Pitmen Chat - Independent HTFC Fans Forum

As per usual, the longer a stony silence comes out of the Race Stadium, the more speculation will be generated.
Certainly, as my learned friend Keith has said, the owners are obviously very inexperienced with regards to appointing footballing positions within the club (that is not meant as any sort of criticism) so they will be heavily reliant on the Director of Football, who in turn will want to be 100% certain he is giving them the correct advice this time using all his non-league experience and contacts.

Giving Lita the job immediately would almost guarantee him staying at the Club, but with the current state of affairs regarding the footballing side, has he got the knowledge, contacts and the know-how to turn things around? And would that player/manager position involve even more funds being directed to him personally when something needs to be done with the current squad?

We can but wait.

It gets worse before it hopefully gets better

https://www.hednesfordtownfc.com/2022/09/club-update-2

Interesting. Twitter now confirms Martin Riley is on holiday and with Cameron, Webb and Hayden leaving that just leaves Ison, Portman and Manton as the only defenders in the squad for Saturday, the latter of which is clearly not good enough for this level of football.
I am sure the new arrivals mentioned will be defenders, and if it’s a rush job signings from step 5 we could be in for a hammering on Saturday.

Time to get the Sky Bet app out.

Crane and Bailey to return?

Things don't look good. Given recent developments perhaps KMR saw what was coming and bailed out. The squad, already short on quality, is now short on numbers.
Definitely worth sticking a few quid on tamworth on Saturday for those that partake in that pastime

And here is the first of those predicted step 5 players:

https://southern-football-league.co.uk/ ... w-Defender

If we’re replacing Cameron with step 5 players it doesn’t matter who the manager is, we are going to struggle to stay in this league.

Official confirmation

https://www.hednesfordtownfc.com/2022/0 ... ins-pitmen

We can also confirm two new arrivals to the squad will be announced in the next 24 hours.

MANAGER UPDATE

We can confirm that discussions to appoint a new manager are still ongoing however we are hopeful of being able to complete this process soon and make an appointment in the near future.

doesn't the manager decide what players he wants
i smell a rat

sheriff wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08 2022 5:37 pm We can also confirm two new arrivals to the squad will be announced in the next 24 hours.

MANAGER UPDATE

We can confirm that discussions to appoint a new manager are still ongoing however we are hopeful of being able to complete this process soon and make an appointment in the near future.

doesn't the manager decide what players he wants
i smell a rat

We can all draw our own conclusions
from that and I've already drawn mine. I think we will be visiting a lot of new clubs next season if I'm correct, I do hope I'm not.

Welcome to our new player. A step 5 signing. Hope he can bridge the gulf ...

Two more signings

Looks like we are gearing up for step 4 football next season

Perton Pitman wrote: ↑Fri Sep 09 2022 2:42 pm Looks like we are gearing up for step 4 football next season

I guess it's all about money now ... IF Lita is getting the manager's job or even if he isn't - money will be needed to tempt someone to take over the current lot at the moment!

Del wrote: ↑Fri Sep 09 2022 2:57 pm

Perton Pitman wrote: ↑Fri Sep 09 2022 2:42 pm Looks like we are gearing up for step 4 football next season

I guess it's all about money now ... IF Lita is getting the manager's job or even if he isn't - money will be needed to tempt someone to take over the current lot at the moment!

I just wish we could be treated like the reasoning adults we all are and someone would come out and say look lads we just haven't got the money needed to compete at this level, I'm sure everyone would understand and rally around.
It certainly appears that is the case with the signings coming in and that is in no way meant to be disrespectful to those particular players.
I do hope I'm wrong and that it is an interim measure to bolster the squad while we are waiting to appoint a new manager, but that then also begs the question who is making these signings.
Also I hope no one at the club gets offended by my post as that is not my intention I'm just a very concerned supporter.

PitmanKeith wrote: ↑Fri Sep 09 2022 4:00 pm
It certainly appears that is the case with the signings coming in and that is in no way meant to be disrespectful to those particular players.
I do hope I'm wrong and that it is an interim measure to bolster the squad while we are waiting to appoint a new manager, but that then also begs the question who is making these signings.
Also I hope no one at the club gets offended by my post as that is not my intention I'm just a very concerned supporter.

I'm sure other can back me up (Scott, Keith, Lee) but wasn't one of the ideas of the original HTFCSA that some of the funds raised could be used to help pay the wages of a suitable incoming player should the budget require help ... when Mr Price held the purse strings?
That idea was kicked out when a certain chair took over from Scott though!

I think openness and transparency is essential at a time like this. We appear to be pursuing a strategy of sorts and this is fine if it is in line with the financial model. I have no issue with the club having a budget which is not sufficient to compete at this level and there is no shame in saying this to fans.
A lot of fans are reasonable people and will accept this. The owners are doing their best I have no doubt and if, as others have said, they set the position out clearly then i am sure fans will back them , continue to support the team and hopefully rally around to ensure that our great club, steeped in history, continues to be a focal point of the local community.

Perton Pitman wrote: ↑Sat Sep 10 2022 7:11 am I think openness and transparency is essential at a time like this. We appear to be pursuing a strategy of sorts and this is fine if it is in line with the financial model. I have no issue with the club having a budget which is not sufficient to compete at this level and there is no shame in saying this to fans.
A lot of fans are reasonable people and will accept this. The owners are doing their best I have no doubt and if, as others have said, they set the position out clearly then i am sure fans will back them , continue to support the team and hopefully rally around to ensure that our great club, steeped in history, continues to be a focal point of the local community.

More or less what I was trying to say PP, but perhaps a little more eloquently put. My passion overrides my words sometimes

Perton Pitman wrote: ↑Sat Sep 10 2022 7:11 am I think openness and transparency is essential at a time like this. We appear to be pursuing a strategy of sorts and this is fine if it is in line with the financial model. I have no issue with the club having a budget which is not sufficient to compete at this level and there is no shame in saying this to fans.
A lot of fans are reasonable people and will accept this. The owners are doing their best I have no doubt and if, as others have said, they set the position out clearly then i am sure fans will back them , continue to support the team and hopefully rally around to ensure that our great club, steeped in history, continues to be a focal point of the local community.

sorry i can't wear that hat it appears that our club have no ambition

I'm sure we have ambition, but we all know money is the key to success at this level. We appear to be generating more revenue from alternative sources which is a positive. We have to accept that many smaller businesses are going to struggle over the winter and so prising money off them will be more of challenge for all clubs and I can see a recalibration in the coming months as clubs start to feel the pinch as costs rise and revenues stagnate. The owners will do what they can, but ultimately they have finite resources and they shouldn't have any criticism coming their way because of that fact.

sheriff wrote: ↑Sat Sep 10 2022 8:56 am

Perton Pitman wrote: ↑Sat Sep 10 2022 7:11 am I think openness and transparency is essential at a time like this. We appear to be pursuing a strategy of sorts and this is fine if it is in line with the financial model. I have no issue with the club having a budget which is not sufficient to compete at this level and there is no shame in saying this to fans.
A lot of fans are reasonable people and will accept this. The owners are doing their best I have no doubt and if, as others have said, they set the position out clearly then i am sure fans will back them , continue to support the team and hopefully rally around to ensure that our great club, steeped in history, continues to be a focal point of the local community.

sorry i can't wear that hat it appears that our club have no ambition

Mate there's a big difference between ambition and affordability.

Ben Bailey is back!

Good news

Ben Bailey returns

https://www.hednesfordtownfc.com/2022/0 ... turns-home

I am very pleased. If nothing else, Ben is Hednesford through and through.
Welcome back Ben