Inquest? - More Like A Court Martial!

By: Bill Osborne
Date: 17/04/2005

A Grimsby Town foot soldier has been accused by his commanding officer, Captain Russell Slade, of being a disgrace with hints of a dishonourable discharge from the regiment.

Presenting his evidence against the Legionaire Frenchman, Slade said: "The Frenchman was an absolute disgrace when he went on. He gave away the ball all over the pitch and he never got tight to anybody."

Asked if he would now show Pinault the door, he said: "Would you after today? He was a disgrace."

Slade however decided not to press charges against private Williams, when asked if he blamed him for the two goals. "I blame Thomas (Pinault) for giving the free-kick away."

"It is a great free-kick, then the second free-kick Williams knows where it is going and leaves a bigger gap -it's like the Mersey Tunnel."

"I'm seething!"

Supporting the prosecution is Corporal A. R. Webb who, true to form, stood by his man saying; "Like Stan, Pinault has ability but what has he done in recent games? Last weekend, the people sitting around me in the Pontoon called for him to come on for 70+ minutes before he proceeded to do precisely nothing. Furthermore, he sounded pretty uninterested on Viking before last week's game."

"Not so long ago, people were having a go at Slade for defending the players. Now he's had a go at two of them publicly, and from what I can make out they deserve it, he's getting stick again. The man is by no means a disgrace. He is a man who simply can't do anything right for a lot of overly impatient Town fans who still seem to think we should be in the Championship."

Spare hand Gtfc, on sniper patrol said from the cookhouse; "Pinault is not the best player in the team! He just looks good every now and again. When he came on against Wycombe he was rubbish!"

The defence team were just as vocal.

Non com Super_Town started with; "Tell me, why hasn't he lambasted any of the other players for their consistently s**** performances this season?

Janker wallah CarpetheadTC said; "Surely it would have been better to have kept his feelings between him and the players, Pinault will have no confidence now and will not want to play for Slade now."

"Pinault over the season has been one of the better players and to do that to him is shocking. It must be more than any mistakes he made today, because other players have done things in games to make us lose or draw games but he has never really had a go at them like Pinault."

"What did Slade say the other week about destroying young players, well Pinault is a young player and I don't think them comments would have helped him."

"I have been prepared to give Slade the benefit of the doubt and been saying give him a go for next season, but now I think no way. I really do think he is a joke and to be honest get rid. There are much better managers than him out of work who can do a job for Town."

"God help him if, we get spanked by Scunny, next week."

(Ed: I think he means 'when' not 'if')

The case rests and the jury is out. Slade or Pinault, guilty or not guilty? Verdict on the message board please!

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