League 2 Season 2012/13

[Big Boy]

Shit happens.

Although embarrassing, the result doesn't bother me at all. What does bother me is that we picked up one red card and 3 yellows - I just hope that there aren't any injuries as well.

[Big Boy]

Well, tomorrow marks the half way point of the season for the Green Army. What a shocker it has been so far

4 points off relegation out of the Football League, a manager (serving his managerial apprenticeship) who is barely out of nappies, and is certainly well out of his depth. No strikers left at the club who would be capable of hitting a barn door from 2 yards - the only strikers were loanees, who have all gone back to their club. The club captain and mainstay of the defence has been put on the transfer list because they can't afford him.

What's the solution? The rookie board have decided to employ a Director of Football to help the manager through his apprenticeship . If the club are short of money (we know they aren't - just to tight to spend any), why don't they sack their rookie manager, and employ a decent manager? Would actually save 2 wages (the apprentice manager also has his own apprentice already helping him).

So, they go out and after a costly search and interview process, they identify the perfect man (criteria for the search was football league experience, but no further desire to be a football manager) - John Ward. We've been waiting for this appointment for months. The day he was due to sign the contract, he becomes manager of Bristol Rovers (actually below the Green Army) instead.

Do I see a light at the end of the tunnel? Yes, but it's a train coming in the other direction.

[caller]

Well BB, your manager has gone, so what's next for the Green Army?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20883861

I feel sorry for the guy really and would defy anyone watching the clip where he talks about what it means to feel the same. But they should have made the change at the end of last season. His own words and demeanour demonstrate how tough he found it, which isn't really a surprise, it wasn't an easy task.

[Big Boy]

CF had a charmed life. He was given the job by Peter Ridsdale after Peter Reid had lost the dressing room - some say Peter Reid's downfall was orchestrated by CF turning the players against Reid. When they employed him, they
immediately employed somebody as his assistant. Then they employed a mentor. Recently they've been trying to employ a Director of Football to make up for his shortcomings. At every stage of his failures, he has always had the board's full backing.

The new owner is meant to be shrewd businessman. I'd love to see the management structure in his other businesses.

Still, it's now onwards, and hopefully upwards (assuming they can persuade somebody with an ounce of footballing knowledge to travel to football's furtherest outpost).

GREEN ARMY

[Zidane]

Only two points off the relegation places now and losing to a struggling side below you was a big blow.
Any ideas who will replace Fletcher ?
Hope you stay up.....the Conference isnt an easy place to get out of now as sides like Luton and Grimsby will testify.

[Big Boy]

No clues yet regarding a replacement - things like that are always a big secret at Home Park.

[Big Boy]

Quite out of character for the Green Army these days, they seem to have got their fingers out for a change. John Sheridan is set to become new manager of the Green Army on Monday.

Full story here: http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/John-Sh ... story.html

[Zidane]

Sheridan seems a decent choice.He took Oldham to 6th and 8th in League 1 before leaving the club in mysterious circumstances.He,allegedly,had a punch up with players at a racetrack and after Oldham lost their next game 6-2 he departed.
He then guided Chesterfield to the League 2 title,although they were relegated the following season despite winning the Johnstones Paint Trophy.
This season he was sacked as Chesterfield manager after they only picked up two points from their first three games.
Seemed a bit of a daft sacking....three games is hardly being given a chance is it ?....you would have thought they would have got rid of him pre-season.
You should survive.....Wimbledon,Aldershot,Barnet and Accrington are poor teams and Bristol Rovers are still,surprisingly,rock bottom.

[Big Boy]

I agree with everything you're saying, but he needs to move quick. We've just got rid of our captain, and getting rid of one of our International players. We don't have a striker who could hit a barn door from 2 yards. The owner says he is giving Sheridan his support, but will he be able to get enough decent players?

The other problem is that most teams at the bottom now have 2 games in hand over the Green Army.

Another season fighting for our lives.

[Zidane]

Plymouth striker,Nick Chadwick,has been given a 6 match ban after being sent off after half an hour against Port Vale last weekend.
Chadwick was given a 3 match ban for the sending off plus another 3 matches for an incident that happened in the opening minutes of the match.
Chadwick has also been disciplined by the club who said in a statement "pre-meditated violence is totally unacceptable."
6 matches is a big ban but if he is one of your strikers who cant hit a barn door,no big loss......

In contrast Macclesfield have 4 top strikers....something they never had whilst in the Football League.
Barnes-Homer has scored 25 goals in all competitions so far and is the Conference's leading scorer.
Holroyd (ex Preston),Fairhurst and Morgan-Smith have all done well when called upon....Fairhurst is rumoured to be the subject of a bid by Scunthorpe United.
Maccs downfall has been their defence who have played like a group of Hua Hin Expats on a number of occassions this season !

[Big Boy]

Chadwick won't be any loss whatsoever. He deserves a further 6 match ban for breaching the Trades Descriptions Act by calling himself a striker. Everton really knew what they were doing when they dumped him on us

What's worse, we took him back for a second term when we were desperate.

[Zidane]

Didnt know where to post this....either on here or the Fantasy thread !
But congratulations to Bradford City reaching the Carling Cup Final......a League 2 team beating a Premiership side over two legs in a cup semi final.....unbelievable !
And Bradford could have been even more convincing winners....they hit the woodwork and the scorer,Hanson,also headed wide of an open goal from six yards out.
Villa fans vented their fury at the manager and the board at the final whistle.....Lambert,a dead man walking ??

I reckon Chelsea may well have to score 4 goals tonight to reach the final....wont be easy....time for Torres to recapture the form of a few seasons back.....or has it gone for good ?

[Zidane]

Well,for Plymouth now the only way is up !
The Conference is now a very difficult league to get out of so hope you can stay up.
Possible good news is that Torquay have lost 6 on the trot and appear to be emulating Macclesfield from last season.
Also Accrington havent been able to buy a win for ages now.
Those two sides might just save you from a trip to Gateshead next season !

[Big Boy]

Well, the bottom has dropped out of my world hitting rock bottom so late in the season. The Conference may be a hard league to get out of, but the Green Army are finding League 2 very hard to stay in. We probably need 18 points from the remaining 13 games, so it isn't impossible to survive. However, the pressures are alway more difficult when you're starting from the bottom. Fingers crossed.

[Zidane]

Down in the bowels of League 2 its very tight with only 5 points separating the bottom 7 teams.
Plymouth have a very hard run in and their best bet of survival appears to lie with Accrington Stanley and Torquay.
Not all Accringtons players were paid on time this month and they have only won 2 games this year.
Torquay have only picked up 2 points from their last 8 games......York sliding as well.
Heres Plymouths last 9 fixtures.....hard to see them getting 9 points out of these BB ?
Fleetwood h,Southend a,Chesterfield a,Exeter h,York a,Cheltenham h,Burton a,Rotherham h,Rochdale a.

The Conference is now a very hard league to get out of.....remember these ex league teams ?
Wrexham,Kidderminster,Grimsby,Mansfield,Macclesfield,Luton,Hereford,Cambridge,Stockport,Lincoln.....teams like Chester,Darlington and Boston slipped down even further in recent years.