Dodds has said countless times he feels most comfortable ‘on the grass’. Judging by the work put in, particularly with regards to Humphreys and his positional play, it very much seems like the players are taking to The Doddsfather in his natural domain.
I remember the Sanchez era side (2001-2002 to be exact) when we had the workmanlike and commendable duo of Simpson and Bulman and thinking if only we had that midfielder that could get on the half turn and drive at defences, then we’d be a force. To have the likes of Simons and Humphreys doing so is truly a joy to watch.
I’d have to disagree with your comment about Shrewsbury and the Birmingham clubs. Birmingham is 40 miles as the crow flies from Shrewsbury. Within 40 miles we have 20 league teams and 12 Premier/Championship teams within 32 miles, plus the transport links in to London.
A few hours, and 20 years late but that's very harsh on two pretty good ball players, I got the impression Adams wasn't overly impressed with attitudes when he cleaned them all out, not that he had the first clue about management, but Simpson really was pretty cultured. Sergio was around that period too.
Not that it's any kind of contest but our dryest periods in recent times probably include the bit just before Adams took us down, anything Lambert related, when Waddock was buying Aldershot reserves and if we're being uncharitable then the Gaz period with Thompson and Hayes on his last legs probably just before Bayo arrived.
Thanks for sharing, I am interested, less because he works in a similar industry to me, and more because initially when he was linked and took over there was almost nothing out there online directly from him. But the content does look a bit dull and it's late, will maybe have another look at some other point.
I'm not sure everyone else is the same by the way but I don't really have a problem with him not being around, I kind of assumed from the outset that he is bankrolling someone else's dreams / masterplan.
The last minute about “killing off credit cards” was fascinating. It was a third of their bottom line but gave them a net negative satisfaction score so binned it off as they don’t want to make bad money.
I think the digression to Dell and Bell possibly clouded my comment! I also liked them both and they were decent players.
But most of our better attacking play came when Simpson/Bulman spread the ball to Currie/Roberts/Brown on the wings. They weren’t players that would pick the ball up and drive or glide past people. Back in the day I felt we missed that extra bit of ingenuity and class that would’ve taken a good side to a great side. Now we have it, and it’s magnificent.
That post-cup run team in 2001 was one of my favourite WWFC squads in my time following the club, we looked like genuine contenders for promotion for the first half of the season but lacked the strength in depth needed to sustain it as much as anything else.
Stuart Roberts, Jermaine McSporran and Darren Currie were meant to be sort of creative player you mentioned, but they had their own particular shortcomings. In the end, the money from the cup run was quickly eaten up and in the end the death spiral of lower budgets and Sanchez losing the plot meant players like Dell, Bell and Mapes (with all due respect to them) were our main summer signings when previously their arrival would barely have merited a footnote in the BFP Midweek.
We were imperious at home that season until losing to Cardiff to a dodgy goal (foul in the build-up IIRC) but terrible away. And a few months later came that night against Blackpool and arguably the beginning of the end for Sanchez. As you say, lack of squad depth told in the end. Feels very different 20+ years later!
I remember seeing Roger Johnson on his debut away at Cambridge Utd and saying he would play in the Premier League one day, that would have been 1999/2000 or 2000/2001
Thinking about it last night, I'm convinced that Bristol Rovers have been placed on this planet purely as a joke for us over recent years. They provide almost unlimited entertainment:
- Lightning gate. 3-1 up with 20 mins to go, before losing the replayed game 2-0
- Invading our pitch and then getting relegated 7 days later
- The general hilarity of that relegation in 2014. Horse punching, Mansfield wearing their own away kit, hitting the woodwork 3 times, the fantastic fan interviews afterwards
- Beating them in Feb 2016 with a late Luke O'Nien header, the week they were taken over by the Kuwaitis
- Joey Barton's antics and bitterness ("Brandon Hanlan couldn't hit a barn door")
- Joe Low scoring two years in a row at the Mem and celebrating in front of their fans
- The angry bald men in the stand next to us who get thrown out for complete head loss every time we go to the Mem
- And somehow we've got an almost uncanny ability to beat them, no matter how badly we've been playing. They were the only team we beat in that awful 17 match streak last season under Blooms (and we played with 10 men in that game after Scowen was sent off). They were also Blooms' first away win during the awful run of form after he took charge
- They're also the only other EFL team to wear quarters, but they adopted them two years after us so they can't even claim to be original
It's some hoodoo. Not forgetting we also relegated them in 2000/2001 despite having played about 100 games in two weeks (slight exaggeration) by the time we met them at the Mem. They responded by pelting Martin Taylor with coins according to the match report. Whenever we beat them I feel zero sympathy and think it couldn't happen to a nicer lot.
I had to look it up but Roger’s debut was the end of the 99/00 season, definitely a year earlier than I would have thought. But the last game of 00/01 was ColU at home, so it makes sense.
I was at the game when we relegated them in 2001. Meaningless end of season game for us, but a heavily deflected Senda shot and a goal of the season effort from Bulman sent them down. The locals mood wasn't helped by the Wycombe contingent being boosted by a few City fans and Swindon (who I think were also battling to avoid the drop) fans who'd come along to wind up the Rovers supporters. The atmosphere post match was tense to say the least. "you lot better get back on the coaches now, it's gonna kick off" a steward warned us. Would have been good advice had we not driven down. Fair to say we were hiding our Wycombe shirts like our lives depended on it, navigating the alleys around the stadium on our way back to the car.
Yeah - hardly The Football Factory, but on the way out of that game I had some fat local run up to me, kick me in the back of the leg, then they slumped off with the immortal words (read in full comedy Wurzels accent for full effect), “wot yew smilin’ at, yew f**in c***”
Full-on classic gammon face.
And this off the back of zero provocation, wasn’t even engaging with anyone else other than the group I was with, certainly wasn’t engaging in any “top bantz” with the locals.
I have just exchanged messages with a Rovers fan on facebook who said we were a ‘pathetic little club with the prospects of a toilet duck*’. I politely pointed out that we have beaten them in the last 7 meetings and have never dropped out of the EFL in the 32 years since we entered, unlike some clubs I could mention.
Aye, for me that game, along with a couple of games at Layer Road in the O'Neill days back in the early 90's are probably the most intimidating atmospheres I've ever seen at a Wycombe game. Weird thing was, we were just interested onlookers at Bristol, whilst at Colchester we were very much part of the atmosphere.
There's supporters of some clubs where you have to sit and nod while they patronise you, because they have an illustrious history, huge stadium and fantastic attendances.
I do agree that we have people in South Bucks that have historically supported other clubs Watford , QPR locally and of course the big london clubs . I doubt there are more than a hand full who support the likes of Reading , Oxford Utd , Brentford , Fulham though and as for any lower league clubs within 40 miles like Wimbledon you can probably count then on one hand . Clubs like Leyton Oreant , Wimbledon and the like all have much bigger gates than us with no more people living in ther immediate vicinity and they hanve an even closer pull from the big London clubs . There is no way generations in Shrewsbury have not supported the big Birmingham Clubs , even Stoke is 40 miles one way and Liverpool 70 miles to the north . Maybe we have mathmatically more on out doorstep but they are not without them in a measurable amount . They are also lower league club who like us have fans that support premership clubs from thier armchairs . Shrewsbury has a population of 70k. If you include Hazlemere and Loudwater (which we all know are pretty much part of Wycombe )ours is double that . Our support is crap and we are not unique in having bigger clubs in the area . We have been in the league for over 30 years now . I therefore repeat my view that it is highly dissapointing that we get such low gates . Shrewsbury I will remind you are near the bottom of the table and get higher gates than us .
Comments
Dodds has said countless times he feels most comfortable ‘on the grass’. Judging by the work put in, particularly with regards to Humphreys and his positional play, it very much seems like the players are taking to The Doddsfather in his natural domain.
I remember the Sanchez era side (2001-2002 to be exact) when we had the workmanlike and commendable duo of Simpson and Bulman and thinking if only we had that midfielder that could get on the half turn and drive at defences, then we’d be a force. To have the likes of Simons and Humphreys doing so is truly a joy to watch.
Ridiculous stuff.
It doesn't take much to learn Chris Humphrees name.
I always stick to second names so I don't have to worry when I'm shouting 'Go on Humpty pass it to Cluedo...'
I mainly shout “Go on King!” these days. Often when walking the dog, to the bemusement of fellow dog-walkers who know her name is Lily.
Remember that summer under Sanchez where we only brought in Charlie Mapes a young centre mid from non-league?
Now we're making 12 signings in January! Some high priced, and some not even to use for a fair while!
how dare you, summer 2003 was a signing bonanza.
Beaconsfield SYCOB’s very own Steve Dell (my main memory of him is repeatedly failing to be able to take throw-ins, LIVE! on Sky)?
The somewhat less than prolific Andy Bell?
This January crop have a lot to live up to if we’re pulling out the big benchmarks now.
The footballing megalith that is Berkhamstead Town to you. And he wasn't even our best signing from them...
Keith Ryan?
I’d have to disagree with your comment about Shrewsbury and the Birmingham clubs. Birmingham is 40 miles as the crow flies from Shrewsbury. Within 40 miles we have 20 league teams and 12 Premier/Championship teams within 32 miles, plus the transport links in to London.
A few hours, and 20 years late but that's very harsh on two pretty good ball players, I got the impression Adams wasn't overly impressed with attitudes when he cleaned them all out, not that he had the first clue about management, but Simpson really was pretty cultured. Sergio was around that period too.
Not that it's any kind of contest but our dryest periods in recent times probably include the bit just before Adams took us down, anything Lambert related, when Waddock was buying Aldershot reserves and if we're being uncharitable then the Gaz period with Thompson and Hayes on his last legs probably just before Bayo arrived.
Thanks for sharing, I am interested, less because he works in a similar industry to me, and more because initially when he was linked and took over there was almost nothing out there online directly from him. But the content does look a bit dull and it's late, will maybe have another look at some other point.
I'm not sure everyone else is the same by the way but I don't really have a problem with him not being around, I kind of assumed from the outset that he is bankrolling someone else's dreams / masterplan.
The last minute about “killing off credit cards” was fascinating. It was a third of their bottom line but gave them a net negative satisfaction score so binned it off as they don’t want to make bad money.
I think the digression to Dell and Bell possibly clouded my comment! I also liked them both and they were decent players.
But most of our better attacking play came when Simpson/Bulman spread the ball to Currie/Roberts/Brown on the wings. They weren’t players that would pick the ball up and drive or glide past people. Back in the day I felt we missed that extra bit of ingenuity and class that would’ve taken a good side to a great side. Now we have it, and it’s magnificent.
That’s my ham fisted point :D.
That post-cup run team in 2001 was one of my favourite WWFC squads in my time following the club, we looked like genuine contenders for promotion for the first half of the season but lacked the strength in depth needed to sustain it as much as anything else.
Stuart Roberts, Jermaine McSporran and Darren Currie were meant to be sort of creative player you mentioned, but they had their own particular shortcomings. In the end, the money from the cup run was quickly eaten up and in the end the death spiral of lower budgets and Sanchez losing the plot meant players like Dell, Bell and Mapes (with all due respect to them) were our main summer signings when previously their arrival would barely have merited a footnote in the BFP Midweek.
I absolutely adored Darren Currie
We were imperious at home that season until losing to Cardiff to a dodgy goal (foul in the build-up IIRC) but terrible away. And a few months later came that night against Blackpool and arguably the beginning of the end for Sanchez. As you say, lack of squad depth told in the end. Feels very different 20+ years later!
Graham Kavanagh on Roger Johnson?
actually, that would have been a bit early for Roger Johnson wouldn't it?
I remember seeing Roger Johnson on his debut away at Cambridge Utd and saying he would play in the Premier League one day, that would have been 1999/2000 or 2000/2001
I probably would have said Premiership at the time
Thinking about it last night, I'm convinced that Bristol Rovers have been placed on this planet purely as a joke for us over recent years. They provide almost unlimited entertainment:
- Lightning gate. 3-1 up with 20 mins to go, before losing the replayed game 2-0
- Invading our pitch and then getting relegated 7 days later
- The general hilarity of that relegation in 2014. Horse punching, Mansfield wearing their own away kit, hitting the woodwork 3 times, the fantastic fan interviews afterwards
- Beating them in Feb 2016 with a late Luke O'Nien header, the week they were taken over by the Kuwaitis
- Joey Barton's antics and bitterness ("Brandon Hanlan couldn't hit a barn door")
- Joe Low scoring two years in a row at the Mem and celebrating in front of their fans
- The angry bald men in the stand next to us who get thrown out for complete head loss every time we go to the Mem
- And somehow we've got an almost uncanny ability to beat them, no matter how badly we've been playing. They were the only team we beat in that awful 17 match streak last season under Blooms (and we played with 10 men in that game after Scowen was sent off). They were also Blooms' first away win during the awful run of form after he took charge
- They're also the only other EFL team to wear quarters, but they adopted them two years after us so they can't even claim to be original
What was the result that time we had to wear their away kit?
It's some hoodoo. Not forgetting we also relegated them in 2000/2001 despite having played about 100 games in two weeks (slight exaggeration) by the time we met them at the Mem. They responded by pelting Martin Taylor with coins according to the match report. Whenever we beat them I feel zero sympathy and think it couldn't happen to a nicer lot.
I had to look it up but Roger’s debut was the end of the 99/00 season, definitely a year earlier than I would have thought. But the last game of 00/01 was ColU at home, so it makes sense.
I was at the game when we relegated them in 2001. Meaningless end of season game for us, but a heavily deflected Senda shot and a goal of the season effort from Bulman sent them down. The locals mood wasn't helped by the Wycombe contingent being boosted by a few City fans and Swindon (who I think were also battling to avoid the drop) fans who'd come along to wind up the Rovers supporters. The atmosphere post match was tense to say the least. "you lot better get back on the coaches now, it's gonna kick off" a steward warned us. Would have been good advice had we not driven down. Fair to say we were hiding our Wycombe shirts like our lives depended on it, navigating the alleys around the stadium on our way back to the car.
Yeah - hardly The Football Factory, but on the way out of that game I had some fat local run up to me, kick me in the back of the leg, then they slumped off with the immortal words (read in full comedy Wurzels accent for full effect), “wot yew smilin’ at, yew f**in c***”
Full-on classic gammon face.
And this off the back of zero provocation, wasn’t even engaging with anyone else other than the group I was with, certainly wasn’t engaging in any “top bantz” with the locals.
Ah well.
It was certainly quite the charged atmosphere.
I have just exchanged messages with a Rovers fan on facebook who said we were a ‘pathetic little club with the prospects of a toilet duck*’. I politely pointed out that we have beaten them in the last 7 meetings and have never dropped out of the EFL in the 32 years since we entered, unlike some clubs I could mention.
* No, I don’t understand it either.
Aye, for me that game, along with a couple of games at Layer Road in the O'Neill days back in the early 90's are probably the most intimidating atmospheres I've ever seen at a Wycombe game. Weird thing was, we were just interested onlookers at Bristol, whilst at Colchester we were very much part of the atmosphere.
There's supporters of some clubs where you have to sit and nod while they patronise you, because they have an illustrious history, huge stadium and fantastic attendances.
Bristol Rovers is not one of those clubs.
I do agree that we have people in South Bucks that have historically supported other clubs Watford , QPR locally and of course the big london clubs . I doubt there are more than a hand full who support the likes of Reading , Oxford Utd , Brentford , Fulham though and as for any lower league clubs within 40 miles like Wimbledon you can probably count then on one hand . Clubs like Leyton Oreant , Wimbledon and the like all have much bigger gates than us with no more people living in ther immediate vicinity and they hanve an even closer pull from the big London clubs . There is no way generations in Shrewsbury have not supported the big Birmingham Clubs , even Stoke is 40 miles one way and Liverpool 70 miles to the north . Maybe we have mathmatically more on out doorstep but they are not without them in a measurable amount . They are also lower league club who like us have fans that support premership clubs from thier armchairs . Shrewsbury has a population of 70k. If you include Hazlemere and Loudwater (which we all know are pretty much part of Wycombe )ours is double that . Our support is crap and we are not unique in having bigger clubs in the area . We have been in the league for over 30 years now . I therefore repeat my view that it is highly dissapointing that we get such low gates . Shrewsbury I will remind you are near the bottom of the table and get higher gates than us .