The main reason we’re still in fifth place, plus got to a recent play-off final, is because the standard in league 2 is absolute dross compared to recent years. Every team capable of beating another, every team has a good and bad run. A few fall outside this group and get either promoted or relegated.

Now, right here in mid February, is the best chance possible to reach the top 3 but it looks like we’re destined to slide into lower mid-table just like last season. If we’ve got any aspirations whatsoever * to go up we must turn the form around and get back to winning ways.

* I would suggest the board have backed MF very well, using cup run money I expect, to bring in a plethora of players. 40 players so far this season I read? Unbelievable.

I don’t think MF & WH have what it takes to do the job the backing has given them. Seemingly no real idea how to beat teams other than dogged determination (to get a few late winners in autumn) and the skill and vision of Twine (when playing). The only ‘Plan B’ I can see is rotate the strikers and to chase the game throw more forwards on. That philosophy works for some teams but you need quality midfielders or wingers to supply the passes/crosses, and tall forwards with a game plan to lay the ball off. I don’t see any of that.

I suspect watching the opponents in lockdown has become harder and clubs just rely on videos, which clearly don’t always show the weaknesses a team has compared to being in the ground watching.

We could easily see this season peter out miserably, hear promises about a fresh challenge with a new squad next season. Or we could act now and bring in a new head coach who can get 20% more out of the existing players and introduce some fresh ideas.

I hear a lot of your views about ‘we can’t afford to sack the manager’ and you’re most probably right. But, with respect, does this mean we always stick with an underperforming manager until the end of his contract regardless? At what point do we say ‘enough is enough’? Next season when we’ve signed up another 40 players at Lord knows what cost?

MF should do the decent thing and tender his resignation unless he’s that convinced he can turn things around. I don’t share the optimism.

County19081967 wrote:I try to be a glass half full chap but yesterday takes the biscuit (apologies for sort of mixing metaphors!). Try as I might I cannot think of many positives to say about the 90 minutes, other than possibly the fact I was warm, had drinkable tea to hand and iPlayer froze for about 10 minutes of the second half. I don’t think I have enjoyed watching County for weeks but yesterday..…come on!!

I cannot believe it but this is my 53rd season of watching County and the last few years of FA Cup runs etc. have been brilliant. However, for the first time ever I was actually hoping County didn’t equalise last night and I cannot believe I’m saying that! Flynny has been a legend for us but I’m concerned now this is all getting a little cosy and stale. I really hope he can turn this around as I don’t want his undoubted legacy to become tarnished. On last night’s performance I have concerns that he can. Yes, we are still in a play-off position but on the evidence from recent matches, I doubt for much longer.

Having said all of that, I’ll be on iPlayer again on Saturday, hoping for the best and expecting the worst. The curse of being a County supporter !

54th season for me. Other than I did want us to score I agree with everything you say.

Whilst we will always be grateful to MF for everything he has done for the club if he wasn't a Newportonian who played for the club would fans cut another manager such slack given our current form and run of results ?

Nobody can argue what he has done in the past but our current form and results are absolutely shocking.
The BOD have backed him by extending his contract , giving him money to chase the dream of promotion that he has already admitted we probably cant afford and then we turn in displays like we have done in the last few weeks / months.
People will point out that we brought in so many players during the window and they need time to GEL and that we lost two good players...I will ask why he did that ?
Why does he rely on the loan market so much and have the scatter gun approach hoping he signs a few gems out of the twenty or so he signs ?

Surely he should get his 'main core' of players he wants , sign one or two loan players to improve the squad he has assembled and work with that for the season. .If the loan players are good and recalled by their clubs then replace them with hopefully equal quality if he can...He has a squad of 8 or 9 loan players at a time , play a few every game , sign loads as squad fillers....send them back to their clubs , lose the good ones once they are recalled then sign half a squad of new players and start again in the January window..

I think we were top of the league when he announced he was looking to bring up to 8 players in during the window ?? Is that good planning for a manager to work with almost two different squads in one season ??...one from the start of the season up to January then change so many of the personnel and hope to keep the squad harmony , continuity and morale , whilst also trying to keep the results going to keep us in the top 5 ???

At 6.10 onTuesday evening I sat here and commenced to log onto Newport County I Follow and IO continued with each page until I hjad the page with Exeter City .................this game is already available
Forest Green ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; There were two already available
I had already paid the £10 x 6 games ie £60 anyway I then proceeded to open about a dozen different pages all full of Newport
County news, films and video films for 35 minutes approx with what I was hoping to suddenly get the live broadcast appeariing on one of the full screen pictures and I continued till about 7.15............ NOTHING Again !! I have seen a couple of minutes tday and to be quite honest it looked ..........AWFULL !!


Bob Bassett

Good Evening

Oh crikey Bob! Are you saying you failed again?

I must admit I was a bit befuddled yesterday in the log in sequence. It seemed to be a new design website. I too had the many video options of past games. I logged in and out a few times and was starting to get frustrated.
Then I had the idea to click on the three little dots up in the left corner. My limited computer knowledge telling me, and proving right, that a menu hid in there. It did then give the I-follow option and I proceeded as previously.

Phil on Northampton

BertieB wrote:At 6.10 onTuesday evening I sat here and commenced to log onto Newport County I Follow and IO continued with each page until I hjad the page with Exeter City .................this game is already available
Forest Green ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; There were two already available
I had already paid the £10 x 6 games ie £60 anyway I then proceeded to open about a dozen different pages all full of Newport
County news, films and video films for 35 minutes approx with what I was hoping to suddenly get the live broadcast appeariing on one of the full screen pictures and I continued till about 7.15............ NOTHING Again !! I have seen a couple of minutes tday and to be quite honest it looked ..........AWFULL !!


Bob Bassett

Bob,

On Sunday, once you have logged in to the County website, try using this link

https://www.newport-county.co.uk/matches/fixtures/

It should take you to a page that will take a few seconds to load while the ball bounces up and down but you should then get a link to the current game via the "Live Match Centre" icon. If you click that you should be able to start the video stream. The stream will be available an hour before kick off.

If you try using that link in the meantime, it will give you a countdown timer to kick off (it is currently counting down to Saturday 3PM) and by clicking on Live Match Centre now, it will go to the next screen and in the area where it currently tells you streams will be available an hour before kick off, the buttons for audio and video will appear at noon Sunday.

tt Thank You Amberexile, I certainly will try your advice on Sunday and I would also Thank You All, for your advice now and in the past , I do get a bit wound up at my own failure to follow advice when it is given, I do panic a bit when I try to stay calm but I keep looking at my clock and damn thing seems to speed up when I get wound up,
Thank You every one !! Come on the Port
PS I saw some of the Snooker at the Celtic Manor..last evening.......................WE really must get Sir Terry Mathews to get involved with Newport Council with the planning of a home for our football club Come on the Port ! Bob Bassett

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

County19081967 wrote:I try to be a glass half full chap but yesterday takes the biscuit (apologies for sort of mixing metaphors!). Try as I might I cannot think of many positives to say about the 90 minutes, other than possibly the fact I was warm, had drinkable tea to hand and iPlayer froze for about 10 minutes of the second half. I don’t think I have enjoyed watching County for weeks but yesterday..…come on!!

I cannot believe it but this is my 53rd season of watching County and the last few years of FA Cup runs etc. have been brilliant. However, for the first time ever I was actually hoping County didn’t equalise last night and I cannot believe I’m saying that! Flynny has been a legend for us but I’m concerned now this is all getting a little cosy and stale. I really hope he can turn this around as I don’t want his undoubted legacy to become tarnished. On last night’s performance I have concerns that he can. Yes, we are still in a play-off position but on the evidence from recent matches, I doubt for much longer.

Having said all of that, I’ll be on iPlayer again on Saturday, hoping for the best and expecting the worst. The curse of being a County supporter !

54th season for me. Other than I did want us to score I agree with everything you say.

Just out of idle curiosity, what was the first match you saw and when if you don't mind me asking. I've just realised this is actually my 54th season as well, maths never my strong point. My first game 19 August 1967 against Rochdale 1-1 which I believe makes this my 54th season, not 53rd? Surely not your first game as well!

bigfan wrote:

Papski2 wrote:http://www.weareexiles.net/viewtopic.ph ... prediction

We are still out performing pretty much everyone's expectations.

Considering the amount of time and effort that goes into berating the club from the boardroom to the blades of grass, there seems to be HIGH expectations despite the short comings of the club, of which we are consistently reminded of around here. Especially when we are performing better than some of you predicted.

Sack the manager while we a 5th? You people are laughable. Try and support the boys.

"we are still outperforming pretty much everyones expectations" are you for real?

Everyone's expectations for context if they couldn't be bothered to scan the thread.

http://weareexiles.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=50182

• 15th - JonD
  
  12th - Special branch
  
  "Just above relegation" - pembsexiles
  
  "Dog fight to stay up" - flat4
  
  "Right now if I were offered 22nd I'd take it" - Stan A. Einstein
  
  Top-half - wattsville_boy
  
  Bottom-six - amberbhoy
  
  14th - DeePeeNCAFC

Think in the context of the league, we're outperforming everyone (bar wattsville's) expectations.

Not a fan of Flynns, how much money has he wasted over time with loan and permanent signings he never played. The way he set up the team against Exeter was poor two inexprienced EFL players in the back four against a prolific scoring side. Every signing he makes he states he has followed their progress and how they will enhance the squad but seldom uses them, he's full of the stuff that grows the grass green in Texas. I personally think Mr Flynn is the problem and would be pleased if he was placed on gardening leave with Mr Hatswell and put Amond and Ellison in charge. Would like to see the academy be better supported, take a look at Exeter's current side, with a managerr who supports development not one who merely seeks to advance his own career trying to buy promotion. By the way how many of the current county squad would survive in League one?

Jack wrote:

bigfan wrote:

Papski2 wrote:http://www.weareexiles.net/viewtopic.ph ... prediction

We are still out performing pretty much everyone's expectations.

Considering the amount of time and effort that goes into berating the club from the boardroom to the blades of grass, there seems to be HIGH expectations despite the short comings of the club, of which we are consistently reminded of around here. Especially when we are performing better than some of you predicted.

Sack the manager while we a 5th? You people are laughable. Try and support the boys.

"we are still outperforming pretty much everyones expectations" are you for real?

Everyone's expectations for context if they couldn't be bothered to scan the thread.

http://weareexiles.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=50182

• 15th - JonD
  
  12th - Special branch
  
  "Just above relegation" - pembsexiles
  
  "Dog fight to stay up" - flat4
  
  "Right now if I were offered 22nd I'd take it" - Stan A. Einstein
  
  Top-half - wattsville_boy
  
  Bottom-six - amberbhoy
  
  14th - DeePeeNCAFC

Think in the context of the league, we're outperforming everyone (bar wattsville's) expectations.

Quote me fully please. I gave my reasons, they being that we did not appear to be as good as the season before. I also added I didn't know how good the new signings would be.

Cooper and Twine were exceptional. And one of my criticisms, one of many, of the loan system, is that players loaned in the summer tend to get recalled if they are any good.

Without Twine and Cooper, judging our form since, I think my assessment was pretty spot on.

ajs wrote:Not a fan of Flynns, how much money has he wasted over time with loan and permanent signings he never played. The way he set up the team against Exeter was poor two inexprienced EFL players in the back four against a prolific scoring side. Every signing he makes he states he has followed their progress and how they will enhance the squad but seldom uses them, he's full of the stuff that grows the grass green in Texas. I personally think Mr Flynn is the problem and would be pleased if he was placed on gardening leave with Mr Hatswell and put Amond and Ellison in charge. Would like to see the academy be better supported, take a look at Exeter's current side, with a managerr who supports development not one who merely seeks to advance his own career trying to buy promotion. By the way how many of the current county squad would survive in League one?

Interesting as I have heard of the Amond/ Ellison partnership elsewhere.
Cannot argue with any of this thread really.

[quote="[/quote]
Interesting as I have heard of the Amond/ Ellison partnership elsewhere.
Cannot argue with any of this thread really.[/quote]

I’d like to see one of them become an assistant head coach regardless, with their remit being coaching the vast army of seldom-scoring forwards we have, working in pairs etc.

Flynny will always be remembered and thanked for the great escape,it was brave to take on a job that looked doomed,fair play to him for taking it on and saving us.He did have some luck on the way,three 1-0 home wins in April,Joe Day with a tremendous save in injury time against Crawley,Zoko poking a shot into the side netting last kick against Yeovil,last kick free kick just over the bar against Acrington.If one of those had gone in then we would have gone down.Hartlepool helped by losing at home to Barnet,who had nothing to play for and they managed to lose at Orient who were practically down.If they had drawn those games then we were down.It then still took,that goal,by OB to save us.Flynny was very naive at Plymouth,trying to attack when we were already three down,he should have shut up shop at three nil,that would have cost us but for OB.My problem is that Flynny seems just as naive now,four years on with tactics.Go one up and sit back,throw four forwards on to get a goal.It worked in May 17 but,it doesn't very often but,he still does it.

If I ever get to the gates of heaven I hope Stan Einstein has not taken over St. Peter's role as ,with his forensic and extremely annoying eye I would be ' lucky ' to be admitted to league 1 . However, he is right about the reality of managers being sacked. I f we have any ambition Flynn should go. Yes he has done well but so did Addison and Beadle and they did well despite Beadle's foibles. We need to progress on and offvthe pitch and yes ' a decent playing surface is more important than a few pubs nearby.
Start playing Baker at right back and PF is better than LK so put him in position.