Interesting article.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... nager-idol

Damn, that's another 40 minutes when I should have been working, but the BBC documentary is worth a look too.

A gobshite with a fantasy consortium behind him took over Luton FC for a couple of quid. Sound familiar? The Football League called him in for a meeting to find out more about the consortium but were fobbed off in no time because the gobshite said he was "constrained by confidentiality" and couldn't reveal the identity of his backers!

Luton supporters trust managed to save their club before too much damage was done, but Pools and many other clubs are proof that fuck all has changed in 15 years in terms of the Football League's ability to keep con artists from asset stripping their members.

I met Mike Newell in Cafe Rappor New Years Day around 1am a few years ago, he strolled in with Kevin Sheedy, Sheedy was p*****.
What an arrogant person he was, nearly broke my fingers shaking my hand and at the same saying he was a scouscer and proud of it.
The following day we were playing Carlisle, I thought what at an example to the players, out drinking and his assistant barely able too stand up.
Ironically I think we Carlisle 3-1 the same day at Victoria Park, I wonder what Hodcroft would have thought if he knew his Manager and his Assistant were out boozing hours before a game ?

was it an early ko? I remember a dire nil nil against Carlisle with a noon ko, would certainly explain the performance....

Was the new years day game that Jon Bass had an absolute stormer of a game.

Could of only of been this game , http://inthemadcrowd.co.uk/UI/Match.aspx?oid=4043 Got beat at Hull on Boxing Day 2-0 in front of over 20 odd thousand in our first visit to their new ground.

A mate of mine on the taxis , told me , he often picked Newell up from the pub late on and then asked him to wait outside the all night shop in Raby Road while Newell got some more alcohol to take back to his flat down the Marina.

Only met him one at a talk in at Blackhall Rafa Club, very confident and clearly fancied himself. He just came across as a narky sort who could be a nuisance , certainly in drink.

The record books will show he got us promotion. As far as I'm concerned he was the useless damned bounder who took over a team with a great spirit , well clear at the top, 13 points at one point in January, and then went on to blow it the title and the team spirit in record time. In the end we just managed to go up.

From John's excellent stat site:

"When Chris Turner left the club during 2002/03, Newell was the surprise choice to succeed him as Pools manager. Newell had no previous experience and, with Pools 4 points clear at the top of the division, could hardly have wished for a better first opportunity. A roller-coaster season followed as Newell's Pools extended that lead to 14 points only to lose it. Promotion in second place was not enough to see Newell's contract renewed. He went on to enjoy success at Luton Town."

Wonder if we can have the full Newell story yet from the people involved in the court case?

Can he sue me for stating on a public forum that he's a c unt?