Time To Sack Someone - Maybe

By: Bill Osborne
Date: 03/04/2005

RUSSELL Slade has one thing in common with Mariners supporters. He is not pleased with recent results. But those results will have a bigger effect on supporters than him.

Slade told Mariners Net; "If the players think that they have nothing to play for they are foolishly mistaken - they have contracts to play for. They can't come knocking on my door at the end of the season and say; 'Where's mine gaffer.' I'm not going to make comments about individuals but I have my own ideas."

I hope Mr Slade is going to share those ideas with us!

Maybe we have avoided relegation. Maybe Slade is the right man for the job. Maybe he isn't. But there are no maybe's when it comes to the fans and supporters.

They are not happy and it could not be at a worse time.

Some have already written off this season and will be conspicuous by their absence. They will not be responding to chairman John Fenty's call to get to Blundell Park to assist the club in its current financial plight.

Like everyone else, football fans have to be motivated to remain involved and it is not just about the attendances either. We are talking about the 'Keep The Mariners Afloat' campaign, the recruitment drive by the supporters trust, the club shop sales and even sponsorship to some degree.

It is now up to Russell Slade to fix it. No more excuses, they have all been made and heard.

We have still a number of games left this season and we do not want to be in a relegation dogfight before it ends.

We need some excitement. Something to sing about. Something to get the fans back onside with smiles on their faces.

And that is Slade's job.

Here is another maybe. Maybe he should start first by sacking someone. If he is dissatisfied by a player's overall performance, he should let him go. It won't cost us any more and it might just be the spur that the other players need.

He has to do something otherwise we will back to the days of the 2,600 gates and the silent majority at Blundell Park.

There is more than just our position in the league to worry about. What we need is increased support not the opposite. We are not achieving that and we therefore have to find a solution.

That is if Slade can't.

Does anyone believe he can?

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