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Post by spitfire2007 on Sept 2, 2023 7:56:27 GMT
I certainly wouldn’t question their record at league 2/National League level, Pompey was too big a challenge but their record prior to that stands up to scrutiny. Whether they’d have the appetite to return to the NL would be the question mark for me and if so would EFC excite them after managing clubs with greater history and status? The other matter is to consider is whether they would be able to work with Richard Hill who will have a very big say in the appointment. I’m not sure that there is enough room for 2 such strong characters. I seem to remember Richard wasn’t too enamoured with the Cowleys when they were in the opposite dugout in their Concord/Braintree days. We’ll see.
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Post by sattsy on Sept 2, 2023 8:33:24 GMT
Regarding their tenure at Pompey, they started extremely well, which led to their contract being extended. In their second season, they started well again gaining 4 wins and a draw in their first 5 games of the the season, but then fell away. They were either top or second in the league before a losing run set in. The reason i bring this up, is that Pompey had no money at all back then and they had to work with a rather youthful side. They were relieved of their duties with Pompey being 12th in the league. They actually won the Manager of the month twice in their relatively short time there, so i think they proved they could compete at the top end of the table, if they had a better budget.
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Post by spitfire2007 on Sept 2, 2023 8:58:03 GMT
Pompey fans don’t have much good to say about them, citing inflexibility in tactics and poor selection/ deployment of players in positions, poor recruitment etc. As you say, from the outside their record there appears ok but when a fan base is pretty united in their condemnation it tells you something and suggests their limitations may lie at lower L1 and L2 level. Nevertheless if they came to us I’d be more than happy!
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Post by callumefc on Sept 2, 2023 10:19:51 GMT
“I know Stewart Donald is back with you and though my opinion of him is very low” I think that you lost us, by saying the above. Would your club have survived if Stewart hadn’t bailed you out? Some people have short memories. He’s been fantastic for us, and we’ll never forget that. Bailed us out! He used our parachute payments to purchase our club. He and Methven saw a way to make a quick profit and delayed our recovery. Ellis Short was the man who wrote off £200,000,000 of our debts but sadly he passed us on to the two Oxford men. The sentence you quote was extremely moderate. Many SAFC supporters would tar and feather the pair of them if they had the chance. Now I know and acknowledged the fact that Stewart Donald is very popular with Eastleigh supporters but he has given to you while he took from us. The only thing I will say is that he wasn't and isn't as loathed as Charlie boy; and I don't think either of them could outscore another "legend" down your way in the SAFC unpopularity stakes, the forever loathed Lawrie McMenemy. But all of the above has nothing to do with the subject of this thread. I'm a bettor and the combination of the aforementioned Mr Donald's money, a club that seems, (from the little I know of you) to be on the up and the Cowleys as your management team would make you a very good investment. I'd be equally happy if they replaced Unsworth at Oldham or succeeded Hughes at Bradford City but for reasons of geography and that there is a vacancy right now you would seem the most likely option. My opinion (along with 40,000 other Sunderland supporters) of Stewart Donald is irrelevant when it comes to what's best for the future of Eastleigh F.C.. And did anyone else come in to solve your situation? No, so they did bail you out. Cleared out the obscene contracts, McGeady, Rodwell , Oviedo amongst others. Steadied the ship, 2 Wembley finals? If it wasn't for the goalie cock up you would have gone up first season from memory. Fairly sure SD was still there when you got promotion last season too....
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Post by rokerite on Sept 2, 2023 11:02:34 GMT
Bailed us out! He used our parachute payments to purchase our club. He and Methven saw a way to make a quick profit and delayed our recovery. Ellis Short was the man who wrote off £200,000,000 of our debts but sadly he passed us on to the two Oxford men. The sentence you quote was extremely moderate. Many SAFC supporters would tar and feather the pair of them if they had the chance. Now I know and acknowledged the fact that Stewart Donald is very popular with Eastleigh supporters but he has given to you while he took from us. The only thing I will say is that he wasn't and isn't as loathed as Charlie boy; and I don't think either of them could outscore another "legend" down your way in the SAFC unpopularity stakes, the forever loathed Lawrie McMenemy. But all of the above has nothing to do with the subject of this thread. I'm a bettor and the combination of the aforementioned Mr Donald's money, a club that seems, (from the little I know of you) to be on the up and the Cowleys as your management team would make you a very good investment. I'd be equally happy if they replaced Unsworth at Oldham or succeeded Hughes at Bradford City but for reasons of geography and that there is a vacancy right now you would seem the most likely option. My opinion (along with 40,000 other Sunderland supporters) of Stewart Donald is irrelevant when it comes to what's best for the future of Eastleigh F.C.. And did anyone else come in to solve your situation? No, so they did bail you out. Cleared out the obscene contracts, McGeady, Rodwell , Oviedo amongst others. Steadied the ship, 2 Wembley finals? If it wasn't for the goalie cock up you would have gone up first season from memory. Fairly sure SD was still there when you got promotion last season too.... I didn't join this board to relive the disaster that was Donald and Methven's ownership of SAFC but a few points to mention. There were several other parties interested in purchasing the club; and with actual Sunderland supporters among them. I must reiterate that Ellis Short saved the club. He could have liquidated us but instead wrote off the massive debts owed mainly to himself. Why an American billionaire should have been so generous remains a mystery. By the time he got out he had lost all interest in SAFC or football in general. How he must have rued the day Niall Quinn persuaded him to buy us. But having done the hard and costly part his parting gift was to pass us onto two men whose only interest in SAFC was making a, preferably quick, few million for themselves. What they did was hardly unique but no less reprehensible. They used the parachute payments we received to buy our club. They used practically none of their own money and it is a wonder that Short let two people with so little money of their own take ownership. Stewart Donald is a millionaire and he's in a position to make a huge contribution to bringing success to your club; I hope he does. But he was never going to be in a position to use his limited wealth to help significantly at The SOL. Sunderland isn't your club so I don't blame you for having a slightly hazy recollection of events. It wasn't a goalkeeping error that cost us the 2019 play-off final. A mix-up in the Charlton defence led to an own goal giving us a fifth minute lead. Unfortunately our then manager Jack Ross failed to press home the advantage we'd been given, instead trying to hold on leading to complete domination by Charlton in the second-half and a 94th minute winner for The 'Addicks. My clearest memory of that day was an ashen faced Stewart Donald after the final-whistle as it dawned on him that their scheme to get promoted back to The Championship at the first time of asking and sell us for a quick few million profit had fallen apart. I have made it clear that I appreciate how high the esteem in which Stewart Donald is held at Eastleigh FC. But there is absolutely no reason at all any Sunderland supporter should have an ounce of gratitude for Donald or Methven. Personally I'm perfectly able to put my Sunderland viewpoint to one side and concentrate on Stewart Donald the benefactor of The Spitfires if what I'm hoping will happen does.
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Post by callumefc on Sept 2, 2023 11:59:25 GMT
Slightly confused by the first paragraph , Ellis Short the hero, for mismanaging the club allowing the massive debt but well done him for not liquidating such a historic club. Other interested bids, OK why didn't they win then, certainly a supporter based proposal doesn't work above League 2 in this country if that level. AFC Wimbledon has a myth about it but financed by multi millionaire who is struggling with the League 1 and 2 seesaw.
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Post by eastleighnumber9 on Sept 2, 2023 20:28:28 GMT
SD and co really didn’t come across great in the Netflix documentary.
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Post by tenacres on Sept 2, 2023 21:02:33 GMT
Don’t think Cowleys record at Portsmouth was much worse than the rest of their time in league 1. Pompey are a big club for league 1, but I dare say their lack of going up over the last few years has not got much to do with Danny Cowley.
Anyway think his 2 successful spells in the national league are more relevant, I can’t believe we haven’t considered/aren’t considering him.
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Post by callumefc on Sept 4, 2023 16:20:20 GMT
Rumour up here the Cowleys turning up at Tranmere, with Adkins above them they might fare better
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Post by hantslondoner on Sept 4, 2023 16:33:56 GMT
They only appointed Ian Dawes in May and the owner said they wanted someone younger from within the club to develop things with an experienced technical director to guide them. Has that idea gone down the pan already?
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Post by rokerite on Sept 4, 2023 17:17:37 GMT
Rumour up here the Cowleys turning up at Tranmere, with Adkins above them they might fare better Interesting but I can find nothing in the news and no mention of their names on Tranmere's fans forums. It would be a better move than Charlton but I think Eastleigh would be a better option all things considered.
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Post by usspitfire on Sept 6, 2023 16:19:17 GMT
Still no updates on the managerial front? Although I wouldn't expect any on here as it doesn't involve Southend or AFC Stoneham!
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Post by hantslondoner on Sept 6, 2023 17:44:22 GMT
We're not after Kevin Maher, then?
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Post by ballboy on Sept 6, 2023 18:13:18 GMT
It won’t be Neal Ardley who has gone to York
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Post by rokerite on Sept 8, 2023 11:16:17 GMT
Appleton's got the Charlton job. Make the call Mr Donald.
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