Sorry Matty but when as in the last 3 home games at least we are getting football lessons from teams in the bottom three and you have not got the tactical nouse to change the shape of the team then you are quite frankly out of your depth

I too reckon Bates deserves a taxi. I mean come on, the Cloughie bus-driving cycling-to-work days are a pastiche of the past.

Change the shape of the team with that bench and then 10 men.

Well that game just summed the season up, a truly awful performance from truly dreadful players,they've got us over the line now most of them have to go. Hope that's the last time I have to witness the likes of harrison, Hawkins, laing, Featherstone, oates etc in a pools shirt. Yes it was a nothing game but we've played exactly the same way in virtually every game now, back to the walls against bang average opposition just shows how bad this bunch are. Can't blame bates for this as it's all he has to work with.

Think he has to get taxis everywhere at the minute anyway doesn’t he?

He actually said after the game that he’d have loved to have changed the formation but just doesn’t have the personnel available.

The positive for you lot who’ve had to endure this awful season is that it’s the last time you’ll have to watch this team, hopefully we’ll never be this bad again. Bates has done everything asked of him given most people thought we were going down while Harrison was still here, in the end we’ve avioded the drop without any drama.

Could the best manager in Europe do any better with the players that were available today....just asking?

Somebody said on another thread that the run under Bates to stay up was no different to Harrison's run of good results in the autumn. That's true in the sense that Pools have again been nicking wins by the odd goal thanks to poor finishing by the opposition, but the circumstances could hardly be more different.

Harrison was picking players like Watson, Ledger, Deverdics and Franks when he started to get results, and had loads of experienced National and Football League players on the bench. Bates had what was left after the winter clear-out, and kids on the bench. With never more than 13-14 fit senior pros to pick from, it's obvious that people have been asked to play on with injuries that would normally see them rested.

Oates barely lasted a half today and was replaced by a lad making his debut at this level. Hawkes has been a revelation, but today looked like a game too far for him. So yes, another rubbish game that Pools would have lost but for some excellent saves by Loach. Cassidy put in a tremendous shift and looked like he was playing for a new contract, or at least to impress Hignett. If only he could find some shooting boots! Featherstone and Adams were also decent - after that, sorry lads, at least God loves a trier. The 10 men saved another point.

From the sound of things Matty Bates won't be kept on - which is tough luck on him. I hope he does a Yogi Hughes, goes to another club and has success there. Pools fans can do the usual - cross fingers and wait to see how yet another new manager turns out.

good thing about getting taxis is you don’t get hit with parking fines and shit.

I am confident that Matt Bates could keep us in the National League next season as he has this season, but promotion requires a much more positive approach to the game. Today's game didn't mean much to Pools whereas Torquay needed to win. It was a chance to show that we could attack a relegation threatened team and if we lost 4-3, what the hell. Instead Pools were outplayed and looked more like the team that deserved to be relegated.
The fans can't take much more of this poor standard of football (and officials) so it is essential to appoint an experienced (at NL level) manager who can attract ambitious players who want to progress to at least div 2 level.
To gain promotion we need a team that can outplay over half of the (mainly part-time) teams and out battle the rest. It remains to be seen whether Raj Singh has the funds to finance a push for promotion but I predict that anything approaching a repeat of this season will see gates nearer 2000 than 3000.

What is the difference between Bates and an Airfix model?



One is a glueless kit....!

It’s a tough call. He’s done a very good job on limited resources, but we’ve no idea whether he could get us back in the Football League. Then again, the same question is likely to apply to anyone else. Gut feel is that he isn’t the right man at this time but who else is available that’s better?

If any other manager had came in when Bates did and did what he did, you'd be screaming for the newcomer/saviour to be given the job.
Fact is he made the best of a useless squad, a bit like repairing your roof with the bairns toy tool set. Well he actually did it.
As for Torquay, they'd been on a run and were battling to avoid relegation and failed yesterday. Bates may not be the man for the job, but you should have the common courtesy to acknowledge he grabbed the wheel and avoided us crashing into another relegation which appeared nailed on.
Scatter most of the players for me, but he deserves a pat on the back for what he did.

We didn't even get in the playoffs so Bates out for me.

Bates achievement in saving a certain relegation, given the players he had left is up there with The Great Escape......in fairness it was probably a bigger achievement. I will forever be greatful and to his "unpaid" helpers.......who should not be forgotten.!!!

I would be nervous about a Higgy/Bates combo on the national league. The positive comments seem to be that Higgy recruited well when he was here. Well yes...to an extent. But the reality was that whilst he signed good footballers, he didn’t get anyone in with any sort of mental or even physical strength which were our shortcomings when he was in charge.

To me we need someone who knows this league who can identify the kind of players that will do well in it. Then give Higgy the list of players needed so he can go and give them some scouse patter.

Toto?

I don’t think we’ve ever signed a more physically strong player he was like a brick shit house!

I’m not advocating Bates to be next manager really I just think it’s a bit ridiculous to have a pop at him for what he’s done since Harrison left. Yesterday I reckon when Munns came on for Newton was it? that every single available senior player at the club was on the pitch, what do people want him to do different in that situation!?

Well yeah Toto was one, but nothing else in front of him. Although you could argue he was a bit unlucky that Paynter was injured loads.

But as I said mentality as well - how many times under him did we lead the game and then fold?

It’s hard to actually fairly judge his tenure as manager as the team looked promising before the rug was pulled from under it as things started to unravel with the bullshitting chancer Coxall. It would be interesting to see where we’d be now if that hadn’t happened and he’d had a couple more transfer windows to strengthen further. Above all else it will be nice to judge whatever manager we get without having to consider they are working with both hands tied behind there back (plenty still don’t like as this thread displays nicely!)

The local mee-ja have been dropping hints that he won't get it, but the biggest giveaway is that Bates is still waiting for a conversation with Singh and Hignett about his future. Apparently he'll get it on Tuesday. One game left, send in the clowns at Tranmere, it has 'thanks but no thanks' written all over it.

I hope they at least have the decency to give McNamee and Turnbull a decent ex gratia payment. Apparently they are still working unpaid. According to the programme Jenkins and Himmer are still officially in their respective roles!

In the car on the way over to the game the egregious Eddie Kyle was saying in one breath that Bates didn't have enough experience but that Craig Hignett "knows the club inside out" having played a few games for Pools, been assistant manager and manager. I'm pretty sure that if you add it all up Bates has been at the club longer than Hignett, or as near as makes no difference!

time for an end of season clearout from manager downwards. need a fresh approach with a manager with no north east links and his own players likewise. there must be someone out there who would love to be at a club with support of fans like pools have instead of under 1000 every week. a similar situation like the 2 guys at lincoln would be ideal. it wont happen though as if bates goes it will be someone down the food chain at sunderland or boro.

Maybe we underestimate Bates, as previously been mentioned he has had a wafer thin squad of some not so good players. The one thing I can’t understand is why he never played himself when we were struggling for defenders he couldn’t have been any worse than Laing or Harrison even if he only managed half a game.
I don’t think he could attract the right players too the club and if Hignett has identified new ones would they have respect for him, it’s not as if he is a Brian Clough type of Manager who could mould mediocre players into decent ones

I don't personally agree bates is the man for he job I believe we DESPERATELY NEED a manger who knows this division well and has a few contacts that can get us the right players, I meen look at Macclesfield I watched there game against Eastleigh on BT they have just won the National league and there manger said when he was getting interviewed after the game "we have the lowest budget in the division" he even mentioned players weren't getting paid at one point and they still put a shift in for the team same with Accrington and John Still I've heard him saying before they have the smallest budget in their division to (Sorry for all you Sunderland fans by the way but yous are playing away at Accrington next season probably pissing down and playing infront off 2000 Haha ) Anyway But we have got to give bates a little credit he did keep us up if we would of stayed with Harrison we would be having a reunion with Blyth next season, Im intrigued into who they bring in next season manager wise and hopefully clear the majority off this dross out the club and bring in some half decent players that will actually put a shift in and hopefully we can get in the top 7 that would be a good achievement in my eyes if we do.

They spoke to him on Friday apparently.

I am not saying i am not grateful, I am, but i am just giving my opinion that i dont think Matty is up to changing a team formation when obviously during a game things are not going to plan. You dont have to make say 3 substitutions to change the shape of a team. He did say we will go out on a high prior to yesterdats game.
But for poor finishing and Loach didnt pull of some of the best saves you will see this season they, torquay could have had 6 or 7. The same against Orient last week and Solihull and guisely. During All of these games it was if we didnt have a midfield which allowed each of these teams to walk through and take pot shots.
As Cassidy won more headers but flicked on to no one, why didnt he say drop Donaldson or Oates deeper to bolster the midfield as 2or 3 strikers was a waste.
We all know the squad is paper thin but i would have been happier even if he had ‘blooded’ a couple of the other kids for the experience, the result would not have mattered that much really. Yesterdays game was an opportunity wasted to try something different.
I like Matty but i just dont think he has enough about him YET to to carry us through next season and challenge for promotion as Singh has quoted.

But they aren't glueless though are they?, they actually come with the glue included, so that would make them a glue included kit , so what would that make Bates

A Spitfire....?

Spot on!

Who?

Jamie Oliver is being brought in to midfield alongside Gordon Ramsay.

Hairy bikers as left and right back to give "balance" to the back four with Delia and Mary Berry centre backs.........scary!

but a deffo is Keith Floyd as manager...

They'll need a medium for the team talk.

He looks like he'd be a good dribbler.

I think he preferred dry with 18 glasses!

Mary Berry is a great shout in central defence. She taught her son George everything he knew and despite the brittle bones she could still do a job.

Nigella may be a worthy addition to the squad.

I tried to add a photo of her but it came up with this message.......i wonder why?

"The file is too big, maximum allowed size is 256 KiB"

If we sign Nigella we can't bring back the foot-long hotdogs.

I think she gives you foot long ones..................................