Smith sacked Walker after two straight 5 nil wins........

[Le Juge 0]

[quote user="charlies dad"][quote user="Michael Starr"]

[quote] You shouldn''t have reminded me. That was one of Norwich''s most shameful episodes. MW''s wife with terminal cancer must have obviously affected him but he stuck to his task, his wife passes away and instead of giving him 3 months of the new season they sacked him. What compassion, what loyalty ! I will always remember his first tenure as Norwich manager, being at the Arsenal Norwich game at Highbury, the opening game of the season I think. I was with my brother-in-law, a passionate Arsenal supporter from North London, and at half time we were losing 2-0. My brother-in-law was being duly magnaminous during the half-time break and I was feeling pretty low and apprehensive about the 2^nd half. Norwich came out a different team, Ruel Fox had an absolute belter and unbelievably we went 4-0 up. My turn for magnaminity ! What I also remember was seeing for the first time a Norwich manager indulge in brinkmanship and time wasting as MW made substitutions in the 89^th minute   !  Clearly a genuine competitor I thought……………. And the rest is history !

[/quote]

OMG... Mark Robins hat trick on his debut... i remember that well... omg what wonderful times!!!

[/quote] I was there, Robins only got two, Philips and Fox got the others. [/quote]Damn Robins that slacker, he could have at least got his third! ;)

[alex_ncfc 649]

[quote user="nobbyg"]

I was at the Reading away game two days after these.  I even took black balloons as a sign of mourning. Howvere I obviously read the situation wrong as nobody in the crowd uttered a word in support of him or against the club. NOBODY said anything.

[/quote]

Ah, so you could hear every member of the City following that day? That''s bloody amazing

[Regime Change 0]

[quote user="1st Wizard"]

So how come that Jock loser Grant is still here?.

Don''t anyone dare tell me Hamish is anywhere near Mike''s class in managment terms............because I''ll never except that. And if you think Grunt is, then you''ve been away with the ruddy fairies too long.

Like many on here, I watched both those games, and City at the moment are a stella galaxy away from ever playing like that.

The one common link to this current mess up is our own potty cook. If only Mike had been afforded such leeway!.

Breaks your heart doesn''t it?[:''(]

[/quote]

Whilst Walker has undoubtedly been one of the most successful managers the club has had in recent years, it should be noted that;

1.  He was only at the club for a season and half and we have no idea whether he could have delivered longer term success?

2.  He had success with a squad which he inherited from Stringer

3.  Walker has not had any success at any other club since

4.  Despite the two 5-0 wins, we averaged barely a goal a game for the whole season, and only avoided relegation by the skin of our teeth.

[All dots 0]

[quote user="Sherlock Holmes"][quote user="1st Wizard"]

So how come that Jock loser Grant is still here?.

Don''t anyone dare tell me Hamish is anywhere near Mike''s class in managment terms............because I''ll never except that. And if you think Grunt is, then you''ve been away with the ruddy fairies too long.

Like many on here, I watched both those games, and City at the moment are a stella galaxy away from ever playing like that.

The one common link to this current mess up is our own potty cook. If only Mike had been afforded such leeway!.

Breaks your heart doesn''t it?[:''(]

[/quote]

Whilst Walker has undoubtedly been one of the most successful managers the club has had in recent years, it should be noted that;

1.  He was only at the club for a season and half and we have no idea whether he could have delivered longer term success?

2.  He had success with a squad which he inherited from Stringer

3.  Walker has not had any success at any other club since

4.  Despite the two 5-0 wins, we averaged barely a goal a game for the whole season, and only avoided relegation by the skin of our teeth.

[/quote]

 

I think the mitigating circumstances have been clearly noted on this thread but of course we don''t know whether or not MW2 would have produced the results if given more time. However, his tragic personal circumstances were ignored, he wasn''t given more time and, instead, he was unceremoniously sacked.

[Buncey 1]

[quote user="Shaun Lawson"]The whole thing is very, very bizarre. Walker, who it''s correct to say

wasn''t appointed by Smith and Wynne Jones (they didn''t join the board

until Nov ''96, and didn''t play a leading role on it for a good year or

so more), actually did us an enormous favour by returning to the club

at all. He was very reluctant, as he knew it''d be impossible to

recreate his previous success, and realised what a horribly difficult

job it was bound to be - and only the fact that season ticket sales

were in three figures because Megson seemed to be remaining persuaded

him to come back (in short, the club would''ve been at death''s door if

he hadn''t). Then, an at times encouraging first season in charge was

followed by a disappointing second - but we spent 97/8 ravaged by

injuries, with no money to spend, and really, were just paying the

price for the shambles Chase had left us in.

Whether MW could''ve taken us back to success, I''m not too sure; but at

the very least, he deserved until Xmas of the following season to turn

it around. Then, if we were still struggling, a calm, fair judgement

could''ve been reached - but to sack him when we did, especially after

what he''d gone through all season following the death of his poor wife,

was absolutely despicable. Following that appallingly shoddy episode,

we at least appointed a proven manager in Bruce Rioch - but he too was

utterly hamstrung by lack of funds, and also by the shameful plotting

behind his back which went on between Hamilton and the two majority

shareholders. As a result, for my money our best manager since O''Neill

was effectively the victim of constructive dismissal, and following his

departure, was notoriously described as a "square peg in a round hole"

by Ms Smith.

To prove to the world our marvellous ambition, Hamilton then

immediately signed a bunch of nomarks, who were paraded by a beaming

board. How come Hamilon had been immediately granted resources denied

to Rioch? And to make matters worse, Smith and Jones became so close to

the Blarneymeister that he still enjoyed their full confidence

even when he left. He only quit because he''d asked his players whether

they still had faith in him, and praise be, very few raised their

hands. But that the club would not sack arguably the worst manager in

its entire history beggared belief; and still more ludicrous was their

pathetic blaming of probably the most docile local media in the whole

country for his downfall.

There was, at least, a spell under Worthington where we finally had the

right balance. Unlike his lamentable predecessor, he wasn''t too close

to the board - and was extremely shrewd in challenging them and facing

them down: first when demanding they either made him permanent manager,

or chose somebody else, in early January ''01; then in calling for funds

for real quality while being courted by Crystal Palace in Summer ''03.

The underlying threat was clear - and the board had been so burned by

the Blarneymeister episode that they had little choice other than to

give in. Sadly though, following promotion, they started blindly

backing him whatever (Delia telling the Guardian that our Nigel was the

"next Wenger"), all the while Worthington began losing the drive,

desire and refusal to stand for the complacency which had previously

characterised the club which he demonstrated in spades when first

taking over. As he went stale, so the board''s myopia became ever more

ludicrous: all it would''ve taken was a "thanks for the memories Nigel,

but things change, and it''s time to move on" - instead, they dug their

heels in more and more.

And now, unbelievably, it may be happening with Grant too. A board so

utterly devoid of real footballing expertise that they sack good

managers prematurely, and maintain failing ones seemingly until kingdom

come, might well continue to back him even if we lose at Loftus Road:

otherwise, why are we suddenly back in the loan market for a centre

back? Previously, they claimed we were being priced out: now, our

interest in Andrew Davies suggests dismissing PG isn''t even on the

board''s radar. I''ll be absolutely explicit here: lose on Monday, and he

must go: failure to dismiss someone so clearly in over his head

would be tantamount to pure negligence. The international break

provides the perfect chance to scout around for someone new and proven

(can you believe Rioch a full nine years ago was the last time we

appointed someone with a successful track record? Incredible!) - but if

they sit on their hands, then we''ll have to put up with this nonsense

for at least another month, by which point heaven only knows what our

league position will be.

I''m sick of the excuses, which our beloved Chief Executive will

doubtless provide yet more of in his much-trailed column later this

morning; I''m sick of the negativity; I''m sick of the absolutely

shocking myopia. Action is needed now if a calamitous drop into

League One isn''t to become a frightening reality; and if the board fail

to act, then their time, too, is very clearly up.

[/quote]Great post mate. I just feel in general, although I was young, that every manager we got was not given any help by the board. I remember when rioch joined the club and my dad and my family were generally looking forward to a good season, our team was quite good we had eadie, bellamy etc. but then it seemed as though the board wanted to sell, sell, sell and I was deverstated to find most of my favourite players gone for no apparent reason. The board just, I don''t think, wanted anyone from O''Neil even, down to rioch to succeed. It was shambolic and it was awful really.The fact that we wern''t hit as bad as other club over the itv digital row was because we effectively fire sold anything that was worth anything at the club. That board, the current board and people who had influence during those days should be ashamed about how they sold the club short. I wasn''t suprised when we fire sold in the summer again. It''s been our policy for the last 15 years. It is so deeply sad that we have effectively sold every great player we had at our club in the past 20 years to fund our of the field activities. We were top during the 1995 season now look where we are, it''s only the leadership of the club that is to blame.

[Intenso 0]

May I add a further point, that we lost 5-0 to Ipswich and suffered many more heavy defeats. Walker the first did all his dirty washing in the press and then walked out on the club on the eve of an FA cup match.

Remember the reception he got when he returned with his losing Everton.

[First Wizard 0]

[quote user="Intenso"]

May I add a further point, that we lost 5-0 to Ipswich and suffered many more heavy defeats. Walker the first did all his dirty washing in the press and then walked out on the club on the eve of an FA cup match.

Remember the reception he got when he returned with his losing Everton.

[/quote]

As oposed to the back stabbers behind closed doors eh?. Its interesting to hear the club speak through its thralls Intenso........interesting indeed!.

[bobfleck 0]

I quote from Old Salt:-

I was with my brother-in-law, a passionate Arsenal supporter from North London, and at half time we were losing 2-0. My brother-in-law was being duly magnaminous during the half-time break and I was feeling pretty low and apprehensive about the 2^nd half. Norwich came out a different team, Ruel Fox had an absolute belter and unbelievably we went 4-0 up

 

Old Salt, now, I know Walker could motivate, but 2-0 down to 4-0 up? That is the MOTHER of all comebacks!

[gazzathegreat 0]

Has to be one of our best games ever. A truly magnificent match and I would give anything for us to get to that level again....

[Buncey 1]

[quote user="1st Wizard"][quote user="Intenso"]

May I add a further point, that we lost 5-0 to Ipswich and suffered many more heavy defeats. Walker the first did all his dirty washing in the press and then walked out on the club on the eve of an FA cup match.

Remember the reception he got when he returned with his losing Everton.

[/quote]

As oposed to the back stabbers behind closed doors eh?. Its interesting to hear the club speak through its thralls Intenso........interesting indeed!.

[/quote]Yeah the club have a good knack of making past heroes look like traitors. Look at safri.

[gazzathegreat 0]

Got to be post of the week Ridgeman, can''t stop laughing.....

[gazzathegreat 0]

[quote user="Shaun Lawson"]The whole thing is very, very bizarre. Walker, who it''s correct to say wasn''t appointed by Smith and Wynne Jones (they didn''t join the board until Nov ''96, and didn''t play a leading role on it for a good year or so more), actually did us an enormous favour by returning to the club at all. He was very reluctant, as he knew it''d be impossible to recreate his previous success, and realised what a horribly difficult job it was bound to be - and only the fact that season ticket sales were in three figures because Megson seemed to be remaining persuaded him to come back (in short, the club would''ve been at death''s door if he hadn''t). Then, an at times encouraging first season in charge was followed by a disappointing second - but we spent 97/8 ravaged by injuries, with no money to spend, and really, were just paying the price for the shambles Chase had left us in.

Whether MW could''ve taken us back to success, I''m not too sure; but at the very least, he deserved until Xmas of the following season to turn it around. Then, if we were still struggling, a calm, fair judgement could''ve been reached - but to sack him when we did, especially after what he''d gone through all season following the death of his poor wife, was absolutely despicable. Following that appallingly shoddy episode, we at least appointed a proven manager in Bruce Rioch - but he too was utterly hamstrung by lack of funds, and also by the shameful plotting behind his back which went on between Hamilton and the two majority shareholders. As a result, for my money our best manager since O''Neill was effectively the victim of constructive dismissal, and following his departure, was notoriously described as a "square peg in a round hole" by Ms Smith.

To prove to the world our marvellous ambition, Hamilton then immediately signed a bunch of nomarks, who were paraded by a beaming board. How come Hamilon had been immediately granted resources denied to Rioch? And to make matters worse, Smith and Jones became so close to the Blarneymeister that he still enjoyed their full confidence even when he left. He only quit because he''d asked his players whether they still had faith in him, and praise be, very few raised their hands. But that the club would not sack arguably the worst manager in its entire history beggared belief; and still more ludicrous was their pathetic blaming of probably the most docile local media in the whole country for his downfall.

There was, at least, a spell under Worthington where we finally had the right balance. Unlike his lamentable predecessor, he wasn''t too close to the board - and was extremely shrewd in challenging them and facing them down: first when demanding they either made him permanent manager, or chose somebody else, in early January ''01; then in calling for funds for real quality while being courted by Crystal Palace in Summer ''03. The underlying threat was clear - and the board had been so burned by the Blarneymeister episode that they had little choice other than to give in. Sadly though, following promotion, they started blindly backing him whatever (Delia telling the Guardian that our Nigel was the "next Wenger"), all the while Worthington began losing the drive, desire and refusal to stand for the complacency which had previously characterised the club which he demonstrated in spades when first taking over. As he went stale, so the board''s myopia became ever more ludicrous: all it would''ve taken was a "thanks for the memories Nigel, but things change, and it''s time to move on" - instead, they dug their heels in more and more.

And now, unbelievably, it may be happening with Grant too. A board so utterly devoid of real footballing expertise that they sack good managers prematurely, and maintain failing ones seemingly until kingdom come, might well continue to back him even if we lose at Loftus Road: otherwise, why are we suddenly back in the loan market for a centre back? Previously, they claimed we were being priced out: now, our interest in Andrew Davies suggests dismissing PG isn''t even on the board''s radar. I''ll be absolutely explicit here: lose on Monday, and he must go: failure to dismiss someone so clearly in over his head would be tantamount to pure negligence. The international break provides the perfect chance to scout around for someone new and proven (can you believe Rioch a full nine years ago was the last time we appointed someone with a successful track record? Incredible!) - but if they sit on their hands, then we''ll have to put up with this nonsense for at least another month, by which point heaven only knows what our league position will be.

I''m sick of the excuses, which our beloved Chief Executive will doubtless provide yet more of in his much-trailed column later this morning; I''m sick of the negativity; I''m sick of the absolutely shocking myopia. Action is needed now if a calamitous drop into League One isn''t to become a frightening reality; and if the board fail to act, then their time, too, is very clearly up.

[/quote] Another quality post Shaun. Pete or Celia, please pin this to the top of the board - Shaun email this to Doncaster if you haven''t already and to the letters page at both papers. Thank you for putting into words all that''s happened to our club under this board. I hope each one of them who was there at the time reads this and is humbled.

[ricky knight 0]

I would lose to Ipswich every season 5-0 if we were challenging for the premiership and playing good football, thats the trouble with some of you guys, you never look at the whole picture, how anyone can say anything against a man who with backing could have won the premier, had famous european victories, yes european, is beyond me. It can only be because it makes the people running our club now look even bigger numpties.

[Intenso 0]

[quote user="1st Wizard"][quote user="Intenso"]

May I add a further point, that we lost 5-0 to Ipswich and suffered many more heavy defeats. Walker the first did all his dirty washing in the press and then walked out on the club on the eve of an FA cup match.

Remember the reception he got when he returned with his losing Everton.

[/quote]

As oposed to the back stabbers behind closed doors eh?. Its interesting to hear the club speak through its thralls Intenso........interesting indeed!.

[/quote]

I speak purely for Intenso, having followed Norwich for 58 years, and a season ticket holder for the last 40. I have never met Mike Walker or the Smiths but it is my opinion ( and that it is all it is ) that Walker''s seventeen months of glory was on the back of Dave Stringer, with whom loyalty came as standard.

[ricky knight 0]

[quote user="Intenso"][quote user="1st Wizard"][quote user="Intenso"]

May I add a further point, that we lost 5-0 to Ipswich and suffered many more heavy defeats. Walker the first did all his dirty washing in the press and then walked out on the club on the eve of an FA cup match.

Remember the reception he got when he returned with his losing Everton.

[/quote]

As oposed to the back stabbers behind closed doors eh?. Its interesting to hear the club speak through its thralls Intenso........interesting indeed!.

[/quote]

I speak purely for Intenso, having followed Norwich for 58 years, and a season ticket holder for the last 40. I have never met Mike Walker or the Smiths but it is my opinion ( and that it is all it is ) that Walker''s seventeen months of glory was on the back of Dave Stringer, with whom loyalty came as standard.

[/quote]

sorry you are talking utter rubbish mate, Stringer did a good job, but Walker took us to another level, remember Colchester were top of their league when Walker was again incredibly sacked. He was a great manager in his own right i get sick of all the Stringer BS, why cant the man be given credit.

[renegade tootsie 0]

Spot on.

[quote user="Sherlock Holmes"][quote user="1st Wizard"]

So how come that Jock loser Grant is still here?.

Don''t anyone dare tell me Hamish is anywhere near Mike''s class in managment terms............because I''ll never except that. And if you think Grunt is, then you''ve been away with the ruddy fairies too long.

Like many on here, I watched both those games, and City at the moment are a stella galaxy away from ever playing like that.

The one common link to this current mess up is our own potty cook. If only Mike had been afforded such leeway!.

Breaks your heart doesn''t it?[:''(]

[/quote]

Whilst Walker has undoubtedly been one of the most successful managers the club has had in recent years, it should be noted that;

1.  He was only at the club for a season and half and we have no idea whether he could have delivered longer term success?

2.  He had success with a squad which he inherited from Stringer

3.  Walker has not had any success at any other club since

4.  Despite the two 5-0 wins, we averaged barely a goal a game for the whole season, and only avoided relegation by the skin of our teeth.

[/quote]

[Syteanric 1]

Walker does Deserve Credit... but as intenso says it was largely Stringers team.

 Walker however pulled off a number of masterstrokes i seem to remember, the signing of Mark Robins and Efan Ekoku were instrumental in us getting to europe in the first place. He Converted Chris Sutton from a Waif of a center back to a burley bustling Striker, and lets not forget Jerry Goss... not a great player and maligned by some supporters Walker gave him a 2nd wind if thats the right term.. and he went on to become a legend for the club and create history for us on many occasions.

 Tactically Walker got it spot on many times too.. 5-1 at Goodison, in the 93-94 season we drew 2-2 at old Trafford and were 1 of only 3 teams to get anything out of United at that stage of the season i believe.

 true he did have glaring howlers (7-1 vs Blackburn, 5-1 Vs Spurs.) but on the whole his efforts should be recognised...

as for Dave Stringer 2 FA cup Semi finals, 4th in the top flight and a league cup 1/4 final.... again a legend!

jas :)

[macdougalls perm 0]

[quote user="ricky knight"][quote user="Intenso"][quote user="1st Wizard"][quote user="Intenso"]

May I add a further point, that we lost 5-0 to Ipswich and suffered many more heavy defeats. Walker the first did all his dirty washing in the press and then walked out on the club on the eve of an FA cup match.

Remember the reception he got when he returned with his losing Everton.

[/quote]

As oposed to the back stabbers behind closed doors eh?. Its interesting to hear the club speak through its thralls Intenso........interesting indeed!.

[/quote]

I speak purely for Intenso, having followed Norwich for 58 years, and a season ticket holder for the last 40. I have never met Mike Walker or the Smiths but it is my opinion ( and that it is all it is ) that Walker''s seventeen months of glory was on the back of Dave Stringer, with whom loyalty came as standard.

[/quote]

sorry you are talking utter rubbish mate, Stringer did a good job, but Walker took us to another level, remember Colchester were top of their league when Walker was again incredibly sacked. He was a great manager in his own right i get sick of all the Stringer BS, why cant the man be given credit.

[/quote]

It looks to me as though he is getting quite a lot of credit!