New manager bounces (or not...)

Good stats as ever RCB. Good point also about when the new manager starts.

 

Particularly impressive from McFarland because when he took over we had a terrible team

 

RCB, you simply never fail to provide. Good work

 

Agree there Park. I went to our last home game of the season. Mid week, dust bowl pitch, minute crowd and I think boring 0-0. Remember Mac sat in the stand and shouting that he had his work cut out. He waved and gave a knowing smile of confidence. He wasn't wrong. For me in turn round terms he ranks top but if these lads carry on ......

 

It wasn’t a terrible team @Park bantam it had a lot of the players that just missed out on promotion in 79/80 with a record points total for a team that failed to go up. They suffered a massive hangover the following season with virtually the same players which included the likes of Campbell, McNiven, Staniforth, Podd. For the record @wetherbywhaler the last home game in that poor season that you refer to was a dismal 0-1 defeat to Hereford on a Friday evening.

 

I stand corrected, sir. I knew it was Hereford and knew we didn't score. Just shows how interested I was at the time. Friday night, must have had the pub on my mind.

 

If you just go on the first 11 games then Terry Dolan who took City from bottom of the 2nd tier with 20 games left to 10th had a quiet start with 13 points, however after 20 games he gained 35 points and was one of the great recoveries by a new manager.

 

It’s where I ended up after that dismal game. Incredible to think that with no new signings but playing a few younger players more regularly like Gallagher, Ellis and Jackson we were runners up in McFarlands first season.

 

I remember that game well one of the low points in my years of support. But with the appointment of McFarland the future looked better after that.
I think the attendance that night was one our lowest ever

 

Good information, only one more thing I'd like to know... do T & S overtake McFarland with a win tonight?

 

I think it was around 1,200 ish. So small I bet Captain Grumpy, you and I would have seen each other if we'd only known.

 

Indeed, the official attendance was just 1249 . I was in the main stand that night and the only consolation was watching Roy McFarland walking past with Bob Martin so it gave me hope he was going to take the job.

 

1,412 I think. McFarland's master stroke was bringing Joe Cooke back, after he converted from a striker to a centre half. I can't believe no-one has mentioned that yet.

Edit, I stand corrected on the attendance.

 

Nice one, RCB! In historical context, shows what an amazing job they've done thus far.

 

McFarland was appointed after the end of that 80/81 season so his first league game was against Wigan in August for the 81/82 season. We drew 3-3, lost the next league game at Hull 2-1 with a league cup game against Blackpool -won 3-1- in between and then went on a nine match winning run. Technically his first game in charge was a Preseason Yorkshire and Humberside cup game against Hull in August 81 but wether we count those games which are similar to west riding cup games is debatable.

 

Incidentally @River_City_Bantam if we do include the Yorkshire and Humberside pre season cup as proper games then his record at the start of 81/82 is even more sensational as we won all 3 games against Hull, Hartlepool and Rotherham before we started the league season at home to Wigan.