| Big one in L2 on Saturday 09:29 - Apr 30 with 1640 views | _CliveBaker_ |
As well as the 3 teams going for the final automatic spot, there's Holloway's Swindon (8th) v Cook's Chesterfield (7th), winner takes the last playoff spot.
Have to say I didn't realise quite how good Paul Cook's CV is. Found myself in a rabbit hole while enjoying my morning coffee in the sunshine. Did really well at Sligo, then a short stint at Accrington before going to Chesterfield where they finished 8th in L2, then won L2 the next season. Following season got them in the L1 playoffs.
Left to join Pompey and won L2. Left for Wigan and won L1, would've been mid table in the Championship the following season were it not for their points deduction. Left to join us and flopped, never found a consistent performance here but to his credit he did overhaul the squad reasonably well.
Back to Chesterfield, won the National League. Straight through to L2 playoffs last season, possibly the same again this one depending on Saturday. I notice he's got Dobra, Donacien and Ladapo there, albeit the boy Freddie doesn't appear in favour. |  | | |  |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 09:49 - Apr 30 with 1538 views | Esseeja |
It was a big ask for him to succeed here when his entire ethos is attacking full backs and not really having attacking full backs. It would have been disgusting to see him with LD and HC as his fullbacks rather than Penney and Donacien (Donacien didn't suit Paul Cook's system). KVY was his only real attacking full back, Coulson and Penney were no where near the standard. It was doomed to fail.
I was disappointed with his sacking at the time but I didn't think we'd try younger blood rather than experience and we are all happier for it even if I believe we should have been better this season specifically.
The biggest thing about L2 this season is Bromley, slightly less embarrassed about losing to them now. Also, Walsall dropping out of first again all the way down to mid table for the second sesson running, not as much of a bottle job as last season but still can't believe it was allowed to happen twice in a row. [Post edited 30 Apr 9:50]
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| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 09:57 - Apr 30 with 1513 views | Reuser_is_God |
Always worth remembering the core of that back to back squad were Paul Cook signings.
Couldn’t manage them but a lot of them came here because of him & we owe him thanks for that. |  |
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| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 10:00 - Apr 30 with 1494 views | _CliveBaker_ |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 09:57 - Apr 30 by Reuser_is_God |
Always worth remembering the core of that back to back squad were Paul Cook signings.
Couldn’t manage them but a lot of them came here because of him & we owe him thanks for that. |
For sure. Walton, Hladky, Morsy, Chaplin, Burns, Burgess.
Maybe he should come back and head up recruitment. | | | |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 10:05 - Apr 30 with 1456 views | Sharkey |
Unusually tight at the bottom of League 2, with Tranmere, Newport, Crawley and Harrogate still trying to avoid one relegation place (Barrow have effectively gone.) |  | | |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 10:13 - Apr 30 with 1420 views | _CliveBaker_ |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 10:05 - Apr 30 by Sharkey |
Unusually tight at the bottom of League 2, with Tranmere, Newport, Crawley and Harrogate still trying to avoid one relegation place (Barrow have effectively gone.) |
Yeah its interesting down there. Harrogate have found a bit of form at the right time and will rightly be thinking a win would be enough tomorrow. They would be incredibly unlucky to win and still go down. | | | |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 10:25 - Apr 30 with 1353 views | Steve_M |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 10:00 - Apr 30 by _CliveBaker_ |
For sure. Walton, Hladky, Morsy, Chaplin, Burns, Burgess.
Maybe he should come back and head up recruitment. |
Hmmm, having a large budget to throw at the best players in League 1 and below isn't quite as tricky as people want to make out. Clearly there was a personal influence on both Morsy and Chaplin but, against that, we went silly in Summer 2021 and wasted a lot of money on Pigott, Fraser and Evans.
Cook failed twice in the space of eight months here with two different groups of players, and showed a marked lack of professionalism in his approach. He's had a good career and done a good job elsewhere.
Those 2021 transfers are very much on Ashton too, an early sign that he isn't quite as controlled and experienced as he likes to think he is. |  |
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| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 10:32 - Apr 30 with 1308 views | SWLondonBlue93 |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 10:25 - Apr 30 by Steve_M |
Hmmm, having a large budget to throw at the best players in League 1 and below isn't quite as tricky as people want to make out. Clearly there was a personal influence on both Morsy and Chaplin but, against that, we went silly in Summer 2021 and wasted a lot of money on Pigott, Fraser and Evans.
Cook failed twice in the space of eight months here with two different groups of players, and showed a marked lack of professionalism in his approach. He's had a good career and done a good job elsewhere.
Those 2021 transfers are very much on Ashton too, an early sign that he isn't quite as controlled and experienced as he likes to think he is. |
Aah, Joe Pigott... just looked him up and he is now playing for Folkestone Invicta in the Isthmian League! He only left us three years ago. | | | |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 10:35 - Apr 30 with 1299 views | _CliveBaker_ |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 10:25 - Apr 30 by Steve_M |
Hmmm, having a large budget to throw at the best players in League 1 and below isn't quite as tricky as people want to make out. Clearly there was a personal influence on both Morsy and Chaplin but, against that, we went silly in Summer 2021 and wasted a lot of money on Pigott, Fraser and Evans.
Cook failed twice in the space of eight months here with two different groups of players, and showed a marked lack of professionalism in his approach. He's had a good career and done a good job elsewhere.
Those 2021 transfers are very much on Ashton too, an early sign that he isn't quite as controlled and experienced as he likes to think he is. |
I think he deserves a bit of credit tbh. Yes he had some money to spend but that's no guarantee it would be spent well. Edmundson is another he signed who proved a good pick up. Fraser didn't work out but we recouped our investment on him, and Pigott and Evans on free transfers didn't age brilliantly in hindsight, but both had merit at the time.
No doubt he failed though. I had more sympathy with the initial period, inheriting a group that were halfway out the door and on its arse was never going to be a quick fix. We still had a shot of playoffs and wanted to see a bounce, but going into that summer I still think he deserved the opportunity to hit reset. It was that bit I didn't enjoy, we were pony before McKenna stepped in.
Certainly rightly to be moved on when he was. | | | |
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| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 10:55 - Apr 30 with 1211 views | Ftnfwest |
Just hoping for a Ben Knight hat trick at Crewe |  | | |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 11:16 - Apr 30 with 1115 views | Sharkey |
if Swindon go up, it will be a strange one, because the fans (seem to) despise the manager and have never really warmed to the players as a bunch either. They've spent pretty much the whole season slagging off the the whole running of the club. To a lesser extent, that's true of Notts County (I was talking to a very nice bunch of their fans on Saturday after the horror injury at Colchester) Having 4 up means it's relatively easy league to get out of, and it seems one or even two will manage it despite how they've done this season, rather than because of it. Bromley made it look easy by just muscling their way through games. | | | |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 11:30 - Apr 30 with 1047 views | WestStanderLaLaLa |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 10:32 - Apr 30 by SWLondonBlue93 |
Aah, Joe Pigott... just looked him up and he is now playing for Folkestone Invicta in the Isthmian League! He only left us three years ago. |
Pigott scored a lot of goals one season playing off a big target man in Ollie Palmer. Cook played him up top on his own. |  |
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| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 12:26 - Apr 30 with 949 views | BlueBadger |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 09:57 - Apr 30 by Reuser_is_God |
Always worth remembering the core of that back to back squad were Paul Cook signings.
Couldn’t manage them but a lot of them came here because of him & we owe him thanks for that. |
Might as well thank Mick for bringing Woolfy through and Hurst for signing Janoi if we're attributing success to previous managers.... [Post edited 30 Apr 12:26]
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| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 16:06 - Apr 30 with 752 views | TripSwitch |
Hope Cambridge go up instead of tinpot Salford |  |
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| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 16:57 - Apr 30 with 688 views | BlueBadger |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 09:57 - Apr 30 by Reuser_is_God |
Always worth remembering the core of that back to back squad were Paul Cook signings.
Couldn’t manage them but a lot of them came here because of him & we owe him thanks for that. |
If only we'd kept him. We'd have won the Champions League by now.
Hang your heads in fking shame… 20:27 - Dec 4 with 811 views Keaneish
Mullet
Gtsb
Blue badger
Bloots
N2 Blue
ITFC Joe
…and the rest.
Do you not understand that these forums have massive sway these days? You’ve killed it. We may go on to bigger better things, who knows? Your bitching and whining on here is picked up and has a massive ripple effect. Fking knobs the lot of you. For weeks you’ve been stamping your feet like little girls and it gets picked up when all you needed to do was ride it out for a bit. Pathetic. Cook always comes good, he always has done, talk to any Pompey, Wigan or Chesterfield fan.
I’m in Pompey tonight and they’re all shaking their heads. Dkheads the lot of you. Happy to get banned on the back of this. You’re ridiculous. The ramifications are massive which may be placated with money but fk me; learn to kick a ball and know what you’re talking about before you lash out in anger.
A massive shame and a massive shame on you. Cook is working hard. What are you doing other than idly pointing fingers and drawing on nonsense stats.
Nothing but contempt for you lot and your baseless insights into football when you’ve never even kicked a ball. | |
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| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 00:48 - May 1 with 472 views | mrfixit426 |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 10:25 - Apr 30 by Steve_M |
Hmmm, having a large budget to throw at the best players in League 1 and below isn't quite as tricky as people want to make out. Clearly there was a personal influence on both Morsy and Chaplin but, against that, we went silly in Summer 2021 and wasted a lot of money on Pigott, Fraser and Evans.
Cook failed twice in the space of eight months here with two different groups of players, and showed a marked lack of professionalism in his approach. He's had a good career and done a good job elsewhere.
Those 2021 transfers are very much on Ashton too, an early sign that he isn't quite as controlled and experienced as he likes to think he is. |
I wouldn't call Evans a waste of money. He was a lovely player to watch, with a wide range of passing. Scored a hat-trick from midfield and was first choice for McKenna up until the Friday night game against Derby when he got injured. He also complemented Morsy really well.
Suffered from injuries and a Luongo renaissance, but made a valuable contribution on the upwards trajectory the club still finds itself in. |  | | |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 08:15 - May 1 with 326 views | Steve_M |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 00:48 - May 1 by mrfixit426 |
I wouldn't call Evans a waste of money. He was a lovely player to watch, with a wide range of passing. Scored a hat-trick from midfield and was first choice for McKenna up until the Friday night game against Derby when he got injured. He also complemented Morsy really well.
Suffered from injuries and a Luongo renaissance, but made a valuable contribution on the upwards trajectory the club still finds itself in. |
I think the thing with Evans was that each of his three seasons prior to coming here he had been injured for large chunks of them. There was as distinct lack of due diligence about that. | |
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| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 08:32 - May 1 with 283 views | Zx1988 |
In terms of Cook's performance, I don't think we can underestimate the impact that his dad's death may have had on him as well.
Liam Manning is a heartbreaking case in point for the impact of a bereavement (albeit even more hard-hitting). | |
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| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 08:33 - May 1 with 284 views | Mullet |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 10:35 - Apr 30 by _CliveBaker_ |
I think he deserves a bit of credit tbh. Yes he had some money to spend but that's no guarantee it would be spent well. Edmundson is another he signed who proved a good pick up. Fraser didn't work out but we recouped our investment on him, and Pigott and Evans on free transfers didn't age brilliantly in hindsight, but both had merit at the time.
No doubt he failed though. I had more sympathy with the initial period, inheriting a group that were halfway out the door and on its arse was never going to be a quick fix. We still had a shot of playoffs and wanted to see a bounce, but going into that summer I still think he deserved the opportunity to hit reset. It was that bit I didn't enjoy, we were pony before McKenna stepped in.
Certainly rightly to be moved on when he was. |
Not for me. He was completely sh1te. The only credit he might get is not being the worst manager we’ve ever had.
Cheeky chap though…. |  |
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| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 11:33 - May 1 with 169 views | LankHenners |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 00:48 - May 1 by mrfixit426 |
I wouldn't call Evans a waste of money. He was a lovely player to watch, with a wide range of passing. Scored a hat-trick from midfield and was first choice for McKenna up until the Friday night game against Derby when he got injured. He also complemented Morsy really well.
Suffered from injuries and a Luongo renaissance, but made a valuable contribution on the upwards trajectory the club still finds itself in. |
He wasn't very good and we looked 100x better once Luongo replaced him. |  |
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| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 11:37 - May 1 with 148 views | Steve_M |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 08:33 - May 1 by Mullet |
Not for me. He was completely sh1te. The only credit he might get is not being the worst manager we’ve ever had.
Cheeky chap though…. |
Not even the worst Paul, although they were all pretty sh1t in their own rubbish ways. | |
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| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 11:40 - May 1 with 140 views | _CliveBaker_ |
| Big one in L2 on Saturday on 08:33 - May 1 by Mullet |
Not for me. He was completely sh1te. The only credit he might get is not being the worst manager we’ve ever had.
Cheeky chap though…. |
Cook & Jeffers and the other joker they lived with put a fair amount behind the bar at Mannings though to be fair to them. | | | |
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