Torquay United Fans Forum

taunton_gull: a very reasonable question, given the amount of public misinformation that abounded when he was first dropped by the manager - I suspect (but don't know for certain) the rumours would have been welcomed, at least not discouraged by Knill himself in an attempt to make his decision more palatable to those who are fans of the man. Nicho didn't want to go out on loan; like I said he wants to play with a vengeance, but Knill made it clear from the outset that he neither liked nor wanted him around; in fact he came to the club with that label around his head (from someone who played under him at Bury) that he didn't like older players. As for Nicho, I got the impression that Knill couldn't cope with his wit and banter with his team mates, but particularly with his experience and knowledge of the game. In other words, he became obsessed with getting shot as soon as he could.

The main answer to your question is, however, that I'm sure you'll appreciate, once a player is dropped from the squad, he rapidly loses 'match fitness'; not playing regularly, particularly first team, is bad news from this point of view ... and I don't think the reserves represent a sufficient level of performance at this point in time. Hence his request to go out on loan; he needed to play football. Nicho is very conscientious about his fitness; always has been; in the off season he is always preparing for the next season and would be one of the fittest on the training field at the start of the season. OK he's never been a speed merchant; if he were, with his sweet left boot, he'd have been playing at a much higher level. But you can't fault his endeavour, and this team needs as much steadying experience as they can get right now. Hope that answers your question.

Let me tell you something you clearly do not know, Exiledgull, of all the people I've seen and met in football, any sport for that matter, Kevin Nicholson has the most professional, loyal and consistently dedicated approach to his game. He WANTS to play for this club; he always wants to play and he still has a lot to give.

Don't make personal comments about players, who you clearly don't know!

Hoo-bloody-ray ... I read a Scunthorpe blogger's account of what AK managed to achieve there, by sacking ten of their experienced players in the summer of 2012; he was sacked himself in October or November and the team were subsequently relegated. The writing on the wall should have been read a long time before his appointment in May 2013.

And what the hell is his problem with 'older' more experienced players (e.g. Kev Nicholson)??