Cod Almighty | Diary

Fenty's staggering lack of self-awareness

29 April 2019

Trentside Diary writes: If we believe the climate change deniers, we must have gone through some kind of portal on Saturday because it was definitely more February than late April. A dead rubber at the end of a nothing season and there were still over 1,200 Town fans up for an away day in Nottingham. For those 1,200 there was little in the way of joy. We weren’t very lively in the first half and the greatest excitement around me was Scunny going 3-0 down at home in the first 15 minutes.

County started the day bottom but we weren't much of a challenge for them. Forget all the "they're a proper club" stuff. They're my closest team and I'd like them to stay up but I would have liked Town picking up three points more. I didn't want us to be handing them even the flimsiest of lifelines.

The second half was brightened by the introduction of youngsters Max Wright and Rumarn Burrell. Both looked lively and up for it. Let’s hope they fulfil this early promise in years to come. A young inexperienced team with an average age under 24 on Saturday and a manager who is learning his trade. Let’s value them and look to the future.

Much has been written about the progress of other clubs off the pitch when compared to ours. Like it or not, a set-up that comes across as professional and going places is more likely to attract players and Mr Jolley starts with at least one hand tied behind his back because we really are not an aspirational club. If the rumours of players in the bag already are true, respect to him; it can only be what he is saying that is attracting them.

We keep hearing rumours of interested parties taking over (and fans putting them off) but once you become the toy of someone who fancies owning a club, or some business person who thinks it brings prestige, you are always going to be at the mercy of their whim, mood or poor decisions. Actually, isn't that where we are now? To be honest, I just want the current board gone and some fresh impetus at the club. I’d always be nervous of their motives, unless they are some super-rich season ticket holder who has followed Town since they were in short pants or an organised group of fans who lead a buy-out. But however it comes, we need change and new ideas.

We need progress on a ground, whether to relocate to Freeman Street or refurbish Blundell Park. We need an ambitious budget for the manager to bring in a couple of decent players, not least a goal poacher, to play alongside and mentor the youngsters.

The lack of self-awareness in the backrooms of Blundell Park is staggering. In 2010 when we were relegated it wasn’t Fenty’s fault: "There's no way we're down and out. We’ll be giving it a crack next season." Contrast that with the current Notts County chair. He's down, he’s out and the sale of the club should be completed in the coming month but he is far more contrite. ”Of course, I’d hoped by this point in my stewardship we’d find ourselves in a very different position, and while I take great pride in a lot of what we have achieved since my arrival in January 2017, the responsibility ultimately sits with me."

If only Fenty had gone in 2010. UTM!