Walked out when Bilal was hooked against Fulham, and won’t be going again until Rudkin and co leave the club. Will renew my ticket in the summer (which will be my 36th consecutive year as a STH, and my 50th season ticket since my first game in September 1964) but the seat will remain empty as a silent protest. This is every bit as bad as the McLintock season, and the Hamilton/Pleat years.
I’m still open-minded about RVN, because he’s walked into a 5hit-storm with no resources to change it, and I’ll reserve final judgment and see what he can do with a close season, some fresh blood, and a new coaching team around him. In any case, no point changing the manager when the absolute melt Rudkin is still involved in the recruitment.
Have been in the careful-watch-you-wish-for camp as regards the owners, though I think I’m about ready to welcome a throw of the dice. If the family don’t sell, at a minimum Top needs to clear the decks at Board and senior management level and recruit competent replacements in all key roles, and step away from any operational influence (because he appears to know **** all about how to run a football club). Traditionally, football club owners had 2 main jobs (a) to provide a solid financial base (Top and the family still need to do that) and (b) pick good managers. In the EPL that now means having the best people infrastructure, with experts in the various roles rather than simply those who’ve hung around for years, headed by a DoF who knows what they’re doing. We’ve never had one.