Im not thinking straight right now so apologies if this post jumps around like Zebedee on speed. Im on my lunch break at work and don’t have long to spend structuring this but since most of what I say has already said Im sure most will be instantly understandable.

Last nights performance was different to any other in my history of watching Pools. Obviously we have had a lot of poor (and some very poor) results in the last 20 years that Ive been going to Pools (as a season ticket holder) but last night that I simply couldn’t get wound up about it. I barely flinched when Gillingham scored, in fact I actually applauded the header. There was no feeling of despair from me, likewise their was no feeling of intense joy when Austin scored.

The reason I think is that I have NO confidence in the club at this point in time and I am resigned to us getting relegation. Getting worked up in the past and shouting abuse at the players used to make me feel better and maybe help give the players and manager a kick up the backside when we play badly but what is the point nowadays?? It achieves NOTHING! Turner is living in his deluded little world earning £250k from what I hear and blaming everybody but himself. The clubs owners have no involvement with the fans whatsoever and clearly don’t bother attending games to see what is going on. I suspect they rely on the official horrendously biased match reports to find out how we are doing.

The club has lost all its soul and doesn’t feel like Hartlepool United any longer, we feel like franchise fc or something – just business with no soul.

Im trying to be as constructive as I can but I can remember ever feeling like this and what Turner and IOR have done infuriates me. Obviously IOR are pumping money into the club but to treat the fans like they do and disassociate themselves like they do is criminal.

I hope we never move away from the Vic as it’s the only tie to our clubs history right now. The club has changed and for the worst imo. To just treat the paying customers like they do stinks. It is just frustrating as hell knowing that you have forked out for a season ticket but your voice won’t be heard. I so wish Harold Hornsey was still with us, a true legend and in my opinion the reason behind our successful years as opposed to IOR.

On the subject of last nights match, it was the same old story. We played ‘ok’ first half but created only a few chances. Second half we fell apart (which can I add nearly always happens for one reason – the opposition manager sees how to beat us and Turner is unable to do anything to counteract it or plot how to beat the opposition.

Gillingham deserved the point BUT lets be honest – they were Shiite! They looked a poor league 2 team yet we soon dropped to their level due largely to incompetent management .

Last night confirmed that Ritchie Humphries is finished – he was truly diabolical and the worst I have ever seen him play. He got involved in the game but nothing went for him. HE spent the whole game chasing shadows and giving the ball away. If he hadn’t got a knock then he would have no doubt stayed on to the end.

This obviously leads nicely onto the subject of Turners ‘clique’ which I cant even be arsed getting into as it has all been said before and Im getting really wound up as I type this. It stinks to high heaven.

The one positive to come out of things right now is that it brings the supporters together – Im even finding myself agreeing with people who I used to call the ‘rose tinted spec brigade’ etc – MrB and the like. There has been a noticeable decrease in the amount of bickering amongst ourselves lately as we all seem to be singing off the same hymnsheet, its just a pity the club are so distant.

I have tried my very best to be constructive but my lunch break is almost at an end but would just like to say to Chris Turner “You are an absolute CU_T – anyone who can blame all and sundry for his shortcomings deserves no respect whatsoever and when we do get relegated I hope every football supporter in the country and every club sees you as the loser you are and you never work again. To come out with the complete gubbins which you have done time and time again this season following another dismal performance shows the sign of a very insecure and desperate man AND also a man who is looking after his own interests as opposed to the clubs. Take your £250k and shove it up your fat arse you incompetent f_ck and f_ck off out of the club before you destroy all the hard work which has been done over the past 10/15 years.

You never said what you had for your lunch?

and his keepy ups with a rugby ball put the rest of them to shame

Humphreys had been subbed the previous 2 games prior to last night, so he may not have stayed on until the end.

I dont want this to become another Ritchie bashing thread. I thought he was dreadful last night and was amazed to hear some people say otherwise. I must have been watching a totally different game. Anyway, gotta go as Im certainly past my lunch break now!

ps OO, i had chicken tikka sandwiches. They tasted shiit but probably due to the fact that im so worked up

in other words "Chris Turner spoiled my lunch"

i like it

Yeah, the bloke is an absolute c_nt.

Right, back to work!

I also thought Humps had a poor game.
I don't know what Turner has against Rowell but the lad must be as sick as a parrot.
Anyway...what do goalkeepers know about football and footballers?

Grave

I felt exactly the same last night and I have a feeling that most people shared those feelings too.

I've never been so relaxed at a game (for the wrong reasons). I got excited when we scored but even when we were attacking, it just felt inevitable that we'd screw it up. Even the goal seemed surreal, as good as it was.

I said to Bramstein in the first half that despite the amount of possession that we'd had, if we go 1 down, we've had it. We managed to get it back to 1-1 so I was proved wrong (thankfully).

I felt sedated throughout and the reaction from the crowd at the end was bizarre to say the least.

I think im glad i didnt go!!

Did anyone notice Wests comment when Jonny Rowell was about to start his keepy ups, something along the lines of 'a star of our midfield, but a shy lad'. If he's a star of our midfield how come he's about 9th choice, is his being shy keeping him out of the team, does he need to be more assertive and go and knock on Turners office door, and demand to be picked?

Some interesting body language from Rowell after the end of his keepy ups. Rather than celebrating or going to the rest of the team, he stormed out. Attitude or frustration?

I think he knew he could have gone on, and was frustrated with himself for not doing more, in what was a limited space. It's players like him who keep me wanting to continue supporting Pools, and who knows one day see them playing and starring for us at the next level!!

The lad would surely thrive in a five man midfield, Gamble could sit, Jones get about people and close down to give Rowell a bit of space to get forward and make things happen.

FFS give him a chance, stop playing lads who aren't doing the business I don't care who they are!! He's got more talent than Matty Robson and David Foley put together and those two played nearly 300 games for the club under different regimes, Turner would rather sign ten players he's seen once on a jolly in Norway.

i would definately think there was a space for him in a 5 man midfield. It would be nice to see a young lad in there playing without any fear like some of the older pro's tend to do

Rowell, Gamble, Jones. that is a dynamic centre midfield in a 4-5-1... yet it's never been tried

If I was Rowell I would be looking for another club.
All the confidence and arrogance of youth, the belief in his own ability, the desire to play for Pools and play well is slowly but surely being squeezed out of the lad, in much the same way as the soul is being squeezed out of the club.
He must be beginning to think about whether he is actually good enough, especially when he looks at the gash parading around our midfield, and the fact that he is failing to even make the bench.
Turner can't see what he is doing to our club but the thing that is more worrying than that is IOR can't see it either.
To be honest I don't think they give a hoot. We are a means to an end. The club is dying on its feet, not financially maybe, but nobody, other than us, gives a monkey's.
Something drastic needs to happen......and happen quick.