Scunthorpe/sheffield Vs Dudley

[britmet 233]

I think it can now be said, with gratitude, that postings on this forum and elsewhere on the matter of our team's recent form have not been in vain, but heeded, (that's all we asked for,)

viz the last 2 management bulletins on the Dudley website: 'Signing' and 'Team Meeting'. Thanks. Let's now move forward, hopefully to a more fruitful season-end.

[heathen79 6]

Hang on a minute. Nobody is talking about last season or the first part of this season. With the exception of the excellent Fours win we're talking about recent form (circa the last 6 weeks). Even if you want to talk about the whole of this season most of the league wouldn't swap places with us. We're 6th or 10 and BV are only a point behind with 3 meetings in hand, in fact Newport could yet catch us. That's the measure of the recent collapse and the reason it's worthy of comment.

 

We've won less than half of our league meetings this season, though I acknowledge we have some home meetings coming up. The entertainment cannot be faulted, nobody has claimed otherwise. I don't think anybody has taken "personally" but "drastically"? Perhaps, given that it's been a drastic dip in form. Again you are putting words in peoples mouth with "sweeping changes". I don't think I read a single post calling for a rider's head. The only such posts have been the ones, quite rightly, suggesting that Portwood was simply out of his depth. Nobody had a go at him, just suggested it was doing him no good any more than the club.

 

I will certainly stick by the lads and be there tomorrow to cheer them on, and I quite sure others that are less than impressed with current form will be there too.

 

Scunfield and Stoke were always going to be tough, yes, but it was the manner of the defeats that has annoyed and upset. We didn't even put up a fight, and on the back of a couple of other recent defeats it's a concern because there are still some very tough looking fixtures to come.

 

ATB mate, we just disagree on a few points here that's all.

 

Points taken mate and no offense taken or intended either.

 

The reason for referring to last season and the first part of this season was to put the last few matches into context. I think a few people have over-reacted and seem to feel that if we're not winning every match then something must be wrong. There are loads of posts, particularly on facebook about the need for more money and sponsorship etc. Whilst I don't disagree that all NL riders would welcome a bit of extra funds, I don't think it's necessarily the answer here.

 

For me, the long and short of it is that we're a predominantly young, inexperienced side and a few of our lads of gone through a rough patch of form. Unfortunately this lull has come at the wrong time of the season, we peaked much earlier, and has co-incided for a few of them at the same time.

 

The riders just need to learn how to cope with the downs as well as the ups and pull themselves through. Too many people - and I'm summarising from here, facebook, Heathens Forum - seem to me to be searching for impossible solutions.

 

I do feel that todays press release was spot on from the management. Let's get the riders together before tomorrow's match. Have a chat, reassure them and pull everyone together. The Heathens team have more pressure than most due to big passionate crowds and past history.

 

I do still feel that if you take our record over the two seasons most would swap. We finished top of the league last year, won the National Shield and the Fours this year, and could still make the playoffs. But we've had a tough couple of matches against the best teams in the league.

 

I'm not even using the argument that most are about it's great we have a team at all. Even aside from that, we've done pretty well and I don't feel the need for any panic button just yet!