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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2014 8:44:40 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? I think your right ha ha! What a "Character"
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Post by mikeinsheff on Oct 15, 2014 9:27:01 GMT 1
I (unfortunately) remember all those away drubbings like Hartlepool where he himself clearly couldn`t be arssed; he just sat on the wall with his arms crossed as we capitulated. A supposed `great` defender would put together one of the most inept Town back 4s ever. If I see him offering `expert` opinion on TV , I turn over or switch sound off.
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zombie
Shropshire County League
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Post by zombie on Oct 15, 2014 9:54:23 GMT 1
I remember Stuart Dunn asked Ratcliffe why he persisted with John Gayle. To be hold 'he is good in the dressing room!'
I will never forget that. Still laugh about it today.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2014 10:30:24 GMT 1
Having so many games in hand at the time didn’t help either.
I seem to remember KR saying something at the time that we would be ok as our league position was false and that with the games in hand we would be ok. Talk about complacency!
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Post by llanymynechshrew on Oct 15, 2014 12:55:51 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 . This is very true. i was told by a very reliable source the very same thing at the end of that season..
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Post by Exkeeper on Oct 15, 2014 13:22:10 GMT 1
Having so many games in hand at the time didn’t help either. I seem to remember KR saying something at the time that we would be ok as our league position was false and that with the games in hand we would be ok. Talk about complacency! KR wasn't the only Town gaffer who wore blinkers. In Fred's last season he was still talking of play-offs in the last third of the season, when the rest of us could see us speeding head first towards relegation. The games in hand in Ratcliffe's final season were all against relegation rivals such as Macc and Carlisle and if we had won them all we would have survived. If that had meant keeping Redmile, Artell and the ageing has beens it is probably better that we went down.
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Post by The Shropshire Tenor on Oct 15, 2014 15:40:14 GMT 1
1st March 2003,the last game we won before relegation, my family were matchball sponsors so I was in the posh seats for the first and only time. As we were leaving at the end of the game we were almost trampled by players rushing out of the ground. Mark Atkins even had his Jag parked opposite the players entrance. I was a club runner at the time and our coach would not release us from any training or competitive activity until we had completed a warmdown.
These guys hadn't had time to shower let alone warmdown, I couln't believe how unprofessional they were.
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Post by ssshrew on Oct 15, 2014 15:49:24 GMT 1
1st March 2003,the last game we won before relegation, my family were matchball sponsors so I was in the posh seats for the first and only time. As we were leaving at the end of the game we were almost trampled by players rushing out of the ground. Mark Atkins even had his Jag parked opposite the players entrance. I was a club runner at the time and our coach would not release us from any training or competitive activity until we had completed a warmdown. These guys hadn't had time to shower let alone warmdown, I couln't believe how unprofessional they were. Appalling but it was obviously allowed to happen by the manager. For what it's worth, I always felt that Kevin Ratcliffe was an excellent professional footballer during his career. When he became a manager he just expected his players to be the same and he trusted them. When this trust was thrown back in his face he was just out of his depth and didn't know how to handle the situation. The players must take their share of blame and responsibility for what happened. Referring to another thread a few days ago asking why RW was so loyal to MJ, perhaps he can see a manager there somewhere but not the finished article. Ratcliffe was this and RW wouldn't want to get caught twice.
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Post by callum on Oct 15, 2014 19:14:27 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? 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. Delivering Bizarre histrionics? ? Hate just about covers it regarding Ratcliffe! Have to admit enjoyed your reply,made me smile!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2014 8:45:59 GMT 1
presumably overpaid mersonaries like Van Blerk, Atkins, Woan and Jemson Got interviewed after the Carlisle game (me and some friends were amongst the handful not to get forced away from the ground by the brave boys from the West Mercia Waffen SS battalion) and made a similar point to a BBC cameraman. Remember Jemson slating the fans for booing outside the players enterance and Ian Woan pouncing around with a definite "can't be bothered look" - Pete Wilding however looked pretty bl00dy furious and was close to tears.....cementing his place as one of my favorite Town players.
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Post by ssshrew on Oct 16, 2014 9:14:26 GMT 1
Yes you do wonder what Pete and the other players who cared felt about it all.
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Post by mikeinsheff on Oct 16, 2014 9:39:36 GMT 1
1st March 2003,the last game we won before relegation, my family were matchball sponsors so I was in the posh seats for the first and only time. As we were leaving at the end of the game we were almost trampled by players rushing out of the ground. Mark Atkins even had his Jag parked opposite the players entrance. I was a club runner at the time and our coach would not release us from any training or competitive activity until we had completed a warmdown. These guys hadn't had time to shower let alone warmdown, I couln't believe how unprofessional they were. Appalling but it was obviously allowed to happen by the manager. For what it's worth, I always felt that Kevin Ratcliffe was an excellent professional footballer during his career. When he became a manager he just expected his players to be the same and he trusted them. When this trust was thrown back in his face he was just out of his depth and didn't know how to handle the situation. The players must take their share of blame and responsibility for what happened.
Indeed, he was a capable centre-half. At that point Everton apparently trained about 7 hours a week. and so expecting players to perform without being coached properly is naïve at best. And he didn`t care.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2014 12:05:12 GMT 1
I was at the Rushden game. For some reason I've lodged in my mind that their goalkeeper got MOM. Which if trued would perfectly sum up the crazy nature of that time. Fancy getting spanked but the home goalkeeper getting MOM?!
We played some good football -40+ games with a 0-0 but it did seem to go rather pear shaped.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2014 12:27:09 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 . This is very true. i was told by a very reliable source the very same thing at the end of that season.. As much as I dislike Ratcliffe, I dont think there's any truth in this. Ive heard the story many times also but a few people who have connections in football have said its rubbish, not least because football doesnt operate in that way. Players often train with other clubs for various reasons and there is no charge. But it does seem ridiculous that such a renowned defender couldnt see the problems with us were in defence.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2014 23:44:55 GMT 1
The only good legacy from the nightmare that was the Ratcliffe era was Roland subsequently learning to get rid of a dud manager before it's too late. Very ruthless with Quinn and got rid of Peters when a potential Ratcliffe type collapse to relegation was beginning to occur.
Never forget a bewildered Keith Sayfritz saying after we were inevitably relegated in 2003 ' we didn't have a plan b' . The most shocking statement in the history of STFC when you consider that it was obvious a long time before then that things were in a bloody mess. Wycherley, Sayfritz and the board were as equally to blame for their inaction. I reckon they would have done Ratcliffe a favour by sacking him because he was struggling. I'd likened the situation to a cat bringing in a half dead mouse, someone saving it , putting it outside and hoping it may recover when all it needs is putting out of it's misery. Ratclffe was that proverbial mouse and instead of being sacked off was left to suffer a painful managerial career death as we disappeared to the crappy conference.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2014 15:32:46 GMT 1
The only good legacy from the nightmare that was the Ratcliffe era was Roland subsequently learning to get rid of a dud manager before it's too late. Very ruthless with Quinn and got rid of Peters when a potential Ratcliffe type collapse to relegation was beginning to occur. Never forget a bewildered Keith Sayfritz saying after we were inevitably relegated in 2003 ' we didn't have a plan b' . The most shocking statement in the history of STFC when you consider that it was obvious a long time before then that things were in a bloody mess. Wycherley, Sayfritz and the board were as equally to blame for their inaction. I reckon they would have done Ratcliffe a favour by sacking him because he was struggling. I'd likened the situation to a cat bringing in a half dead mouse, someone saving it , putting it outside and hoping it may recover when all it needs is putting out of it's misery. Ratclffe was that proverbial mouse and instead of being sacked off was left to suffer a painful managerial career death as we disappeared to the cr@ppy conference. Remember Keith stating "We'll have one hell of a party when we stay up" - at that point I realised we were f**ked.
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Post by sussexshrew on Oct 17, 2014 21:04:21 GMT 1
There were some memorable games in that period... but also many for the wrong reason. Being thrashed by Boston and Rushden&Diamonds were really painful, even though both clubs were on a steep rise before their inevitable bubble burst. And to drop out of the league so spinelessly after that defeat of Everton demonstrated his lack of authority over his "stars" and weakness as a manager.
But that was his low point; he had plenty of higher points in his career and if he relates them well, I am sure he can be an entertaining after dinner speaker and it will be a good evening.
In the world of football where a convicted rapist can be welcomed back, I think the manager who oversaw Salop dropping out of the league can be forgiven... for one night at least!
Anyway, shameful as it was... I sort of enjoyed our season in the Conference... there was a feeling of... er... bigness... about us.
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