The 3 groups of supporters

[Lloyder5]

I really don't know how you can call Ling a proven loser. He has one blight on his copybook, that of Cambridge where NOBODY has actually been successful in getting them back to League 2. Anyone who can get Orient to League 1 and keep them there is obviously doing something right. A look at his signings also shows he has an eye for talent. With budget constraints there will always be the exception to the rule but the players he signed were significantly better than anything Knill has brought in. The way it ended for him was harsh and I won't be laying any blame at his door for where we finished last season, that lies firmly with Bonnie and Clyde, Baker and Phillips.

Personally I think Ling was harshly treated, but once the decision was made to replace him with Knill then he has my total support until he is relieved of his position.

So, make mine Group 5.

Group 4 for me also.

[hector]

There has been much disagreement between fans about the job Alan Knill is currently undertaking at the club and for me there is a definitive reason for this. I think there are 3 different groups of supporters and the perspective of where we currently are, and what has led us to be here, depends very much on where their loyalty lies.

The first group are Knill fans who believe he did a good job at the tail end of last season and that he has a better squad here than we started last year with. They believe we have had a lot of bad luck and early problems with the squad being able to gel together. They also believe a corner will be turned and we will be fine this year once it does.

The second group are fans of Ling and believe he was harshly dealt with by the club. They also believe Knill is doing a poor job compared to what Ling provided and that Knill’s management skills, recruitment judgments and tactics leave a lot to be desired.

Finally the third group I like to think of as ‘The Turncoat Fans.’ These individuals were ranting about Ling and demanding he be replaced and Knill was the way forward and then a few games into the season have changed their minds to stating Knill is a dogsh1te manager and with him in charge we are nailed on for relegation.

Personally I fall into the first group, but I respect the viewpoints of fans from both group 1 and 2. The group 3 brigade (for me) are the poison of the football club and do nothing but damage.

I'm not in either of those groups. Whilst I was not a Ling defender, I felt there were 'footballing reasons' that justified his removal, it was more that I just couldn't see how it would be possible for him to return after such a long lay-off. Because of the misguided Knill bandwagon people were jumping on, I felt Ling would never get a fair crack of the whip and it would probably all end badly.

However, I never wanted Knill. I just felt the club had an opportunity to undergo a thorough recruitment process rather than take urge easy option and appoint Knill because he was already here. His prior record to Torquay, and while he was here last season, did very little to justify the blind optimism people seemed to have in him.

[hector]

I really don't know how you can call Ling a proven loser. He has one blight on his copybook, that of Cambridge where NOBODY has actually been successful in getting them back to League 2. Anyone who can get Orient to League 1 and keep them there is obviously doing something right. A look at his signings also shows he has an eye for talent. With budget constraints there will always be the exception to the rule but the players he signed were significantly better than anything Knill has brought in. The way it ended for him was harsh and I won't be laying any blame at his door for where we finished last season, that lies firmly with Bonnie and Clyde, Baker and Phillips.

Personally I think Ling was harshly treated, but once the decision was made to replace him with Knill then he has my total support until he is relieved of his position.

So, make mine Group 5.

Who is manager of Cambridge United this season.

[Southampton Gull]

Who is manager of Cambridge United this season.

Is he? Never heard of him.

[ferrarilover]

Ahahaha.

Grammar is the difference between helping your uncle Jack off a horse and helping your uncle jack off a horse.

Matt.

[Southampton Gull]

It's also the difference between knowing your shit and knowing you're shit.

[Lloyder5]

Is he? Never heard of him.

Never been involved in football as far as i know, former president of China.

[Southampton Gull]

Maybe it's the Doctor using a team full of Daleks

[hector]

Ahahaha.

Grammar is the difference between helping your uncle Jack off a horse and helping your uncle jack off a horse.

Matt.

Less a grammar thing and more of an iPad text thing...although a capital letter for the second letter, rather than the first, in the name, iPad, makes it even more confusing.

But, I wonder, who it is who is managing the unmanageable, Cambridge, to current runaway success? (although the league table doesn't count, I forgot, so really they are crap!)

[Glostergull]

YOUR JUST A BUNCH OF GROUPIES. YOUR JUST A BUNCH OF GROUPIES.

New song from back of pop next match. who said we couldn't come up with a new anthem!

[tomogull]

There are fans like me who are in Group One, but getting concerned about when results will turn around! I think it is too soon to panic, and just daft to claim that Knill is a poor manager, but there are some clear problems (poor form of some key players etc.) that really can't be attributed to injury. I said on here at the end of last season that I felt it was time for Martin Ling to go, and I don't think that he could have come back and succeeded after everything that happened last season. I felt that the Board were right to appoint Alan Knill, and I am not going to be a hypocrite and put him down now. I hope that a corner will be turned soon in terms of results, but I am a bit less optimistic than I was in August. I also feel that the idiots (particularly in Bristows Bench) who are giving Alan Knill a hard time now should wind their necks in.

I'm in Gullintwoplaces group. I think it will have to be Group One-and-a-half. I was reasonably happy with Knill's appointment as he kept us in the league. But from what I've seen so far this season, I'm not so sure it was the right appointment.

[exiledgull]

How can you compare Knill and Ling,

The rumours I have heard are that Ling had 400k larger budget than Knill! The players we released were experienced pros and we have replaced with kids due to funds. It's hard to compare with this in mind. I think Knill will keep us up comfortably, but the board need to help him out a bit. We have a wafer thin squad and we have injuries. How can we compete?

We are playing a very strong Wycombe team on Saturday and we have no centre halves! If we get a point we have done wonders. When to be fair if we lose by only 2 we've done alright. We all saw the first half against York and we looked strong. Harding goes off (who gets a hammering from people on here) we leak goals and then it's Knills fault.

It's not Knills fault the likes of Lathrope/Craig etc arent good enoug and we are carrying them! Along with other players. This is hardly Knills team and we need to be patient but unfortunately I think it's be patient until the end of the year. With budget cuts and previous regimes, the next 5 managers will all have the same problems no money/no squad a few injuries and your in trouble.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Agree with most of that exiled and indeed the Harding scenario. I haven't seen him play since Fleetwood where also at Northampton and Morecambe he was truly awful and I commented accordingly however reports suggest he is steadily improving and I am so pleased if this is the case. If he had a bad game or two then maybe let it ride but Harding had 5, 6 7 on the spin and so I wouldn't criticise anyone on here for complaining about him for that.

If we leave out Rice / Poke

Mansell, Bodin and Cruise are the regular starters outfield for us which aren't his signings. I presume Knill is playing Bodin because Cameron is just not up to it. He isn't playing Craig because presumably he thinks the same and presumably he thinks the same of Lathrope who only comes on when we've got problems.

Downes I omitted because it's a no brainer that he's get in regardless of who the manager was he is that good at this level.

So over half the side are Knills signings and add Downes and Poke/ Rice then you can count on one hand the players Ling has left behind that get in the side on a regular basis. Is that not Knills fault then?

I'm not trying to knock Knill although it is pointless saying that to some as that will get ignored but i'm trying to put my side of the argument. Ling to his credit made some superb signings for us whilst Knill has made a fair few with only Chappell likely to turn out to be a gem. Pearce has something if he stays fit an gets better both on and off the pitch and the rest are poor.

[usagullmichigan]

Group 2 for me. Ling is better than Knill and Ling brought in better players than Knill. I think the problem with the club has is poor running from above. Whoever employed Knill must be held accountable. There must have been someone better.

[tomogull]

How can you compare Knill and Ling,

It's not Knills fault the likes of Lathrope/Craig etc arent good enoug and we are carrying them! Along with other players. This is hardly Knills team and we need to be patient but unfortunately I think it's be patient until the end of the year. With budget cuts and previous regimes, the next 5 managers will all have the same problems no money/no squad a few injuries and your in trouble.

We all see the game differently and are entitled to our own opinions of course, but to say Lathrope and Craig are not good enough and we are carrying them is in my opinion, nonsense. They are not being played because they are not Knill's signings - simple as that. Harding was signed as a defensive midfielder but Lathrope is much better in that role as he proved two seasons ago when we reached the play offs. Craig just isn't given an opportunity. Last Saturday cried out for a change of tactics in the second half but Knill persisted with the same formation which York comfortably contained. It would be in Nathan Craig's best interest to leave the club and move on to somewhere where he would get a game. I for one would wish him well.