Smithy Odd Man Out?

george ivan · 27-04-2005, 21:51

My nomination for player of the year is Johnathan Smith - Surprised? I nominate Johnathan for the incredible patience he has shown despite being frozen out of the team for nearly of all of this and the majority of last season (apart from being thrown on for the last five minutes of some games to try and rescue a lost cause). The decision by John Coleman not to play Johnathan is one of the worst i can remember in nearly 30 years of watching football and one which in my opinion has ultimately cost Stanley a place in the playoffs also the nepotism shown by John Coleman towards certain individuals in his team selection i think ended up being counter productive. Over the last two seasons in the games he has played Johnathan has been terrific at both ends of the pitch and put his heart and soul into playing for Stanley but it seems his only reward was a place on the bench for the next game Alas it seems his face does'nt fit. Now i read on Monday that he is going to be released WHAT A SURPRISE. At least there will be no shortage of offers from other clubs and he will go somewhere he will be more appreciated. So if Hereford away proves to be his last league game it means he has signed off in style with a typically battling performance! GOOD LUCK JOHNATHAN

PS John Coleman's bleating about referees is starting to wear a bit thin.

smudgie · 28-04-2005, 08:46

good point, dont worry your the only 1 whos is fuming about Colemans decision!

im definately gonna get my point across next season

mite even have smith on the back of my stanley shirt!

JEFF · 28-04-2005, 09:41

Johnathan Smith is a good Unibond defender but not good enough for the Conference. He has been a loyal servant to the Club and always given 100%, but he is not good enough. There is no room for sentiment in the game when we are trying to win the league. Johnathan Smith will get another club, but I will be very surprised if it is another Conference club. Everybody has their limitations and I think that the Unibond/Conference North is Johnathans limitation. We need experienced defenders who can read the game not somebody who can just head the ball or side foot it to nobody.

woody · 28-04-2005, 09:51

I think its the right time for smithy to move on, he's approaching his peak and deserves a regular first team place.
I disagree with people angry at Coleys decision not to play him, as Rocky and Flynny have formed a brilliant centre half partnership and it wouldnt have been fair to play Smithy when Rocky was learning so much from Flynn.
Nevertheless Smithy is (or was) a legend at the IES and will be remembered as the best centre half and arguably our best player in our Unibond days, all the best to him.

(just pleeeaaase dont go to Barrow!!!)

(or Morecambe)

(or Southport)

(or Burton)

qualtrough · 28-04-2005, 14:26

I am a tremendous Smithy fan but the manager pretty much had to play Williams with Mike Flynn so there was someone with pace at the back to compliment Flynn who, in every other respect, is excellent. I sincerely hope there will be at least one central defensive signing for next season as the fact is Williams is not good enough. There are at least two or three times per game when he is caught out of position on the wrong side of his opponent and chances and goals have resulted from it. The defensive goals against record is Stanley's Achilles' heel and eliminating Williams from the equation will go some way to rectifying the problem.

Smiffy16 · 29-04-2005, 08:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by qualtrough

The defensive goals against record is Stanley's Achilles' heel and eliminating Williams from the equation will go some way to rectifying the problem.

Dont agree with you there.....

In my opinion Robbie Williams has been absolutely superb

smudgie · 29-04-2005, 10:18

my view is that Smithy has simply not been given a big enough chance to prove himself at conference level,,,

he is in 1 game, then out the next!

and i aint robbies biggest fan either!

ossyclogger · 29-04-2005, 15:03

Smiffy16, I thought you went on the pitch with a fork at half time. I now realise that it must be a white stick in disguise.

stanleybabe · 29-04-2005, 16:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smiffy16

Dont agree with you there.....

In my opinion Robbie Williams has been absolutely superb

Spot on there, Smiffy. Rocky is a superb defender.

Stanleybabe

zayno14 · 29-04-2005, 18:07

Rocky has been absolutely top class this season. He and flynny deserve a lot of credit for this.

Adam Cottier · 29-04-2005, 19:19

dont agree with rocky fan club. point is folks you must look at the goals stanley have conceeded. It's pretty bad and surely Rocky must take some responsibility being almost ever-present in that back four that has leaked them. He is a good defender, but prone to error. He may, and I said may, be the weak link in that defence.

qualtrough · 30-04-2005, 19:47

Williams often plays well for long periods but then there are the positional lapses I described before and they have cost the team big time. I fully expect him to retain his position next season so expect another heavy figure in the goals against column and his fans scratching their heads again and wondering why..?

RossendaleRed · 30-04-2005, 20:40

I think Robbie Williams has improved a hell of a lot and this season has been a learning curve for him. i think he has got better with flynn playing alongside him. Yes he got some stick early on but got better. We need a quality centre half with experience to replace Jon Smith. I like Jim Bentley at Morecambe, but cant see Morecambe parting with him. I would then play Bentley and Flynn and have Robbie as an excellent reserve..

Tin Monkey · 30-04-2005, 22:59

Jim Bentley is sheer class and better than anything we have at the moment. I very much doubt that he'll be leaving Morecambe, but if they're serious about this Rory thing, maybe a deal could be done?

If I had the chance to trade Bentley for Prendergast, I wouldn't hesitate for a second.

I really hope JC concentrates his efforts on signing some quality defenders for next season, as a solid defence is what successful teams are built on. It isn't a mystery why we missed out on the play-offs this season, as the goals conceded column speaks for itself (58 I think). Look at Chelsea... 13 goals against. Different levels of course, but the facts speak for themselves.

RossendaleRed · 01-05-2005, 20:30

Tin Monkey I agree with you, you never know what might happen with Bentley...There is no doubt in my mind that I would swap Rory for Jim Bentley, but like we have both said I cannot see Morecambe parting company with him.