Clyde FC; Season 2022-23

[Highlandmagar]

Just now, DGW9 said:

Listen if you want him now as your manager I'll personally drive him to shithill

If it is a choice between him and McCall, I will, grudgingly, stick with McCall.

[SouthLanarkshireWhite]

I will not comment much on yesterday beyond saying it was embarrassing. Lack of quality, lack of fight, lack of ideas. However, having witnessed some other performances and selections in past months not a major surprise.

More importantly than any particular match is the structure and direction of the club. 

 

Irrespective of what needs to be changed and the decisions around  that, it is key to get everyone pointing in the same direction. You simply cannot make a success of any organisation if people involved disagree repeatedly, those involved change regularly (how many Board members have we had since 2003?) and most importantly you stumble from summer to summer with more losses than  triumphs.

 

1. For me the fan ownership is open to question.  It has been tried, it was an option when we needed some stability immediately after the initial financial problem in 2004, but I cannot see how it ever will provide a platform for taking the club back to any level beyond where we are/have been in the past 5 years. The only way it may work is if we appointed a strong Board with a strong leader and implemented a strategic plan that people could support and get behind. You simply cannot imagine DL having to face a grilling on current performances, or the recruitment team being questioned about signing quality.

2. Location - either decide we are staying or we are going. Present a plan and reasons to the support, explain it all (irrespective of confidentiality) and get on with it. Stop the conversation about if/maybe/could we.

3. Find a way to have a proper youth set-up. We cannot, imho,  progress without one. Even clubs like Clydebank have a strong under 20s.

4. Either give staff a performance contract which they live up to or leave - otherwise we will continue to suffer. For example, has the recruitment department got objectives that can be measured? Have they failed in those objectives, beyond someone's opinion? 

 

Unless real fundamental change is made in thinking, planning and direction is made we will repeat this sort of season ad infinitum.

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest JBJ]

2 hours ago, bullyweehutch said:

Let be honest, this board is sleepwalking the club to the grave. Unless things change on and off the park we will be at best a Lowland league team in a few years.
The club has went tits up since promotion and whilst on the park the buck stops with DL off the park the board is to blame.

Two utter imposters for recruitment and a board that stays silent and will occasionally say buzz words like "new stadium" or "making inroads woth sponsors"

Age, spot on

[TheBigGuy]

Wouldn’t give Danny January. His signings have been dreadful!

[Bully Wee Clyde FC]

1 hour ago, SouthLanarkshireWhite said:

I will not comment much on yesterday beyond saying it was embarrassing. Lack of quality, lack of fight, lack of ideas. However, having witnessed some other performances and selections in past months not a major surprise.

More importantly than any particular match is the structure and direction of the club. 

 

Irrespective of what needs to be changed and the decisions around  that, it is key to get everyone pointing in the same direction. You simply cannot make a success of any organisation if people involved disagree repeatedly, those involved change regularly (how many Board members have we had since 2003?) and most importantly you stumble from summer to summer with more losses than  triumphs.

 

1. For me the fan ownership is open to question.  It has been tried, it was an option when we needed some stability immediately after the initial financial problem in 2004, but I cannot see how it ever will provide a platform for taking the club back to any level beyond where we are/have been in the past 5 years. The only way it may work is if we appointed a strong Board with a strong leader and implemented a strategic plan that people could support and get behind. You simply cannot imagine DL having to face a grilling on current performances, or the recruitment team being questioned about signing quality.

2. Location - either decide we are staying or we are going. Present a plan and reasons to the support, explain it all (irrespective of confidentiality) and get on with it. Stop the conversation about if/maybe/could we.

3. Find a way to have a proper youth set-up. We cannot, imho,  progress without one. Even clubs like Clydebank have a strong under 20s.

4. Either give staff a performance contract which they live up to or leave - otherwise we will continue to suffer. For example, has the recruitment department got objectives that can be measured? Have they failed in those objectives, beyond someone's opinion? 

 

Unless real fundamental change is made in thinking, planning and direction is made we will repeat this sort of season ad infinitum.

 

Agreed in most bits.

Ownership was the right thing to do at the time.  It worked to pay down our debt and help make sure we didn't repeat the same mistakes but it stops us taking reasonable risks. It needs reviewing.

Location and its uncertainty hampers us in many ways.  Let's choose stay or go.

Youth is potentially linked to location.  We are a CIC with almost no community opportunities as the Colts have hoovered so much of that up. 

Performance based contracts: I don't know why clubs don't write this in. Maybe none do, so we couldn't.  Importantly, Diamond's team is not recruitment.  It includes sports science and analysis. While I'm not saying either of these areas is good it is not just recruitment.  A good football ops dpt is SEPARATE from 1st team coach to ensure there is some consistency when there are changes in 1st team coaching staff.

Maybe we'll see. 

 

 

 

 

[squeezebox-son]

Said it before and stand by my feelings on this. We may well end up bottom this season and many of our support are unconvinced about Faz but at least we rolled the dice when things were dreadful.

The longer Danny Lennon is there the harder it'll be to change things when he does inevitably leave.

[clydenil]

Thought Danny should chuck it. However next week vs Peterhead should be a “do or die” match. Lose this then there is no way back. Try and get some money for DG in the January transfer window.

[Bullyweeno1]

2 hours ago, SouthLanarkshireWhite said:

I will not comment much on yesterday beyond saying it was embarrassing. Lack of quality, lack of fight, lack of ideas. However, having witnessed some other performances and selections in past months not a major surprise.

More importantly than any particular match is the structure and direction of the club. 

 

Irrespective of what needs to be changed and the decisions around  that, it is key to get everyone pointing in the same direction. You simply cannot make a success of any organisation if people involved disagree repeatedly, those involved change regularly (how many Board members have we had since 2003?) and most importantly you stumble from summer to summer with more losses than  triumphs.

 

1. For me the fan ownership is open to question.  It has been tried, it was an option when we needed some stability immediately after the initial financial problem in 2004, but I cannot see how it ever will provide a platform for taking the club back to any level beyond where we are/have been in the past 5 years. The only way it may work is if we appointed a strong Board with a strong leader and implemented a strategic plan that people could support and get behind. You simply cannot imagine DL having to face a grilling on current performances, or the recruitment team being questioned about signing quality.

2. Location - either decide we are staying or we are going. Present a plan and reasons to the support, explain it all (irrespective of confidentiality) and get on with it. Stop the conversation about if/maybe/could we.

3. Find a way to have a proper youth set-up. We cannot, imho,  progress without one. Even clubs like Clydebank have a strong under 20s.

4. Either give staff a performance contract which they live up to or leave - otherwise we will continue to suffer. For example, has the recruitment department got objectives that can be measured? Have they failed in those objectives, beyond someone's opinion? 

 

Unless real fundamental change is made in thinking, planning and direction is made we will repeat this sort of season ad infinitum.

 

 

 

 

 

You make a lot of valid points

1.  As you said the CIC gave stability at a time when was needed but isnt viable going forward.  We need someone to come in and take things by the scruff of the neck which isnt possible with the CIC in place.

2. I dont understand this stay or move argument.  We have no serious money to invest in a ground or anyone willing to give us one so i cant see how moving is even remotely an option to be considered unless there is some option out there that is being kept under wraps.

3. Do we even have a youth set up?  I remember years ago going with my Dad on a Monday night to watch the reserve team and seen the likes of Iain Ferguson come through the reserves to the first time then on to bigger and better things.  We cant afford to go and buy players so our only hope is to generate one or two players to each season to play in the first team.  In the 80/90s we consistently produced a player or two each season who could go on a play in the first team.  Who was the last young player we brought through ourselves?  Craig Bryson?  Which was over 15 years ago.

I dont have the answers but some serious consideration needs to be made about the direction of the club and what the plan is for the next 3, 5, 10 years.

Without it I can see us drifting and ending up in Lowland League within the next 5 years or so then the club as I have supported for over 40 years will be dead as i know it.

Edited November 28, 2021 by Bullyweeno1

[Bullyweeno1]

1 hour ago, TheBigGuy said:

Wouldn’t give Danny January. His signings have been dreadful!

Yeah his signings over his tenure have been very poor but he exceeded himself this year by producing a new level of s###e.

[Clyde85]

14 minutes ago, clydenil said:

Thought Danny should chuck it. However next week vs Peterhead should be a “do or die” match. Lose this then there is no way back. Try and get some money for DG in the January transfer window.

The atmosphere’s going to turn toxic pretty quick when Peterhead take their usual 3 points at broadwood.

[TamClyde]

Genuinely not hopeful that we will beat peterhead. In all of Danny's time in charge we have never been able to match the physicality of the blue town. 

[Clyde01]

You make a lot of valid points
1.  As you said the CIC gave stability at a time when was needed but isnt viable going forward.  We need someone to come in and take things by the scruff of the neck which isnt possible with the CIC in place.
2. I dont understand this stay or move argument.  We have no serious money to invest in a ground or anyone willing to give us one so i cant see how moving is even remotely an option to be considered unless there is some option out there that is being kept under wraps.
3. Do we even have a youth set up?  I remember years ago going with my Dad on a Monday night to watch the reserve team and seen the likes of Iain Ferguson come through the reserves to the first time then on to bigger and better things.  We cant afford to go and buy players so our only hope is to generate one or two players to each season to play in the first team.  In the 80/90s we consistently produced a player or two each season who could go on a play in the first team.  Who was the last young player we brought through ourselves?  Craig Bryson?  Which was over 15 years ago.
I dont have the answers but some serious consideration needs to be made about the direction of the club and what the plan is for the next 3, 5, 10 years.
Without it I can see us drifting and ending up in Lowland League within the next 5 years or so then the club as I have supported for over 40 years will be dead as i know it.

Whenever someone with a strong purpose or drive does come into the club we seem to chase them away and the usual suspects lumber on at board level.

Without going into all the details and mud slinging I’m thinking straight away of Ronnie McDonald and much more recently Norrie Innes.

Look at what Ronnie McDonald has done with Hamilton, a club of a very similar size and support base to our own. Norrie always struck me as someone with a vision to improve things and take the club forward and again ended up being bombed out in bitter circumstances.

As someone who admittedly doesn’t have an inside track on all the internal operations of the club it just seems to be that if anyone rocks the boat to much or thinks outside the box, this doesn’t go down well.

Am I wrong?

[passbackdave]

Correctly me if am wrong but from an outsiders point from wit i c online and in papers the board seem 2 be a massive problem at the club? Every couple of month wed hear use r going 2 groundshare with this team or that team. Not good for clyde fc. So 2 have that hanging over ur heads doesnt help anyone and am no sticking up for lennon (he should go) but the board seem clueless 2 me. I hope use sort it out asap before use go down. 

Mon the papers

Edited November 28, 2021 by passbackdave
Spelling mistake

[Bully Wee Clyde FC]

1 hour ago, Clyde01 said:

Whenever someone with a strong purpose or drive does come into the club we seem to chase them away and the usual suspects lumber on at board level.

Without going into all the details and mud slinging I’m thinking straight away of Ronnie McDonald and much more recently Norrie Innes.

Look at what Ronnie McDonald has done with Hamilton, a club of a very similar size and support base to our own. Norrie always struck me as someone with a vision to improve things and take the club forward and again ended up being bombed out in bitter circumstances.

As someone who admittedly doesn’t have an inside track on all the internal operations of the club it just seems to be that if anyone rocks the boat to much or thinks outside the box, this doesn’t go down well.

Am I wrong?

I'm not sure you're 100% right.  Ronnie Mac came in before we burnt all the money.  He fell out with the then chairman Billy Carmichael who had literally, put in his kids' inheritance.  

Norrie had some very redeeming qualities, but I reckon he put his or his company's interests ahead of The Club.  I think he pushed directors at that point, to sign off on the Arria knowing there was a conflict of interests. 

 

[Fast_Action]

8 hours ago, SouthLanarkshireWhite said:

Irrespective of what needs to be changed and the decisions around  that, it is key to get everyone pointing in the same direction. You simply cannot make a success of any organisation if people involved disagree repeatedly, those involved change regularly (how many Board members have we had since 2003?) and most importantly you stumble from summer to summer with more losses than  triumphs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Would you step up and become a member of the Board?

[Jack Burton]

I would be surprised if the CIC structure is stopping any takeovers or investment in the club. More likely is that no one is interested in financing Clyde.

The board is largely made up of Clyde fans who although are trying their best may not have the skill set required for the various roles. I don't know how you can change that without making the board members paid positions.

The only two times that has been different is the previously mentioned Ronnie McDonald and Norrie Inness, neither of which lasted long . With McDonald we know we missed out there and don't think we will ever know in the case of Inness.

The club desperately needs something to change and a change in manager is much easier than trying anything at board level. I think we are heading for league 2 with Lennon in charge anyway and may as well throw the dice and get somebody new in.

[Greenmachine]

Clyde didn’t register one real attempt on target which is lamentable against a team 3 levels below them!

The post match interview that Lennon gave was embarrassing talking about a small pitch and Clydebank being workmanlike? They played Clyde off the pitch in the 2nd half!!

The players look great in training

 

[Brian Carrigan]

I think realistically, Clyde is a hard sell for any manager at the moment. Maybe the board is thinking that the standard of manager we're capable of appointing isn't going to be near the level of Lennon/Moore, so there's no point in pulling the trigger right now. There's also probably no money available to do the required enormous reshuffle of playing staff in January.

To me it stinks of 'just get through this season' whether we get relegated or not.

[support the underdog]

As an occasional observer and as someone who supports  Clyde as their second team I am saddened by the slow decline of this club. May I make the following observations?

a) there are two issues - one short term - stating  the bleeding obvious avoid relegation at all costs - league 2 is a graveyard and there are some well financed Lowland Clubs snapping at the heals.  
b) more critically longer term the structure and plan which seems form afar seriously lacking and has been for many a year. What does Clyde stand for and how will it grow? 

Looking to this season it’s seems broadly 50-50 if you stay up. It’s far from over and while the team is clearly well substandard esp ex DGW you have been grinding some results.

given how disastrous relegation would be in IMHO the Board need to throw the dice in the window.
 

Re Lennon I have always liked him. Very hard to judge whether he can  turn it round - much depends on the continuing team sprit -for what it’s worth I would probably give him the benefit of the doubt but what do I know?

More importantly is the long term however. Let’s   be optimistic and suggest you do survive, just. Longer term this great club needs vision. If you guys don’t know what it is why will any one else follow you?

Your home is critical. You made the move 30 odd years ago. Still to be talking about it is mad. Why would anyone from Cumbernauld support you if your not committed? If you go to another new town it’s year zero again and frankly it takes a generation or more to build allegiance- sadly very difficult. For my mind stay put.  Sure try and negotiate a better deal but there is no promised land around the corner.

Second if you do stay you need to make it clear that’s it and rebuild trust in Cumbernauld. Best way is a decent team I know but the club and the town need to become synonymous.

Third the structure may have saved the club a while back but you should either ensure the current clique who run the club are properly accountable and not just co-opted as part of some inner magic circle or you seek external capital.

If it’s the former you probably have to accept that League One is as good as it gets perhaps with  the very occasional foray into the championship. A gate of 600 without external cash implies broadly the clubs current ranking but there is the latent potential to do much better.

It does seem to me however that Clyde probably have the greatest potential (outside perhaps Dundee and Dunfermline) against where they currently are but without for  once and for all getting the structure and home right the danger is it becomes a ‘legacy’ ageing  support not attracting the next generation.

Good luck but to my mind the problem is more the Board (and that issue probably pre dates the current lot of whom I have no view), not the manger?

 

 

 

[CM.]

1 hour ago, Greenmachine said:

Clyde didn’t register one real attempt on target which is lamentable against a team 3 levels below them!

The post match interview that Lennon gave was embarrassing talking about a small pitch and Clydebank being workmanlike? They played Clyde off the pitch in the 2nd half!!

The players look great in training

 

The BBC website has us as having one shot on target and I genuinely can't remember it. 

I did think the pitch looked small when I entered the ground but that's no excuse for our abysmal performance.