Billy Davies - Have all the doubters left the building?

[Daniel]

Roll back six months, Davies was appointed manager with mixed emotions. Rumours of arguments with chairman, fall outs with players, long ball tactics were thrown, most of the reports from Preston and Direby were not favourable. Could he save us?

Personally when the news first broke that he was potentially going to be manager I must say I got a little excited initially, my mood initially was dampened by others who were negative about him and the time it took before he was officially announced as manager...

He came in under a blaze of criticism from certain sections, personally I thought unjust, but with an interesting parallel in history to a certain Brian Clough. He fell out with the Derby board, was a crash and straightforward character, then arrived at Forest albeit via a 40 odd day holiday in Leeds. Clough saved us from relegation in his first season and well the rest is history...

Shoot back to the modern day, the transfer window in January passed with a whimper and no sign of any players coming in, much to the discuss of Davies who I seem to recollect lambasted the board for their failure to land anyone.

A few decent loan acquisitions were made, and we survived the season comfortably...

Now we sit here on the back of some impressive signings, credit is being made to the board for these signings but are they really down to them? I personally are one of a few members of this forum who is outspoken in respect to the distrust aimed at our Chief Executive Mark Arthur. He has been the one common denominator in our troublesome period, and whilst I accept he has done wonders for the finances which he deserves full credit for, I can't help think the matters on the pitch mirror his achievements at Notts Cricket Club.

So far this summer we had a glut of signings followed by silence. A couple of weeks passed and after the news broke we lost out on Barker, whom I personally don't think was worth £1million, an albeit dodgy source started throwing allegations of another alleged bust up and Mr Arthur being on the receiving end of a bollocking from Davies. Subsequent to this story braking suddenly Gunter and McKenna are signed and possibly Blackstock.

I don't think the story holds that much water, but for one moment of consideration that is does, what have we got with this manager? Finally a manager who we know has the balls to stand up to the board and speak his mind, something we know quite clearly Calderwood and others didn't have. Someone with knowledge on being able to get us out of this rut we've suffered for the last 10 years and someone who will not stand up to Mr Arthur's penny pinching. lol

I said from the start, if Davies was appointed, we would survive and be challenging for play offs at least next season. I still stand by this. He has brought a new found of optimism amongst fans and the club is now place where good players want to be at. Long gone are they excuses of, the player wasn't what we were looking for, or we are not being held to ransom. Players want to come, they publicly come out and tell the fans they want to be at this club. Anderson and I believe Gunter turned down other clubs specifically to come here. I firmly put this down to Billy Davies and his ethos on how a club should run....

I sincerely hope the board carry on and back the manager and let him run the club how he wants it run, just like old big head. As for other fans and their critical comments about Davies.... Personally I think they are bitter that because they lost a good manager they will be bitter, but deep down envious knowing what he could really achieve elsewhere....

What I would like to know is are there any doubters still out there? Is there anyone still not excited about him being our manager?

 

[leekspin]

All I have to say is....

Billy Davies Red and White Army

 

[RedDogChris]

If anyone will take us back up,it will be him.I also think he's learned from his mistakes at D*rby

 

[king_congo_red]

I'll confess. I felt very negative and strongly against his appointment.

Damn, this humble pie tastes good though. Especially with custard.

 

[Daniel]

I'll confess. I felt very negative and strongly against his appointment.

Damn, this humble pie tastes good though. Especially with custard.

Special Billy Davies Love Custard

 

[the mask of zorro]

Ask me at the end of the season.

 

[krakk]

having been away from the forum for a while I was blissfully ignorant to any of the Billy Davies doubters, methinks they are just bored kids anyway.

The signing of Gunter is a massive bonus, McKenna, Camp, McGoldrick and to a certain extent Adebola are all signings that can greatly benefit the club.

The future for this season atleast is a bright one.

Imagine if we added Mills, Fox and Blackstock to our squad......

 

[king_congo_red]

Special Billy Davies Love Custard

Yep. It's a delightful blend of vanilla and haggis.

 

[birkin youth]

Billy Davies Red and White Army

 

[Randy Bumgardener]

I think the signings were more due to the Portugal trip. billy is very hands on and no doubt wanted to conclude the deal and agree personal terms himself !

 

[Forever Forest]

I was made up when we got him and he has done a quality job of keeping us up and creating a 'positive mood' around the CG, coupled with some awsome signings we couldnt have asked for me. Chuck in a promotion and a cup final apperance in his first full season and he will be in the 'City Ground Hall of Fame'!

 

[Tutts]

Surely we should more be askign if people still doubt the 'aquisition committee?'

Just a thought...

 

[RedDogChris]

Surely we should more be askign if people still doubt the 'aquisition committee?'

Just a thought...

They've generally usually produced the goods in the summer period.Good question for the end of January though(if we need players then)

 

[Phooey]

So just to get this straight, we like Billy now but still hate Mark Arthur?

(Tries to find the slaps face and shakes head smiley).

 

[T.B.T.]

I was one of the few who still supported Calderwood up to the bitter end and the Doncaster game which sealed his fate and terminated his Forest career.

However, I was delighted with the appointment of Billy Davies and despite a few rocky managerial moments, I have been confident that he would, and will still, deliver the goods and return glory to the City Ground.

We have, on paper, all the makings now of a club serious about promotion which has to be our destination, be it this season or next. Early days to predict how things will shape up over the coming months and, I daresay, there will be moments when we question and doubt but I'm very excited and happy and very proud to be a Forest fan, goats, squirrels and cats included. ;D

 

[Randy Bumgardener]

So just to get this straight, we like Billy now but still hate Mark Arthur?

(Tries to find the slaps face and shakes head smiley).

It's ok mate. The catering staff will get it tomorrow !

 

[winnits]

So just to get this straight, we like Billy now but still hate Mark Arthur?

(Tries to find the slaps face and shakes head smiley).

No, just Dan

 

[PSR]

If anyone will take us back up,it will be him.I also think he's learned from his mistakes at D*rby

I don't believe he made that many mistakes at Derby - He was a victim of his own success.

He said himself that promotion came to quickly and he was right.

He tried to build a team to get out of the Championship within a 2/3 year period and by more luck than judgement it happened within his first year. Because of this he was obliged to give those who got them promotion a crack at the Premiership but the majority was still only Championship material and not good enough for the Prem.

Some of the players we have and some that we are signing now will be good - very good & some will be great this season in this league but will not cut it in the Premiership.

I'm afraid it will be "Horses for Courses" and when we do climb out of here we will be looking for those that will equip themselves to the Prem and those with the quality to compete with the "Big Boys".

 

[king_congo_red]

So just to get this straight, we like Billy now but still hate Mark Arthur?

Nope. We love everyone now.

For the avoidance of doubt we love - Billy Davies, Mark Arthur, Nigel Doughty, David Pleat, John Pelling, Ned Kelly, Nick Marshall, Peter Williams, Julian Darby, Andrew Balderston, Steve Devine. Andy Hunt, Chris Fairclough, Russel Lovett, Tony Cook, Tasos Makis, Dr Frank Coffey, Ryland Morgans, Keith Burt, Chas Ralph, Steve Prescott, Alan Bexon, Fraser Nicholson, Terry The Kitman, Zoltan Terry's Bitch, Louise Kiddier, Nigel Doughty's Chauffer, Lewis McGugan's Dietician, The O/S webmaster, The guy who looks like he's homeless in the ticket office, Sherwood the Bear(RIP), The retarded looking Robin Hood, The squirrel on the bike, Steven Gillespie, Paul Ince, Graham Onions, Geoff Hurst, RichJCrouch's mammoth cock...

Pretty much everyone, in fact, apart from Kris Commons

 

[Phooey]

Well I'm glad we cleared that one up. 8)

 

[king_congo_red]

But you forgot to mention the real gem behind the whole reason Nottingham Forest FC exists.

Where would we be now if it wasn't for the Louise Kiddier?

She's there!!! Between Zoltan and ND's chauffer...

 

[T.B.T.]

She's there!!! Between Zoltan and ND's chauffer...

Forgive me Congo?

 

[king_congo_red]

Forgive me Congo?

Of course :nowink:

 

[weasel]

I'll confess. I felt very negative and strongly against his appointment.

Damn, this humble pie tastes good though. Especially with custard.

Me too. I was utterly underwhelmed when I heard he was being appointed. I had visions of another Megson with Eaden and Dadi giving me nightmares! I think Darren Moore also appeared in my nightmare, as did Robbie Earnshaw who was forced out of the club.

How very, very wrong I was.

 

[nunuschmu]

I held onto hope for calderwood for longer than most and was not particularly happy with Billy's appointment. I don't think he covered himself in glory at the start of his career here, dropping garner and publicly slating the squad, I also thought that most of last season we played awful, negative, unattractive, route one at best football.

Having said that - he does seem to have got the players in he wanted, there does seem to be a real optimism and desire around the place and the season is looking extremely exciting now. If we do the stuff on the park I will happily swallow my pride, eat humble pie and whatever else is deemed necessary to admit he's done a good job.

Roll on Reading !