With the Paul Hurst era beginning in earnest in just a couple of weeks, so begins a new dawn, a new day, a new start, as the song goes. A change was needed.

The thought of McCarthy staying on didn't bear thinking about for a number of well-documented reasons.

After what seemed like a lifetime of gazing at Jack Ross's cardigan and pointy boots and Paul Hurst in Shrewsbury limbo whilst they navigated their way to the play-offs we finally got our man.

On the whole an appointment that was been given the seal of approval by supporters, however, you don't have to delve too deeply to find a few unconvinced voices, which I think begs the question. What do the unsatisfied want?

We want an up and coming manager! Tick, Paul Hurst isn't one of the managerial merry-go-round. We could have had Grayson, Holloway, Pardew, McClaren! No thanks. We have our young, hungry manager!

We should be looking at the lowers leagues! Tick, Paul Hurst's recruitment so far has been one Premier League youngster and two players from lower divisions (at the time or writing) the right side of 30.

Unproven at this level, but if he had gone for experience we would have heard cries of "journeyman" or "Premier League reject".

The third and to me biggest tick, and one of the biggest criticisms of the McCarthy era, is Hurst has taken a massive sledgehammer to the Mick clique of players whose names were written on the teamsheet in permanent marker.

Under Hurst, nobody is safe. He has made it abundantly clear, you perform. Any half measures and rapid improvement is required or you're out of the door, 'Chambo' won't be guaranteed a fist pump following victory.

Personally, I think Hurst is a man with great potential to take this club forward. He isn't afraid to tackle owner Marcus Evans (Ireland cancelled, Spain it is), he certainly isn't afraid to challenge players, which has certainly become apparent in interviews, what's more he's hungry for success and isn't content to keep things ticking over, picking up a pay check, and taking the heat off Evans.

Nobody is expecting this to be an overnight success. We could be in for a bumpy ride as it will take time for a new manager with very different ideas to impose his will and build his team.

But us fans have suffered mediocre performances for too long. Let's give Hurst time a bit of faith and our full support and just maybe he will build us a team to be proud of once again.

There will no doubt be casualties along the way, we won't always agree with his decisions, but for a majority of us, we got what we wished for. And I for one am glad.

ronnyd added 11:55 - Jul 23 Good blog and am in full agreement.
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Marshalls_Mullet added 11:59 - Jul 23 My thoughts exactly.
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parkinshair added 12:11 - Jul 23 Thanks. My first one so appreciated.
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TR11BLU added 12:35 - Jul 23 Spot on, the future is bright and exciting 😊
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cranky_old_tractor added 12:41 - Jul 23 Agree with this perspective. Nicely done
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AljoBlue added 13:11 - Jul 23 spot on every interview with him and i am thinking Paul Hurst totally gets it - really looking forward to the new season albeit expecting it to take a while to get the team transformed to the new style etc but after a long time it feels we have someone in charge with a vision.
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Kitman added 13:59 - Jul 23 The blog is pretty much my thoughts exactly.. New signings still to unravel before the start so will be interesting to see what sort of team and playing style we will be fielding. We'll certainly have some pace in the attack for a change.... Its not a negative, but my take on this new look team, deep down, is that it could go either way. We'll be flying or bouncing around the basement all season. i don't think there will be any Mick-type mid table throughout..

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Count_Arthur added 19:23 - Jul 23 An articulate blog, echoed by the more sensible Town fan. Careful what you wish for, I wish we all get behind Hurst and be as patient with him as we were long suffering with McCarthy.
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KiwiBlue2 added 06:45 - Jul 24 Good blog. I think that our younger players and those PH has brought in are better equipped to adopt the more positive approach that PH is looking for. I can see it as being a bit of a struggle for a few of MM's favourites but given a bit of time who knows. I hope that we can make a decent start to the season and that supporters are patient if there are some early setbacks. With some new people on the medical side I am also hopeful that there will be some emphasis placed on trying to minimise avoidable injuries as I feel last season was really disturbed by them.

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therein61 added 09:29 - Jul 24 Good blog, I totally agree with you
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Bert added 15:38 - Jul 24 A good read. Rome was not built in a day and Paul Hurst's team certainly won't be either. It's a rebuilding job with a different style of play that may mean goals at either end of the pitch but from a team that will work for their new gaffer. If changing habits doesn't suit some of the older pros then they will have to move on. That said, in two pre season friendlies I have seen, Skuse has moved the ball around well and committed himself so I believe he has a role but not necessarily the one he has been used to. Hurst clearly wants to relate to fans and so far so good but good leadership also means taking a balanced approach to criticism of individual players.

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Terra_Farma added 16:28 - Jul 24 Superb blog, and I agree with every word you have written. Good read, thanks.
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northsatandplastic added 07:11 - Jul 25 Nice one stu.....Well worded aint going to be automatic promotion push. with the rumours banging around all the time who knows who will be o that team sheet come Blackburn.... ITFC👍
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Nthsuffolkblue added 11:14 - Jul 25 I think the "be careful what you wish for" was the idea that we could easily do worse than MM and the names you list as no thanks (and many others) could easily have been that. They are what we would typically have appointed in the past. I thought MM had done a good job but his time had run its course (he didn't help himself in the end either). I am very pleased with the appointment of Hurst and we now need to give him the same time and patience the owner showed with MM.

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cromwellblue added 11:39 - Jul 25 Bravo!! Been wanting to write these sentiments myself. Post McCarthy the club has done everything that was being demanded yet some refuse to be happy. I suspect some (e.g. Webster) may have been happy to move on because the atmosphere created by supporter at times last year was less than pleasant. I can foresee other players may harbour the same thoughts. Perhaps the case with Waghorn as well. Throw into this mix a new manager with different ideas and demands and a player merry go round was surely inevitable. What does the future hold? Who knows, but let's at least give the guy a break and not judge him before a competitive ball has been kicked. No single player hold the key to the season, money talks in all directions. If player want out and we get the right fees so be it. Shrewsbury we tipped to struggle and didn't so have some faith.

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tractorgrl added 14:25 - Jul 25 Well done! we supporters seem (mostly) on the same page about this season. Like every rollercoaster it's scary but exciting!!
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BlueandTruesince82 added 17:00 - Jul 25 Yep
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bobble added 00:28 - Jul 26 the futures so bright, i gotta wear shades...
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loudnproud added 09:33 - Jul 26 Good read and pretty much spot on to many of our thoughts. There will always be some that are waiting to pour scorn on PH and this club......."I told you so"...blah,blah....Pathetic, Not my idea of supporting a football club. Want change...Got Change...Now onwards and upwards.COYB
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