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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2014 8:31:51 GMT
COMPARE AND CONTRAST
As Torquay fans survey the league table this morning and note that Cap'n Manse's Pirates are now breathing down our neck, it's inevitable that some will fear that the Bristolians may be using a route that will lead them back to the Treasure Island of League 2 before we manage to get there.
Cap'n Manse set his compass for Southport on Friday lunchtime, allowing him to have a lie-in till 9.30am on Saturday morning before coming down to a hearty breakfast in his Southport hotel. A gentle stroll later to take in some sea air, before attaching his eye patch and parrot and heading to Haig Avenue to plunder another 3 points.
When Manse and the Rovers crew had still been contentedly in the 'Land of Nod', our drowsy players were boarding a coach, probably with the sound of alarm clocks (sponsored by Budleigh) still ringing in their ears.
As we were shipping four at Telford, Cap'n Manse had organised his team to repel all invaders before they departed Southport victorious. While Torquay's youthful Captain was ill equipped to know how to stop discipline falling apart in his team in the second half at Telford, the experienced old pro wearing the Captain's arm band for Rovers saw his side pick up one solitary yellow card as they vanquished The Sandgrounders.
The forwards at Kev's Harriers took his wise advice to heart, hitting three in a first half hour blitz at Woking. A couple of second half goals for the home team weren't enough to stop Kev joining his mate Manse in returning from his travels with all three points safely on board.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2014 21:38:49 GMT
Gateshead 399.6 Grimsby Town 324.2 FC Halifax Town 293.7 Lincoln City 281.9 Southport 273.5 Dover Athletic 269.4 Altrincham 259.1 Alfreton 254.3 Braintree Town 252.2 Macclesfield Town 250.4 Chester FC 237.8 Wrexham 225.1 Dartford 219.9 Welling United 215.4 Nuneaton Town 208.7 Barnet 202.2 AFC Telford United 200.1 Kidderminster Harriers 179.3 Woking 177.5 Aldershot 164.9 Forest Green Rovers 130.8 Eastleigh 127.0 Bristol Rovers 101.4 Looking at these figures I'm reminded that Alan Merson has been arguing on BTPIR that playing national football at the fifth-tier is something of a nonsense. I've a great deal of sympathy for this viewpoint as I'm sure I wouldn't argue for a national fifth-tier if I was drawing up a pyramid with a blank piece of paper (with Torquay safely at a higher level of course). Start from scratch and it sounds barmy. Thirty years ago I was convinced we'd go back to regionalisation at the third tier - League 1 (North) and League 1 (South) at current prices; 3(N) and 3(S) in old money. Then the debate appeared to switch towards a merger - and subsequent splitting - of the current League 2 and Conference. If that was to happen I suspect we'd bob along for ever and a day. Well, maybe. Anyway we've produced maps of that one in the past. Another approach would be to leave the ninety-two as they are and have a split fifth-tier. That's an interesting one in the context of us (a) currently being outside of the Football League and (b) having above-average travelling costs. The initial response is two-fold. Firstly in terms of quality and the teams faced it's a different-looking world. Far more semi-professional, of course, which may be the gist of the financial argument. Secondly, in terms of travelling, we'd have many more shorter trips but still several lengthy ones. We'd probably remain as the most-travelled team (not that I've checked this for definite). Giving this a try my methodology was to pool this season's Conference Premier clubs, add the relegated Tamworth and Hyde plus the top eleven non-promoted clubs from last season's Conference North and South. On that basis the southern section would line up: Aldershot, Barnet, Bath, Boreham Wood, Brackley, Braintree, Bristol Rovers, Bromley, Concord Rangers, Dartford, Dover, Eastbourne, Eastleigh, Ebbsfleet, Forest Green, Gosport, Havant and Waterlooville, Leamington, Staines, Sutton, Torquay, Welling, Weston-super-Mare, Woking. As I say, a different world. And probably a section that's weaker than the northern equivalent. Putting the postcodes into Google tonight - results vary between sites and sometimes when you do it - I'm coming up with Dover at over 4.5 hours; Eastbourne, Concord, Braintree and Welling over four hours; Ebbsfleet and Bromley four hours; Dartford, Sutton and Barnet beyond 3.5 hours. One or two apparent anomalies depending on routing via the M25 or through London. The "northern" trips - Leamington and Brackley - appear more comfortable than many to the southeast. This begs the question of an east-west split that would appear completely illogical to many at first glance. For us there would have been a whole cluster of clubs - Hednesford, Kidderminster, Nuneaton, Solihull, Tamworth and Telford - that we may have happily swapped for Kentish and Essex travels (even though it may have meant going to Barrow). As with so many things I imagine it depends upon where you start. A national Conference division appears a huge undertaking from the edge: Gateshead, Dover and Torquay (although it's been meat and drink to us since 1958). From the confines of a vague rectangle linking Liverpool, Leeds, London and Bristol it's not such a big deal. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2014 9:52:45 GMT
FORM AN ORDERLY QUEUE
I'm sure there were a whole host of clubs queuing up to try and entice Cap'n Manse in their direction this Summer. It's not often that a player of such quality and renowned inspirational leadership skills becomes available on a 'free'. Cap'n Manse reveals that Eastleigh, who are Rovers opponents tonight, were just one of the clubs in that queue which I'd guess stretched around the block, and probably as far as the eye could see.
The good Cap'n looks forward to continuing the incredible winning run that he is inspiring. A tough match for sure, but Cap'n Manse and his Pirates seem eager to pounce if our lads slip up at Forest Green and come away empty handed.
link - MANSE 'Let's keep on winning' |
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Sept 30, 2014 10:39:46 GMT
It comes as little surprise he was whoreing himself about. The Judas. ;-)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2014 12:38:50 GMT
This thread has become ridiculous; fawning over a player that jacked us for one of our main competitors. I know Joe is perpetuating it, as he knows it is winding up some of us (or at least me) but the joke has worn totally thin now. That Mansell is leading a side that will most likely overtake us soon is bad enough without one of our own members continually reminding us of what might have been had he stayed and rubbing our noses in it.
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midlandstufc
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Post by midlandstufc on Sept 30, 2014 12:51:58 GMT
Nope, I still find this funny. It's a carry over from some very fine Propaganda expoused in the now defunct (censored from some dark 'powers that be' perhaps?) SheffieldGulls forum.
Maybe though, if it could be moved from the Torquay Room to another section would soften things??
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2014 13:30:10 GMT
Awwww, let me go until the Christmas/New Year fixtures at least, haha. However I'm afraid that under the proposals outlined by the Home Secretary today, threads such as this could have one of the new 'Extreme Disruption Orders' slapped on it - closing it down by law.
But as the TFF is a democratic Forum receptive to it's members wishes, I'll happily abide by any decision to discontinue or shunt it off to a less conspicuous corner.
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Post by Ditmar van Nostrilboy on Sept 30, 2014 13:47:58 GMT
This thread has become ridiculous; fawning over a player that jacked us for one of our main competitors. I know Joe is perpetuating it, as he knows it is winding up some of us (or at least me) but the joke has worn totally thin now. That Mansell is leading a side that will most likely overtake us soon is bad enough without one of our own members continually reminding us of what might have been had he stayed and rubbing our noses in it. Chill out FLA. Nothing wrong with a little light relief now and again, even if it does run on at times. I'm not sure why you think he "jacked us" though. His contract had run out and it would be rather irresponsible not to look for a bit more security than a 1 year deal. Would you not look for the most favourable deal if you were in a career with a short earning span? I know I would... |
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chelstongull
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Post by chelstongull on Sept 30, 2014 17:35:37 GMT
This thread has become ridiculous I find the best way forward when things really (x5) get on yer t*ts, is to scroll past. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2014 17:49:55 GMT
This thread has become ridiculous I find the best way forward when things really (x5) get on yer t*ts, is to scroll past. That's what I decided to do but now by posting this I have failed to stick to my plan. But from now on...... |
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hector
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Post by hector on Oct 1, 2014 6:01:12 GMT
I find it funny, and read it in the spirit it is intended. If you don't like it, then don't read it. Keep up the good work, Alpine!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2014 6:20:55 GMT
I'm staying in Gloucestershire at the moment. Not my normal downmarket B&B. That's Nailsworth for you. The hotel's guest information folder has a list of duty managers. Two of them are called Mansell. There is no escape.
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midlandstufc
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Post by midlandstufc on Oct 1, 2014 11:41:35 GMT
Well we're still above 'em both (for the moment).
And has someone torn his cape, or has being giving Bartie bed-baths in certain establishments worn him out ? ...
Also, I wonder whose once-deadly left peg could have been responsible for this ? ...
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2014 16:39:46 GMT
Good afternoon Plainmoor Manse fans !
Another match and another salutary lesson for those blinkered spectators who were unable to appreciated the many and varied qualities that Cap'n Manse brings to a team. And for those stupid enough to write him off as nothing more than an ageing carthorse.
Whether ploughing a lonely furrow in an undermanned midfield, or covering more furlongs than any other team member with those trademark lung busting box to box runs, we at least could appreciate that it was so often Cap'n Manse who was responsible for harvesting the points.
But there always was, and still is, so much more to Manse's game that even this. The art of captaincy cannot be learned overnight. For instance, let's just imagine that a hypothetical team with a hypothetical young captain had a couple of their players sent off; maybe in a following match another of their players also saw red. Now isn't there every chance that given such a scenario, and denied the strong leadership qualities embodied by the great Cap'n; that such a team would crumble to defeat on both occasions ?
Now let's consider what happens to a team that has two players sent off, but the crucial difference is that they're being captained by Mighty Manse himself.
LEE MANSELL: MAN OF STEEL
MAN OF DETERMINATION
Let's see what today's Western Daily Press says about how Rovers responded lat night, during a game in which they manfully claimed an away point despite finishing with only 9 men.
'Whatever manager Darrell Clarke's new-look squad may lack in ability is more than made up for by the sort of sheer hard work and determination that was mostly responsible for securing a point that had looked unlikely when the two teams had headed down the tunnel at half-time'.
But it doesn't stop there. It's not just inspirational captaincy that Rovers have gained for themselves by signing Manse. Although it's only a couple of weeks since the Cap'n scored with a stunning free kick, he so nearly repeated the feat last night, and the Western Daily Press continued to highlight other aspects of his superhuman display:
'Lee Mansell almost caught Ross Flitney out when curling a clever curled free-kick around the wall'
'When the ball was eventually delivered by Gosling, Flitney was called into action to repel Mansell's attempt to convert with an acrobatic diving header in the 23rd minute'.
link - Another Manse Masterclass
* Forthcoming Attraction*
It seems that 'Manse-The Musical' was deemed just too ambitious. But I'm lead to believe that Bristol Old Vic will be the setting for a stage play centred around the events leading to Manse's move to their great city. Should the play prove to be a success, it is hoped that it will go on tour, firstly to the south eastern states of the USA. Watch this space for further details.
Kev's team lost.
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Oct 1, 2014 17:17:11 GMT
I'm staying in Gloucestershire at the moment. Not my normal downmarket B&B. That's Nailsworth for you. The hotel's guest information folder has a list of duty managers. Two of them are called Mansell. There is no escape. Well,Lee was born in Gloucester so no doubt has an extended family there. Possibly favourite for where a statue of the great man will eventually be erected? |
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