by hector » 14 Sep 2013, 09:33
That season was our first at the 3rd tier since 1972. We gained promotion - perhaps fortuitously after finishing 7th and sneaking through the play-offs on penalties.
We were woefully under-prepared for that season at that level in a division that contained teams like West Brom, Stoke and Birmingham. John Impey was manager after being groomed for the role by Mike Bateson who was setting in place a template he would unsuccessfully follow for the rest of his tenure - namely, appointing cheap yes-men from within, who were better suited to the local leagues.
Impey had been appointed after joining the club as youth coach during the season before and according to Bateson 'set for big things'. From then on, Dave Smith's (who built the promotion team) days were numbered. The team during 90/91 had got off to an amazing start. By November were something like 10 points clear at the top of the league and it took until a November Friday night for them to lose their first game. Then came a winter collapse which saw Smith go and Impey come into his place.
The dead-cat bounce effect, saw Impey's team sneak a late play-off place.
So for that 91/92 season, with - as mentioned before - the original incarnation of yellow and white stripes and a purple away kit - the team signed players who were not up to and a management team of John Impey and John Turner was more suited to Waldon Athletic than a professional football club in that league. Even Paul Compton came back. And played. Paul Compton playing against the likes of Stoke and Mark Stein. It was a joke.
After that opening win we lost something like ten games on the trot and Impey was sacked after a defeat against Bolton, I think.
Bateson had acted and then did nothing. Wes Saunders was caretaker manager for something like half a season that saw us lose live on TV to Farnborough in the cup, sign Justin Fashanu and Bet Lynch. But somehow we managed to beat West Brom at home but by the time Ivan Golac was appointed as manager, we were as good as already down.
I saw us play Reading at the old Elm Park ground and get stuffed 6-1 but our team was full of kids. Surely Bateson would never make those mistakes again?
Oh, but yes, he appointed Wes Saunders and again, after getting promoted in 2004, our single season in 2004/5 saw us competing against clubs like Sheffield Wednesday with a team woefully under-strength for that division and yet we almost stayed up.
Our two seasons since 1972 at that level have both been characterised by dreadful teams that the following season nearly got relegated from the Football League.
That season was our first at the 3rd tier since 1972. We gained promotion - perhaps fortuitously after finishing 7th and sneaking through the play-offs on penalties.
We were woefully under-prepared for that season at that level in a division that contained teams like West Brom, Stoke and Birmingham. John Impey was manager after being groomed for the role by Mike Bateson who was setting in place a template he would unsuccessfully follow for the rest of his tenure - namely, appointing cheap yes-men from within, who were better suited to the local leagues.
Impey had been appointed after joining the club as youth coach during the season before and according to Bateson 'set for big things'. From then on, Dave Smith's (who built the promotion team) days were numbered. The team during 90/91 had got off to an amazing start. By November were something like 10 points clear at the top of the league and it took until a November Friday night for them to lose their first game. Then came a winter collapse which saw Smith go and Impey come into his place.
The dead-cat bounce effect, saw Impey's team sneak a late play-off place.
So for that 91/92 season, with - as mentioned before - the original incarnation of yellow and white stripes and a purple away kit - the team signed players who were not up to and a management team of John Impey and John Turner was more suited to Waldon Athletic than a professional football club in that league. Even Paul Compton came back. And played. Paul Compton playing against the likes of Stoke and Mark Stein. It was a joke.
After that opening win we lost something like ten games on the trot and Impey was sacked after a defeat against Bolton, I think.
Bateson had acted and then did nothing. Wes Saunders was caretaker manager for something like half a season that saw us lose live on TV to Farnborough in the cup, sign Justin Fashanu and Bet Lynch. But somehow we managed to beat West Brom at home but by the time Ivan Golac was appointed as manager, we were as good as already down.
I saw us play Reading at the old Elm Park ground and get stuffed 6-1 but our team was full of kids. Surely Bateson would never make those mistakes again?
Oh, but yes, he appointed Wes Saunders and again, after getting promoted in 2004, our single season in 2004/5 saw us competing against clubs like Sheffield Wednesday with a team woefully under-strength for that division and yet we almost stayed up.
Our two seasons since 1972 at that level have both been characterised by dreadful teams that the following season nearly got relegated from the Football League.
