A Terrier's Tale.....

An open Supporters Meeting was held last night, with both Sean Jarvis and Dean Hoyle in attendance, and its what Dean had to say that made excellent listening:

Many thanks to Marcus Middleton for supplying the information.

As far as the new manager saga went, this is what happened:

"...Alan Shearer was never in the running. He has never met him. He never applied. Even if he had he wouldn't have appointed him as he has no experience....although he does admit it would, in the short term have filled the stadium.

Hutchings was interviewed, but he knew the fans didn't want him.

The decision was between Allen and Ternent. Dean Hoyle looked Allen in the eye and asked him "if you did well here, and a London club came in for you, you'd go wouldn't you?".....Allen's reply was "Yes".

Ternent approached the club. The club did not chase him..."

So Martin Allen managed to talk himself out of a job then, and furthermore......

"..Dean Hoyle was not impressed by Allen being in the stands and hawking himself about. He wasn't happy with Hutchings doing the same. That is not the way to conduct business, and they shot themselves in the foot..."

And he rates our new manager highly:

"...Ternent has left a very lucrative contract to come here. He wants to manage. He wants to succeed. He realises this is his final chance to do something.

Ternent has always wanted Ronnie to come with him. He was not forced upon him.

Dean Hoyle says Ternent will have a large pot of money to spend on new players (it won't be 'millions and millions' (plural) but it will be 'significant'). The budget will be considerably higher than this season's.

Town will once again spend money on signing players. There are over 1400 players out of contract this summer but they are players clubs don't want. To get players who are better you have to buy them. We will be signing quality loan players. Ternent has considerable contacts within the game, and managers of Premiership and Championship teams will trust him to look after their players and to develop them properly. Dean Hoyle wanted someone who would spend his money wisely. It is not to be wasted, and he feels Ternent is the man to do that job. And to get us promoted...."

Cheap season tickets also came up:

"...If we sell 12000 tickets we will be £500k down on last season. 16000 tickets would see us break even. He expects us to sell between 12000 and 13000 tickets. We have currently sold approaching 6000 and 30% of those are new customers. If we do well this season he may feel it appropriate to subsidise season ticket prices again..."

He doesn't think much of Andy Ritchie:

"...Ritchie was too soft. After the defeat at Gillingham he gave the players 3 days off out of the next 4 days. It wasn't good enough. Dean Hoyle was disgusted at seeing Ritchie propping himself up against the dugout. Passionless. And not acceptable..."

In conclusion Dean Hoyle has had to work hard to earn his fortune, and does not what to see it go up in smoke overnight. He quite clearly trusts Stan Ternent with the purse-strings, and expects nothing short of the play-offs next season. Our new chairman in waiting is pulling out all the stops to make our Centenary a season to remember!!!