Most liked posts in thread: Rupp & Sparks Out?

Threatening violence against Sparks is just plain stupid.

 

We are probably in the midst of the worst catch 22 situation ever. Owner not interested/won't invest, don't own anything tangible (mainly ground or training facilities), clueless people in charge of crucial positions, owner won't sell as we aren't an attractive enough proposition and the asking price is too high...repeat, repeat, repeat

And all the while, the fans are the victims season in & season out. It is wholly depressing and the near empty stadium the other night, the flat atmosphere, and the turgid football on show proved a turning point for the level of disappointment and disgruntlement amongst our fantastic fan base. The WoaP article by Jason McKeown was absolutely scathing, the city vent lads have started the ball rolling by organising a fan forum, and even the few deluded posters on here (naming no names but we all know who they are) have kept away from this forum since Tuesday as they know they are in a huge minority now and the whole thing in totally indefensible

What. A. Bloody. Shambles.

 

Kevin these posts from yourself are becoming as predictable us conceding a late goal to a rag and bone side from the old conference league.

People can suggest that x and X need to leave without having to dig out the CV of a potential replacement to suit you.

It's not the job of posters on here to find and provide replacements should we force our CEO out.

You keep telling us about your wonderful business knowledge, in that case you will know once a customer base loses confidence in a certain direction they will move on elsewhere.

These are businessmen in charge of the club, they should have contacts within the business to know where to source these football minded people, even if that means headhunting from another club. That is not the job of @JonButterfield

 

82nd out of 92 league clubs. Losing players to the likes of Carlisle and Exeter (apparently), young players who can’t get a game here rip it up elsewhere, a stream of managers while we flip flop between playing styles, an obvious lack of strategy, no sense of ambition or investment, an owner who’s absent in every sense of the word, a novice CEO, losing regularly to clubs who were in the non-leagues for most of their existence until the last couple of years.

Has there ever been a more depressing time to be a City fan?

 

I am not surprised one bit.

Rupp and Sparks don't care about their fans at all.

They are both a disgrace to our beloved club that many of us have supported through thick and thin for half a century

 

Rupp is the owner and 'silent' financer of the club but with absolutely no interest whatsoever.

But if he could do just one essential thing in the running of the club it would be to replace Sparks.
I have nothing against Ryan and I am sure he's given it his all but he has to go. 3 or so years in and there is no leadership, no ambition, certainly no vision has been painted and perhaps worst of all a total lack of communication with the people who make the club...its fanbase.
If I could say one thing to Stefan, you have to give us some hope again - Alexander already sounds as flat as a pancake and his initial positivity is fast evaporating, the recruitment has been mediocre at best (everything we were told it wouldn't be) and the club feels like its drifting into oblivion.

We know Rupp will continue to oversee from afar until something tangible occurs re the ownership but it is in his hands to change the running of the club and this so needs to happen. We are stuck in a miserable groundhog day scenario with no apparent light at the end of the tunnel.

Ps I know Rupp won't see this but at least its off my chest now!

 

Well it will be six seasons in league 2 next season, our highest finish in 5 of those seasons? 6th. We've tried numerous managers, a player inventory as long as your arm but to no avail.
So, without change, how will next season be any different to the last 5?
Because, as it stands, that season ticket take up is looking in danger of being 25/30% down as a result of this.
But hey, the CEO tries hard.

 

Parker is simply a mouthpiece for the club. He's not going to be part of fixing this. He's a part, albeit a small part of the problem.

And the statements from GA are simply another indicator of how disconnected the club is from the fanbase. Its also a perfect demonstration of the mindset of the club, they genuinely think this is a bit of temporary noise generated purely by a bit of bad form. Anyone surprised? It's also emblematic of why we're concerned; the manager position is always the most vulnerable at the club. He can take a position of dismissing whatever came before and whatever comes next. It's why most fans aren't getting hung up on whether GA should go or stay. He's adding himself to the sh*t list though.

The relationship between club and fans is broken. Face it folks. We're on our own.

 

When I see quote which appear to be defending that we would be a whole lot worse, I think it is only fair to point to those who have been in a whole lost worse of a position and are now in a far stronger position.

Forget Geoff Richmond's 6 weeks of madness. The club has had it's debts wiped clean at least twice since then we need to ask why the hell were we knocking on the door of the championship to find us where we are right now. That's not down to anything that happened pre 2010, that's the current here and how and decisions taken by the owners, CEO, etc who have held positions in recent years.

Bolton have literally gone bust and since then have won the EFL trophy and gained promotion back to the league above without rattling round it for years with no hope.

But they don't have the pressure of big crowds.... Oh but they do, they get as many as us week in week out.

For every club someone puts out and says lucky we aren't Bury, lucky we aren't Scunthorpe, etc. Look at clubs who have been in financial turmoil since we were and where they are now.

Derby - League 1
Wigan - League 1
Bolton - League 1
Coventry - Championship
Port Vale - League 1
Portsmouth - League 1
Plymouth Argle - Championship
Crystal Palace - Premier League
Rotherham - Championship
Southampton - Championship
Stockport - League 2
Bournemouth - Premier League
Luton - Premier League

We have some people who seem to just accept the dross we are dished out with the it could be worse, yet the list above shows teams who have been in admin, had points deducted and are all further up the tree than we are, many being a fraction of our size.

 

Sparks ain’t gonna resign after a run of bad results. Maybe at the end of the (failed) season, he’ll play the martyr card and fall on his sword. “Taken the club as far as I can, but personal threats has made me realise that there’s more to life than football, and I’ll pass the reins over to someone who can look at the club with a new pair of eyes” or some such non apology gubbins.

Rupp ain’t gonna sack him, cos alarmingly, I think he doesn’t think Sparks is doing a bad job. To quote Parker’s theory “it’s not Sparks who is missing open goals”. Stefan saw eleven players lose a football match badly. That’s what footballs about right? If Mark Lawn was there, I really hope he told a few home truths. But what do we know? Nothing. Absolutely no communication from Rupp or Sparks these days. Even when he turns up out of the blue.

In the prediction league I went for a 1-2 loss for us. I actually contemplated 0-3, but thought no way is it that bad. Turns out it is. Even GA sounds like he’s given up. When he got arsey at the very first post match question, it reminded me when Stuart was losing it (and games). Followed by loads of waffle. I wouldn’t be suprised if he walked at the end of the season.

We laughed back then, but Derek Adam’s pretty much predicted all this happening.

Depressing.

 

This is what is bothering me and winding me up. Other teams who have been in a precarious position have come out of it and doing very nicely thank you. We have the wrong owner, wrong CEO etc etc., Until the plan of sustainability is replaced with a plan for the 21st century football league this nothingness will continue.

 

The "damp squib protests' as you so eloquently put it, have had more of a reaction from the top of the club, than the "sit on your hands and stare at your feet" inaction has done for the last 5 years.

 

For the love of god Rupp, if you are not selling, then please sack Sparks, Gent and Alexander and bring in somebody like Jewell to run the club for you and appoint his own manager as soon as possible. If not, season ticket sales will be their lowest for over 15 years