Darlo Uncovered

Phil Turnbull

Best set up I’ve been apart of, if it doesn’t work out he’s got rid of some of the best players I’ve ever played with I know that!

Leon Scott

No of course not, changes needed to be made that was expected like the man said his squad is stronger then he inherited - that should be lots of trophies coming your way like Martin achieved in his time #nocomparison

Kev Burgess

The club is we’re it is today because of Martin Grey and the staff and players he had and obviously the fans a very rare changing room and successful 1 but yes all good things come to a end but look at your self first! Man management skills are laughable as for coaching

These are in reply to Stods Northern Echo Article
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/l ... ref=twtrec

Disappointed by a couple of these. TW said he wanted to keep Turnbull but he chose to go to South Shields. And Leon was invited to play for the Darlo legends on Saturday. However, the comments don't much stand up to scrutiny. If it was the best set up ever then why did we tumble down the league before MG left? Kev Burgess can also be a bit hot headed with his comments and is bound to dislike TW for effectively freezing him out of the side. Regarding his comments about man-management and coaching, there are plenty of players who speak to the contrary, who would walk through brick walls for TW.
What it does reveal is that I think things had got a bit cosy before TW arrived with players on 2 year deals on bigger money than they should have had. Also, some, including myself, had wondered if there had been a bit of a dressing room 'them and us' between MG's old guard and TW's new boys. This would suggest maybe that there was.

Unfortunate.

Whilst I'm sure those players look up to Gray and think the sun shines out of his arse, the problem is that his "professionalism" and success came at a cost, and this cost became beyond what we could afford. The players don't need to worry about stuff like how do we finance success, but we do need to worry about that.

Gray also lost the plot at the end of the first NLN season making some average signings and handing out new improved contracts to the likes of Burgess.

When we bent over backwards to give him more money with BTB schemes and gate price increases he basically gave his players that were already there, that money.

These players clearly don't get, as Quakerz says, what it means to be a fan-owned club and we're better off without them if this is the case. Turnbull was clearly irked by the erosion of our great splash the cash set up, which came close to bankrupting the club. He's happy now anyway, at a place where money is no objective.

Hmmm, I wonder if I've understood Leon Scott here? Because in my mind his little post makes no sense - as the squad we have now would "win trophies" - further down the leagues - where Gray won his trophies/I mean our trophies.

It's harder now Leon, especially with a limited budget - that's why Gray jumped ship.

And Burgess can't spell Gray properly

There are clearly issues simmering between some former players and TW but to be honest a bit of quiet dignity would have been better from them rather than these distasteful public digs on the eve of a new season. All very disappointing and serves no purpose other than generating ill feeling.

theoriginalfatcat wrote:Hmmm, I wonder if I've understood Leon Scott here? Because in my mind his little post makes no sense - as the squad we have now would "win trophies" - further down the leagues - where Gray won his trophies (I mean our) trophies.

It's harder now Leon, especially with a limited budget - that's why Gray jumped ship.

And Burgess can't spell Gray properly

Scott is right that there's hashtag no comparison.

You can't compare a team assembled on a tight budget in a league where there are bigger, richer clubs with a team assembled with one of the biggest budgets in the division and a fanbase 5 times the size of many of its rivals.

A shame that some well respected former players feel the need to make these kinds of bitter comments. Football is a fickle game and it's perfectly normal for a new manager to want his own players. Scott and Burgess had clearly reached their ceiling, just like others before them who made way for them.

There's nothing wrong with what any of them have posted. Doubtless some fans will have a minor meltdown but there's nothing surprising at all in what they've said.

Scott's trophies jibe is a little petulant but beyond that, well everyone's entitled to their opinions.

There are plenty of fans who continually bash our former management team and ex-players, so I don't think the same fans should be so sanctimonious when players who've played under Gray defend him.

Ultimately, we're in a new era. The club, in my opinion, is being more sensibly run off the pitch. We've got a young manager who, for good or bad, has put his own stamp on his own team now and is targeting the top seven.

Time to look forwards not backwards.

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I'm surprised at Scott.

He's done really well for us and in return we've done really well for him. Even last season I was impressed by his displays and attitude There's more to DFC than any one manager so why is he having little digs? What's the point .....

In fairness we didn't have a go at Cartman for his comments when MG left, and both brown and Turnbull said they changed the style of play

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theoriginalfatcat wrote:I'm surprised at Scott.

He's done really well for us and in return we've done really well for him. Even last season I was impressed by his displays and attitude There's more to DFC than any one manager so why is he having little digs? What's the point .....

They don't rate Wright and were all let go one way or another.

Tommy broke up their group and in theory questioned whether they were good enough to lead us forward, they are saying they are, I guess.

All seems bitter but I guess you get a bit of that when someone suggests you are not good enough anymore. However they should also remember past trophies/promotions does not make you the right person forever.

super_les_mcjannet wrote:Tommy broke up their group and in theory questioned whether they were good enough to lead us forward, they are saying they are, I guess.

Except all three of them have moved down the leagues and Turnbull (who was still wanted by us) chose to go.

Unnecessary comments I.M.O.

A debt free club and a team full of new blood i know where i'd rather be.

I am not that optimistic about the season ahead and I predict a mid table finish, however Tommy is the man and lets get behind him - I am not Tommy bashing here its just that I think we have hit a level in terms of funding where we cannot expect to win the league - the playoffs would be a great achievement.
What is clear from the interviews Tommy and Gray are completely different characters. Gray puts more emphasis on professionalism, hard work and rules by an Iron Fist. Tommy seems more interested in getting the team motivated and bonded, attacking and letting the players express themselves.
Another thing, there is no way Gray would have appointed Alan White into the management staff, him and Gray are two completely different characters and again have a different philosophy.
When players leave I can understand they can be a bit bitter. However I am surprised at Turnbull as he got his dream move.
I can understand Burgess and Scott being bitter as I don't think they really got a decent chance under Tommy, dont think Tommy rated them from day 1.

PierremontQuaker03 wrote:I am not that optimistic about the season ahead and I predict a mid table finish, however Tommy is the man and lets get behind him - I am not Tommy bashing here its just that I think we have hit a level in terms of funding where we cannot expect to win the league - the playoffs would be a great achievement.
What is clear from the interviews Tommy and Gray are completely different characters. Gray puts more emphasis on professionalism, hard work and rules by an Iron Fist. Tommy seems more interested in getting the team motivated and bonded, attacking and letting the players express themselves.
Another thing, there is no way Gray would have appointed Alan White into the management staff, him and Gray are two completely different characters and again have a different philosophy.
When players leave I can understand they can be a bit bitter. However I am surprised at Turnbull as he got his dream move.
I can understand Burgess and Scott being bitter as I don't think they really got a decent chance under Tommy, dont think Tommy rated them from day 1.

Maybe there was more to it than whether or not he rated them. There's more to being a footballer than just their skills and I suspect that there may have been non-footballing issues at play too.

Surprised at Scott. Turnbull took a move down for money, and Burgess wasn’t good enough, so sh*ts I give about their opinion...

These players who are carping on need to think what darlington fc has done for them and appreciate that in turn the fans have applauded their efforts and wished them all well in their next venture,s both the club and players have had a few very good seasons, benefiting both parties.
Poor decorum from them showing bitterness towards Darlington fc.
I thought better of them but that's life.
Move on gentlemen,

With regard to Burgess, Gray put him on the transfer list and wanted rid and the player spat his dummy out then too, liking a tweet that said Gray was a bell end. Seems he has a short memory.
It’s a shame that they feel the need to have a dig. Wright obviously isn’t going to say we are weaker than last season and is going to back his own judgement. That’s football and the sooner the ex players realise that, the better.

In my opinion there were only two players who left that were good enough to play in this league Turnbull and Gillies the rest were punching above their weight.

I'm grateful to all the players who have contributed over the years as they have got us to where we are today, however all good things must come to an end.

If we are to progress we needed to have a clean out, thankfully two of the existing team who are capable of playing higher have remained.

shawry wrote:In fairness we didn't have a go at Cartman for his comments when MG left, and both brown and Turnbull said they changed the style of play

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Because he were the Golden boy wasn't he??

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onewayup wrote: I thought better of them but that's life.
Move on gentlemen,

Exactly. Total number of sh&ts given: zero. I think you should always take things former players say (whether good or bad) with a pinch of salt. They will always have an axe to grind one way or another. I should imagine TW's skin is thicker than MG's and this won't bother him in the slightest.

theoriginalfatcat wrote:And Burgess can't spell Gray properly

That's just for starters. The Tweet That Punctuation Forgot.

All these ex players whinging earned very nicely out of DFC. Like any business employees move on football is no different. There are very few players who are here because of loyalty (Brown excepted) most if not all will move on if the price is right or a genuine career move.

biccynana wrote:

theoriginalfatcat wrote:And Burgess can't spell Gray properly

That's just for starters. The Tweet That Punctuation Forgot.

So much respect for him he can't spell his name Wright.

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DarloDave40 wrote:All these ex players whinging earned very nicely out of DFC. Like any business employees move on football is no different. There are very few players who are here because of loyalty (Brown excepted) most if not all will move on if the price is right or a genuine career move.

I always think best never to bitch about a former employer - you never know when that person might be a prospective employer in the future.

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Spyman wrote:

biccynana wrote:

theoriginalfatcat wrote:And Burgess can't spell Gray properly

That's just for starters. The Tweet That Punctuation Forgot.

So much respect for him he can't spell his name Wright.

nice one! Obviously these former players are now pupils at the Trump School of Twitter

I prefer where the club is today under TW to where it was in the last season of MG.

Thats the acid test for me so what a few ex players may say is not important.

I did a match ball sponsorship a couple of years ago and saw Grays man management skills close up and have to say I was not impressed.Maybe these guys didnt mind being spoken to like kids in front of Joe Public, who knows.

It's just a little bizarre really - I would have presumed they'd all been involved in football long enough to know the way things go. Wright has just come out with some generic pre-season comments, and it doesn't take away from what those players achieved at the club. All a bit unnecessary - they left with thanks for what they achieved, good memories, and best wishes for the future. Probably would have been best to leave it there!

For what it's worth, I do actually think we have, overall, a stronger squad this season. Obviously time will tell, and Wright will live or die by the decisions made this summer.

It's a similar to situation to when Wright spoke about the financial/budget situation he inherited. MG hated the inference that he had put the club in danger due to reckless spending and Wright had to sort the mess out. When that went into print, Gray clearly demanded to have his say and stated that it was his cash that kept the club going during the early days. In this case the former players hate the inference that they weren't really good enough and Wright feels he has now brought in better. So they have fired back because they feel they have been unfairly slighted. I think there was also some feeling against importing all these players from another area of the country who in their opinion weren't necessarily better. One former Darlo player told me he couldn't believe it when Greg Mills was getting a start before Gillies at one stage. He said he felt there were many local players on our doorstep who were far better, and fitter, than Mills. And remember former caretaker manager Turnbull was stripped of the captaincy and it was handed to Styche.