Who is the worst manager your club have ever had?

[Francesc Fabregas]

Gleefully pinched from the Premiership forum - who is the worst manager your club have ever appointed?

It's my thread, so I'll get the ball rolling.

I've only been watching Stenhousemuir for the last ten years so I'm too green to remember Jimmy Bone and his ilk, but my nomination is Campbell Money. Originally appointed as the Head of Youth Development in 2005, he replaced Des McKeown midway through the dreadful 2006-07 season.

During his first few months, he brought some absolute fucking no-marks into Ochilview at the time - how about Darren Henderson, a 41-year-old left-back who'd never played senior football before? Or how about Andy Thomson, the Queen of the South legend who cut the most uninterested guys I've ever seen before? Or Boab McCulloch, the immobile centre-back who couldn't kick, head or block the ball?

On top of that, he over-promoted a bunch of duff youngsters into the team, many of who immediately disappeared - remember Rhys Galloway, Robbie Peebles, Stephen Greenlees or Scott Johnston? There was also moving players out of position for no reason - Craig Menzies had been playing at full-back for most of his senior career but was moved into the middle of the park while guys like Paul "The Bucket" Tyrell filled in instead. On top of that, the football was just really shite to watch. Christ. I think we finished seventh that season.

He began the 2007-08 by replacing some shite players with more shite players. John Hillcoat. Tam Murdoch. Ross Hamilton. Results were terrible but eventually came to a head at the beginning of October 2007 when the team were humped 7-0 at East Fife (!). He was returned to his role with the youth players before leaving to join the SFA (!) in January 2009.

Your turn, lads.

Edited April 25, 2014 by Francesc Fabregas

[Happy Buddie]

He was a good goalie for us, but mibbe that's why he was shite manager, I don't know of another Keeper-turned-Manager. I think our worst was Tom Hendrie, from what I've heard he took training like it was a school classrom, no talikng allowed etc.

[Francesc Fabregas]

He was a good goalie for us, but mibbe that's why he was shite manager, I don't know of another Keeper-turned-Manager. I think our worst was Tom Hendrie, from what I've heard he took training like it was a school classrom, no talikng allowed etc.

Tommy Wright at St Johnstone and Stuart Garden, the recently departed Montrose manager, were both goalies during their playing days.

[nofixedability]

Paul Hegarty.

His reign at Forfar was just the absolute pits. His tactics were everyone in defence and just Stewart Petrie up front and he continually brought in well past it old chums to fill out his squad with.

We've had bad managers since but none that were so openly destructive to us.

[DAFC]

Probably Davie Hay.

We had an amazing team full of internationals and good players and turned it into shit.

I remember his first game in Europe. He played Noel Hunt on the wing and something just looked really wrong with our side.

He had no clue how to change the game or the side the low point was away at Livingston then within three games Leishman turned us around.

I thought Kenny was a decent manager but was let down by the clique in the dressing room who didn't want to play for him. Maybe that's his job to motivate people but if they're poison then what chance do you have?

For ten or so games we were great under Kenny then it stopped.

[Harry Beaver]

Ally McCoist he only got the job through the old boys act and has gone on to be a poultice on Rangers sucking the life out of the club.

[DAFC]

Paul Hegarty.

His reign at Forfar was just the absolute pits. His tactics were everyone in defence and just Stewart Petrie up front and he continually brought in well past it old chums to fill out his squad with.

We've had bad managers since but none that were so openly destructive to us.

Hegarty and Kirkwood worked under Hay at our club also. Pretty sure there was complaints about how they were running the youth academy and abusing players from the side of the pitch.

[Cliche Guevara]

Would that not be Darren Henderson who played Senior football for about twenty-five years with Ayr and Stranraer?

Anyway to answer your question it's Gordon Dalziel, for various reasons. He was like a kid in a sweetie shop with Bill Barr's money, but totally clueless. To be fair he suffers a bit due to the timing, ironically, as he had unbelievable amounts of money at Ayr and had about one good season.

[Francesc Fabregas]

Would that not be Darren Henderson who played Senior football for about twenty-five years with Ayr and Stranraer?

Anyway to answer your question it's Gordon Dalziel, for various reasons. He was like a kid in a sweetie shop with Bill Barr's money, but totally clueless. To be fair he suffers a bit due to the timing, ironically, as he had unbelievable amounts of money at Ayr and had about one good season.

Jesus, what a boob. Should have read his Wikipedia page first.

But he was genuinely appalling and would go down as the worst left-back I've ever seen at Stenny had it not been for Stephen Thomson. Henderson's first match for us was against Queen's Park and he was tasked with marking Davie Weatherston. It was absolute carnage from the start.

[Old Diamond]

Jackie Stewart and Bill Munro did not exactly have glittering spells as manager of the old Airdrieonians. Remember in particular giving Stewart pelters.

Edited April 25, 2014 by Old Diamond

[Richey Edwards]

Ayr United have been cursed with some absolutely dreadful managers in my time following them.

As for the worst, take your pick from Campbell Money, Mark Shanks, Robert Connor, Neil Watt and Gordon Dalziel.

[Lichtielegend]

Thomas Campbell.

[Pesadilla]

Would that not be Darren Henderson who played Senior football for about twenty-five years with Ayr and Stranraer?

Anyway to answer your question it's Gordon Dalziel, for various reasons. He was like a kid in a sweetie shop with Bill Barr's money, but totally clueless. To be fair he suffers a bit due to the timing, ironically, as he had unbelievable amounts of money at Ayr and had about one good season.

I remember him with Forfar. Had a shock of bleached blonde hair. Thought he was a midfielder though - and was OK from what I remember. Maybe I'm thinking of a different player though.

Anyway, given what a revelation Bollan has been, with essentially the same team as earlier in the season, I'd give it to Jimmy Boyle. Though the football under Gary Mackay was appalling.

[DA Baracus]

Have to agree with DAFC and say Hay. We finished 4th the season before and got the cup final. Under him we were drawn in to a relegation fight. He was such a negative manager as well. At 'home' (McDiarmid Park) against Hafnafjordur (sp?!) we were easily the better team and were all over them until we scored. Then we sat back, utterly terrified as a team of part time whale hunters, ironmongers, blacksmiths etc or whatever ran over international players, with Hegarty and Driftwood roaring confusing pish from the side (more than once I saw players look over and appear utterly mystified). We lost 1-2 and were papped out of the UEFA cup. Think we would have got Aachen in the next round had we made it through. I honestly think the club lost a lot of fans for good that night. The dismay and utter disgust was almost visible in the air. Don't think I've ever come away from a game so disillusuioned and gutted, and it was clear it was the same for a lot of folk that night.

Things never started well for Hay after he and the team were booed off the pitch in the first game of the season after a 1-1 draw at East End against Dundee United. To be fair, it was ludicrous that that happened, but he never won the fans over and results and performances just got worse. How this man made a career as a manager is a mystery, as fans of most clubs he was at seem to think he was pish.

I mind we nearly got eliminated from the Scottish cup at Bayview after East Fife annihilated us, but failed to score thanks to fluffing their chances and a brilliant display in goals from Stillie. By that time Crawford and Brewster had left and Barry Nicholson was rumoured to be on his way. Hay decided to sign an obscenely shit Danish player (Jester Christiansen) and Lee Makel, closely followed by one of the worst pieces of garbage seen at East End, Georgi Hristov (once signed by Barnsley for £1M).

None of these signings made a difference and we plummeted down the league. A particular highlight was being the first team to play ICT at their home ground in the SPL where we proceeded to turn in one of the most inept, fury inducing performances by any Pars team ever, somehow only losing 2-0. Jester in particular was abysmal that day.

Things came to a head at Livingston when we were losing 2-0 in a vital '6 pointer'. The whole away crowd turned on Hay with furious chants of "Davie, get to f**k!" I've never heard a Pars crowd so angry. Hay was sitting next to Yorkston at the time and I remember the look on Yorkston's face. Also that day Leishman was sitting with the fans; I never saw his reaction to the chants. Notable that day was Georgi Hristov turning in another disgsuting display.

Hay was fired after that game, replaced by Leishman who gave us the glory of the 5-0 at East End (Derek Young hattrick in front of a crowd of over 8000) and 0-1 at Tannadice (spirit of 96!). Of course the team then turned in one of the worst ever displays as we lost 4-0 to Kilmarnock. 7-0 would have seen us relegated and at times it looked like we were trying for it. Rumour has it that Jim Jeffries told his team to go easy, and they certainly did so in the second half. I was so angry I threw my Pars top into a burn on the way back to the bus.

Stephen Kenny got us to 2 cup finals and gave us some brilliant games/moments (1-3 at Inverness, semi final replay, THAT night at Paisley) and even though he gave us some laughable shite (the infamous run of 0-5, 3-0 and 0-4 being an astonishing level of crap that hadn't been seen for decades), the good outweighed the bad. Hay gave us no such moments. Hay was fucked after the European exit. His backroom team (Paul Hegarty and Billy Kirkwood) was reportedly widely despised by the team, and they certainly were not popular among fans. Rumours were that they were bullies in training to the young players and that their training methods were archaic bullshit.

Edited April 25, 2014 by DA Baracus

[Clayhole Blue]

Would that not be Darren Henderson who played Senior football for about twenty-five years with Ayr and Stranraer?

Not sure about success at his numerous other clubs, but he has a second division winners' medal from his time with us.

[Parc du gare]

Moved to post for 1st time by this. Paul Hegarty worse than any other Forfar manager in my lifetime (going since 1967/68). He inherited a good team & ruined it. Alienated supporters & fell oot with Stewart Kennedy - no way back after that.

[Clayhole Blue]

He was a good goalie for us, but mibbe that's why he was shite manager, I don't know of another Keeper-turned-Manager.

He wasn't. Lifted the Challenge Cup with us when we beat St Johnstone in 1996 and then won the second division with us two years later.

[Clayhole Blue]

Almost any manager who we had in the 80s could be a candidate for this. Personally, i would say choose from Gordon Hamilton, Nobby Clark, Davie Sneddon or (more recently) the awful Derek Ferguson. Gerry Britton's on-field record was better than these but he built absolutely no rapport with fans and should be included.

Edited April 25, 2014 by Clayhole Blue

[nofixedability]

I remember him with Forfar. Had a shock of bleached blonde hair. Thought he was a midfielder though - and was OK from what I remember. Maybe I'm thinking of a different player though.

Anyway, given what a revelation Bollan has been, with essentially the same team as earlier in the season, I'd give it to Jimmy Boyle. Though the football under Gary Mackay was appalling.

Darren played for us for a couple of seasons as a midfielder and was always decent I thought. Certainly not a left back though.

[Shandon Par]

Tough choice between Davie Hay, Iain Munro, Jocky Scott and Father Kenny but Kenny was the worst IMO. Munro and Scott I'd say were poor appointments rather than out and out bad managers. The Hay and Kenny eras were the only times I've seen players screaming at the bench in dismay/disgust at the lack of help or awareness coming from the coaches.

I never got the way folk would make excuses for Kenny and his inability to deal with the 'clique'. McIntyre had it sorted in no time. Kenny doubled the wage bill in a very short space of time. Jim O'Brien and Adam Hammill were good enough to win us a few games on our way to relegation but that was just papering over the cracks.