Cod Almighty | Diary

Has Fenty accepted the blame for Slade?

18 February 2020

Perhaps the most surprising news within the football world in the last 24 hours is that Russell Slade has once again found employment within football. The fact that Stevenage FC are the club and he has been brought in as a management consultant was a source of both delight and mirth for Casual Diary. Mirth that there is someone still believes that he has some insight to offer. Delight that it's Stevenage that believe this.

The extinction of any legitimate club is no cause for celebration, however clueless their fans may be; and let's be honest, with possibly the exception of Cheltenham, they don't come more clueless than Stevenage. It is still their club and they feel as we do about Town. Relegation to a division more in keeping with their history is by contrast to be welcomed. Hopefully a spell back where they spent much of their existence will bring them some humility.

Realistically, we ought to put Slade behind us. I don't wish him ill-luck, but I simply cannot fathom how he is continually able to gain a role on the managerial merry-go-round. I once stated only John Fenty and Grimsby Town would offer him a job; clearly I was wrong.

Slade's time at Town contrasts to the current situation at Town. Without blowing smoke up anyone's arse, the buzz that Ian Holloway has brought not just to the club but to the area in general is fantastic. After the win over Morecambe on Saturday, Radio Humberside received a tweet which asked when Fenty will get credit for appointing Holloway and turning the club around. From me he won't.

Make no mistake, I'm loving current events. I'm loving the away day wins. I'm loving the fact that Holloway seems a switched on bloke, with his quotes about arrogance and expectations. Above all, I'm loving the football Hollway has us playing and the signings he has made.

One of the consequences of Charlie's wonder strike at Colchester last week was the first goal went largely ignored. The video available on Twitter is priceless. It shows the move from beginning to end: all 18 passes of it culminating in a great strike to score from distance. What makes it even better is that it is accompanied by the commentator and his summariser discussing throughout the whole of the move how you can't pass your way out of the fourth flight.

Holloway, unlike Slade, doesn't believe that. And the performance of his "Frenchman", Elliot Grandin, on Saturday would suggest he has bought another quality player. The composure, time on the ball and range of pass were all things you'd never see under our Russell.

So why not give Fenty credit? 'Why be so churlish?' his apologists will ask. My answer is simple. The fact he finally got one right doesn't erase 15 years of failure. It doesn't erase losing to Salisbury or Braintree. It doesn't erase his disdain for the fan base or his dismissal of our raising £100k in six weeks. It doesn't erase the shocking behaviour of him and his board at the fans forum. It doesn't erase that he nearly took us back to the Conference for a second time.

Fenty will bask in the reflected glory like the narcissist he is. He will smile broadly as the sycophants surround him slap his back for 'saving the club', but he'll get nothing from me. When someone abuses you over a long period of time, the fact they stop is no cause to forgive, thank, or congratulate them.

UTM. See you at Swindon.