You're not fit to wear the shirt

[ravenrover]

How things have changed since the abuse hurled at the players on the 26th Dec against Notts County!

[Nudga]

I will openly admit that I sang that song.
I had just witnessed a gutless, clueless performance with two of our central defenders sat on there arses after allowing Notts to score.

We were staring down the trap door of non league football again and after a few years of sliding I saw players that looked like they were beaten already.

I was fuming.

The minimum I expect from players is to battle for every ball, every point.

I didn't see that. Then a couple of days later against Mansfield I saw grit and determination and a willingness to run, apart from Mo Faal.

On boxing day, they weren't fit to wear the shirt but fair play to each and everyone of them for knuckling down and gaining huge amounts of respect and pride.

[streathamdave]

Agreed Nudga.

[danumdon]

In hindsight we all reacted very poorly to what looked like capitulation.

But break it down and on that day County were for us, unplayable, it was one of them days when you just can't do right because the opposition were completely on it.

Players like Anderson and Olowu who got absolute dogs abuse for the performances against Morecambe, Bradford and County in December didn't just become crap overnight (though Tom had been struggling for a good period) we don't get to know the full story behind performances, it could be a multitude of things going on that we are never aware of, everyone's human(well most, couple in off topic debatable)

Spring forward to the start of this winning spell, the sun is literally shining out of every orifice of these same players, and everyone else. No one can do wrong and some have taken on a godlike status!

Its great just now and long may it be so, but we all know the time will come when things will change and it will be the exact opposite,

"Don't get too high with the highs and too low with the lows" as a prophet once said!!

[StocksArmy]

Those first 30 games were turgid and nobody is telling me different. Adelakun, Craig and Timo have been the missing ingredients. Had we not brought those 3 in we really would be nowhere near the playoffs.

[ncRover]

The transformation in the likes of Anderson and Olowu just goes to show the profound effect a positive mindset can have on a group.

Everybody mentions Wood and that is obvious. A natural leader who sets standards. And that isn’t someone who takes strips of people and b*llocks them all the time. It is someone with the emotional intelligence to guide, reassure and give others the power to feel like they are ten feet tall.

I think TLT will have had a big effect on the dressing room. The guy has such a cool, calm and confident energy. An aura. Stress inhibits performance. You go tense and play within yourself. You don’t take risks, you don’t believe in your own ability. He rubs off on others, and the crowd.

Adelakun gives the others hope where there previously was none through pure individual brilliance. As someone mentioned the other day, he has not had a similar vein of form anywhere else. This is the perfect environment for him to thrive in. Ironside does the donkey work and lets him have the freedom to deliver his maverick quality. I would imagine at Lincoln he wasn’t given such freedom, because he definitely is capable of excelling at that level. Well done Grant and Cliff.

Matty Craig is a special talent. Not only because of the attributes he has. But in the way he was thrown in to a losing environment and continued to grow in stature as a player and young man. His first loan, remarkable.

Us fans have also played a part. 90% of other fanbases would have had the majority calling for the manager’s head.

When was the last time a Rovers team had camaraderie such as this? The turnaround in fortunes from February to now for this team can teach you a lot about life I feel. There is always hope.

[ForsolongaRover]

Based on this you might deduce that the 3 loanees in question rather than the manager have been the key to success.

[ncRover]

Based on this you might deduce that the 3 loanees in question rather than the manager have been the key to success.

The manager brought them in for a reason and then got them gelling with the rest of the team. And got everyone to believe enough to win 9 in a row.

Chuck those 3 loanees in the Forest Green team mid-season and they don’t necessarily stay up.

[Branton Rover]

I didn’t sing it as I thought Notts were far superior to us on the day knocking the ball around well. They looked like a side that had been developing over a number years. Whereas we were playing like strangers, you could see the lads were trying but nothing was happening for us. Big turning point was Joe’s missed penalty which psychologically damaged our chances on the day. If the penalty had gone in it could’ve been different.

[adamtherover]

I didn’t sing it as I thought Notts were far superior to us on the day knocking the ball around well. They looked like a side that had been developing over a number years. Whereas we were playing like strangers, you could see the lads were trying but nothing was happening for us. Big turning point was Joe’s missed penalty which psychologically damaged our chances on the day. If the penalty had gone in it could’ve been different.

Joe has certainly made up for it on the penno front since then..