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It was certainly a bizarre night last night and no surprise that emotions were running high. The players have clearly lost all confidence and so the big question is how to put it right.
I think if decisions had been taken last night judging by the huddle of three directors then at the very least CH & LH would now be on gardening leave but of course who could take over? There certainly aren't any players capable of doing so as Aldershot did recently. The only possible might be Harrop but from what I've read on other threads this wouldn't be popular. But surely the aim now, with 9 matches and 27 points available, we just need to limp over the 50 points barrier to ensure Premier status.
On Saturday we welcome Kidderminster who are falling rather like us. Nico was at last night's match and apparently told someone that their players haven't been paid for five weeks. Mind you it's likely he'll score with a free-kick, returning players syndrome.
Although it probably won't make a big difference I would agree that Young should be relieved of the captain's armband and hand it to Downes who when he has been skipper has led by example.
In the longer term the main aim, far worse than performances on the pitch, is to see new responsible owners who can look after OUR club. Inevitably new owners leads to a change of management as I'm sure CH knows. I feel sorry for him that the passion and commitment he showed as a player has not transferred itself to his squad who need to take a long hard look at themselves.
Often in life you can fall to a low ebb but the important thing is how you fight back. Better times will return!

Looking totally from the outside there is no way whatsoever that you will be relegated as I cant see any of the bottom teams suddenly winning 5 games and the chances are that you will pick up some points in your remaining games.
As regards sacking your Manager as some have said with Theo going why would she put money in to sack him when the end result when she leaves is very likely to be the same as at present in the bottom half of the confidence. As regards resigning well we are the experts in getting rid of Managers and none of ours,no matter how much they say they love the club have ever resigned and to be honest how many of you if doing a poor job but on a tasty contract would resign? I think you just have to see out the season and then pretty well start again with fresh everything.
I feel sorry for you,nice team and nice supporters just don't deserve this.

Jerry has hit the nail on the head, as a fanbase, we're too nice.

The reason, I believe, is that the fans and local community have lost interest in the club. I stood last night watching a bunch of retards go through the motions without a care in the world. I have no idea why anybody would clap them off at the end but sure enough the happy clappers all wanted to show appreciation to their "heroes".

If Sunderland fans had done that Saturday, Poyet would still have a job.

The club has always been seen as a joke and I, along with many of you, take a lot of stick for it. It's been 3 years of really poor performances. There's no leader at the club currently, Young is too quiet to be captain, Hargreaves doesn't move or get animated at all during the game (he just punches tactic boards afterwards.......that was effective wasn't it?), the Board aren't bothered so why the f*** should anybody spend their money to watch them?

I've lost interest and only attend because I have a ST. If I didn't I would have stopped going in January.
I received an email from Bristol City on Monday with ST details for next season. Cheapest ST is £299 to watch Championship football (unless they blow it). No doubt United will offer me my ticket in June for £300 if I get in early.

I'm taking a year out.

And now some people are blaming the fans for the club's decline. If we were "nastier" the team would improve would it? What an utter pile of crap. The finger of blame points at the players (not all of them though), the manager and the board, not in any particular order. The club's fan base has suffered for the past three seasons, each worse than the previous one, but it is not their fault that the team has become an embarrassment.

Yes, it would be helpful if the population of Torbay turned out to watch the team in greater numbers. Yes, there are a lot of fickle fans, but there are many loyal fans too. Ffs don't pick on the fans who pay to see this shower of sh*te, that is despicable.

I don't know what you're all complaining about. Clearly Hargreaves is a TUST plant put in to reduce the value of the club to the point where we can pick the club up for about twenty quid. It's genius. really.

Join the Trust

http://www.offtheoche.blogspot.co.uk/

Done a blog on my take on this farcical situation. I'm neither for or against Hargreaves staying anymore, i want to give him the chance of the summer and the start of next season but if we get a decent new owner who changes it I won't be bothered either.

One things for certain this current board won't sack him, they can't afford to so i'd save the abuse for the players the ones who really deserve it in my opinion or the board, apart from Thea.

Keep listening to George Osbourne hoping upon hope that he will impose a new colossal tax on managers that promise a reaction then don't deliver.

That way our ha ha board will be forced into a reaction all of their own.

Well, much as Thea and the rest of the Board would undoubtedly prefer not to have to be considering sacking Chris Hargreaves as an option given the state of flux the club is in at the moment - there are some important factors that they must take into account.

Given what remains of the season, clearly if we carry on as we are, gates will continue to tail off leading to further loss of income and the debt to Thea increasing by the day. There is still the possibility of getting relegated - which would surely make the club even less of an attractive proposition. But, perhaps, most importantly of all is that around this time of year thoughts normally turn to season ticket pricing, players contracts and setting the playing budget for next season. All of these will no doubt be affected by how we finish the season and (potentially) what League we will be in.

As I now understand it, the situation with Hargreaves contract is that he is indeed on a fixed term deal to the summer of 2016 - but with a clause built in it that means in the event of him being sacked he is entitled to 12 months pay - so, if we sack him at anytime next season he will still get 12 months pay off - only when his contract ends will we be free of that clause.... at least that is now my understanding of the situation. Now, I think I am right in assuming that the club wouldn't have to pay this money as a lump sum but rather continue to pay him on a monthly basis - so, whilst Thea would have to pay him up for the next 3 or 4 months it would (presumably) fall upon the "new" owners to fulfil the obligations under his contract i.e continue to pay him right through until June 2016, unless his contract settlement still falls due as a liability of the "old" owners which could be the case, I suppose.

If we were to take action now, then this is the fella I would be on the phone to right now if I were Kelvin Thomas ....

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Ply ... story.html

That story is only 3 months old and given his stated desire to both 1/ return to Management and 2/ but only if he can continue to travel home to Cornwall every day! .... I think he would be the perfect candidate to "steady the ship" until the end of the season and then see whether a longer deal is possible in the summer when we know who the new owners might be.

royalgull wrote:http://www.offtheoche.blogspot.co.uk/

Done a blog on my take on this farcical situation. I'm neither for or against Hargreaves staying anymore, i want to give him the chance of the summer and the start of next season but if we get a decent new owner who changes it I won't be bothered either.

One things for certain this current board won't sack him, they can't afford to so i'd save the abuse for the players the ones who really deserve it in my opinion or the board, apart from Thea.

Very good blog, I agree with virtually everything you say, although I have no confidence left in Hargreaves. The failed signings and consequent over reliance on younger players have contributed a lot to our downfall. I agree that the failure to sign up Berry was a serious error, this would surely have been cheaper than the impact of his loss to Cheltenham. I am very angry at some of the players signed on what is relatively, for Torquay, big money, they should hang their heads in shame.

Beyond saying we won't go down, we are 10 points clear of Welling and this is their fixture list



Barnet v Welling

Welling v Grimsby

Woking v Welling

Welling v Eastleigh

Welling v Kidderminster

Welling v Wrexham

Alfreton v Welling

Welling v Southport

It's a disgrace we are even contemplating this though accepted. They won't overhaul a 10 point deficit with that lot of games, despite us being atrocious we will probably nick a draw or even a win (lol) here and there somewhere as well.

gullintwoplaces wrote: Very good blog, I agree with virtually everything you say, although I have no confidence left in Hargreaves. The failed signings and consequent over reliance on younger players have contributed a lot to our downfall. I agree that the failure to sign up Berry was a serious error, this would surely have been cheaper than the impact of his loss to Cheltenham. I am very angry at some of the players signed on what is relatively, for Torquay, big money, they should hang their heads in shame.

Thank you and like I said anyone that wishes to have a go at Hargreaves is fair game, I can't defend this season and his role at all really despite understanding why he has struggled so much. The things he can control he has controlled badly.

Excellent blog RG, I must say. Depressingly accurate and I think a major part in all the gloom surrounding the club is quite how quickly we have descended from what seemed a well run club who were heading in the right direction - to one that now seems a complete "basket case" hell bent on a path to oblivion.

You have however cheered me up a little with that post on Welling's run in .... to be honest I hadn't dared to look ! That does look pretty tough, on paper, and whilst they will pick some points up I'm not sure they will pick enough to overhaul our current total(47) and that of course assumes we won't pick up another point this season .... a pretty fair assumption based on recent form though!

CP Gull wrote: If we were to take action now, then this is the fella I would be on the phone to right now if I were Kelvin Thomas ....

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Ply ... story.html

That story is only 3 months old and given his stated desire to both 1/ return to Management and 2/ but only if he can continue to travel home to Cornwall every day! .... I think he would be the perfect candidate to "steady the ship" until the end of the season and then see whether a longer deal is possible in the summer when we know who the new owners might be.

That practically reads like a job application.

I would be delighted with Sturrock, the man we should have appointed instead of Hargreaves last season in my eyes.

Southampton Gull wrote:So you wouldn't change the team then?

Yes you've hooked me but anyone with common sense in football could see if you play three centre halves at least one of them needs pace. Picking your best header of a ball Downes playing left side? You don't pick a player who struggles one in ones in an area where he is vulnerable. The wide areas you need pace, both wing backs were not dictating play and did not attack as they should have. The midfield were flat you need a kind of triangle to keep cover, there was none. I suggested three in midfield last week but 4-1-3-2 with Briscoe behind the striker finding the space as he has time then to express himself.
What we seen last night was a shambles. I wanted Chris to do well but some ex-players don't respond to management and maybe he will learn from this mess but the club need to sort it out fast otherwise we won't have a club. I don't slag anyone off on match days as I want the side to do well. This forum is for views and yes I believe in my views.

I wonder if my earlier mention of gardening leave might be true?