Torquay United Fans Forum

And there was me thinking you said you'd read bengull's OP and agreed with it, Andy. Obviously not the lengthy part regarding Martin Ling

If a manager does a fairly decent job then he gets the sack.

Ling did unbelievably well in his first season but failed spectacularly in his second to the point where we looked like we would drop. Regardless of illness, he got the sack.

Knill was just shit so he got the sack.

Hargreaves will get the sack sooner rather than later I presume based on what I've seen.

Managers know what they need to do in order to keep their jobs, do reasonably well or at least show that they have a grasp on reality. It's quite simple. Obviously not every manager of every team in a league can do well thus there will always be teams at the foot of the table therefore the managers of those clubs should be sacked. It's how it is.

If Knill had achieved BELOW our expectations and had us say 4th from bottom for much of the time he would still have been failing but kept his job. As it was he failed badly at a club with exceedingly low expectations.

As is generally the way with the sack. Full stop.

Ah more cherish memories of Ling, he was never going to continue as manager, the end!

Cracking OP. Spot on re Ling, also.

Congratulations on an amazing post, Bengull. I read every every word of it whilst listening to Torquay losing to Southend 1-0 (surprise, surprise) and I agree with all of it. You sum everything up brilliantly and eloquently and well done to all your loyal support. Hopefully with supporters like you means there is still a future for our club.

I am reminded reading your post what a great job Ling did at our club and THAT decision to sack him was the worse and most costly decision this consortium have made and will probably ever make. All has gone downhill from that point and sadly there is no sign things will improve in the foreseeable future. Already it looks a little bleak for next season in the Conference bearing in mind all the "dead wood" that will still be under contract next season. At least Buckle could start afresh when he arrived with only 4 under contract but no such luck for Hargreaves.

AustrianAntheaGull wrote:It was your fart Chris. I think they must have contained nerve gas or some other brain altering chemicals which led to Ben's outpouring of doom! :na:

edited for factuals.

and you dont need any "brain altering chemicals".......

forevertufc wrote:Lol indeed Andy, see the thing is about Chris S-N-W he likes a good curry might explain the nuclear powered farts..

Right on to the thread, Ben me old mate, promise you I've read every word of that, took a while, but got there in the end.. for me the winner of post of all time, summed up perfectly what so many supporters are feeling like at the moment.

you can get ready Mr. Train. =D

Lol indeed Andy, see the thing is about Chris S-N-W he likes a good curry might explain the nuclear powered farts..

Right on to the thread, Ben me old mate, promise you I've read every word of that, took a while, but got there in the end.. for me the winner of post of all time, summed up perfectly what so many supporters are feeling like at the moment.

It was your farts Chris. I think they must have contained nerve gas or some other brain altering chemicals which led to Ben's outpouring of doom! :na:

great OP Ben.

f**king hell though, I didnt realise I had depressed you that much on tuesday night whilst we were all watching that shower of sh*te.

gullintwoplaces wrote: What Lingy had to put up with was a lot more than "verbals". There are a few "fans" in the Bench with much to be ashamed about. I have said before that some "fans" (not many, but they are very obvious and very loud) who clearly go to Plainmoor as part of an anger therapy programme. These lovely folk should know that we can all now look back on Lingy's period in charge as some of the better times at Plainmoor.

And no more than the vitriol that was directed (in more recent times) at Buckle and Knill (yes, bloke with the hair that looks like a badger, I mean you). Its part and parcel of being a manager regardless of the fact that you (or I) may think it wrong. I can pretty much say though, having only missed a handful of matches over the last 8 or 9 years, by far the worst abuse I heard was aimed at Buckle, not Ling.

Sunnysideup wrote: Oh dear. I'm hard pushed to think of a manager since the Webb era who hasnt had verbals from the stand at some time in their tenure (including legends like Cyril, Hodgy, Leroy etc.
If it's gong to affect someone that much, they are in the wrong bloody job.....

What Lingy had to put up with was a lot more than "verbals". There are a few "fans" in the Bench with much to be ashamed about. I have said before that some "fans" (not many, but they are very obvious and very loud) who clearly go to Plainmoor as part of an anger therapy programme. These lovely folk should know that we can all now look back on Lingy's period in charge as some of the better times at Plainmoor.

gullintwoplaces wrote:What you say about Ling is heartfelt and I agree with you. I would add to the list of causes of our woes the wan*ers who helped drive Martin Ling to despair. I particularly remember the idiot on Bristow's Bench who really upset Martin at a game shortly before he went off sick, hope you are proud of yourself you piece of dirt.

Oh dear. I'm hard pushed to think of a manager since the Webb era who hasnt had verbals from the stand at some time in their tenure (including legends like Cyril, Hodgy, Leroy etc.
If it's gong to affect someone that much, they are in the wrong bloody job.....

Bengull

Thanks for a good read, it was painful to work my way through it, not because of the writing style but because of the content, it really felt like reading an obituary.

I've supported TU since the 1950's. My maternal grandfather introduced me and what better person as he had played for Babbacombe which team later merged with Torquay Town to form the United that we follow. So it was in my blood whether I liked it or not.

At my age, I had hopes of seeing out my days watching my club still in the League but what chance of that now? I don't think that there is likely to be a quick fix to the recurrent problems this time and we will languish in the underworld along with all those other ex League sides (14 out of 24 in the Conference premier alone).

In reality, we didn't do too badly in the old days even though to my way of thinking the only time of any consistency was the first O'Farrell era. We seem to have had a precarious existence ever since, lurching from crisis to crisis and, like a cactus, occasionally flowering only to wither away just as quickly. How many times have we been promoted only to fall straight back again (rhetorical one that - don't bother to look it up as it hurts just to think about it).

Mostly now, I'm reminded of Michael Palin's Barstonworth Ripping Yarn, we seem to be becoming a poor copy.

Ah well, I won't stop attending if only because I want to take my grandson along one day soon just as my grandfather did for me all those years ago....
...and there is always the next match!