Alarm Bells

ChunkyMonkey · **Joined:** Mon Sep 04, 2006 12:59 pm **Posts:** 569

are ringing and getting louder.

Our starting 11 is not a bad side and, on their day, a match for almost anyone in the division. However, beyond that, we have nothing!

Look at the strength of our subs bench. There is no one who will come on and win a match, defend a lead or actually make the slightest impact on the outcome. In fact, virtualyl every substitution I can think of this season has resulted in our team becoming weaker. The only real impact player we have is now playing well enough to justify a place in the starting line-up and that's Matty Robson.

Last night, against a decidedly mediocre team, in November with absolutely no pressure on the match with regards to league positions, the game was crying out for a sub to come on and change the game in our favour. We have no one on the bench who can step up to the mark. What will it be like in March and April, when there may be huge pressure on to either avoid relegation or get into the play-offs?

Even a team like Bristol Rovers, a mid-table League One side, has the likes of Daryl Duffy in reserve, a player we were prepared to break our transfer record for not so long back. Most teams have at least a couple of players who they can bring on and make a difference to the result. We don't have any and we will suffer for it.

I know there has been talk about trimming the squad because of it being far too big a couple of years ago, but surely it has been cut to much? I don't think Danny Wilson can be blamed for this, he has to work with what he has. Granted, some of his decisions have been questionable but perhaps we are expecting too much from him given the squad he has to work with.

Everyone wants to see some money spent in January and people have varied opinions on what positions need strengthening but my feeling is that we need to seriously strengthen the substitutes bench before we do anything else.

TalbotAvenger · **Posted:** Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:23 pm

ChunkyMonkey wrote:

are ringing and getting louder.

Our starting 11 is not a bad side and, on their day, a match for almost anyone in the division. However, beyond that, we have nothing!

Look at the strength of our subs bench. There is no one who will come on and win a match, defend a lead or actually make the slightest impact on the outcome. In fact, virtualyl every substitution I can think of this season has resulted in our team becoming weaker. The only real impact player we have is now playing well enough to justify a place in the starting line-up and that's Matty Robson.

Last night, against a decidedly mediocre team, in November with absolutely no pressure on the match with regards to league positions, the game was crying out for a sub to come on and change the game in our favour. We have no one on the bench who can step up to the mark. What will it be like in March and April, when there may be huge pressure on to either avoid relegation or get into the play-offs?

Even a team like Bristol Rovers, a mid-table League One side, has the likes of Daryl Duffy in reserve, a player we were prepared to break our transfer record for not so long back. Most teams have at least a couple of players who they can bring on and make a difference to the result. We don't have any and we will suffer for it.

I know there has been talk about trimming the squad because of it being far too big a couple of years ago, but surely it has been cut to much? I don't think Danny Wilson can be blamed for this, he has to work with what he has. Granted, some of his decisions have been questionable but perhaps we are expecting too much from him given the squad he has to work with.

Everyone wants to see some money spent in January and people have varied opinions on what positions need strengthening but my feeling is that we need to seriously strengthen the substitutes bench before we do anything else.

Wilson CAN take some of the blame, IOR have never denied him loot for wages, I mean it must be terrible for a manager of Hartlepool United to be given the green light to sign a £3500pw player......

Gibsons Beard · **Posted:** Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:29 pm

TalbotAvenger wrote:

ChunkyMonkey wrote:

are ringing and getting louder.

Our starting 11 is not a bad side and, on their day, a match for almost anyone in the division. However, beyond that, we have nothing!

Look at the strength of our subs bench. There is no one who will come on and win a match, defend a lead or actually make the slightest impact on the outcome. In fact, virtualyl every substitution I can think of this season has resulted in our team becoming weaker. The only real impact player we have is now playing well enough to justify a place in the starting line-up and that's Matty Robson.

Last night, against a decidedly mediocre team, in November with absolutely no pressure on the match with regards to league positions, the game was crying out for a sub to come on and change the game in our favour. We have no one on the bench who can step up to the mark. What will it be like in March and April, when there may be huge pressure on to either avoid relegation or get into the play-offs?

Even a team like Bristol Rovers, a mid-table League One side, has the likes of Daryl Duffy in reserve, a player we were prepared to break our transfer record for not so long back. Most teams have at least a couple of players who they can bring on and make a difference to the result. We don't have any and we will suffer for it.

I know there has been talk about trimming the squad because of it being far too big a couple of years ago, but surely it has been cut to much? I don't think Danny Wilson can be blamed for this, he has to work with what he has. Granted, some of his decisions have been questionable but perhaps we are expecting too much from him given the squad he has to work with.

Everyone wants to see some money spent in January and people have varied opinions on what positions need strengthening but my feeling is that we need to seriously strengthen the substitutes bench before we do anything else.

Wilson CAN take some of the blame, IOR have never denied him loot for wages, I mean it must be terrible for a manager of Hartlepool United to be given the green light to sign a £3500pw player......

For all the grief managers such as Taity, Houchen etc al got, they at least had the excuse that their hands were tied. Wilson has still been given much more support than any of these criticised managers got. Danny must take a lot of the blame. The fact is that a lot of players he has signed have not cut the mustard.

ChunkyMonkey · **Joined:** Mon Sep 04, 2006 12:59 pm **Posts:** 569

And another thing......

We are lacking leaders within the team. Not one of the players is a natural leader. Communication on the pitch is seriously lacking. They don't seem to talk to each other, they aren't in the face of the opposition and don't even say Boo to the ref. This is all very well for this new respect agenda but it doesn't win us any games.

Remember back to Kyle's 2nd game when he was all over the place, winding up the away fans, moaning at the ref, imposing himself on the game. It was a refreshing change from a fan's point of view because we haven't seen the likes for a number of years. We should have players doing this every week. Other teams do it, why can't we? I worry that if we are caught up in a relegation fight, they won't have the mettle for the battle.

I'm not advocating a Martin Allen-type approach to football but we must have some stronger characters in the team or we'll never get anywhere. All of the better teams are based around these players at every single level of the game but I'm afraid we seem to have a team of shrinking violets, making it easy for the opposition to impose themselves on us and making it easy for refs to award any close decisions against us as he knows he won't get any hassle from the players.

So, either some of the current players need to step up to the mark and show us what you are made of or get some players in who are made or sterner stuff.

parmopooly · **Posted:** Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:44 pm

cracking post

Obafemi Obsession · **Posted:** Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:45 pm

Which one?

MutleyRules · **Posted:** Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:49 pm

All of them!!!! clappp

Gibsons Beard · **Posted:** Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:51 pm

MutleyRules wrote:

All of them!!!! clappp

What, even mine

MutleyRules · **Posted:** Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:52 pm

No yours was shite!!!! :evil:

Gibsons Beard · **Posted:** Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:53 pm

MutleyRules wrote:

No yours was shite!!!! :evil:

parmopooly · **Posted:** Wed Nov 26, 2008 3:14 pm

you mean a source of inspiration and drive, and determination to succeed and will to win.
All the things Neale Cooper had coming out of his ears.

ChunkyMonkey · **Joined:** Mon Sep 04, 2006 12:59 pm **Posts:** 569

I would tend to agree and also agree about Wilson being the one who builds (or dismantles) the squad, but everyone is far too quick to blame Wilson for absolutely everything that goes wrong, to the point that it is skewing every post that points out any other short comings.

Sacking the manager is NOT the immediate solution, it would still leave us with a very weak squad, with no bite.

January gives us the chance to bring in a couple of players who are going to get the fans excited again. All Poolies ever ask for is total commitment to the cause and, if we are to lose, to go down fighting. At the moment, we are rolling over before we even start and putting too much reliance on tappy lappy football, which will never inspire confidence in the fans.

Montpoolier · **Posted:** Wed Nov 26, 2008 3:52 pm

ChunkyMonkey wrote:

Sacking the manager is NOT the immediate solution, it would still leave us with a very weak squad, with no bite.

January gives us the chance to bring in a couple of players who are going to get the fans excited again.

Just playing devil's advocate here, but might not a new manager have a more inspired idea about whom to bring in?

ChunkyMonkey · **Joined:** Mon Sep 04, 2006 12:59 pm **Posts:** 569

Yes, but IOR are not going to change the manager anytime soon.

Yubep · **Joined:** Wed Jan 31, 2007 6:35 pm **Posts:** 25266

that post sums everything up chippers, loved it, love you.

The lack of kids coming through is alarming, at our level, we need them to survive, both financially - to sell on, and on the playing side - cos we can't afford to go out and buy like leeds we need the kids coming through.

Mr Ripper · **Posted:** Wed Nov 26, 2008 4:25 pm

chip fireball wrote:

last week against brighton we started with 8 players wilson DIDNT sign and were a better side for it. sorry but i cant be having the blame removed squarely from the managers shoulders.

he has signed FOUR goalkeepers ffs and not one of them is as good as the bloke that left.

he signed elliott who was an unmitigated disaster, mcunnie who has vanished off the face of the earth, antwi on a season long loan deal that failed, power who isnt within a million miles of starting a first team game, collins who is going rapidly backwards, liddle and monkhouse who are doing the same, and moore who walked out.

he is now spending the entire budget for new players on kyle who may be a nasty swine, but only when he can be arsed or gets wound up which isnt very often, and who has yet to have a great game away from the vic. he looks very much a square peg in a round hole, a target man signed to play in a team with no wingers and that is crying out for a pair of full backs.

we have converted midfielders at full back, converted strikers in midfield, no real game plan, no back up plan and the whole thing often looks like a recently detonated circus.

neale cooper would often get some success from his homegrown kids from the bench. you cant tell me the likes of appleby, wilkinson, craddock, brackstone, maidens, istead, turnbull etc were great footballers, and yet they were all asked to step into the breach at times, and we still made the play-offs.

under wilson none of the home growns has had a sniff of league action. they go from the youth team to the reserves and then the dole. nobody is progressing under him, nobody. we havent got one single player who has got better under his management and a boatload who have got worse.

whats the goalkeeping coach doing ? whats butterworth doing ? nothings happening, nobody is coming through the ranks. for the first time in decades we dont have a single young player coming through from the youth team. are they all shyte or is it the management team that are shyte ?

sacking the manager is the ONLY answer imho.

Fking well said that man. clappp

I'm only going to the Yeovil game cos I've got a mate coming up from Huddersfield for the match. The playing side of HUFC is a shambles at the moment.

mouldy old dough · **Posted:** Wed Nov 26, 2008 5:05 pm

chip fireball wrote:

last week against brighton we started with 8 players wilson DIDNT sign and were a better side for it. sorry but i cant be having the blame removed squarely from the managers shoulders.

he has signed FOUR goalkeepers ffs and not one of them is as good as the bloke that left.

he signed elliott who was an unmitigated disaster, mcunnie who has vanished off the face of the earth, antwi on a season long loan deal that failed, power who isnt within a million miles of starting a first team game, collins who is going rapidly backwards, liddle and monkhouse who are doing the same, and moore who walked out.

he is now spending the entire budget for new players on kyle who may be a nasty swine, but only when he can be arsed or gets wound up which isnt very often, and who has yet to have a great game away from the vic. he looks very much a square peg in a round hole, a target man signed to play in a team with no wingers and that is crying out for a pair of full backs.

we have converted midfielders at full back, converted strikers in midfield, no real game plan, no back up plan and the whole thing often looks like a recently detonated circus.

neale cooper would often get some success from his homegrown kids from the bench. you cant tell me the likes of appleby, wilkinson, craddock, brackstone, maidens, istead, turnbull etc were great footballers, and yet they were all asked to step into the breach at times, and we still made the play-offs.

under wilson none of the home growns has had a sniff of league action. they go from the youth team to the reserves and then the dole. nobody is progressing under him, nobody. we havent got one single player who has got better under his management and a boatload who have got worse.

whats the goalkeeping coach doing ? whats butterworth doing ? nothings happening, nobody is coming through the ranks. for the first time in decades we dont have a single young player coming through from the youth team. are they all shyte or is it the management team that are shyte ?

sacking the manager is the ONLY answer imho.

Great post Mutters.

Snowy · **Joined:** Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:18 pm **Posts:** 37383

You get the crowds at Pools when somethings at stake, be it promotion or relegation....mid table mediocrity, or safety as some like to call it, is purely for the anoraks.

Gibsons Beard · **Posted:** Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:57 pm

mouldy old dough wrote:

chip fireball wrote:

last week against brighton we started with 8 players wilson DIDNT sign ......................................
sacking the manager is the ONLY answer imho.

Great post Mutters.

Mutters????

Gibsons Beard · **Posted:** Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:57 pm

chip fireball wrote:

last week against brighton we started with 8 players wilson DIDNT sign and were a better side for it. sorry but i cant be having the blame removed squarely from the managers shoulders.

he has signed FOUR goalkeepers ffs and not one of them is as good as the bloke that left.

he signed elliott who was an unmitigated disaster, mcunnie who has vanished off the face of the earth, antwi on a season long loan deal that failed, power who isnt within a million miles of starting a first team game, collins who is going rapidly backwards, liddle and monkhouse who are doing the same, and moore who walked out.

he is now spending the entire budget for new players on kyle who may be a nasty swine, but only when he can be arsed or gets wound up which isnt very often, and who has yet to have a great game away from the vic. he looks very much a square peg in a round hole, a target man signed to play in a team with no wingers and that is crying out for a pair of full backs.

we have converted midfielders at full back, converted strikers in midfield, no real game plan, no back up plan and the whole thing often looks like a recently detonated circus.

neale cooper would often get some success from his homegrown kids from the bench. you cant tell me the likes of appleby, wilkinson, craddock, brackstone, maidens, istead, turnbull etc were great footballers, and yet they were all asked to step into the breach at times, and we still made the play-offs.

under wilson none of the home growns has had a sniff of league action. they go from the youth team to the reserves and then the dole. nobody is progressing under him, nobody. we havent got one single player who has got better under his management and a boatload who have got worse.

whats the goalkeeping coach doing ? whats butterworth doing ? nothings happening, nobody is coming through the ranks. for the first time in decades we dont have a single young player coming through from the youth team. are they all shyte or is it the management team that are shyte ?

sacking the manager is the ONLY answer imho.

An excellent, excellent, excellent post!

parmopooly · **Posted:** Wed Nov 26, 2008 7:31 pm

the best post on here for months.
And every word is true.
I've been stewing over Wilson's "style" of management today and for a club like Pools he is going to take us back to League 2 - and as a club that is going to set us back 5 years crowds-wise and everything.
A manager who can fire the imagination of the fans is needed. Ian Holloway would be a great coup for Pools. Knows his football and attracts the media spotlight.

parmopooly · **Posted:** Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:22 pm

but it definitely explains why we're getting 3,000 crowds these days, and falling.

The Lightning Tree · **Joined:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 5:30 pm **Posts:** 5804

We need a very good cup run. 4th or 5th round, that will keep the fans interested and hopefully revive some confidence back in the team.
3000 fans is still abysmal for league one football but thats pools all over, we'll never attract large crowds and on 3000 crowds how are we supposed to attract decent players either financially or for the attraction of playing for Hartlepool United.
I think Kyle is a mistake but he;s here till January and you can be sure he'll get his game poor or not.
The season starts saturday, its make or break, beat Fleetwood which i'm sure we will and hope for a decent 3rd round draw.

katcha · **Posted:** Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:51 pm

we can only pin our hopes for future on some untried youth or a decent splash of readies or some massive astuteness in january.

i personally would like to see some untried youth who have a point to make and try to impress that are playing in the reserves unlike the likes of the prosaic nation that are down on confidence.

the solution to the problems we face are complex and many, i just hope that it is more than the mere hoi polloi who can see it and that some form of plan is already underway.

Snowy · **Joined:** Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:18 pm **Posts:** 37383

The trouble is, nothings gonna change. We, as a club, are just chugging along like a Metro full of pensioners on the A19 ... with no real urgency to get anywhere in particular at an economical speed. There's no thrills, no anticipation because we aren't going anywhere like that, just a pointless drive round the houses to keep the car ticking over... Wonder why the gates are dropping...? why bother going to the Vic on a cold night to watch the football equivalent of Horlicks mixed with Ovaltine... we're losing fans, slowly bleeding to death, the confidence that took so long to build up is slowly ebbing away, but no one seems remotely concerned, we're sleep walking into mediocrity and slowly it's becoming the norm.... trouble is we can't afford to, but like Mutleys picture for POK with the little girl, some people are doing exactly the same thing as her... maybe it's time we all woke up.

MutleyRules · **Posted:** Thu Nov 27, 2008 1:06 am

gravedisorder wrote:

mouldy old dough wrote:

chip fireball wrote:

last week against brighton we started with 8 players wilson DIDNT sign ......................................
sacking the manager is the ONLY answer imho.

Great post Mutters.

Mutters????

Yeah....Mr.Dough knows I sent Chip that post in a PM and I allowed him to post it on the Board!!!! :coool:

I wish!!!! :uhoh:

Great post though Chip!!!! clappp

Yubep · **Joined:** Wed Jan 31, 2007 6:35 pm **Posts:** 25266

It amazes me that HUFC read this boad, possibly read this thread...

Yet still take no notice and nothing changes.

We took 17,000 to Cardiff, ken hodcroft should have stood there, in the executive boxes, looked around and though fook me the fans are out there, if we can bring success to this club then we will get people through the doors.

Cos when pools are doing well people come.

We've all been there in the big ques at the ticket office for the big games, play-off games, sunderland in the cup, a massive que going half way down clarence road...

But since then pools have went backwards and stood still.

It's a shame really.

misterb2001 · **Posted:** Thu Nov 27, 2008 9:48 am

chip fireball wrote:

last week against brighton we started with 8 players wilson DIDNT sign and were a better side for it. sorry but i cant be having the blame removed squarely from the managers shoulders.

he has signed FOUR goalkeepers ffs and not one of them is as good as the bloke that left.

he signed elliott who was an unmitigated disaster, mcunnie who has vanished off the face of the earth, antwi on a season long loan deal that failed, power who isnt within a million miles of starting a first team game, collins who is going rapidly backwards, liddle and monkhouse who are doing the same, and moore who walked out.

he is now spending the entire budget for new players on kyle who may be a nasty swine, but only when he can be arsed or gets wound up which isnt very often, and who has yet to have a great game away from the vic. he looks very much a square peg in a round hole, a target man signed to play in a team with no wingers and that is crying out for a pair of full backs.

we have converted midfielders at full back, converted strikers in midfield, no real game plan, no back up plan and the whole thing often looks like a recently detonated circus.

neale cooper would often get some success from his homegrown kids from the bench. you cant tell me the likes of appleby, wilkinson, craddock, brackstone, maidens, istead, turnbull etc were great footballers, and yet they were all asked to step into the breach at times, and we still made the play-offs.

under wilson none of the home growns has had a sniff of league action. they go from the youth team to the reserves and then the dole. nobody is progressing under him, nobody. we havent got one single player who has got better under his management and a boatload who have got worse.

whats the goalkeeping coach doing ? whats butterworth doing ? nothings happening, nobody is coming through the ranks. for the first time in decades we dont have a single young player coming through from the youth team. are they all shyte or is it the management team that are shyte ?

sacking the manager is the ONLY answer imho.

see i agree with most of this but then you go on to say that there are no homegrown players in wilsons team. Well i can count 5 that play regularly and another two who find themselves on the bench regularly too. But back to your post.... It was top notch

Yubep · **Joined:** Wed Jan 31, 2007 6:35 pm **Posts:** 25266

I think chips point was that no homegrown (or at least very few) are breaking through now.

Sweeney and Brown are homegrown but we're here before Wilson.

Foley is homegrown, also before Wilson.

Rowell is homegrown, but basically never plays.

misterb2001 · **Posted:** Thu Nov 27, 2008 10:55 am

Yubep wrote:

I think chips point was that no homegrown (or at least very few) are breaking through now.

Sweeney and Brown are homegrown but we're here before Wilson.

Foley is homegrown, also before Wilson.

Rowell is homegrown, but basically never plays.

that would explain things better!
The problem being is we have 3 large clubs taking all the best talent in the area. Maybe the youngsters we have just arent good enough or simply are not ready for a 1st team place. I like the way wilson handled brown when he took over and it appears robson has came on leaps and bounds recently. So that would suggest that wilson will play them if he feels they are ready. Maybe we should send a few out on loan to toughen them up a bit

Yubep · **Joined:** Wed Jan 31, 2007 6:35 pm **Posts:** 25266

A perfect example is michael rae.

Never ever given a chirst at first team level, he may not have been good enough, but thats not the point, how would we know unless he was given a chance?

Spender · **Posted:** Thu Nov 27, 2008 5:20 pm

Yep!! Chuck the kids in!!!! Martin Scott did and it never did him any harm...... rolfl

Snowy · **Joined:** Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:18 pm **Posts:** 37383

I prefer to blood kids in a winning team. But, kids are beside the point at present....I don't even see why we're bothering, as the supply of young talent seems to hit the buffers when the first team is mentioned. It appears Wilson is more drawn to bringing in experienced players, the investment in a youth policy is a cul-de-sac now for Pools.

PJ_Poolie · **Posted:** Thu Nov 27, 2008 8:39 pm

I remember the Bristol City fans going mental on the message boards with Wilson about his under use of Leroy Lita....

Mute Witness · **Joined:** Fri Aug 18, 2006 10:10 am **Posts:** 3572

Some good points have been raised.

I can't see the future for Pools because at the moment there isn't one. We've a group of experienced players, many of whom are coming to the end of their careers. Who takes over them?

Cooper gave 12 young prospects their chance to shine, some made it, some didn't.

Wilson has given chances to zero young players, zilch.

Carl Jones was excellent for our reserves but when the time came and we needed cover at the back Wilson chose an ageing Mark Tinkler ahead of him. I was astonished when he was released soon after.

Craig Gott was another player who looked decent but was never given an opportunity.

Michael Rea nearly always produced the goods at reserve level, but he wasn't given a chance.

We've had some other decent prospects that haven't been given a chance.

Rowell's made a substitute appearance in the Micky Mouse Cup. I've seen him play for the reserves and he seems a great prospect but he needs to get his chance soon. Martin Young has been playing well for the reserves for a few years now...will he get his chance? Matty Tymon and Joe Tait what about them?

We'll never know if those four will make it if there not given the opportunity to do so. So as far as youth is concerned we may as well not have a youth team if we're not going to utilise it.

3Quid · **Joined:** Thu Aug 17, 2006 9:11 pm **Posts:** 1791

Our team who plays in the Hartlepool six-a-side-leagues on a Monday and Thursday have played against better players than one who will be playing for Pools on Saturday.

Sad, but very true.

Gibsons Beard · **Posted:** Fri Nov 28, 2008 8:59 am

3Quid wrote:

Our team who plays in the Hartlepool six-a-side-leagues on a Monday and Thursday have played against better players than one who will be playing for Pools on Saturday.

Sad, but very true.

Baby David?

Yubep · **Joined:** Wed Jan 31, 2007 6:35 pm **Posts:** 25266

This is probably the best thread thats ever been put on here.

This and the cooper one.

ChunkyMonkey · **Joined:** Mon Sep 04, 2006 12:59 pm **Posts:** 569

There is an argument to get rid of the youth team anyway and have a polcy of picking up the scraps and cast offs from Newcastle, Sunderland and Boro. It would save a fortune and we would probably unearth some gems.

misterb2001 · **Posted:** Fri Nov 28, 2008 11:56 am

ChunkyMonkey wrote:

There is an argument to get rid of the youth team anyway and have a polcy of picking up the scraps and cast offs from Newcastle, Sunderland and Boro. It would save a fortune and we would probably unearth some gems.

i believe thats what martin scott used to do

ChunkyMonkey · **Joined:** Mon Sep 04, 2006 12:59 pm **Posts:** 569

he brought in Sunderland players who generally had played for the 1st team but were considered no longer good enough. I'm talking about youngsters who are released before getting a pro contract

Salty · **Posted:** Fri Nov 28, 2008 12:41 pm

yeah but Wilson would 'coach' all the skill and talent out of em..... :roll:

Mr Ripper · **Posted:** Fri Nov 28, 2008 12:41 pm

Salty wrote:

yeah but Wilson would 'coach' all the skill and talent out of em..... :roll:

Like he seems to have done with Gary Liddle you mean?

Salty · **Posted:** Fri Nov 28, 2008 12:42 pm

exactement as the french might say if they splet badly! :grin:

Montpoolier · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2008 1:47 pm

Quite a few of our mediumly successful youths in the last five or six years have been picked up from other teams, haven't they?

But not by Mr Wilson. He who rejects change is the architect of decay.

Still, a week's a long time in politics and the pound in your pocket might just start fetching better value.

I'm an optimist with a raincoat, see.

Alarm Bells

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