Richardson out

[Hound]

Yeah probably about right. He tries his best, does what he’s told, looks in great shape etc. he just isn’t particularly good

[Uke]

The owners are getting it in the neck for recruitment, but a big criticism of Hunt and now Richardson is not improving players and getting the best out of resources.

3 years ago, Azeez looked like a non-league player, Mbengue had no best position, Bindon was an unproven 18 year old. Smith had done well at Cambridge, but his previous seasons were inconsistent. All these players improved massively at the club. Selles had a choice; I think Richardson and Hunt would have tried to milk all they could out of Carroll, Holmes, McIntyre, Guinness-Walker, Dean and Hutchinson. Now obviously the elephant in the room is that Selles would probably have been sacked before he turned it around in normal circumstances, but ultimately he showed the rewards of investing in player development.

Look at some of the situations since he left:

- Should we have seen the potential in Wareham and fought harder to retain him?

- Why has O'Connor fallen so far short of expectations?

- Why did O'Mahony look so poor despite ripping up Brighton's academy and an encouraging loan spell at Portsmouth? Ditto Jacobs having had Championship experience.

- Could Dorsett have improved to a level where he's not the weak link in our defence?

- Should Kyerewaa be showing more consistency and end product by now?

- Should Lane be capable of pushing for a starting XI spot or making an impact off the bench, given his achievements at Portsmouth?

I'm sure there are other examples I'm missing. I feel like everyone wants us to go out and sign the finished product to compete for promotion, which is costly, hard to do and risky (e.g., O'Connor was a "finished product" signing).

The management need to take some blame for the lack of development. Maybe our squad would look better now had we prioritised that in the past 18 months.

Put another way. Name a single player who is better now than when we signed them / when Selles left.

Selles in?

He's between jobs at the moment...

[Hound]

That’s difficult to argue with WYR

Think there must be some blame attached for the repeated injuries we’ve had as well, esp Marriott (run into the ground) and Roberts especially

[Brogue]

That’s difficult to argue with WYR

Think there must be some blame attached for the repeated injuries we’ve had as well, esp Marriott (run into the ground) and Roberts especially

it is difficult to argue with

JP another one, his performances have dropped off a cliff.
Savage looks half the player he used to be

[Forbury Lion]

I heard this on BBC Berks (Maybe Mick Gooding), but agree with it so I'll post it here, not word for word though...

The owners have been talking up a playoff push, they've given the sign it's about now and not about rebuilding but, the playing squad does not have the depth for a promotion push, so if a promotion push is as they have stated the aim it is right and fair that we criticise them for not investing more in the squad.

The manager has been vocal about having to replace Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan but we still need a striker for when Marriot is unavailable (or subbed off) and we still need a wingback, If Savage is off we'll probably need another midfielder too.

The club are setting the manager up to fail if they don't invest in new signings and expect a promotion push, The same thing happened with Noel Hunt, However the criticism from the board (I don't remember this, but BBC Berks said it) was that Noel wasn't vocal enough about what he needed so they could not respond.... well Richardson has been vocal publicly (so I imagine more so behind closed doors), He has experience of winning this league, he is their chosen man, They should listen.

Also Coughig needs to know the fans have realistic expectations, We don't expect record signings or even much cash spent, That isn't what this club is about, but we do need to see some new signings and not just signing youngsters on loan from the Premier League clubs, unless there is a worthwhile option to make it permanent.

[Forbury Lion]

That’s difficult to argue with WYR

Think there must be some blame attached for the repeated injuries we’ve had as well, esp Marriott (run into the ground) and Roberts especially

it is difficult to argue with

JP another one, his performances have dropped off a cliff.
Savage looks half the player he used to be

Has WYR just explained the difference between a Coach and a Manager?

Selles joined us having been a coach responsible for developing players.

Managers think short term, they know they'll likely be sacked before any of the players improve to the level where they can be an asset to them personally, I wonder if Selles now has the manager mindset having been sacked a few times in short succession?

[WestYorksRoyal]

Agree expectations management is key. If the owners say it'll take a few years to build a promotion winning squad and emphasise the importance of player development and using our academy, the fans will understand.

If they say promotion is the goal, fans will rightly expect proven talent to be signed (e.g., players of the season, captains, top scorers at L1 level).

Instead it seems like instant promotion is being expected with a project squad. That's not really fair on the manager.

I think Richardson needs criticism too, as like I said I don't think a single player has really improved or fulfilled their potential under his management (Marriott the obvious exception). But he's also not being set up to succeed. He'll be gone by November.

[Uke]

Also Couhig needs to know the fans have realistic expectations, We don't expect record signings or even much cash spent,

You new here?

[Brogue]

Also Couhig needs to know the fans have realistic expectations, We don't expect record signings or even much cash spent,

You new here?

i've not seen a single fan calling for millions to be spent

[Linden Jones' Tash]

Also Couhig needs to know the fans have realistic expectations, We don't expect record signings or even much cash spent,

You new here?

i've not seen a single fan calling for millions to be spent

By definition, if the Club is to be kept solvent, Millions (Net) will need to be spent by the owners....

They can lose a fortune whilst still being seen as cheapskates...

Games gone....

[Uke]

Also Couhig needs to know the fans have realistic expectations, We don't expect record signings or even much cash spent,

You new here?

i've not seen a single fan calling for millions to be spent

How many signings are they asking for? Cost of staying Cat 1? Add it up...

[Brogue]

You new here?

i've not seen a single fan calling for millions to be spent

How many signings are they asking for? Cost of staying Cat 1? Add it up...

Then we go back to the bit about expectations set by the owners. Don’t constantly go on about promotion then.

These owners are the equivalent of buying a fancy car and not being able to afford the petrol to run it.

I will say again no one is asking for them to pump millions in. I haven’t once said they should. THEY are the ones hyping up promotion. I have been, from day one against these bastards because they are full of shit. Last year it was spectacular transfer windows this year it’s promotion promotion promotion. Some of you lap it up but more are finding out now what I’ve been saying from day one.

Nigel Howe didn’t want them he knew they had oxf*rd all money. He knew they wouldn’t be good for the club.

I mean they had to take a 5 million quid loan with a security on the stadium to do it up. They haven’t got a pot to piss in - but they gaslight the fans talking about promotion.

The guy is Walter Mitty

[Uke]

i've not seen a single fan calling for millions to be spent

How many signings are they asking for? Cost of staying Cat 1? Add it up...

Then we go back to the bit about expectations set by the owners. Don’t constantly go on about promotion then.

These owners are the equivalent of buying a fancy car and not being able to afford the petrol to run it.

I will say again no one is asking for them to pump millions in. I haven’t once said they should. THEY are the ones hyping up promotion. I have been, from day one against these bastards because they are full of shit. Last year it was spectacular transfer windows this year it’s promotion promotion promotion. Some of you lap it up but more are finding out now what I’ve been saying from day one.

Nigel Howe didn’t want them he knew they had oxf*rd all money. He knew they wouldn’t be good for the club.

I mean they had to take a 5 million quid loan with a security on the stadium. They haven’t got a pot to piss in but they gaslight the fans talking about promotion.

The guy is Walter Mitty

Would the fan base settle for owners who say "let's just keep the club alive"? Or would they call that a "lack of ambition"?

Marketing is about selling dreams, pushing for or getting promotion are dreams

Name one set of owners that don't "sell the dream"?

Sometimes dreams come true...

Sometimes dreams are nightmares

[Brogue]

How many signings are they asking for? Cost of staying Cat 1? Add it up...

Then we go back to the bit about expectations set by the owners. Don’t constantly go on about promotion then.

These owners are the equivalent of buying a fancy car and not being able to afford the petrol to run it.

I will say again no one is asking for them to pump millions in. I haven’t once said they should. THEY are the ones hyping up promotion. I have been, from day one against these bastards because they are full of shit. Last year it was spectacular transfer windows this year it’s promotion promotion promotion. Some of you lap it up but more are finding out now what I’ve been saying from day one.

Nigel Howe didn’t want them he knew they had oxf*rd all money. He knew they wouldn’t be good for the club.

I mean they had to take a 5 million quid loan with a security on the stadium. They haven’t got a pot to piss in but they gaslight the fans talking about promotion.

The guy is Walter Mitty

Would the fan base settle for owners who say "let's just keep the club alive"? Or would they call that a "lack of ambition"?

Marketing is about selling dreams, pushing for or getting promotion are dreams

Name one set of owners that don't "sell the dream"?

Sometimes dreams come true...

Sometimes dreams are nightmares

i think fans want realistic expectations and honesty

[Linden Jones' Tash]

Then we go back to the bit about expectations set by the owners. Don’t constantly go on about promotion then.

These owners are the equivalent of buying a fancy car and not being able to afford the petrol to run it.

I will say again no one is asking for them to pump millions in. I haven’t once said they should. THEY are the ones hyping up promotion. I have been, from day one against these bastards because they are full of shit. Last year it was spectacular transfer windows this year it’s promotion promotion promotion. Some of you lap it up but more are finding out now what I’ve been saying from day one.

Nigel Howe didn’t want them he knew they had oxf*rd all money. He knew they wouldn’t be good for the club.

I mean they had to take a 5 million quid loan with a security on the stadium. They haven’t got a pot to piss in but they gaslight the fans talking about promotion.

The guy is Walter Mitty

Would the fan base settle for owners who say "let's just keep the club alive"? Or would they call that a "lack of ambition"?

Marketing is about selling dreams, pushing for or getting promotion are dreams

Name one set of owners that don't "sell the dream"?

Sometimes dreams come true...

Sometimes dreams are nightmares

i think fans want realistic expectations and honesty

I still maintain that a significant segment of the Fan Base live in rose tinted 1990's RFC land and don't fully gasp the fact that "just keeping the Club alive" means pumping in £10M/year....

To minimise that amount, you need to market a chance at promotion otherwise you risk a cycle of despair and that amount grows and grows....

The concensus seemed to be that another Sugar Daddy owner wasn't welcome....

So here we are....

There will be a flip in the nearish future so lets see what comes next...

Be careful what you wish for...

[Brogue]

Would the fan base settle for owners who say "let's just keep the club alive"? Or would they call that a "lack of ambition"?

Marketing is about selling dreams, pushing for or getting promotion are dreams

Name one set of owners that don't "sell the dream"?

Sometimes dreams come true...

Sometimes dreams are nightmares

i think fans want realistic expectations and honesty

I still maintain that a significant segment of the Fan Base live in rose tinted 1990's RFC land and don't fully gasp the fact that "just keeping the Club alive" means pumping in £10M/year....

To minimise that amount, you need to market a chance at promotion otherwise you risk a cycle of despair and that amount grows and grows....

The concensus seemed to be that another Sugar Daddy owner wasn't welcome....

So here we are....

There will be a flip in the nearish future so lets see what comes next...

Be careful what you wish for...

I don’t think anyone would have been disheartened had the owners said ‘look, I’ve taken over a oxf*rd shambles, this is going to be a 5 year project. The squad rebuild is going to take time.’

Literally no one would have complained. We all knew what state we were in. So I’m sorry I am in firm disagreement about over egging the promotion bid just to keep positivity in the fan base. But hey that’s my opinion, and unlike others on here I actually respect that people have different opinions to me, and don’t try and change them.

But yeah if the owners hadn’t been all ‘spectacular’ from the beginning I think they would have garnered a bit more respect from the fanbase and bought them some more time in the popularity stakes for sure.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Honestly, I think the ownership's issue hasn't been the lack of money but a lack of patience. Generally, there are two ways to build a promotion ready team. Let them grow together over several years, have an identity etc., like Lincoln, or outspend the league like Birmingham, Cardiff and Wrexham. Bolton and Stockport have been a mix of both.

Given the state Dai left behind, the first approach was going to take years. And if they had set out a 3-year plan, that would have made sense. But they said last season top 6 was the expectation, they brought in Richardson as a guy who had won promotion and was going to do it for us. Now they expect promotion again. Except the way to shortcut to promotion is to spend big, and they're not doing that.

Signings like Ward, Roberts, Stokes and Lisbie are good, but they're not instant promotion signings like Kasey Palmer is for Luton.

So just accept this club was in a shocking state, it'll take time to rebuild and manage expectations. And I agree it's not the 90s and keeping the club ticking along is £5m+ a season. If they can't afford it, stabilise us and sell on to someone who can. As the blunt reality is, we'll keep on finishing behind teams who have invested more in developing a team over the long term or spending more in the short term. They're trying to thread an impossible needle.

[Hound]

Yeah tbh I just want to enjoy going to matches again. I didn’t enjoy games last year at all, I did enjoy Luton despite the sickener at the end

No real expectation of promotion or play offs but entertaining football and some progression I’d be ok with

[windermereROYAL]

Where`s Ian?

[Brogue]

Yeah tbh I just want to enjoy going to matches again. I didn’t enjoy games last year at all, I did enjoy Luton despite the sickener at the end

No real expectation of promotion or play offs but entertaining football and some progression I’d be ok with

This is it. This is all I want. Win more than you lose. Play good football, give the kids a game or two. And if we end up mid table that’s fine. I just want normal owners who pay the bills and who are not constantly gaslighting fans with unrealistic expectations.

Someone above said they don’t take any notice of what he says? I find that baffling, if you’ve got the owner on the radio every week saying we are going for a promotion push you tend to hold them to that. I’m not unreasonable, I’m not hard to please. I just don’t want to lied to by the owners, is that too much to ask?

Same goes for the stadium revamp. I’m fed up with this hero complex as if he’s doing us a favour. You’re doing it because you want to increase the value of the asset, let’s not beat around the bush. And that’s fine! you’re a businessman, of course you want to increase the value of the assets at the club. But don’t spin it as if you’re doing it for love of the fans. And all the banging on about the pitch? Don’t get me started. Yes yes we know Rob, it’s not just a normal replay of the turf. you’ve had to go right down and replace everything. Well guess what? Part of owning a football club means from time to time (every 7-8 years apparently) you need to do some work on the pitch! It’s happened a few times now with different owners. There wasn’t any fanfare, they just got on with it. It’s part and parcel of being a custodian of a football club. Just shut the fcuk up and be like a normal owner ffs and just do one to two interviews a year. Leave the rest of it to the manager and the occasional sound bite from JJ or someone.

Honestly I wouldn’t care if we stayed in this division for the next 5 years. The away grounds are cool (traditional) we are still playing teams we’ve never played before (Bromley) I’ve never been to stadium MK , which I hope to go this year. We have a chance in the jonstons/ vurtu paint trophy (or what ever it’s called) each year to get to Wembley and win a bit of silverware: The footballs alright ish at this level. That ScL isn’t too packed means I can get a drink and have a fag at half time easier. Parking is easier. Traffic is better. There is a lot to be said for staying in league 1. Just don’t need some brash American twat going on all the time about himself and how amazing he is, and how he saved the club and how we are going to do this that and the other and never go through with it.