The King is Dead

No one likes to see a man lose his job, especially a clubman who has given twelve years of service to this football club and I certainly believe this was more than just another job for Shaun Gale. However, every manager has a shelf-life and if things aren't working, it is the nature of football to make a change at the top to sort things out.

I respect the board in many ways for showing loyalty to a loyal servant, even if this went on more than a bit too long. There is a tipping point for everyone when it comes to football managers. Some wanted him gone 3 years ago. I stopped defending him sometime last season. Some will think he deserved to see out the season. The board have reached their tipping point now, and I don't think many will see it as harsh, even if they remained loyal to Shaun Gale as a man.

So, today is a necessary day, but a sad day. I will remember the Cup run, the 3-0 win at Crawley the following year and that 'crazy April' with great affection, however there were far more cloudy than sunlit days, and clearly a lot of people were losing their enthusiasm in the face of a great deal of mediocre football.

One cannot become too effusive and floral in these moments when you've got what you thought necessary so I offer cheers for the good times, even if they were brief, but to re-state that this was a decision that was needed if we are to save our season and our ever-present status in the Conference South. Our slide towards relegation was looking inevitable, like being caught in the path of a mudslide in a stalled Mini.

Relegation may not be prevented in the short time we have left, with whoever is put in charge whether in caretaking or in permanence not having the gift of games to 'bed in', but we've given ourselves a much better chance.