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New manager bounces (or not...)

Discussion in 'City Talk' started by River_City_Bantam, Feb 22, 2021.

  1. River_City_Bantam

    River_City_Bantam Squad Player
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    I thought I'd move this digression out of the match-day thread(s)...

    Following on from a question by @hornseabantam@hornseabantam about our managers and their records over their first 11 League matches in charge...

    Always assuming 1) that my records are correct, and 2), that I've managed to tot things up correctly, then here we go (all converted to 3 points for a win):

    25 points: McFarland...8-1-2

    24 points: Trueman & Sellars (interim)...7-3-1

    23 points: Foster (interim)...7-2-2

    22 points: Milburn...7-1-3; Mulhall...7-1-3

    21 points: McCall (second spell)...5-6-0

    20 points: O'Rourke (second spell)...6-2-3; Barker...6-2-3; Lawrence...6-2-3

    Worst first 11, by the way, was Hopkin at 1-1-9, closely followed by Veitch at 1-2-8, Steele at 1-3-7, and Hutchings at 1-4-6. Curiously enough there was one other manager who only won once in his first eleven, and he ended up being one of our good ones: Cherry (1-6-4).

    We should remember, though, that sometimes new managers have the benefits of the summer to build their squads and get the training to their satisfaction, whilst others start in midseason and, generally, have problems to fix or else -- as was the case for T&S.

    RCB
     
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    #1 River_City_Bantam, Feb 22, 2021
    Last edited: Feb 22, 2021
  2. Botswana Bantam

    Botswana Bantam Regular Starter
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    Good stats as ever RCB. Good point also about when the new manager starts.
     
  3. Park bantam

    Park bantam Regular Starter
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    Particularly impressive from McFarland because when he took over we had a terrible team
     
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  4. bantamdave41

    bantamdave41 Regular Starter
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    RCB, you simply never fail to provide. Good work
     
  5. River_City_Bantam

    River_City_Bantam Squad Player
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    Agreed the team had played terribly, but the members of the team were anything but terrible, and most of them stayed on and became McFarland's promotion winning side the next season. Perhaps the disappointment of just missing out on promotion the season before gave the side a season-long hangover, and neither they nor Mulhall could find a remedy!

    RCB
     
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  6. wetherbywhaler

    wetherbywhaler Impact Sub

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    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 ......
     
  7. Captain Grumpy

    Captain Grumpy Impact Sub
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    It wasn’t a terrible team @Park bantam@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@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.
     
  8. wetherbywhaler

    wetherbywhaler Impact Sub

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    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.
     
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  9. Captain Grumpy

    Captain Grumpy Impact Sub
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    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.
     
  10. Captain Grumpy

    Captain Grumpy Impact Sub
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    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.
     
  11. Park bantam

    Park bantam Regular Starter
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    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
     
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  12. JonButterfield

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

    wetherbywhaler Impact Sub

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    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.
     
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  14. Stafford Bantam

    Stafford Bantam Captain
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    I remember the Bradford End singing 'Roy McFarland must be mad'.

    Of course, as has been mentioned, Roy McFarland produced an amazing, and quick, turnaround in fortunes, albeit with a summer to prepare.
     
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    #14 Stafford Bantam, Feb 23, 2021
    Last edited: Feb 23, 2021
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  15. Captain Grumpy

    Captain Grumpy Impact Sub
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    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.
     
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  16. Ulysses S Grant

    Ulysses S Grant Squad Player
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    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.
     
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  17. River_City_Bantam

    River_City_Bantam Squad Player
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    Now you've all made me think, and re-think! :thumbup: (Thanks especially to @Captain Grumpy@Captain Grumpy and @wetherbywhaler@wetherbywhaler.)

    I've always had those last two matches of the 80/1 season down as McFarland's rather than "interim." I know he was in the building, so to speak, but should those two matches really be assigned to "interim"? I've so far been unable to find a source for exact date of appointment, only May 1981, but shall keep looking. I do know that Bantams Heritage does not have those matches as his. I should probably revise my file.

    If we remove those two matches, a win and a loss, from his record, and just use the first 11 of 81/2, then his start is even better, at 9-1-1, for 28 points. His 12th match then was a loss, but even so, @JonButterfield@JonButterfield, T&S even with a win tonight would still be behind McFarland.

    RCB
     
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  18. hornseabantam

    hornseabantam Squad Player

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

    Captain Grumpy Impact Sub
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    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.
     
  20. Captain Grumpy

    Captain Grumpy Impact Sub
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    Incidentally @River_City_Bantam@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.
     

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