Chairman finally comments

From the Chronicle. Do not blame the management. The players were at fault.

I didn't see Saturday but I can't say I'm impressed with this.

It could go one or two ways, both with the players feeling hurt and angered:

1. The players will not want to turn out this Sat and there will be a vote of no confidence in the dressing room with what has happened.

or 2. It will fire the players up to do better and still want to perform for Adie and his team of coaches. That would need to be communicated in the press via the captain of the club.

I believe the fans now have a huge part to play on Saturday. Needless to say the more vocal of us will back the players for the 90 minutes, but does this mean we have to back the management or indeed the chairman of the club? After a game which clearly left the young players gutted after the defeat (see pictures) and low on confidence is it really a great move to blame them for it?

This is a time where the club should be pulling together and going in the same direction not pointing fingers! Please see http://www.mtannersports.com/meet-the-mananger-14-part-2/

There has been talk of a split in the club before this season, with the end of Manda's rein and the supporters groups, but now there is potentially a bigger divide with these latest Chronicle reports. The Chairman/managers vs the players with the rest of the board and the fans yet to pick a side. Although after reading the fall out of the Thurrock game the fans are turning rapidly against the management.

Therefore I will be backing the players to do a decent job this Saturday and they have my full trust and support in representing Bath City FC. I certainly do not blame them for this season so far and I believe with a different person in charge we can still have a great season in our 125 celebration season!

He's just white washed over the cracks.

That's a huge vote of confidence from the chair for the management team. I've disliked these well publicised supporters' campaigns at other clubs for the manager to go - blackburn, newcastle etc - and often, given time, the patience by the board is rewarded. We will have to hope that is the case at Twerton, but I'm speaking as one who has a season ticket and will be there on Saturday, having already paid. But those who pay at the gate may question whether it's worth paying out so soon after the cup humiliation, especially as there's no sign that the changes they call for are to be carried out.

I remember the 1st game at TP after the new chair took over - it felt like we were entering a new era, having seen an end to the most divisive time I can remember at the club. Everyone seemed to have a smile on their face and wanted to talk up the positives. It's going to need some excellent performances from the team in the coming weeks to prevent the feeling that the downward spiral is in fact continuing. Let's hope they feel motivated enough to respond to today's article...

Nobody wants change for change's sake but everyone runs out of time eventually. Defeat Saturday must surely put the final nail in.

Several good points made by Mark. I don't think blaming the players is the right thing to do. Saturday will be vital, another defeat and poor performance and things could turn really ugly.

I have since been in contact with a few of the players and their feedback is positive and they are looking forward to Saturday and putting things right. Looking forward to a action packed game now with the crowd getting behind those 11 lads on pitch.

Lets make Twerton Park a loud, positive and enjoyable place to come. You never know how many potential new fans will be coming through the turnstiles this weekend!

With respect, Mark, it's not a few potential new fans the club should be concerned about at present, but the gaps on the terraces previously filled by long term fans who say they've had enough.

I think it is an awful statement and am genuinely surprised at it.

comrade powell wrote:ut those who pay at the gate may question whether it's worth paying out so soon after the cup humiliation, especially as there's no sign that the changes they call for are to be carried out...

I'm a long-term supporter who won't be there on Saturday, for the simple reason that I don't have the faith the management can turn things around, and I can't put myself through another awful afternoon.
And I say 'management' because while I do trust the players to do their best, I believe it's the responsibility of the management to instil confidence and motivation. It's for everyone involved to take some blame for the poor results and performances this season, which is why I am appalled that the Chairman unashamedly blames the players for last sauturday alone!
I'm actually a little shocked by his comments.

Rather than instil confidence in the management, that comment will have the opposite effect.

Not for the 1st time, I'm genuinely concerned that the club do not appear to have any PR expertise at its disposal. If it did, I'm sure we wouldn't be reading some of the things which regularly appear under the club's name in the Chronicle. I've only seen the online version, but I hope it's not splashed across the front page, Rigby style.

I agree with Martin and quite frankly every comment on this thread so far. However when I'm taking my place volunteering to represent the club at 2pm on Sat I'll have my business hat on. That is to represent the club I have loved coming to since I was 12.

Back then it was the tail end of the Bodin era and lots of decent players were leaving; and I'm sure some fans who wanted a successful Bath team. However it was the atmosphere and appearance of Twerton Park (being a big old traditional stadium) that kept me coming back.

Also the fact that we are a non league club and that the players we bring in do care and do take that 5 mins out of their working day to talk to you. Now that means a lot!

So that's why I won't go out and slate the management/chair to people that come through the turnstiles looking for a moan as every person I meet when I'm representing Bath City FC will take something away from meeting me. After the game you'll find me more relaxed and I'll be happy to share my thoughts privately!

There may be the lowest crowd of the season (or for many seasons) this Sat but my appearance and attitude will be nothing short of positive and welcoming. A win and a few may be back, a draw and loss and we might be a step closer to losing a management team, either way there will be change. It's how you adapt and take that change is what matters.

I saw the PR bit when I was posting, don't tempt me to say anything about that! I did just redo my CV last week though if I need to drop it in....

My impression is that since we dropped back down to this division our cup performances especially at home have been woeful. This result is just another in a string of poor Cup performances under this management.

It cannot be the players.

And Paul William's comments appear to be pure blind unquestioning faith in the management team. The board is part of that team because it is they who have imposed the structure on the coaching system. Are they asking themselves whether that structure is right especially given their confidence in the personnel?

Mark Tanner wrote:There may be the lowest crowd of the season (or for many seasons) this Sat but my appearance and attitude will be nothing short of positive and welcoming. A win and a few may be back, a draw and loss and we might be a step closer to losing a management team, either way there will be change. It's how you adapt and take that change is what matters.

The last change was merely a re-arrangement of the deck chairs. I am sure the board can come up with another cosmetic change this time.

Mark Tanner wrote: I certainly do not blame them for this season so far and I believe with a different person in charge we can still have a great season in our 125 celebration season!

125 celebration?!?!?!?!

I wondered if anyone would bite at the 125 bit

I hope the board do make a whole sale change once they see fit to do it! A young manager with football league playing experience would do the trick, just have to wait and see!

BenE wrote:

Mark Tanner wrote: I certainly do not blame them for this season so far and I believe with a different person in charge we can still have a great season in our 125 celebration season!

125 celebration?!?!?!?!

add 2 of those numbers together and you get 7 - 1. A lasting testimony...

The Chairman's comments beggar belief and make my heart sink. What on earth did he hope to achieve? What problem did he think it would solve?

Interesting comments by Paul W, some would say refreshing. Looking at the players after the game on Saturday and there was no mistaking their reaction that they hadnt performed, simmo and watkins said as much when they came over. I would imagine they would want fo put that right pdq and would expect some criticsm. So it goes against so called convention, so what ?

Saturdays game cant come quick enough as people seemingly contending with each other for how much hurt they feel. I was there and I was stunned and havent seen a second half like that in the some 47 years ive supported them. But supporting the team is unconditional in my opinion unless there is some crook or deviant in charge. Now is the time for support as Mark says so ill be heading down to see the maidenhead game, off to chelmsford, and then to st.albans, best I can do at this distance but will continue what modest financial support I can give. At the end of the day, theyre my team, for ever.

Yes, but it wasn't a one off, was it? I was lucky to miss the home defeat to Whitehawk, but the displays against Basingstoke and Concord as well as our inability to win at home against Poole and Shortwood were ample proof for me that this is far from the best squad we have had at the club in recent years. Yet again we have started a season with an unbalanced squad and as soon as the injuries start we go into default mode, accepting untried cast offs from other clubs into our team, rather than giving encouragement to those in the much lauded development squad. Yes, the players did perform awfully on Saturday, but the buck does not stop with them. Do we not praise management for success? - the inverse should also be true.

I too am not happy with PW's comments. Only a couple of days ago Adie was telling the Chronicle that they are a young squad and that means bigger swings in form over the course of a season and I do tend to agree with his point on that. Having a pop at these young players by the Chairman is not going to help. I will be there with my son and Saturday and like Mark will be as positive and cheer on the players for the 90 minutes. I agree with previous comments that the time is now for Adie to move to the stands, with Lee taking charge in his own right for the next few games. If things improve, fantastic and all credit to Lee. If things continue to slide though, it will make it clear even to the Board that a change in Manager is needed.

I think Paul Williams is taking a gamble with the attitude of both the players and the fans on Saturday. Putting all of the blame on the former could, as has been said elsewhere, have one of two effects - hopefully the players will have sufficient pride to want to put things right. As for the fans, the message appears to be whatever our views on the subject the management are safe however disastrous results might be. A lot of managers would have gone after the Whitehawk game, and if they had survived that certainly would have gone after Saturday.

Like others on here I will be at Twerton Park on Saturday. I have supported the club for too long to let last week's disaster put me off, but it is difficult to feel optimistic with the current air of gloom that has descended.

To help balance the books this season the playing budget was said to have been cut by £70,000. Have we actually saved £70,000 this season. The loss of the cup game on Saturday, the chance of an upset in round one, a replay perhaps with tv coverage, plus a share of gate money, then the fall in attendances. Have the cuts of £70,000 just served to reduce our revenue by around the same figure? Is this how downward spirals start? Another cut needed next season with another accompanying drop in income and the outlook could become alarming. With no money to spend up front to achieve the success needed to bring in more income, is relegation a business solution. Local derbies and challenging for promotion could raise income, through higher gates.