....you know your an awfully bad side when the radio commentator says that. Can we play you every week the Dover fan's should be singing, our 3rd meeting with them since we were relegated and so far we've conceded 7 scored non and are heading for our 3rd loss against them.

It’s the whole Bates playing philosophy. There does not seem to be any shape at all with this side, there is flow or direction. It’s as if these players have never played or trained together.

Well done Josh Hawkes.....showing a bit of flair.

He hasn't scored two though, Bates out!

I can confirm there was a goal, missed it was having a quick few rips on a fag in the bogs, heard it was good like

Anyone we know?

Yeah, ya dad

Hawkes? who the fook is he? wonder if Bates has the balls to play him from the start on Tuesday. Bates is all over the place, what the fook has Muir done to upset him? as for James , surely the worst striker in the history of world football. It is quite obvious looking at the chopping and changing that Bates heavily influenced Harrison last season, it really is dega vu, with the boot now on the other foot.

Ever thought about motivational speaking?

We are still 12th?

Closer to the drop than the top. Groundhog Day anyone?

Ok then, lets put this into perspective, its only November, season not half over yet, lets see were we are after xmas games, before we panic. Even then if things not going well , we still have half the season left , win 10 games on the trot and we could still sneak into the play offs.

That better ?

Correct - for once - on current form and taking into account the fact that key players such as Davies and Williams (titter ye not) wont be available to actually begin to earn whatever extortionate monies are being deposited into the bank account until the New Year, the trending position should be around 6th bottom by then.

I don't mind admitting that my understanding of team formations has not improved much since the abandonment of the traditional 235 but the game at Dover was a mess. For large periods there were 20 players occupying a quarter of the pitch. It could have been Jesmond Road v Brougham in terms of organisation.
We employed high balls against a physically bigger team when it was crying out for a passing game with more width. Although James tried enthusiastically, we might as well have 10 men as he cannot compete at the physical level.
I am totally bewildered as to how we can put up two decent performances against an EFL L1 opponent, Gillingham, yet look like relegation candidates at bottom NL club Dover. Are there two different games called Association Football?

According to Dover message board 2-1 flattered us. We play total football , therefore play better against teams from higher leagues who let us play total football, according to Bates, to answer the Gillingham question.

I cannot see 'total football' getting us out of the NL in an upward direction.

Now it's getting silly. So, we play league football but we're in a lower league?

Well Mr Bates, you'll just have to adapt to suit the level we find ourselves at now.
You obviously haven't.

“Total Football”, is this one of Bates quotes or johann cruyff?
As Jim royal says, Total Football my arse!!!!

Total Shite springs to mind