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Chris Hargreaves' v Paul Buckle's Conference teams
Posted: 27 Sep 2014, 19:48
by hector
Kernowgull wrote:The reason Leroy's league one team didn't stay up was threefold. Yes, we did spend 75k on Constantine, but that wasn't until Christmas. Very little other money was spent. We started very slowly if I recall, a great day out at Bristol City on day one where we grabbed a point late on with an Aggy penalty was followed by lots of defeats. We left ourselves with a mountain to climb. But the main reason in my eyes, was that Leroy was either incapable of identifying on unable to attract a decent keeper. We went down on goal difference, and throughout the season used about 10 different keepers. Some an absolute joke, like Gottkalksen. He was awful, then went on the run, and has since been imprissoned for armed burglary!! It was only when we got Marriott towards the end of the season that we started winning consistently.
That last day at Colchester was so frustrating, not because we lost and didnt turn up when all we needed was a point to stay up, not because we won 4 on the bounce to put us in with a chance that year, not because MK Dons scored in the 100th minute against Tranmere who rested players to send us down, but because a decent keeper from the off, or even half a season, and we'd have been comfortable lower mid table.
Still one of my favourite season despite all that. 3 of my best ever away days, Bristol City (1-1) Sheffield Wednesday (2-2, but two up at half time) and Oldham (2-0 win, 600 odd gulls, what an atmosphere!!).
Yes you are so correct about that season. It still rankles with me now, a decade later. We were trying to prepare for a season in the same league as Sheffield Wednesday with the usual random trialists in pre-season, people like Lee Canoville's older brother, Dean, who had been released by someone like Chertsey Town, Kain Bond, Jamie Gosling, Owen Story and the worst collection of keepers since Tony Fowler. The fact that we nearly stayed up was a miracle but staying up could have easily been achieved if Bateson had demonstrated a modicum of ambition that year. We also had a Portugese midfielder that year, who played briefly, Bruno Merielles, who did look like he had something about him, but sadly it wasn't to be.
That season demonstrated the folly of Bateson's 'penny-wise, pound-foolish' philosophy. Had we stayed up, we would have been in the same division as Bristol City, Nottingham Forest, Swansea, Swindon, Bournemouth etc who would have brought plenty of away support and boosted attendances. Two years later we were in the Conference playing Farsley Celtic and Droylsden. Such a waste.
Chris Hargreaves' v Paul Buckle's Conference teams
Posted: 27 Sep 2014, 19:58
by tommyg
I remember watching Bruno Meirelles for the first time in a pre-season friendly and was really impressed, but unfortunately he looked completely out of his depth when it actually mattered. Most of those players mentioned wouldn't get into our team now. Leroy was manager, coach, scout, kit man. You name it, he did it without much help. Apart from Hancox of course, who actually made a substitute appearance the following season at Rochdale after Tony Bedeau got crocked in the first half. I can't imagine what the other subs were thinking when Dickie was told he was coming on ahead of them!
It's amazing really how Leroy took us up and almost kept us in League One. Yes he inherited some fantastic players, but he got the most out of them and more. Happy memories even if it did end on an extremely sour note.
Chris Hargreaves' v Paul Buckle's Conference teams
Posted: 28 Sep 2014, 09:36
by ferrarilover
Kernowgull wrote:armed burglary!!
If he's armed, it is, by definition, robbery. Just a fun fact.
Kernowgull wrote:ginger
Matt.
Chris Hargreaves' v Paul Buckle's Conference teams
Posted: 28 Sep 2014, 13:46
by Bomber
tommyg wrote:I remember watching Bruno Meirelles for the first time in a pre-season friendly and was really impressed, but unfortunately he looked completely out of his depth when it actually mattered. Most of those players mentioned wouldn't get into our team now. Leroy was manager, coach, scout, kit man. You name it, he did it without much help. Apart from Hancox of course, who actually made a substitute appearance the following season at Rochdale after Tony Bedeau got crocked in the first half. I can't imagine what the other subs were thinking when Dickie was told he was coming on ahead of them!
It's amazing really how Leroy took us up and almost kept us in League One. Yes he inherited some fantastic players, but he got the most out of them and more. Happy memories even if it did end on an extremely sour note.
If the youth loan system had been around when Leroy was in charge I feel he possibly could have been more successful, as bigger clubs could have looked at the way we were playing, eg attacking, passing football, and decided that we were the best club to send their bright prospects to to further their development.
In Harry Redknapp's autobiography, he talked about lining up Brendan Rodgers as a part-time coach if he got the England job because 'if he could do it with lower league players at Swansea, imagine what he could do with the best players in the country'.
Only Leroy was doing it nearly decade earlier with players who really were lower league players.
Chris Hargreaves' v Paul Buckle's Conference teams
Posted: 28 Sep 2014, 18:42
by Rjc70
ferrarilover wrote:
If he's armed, it is, by definition, robbery. Just a fun fact
You sure? What about 'Aggravated Burglary'. That said, I'm guessing it was in Iceland. Personally I'm surprised to hear that Goatsforeskin is mobile enough to pull off such a stunt.
http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/s_to_u/sent ... _burglery/
Buckle had the better equipped side for Conference football. This side has the potential to become that, I reckon.
Chris Hargreaves' v Paul Buckle's Conference teams
Posted: 29 Sep 2014, 10:08
by ferrarilover
It was a generalisation, hence the "fun fact" element of the post. A roughly translated edition of an Icelandic newspaper shows that he used violence and stole a laptop from a man in his home. My favourite part of the translation says:
"Olaf stopped playing football after he skrópaði for Testing in Torquay in January 2005 and made himself disappear from the training ground"
A trick to impress even Paul Daniels.
Matt.
Chris Hargreaves' v Paul Buckle's Conference teams
Posted: 01 Oct 2014, 22:57
by Rjc70
Fair enough. Poor Olaf. The magic must have gone.