Stuart Watkiss

[MTFCMusings]

You clearly do not pay attention Rob. I was very critical of DF due to him blowing it two seasons running but I never advocated sacking him. I was in favour of giving him another go this season and then review at the end of October. I'm sure if we were in our current position then he would have been sacked. JD has been given a bit more leeway by JR because he is a novice.

You are re-inventing history Darren. It is a ridiculous policy to advocate the changing of a manager so frequently and the decision to sack DF was wrong, no matter what some on here say. It is a fact that he led us to our highest league position in over 15 years and I have no doubt that those formerly in the DF Out camp, now in the JD Out camp would gladly take 4th come the end of the season. I said when DF was sacked we'd be mid table this season no matter who we appointed and that those who advocated his sacking better get ready for a new start. Well clearly they weren't ready for the new start, they clearly thought we'd just get instant success by changing our manager, they were wrong.

You also once advocated playing Ryan Sweeney at right back in a play-off semi-final, so you'll forgive us for not trusting every word you say

[Parkinsons Perm]

You clearly do not pay attention Rob. I was very critical of DF due to him blowing it two seasons running but I never advocated sacking him. I was in favour of giving him another go this season and then review at the end of October. I'm sure if we were in our current position then he would have been sacked. JD has been given a bit more leeway by JR because he is a novice.

You are re-inventing history Darren. It is a ridiculous policy to advocate the changing of a manager so frequently and the decision to sack DF was wrong, no matter what some on here say. It is a fact that he led us to our highest league position in over 15 years and I have no doubt that those formerly in the DF Out camp, now in the JD Out camp would gladly take 4th come the end of the season. I said when DF was sacked we'd be mid table this season no matter who we appointed and that those who advocated his sacking better get ready for a new start. Well clearly they weren't ready for the new start, they clearly thought we'd just get instant success by changing our manager, they were wrong.

You also once advocated playing Ryan Sweeney at right back in a play-off semi-final, so you'll forgive us for not trusting every word you say

The main issue here is that Rob is safe and well, he's been missing for a week, have you been away Rob?

[Johnny Rotten]

Is this former defender Stuart Watkiss that struggled to get us over the promotion line after BDs departure and the following season we witnessed a horrific defence leak 97 (99 if you include the Tranmere abandonment) league goals, including an opening day 4-5 v Plymouth whereby with a smattering of minutes left and 4-2 it was clear we could, and did, feasibly throw it away?

Linking to another thread, every time opponents had a corner against us I feared we'd concede every time?!

How odd our current manager was a defender by trade and similarly we seem to not be able to defend (last seasons L2 best back line now evidently not) nor have discipline (Preston's tackling)

[Parkinsons Perm]

Is this former defender Stuart Watkiss that struggled to get us over the promotion line after BDs departure and the following season we witnessed a horrific defence leak 97 (99 if you include the Tranmere abandonment) league goals, including an opening day 4-5 v Plymouth whereby with a smattering of minutes left and 4-2 it was clear we could, and did, feasibly throw it away?

Linking to another thread, every time opponents had a corner against us I feared we'd concede every time?!

How odd our current manager was a defender by trade and similarly we seem to not be able to defend (last seasons L2 best back line now evidently not) nor have discipline (Preston's tackling)

We beat Plymuff 4-3 despite Lever and Moore, your memory is shocking

[marker_mtfc95]

I want what Watkiss is drinking lol.

[part time pete]

I think he is getting mixed up with the 4-5 defeat by Bristol City.

Watkiss was only manager up to November, so 99 goals against were not all up to him. Keith Curle has some responsibility.

[Johnny Rotten]

Thank all

[Sneag]

Is this former defender Stuart Watkiss that struggled to get us over the promotion line after BDs departure and the following season we witnessed a horrific defence leak 97 (99 if you include the Tranmere abandonment) league goals, including an opening day 4-5 v Plymouth whereby with a smattering of minutes left and 4-2 it was clear we could, and did, feasibly throw it away?

Linking to another thread, every time opponents had a corner against us I feared we'd concede every time?!

How odd our current manager was a defender by trade and similarly we seem to not be able to defend (last seasons L2 best back line now evidently not) nor have discipline (Preston's tackling)

We beat Plymuff 4-3 despite Lever and Moore, your memory is shocking

How can you foreget it was Bizzle City that beat us 4-5.
There was also the 0-14 aggregate score v Crewe Alex.

Stew Watkiss, was another nice guy who was a hopeless manager, even with the mitigation of working under Hasloan.

[Trenam]

Just read Watkins article, perfectly put, plus our owners comments, I can understand the the disappointment on sat. I didn’t, hear the abuse on our manager, no one should be subject to that, the culprits should banded season ticket holders or not,I’ve played myself, and it does not help a players confidence, on sat. you could see the players looked frightened of the crowd, we have the best squad of players we have had for ages, win lose or draw give them the confidence to show how good they are then we will see them climb the table,1946/47 stag :

[gazza1988]

Is this former defender Stuart Watkiss that struggled to get us over the promotion line after BDs departure and the following season we witnessed a horrific defence leak 97 (99 if you include the Tranmere abandonment) league goals, including an opening day 4-5 v Plymouth whereby with a smattering of minutes left and 4-2 it was clear we could, and did, feasibly throw it away?

Linking to another thread, every time opponents had a corner against us I feared we'd concede every time?!

How odd our current manager was a defender by trade and similarly we seem to not be able to defend (last seasons L2 best back line now evidently not) nor have discipline (Preston's tackling)

Yeah, that defence was constructed under H****m. You only get what you pay for. Wasn't there a claim that Watkiss was promised funds and then was left with pence, or something like that?

Maybe Watkiss is throwing his hat in the ring, Paul Cox came sniffing as well.

[oldweststander]

Watkiss was hamstrung by Haslam.

It is true, he was promised cash by Haslam that never materialised, would have fancied his chances with Radford as a backer. We will never know I suppose.

[Johnny Rotten]

Yet Watkiss turned a side pretty nailed on to get automatic promotion to one that stumbled at best to get over the line at the end of that campaign.

However much I and we hate The Dark Lord he can't be blamed for the inadequacies on the pitch that season despite the good news story and success at the end of it.

Didn't The Dark Lord in a state of euphoria award SW a 3yr deal as a result soon after promotion?

Much like there is criticism of JD now, Stuart Watkiss nearly threw away promotion spectacularly. Whilst DF gets stick for managing to fail to achieve promotion, although we did get promoted under SW (although I would argue it was all the doing of BD and his 3yr plan), it was hardly assured from the point he took over to how we managed it in the end.

[Johnny Rotten]

I guess the argument then is it was The Dark Lords fault for not keeping or trying hard to keep BD in the first place...

[gazza1988]

Or its further proof that managers struggle with a squad assembled by someone else. Granted watkiss was assistant at the time. There is always a period after a change during success where heads drop. Teams on a bad run who replace the manager has the opposite effect where they start producing results.

[part time pete]

I think the reason we ‘stumbled’ over the promotion line was that Watkiss didn’t have the services of Liam Lawrence to call upon following Liam’s car accident.

A bit like DF not having White and Bobby last season.

[Sneag]

I think the reason we ‘stumbled’ over the promotion line was that Watkiss didn’t have the services of Liam Lawrence to call upon following Liam’s car accident.

A bit like DF not having White and Bobby last season.

It certainly didn't help, but we started leaking goals like a seive and we had Murray in on loan and signed Scott Sellars, who were able replacements for Liam.

Liam wasn't the key player in that team tgat he was in the play off side.

[oldweststander]

Stumbled over the line maybe, but that was more than DF did when Evans left.

[MTFCMAD]

I think the reason we ‘stumbled’ over the promotion line was that Watkiss didn’t have the services of Liam Lawrence to call upon following Liam’s car accident.

A bit like DF not having White and Bobby last season.

Liam at that point of his career hadnt developed into the player we all remember him as.

I think he only got 2 goals in 32 apps ???

Our main players of that season were Greenacre, Corden, Murray and believe it or not Andy White !!!

At the end of that season it would be equally reasnable to claim that both Leroy and Disley were before Liam in the pecking order when it came to midfield hierachy.