two of the better Town performances I've seen in the Everton win and a win v Crewe not long after in the trophy game. Yet in the same period there was the terrible results at Rushden and Boston and the terrible winter to spring run that saw us relegated. A very odd period to be a Town fan
In fairness to Ratcliffe he hadn't gone back into management after the failure with us, where as other failures of managers still seem to plough on getting jobs
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Post by Worthingshrew on Oct 14, 2014 20:39:08 GMT 1
Jake King had worse players at his disposal but we didn't get relegated. Ratcliffe had some great players available which makes his failure as a manger much, much worse in my opinion. Worst manager in Town's history, but still no reason to give him personal stick in person.
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Post by Dale on Oct 14, 2014 21:02:51 GMT 1
Did KR get us relegated on purpose? No! Despite a promising opening few years to his leadership it spectacularly went wrong for him at the end and that is probably the reason why he never another managerial position and decided to focus on a media and after dinner speaker career instead... I wish him all the best in whatever he chooses to do in his life, as has been already said on this thread, time to move on and let the man live in peace, I bet KR cant even consider a day out in Shrewsbury now without fear of getting abused.
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Post by GrizzlyShrew on Oct 14, 2014 21:05:05 GMT 1
Ratcliffe put together a team of 'big time' Charlies who couldn't be @rsed to turn up for run of the mill league games against teams in our own league but could turn it on when they wanted in cup games. A lot of them couldn't be @rsed to turn up for training (allegedly). By the time we got relegated it was pretty much all his own signings and most surprisingly for me was that one of the best defenders of his day couldn't find a decent centre half to save his life but could find forwards who could score almost at will sometimes if they wanted to.
Ratcliffe was also instrumental in getting Chester relegated the first time (in our great escape season) even though he had been sacked by the time they actually got relegated.
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Post by ThrobsBlackHat on Oct 14, 2014 21:05:21 GMT 1
Ratcliffe was a failure, but that doesn't warrant acrimony.
Gary Newbon on the other hand...
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Post by TonyKellysBelly on Oct 14, 2014 21:08:59 GMT 1
I attended a dinner a few seasons ago where he was a guest speaker. Had the opportunity to have a few words and I have to say Kevin came across very well, he knows what it meant yo the club to get relegated and I think it's left it's mark on him also.
I don't think it's a good idea to go to an event just to have a go at him, poor form in my opinion. It's 10 years ago and lots have gone on since then, be adult about it and go and shake the guys hand and thank him for one of our greatest giant killing act.
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Post by shrewsace on Oct 14, 2014 21:14:04 GMT 1
Ratcliffe put together a team of 'big time' Charlies who couldn't be @rsed to turn up for run of the mill league games against teams in our own league but could turn it on when they wanted in cup games. A lot of them couldn't be @rsed to turn up for training (allegedly). By the time we got relegated it was pretty much all his own signings and most surprisingly for me was that one of the best defenders of his day couldn't find a decent centre half to save his life but could find forwards who could score almost at will sometimes if they wanted to. Agree with this, Ratcliffe made a massive mistake to go with 'experience' in his second full season in charge, and assembled the most decrepit defence we've ever had. Strange move, as he'd got a half-decent blend of youth and experience together in his first full season. I don't hold any grudge as I feel he was let down by the senior players he put his trust in, but he has to carry the can for some awful misjudgements. I think the awful Jason van Blerk was the only new signing of the summer that preceded the relegation. Despite being well into the twilight of his playing career, Mickey Heathcote actually gave a ****, and once he got injured the defence became an absolute joke.
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Post by Dale on Oct 14, 2014 21:14:23 GMT 1
By the time we got relegated it was pretty much all his own signings and most surprisingly for me was that one of the best defenders of his day couldn't find a decent centre half to save his life but could find forwards who could score almost at will sometimes if they wanted to. I think it started to go wrong when the club were 'forced' to let Andy Tretton go due to the loss of the ITV Digital income and replacing him with the 35 year old Mickey Heathcote (handing a 2 year contract to a injury prone 35 year old was almost criminal) and then having to rely on Karl Murray to fill in when he inevitably got injured and Redmile who seemed to get fatter and fatter as each season passed! Artell had a bit of a 'mare too but I don't think his defensive partner helped and to be fair he's had a decent career in the game since he left us...
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Post by socrates1974 on Oct 14, 2014 21:53:43 GMT 1
The season before we were relegated we just missed out on the play offs and I always maintain that the football we played that season was some of the most entertaining I've seen in watching Salop. I seem to recall beating Plymouth 3-1 and Mansfield 3-0 at home where we looked a million miles away from the dross served under Jake King.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2014 22:10:30 GMT 1
Should have been pushed weeks before (after the dreadful showing against Oxford at home for example).
Made some HUGE transfer mistakes and failed to change tactics in light of the act we were sinking fast.
In short would rather spend an December evening on the Long Mynd wearing just a smile than listen to Kev bang on about his glory days at Everton before glancing over his failed football management career.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2014 22:17:05 GMT 1
In answer to any support of KR at Shrewsbury: HE SIGNED JOHN GAYLE FFS!
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Post by bobbytheblock19er on Oct 14, 2014 22:22:29 GMT 1
My view of Kevin is "I don't know how a bloke can sit there live on itv Europa league coverage and slag off Tottenham and Everton defending , when 10 years ago he was at the helm of a team conceding 5 and 6 every week on the road"!!!!!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2014 22:28:49 GMT 1
Or considers the signings of Scott Partridge and Steve Watts to be suitable for a relegation dogfight! Oh I love threads like this - reminds me of a time in my life when all I had to worry about was STFC instead of bills, women and work!
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Post by GrizzlyShrew on Oct 14, 2014 22:31:26 GMT 1
By the time we got relegated it was pretty much all his own signings and most surprisingly for me was that one of the best defenders of his day couldn't find a decent centre half to save his life but could find forwards who could score almost at will sometimes if they wanted to. I think it started to go wrong when the club were 'forced' to let Andy Tretton go due to the loss of the ITV Digital income and replacing him with the 35 year old Mickey Heathcote (handing a 2 year contract to a injury prone 35 year old was almost criminal) and then having to rely on Karl Murray to fill in when he inevitably got injured and Redmile who seemed to get fatter and fatter as each season passed! Artell had a bit of a 'mare too but I don't think his defensive partner helped and to be fair he's had a decent career in the game since he left us... Was definitely all downhill when Mark Atkins got injured, never passed forward but hardly gave the ball away to the opposition. I guess we would have pulled through had Atkins been playing till the end of the season.
TBH Artell was only a youngster trying to learn the game, you have to feel for him really having to play with the donkey that Redmile had become by then. Think Artell has come out and said that his time at Shrewsbury really left him with some bad memories by what went on off and on the field.
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Post by GrizzlyShrew on Oct 14, 2014 22:33:12 GMT 1
The season before we were relegated we just missed out on the play offs and I always maintain that the football we played that season was some of the most entertaining I've seen in watching Salop. I seem to recall beating Plymouth 3-1 and Mansfield 3-0 at home where we looked a million miles away from the dross served under Jake King. Both times with only 10 men after a player sent off in both games. Think Plymouth won the division that year too and only lost a handful of games.
"Ten men, we only need 10 men" was the cry on the riverside
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Post by thesensationaljt on Oct 14, 2014 22:35:24 GMT 1
Ratcliffe must have been aware of the "Nottingham Four", who were allegedly training over that way, were actually playing golf. A respected former Town player told me this. He also said that KR was allegedly aware of this, because the club where they supposedly doing said training, returned their fees, because they weren't turning up.
Personally, I can't believe that of the Gizz Hell that was Matt Redmile.
I saw his arrogance at first hand. I didn't like him, but hosses for courses.
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Post by bobbytheblock19er on Oct 14, 2014 22:35:37 GMT 1
During ratclifes reign wasn't Ian woan , Nigel Jemson and somebody else meant to be training with Nottingham forest and when stfc sent them their cheque their reply was "what's this for " ? They haven't been near our training ground .
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Post by markglasgow on Oct 14, 2014 22:36:40 GMT 1
Boston United 6-0 Shrewsbury Town Shrewsbury Town 4-1 Bury Rushden & Diamonds 5-1 Shrewsbury Town Shrewsbury Town 2-1 Everton
Think this four game sequence at the turn of 2002 summed how crazily inconsistent we were.
Good times. Bad times.
The memories of that Saturday afternoon and night of 4th Jan 2003 will live with me forever however.
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Post by The Shropshire Tenor on Oct 14, 2014 22:41:31 GMT 1
Karl Murray at centre back It's not as though Rats didn't know it wouldn't work, I was at Stockport for a reserves game where he tried Murray there - with Jags at right back! A predictable shambles.
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Post by wiseone on Oct 14, 2014 22:56:10 GMT 1
Or considers the signings of Scott Partridge and Steve Watts to be suitable for a relegation dogfight! Oh I love threads like this - reminds me of a time in my life when all I had to worry about was STFC instead of bills, women and work! Wasn't there a Watts watch on b&a in its heyday in regards which bookies he had been in?
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Post by QuorndonShrew on Oct 14, 2014 22:56:17 GMT 1
As an adolescent 16/17 year old who had probably just discovered alcohol for the first time, my memory of around this time is a little sketchy but I'm almost certain I must have been on a different planet entirely around the time we were playing 'entertaining football' under Ratcliffe. Certainly in his last season at least.
Aside from the bi-weekly spankings at inconsequential backwaters like Boston and Rushden & Diamonds, I can remember feeling even more disengaged with the team than I did with Turner's borrowed bargains from last year. The team was made up of over the hill, and presumably overpaid mersonaries like Van Blerk, Atkins, Woan and Jemson looking for a final pay off, alongside some of the worst players I've ever seen to don the shirt. John Gayle and Simon Sturridge immediately come to mind. Not to mention the b&a favourite Ian Dunbavin. The only players we could seem to sign were the dregs from other clubs who hadn't kicked a ball in six months. Jason Walker and Steve Watts anyone?
The previous season was alright, I vaguely remember taking six points off a Plymouth side that absolutely walked the league that year and we were unlucky not to make the playoffs. There was also the season before where we at least managed to consolidate after almost going down the previous year and I remember seeing us destroy a Brighton side on the last game of the season with most of their fans walking out the ground saying 'You'll be joining us next year if you play like that'. We finished bottom.
People seem to forget that although he inherited a fairly duff side from Jake King, Town were not in any immediate danger of going down that year before Ratcliffe over. That side should not have ended up fighting for it's survival on the last day of the season.
The thing that sticks with me the most is the culture that seemed to be in place when he was in charge. I remember one Saturday night straying into Town and seeing the team bus pull up after another spanking away from home. I think about 4 players got off it. Not even Ratcliffe was bothered enough to travel back with the team and the majority of players had never even set foot in Shrewsbury apart from on a match day.
With regards to Ratcliffe I agree, seeing his smug face on Channel 5 and offering his 'expert' opinion I do wonder how on earth he's managed to forge any kind of career for himself but I can sleep in the knowledge that no other club touched him with a barge pole after what he did here. So my bitterness towards him has certainly subsided over the years.
On a side note, does anyone remember the one street being renamed 'Tw@tty Kevin Ratcliffe w*nker Street' with the help of some graffiti. Juvenile but still makes me smile.
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Post by GrizzlyShrew on Oct 14, 2014 23:09:15 GMT 1
I have to say that when we were on the attack with that team the football was the most entertaining we had played in many years. Jemson, Rodgers Woan and Ryan Lowe were wonderful to watch going forward. Sadly they & the rest of the team hadn't got a clue when it came to rolling their sleeves up and put in an ugly performance to grind out a result and fell apart under any pressure
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Post by heavyglow on Oct 14, 2014 23:24:17 GMT 1
I've been invited to a sportsmans dinner at the Wynnstay in Oswestry, Ronnie Whelan and Ratcliffe are the guests. I'm torn between not being able to stand being in the same room as him or pay the £30 and give him dogs abuse. What do others think? Whilst your passion is to be applauded sir, you appear to be somewhat consumed by hate. If you're not spending your time delivering bizarre histrionics at the very notion of Town fans not giving Luke McCormick all manner of abuse, then you're plotting how to give Ratcliffe a roasting.
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Post by staffordshrew on Oct 14, 2014 23:49:41 GMT 1
If Kevin is any good at all at public speaking then it is you that will come off worse and look the fool.
Consider the scenario, everyone is there to enjoy themselves and hear a few anecdotes, but someone keeps harping on about mistakes made 10 years ago, that should be enough to turn everyone in the room against you without too much trouble.
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Post by shrewinjapan on Oct 15, 2014 5:18:24 GMT 1
Ratcliffe was also instrumental in getting Chester relegated the first time Not all bad then
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Post by camdenshrew on Oct 15, 2014 5:18:59 GMT 1
If you go, can you ask why, as a top international central defender, he thought he could get away with playing Fatty Redmile and Donkey Artell in defence?
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