Frank Sibley anyone still makes me break out in a nervous sweat thinking about him in charge
1 Like
90 minutes? Youāve forgotten he had to run the gauntlet after 45 minutes as well. 
1 Like
I did say WELL before the 90 mins 
Fair enough, youāve got me there. 
1 Like
Loved - Sir Ray; DDosh or Deano
Hated - SOD football was gash and DCs turned out to be a massive twonk. Dutton was really bad tho. But i guess thats still fresh.
Donāt know about hate, but the damage done by SOD in such a short space of time was criminal, alongside his attitude of āwell Iām doing you a favour even been hereā . No mate you just caused a lot of issues and stunted our form in such vital time.
5 Likes
Loved - Buckley.
Contempt for - SOD. Allegedly a massive black mark against ROK as well for this absolutely disastrous appointment.
Most loved: Sir Ray
Least liked: Hutchings
Best: Sir Ray
Worst: Merson
Loved Ray end of discussion
Disliked ā¦. Dutton, more so that Clarke
Couldnāt see how poor he was !
Loved - not my time, but Graydon
Disliked - SOD (was at the club, but mentally never)
Most loved Sir Ray and Bill Moore
Most hated SoD.
Re the worst statistically Broadhurst and Sibley but only short tenure. Interesting that win % wise Dean is below Merson and Clarke.
It is actually very close for me between Nicholl and Graydon. Hibbitt actually did an alright job in the circumstances really and had assembled a good squad for the 94/95 season. Nicholl came in and turned that squad into winners. It was beginning to feel like we would be stuck in the 4th division forever. That night at Bury will live in the memory forever without a doubt. As mentioned above several times, his press interviews were comedy gold at times. He never really seemed to be in love with football though for whatever reason. He took us over as a mid-table 4th division side and left us as a solid 3rd division side, you canāt argue with that. He also came back several times to help the club out I believe.
I think Graydon has to edge it though. The 98/99 season will probably always be my favourite of all time. A team that looked better on the pitch than it did on paper. Not even the most optimistic Walsall fan could have predicted the outcome of that season. (Although my Dad did have Ā£20 on us to get promoted, we spent that money well) Not just the fact we got promoted. It has been mentioned above also, the way he did it. The whole feeling around the club, one of very few times everyone seemed to be pulling in the same direction. The respect the club got for the way he got his players to conduct themselves. A team that was never beaten until the final whistle blew. He wasnāt one for over acknowledging the fans, he was always totally focused on the job in hand. Like when we beat Stoke in the play off semi finals and he refused to let them come back out and celebrate because in his words āwe havenāt achieved anything yetā At the Millenium Stadium he got hold of that trophy and pointed it at the fans āThatās for youā Brilliant stuff.
The game we got relegated at Ipswich, we came very close to what would have been a bigger miracle than the promotion the previous season in my opinion. How many managers get a standing ovation after getting relegated? āStick with us, we shall come againā and we did ! It was a great time in my life, in my early to mid-20s, every week following the lads with my Dad, and we had a team we could be proud of.
Iām not sure I hate any manager, we all know the ones who failed. Most of them were working with one hand tied behind their backs from the off and were probably not being paid a lot. If I had to choose one it would probably be OāDriscoll, he ruined something really good in a short space of time.
12 Likes
Interesting looking at this thread (given how bad this match is going).
All the bile Whitney got and heās barely been mentioned in worst/hated managers section.
Could how the last few years have gone soften views of many? Someone who gave a lot to club (and also picked it up in 15/16 at crucial time) although ultimately overpromoted and out of his depth at key times in his managerial spell.
To date only manager Iāve heard who fans have been shouting to be sacked when 3-0 up in an away game (Doncaster in October 2017) as thatās the odd sort of match going experience thing that sticks in your mind years later.
1 Like
Maybe the tactical ineptitude of the Barnsley away playoff might have contributed to this. It was like watching a Pro manager against somebody who was great Iād on Championship Manager.
Yes he got that and Sheffield United away massively wrong in the run in, been debated to death on here. Still there were some good wins and performances in his tenure, even so in the weeks before he got sacked.
1 Like
But I still have nightmares on the Barnsley game. Even though weād have finished bottom of the championship if promoted given the players who were moving on regardless, and Barnsley were outstanding by the end of the season, it was like a waking nightmare watching the game on sky.
Not sure why but I watched highlights of that game a few months back (perhaps on the 5th anniversary) and it was actually pretty even first half, carved them open a few times and Bradshaw missed a sitter at 0-0.
Second half was massively disappointing though and tie was lost right there as you never know going back just 1 down. Whitney probably shouldāve taken Morris off at half time and put Mantom on given away goals didnāt count.
He got it wrong but he was doing his best and that formation had just produced a very strong end to the season scoring plenty of goals.
Ultimately a game that did decide the next 5 years though and not for the better.
2 Likes
Yeah, missed quite a few good chances and even one would have meant a contest in the second leg. Weād destroyed shit teams in the previous games but a good manager would have considered things and worked out that Morris was too lightweight against an exceptionally good side. Glad to see heās got his coaching career going again as he was exceptionally good at that.
We were very unfortunate to get Barnsely, they only got into the play offs on the last game of the season. I think we would have put Scunthorpe for example away without much problem.
Whitney actually rescued our season as it was faltering badly under OāDriscoll, and yes there were a few non show away performances but I think he managed over 2 points per game which is promotion form. The hate towards Whitney was baffling really.
8 Likes
Same as when we got to the Paint trophy final. Bristol City were only ever gonna win. Barnsley were not going to be stopped that year regardless.
Blackpool at home and Crewe awy blew that season for me. I still have nightmares. I hate O Driscoll lol. Never has a bloke turned something sour so fast. The players did not like Whitney but still played for him, which says everything about O Driscoll for me.
1 Like