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Bury's new manager, Neil Warnock, has an unenviable task. Whatever you thought of his tactics, Ternent is one hell of a hard act to follow, and Neil is in for a baptism of fire in his first season at Gigg Lane.
Just when we needed continuity and cohesion, we're in a position of having a new manager, with new idea's (maybe), a situation which always has the potential to unsettle players and create difficulties as people - players and fans alike - get used to the new regime. There was a lot of flak going Warnock's way, even before a ball was kicked in anger this season. |
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He didn't exactly do himself any favours in the local and regional press. His early references to Bury as "Them" rather than "us" were picked upon quite early by the notoriously sensitive BFC public (we do notice these things, y'know). Also, the fact that the self confessed Blades fan was clearly holding out for the chance of the job at Bramhall Lane before he would commit himself to the Shakers didn't go down to well either. During the summer, Warnock also seemed equivocal about some of Bury's key players, men who had taken on legendary status with the Gigg Lane faithful. One week he was saying how much he admired the likes of Dean Kiely, Chris Lucketti and Paul Butler - a few days later he was pointing out that they'd all be out of contract soon anyway, and we might be as well flogging the job lot of em to the highest bidder - very worrying!.
At the end of the day, though we have to say that Warnock may well have qualities, which will ideally suit a club like ours. His track record of success with clubs, which isn't exactly awash with dosh, speaks for itself. In fact The Hatchet went on record as far back as September 1995, saying that Warnock should have been the ideal bloke to take over from Mike Walsh (it was a split decision, mind, with Sammy McIlroy showing strongly on our own straw poll, the argument only being settled when the McIlroy faction - i.e. all the senior editorial staff - passed out, pissed as usual, in a smoke-filled room prior to the final vote). We were wrong anyway - Ternent was an unprecedented success, despite our initial lack of enthusiasm. So much for OUR opinions! Perhaps Warnock's main crime is that he doesn't happen to be called "Samuel Baxter McIlroy, last of the Busby Babes". Not his fault, obviously - but if Sammy Mac - with his well recalled Shakers connections - really couldn't hold off signing another contract for Macclesfield, maybe we're better off without him.
So - Warnock. Hero or Villain? Only time, and our final league position, will tell. Tell you what - if we're as wrong about Warnock as we were about Ternent - and we end up in the play-off's or winning the FA Cup or something equally possible - I for one will be absolutely f*****g delighted!!! (Plus, we'll do the legendary "Hatchet" pub crawl of B****n town centre, last performed in May 1996, complete with bare arses on their Town Hall Steps).
Good Luck, "Nocker" - but watch yer step! |
