How will you welcome Bucks back next season

[Southampton Gull]

What? O'Kane was playing behind a lone striker earlier in the season. unfortunately that was Benyon not Tomlin. Oastler and Lathrope played together before and did ok for me. It was hardly foreign and if he'd have had the gumption to try it I'd wager we'd have had much more chance than by doing what he did. Glad he's gone to be honest. Rovers are welcome to him, if he succeeds there I might give him a little more credit but I reckon he'll get seen for what he is.

[HarrowGull]

There's no way in the world that you'd convince some of the older fans that Frank O'Farrell wasn't the best manager we've ever had.

Frank O'Farrell looked round my house when I used to live in Torquay

As for Buckle, he will get a round of applause from me, if I can make it to the game. He may not have acted very honourably in the last few weeks, but let's not forget that he has turned the club around, from a club reeling from the blow of our first relegation to non-league football, to a club challenging for promotion to League 1. I will also never forget Ebbsfleet away in our promotion season; I was the first in the ground, before the players even, and Buckle walked the length of the away end to thank me for coming. He might have left in not quite the most honourable way, but he has done too much for the club to deserve anything other than a good reception.

[Enzo]

Trying to mould a whole squad together in a month or so is not easy. When you also consider it was his first season as a manager it must have been a fairly daunting task. Also for the first time in the clubs' history there was genuine expectation to do well and win something. We came very close on 2 fronts, but the ground work was done to build on it. You only have to look at much bigger clubs with bigger budgets that have seriously struggled in that league. Wrexham 1st year in playoffs, Oxford took ages, Mansfield haven't made the playoffs since going down, neither Grimsby or Darlo did either. We made playoffs on both occasions, going up in the 2nd.

Always felt with Bucks when he's made big tough decisions that would be unpopular he's done them and not be scared to make them and invariably they've turned out to justify him. Had the Woods saga, he was replaced by Robertson we went up, he let Todd, Sills and Hargreaves go, brought in some young lads we went from relegation fodder to an unbeatable side that set the groundwork for this season. This season carried it on playing a totally different style of football to what we did when he first turned up.

I understand the bitterness, anger about the timing of all of this. It does rankle with me that he's clearly spoken to them before our season is over, that's poor and shows a lack of respect for the people at TUFC who have been so good for him. But ultimately a manager should be judged on results. Love him or hate him you can't deny he gets results?! He's one of our most succesful managers of recent times if not ever. Yes he couldn't quite finish it this year in the final but I don't blame him for that, it's not as if he's told the players to lose, we just didn't play as we could on the day. But overall done a terrific job.

Him, the board, the staff and players have given me and you our club back and given us a team that's worth going to watch and support. For that I'll always be thankful to Paul and the management team as well as the current players. I genuinely wish him well at Bristol Rovers, when he returns I'll applaud him at first before supporting our boys to hopefully put one over him. It's football people move clubs, we'll move on.

All fair enough comments in my view. I honestly do not know how he will get on at Rovers. I can only haggle at the margins, as I think this season we got to the Play Offs throught default. We enjoyed a huge amount of luck getting there. PB took us from a non league side to a decent ish League Two outfit. I'd settle for that, as most TUFC would - would Rovers fans? I wasn't too bothered about losing on Saturday as at the end of the day we all knew that we were not quite good enough - next season would have been awful. It may well still be to be honest. He did this whilst the club was living beyond its means. Other Managers of TUFC past have been able to build similar sides without the support he has received.

[Richinns]

Thought I would bring this back. After his recent actions my vote has very much changed. I will give the sly little snake the reception he deserves - utter contempt.

[royalgull]

Pfff sly snake for buying one of our players? Blimey.

All it's done is reinforce what we all knew already about Buckle's contacts list, it could be fit on the back of a pack of fags.

Players/managers move on all the time doesn't mean they are snakes, back stabbers or turncoats was another laughable phrase I read somewhere today.

[tktufc91]

I said boo him and my opinion hasn't changed since. That's one match where I know I'll have no voice left!!

[Dave]

I think we should welcome him back by all wearing blonde wigs and padded bar's,and see who gets the first date.

[Richinns]

Pfff sly snake for buying one of our players? Blimey.

All it's done is reinforce what we all knew already about Buckle's contacts list, it could be fit on the back of a pack of fags.

Players/managers move on all the time doesn't mean they are snakes, back stabbers or turncoats was another laughable phrase I read somewhere today.

Not just one of players is it royalgull - be serious!

We gave him his break in football management at what has he done to remember that?? Ripped us to shreds to further is career - very sly indeed in my book.

[royalgull]

technically he's bought one of our players, the others were out of contract. But i was being a bit tongue in cheek.

football doesn't work like that mate, people move on all the time and I don't think Buckle will feel he owes anybody anything. He's got to look after himself and Bristol Rovers now, he's in a similar situation to when he got the TUFC job, he had to build a squad in a short timescale an so he's just gone for players he knows first and foremost.

Ripped us to shreds by taking Bevan and Zebroski. We'll miss Zebroski if we can't replace him, Bevan's been replaced. People are over reacting in my opinion.

[Mattpuma]

I can't stand Buckle.
I can't stand Rovers.

That's 2 games we must win this season, even more important than beating Argyle!
I even hope Crawley stuff them.

BRFC and Crawley relegated to the conference please.

[stefano]

I think the question could turn out to be irrelevant as we are not due to play them at Plainmoor until 10 March and I can't see him still being the Bristol Rovers manager then!

Apart from that things going quite well so far:-

New goalie Robert Austrian sounding name looks loads better than screwed to his line Bevs;
Brian Saah can actually play football and although I voted for Branston as POY in both seasons he was with us for guts and determination his first touch and distribution were shocking;
McPhee v Zebroski. Well, I think McPhee having something to prove will surprise us all, but it's Billy Kee I can see getting 15+ goals this season;
New youngster from Newcastle - Well he plays right back, we've not tried it with one of those for 4 years;
Ellis v Robertson (if he goes) - Mark Ellis the far better player.

So if we do get the chance to see PB at Plainmoor in March (highly unlikely) all we can do is say thank you for improving our squad and leaving us with a far more experienced manager with a proven career of greater success than our previous manager.

[stevegull]

Whilst i think many of us would agree Bucks is a good manager. One area he lacks is in loyalty. I hate to say it, but look at Tisdale at Exeter. He has shown immence loyalty to Exeter and guided them to a fantastic finish last season. Who could honestly say if Buckle was in the exeter job and offered the reading job he would turn it down? Tisdale has been shown loyalty by Exeter and in return he has shown great loyalty towards them. Model pro. (even if it is Exeter... :/ )

[Trojan 67]

I'll be doing what I do in every game, giving support to MY team on the pitch. If it means giving one of our players a b'llockin so they get their finger out then so be it.

[yellowforever]

Whilst i think many of us would agree Bucks is a good manager. One area he lacks is in loyalty. I hate to say it, but look at Tisdale at Exeter. He has shown immence loyalty to Exeter and guided them to a fantastic finish last season. Who could honestly say if Buckle was in the exeter job and offered the reading job he would turn it down? Tisdale has been shown loyalty by Exeter and in return he has shown great loyalty towards them. Model pro. (even if it is Exeter... :/ )

Agreed, difficult to admit to it, but I do admire Tisdale, cracking manager and seems a nice bloke! Buckle's a decent manager at best, and is up his own a*se.

[bixieupnorth]

i've not changed my opinion since he was a player, never liked him then and havent taken to him for a second of his four years. recent events have just underlined how right i was all along. he will get plenty abuse from me!

whos that poor kid who shelled out for that in buckle we trust banner, all that pocket money down the drain! didnt he start of hating him and then was talked around into making the banner?