Cod Almighty | Diary

Back to the Future

30 October 2023

Miss Guest Diary writes: Shocked. Saddened. Apprehensive. Those were my overwhelming feelings on Saturday night with the news of Paul Hurst's sacking.

Shocked because, despite the run of poor results, I had thought that our current owners would be more patient. The owners' past endorsements of Hurst's capabilities and their faith in him had led me to believe they would give him more time to turn things around. What I had overlooked is that, despite being genuine Town fans who have the interests of the club and the local community at heart, they are also successful businessmen whose focus will be on the bottom line. And Town's bottom line at the moment is getting lower with every game.

Chairman Wow explained in his post-match interview with John Tondeur that, despite looking like a Fenty tantrum, sacking the management team immediately after the final whistle of the defeat at Doncaster was not a snap decision but the culmination of six weeks of scrutinising the data. Their conclusions were that "there is quality in the team but something is not quite working" so something needs to change. In football that is always going to be the manager.

I was saddened because both Hurst and Doig seem like such hard-working, genuine chaps doing their best for the club. In the previous two seasons they gave us some of the best experiences we will ever have watching Town so I felt they deserved a bit more leeway before being told to go. Also sad for the players – all but two of whom have been recruited by Hurst. What will their fates be under a new management regime?

Apprehensive because, at my age, all change feels a bit scary. But mostly because I'm looking back over the horror shows we've endured in the last few decades: Lennie Lawrence, Mike Newell, Nicky Law, Ian Holloway, Brian Laws to name the worst offenders.

I'd like to think that our new owners would eschew the high profile likes of Joey Barton or Mark Hughes – names I have already seen bandied about on Twitter – in favour of someone in the Hurst mould but with a little bit more oomph, but sometimes beggars can't be choosers. In the meantime, while the search for a "head coach" - is that a new role or just a new way of saying manager? - is going on, Ben Davies and Shaun Pearson will be in interim charge.

With a couple of days to reflect I feel a little bit of anticipation creeping in. Town do undoubtedly have some good players in the squad and maybe there is a manager out there who can provide the formation and tactics to bring out the best in them. At the very least a new manager will shut up the moaners for a game or two – until they take against him – and the atmosphere at games will improve.

Then we just need to find a drummer who plays more than the two generic chants you hear everywhere – and eject the idiots who thought it clever to sing about the Yorkshire Ripper at Donny – and I can get back to enjoying going to the football.

UTM