Rails vs Iron - Crewe vs Scunthorpe ft Davis Out Protest.

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Latest Davis gem "We're one of a minority of clubs in the country who are a development club rather than a football club whose primary aim is to win matches."

Way to sell season tickets. I genuinely believe he's off his rocker.

 

[kieran_vale]

He's got to be trolling at this point you'd think. That's one of the strangest comments I've seen. Most other clubs with his record in the last three or so years and he'd be out of a job for sure. How many Crewe fans actually buy this whole "we're a different kind of club" line would be interesting to see.

Good luck with getting rid of him anyway, don't wish Crewe any ill at all. Sadly for Crewe fans with a local media who make no attempt to ask tough questions (as us Vale fans know too well when trying to get rid of the previous board) and indeed try and shout down any dissent it's not going to be straightforward.

 

[JJ1532]

I am so glad I'm not going to be there tomorrow. I'll be annoyed at the result no matter what happens. If we lose, I'll be annoyed that we lost. If we draw/win(which I reckon we might), I'll be annoyed that we picked up a result now that it doesn't mean anything. There is literally nothing I like about this club anymore. Can't root for the team, can't root for the manager, can't even root for the board. Shambles, the lot of them.

This week has been ridiculous. Davis coming off with shite about needing to improve recruitment, basically a rinse and repeat of 11 months ago. Then he talks about needing a tougher pre-season schedule, like the one we start at the start of the 13-14 season. You know, the season where we struggled and almost went down? Yeah, that made a great deal of difference didn't it?

The club as a whole are now labouring under the delusion that we can compete next season in L2. Sorry lads, doesn't work like that. Can't throw in the towel in L1 and then want to challenge in L2. Thats bonkers. Because news flash, Luton, Plymouth, Pompey, Wimbledon and Cambridge will all have way bigger budgets than us. In fact, I bet over half the teams in L2 will have a bigger budget than us. So what makes you think we can compete for a promotion spot? Embarrassing that they actually peddle this bullshit. If we finish mid table next season, I bet you everything I own that they won't be talking about how disappointing it was, about how they expected the play offs and we've fell short.

As for this "Davis to skip games to go and scout", holy christ, its like a "Carry On" at the moment.

We'll win tomorrow I reckon. No pressure on them(bar from the stands), so they'll go out and start performing. We'll get a decent run of results in our last 5 and fans will get lulled into thinking we'll do alright next season.

 

[SRNP]

I am so glad I'm not going to be there tomorrow. I'll be annoyed at the result no matter what happens. If we lose, I'll be annoyed that we lost. If we draw/win(which I reckon we might), I'll be annoyed that we picked up a result now that it doesn't mean anything. There is literally nothing I like about this club anymore. Can't root for the team, can't root for the manager, can't even root for the board. Shambles, the lot of them.
.

Then why aren't you protesting on Saturday?

 

[JJ1532]

I am. I'm protesting with my feet.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Latest Davis gem "We're one of a minority of clubs in the country who are a development club rather than a football club whose primary aim is to win matches."

Way to sell season tickets. I genuinely believe he's off his rocker.

Sadly confirms the mentality of the club and whilst Davis is fucking nuts for saying it, I don't believe for one minute individuals on the board don't hold that view.

Completely depressing.

 

[Bottega Don]

Thank fucking lord, not sure why we make everything difficult for ourselves.

Heard the Crewe fans chanting over the radio in the first half, sounded pretty loud and were chanting for the majority of the half, not sure about the 2nd half as the fans moved away from the commentary area.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Thank fucking lord, not sure why we make everything difficult for ourselves.

Heard the Crewe fans chanting over the radio in the first half, sounded pretty loud and were chanting for the majority of the half, not sure about the 2nd half as the fans moved away from the commentary area.

Yeah protest group moved downstairs for second half near the tunnel area. A good number turned out, absolute shambles on the pitch and those who protested were a credit who protested peacefully and with no disorder. Problem is there are far too many moderates in the stands who want Davis Out but just don't care enough to voice their opinion.

Spineless display and Davis needs to be sacked urgently. Literally will urge everyone not to renew if he isn't sacked by August. Killing our club.

 

[Jamo]

Hope the protest went well and things turn around for you soon. I listened to him on Radio Stoke coming away from Gresty Road and Vale Park in previous weeks and he sounded as if he genuinely didn't give a shit about what he and his shambles of a team were putting the fans through. Hope he's gone soon.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Would like to note as I'm an exile thank you to the handful of Scunthorpe fans on Crewe station platform who showed solidarity in wanting Davis Out too. I'm not too optimistic he'll be gone but hopefully for the good of our club he will be. He really doesn't give a toss.

 

[valefan16]

Davis actually makes Dean Glover look like Sir Alex. When he does go he will struggle to get a FL managerial role.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Davis actually makes Dean Glover look like Sir Alex. When he does go he will struggle to get a FL managerial role.

Some senile fool post match today argued with me that after Dario he's the greatest manager we'll ever have.

Absolute lunatics like that have led me to not want to renew, they don't want what's best for the club, all they do is sit, clap and laud Steve Davis as a genius for past achievements. CAFC not SDFC.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Spineless display and Davis needs to be sacked urgently. Literally will urge everyone not to renew if he isn't sacked by August. Killing our club.

Yep.

I'm done.

#StarveHimOut

 

[King Kev]

Some senile fool post match today argued with me that after Dario he's the greatest manager we'll ever have.

Absolute lunatics like that have led me to not want to renew, they don't want what's best for the club, all they do is sit, clap and laud Steve Davis as a genius for past achievements. CAFC not SDFC.

What reason did he have to justify that claim?

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

What reason did he have to justify that claim?

Not even having you on when I say this but it was along the lines of "He was the best half-back (yes really) that we ever had (this was in the 1980s mind) and that it's a disgrace younger fans aren't treating a true servant to the club with the respect he thoroughly deserves and that we can get no one better in"

I wonder why, 1 win in 22, 6 wins in 45, 9 wins in 62 with 3 home wins in 13 and a half months putting the cost of a season ticket at £100 per win pretty much.

Then our manager comes out with these gems
"18 places better off than when he started the job here so we've overachieved"
"Young fans need to listen to the real fans and the older fans who will educate them about the club" (A lot of older fans want him out)
"I might miss some first team games to go scouting"
"My players are losers, they throw in the towel"
"Fans should be backing the team not protesting again them." (Failing to realise that apart from brief heckling of his assistant James Collins, his not in the squad son Harry Davis and the woeful Marcus Haber who was the only player on the pitch heckled yesterday, the protest was aimed at him almost entirely)
"I'm the right man for the job"
"The players handled the occasion very well and played great football" (This despite one of the worst defensive displays I've seen, watch Scunny's third goal and you'll see exactly what I mean, it was a shambolic performance and I'm still surprised we scored two)
And not once has he accepted responsibility for his failings, it's either the fans, board or players fault for our failings and never his own.

 

[valefan16]

Glover was a Vale legend and would make many all time Vale XIs but sometimes sentiment has to go out the door. Glover eventually did the right thing after much pressure (used to play his son even though not good enough, losing 1-0 at home to Lincoln so throws on centre half John McCombe as a late sub instead of a striker! Amongst others) enough pressure and surely he will do what's right and resign, hopefully for Crewes sake before your 18th in League Two like we ended up before the messiah came and saved us.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Glover was a Vale legend and would make many all time Vale XIs but sometimes sentiment has to go out the door. Glover eventually did the right thing after much pressure (used to play his son even though not good enough, losing 1-0 at home to Lincoln so throws on centre half John McCombe as a late sub instead of a striker! Amongst others) enough pressure and surely he will do what's right and resign, hopefully for Crewes sake before your 18th in League Two like we ended up before the messiah came and saved us.

No way will Steve Davis resign. He's been in such a sulk for a number of years now that he won't leave for nothing at all.

If we were 18th in League Two under Davis he'd say that's where we were when he took over so he'd spin the facts to make it appear acceptable. Speaking of manager's sons, Harry got a lot of shit when he was poncing about at the front of the stand in full view of protesters so a lot of nepotism related chants aimed towards him. The pair of them should be the first out the door this Summer. Unfortunately with some Crewe fans, the lack of ambition and the fact that some of them are won over by the slightest of success given we're shite on the whole means we could struggle in League Two next season and they'd still happy clap Davis all the way.

 

[TimeyWimey]

I've run out of energy for the club. It was the most depressing atmosphere I've seen at Crewe. The protest didn't quite get off the ground for some reason, there was just a sense of acceptance we are drifting towards oblivion. It worries me that it's now going to divide fans further. There's a very slight undertone of "active protesters vs the rest", which is completely wrong and wholly playing into Davis' hands. The protest needs to find inclusive ways rather than damming those who don't fall in line. It can also be said the other way, with some comments about how weak or [offensive] the protest was.

That said, I don't think the club are going to listen. Whilst I find them detestable, McGarry & Morse probably know the thinking in the boardroom and the way they basically mocked the dissent was telling. The general theme being, Davis is running the club how the club want it run, so why would they sack him?

So, I've had enough. Can't be putting much more energy or thought into a club that is destroying itself and has absolutely zero concern for the first team. No-one should buy a season ticket, a complete boycott should be in place. The problem is that's not going to happen. Too many fans take the view that you're not a "true supporter" if you go down that route. I don't want to get caught up in fan vs fan.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

I've run out of energy for the club. It was the most depressing atmosphere I've seen at Crewe. The protest didn't quite get off the ground for some reason, there was just a sense of acceptance we are drifting towards oblivion. It worries me that it's now going to divide fans further. There's a very slight undertone of "active protesters vs the rest", which is completely wrong and wholly playing into Davis' hands. The protest needs to find inclusive ways rather than damming those who don't fall in line. It can also be said the other way, with some comments about how weak or [offensive] the protest was.

That said, I don't think the club are going to listen. Whilst I find them detestable, McGarry & Morse probably know the thinking in the boardroom and the way they basically mocked the dissent was telling. The general theme being, Davis is running the club how the club want it run, so why would they sack him?

So, I've had enough. Can't be putting much more energy or thought into a club that is destroying itself and has absolutely zero concern for the first team. No-one should buy a season ticket, a complete boycott should be in place. The problem is that's not going to happen. Too many fans take the view that you're not a "true supporter" if you go down that route. I don't want to get caught up in fan vs fan.

Agree entirely but the last line I genuinely believe we'll see huge hits to our matchday attendance next season. Lots on Twitter saying they're not renewing, I know some will cave in and renew but I believe it's win win for fans who don't renew. Save your money and eventually Davis will be forced out. The "true fan" route is meaningless because there is more to life than watching this shite team on a Saturday. If people really want to watch it, more fool them I say. I cannot wait for the day Steve Davis is sacked by this club and for the good of football I hope he never gets another position in the game ever again.

 

[MJA]

Steve Davis seems like the perfect mix of Dean Glover and Jim Gannon. And to think not so many moons ago some Vale fans were adamant that this guy would be the answer to all of our problems

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[ValiantRob]

I think many managers on Crewe`s budget would have struggled this season but it does sound like he is worn out by the situation and perhaps a change would do both club and him good.

 

[JJ1532]

If I hear one more excuse about a poor budget, I'm going to scream. His poor budget doesn't excuse the fact that he has blown tons of money on absolute crap, or decent players he went off of barely a year into their deals. £75k for Mark Ellis(who got dropped for George Ray in his 2nd year for no reason), £100k on Brad Inman(who hasn't performed consistently well in 3 years), probably another 6 figures combined on Lee Molyneux, Thierry Audel, Vadaine Oliver, Mike West, John Johnston and Anthony Stewart. He has been given transfer funds time and time again and wasted them. The only player he's turned a profit on is Mathias Pogba and that was only because a team in Italy moved for him out of nowhere. He's wasted around £250k in transfer fees. He's had money, he's just blown it!

He signed Abdul Osman and Anthony Grant as free agents(on decent size salaries) yet the former was bombed out in his 2nd year and the latter was suspended by Davis for causing issues at the training ground. That's not Davis' fault of course...oh wait, it is, he should have performed a back ground check on the bloke. Lee Molyneux, another who apparently got into trouble, hardly surprising given his past indiscretions. Another guy with character defects that slipped under the radar.

Davis has a huge ego, something he didn't have in the 11-12 season when he effectively managed tricky characters like Steve Phillips, Alan Martin, Matt Tootle and Nick Powell. But since he's become big time, any player showing the first sign of attitude gets sidelined. He can't handle anyone with even a tiny bit of character, hence why we've got some many youngsters in the team, young lads who wouldn't say boo to a goose.

If Davis had an extra £500k on his budget, he would waste it on either crap players(because he's an abysmal judge of talent, both externally or internally) or guys that had a bit of character who would get sidelined for showing a hint of personality. He's a woeful man manager, money can't change that. He's an abysmal tactician, money can't change that. He has a massive ego, money can't change that. Money should not be a limiter to a manager or a clubs ambitions, yet according to loads of our fans, our management and our board, that is simply how it is. You expect to compete with the likes of Gillingham, Walsall, Burton, Rochdale, Scunthorpe, Port Vale, Bury, Oldham, Chesterfield, Southend, Fleetwood, Shrewsbury and Colchester, most of whom aren't that much bigger than us? Forget it, no chance, can't do it. How on earth we've managed to spend 21 seasons out of the last 33 outside the bottom tier is beyond me with that attitude. We'll be a non-league club in 12 months time if the whole attitude of the club(outside those fans who are unhappy at the current situation) doesn't change dramatically.

What makes me laugh even more is the club stating that their intention is to compete for promotion next season. Amazing that they actually think this given their negative defeatist attitude this season. Why on earth will a man whose sole ambition is to go for draws and get low scoring games be good enough to get us promoted with a terrible squad, all whilst having his budget cut yet again? It took us having solid leaders(Phillips, Artell, Bell), good complimentary guys(Leitch-Smith, Moore, Tootle, Dugdale, Mellor) and 3 outstanding Championship(at the very least) calibre players in Murphy, Westwood and Powell. We have maybe Garratt and Guthrie who are even football league standard who will be with us beyond this season. Yes, Kirk, Jones, Ainley, Cooper and Finney have the potential to be decent players, but again, Davis has proved he has no idea of how to get the best out of his players. They do it themselves. Powell was outstanding because he had bags of talent and did his own thing. Same with Aneke, Inman, Ajose, LDV, Murphy. Their form was not because of Davis, it was because they are good players and knew how to play the game. But young lads who need support and guidance and Davis has no clue. The majority of the players we'll have next season will not be Powell's who can score goals and win games through their own talent. They will be Coopers and Ainley's, lads who need guidance, coaching and support.

Yes, Davis has a small budget, no doubt. But thats because he has blown the money he's been given on shite. Take yesterday as an example. We had Chris Atkinson missing yet again, money wasted on him. We had Bingham who couldn't make the team or get off the bench because he's shite. We had our captain and one of our better paid players in Harry Davis out of the squad AGAIN with what I assume is an injury. Lauri Dalla Valle out of the squad yet again, what talent there was in him has been wasted. David Fox, waste of money. Ben Nugent, waste of money when Harry Davis, George Ray and Jon Guthrie were already signed up for the season. When you don't have a lot of money, you can't waste it. Davis has done in spades. You give him more money, the evidence suggests that he'll waste that too.

Yes, sacking him won't solve our boardroom issues, our low budget issues or why our academy isn't producing enough quality players for the money we spend on it. However, what it will do is remove all of the tension towards Davis, all of the apathy and a fair chunk of the negativity. He goes and I think the fan base would genuinely be interested in next season. He goes and the club can pull together and work through the remaining issues we have. Him being sacked would solve a hell of a lot, anyone who claims otherwise is just wrong.

 

[MJA]

Where does Crewe's budget lie in comparison with the rest of League 1 this season?

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[JJ1532]

Where does Crewe's budget lie in comparison with the rest of League 1 this season?

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Probably bottom, or in the bottom 4. Which again, means you have to spend every single penny wisely, not fritter it away piecemeal on shite. Davis has done the latter.

 

[SamScfc]

Steve Davis seems like the perfect mix of Dean Glover and Sir Jim Gannon. And to think not so many moons ago some Vale fans were adamant that this guy would be the answer to all of our problems

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Edited for you.

 

[MJA]

Edited for you.

Deary me, you lot don't still bow down to him do you? I thought time was supposed to be a healer but clearly not in your case [emoji23]

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[MJA]

Probably bottom, or in the bottom 4. Which again, means you have to spend every single penny wisely, not fritter it away piecemeal on shite. Davis has done the latter.

Well having a £0 budget shouldn't excuse any manager spouting the sort of shit Davis has been talking in recent months. That said have Crewe always had that sort of low budget at this level or is there problems at board level as much as in the dugout?

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[JJ1532]

Well having a £0 budget shouldn't excuse any manager spouting the sort of shit Davis has been talking in recent months. That said have Crewe always had that sort of low budget at this level or is there problems at board level as much as in the dugout?

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Oh, there are massive problems at boardroom level. We have a majority shareholder who is demanding the devils ransom for his shares, all whilst taking out 7 figure sums on a regular basis over the last few years. He's a greedy, money grabbing tossrag and the sooner the club are rid of him, the better. Wonder if any progress will have been made on that front come the forum. I doubt it.

Then we have the board who decided to continue to pump £750k a year(the rest supplemented by grants etc) into our academy, yet we've sold 2 academy players in the last 3 years and their transfer fees don't even break us even on that front(£300k upfront for Max Clayton, £375k ish for Ryan Colclough). They also announced that we lost £1.3m for the last calender year, yet still believe that our business model is sustainable, even in the face of the ever growing pinch of EPPP. The lack of logic on this front from a lot of people is staggering. One person I saw earlier in the week said that we can't produce the same calibre of players to make competing in L1 viable anymore. Yet they probably won't hear a word about us lowing our academy level to better reflect the standard of players we are churning out.

This club is shot unless there is a dramatic rethink of everything they currently do.

 

[MJA]

Oh, there are massive problems at boardroom level. We have a majority shareholder who is demanding the devils ransom for his shares, all whilst taking out 7 figure sums on a regular basis over the last few years. He's a greedy, money grabbing tossrag and the sooner the club are rid of him, the better. Wonder if any progress will have been made on that front come the forum. I doubt it.

Then we have the board who decided to continue to pump £750k a year(the rest supplemented by grants etc) into our academy, yet we've sold 2 academy players in the last 3 years and their transfer fees don't even break us even on that front(£300k upfront for Max Clayton, £375k ish for Ryan Colclough). They also announced that we lost £1.3m for the last calender year, yet still believe that our business model is sustainable, even in the face of the ever growing pinch of EPPP. The lack of logic on this front from a lot of people is staggering. One person I saw earlier in the week said that we can't produce the same calibre of players to make competing in L1 viable anymore. Yet they probably won't hear a word about us lowing our academy level to better reflect the standard of players we are churning out.

This club is shot unless there is a dramatic rethink of everything they currently do.

Definitely reminds me of the dark days Vale faced under the 'ownership' of the Bratt pack with teams being lead by completely inept and idiotic 'managers'. There is only one way to rid your club of people like this and it is to vote with your feet and stop feeding them your money. Even just a 25% reduction in ticket revenue, particularly season ticket revenue in the summer when they really rely on it, can create enough havoc with balance sheets to make even the most idiotic owners sit up and take notice.

 

[SamScfc]

Deary me, you lot don't still bow down to him do you? I thought time was supposed to be a healer but clearly not in your case [emoji23]

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The man's a legend, of course we do.