by Iliketrains » Sat Jan 06, 2018 2:57 pm
I have to admit that when Chesterfield appointed Lester i was convinced that relegation had already been sealed. To put a bloke (never mind ex hero) into a position such as the one Jack faced and having no prior experience was a massive risk. I'm not saying he'll keep the club up but i did have to revise my opinions on him and i think he's doing a job as well as could be reasonably expected under the circumstances.
I know from personal experience though how much of a negative impact that persistent behind the scenes turmoil at a club can have on the playing side of things but you see clubs who bring in X number of new managers and X number of new players and nothing works. It's like the club is gripped completely by a cancer that has taken hold and consumes the place.
At York City they employed Russ Wilcox, Jackie McNamara, Gary Mills and now Martin Gray in the space of about 3 years and the club must have gone through nearly a hundred players in that time yet nothing worked. They are now struggling to get out of National League North and are about 10th in the table. All because the gradual apathy of an owner has infiltrated the club as though apathy and failure seeps out of every wall. Yes i know it sounds over dramatic but it happens. I've seen it and it's happening at Torquay. Identical scenario to York which has been coming for the last 4 or 5 years because nobody has addressed it.
I just get that feeling about Chesterfield given what's gone on the past few seasons with one thing or another. New managers, new players all over the shop, ridiculous off the field stuff going on, unsavoury things too and nothing seems to work out but at least the 'BIG' drop hasn't happened yet and the club have plenty of time to get themselves away from the bottom 2. I certainly wouldn't wish that on Lester.
I don't underestimate the spirit Morecambe have. They are a tight knit club who have also had their problems but Jim Bentley gets a tune out of a squad that is threadbare and they only get over a thousand fans. As we've seen continuously with Accrington, it's not the fanbase that gets you where you need to be it's a combination of everything all pulling together. Morecambe IMO will survive as will FGR. Yeovil are the team i'd fear most for. They are such an unpredictable side and i think they aren't capable of putting a run together. Barnet are down and for me it's between Yeovil and Chesterfield.