Most liked posts in thread: New manager bounces (or not...)

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.

 

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?

 

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.

 

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.

 

The City v Wigan match had one of the best block tackles I ever saw. I know I've mentioned it on here before but McFarland and Lloyd steamed into a 50/50 in midfield, the sound was awesome and if I remember right, they both were smiling when they got up, think there might even have been a joke shared but it was total respect for each other and the game.

 

Took a look at old programmes to see if I could assist but to no avail. Here's a question for you chaps and chapesses of the time. Why the change in fixture date? Don't have any supplement either?

 

Heck but what a player Ces was. Such amazing consistency. My first seasons as a wee one watching City, in awe of his athleticism. And then as I got a little older...really depressed at what I heard opposing fans - and some of our own - shouting at him.

 

Not true Ces played in the Sunday games, we did though experiment with Sunday games, our chairman Bob Martin thought we would get better crowds, it was continued in the 81:82 season but then abandoned

 

Thank you

 

TBH Stuart had already lost 9 for us before T&S took over! But who knows what might happen? It has the been the most extraordinary and unpredictable of seasons because of Covid, and I think past records, points totals, predictions etc may go out of the window because of the obvious fixture pile up and players being unable to play.

 

Unfortunately (and without wishing to disrespect Stuart) if he had managed to get another 10 points, he'd still be here

 

So true.