Hastings Supporters Forum - 100% Unofficial!

I think Brown deserves a start n can't see ade starting tomorrow after playing whole 90 minutes, I would also start Kyle.

Just had a text from Simon Rudkins 'Not expecting any problems with the pitch for tonight's game. If that changes I'll let you know'.

Been following tonight on Twitter. The result is a shocker. We're supposed to be fighting for survival. We've just lost another home game. Time is running out. When will somebody wake up and face reality???

A very poor and disappointing display by United. This really was utterly depressing. At least on Saturday I felt we fought and battled and showed urgency when we were up against it; tonight, frankly, we did not. The atmosphere at the ground was as downbeat as anything I have known. I think somehow, if only by default of others, we will survive; but performances like this are deeply corrosive of morale and optimism.

And just to add, for those who were not standing behind the goal tonight, the Corinthian keeper told the fans that not one Corinthian player got paid tonight. Does that just say it all? Perhaps the Hastings players, Josh, Razor and Brinkhurst apart should give their wages back to the club tonight.

It summed it up when Tom O'Connor was named man of the match (And deservedly so) even though he was taken off halfway through the 2nd half! Words can't describe how bad that was tonight. I've never known the PF so quiet, and the ironic cheer when we had that 2nd half 'shot' said it all. At least their keeper was entertaining, even he said we're charging too much to watch this!!

I'm sure this will open the old 'Monday night' debate again. While I see no benefit whatsoever myself to play Monday as oppose to a Tuesday, truth is, even if we played on a Tuesday we would have had the same result. Any day of the week, this group of players aren't good enough. We know we need wholesale changes starting from the very top, but for the first time this season I REALLY believe we will go down. If not, it's not because we deserve to stay up, but simply because their were 3 sides worse than us.

And I just hope for the life of me this club stays up. Hardly ever miss a home game, but if we go down if certainly won't be coming up next season in the county league.

I was really looking forward to going to Guernsey this Saturday,feeling that I was going that extra mile to support my team.I just feel that I will end up being totally embarrassed like I was tonight and being over one hundred pound out of pocket to boot.We are the worst team in the division without a shadow of a doubt and I totally expect us to be relegated now.I remember speaking to Pat early December and saying that we would be relegated,to his credit he said we were to good to go down,has he now changed his mind? We have got no one from the top down to save us now in my opinion.It has all gone very,very wrong.Why?

Everyone feeling very let down at the moment.Strength of feeling can be seen by the amount of people on-line.Club needs total overhaul NOW! Something MUST change either with playing staff or manager BEFORE this saturday

Tom, I think you will find Rimsay is having a massive p**s take. Please don't tell me you are serious? It's been a long night.

johnw wrote:

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There have been times this season when I have had to really bite my lip on this forum but not tonight....that was a total and utter disgrace and some of those players, I wont name them, should never appear in a Hastings shirt again. I have never felt so low at a Hastings game in my life and for someone I really respect at the club to say every supporter should be given back their entrance fee back says it all. We were clueless from back to front and the lack of skill and effort on show was embarrassing and just really, really sad. And as for Kane! he should do the correct thing and walk now to save DW the embarrassment of sacking another manager. there was nothing from him all match apart from taking off the only two players with any energy, O'Connor and Holden and leaving on players like Timmy and Taser who just didn't look interested. And this is from a manager who thinks we are now a much fitter and organised side, is he serious? there again I'm sure he will blame the fact we played Saturday and they didn't rather than point at his own inadequacies. He clearly has no contacts and he lets Pogue go, who admittedly wasn't playing well, but brings in no replacement, knowing that Ade cant play 2 games in 3 days. Plays one up front again against quite possibly the worst team seen at the Pilot Field this year and leaves it that way until about 15 mins from the end when we are 2 down. I really don't know what else to say as along with every other paying customer tonight I am in a bit of shock at what I have just witnessed. 

 

Spot on John and hastings player who reads this and we know u do read and get ur bloody game face on and be passionate some of u r not from hastings but WE ARE AND WE WANT COMMITMENT IF NO YOU CAN GO!!!!!!

-- Edited by johnw on Monday 23rd of February 2015 10:30:16 PM

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johnw wrote:

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Tom, I think you will find Rimsay is having a massive p**s take. Please don't tell me you are serious? It's been a long night.

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 Yeah I wasn't serious I'm just fuming sitting hear it feels like people who are not from this town are letting the town down and they don't look bothered it makes me angry!!!

I just really hope pelling doesn't get injured as we're be in more trouble as we have no one else we would have to get a gk from brighton

What do u think a consultum is going to do chris

Look on the bright side everyone, Ross Allen is back from his mid season break just in time for Saturday.

I don't think there's any bright sides

Off course its down to the chairman, he has upset players with pay cuts, managers because they aren't allowed to do their job properly, at the start of the season we had players good enough but they weren't performing, now because of budget cuts we have county league players all over the place, a manager that players don't respect or they would give 100%, and why have we this manager because no one with any decent credentials will come to the PF.

I hate being negative, but in my honest opinion, I agree with 90% of what has been said in this thread. A totally embarrassing performance with absolutely no positives. No hunger, no strive and no effort. I've been following the Club and a regular for very nearly nine years and I think I've only ever seen one performance worse than this and that was against Carshalton in our relegation scrap at home a couple of seasons ago. I honestly, and regrettably think we are in big, big trouble and like Mick said, teams below us still have to play each other and will pick up points, but judging by tonight, it's hard to see where we're going to pick up any points. A cold, dismal and quite frankly appalling evening when I could've been at home watching the exciting Broadchurch finale. Fair play to anyone who has paid out to go to Guernsey this weekend, I'm quite glad I havent - I take my hat off to you.

Can't agree with JohnW more. Even when you let go mate you manage to stay objective unlike some!  Tonight happened on the pitch - The most embarrassing performance I have ever seen. We looked as if we gave up after ten minutes . God alone knows what Guernsey will do to us if we play like that. Really really disappointed. Conquest 1 - if you read this forum and Twitter you will know that I said in January that it was time for us all to wake up and realise we are in a relegation battle - thus revising that earlier opinion as lots of people do! We are going to have to pull something out of the bag now or it will surely be county league. Apart from 4 players that was shameful and there is absolutely no defending that whatsoever.

-- Edited by Pat McCrossan on Tuesday 24th of February 2015 06:53:57 AM

Well we have all had a few hours to digest things and try and calm down but I have to say that things look no rosier this morning. It was clear to see the anger last night from all the fans just by the amount of people posting near on midnight last night and I am not sure how the club is going to bounce back from one of its darkest ever days.

On Saturday we were pretty average but the players did seem to give their all even though the general quality was poor, but that's all us fans ask for. But last night was different. There was very little effort on show, dreadful passing, no running off the ball, no 50/50s won and no leadership. At times in the 2nd half you could hear a pin drop and it was evident that the players had given up. Is this the chairman's fault, of course not. Long term, people have their own opinions and will blame DW for anything and everything, but last night was about the manager and players. There was no leadership from the touchline, and no heart and pride on the pitch.

With regards to the players no blame can be aimed at the likes of Hanifan, Holden and Hause. These young lads have done themselves proud but should never have been thrown in at this stage of the season. This was Kane's first major error since taking charge and everyone knew this was the case. There was great optimism and excitement at Holden's debut but a man of Kane's experience should have just pulled him back a little rather than play him every game and make him the great hope for the season. My big concern now is that we do not leave a permanent scar on these young players career as we appear to have done with Cruttwell. Young Sam looks shot to bits and this is the fault of current and past managers and no one else. He is not a left back, we all know that, he knows that, his dad knows that, but 2 years on we still play him there and he is cruelly exposed each week. Lets not forget he was having a trials at Hull City less than 12 months ago and now look at him. Those that have looked after him at the club should be ashamed and for Sam to pursue his dream and fulfil his massive potential I feel he must get out of the club asap.

Of the seniors only Razor, Josh and Brinkhurst appear to put it in week in week out. I would include Sammy Adams in that also but do not know the full facts of why he has left us at the most important stage of our history. In fact is it me or has Sam gone backwards since Nigel took the captaincy from him? Even so, give me 11 Sammy's every days of the week and we would be pushing for promotion.

The rest have just struggled I am afraid and not sure they have the belly for the fight. Don't want to be overly critical of the Olorunda's as they have great servants to this club and we should not forget that but are we seeing the end of these careers? Timmy looked shot last night and was getting a bit of stick from some of the crowd and Ade, one of my favourite ever Hastings players, looks to be in the twilight of his career. Do they really need this any longer with their careers? Richard Rose, great lad, but surely one of the biggest flops at the Pilot Field. Could he help on the management side perhaps?. Evan Archibald, runs all day but very little quality. I have a lot of respect for Evan as he is the only one of Dom's signings not to jump ship and we should all remember that but we need more than someone that runs all day. I'll do that for the club and wouldn't take a penny! And then there is the enigma of Taser. In his defence, Great potential, constantly played out of position and never anyone to aim for in the box. I actually thought he looked his best when we played him down the middle. But sadly Taser is another who has gone backwards. His crossing is abysmal, he couldn't tackle a toffee, and his effort at times is not existant. I don't like the way he reacts to the fans on the pitch and on twitter and he needs to understand he is a crowd favourite and all we want from him is 100% commitment.

As for the signings, they continue to be inadequate in numbers and quality. O'Connor is one for next season and Tyrell is a speedster with not a lot else, but has potential a couple of years down the road. And then to top it all we sign Sam Willett from county 2 Westfield to save the day and put in a 7 day letter, if rumours are true, for a reserve striker who has scored 12 goals in county one.

Which leads nicely onto the manager. Not many people wanted him and this was stated on day 1. Nothing against him and his experience and knowledge, I have nothing against him at all. this is all about going round in circles, old managers, old players etc etc. I have no doubt if Nigel stays on we would see the likes of Darby, Kelly, Maclean return. All decent players but we want something new and fresh at the Pilot Field. Dom was that and I am still gutted that did not work out because I believe that is the way the club should go and I think that is what the fans want.

A lot of us remember Nigel having a stinker of a game at Grays in the FA Cup when I believe we lost the game because of him. Tactically he makes some very strange decision and substitutions. He constantly plays one up when we are at home and is always too slow to react to situations on the pitch when a change of personnel or formation is required. He let Pogue go and did not have a replacement ready, we still do not know why Vickers left, what has happened to Temba and Woodley? Why did he bring in a left back and then never play him? why did Norman return to the bench on Saturday? Why does Stapes and Ryan appear to be the ones doing all the talking during the game? and the biggest one for me is passion. I am an old fashioned supporter that likes a bit of passion on the bench not someone who spends 90 mins writing down notes. I put my hands up now and say I actually miss a bit of Terry Whites jumping up and down on the line, screaming at players and his passion shown. Perhaps I got that one wrong.

So like many others I now believe we are doomed for county league unless DW makes the bravest decision of his tenure. People cannot say any worse about him so what does he have to lose. Its too late now to get in someone new, young and dynamic so perhaps the circles need to continue. There are only 3 options open to him in my opinion. Keep Kane and we go down, stick Razor in charge, which would be my choice or make Gary Wilson an offer he cant refuse. And finally BREAK THE BANK!! we have 10 games to save us from county league. If we have to pay £400 to get Medlock of the bench at Met Police, pay it!! if we have to pay Lee Carney £400 a week to take him from Three Bridges pay it!! If we have to pay Zac Attwood more for just 10 games then bloody pay it. For Christ sake we have to do something and its now up to DW to prove to all of us that have supported him that we have not wasted our time.

So easy to say break the bank throw money at it, that was tried early in the season and it failed miserably, probably because the players didn't care, its no good paying players to turn up, they need to want to play, Gary Wilson turned us down before, and the reason was well known, so why would he come now.
John you say Crutwell has suffered, I agree but was that down to the chairman not allowing a player to be signed. We do also know why Tom left, he had his money halved apparently, this was mentioned on this site.
The only thing that will save us is luck, we will probably finish in the bottom 3, so will rely on teams not being relegated.

John, you can really write a post, the last was moving even by your standards, the last paragraph was hard to read, as you said that "we are doomed for county league" I never thought you would say that.
I cannot believe that DW wants this to happen, but at what point will the correct decision be made, to save us, or let us drop. Will this be the lowest Hastings United has ever played? and would we be able to get back easily, I really don`t think so.

-- Edited by Pepper on Tuesday 24th of February 2015 01:39:46 PM

Some massive games coming up for us now. We need 6 points at least from our next 2 home games ...horsham should be a dead cert 3 points i would imagine...they are just so poor. Recon we could also pick up points away to south park and ramsgate...2 average sides in this division...that might be enough to stay up. looking at the fixtures for the teams below us they have a tougher run in than us...anyway if not its important to finish 3rd from bottom as usually that team gets a reprieve due to some club going to the wall somewhere.

Agree with that Chris, was just thinking the same. Watching some of the recent videos of Horsham games I would actually say they are ahead of us at the moment and have pushed 3 of the form teams in Three Bridges, Merstham and Guernsey very close over the past couple of weeks.

Personally I don't know where the next point will come from let alone three. Of course there is a faint hope that all below us mess up their remaining games but I seriously doubt it. We are in deep deep trouble.

Like others, I am still so upset and angry over last night's game I can scarce think about it rationally. John's long post above was a very good one indeed. I don't agree with everything he said; but he certainly captured the disappointment even bewilderment of so many of us at such a craven performance by our team. One positive - a slight one perhaps in the wider context- is that this thread has seen a good expression of views largely avoiding the internal squabbling among ourselves which have marred some other threads. Whatever each of us might think of 'DW must go for things to improve'; 'Nigel was the wrong choice'; 'Bring back Terry' or whatever - it is clear that there is a consensus among us that this is indeed now a full scale crisis. I still think it more likely than not that we will stay up even with the same management and substantially the same squad; but given the manner of Monday's collapse there is now a real and significant possibility that we will not. If we do go down, the events of the last two seasons have shown that a swift return is far far from being guaranteed and thus the existence of the club as we know it is truly threatened. I'm sorry I can't offer more positive thoughts on this, but let's try and continue this discussion in as positive manner as we can and actually try to do what we can to help the club stay up.