The 3 groups of supporters

[Richinns]

There has been much disagreement between fans about the job Alan Knill is currently undertaking at the club and for me there is a definitive reason for this. I think there are 3 different groups of supporters and the perspective of where we currently are, and what has led us to be here, depends very much on where their loyalty lies.

The first group are Knill fans who believe he did a good job at the tail end of last season and that he has a better squad here than we started last year with. They believe we have had a lot of bad luck and early problems with the squad being able to gel together. They also believe a corner will be turned and we will be fine this year once it does.

The second group are fans of Ling and believe he was harshly dealt with by the club. They also believe Knill is doing a poor job compared to what Ling provided and that Knill’s management skills, recruitment judgments and tactics leave a lot to be desired.

Finally the third group I like to think of as ‘The Turncoat Fans.’ These individuals were ranting about Ling and demanding he be replaced and Knill was the way forward and then a few games into the season have changed their minds to stating Knill is a dogsh1te manager and with him in charge we are nailed on for relegation.

Personally I fall into the first group, but I respect the viewpoints of fans from both group 1 and 2. The group 3 brigade (for me) are the poison of the football club and do nothing but damage.

[Scott Brehaut]

Group two for me then

[supergulls]

I'm with you Scott in group 2

[royalgull]

I'm in Group 4 where I didn't think either one was the answer in the first place and would rather we went down the route of giving a young manager a chance rather than a proven loser.

[Jerry]

Count me in for group 2 as well.

[PhilGull]

I'm in Group 4 where I didn't think either one was the answer in the first place and would rather we went down the route of giving a young manager a chance rather than a proven loser.

Thing I would be in that group too, I can't remember the last time we had a manager poached by a bigger team higher up the ladder (I'm not counting Buckle!)
Would be great to see an ex-gull manager turn up in the Premier League (assuming he wasn't quite good enough to take us there!)

[ferrarilover]

It's odd. You couldn't move on this forum not 4 months ago for people who thought Ling was the devil incarnate. Today, we're all 'group two-ers'. I think we've got an awful lot of group three-ers here who will fail to reply to this thread.

Matt.

[Jerry]

It's odd. You couldn't move on this forum not 4 months ago for people who thought Ling was the devil incarnate. Today, we're all 'group two-ers'. I think we've got an awful lot of group three-ers here who will fail to reply to this thread.

Matt.

I lost count of the hours I spent on here (when I should have been working, a bit like now! :Oops: ) trying to convince people (mostly Forevertufc if I recall correctly ) that we were in a comfortable upper mid-table position before Ling went sick.

I should clarify my "group 2" position in that I'm not as anti-Knill as Rich's description. He's been desperately unlucky and (as Matt regularly struggles to point out) many of the performances show we should be should be well clear of any relegation fight this season.

[Scott Brehaut]

It's odd. You couldn't move on this forum not 4 months ago for people who thought Ling was the devil incarnate. Today, we're all 'group two-ers'. I think we've got an awful lot of group three-ers here who will fail to reply to this thread.

Matt.

There's only three on this thread that have stated they are in group 2. If you can be bothered to go back through my threads you will see that I have constantly backed Ling (even when others were telling me I was stupid to do so), and been vocal in my disagreement of the appointment of Knill.
Hence my "group 2" allegiance.

[gullintwoplaces]

There are fans like me who are in Group One, but getting concerned about when results will turn around! I think it is too soon to panic, and just daft to claim that Knill is a poor manager, but there are some clear problems (poor form of some key players etc.) that really can't be attributed to injury. I said on here at the end of last season that I felt it was time for Martin Ling to go, and I don't think that he could have come back and succeeded after everything that happened last season. I felt that the Board were right to appoint Alan Knill, and I am not going to be a hypocrite and put him down now. I hope that a corner will be turned soon in terms of results, but I am a bit less optimistic than I was in August. I also feel that the idiots (particularly in Bristows Bench) who are giving Alan Knill a hard time now should wind their necks in.

[stefano]

Group 5: The 'I haven't got a clue who could do the job with no money other than Tisdale and he already has a job' Group!

[Southampton Gull]

I'm in Group 4 where I didn't think either one was the answer in the first place and would rather we went down the route of giving a young manager a chance rather than a proven loser.

I really don't know how you can call Ling a proven loser. He has one blight on his copybook, that of Cambridge where NOBODY has actually been successful in getting them back to League 2. Anyone who can get Orient to League 1 and keep them there is obviously doing something right. A look at his signings also shows he has an eye for talent. With budget constraints there will always be the exception to the rule but the players he signed were significantly better than anything Knill has brought in. The way it ended for him was harsh and I won't be laying any blame at his door for where we finished last season, that lies firmly with Bonnie and Clyde, Baker and Phillips.

Personally I think Ling was harshly treated, but once the decision was made to replace him with Knill then he has my total support until he is relieved of his position.

So, make mine Group 5.

[Southampton Gull]

Bugger off Stefano, you're group 6 and you know it

[ferrarilover]

There's only three on this thread that have stated they are in group 2. If you can be bothered to go back through my threads you will see that I have constantly backed Ling (even when others were telling me I was stupid to do so), and been vocal in my disagreement of the appointment of Knill.
Hence my "group 2" allegiance.

I chose my words carefully and you STILL didn't get it. Honestly, all I do is try to do my best by you and you some and it gets thrown back in my face. I want a divorce!

Matt.

"... who will fail to post on this thread. "

[stefano]

Bugger off Stefano, you're group 6 and you know it

.... and there was me thinking you'd joined my gang! Ok Group 6 is fine for me