TorquayFans.com | Torquay United Fans Forum

Well done Nicho.
I admit I was one of those on both the forums, Facebook etc who was not sure on his appointment when he was named PM and the opening games he played seemed to back up the comments made by so many on how he was inept and out of his depth as a footballer and a manager, at one stage we were 1/20 on to be relegated with all hope lost on survival, but since the turn of the year its flipped on its head and for me he has proven that with a little time (and well done to the board also for openly sticking by their man when there were times no one would have argued against you for dismissing Nicho) and a team of his own, the results would come; and they have. Since the turn of the year these are the stats:

(League games only)
Played:15
Won:7
Draw:3
Lost:5
Points:24

Its not over yet, but Nicho you and the team deserve the credit to have given us as fans the hope and belief again to think we can still be in the National League next season.

Let's not carried away. When we are safe I will proclaim to the heavens that Nicholson has done a good job overal - but we've done nothing yet. Getting ahead of yourself is a sure fire way to take your eye off the ball and get relegated.

If we get relegated then he will have achieved nothing. Don't forget we weren't in the relegation zone when he took over, it was he who let the gap stretch to twelve points.

Don't think I'm being negative either. I'm fully in support of nicho and the team who in the last 10 or so games have been doing well - I just believe in only slapping each other on the back when your job is done, not half way.

We scraped out a few wins at the very start of the season when Paul Cox was managing a Paul Cox squad. He wasn't here long enough to know what would have happened, but even in his tenure our form dipped and we had 10 points from 10 games when he walked away. Add in the caretaker spell and by the time Nicholson took over the squad hadn't won in 10 games (4 draws, 6 defeats) and had been hammered in quite a few of those. 2 wins in the opening week had us in an elevated position, but we were very much falling down the slippery slope when he came in.

34 points from 28 games so far is a better record than Cox, and much of it was done with a squad that was totally set-up for Paul Cox's style of long throws and wing backs. It's taken time to steady us, balance the squad and get players who play in his own style, but we're so much the better for it now. Maybe Paul Cox would have got us doing the ugly things well and picking up steady points, or maybe we would have continued the slide. Ultimately though he wanted more money than we had to offer him and he walked away, and from that point onwards we had to go in a totally new direction on a shoestring budget.

What's more, he has demonstrated some long term planning - getting links set up with community, taking players into local schools etc. This is the only way we are going to build as a small, local football club. He announced at the start of his tenure that he wanted to give something back to the community rather than take, take, take and so far he's delivering on his promise. Compare that to the short-term thinking of Paul Cox (false promises made to players when he never had to deal with the consequences) and I know who I would rather have as our manager. It's true that we're not over the line this season, but to say that he took over when we were above the bottom four is too simplistic given what's happened over the last 10 months.

I agree with that and am more than happy to admit that I was wrong about Nicholson. There isn't any comparison between Cox's team and Nicholsons side now.

Cox's team was choc full of rubbish -Speiss, Fisher, Murombedzie, Fenwick, Briscoe, Heslop, Marsh (big head) - even his star player Hurst was a liability who couldn't defend.

If you look at our team now not one of the aforementioned players would have got in - that tells its own story.

I would say that every one of Nicos signings have been an improvement and the signings of Blissett, Raachi and Rees have been inspired.

Don't get me wrong, nicho has done plenty right - blissett and racchi are especially good signings in my book. I'm just saying don't start congratulating each other for a job half done.

Kit_robin wrote:Don't get me wrong, nicho has done plenty right - blissett and racchi are especially good signings in my book. I'm just saying don't start congratulating each other for a job half done.

I see where your coming from and I agree entirely. But it was stated many times after our 1-0 win at boredom wood, that to stay up we would require championship form, well so far we are on track. Can you believe it. Draw Saturday, win against Altrincham and the dream could be reality.

As we speak:
(National League games only)

Before Nicho:
10 points from 13 games = 0.77 points per game
Over 46 games = 35.4 points

With Nicho:
34 points from 28 games = 1.21 points per game
Over 46 games = 55.9 points

I realise there is five crucial games to go but this alone indicates he deserves credit does it not?

I was critical too, very critical when we were cast adrift at the bottom, twelve (?) points from safety. Full credit to Nicholson, I was wrong. Considering the resources he has, and the slating he has had to endure, he has done an amazing job in the past three months. Even if we go down, which we still might, I applaud the manager and players for recent performances, which have been gutsy with a great team spirit. Nicholson deserves success in avoiding relegation, and I so hope that he does. What a transformation.

I too had serious doubts about Nicho's appointment. But, as can be seen in Richinns' post above, the figures speak for themselves.

If, and it's still a big 'if', we manage to avoid relegation this season, I'd like to think that most of us will back Nicho next season to push for the other end of the table!

Making my first trip to Plainmoor on Saturday since the 3-7 drubbing at the hands of Bromley.... needless to say, I'm expecting a bit more of an enjoyable experience!!!

We were already in the relegation zone when Kev took over. We slipped into the bottom four after losing 2-1 at home to Boreham W. This was just after the Bromley drubbing - Sorry for being picky!

Nicho knows he will be judged on where we finish at 8pm on Saturday 30th April, but him and the players are giving it a bloomin' big go at getting out of this mess!

I too was critical of the appointment and that he was picking himself on a weekly basis.

There has been an undoubted improvement in the situation and with a large slice of luck, which we have been riding hard over the last few games, we could stay in this league. That will give Nicholson's CV a huge boost, and deservedly so.

I have been searching the internet and am now looking to source the following:

Entrails of a deer -stomach .washed intestine ,liver ,etc
beef suet to the same weight as the deer entrails
10 cloves
tsp mace
tsp nutmeg
tsp cinammon
pinch salt
4 pounds of currants shopping list
half a pound of candy'd orange,lemon and citron peel
half a pound of dates
pastry

These are the ingredients that I need to make a HUMBLE PIE, a large slice of which I will be hoping to eat after the Guisely game !!!! :slap:

I'm glad to see Nico reaping some praise at last. I always had faith he would bring in some good players (budget constraints considered) and I knew of players he was targeting which obviously helped me remain positive.

He played for as long as he felt the situation required. Once he had the players he wanted available for selection he quietly took himself off to the sidelines where he could form a better view of the teams shortcomings. Whatever happens, survival or relegation he has given it a real good go and IMHO will become a very good manager, I just hope he proves it with us first before going on to bigger and better things.

He has done more than enough to warrant being the manager of TUFC next season, regardless of how the season pans out.

His first managerial job, a club with no finances, having to shift players before adding to Paul Cox's pony team, with disruptive characters like James Hurst &Tyrone Marsh or the plenty who were not up to it.

Well done Kev, the players (from when Nicho arrived and who've since joined) & the board for making the correct decision in appointing Kevin Nicholson. A great effort, Lets see the job through now!

There's one particular person who posts on here and was the one who dug their heels in over Nicholson's appointment. I know who that person is but will leave their anonymity in place, they deserve thanks for having the vision others did not. Before anyone jumps on my back, yes I know we've not achieved survival yet....................

A J wrote:We were already in the relegation zone when Kev took over. We slipped into the bottom four after losing 2-1 at home to Boreham W. This was just after the Bromley drubbing - Sorry for being picky!

Nicho knows he will be judged on where we finish at 8pm on Saturday 30th April, but him and the players are giving it a bloomin' big go at getting out of this mess!

8pm. I hoping to be celebrating at about 7.20pm and hopefully before kick off.