Dick Knight - Bold , Brave, Big Wallet, Our Saviour

[brightonbeautiful]

Well said that man - some people on here have very short memories.

Without DK I doubt very much we would have a club to moan about.

 

[itszamora]

Sam

I wasn't crowing about 7th. 7th is meaninless it is as usefull as 20th. The first season and 18th was in my book a disaster, the football we played at home turned off huge swathes of supporters. I dod not believe Wilkins would have taken us forward and I think we would have been a mid table club next season. The club need promotion in the next 2 years and I do not believe Wilkins would have delivered this. Season ticket renewals must be woeful under 2000 ?. Really Wilkins should have been relieved of his services when we finished 18th.

You haven't answered the question. Only time will tell if MA's appointment will help take us forward. But what I am asking is had you done your job better than expected (as NOBODY expected us to finish 7th) and then got replaced/demoted in the way Wilkins has, would you be happy with that? Because you all seem to be perfectly happy with the club doing that to Wilkins despite him being on a 3 year deal. It's difficult to see what he could have done to have stayed in a job, with hindsight.

 

[Easy 10]

That crowing article from Naylor really is quite nauseating. Rejoicing at the sacking of Wilkins and getting one of his mates back - and in one sentence saying "my beloved Stoke City", then in the next "on behalf of Albion fans, welcome back" - a Stoke City fan does NOT speak on behalf of Albion fans. Just report the cuffing news Naylor.

I'm shocked at the treatment of Wilkins, he deserved better than this. I can only assume that having cleared the decks (and strangely / snidely had Wilkins carry out all the dirty work this week), they are looking at directing some major (for us) investment in the team this summer, and they don't believe Wilkins is the man to cut loose in the transfer market with their cash. Adams does have more experience wheeling and dealing, he'll certainly have more contacts within the game, and he is more of a "name" than Wilkins - although Wilkins was quietly building up a decent reputation for himself over the course of this season. Top 6 will be the target - they clearly didn't believe Wilkins would be capable of delivering that, and if Adams gets us in the Playoffs, then the board will talk of being "vindicated" in this decision (we were were 9 points adrift of 6th in the end, which was quite a gap). Anything less than Playoffs now though, and the pressure will be huge, and the flak will be flying big time.

Can Wilkins swallow his pride and be number 2 to Micky ? I dunno - he must feel a lot of bitterness and resentment right now towards the board and probably Micky as well - hardly a condusive basis for a succesful working relationship. IF Wilkins can come to terms with it and go back to a purely coaching role then I'd love him to stay on as number 2 as they could be a very good combination. But it really depends on how Wilkins takes this news, and my feeling is he's going to tell them to stuff it.

If this had happened a year ago after the dismal season we'd just had back then, I would have been 100% behind this decision and would be rejoicing at the return of Micky, who has been (in my opinion) the finest manager this club has had since....well, since I've been supporting the club. As it stands though, we were already on an upward curve under Wilkins and that has now been completely thrown up in the air. Time willl tell whether this was a masterstroke or a disaster. I'm excited, disappointed, annoyed and yet quite happy all at the same time.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

You haven't answered the question. Only time will tell if MA's appointment will help take us forward. But what I am asking is had you done your job better than expected (as NOBODY expected us to finish 7th) and then got replaced/demoted in the way Wilkins has, would you be happy with that? Because you all seem to be perfectly happy with the club doing that to Wilkins despite him being on a 3 year deal. It's difficult to see what he could have done to have stayed in a job, with hindsight.

I do not think he has over achieved thats where we differ his league record is

Played 86 Won 31 Drawn 22 Lost 33 Points 115

That is not over achieving, it is under achieving, plenty of other managers have done much better with far less resources and the problems we all know about.

 

[butchy]

You haven't answered the question. Only time will tell if MA's appointment will help take us forward. But what I am asking is had you done your job better than expected (as NOBODY expected us to finish 7th) and then got replaced/demoted in the way Wilkins has, would you be happy with that? Because you all seem to be perfectly happy with the club doing that to Wilkins despite him being on a 3 year deal. It's difficult to see what he could have done to have stayed in a job, with hindsight.

yeh cos we all know that in football contracts are respected and adhered to....how many times do players and managers walk away from 3/4 year contracts...they mean bugger all nowadays apart from financial security im afraid

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

I agree Easy, Wilkins should have gone when we finished 18th. Its a brave play of his cards from Dick. No one can accuse him of not being brave.

 

[itszamora]

I do not think he has over achieved thats where we differ his league record is

Played 86 Won 31 Drawn 22 Lost 33 Points 115

That is not over achieving, it is under achieving, plenty of other managers have done much better with far less resources and the problems we all know about.

OK then. Where did you think we'd end up last season, bearing in mind that (and I agree with you here) the season before when we finished 18th was a big disappointment? And where did we end up finishing?

 

[Skint Gull]

Spielberg your figures are a load of shite, stop bringing them. The fact that Wilkins wasn't sacked this time last year means that the stats for that season should be left in that season. You say it doesn't make a difference 7th or 20th but then continue to say when we finished 18th you weren't happy.

All you can look at is the fact that this season we finished one place outside the Playoffs. Nobody can say they would have expected more than that at the start of the season so clearly Wilkins has been shafted. I really don't know what to think at the moment, just wish people would stop using selective information to put accross a pointwhich is VERY biased

 

[Spiros]

DK is damned if does and damned if he doesn't. Despite the fact that we overachieved by finishing 7th there still seemed to be a few fans who weren't happy with Wilkins. A slow start to the new season (quite possible with half a new squad) would soon have had a few on here begging for Knight to 'act now, before its too late'. In the past he gave a manager like Hinshelwood time and it didn't work out. This time he seems to be taking a different, more proactive, more decisive approach but in the eyes of some he still can't win.

I'm sad to see Wilkins 'relieved of his duties' in this way but hopeful that Adams can build from here. I hope Wilkins will stay here and coach but wouldn't blame him for wanting to try his hand at management elsewhere.

In the time he's been in charge Dick has made a few mistakes but he has also brought us back from Gillingham, got permission to build a new stadium and delivered silverware with a bit of play-off excitement thrown in for good measure. And all of this done on a shoestring. His judgment ain't perfect but it's been pretty good so far.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

The last time I read the statement it said " Wilkins has been offered the role of first team coach ".

Am I wrong ?.

No, but it's a demotion. What would you do if you were told that someone was being brought in to do your job and you could have your old lower grade job if you wanted. I know I'd tell em to stuff it.


Ps you are incredibly smug at times

 

[Perry Milkins]

No, but it's a demotion. What would you do if you were told that someone was being brought in to do your job and you could have your old lower grade job if you wanted. I know I'd tell em to stuff it.


Ps you are incredibly smug at times

I would want the mortgage paid and would stay in a salaried role but unless I was being recompensed adequatley and had job satisfaction would actively court new employers.

 

[Vatican Citys No.2 Keeper]

both Coventry and Leicester are in an awful state...is that down to him, probably not entirely

IMO the downfall of those 2 clubs has NOTHING to do with Micky Adams. Leicester have had the Executioner of managers chairman, Mandaric, along with many other flop managers after Adams (bar Martin O'Neill i beleive, but not sure about that)

Coventry appointed Dowie after sacking Adams, so any troubles Chris Cleman has picked up can only be Qusimodo's really imho.

The Futures bright, the future's MICKY!!

 

[withdeanwombat]

Mr Wilkins has been dining out on a youth cup quarter final for long enough.

We are Brighton,and should be challenging for that fourth Champions League spot,as we all know.

So who is more likely to get us there,eh?

Is Martin Hinshelwood still at the club?

 

[Uncle Buck]

No, but it's a demotion. What would you do if you were told that someone was being brought in to do your job and you could have your old lower grade job if you wanted. I know I'd tell em to stuff it.


Ps you are incredibly smug at times

He could just walk away with 2 years worth of pay or sue, will be interesting.

Certainly seems to have been the Knight of the Long Knives.

 

[Nemesis]

Dean Wilkins may actually be happy with this move.

Let's wait to hear from him (DW) and stop all of this abusive crap towards DK (who wasn't alone in making a very difficult decision) until we know ALL of the facts.

I've never been a big fan of Wilkins as a manager but his side did show signs of improvement. Enough of an improvement? Obviously not in the eyes of those running the club.

Not many of us are privy to what goes on at the club on a day to day basis. We don't know how the players respond to Wilkins during training-not in a technical way, more towards him as manager. We could soon find out.

Personally, I'll trust DK because so far he has done everything that we, as Albion fans, could have dreamed of on that last day of the season at Hereford. He took over a club on its knees, playing games 70 miles away from its fan base, got us back playing Brighton at the only venue available, gave us 2 Championships, a winning Play Off final and despite huge obstacles has got our new ground approved and ready to start.

All in 11 years. Not bad for a slimy c**t is it?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

The last time I read the statement it said " Wilkins has been offered the role of first team coach ".

Am I wrong ?.

Hinsh was offered the director of football role.

He was still sacked.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Dean Wilkins may actually be happy with this move.

Let's wait to hear from him (DW) and stop all of this abusive crap towards DK (who wasn't alone in making a very difficult decision) until we know ALL of the facts.

I agree with you for once

 

[Nemesis]

I agree with you for once

It's more than once

 

[Perry Milkins]

Hinsh was offered the director of football role.

He was still sacked.

Redeployed surely?

Why dismiss someone so that you pay-off the contract then re-employ them?

My understanding of the word 'sacked' is termination of employment.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

It's more than once

Well most things I do apart from Liverpool!