Appleton never really stood a chance

Lytham_fy8 said:
That's the main bone of contention for me, everyone knew he was going and there was no plan to replace him.
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Plus we had Keogh too who was a massive prescence in the team and squad. A load of his signings have been sold or loaned out and if Kirk was the answer then god help us!

We were showing signs of what was going to happen in the last quarter of last season, we needed a good transfer window and we had one of the worst. We have some good league 1 players, we don't have many Championship standard players and this ideology of getting young players in and fine tuning them to greatness is such a risky strategy, we need some experience and some quality and we need to be able to pay them a Championship wage. If not then let's play around in league 1 if that's what everyone wants?
 
Philbfctrois said:
Yep I said the same at the time

But people lapped it up, now the same idiots are slagging Appleton for absolutely everything
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You have to ask yourself why virtually none of the squad get on with him though. You’ll struggle to find any of the senior players who want him here. They hate the training, they don’t like his approach and you have to ask yourself why he’s not playing our best goalkeeper. The answer is that it’s because he dared to ask why and he’s been completely ostracised ever since.
 
hertfordseasider said:
That last interview they did was embarrassing, unprofessional and arrogant. MA was the wrong choice and even though warned as such he ignored the warnings and signed him anyway, and for 4 years! WTF was he thinking.

And then, to cap it all they never supported the poor guy in the transfer window. Sadler needs to learn and learn fast and he needs to get people around him who he is prepared to listen to. We are likely to be fannying around trying to get a new manager in instead of sorting out new signings and losing a chunk of the transfer kitty in compo for MA.
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No need for compo. He just stays on the payroll until he gets another job. It’s really not that much of an issue.
 
Lytham_fy8 said:
That's the main bone of contention for me, everyone knew he was going and there was no plan to replace him.
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I wouldn't know too much about any plans - or lack of plans - to replace him but I think that's a fair point Lytham.

I remember when Andy Kilner was manager of Stockport and they - his board - decided to sell his top man Ian Moore for about £1.25 million.

Results suffered after Moore's departure and Kilner received criticis, he was very vocal at the time and explained that he was told that the club was selling his top man who was banging in the goals and giving him £50k to find a replacement.

I keep banging on about how it's a managers job to get the most of the resources afforded to him and Kilner should have been concentrating of finding the next Ian Moore for £50k but at the end of the day, you can only p1ss with the c**k you've got.

Sorry for banging on about something that has probably got the square root of feck all to do with whatever you said !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
TangerineandWhitePod said:
No need for compo. He just stays on the payroll until he gets another job. It’s really not that much of an issue.
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Absolutely.

Not even keep him on the payroll, whatever he's entitled to contractually, probably 6-12 months ????? Offer him a percentage of what he's due and when the alternative is staying where you are not wanted for 100% he'll soon sign on the dotted line.

For the benefit of the tape, I am not suggesting that we should sack Appleton, I am just saying that compensation will not be a big issue.
 
Philbfctrois said:
No the facts are clear

Critchley was allowed so sign Dougall and Stewart when in League 1 to replace the duffers Williams and Robson who Critchley signed and then discarded after a matter of weeks

Appleton had to sign Ward who had already been released for not being good enough because the club didn't/couldn't agree terms with the players Appleton wanted

However you dress things up that isn't an even playing field
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Critchley 20/21 worked with Dougall, Embleton, Virtue, Stewart, Ward, Robson.

Appleton has worked with Charlie Patino, Fiorini, Dougall, Stewart, Bridcutt, Carey, Stewart, Virtue, Wright, Ward and Connolly can fill in there.

Four of those are Appleton signings.

We’re probably going to have to disagree on this but I don’t think blaming Sadler is fair in this instance.
 
Do you sack Appleton..pay him his compo and bring someone in who can give us a chance of staying in the Championship...or stick with him ...let him take us down to the 1st Division and then sack him and still pay the compo....its one or the other imo
 
TangerineandWhitePod said:
You have to ask yourself why virtually none of the squad get on with him though. You’ll struggle to find any of the senior players who want him here. They hate the training, they don’t like his approach and you have to ask yourself why he’s not playing our best goalkeeper. The answer is that it’s because he dared to ask why and he’s been completely ostracised ever since.
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You post that with some authority. Have you a source within the squad that is providing you with inside information?
 
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Philbfctrois said:
With our fickle fanbase did he?

Let's be honest it was a bizarre appointment given his last spell with us and the negative vibes around the man

I don't blame him at all for taking the job, however the transfer window or lack of transfers in the window more like has completely hamstrung his plans

The injury record has been shite granted, but that's just unlucky

People are blaming him for absolutely everything, most of what isn't his fault

Do people really think he wanted to sign Ward and Bridcutt after the window closed or sell our best and most creative player without proper replacements coming in

The board need to act now and probably get rid given how toxic our fickle fans have become

It's starting to remind me of the Ince and Grayson witch hunt now

Even if the board do act and who really knows what they are thinking, doesn't appear to be much thought going on, our recent manager recruitment history has been shite so there is no guarantee things would improve

I hope if they do pull the plug they would have used the last few weeks to have a man ready to come in, although I very much doubt that either

What a mess

Surely Sir Simon the savior and bullshit Ben need to have a long hard look at themselves for the cluster fcuk they have precided over

Anybody else for another EG bollux interview with the bored I mean board ........
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Phil you backed a donkey, time to admit it.
 
What is the membership on this site 3000 ? It is said the majority on here want the manager to go. Do they want a manager who can solve injuries and get players fit within 7 days ? Or a manager who can sign players who dont get injured ! People need to look at the reality of this
situation, smell the coffee and get real. I believe the board are bringing in the right people and this will coninue in January. In any business things never stay as they are, you either go backwards or forwards. If you are presented with a situation in business you deal with it and hope everything works out, Thats what the board are doing. Not enough respect is shown to the players or the Board. IMO.
 
FLATBACKFOR said:
What is the membership on this site 3000 ? It is said the majority on here want the manager to go. Do they want a manager who can solve injuries and get players fit within 7 days ? Or a manager who can sign players who dont get injured ! People need to look at the reality of this
situation, smell the coffee and get real. I believe the board are bringing in the right people and this will coninue in January. In any business things never stay as they are, you either go backwards or forwards. If you are presented with a situation in business you deal with it and hope everything works out, Thats what the board are doing. Not enough respect is shown to the players or the Board. IMO.
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Was hoping for a bit more than sticking a finger in the air and hoping tbh. The board and players will get judged on results, nothing else.
 
FLATBACKFOR said:
I believe the board are bringing in the right people and this will coninue in January. In any business things never stay as they are, you either go backwards or forwards. If you are presented with a situation in business you deal with it and hope everything works out, Thats what the board are doing.
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Well the board appointed Michael Appleton so this one is on them 👍🏼

Pretty tight knowing the feeling on his appointment and then not backing him properly.
 
HighfieldSeasider said:
I don't know whether I've said it on here but I've told friends and family about my little conspiracy theory I've had since the moment Appleton was appointed.

All the noise after Critchley left was about a certain type of manager, someone who the fans could have a bond with, keep that positivity and connection. Then the club appoint the one guy the fans were pretty much unanimous they didn't want, it went against everything that Ben Mansford said in his post Critchley interview. Something just didn't sit right, I said at the time it felt like an 'old boys club' appointment due to his relationship with Mansford.

The injury situation has been a disaster, but as people have said, part of that is due to giving injury prone players contracts, then using our 'stringent medical process' as an excuse when we missed out in transfer targets.

So my conspiracy theory from day one has been Appleton was given the job with the remit of simply keeping us in the division for the next few seasons. The amount of investment off the pitch in the training ground and East stand development meant the finance needed for improvement on the pitch simply wasn't there.
So let's appointment someone who if he keeps us up the fans will see it as a success and if things go wrong he will be the scapegoat, which will deflect the blame away from the club.
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Agree that Appleton's remit is to keep us, up, at the start of the season many were saying they would take 20th,what are we 1 point off?
Would happily have Dobbie promoted from within when timing is right, if the board feel he is up to it. That time is not now though, let him work with the youth and see their strengths and weaknesses.
So happy for Appleton to hold things together till then.
 
SEASIDE2020 said:
Absolutely.

Not even keep him on the payroll, whatever he's entitled to contractually, probably 6-12 months ????? Offer him a percentage of what he's due and when the alternative is staying where you are not wanted for 100% he'll soon sign on the dotted line.

For the benefit of the tape, I am not suggesting that we should sack Appleton, I am just saying that compensation will not be a big issue.
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I think the deal is that they carry on paying him until he gets another job … then they pay him a year’s salary
 
tangysider said:
Agree that Appleton's remit is to keep us, up, at the start of the season many were saying they would take 20th,what are we 1 point off?
Would happily have Dobbie promoted from within when timing is right, if the board feel he is up to it. That time is not now though, let him work with the youth and see their strengths and weaknesses.
So happy for Appleton to hold things together till then.Ge’s not
FLATBACKFOR said:
What is the membership on this site 3000 ? It is said the majority on here want the manager to go. Do they want a manager who can solve injuries and get players fit within 7 days ? Or a manager who can sign players who dont get injured ! People need to look at the reality of this
situation, smell the coffee and get real. I believe the board are bringing in the right people and this will coninue in January. In any business things never stay as they are, you either go backwards or forwards. If you are presented with a situation in business you deal with it and hope everything works out, Thats what the board are doing. Not enough respect is shown to the players or the Board. IMO.
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No they want a manager who isn’t a clueless knob though
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we_need_a_bob_hatton said:
Do you sack Appleton..pay him his compo and bring someone in who can give us a chance of staying in the Championship...or stick with him ...let him take us down to the 1st Division and then sack him and still pay the compo....its one or the other imo
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Well they saw him as a long term project just as they did with Critchley by giving him a four year contract which I find strange because so far in his career Appleton has been one of those here today gone tomorrow managers that always seem to get work somewhere without being really effective
 
TangerineandWhitePod said:
You have to ask yourself why virtually none of the squad get on with him though. You’ll struggle to find any of the senior players who want him here. They hate the training, they don’t like his approach and you have to ask yourself why he’s not playing our best goalkeeper. The answer is that it’s because he dared to ask why and he’s been completely ostracised ever since.
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So you have inside knowledge that the squad hate both him and his training methods?
If so why was, Kenny saying it is great that the manager has confidence in me. He could easily have said nothing.
Grimshaw is not ostracised he is on bench in preference to Moore to be called upon if needed.
 
TangerineandWhitePod said:
You have to ask yourself why virtually none of the squad get on with him though. You’ll struggle to find any of the senior players who want him here. They hate the training, they don’t like his approach and you have to ask yourself why he’s not playing our best goalkeeper. The answer is that it’s because he dared to ask why and he’s been completely ostracised ever since.
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Horse shite ...
 
SEASIDE2020 said:
I wish I'd read your post before spouting my chite Wiz.

I can't pretend I've seen too much of the Mighty of late but I'm thinking if I was more qualified to post, I'd be saying very much the same as what you have done.

I am always concerned about changing a manager because the manager may not be the problem but I know you don't do fickle "sack the manager" shouts after every poor result so I'm happy to go with your opinion that we should be considering a change - apologies if I've misinterpreted your post.
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Not chite at all. I think we're at a bit of a crossroads. A decision needs to be made now. If that's to retain him, then he really has to be given the budget for us to get the players in who will make a real difference enough to get us safe.
 
FLATBACKFOR said:
What is the membership on this site 3000 ? It is said the majority on here want the manager to go. Do they want a manager who can solve injuries and get players fit within 7 days ? Or a manager who can sign players who dont get injured ! People need to look at the reality of this
situation, smell the coffee and get real. I believe the board are bringing in the right people and this will coninue in January. In any business things never stay as they are, you either go backwards or forwards. If you are presented with a situation in business you deal with it and hope everything works out, Thats what the board are doing. Not enough respect is shown to the players or the Board. IMO.
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You do wonder if some of those injured would miraculously be fit for a new manager. It happens all the time.
 
It’s quite simple, if Simon and the board want to avoid relegation, they need to make a decision, pretty quickly. They will have to consider whether they can stay up with Appleton, if not they need to decide who they can realistically appoint to a relegation threatened club, who might do a better job.

Big decision with possibly big financial implications.
 
We are heading towards bottom of the table. Unfortunately for Appleton, he is the only one accountable. He should never have been appointed in the first place.
 
A_Tense_Grin said:
We are heading towards bottom of the table. Unfortunately for Appleton, he is the only one accountable. He should never have been appointed in the first place.
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That doesn't make sense you say he is the only one accountable but also that he shouldn't have been appointed

Surely the one accountable should be the bloke who appointed him mate
 
TangerineandWhitePod said:
I think the deal is that they carry on paying him until he gets another job … then they pay him a year’s salary
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There could be anything in any contract.

If they can't agree a settlement, I guess they should carry on paying him but I would be surprised if they couldn't agree on a settlement figure.

Although everybody goes on about how he has a 4 year contract, I'd imagine that the club could terminate his contract with pre agreed compensation based on his performance.

Forgetting all the exact in and outs, I am sure that compensation will not play a big part in the decision on whether to sack Appleton or not.
 
Philbfctrois said:
That doesn't make sense you say he is the only one accountable but also that he shouldn't have been appointed

Surely the one accountable should be the bloke who appointed him mate
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They should be but a manager is always the one who is judged before anyone else. In some ways I feel sorry for Appleton as he could be getting slated for stuff out of his control. I can only judge what happens on the pitch and I can’t buy into what he is doing with the front three.
 
SEASIDE2020 said:
Absolutely.

Not even keep him on the payroll, whatever he's entitled to contractually, probably 6-12 months ????? Offer him a percentage of what he's due and when the alternative is staying where you are not wanted for 100% he'll soon sign on the dotted line.

For the benefit of the tape, I am not suggesting that we should sack Appleton, I am just saying that compensation will not be a big issue.
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Crafters has previously said that he understands that although he has a 4 year contract, the Board are not contractually committed to paying that term.
 
hertfordseasider said:
Plus we had Keogh too who was a massive prescence in the team and squad. A load of his signings have been sold or loaned out and if Kirk was the answer then god help us!

We were showing signs of what was going to happen in the last quarter of last season, we needed a good transfer window and we had one of the worst. We have some good league 1 players, we don't have many Championship standard players and this ideology of getting young players in and fine tuning them to greatness is such a risky strategy, we need some experience and some quality and we need to be able to pay them a Championship wage. If not then let's play around in league 1 if that's what everyone wants?
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I'm thinking it's maybe a bit too easy to look at positives from last season and say we had Bowyer and we had Keogh.

I'm not saying we don't miss either but it's hardly a month since Jerry was banging them in and folk were saying we shouldn't take £10m for him and he was sat on the bench for long periods last season.
 
Bend it like Suddick said:
Crafters has previously said that he understands that although he has a 4 year contract, the Board are not contractually committed to paying that term.
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Yes Bendit, I'm not pretending to have any knowledge of Appleton's contract but I'm thinking our board would have had the strength in the bargaining process and I'd imagine the 4 year contract was more to protect the club if he was successful than to protect Appleton should he fail.
 
hertfordseasider said:
Apparently Mansford didn't want MA, it was Sadler who wanted him.

I think the rest of it, the keeping us in the league, spend the money on the TG and stand has nothing to do with i. It was just a really bad decision and he totally ignored what the supporters were saying and the advice he was getting. Rosenior would have fit with what they said they were looking to achieve, MA didn't in any way whatsoever.
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How do you know that?
 
CAGU said:
It all happened too late with Critchley leaving at a very bad time. We were too late in the transfer market and wasted valuable time pursuing the Oxford guy, Ellis and others. A lot of fans including myself were prepared to give Appleton a chance, and to be fair it was going ok when we had just beaten Coventry and a lot of opposing managers were saying what a hard team we were to beat. It’s been all downhill since then what with injuries to key players and defeat after defeat. What is worrying is his demeanour on the touch line. Was he the same when Lincoln were doing well, I don’t know?
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I did a thread with what Lincoln fans said on our twitter thread after the Wigan defeat and the similarities were quite telling.

Some also said their home form was abysmal, lots of injuries and no plan b, plus the lack of anything from the sidelines.

Infact it's here, some did have good things to say whenwe recruited him initially, from Lincoln and Oxford fans. But obviously the below thread attracted his critics.

Lincoln fans comments on Appleton

Was just reading our twitter threads after the last game and came across these. For balance there were many good comments when we got him as manager. I think we dismissed most the negative ones as bitter initially when he signed... However, here we are.
avftt.co.uk
 
TheRealKingKenny said:
Critchley 20/21 worked with Dougall, Embleton, Virtue, Stewart, Ward, Robson.

Appleton has worked with Charlie Patino, Fiorini, Dougall, Stewart, Bridcutt, Carey, Stewart, Virtue, Wright, Ward and Connolly can fill in there.

Four of those are Appleton signings.

We’re probably going to have to disagree on this but I don’t think blaming Sadler is fair in this instance.
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That's a very unfair post wrt signings.

5/6 Nc's were perms.

Out the 4 MA's 2 are loans and 2 signed out of desperation. Not a cat in hell's the 2ooc's sign had we done the stuff in summer.
 
Wizaard said:
You do wonder if some of those injured would miraculously be fit for a new manager. It happens all the time.
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Yep, it really makes you think that doesn't it. Just had a four week break and you'd hope some would be ready to return. But hey, Christmas is just around the corner, I'll be injured for another three weeks.
 
I can’t really be bothered reading the whole thread. But I have an idea!

I think we should all refuse to renew our season tickets.

Not sure what that’ll achieve. But at least we’ll be doing something besides complaining and arguing with each other.
 
SEASIDE2020 said:
Yes Bendit, I'm not pretending to have any knowledge of Appleton's contract but I'm thinking our board would have had the strength in the bargaining process and I'd imagine the 4 year contract was more to protect the club if he was successful than to protect Appleton should he fail.
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Absolutely Seaside, that's how I understood it to be.
 
SEASIDE2020 said:
There could be anything in any contract.

If they can't agree a settlement, I guess they should carry on paying him but I would be surprised if they couldn't agree on a settlement figure.

Although everybody goes on about how he has a 4 year contract, I'd imagine that the club could terminate his contract with pre agreed compensation based on his performance.

Forgetting all the exact in and outs, I am sure that compensation will not play a big part in the decision on whether to sack Appleton or not.
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This is what I posted on another thread earlier today and is how the get-out-of-jail part of a long contract works.

"The cost of relegation far outweighs the cost of sacking him, which costs a fraction of what most people think.
Firstly he Is still on the payroll after he gets sacked until he gets another job or until the agreed termination payment clause period in his contract is reached.
So, in fact, it's quite cheap to relieve him of his duties compared to losing the extra millions we would lose by dropping out of the championship into the league below."
 
Lytham_fy8 said:
That's the main bone of contention for me, everyone knew he was going and there was no plan to replace him.
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Poveda was that cover, hasnt done much so far but looks tricky.

The main issue was with the Critchley money and Bowler cash we could have funded 4 or 5 quality replacements, maybe in other areas, but improving the team overall, we didn't really.
 
Philbfctrois said:
Horse shite ...
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I was out in PLF last night. Madine was in Marvin's. I went for a piss and he was in the toilet telling a lad that he's leaving at the end of the season. When the lad asked why, his response was 'just bored'. When asked if it was down to the manager, he replied 'yes'.

I'm not convinced that the players are on board with MA. This incident last night being a pretty strong indicator of that.
 
FY5_Seasider said:
I was out in PLF last night. Madine was in Marvin's. I went for a piss and he was in the toilet telling a lad that he's leaving at the end of the season. When the lad asked why, his response was 'just bored'. When asked if it was down to the manager, he replied 'yes'.

I'm not convinced that the players are on board with MA. This incident last night being a pretty strong indicator of that.
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Less on board more on bored then? 😉
 
Old_Laytonian said:
I hate to say it but Preston have recruited far better than us and therein lies the problem.
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Don’t think it’s that they’ve recruited better, their side on Saturday contained Ched Evans, Brad Potts, Daniel Johnson and Ben Woodburn at the end of the day? None of which are world beaters. Think it’s more the fact(unfortunately) that they’ve got a coach who, like we had last season, has managed to make the team greater than the sum of the parts through a lot of tactical nous.
 
FY5_Seasider said:
I was out in PLF last night. Madine was in Marvin's. I went for a piss and he was in the toilet telling a lad that he's leaving at the end of the season. When the lad asked why, his response was 'just bored'. When asked if it was down to the manager, he replied 'yes'.

I'm not convinced that the players are on board with MA. This incident last night being a pretty strong indicator of that.
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Well, he was on record as saying Critchley taught him so much about football.
 
Philbfctrois said:
With our fickle fanbase did he?

Let's be honest it was a bizarre appointment given his last spell with us and the negative vibes around the man

I don't blame him at all for taking the job, however the transfer window or lack of transfers in the window more like has completely hamstrung his plans

The injury record has been shite granted, but that's just unlucky

People are blaming him for absolutely everything, most of what isn't his fault

Do people really think he wanted to sign Ward and Bridcutt after the window closed or sell our best and most creative player without proper replacements coming in

The board need to act now and probably get rid given how toxic our fickle fans have become

It's starting to remind me of the Ince and Grayson witch hunt now

Even if the board do act and who really knows what they are thinking, doesn't appear to be much thought going on, our recent manager recruitment history has been shite so there is no guarantee things would improve

I hope if they do pull the plug they would have used the last few weeks to have a man ready to come in, although I very much doubt that either

What a mess

Surely Sir Simon the savior and bullshit Ben need to have a long hard look at themselves for the cluster fcuk they have precided over

Anybody else for another EG bollux interview with the bored I mean board ........
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I think Appleton would have done well if he’d had been backed properly, as I think he’s s decent manager. He’s been made a fall guy for sure, but he’s done himself no favours. The mannequin touch-line style hasn’t enamoured fans along with his miserable can’t be arsed attitude.
If managed properly by the board, this should have been a positive, decent and progressive appointment. However, it’s turned into a shit show with his job becoming untenable.
Some are berating the fans for giving up - Appleton looks like he has already!
 
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