The scale of Hecky's achievement

It’s the truth whether people like it or not.

 

I was just thinking of something along those lines - remember in 1988 when David Currie had first joined and we absolutely tonked Mel Machin's very good Man City side 3-1 at Oakwell. Obviously City's players would have been on more than ours, but I genuinely wonder what the disparity was. I reckon they'll have been on double what our lads were on average, with their best paid player being perhaps on 2.5 to times what out best paid player was. It would be really interesting to find out, bearing in mind that Sunderland allegedly pay their highest paid player 60 grand a week, so roughly 7.5 times what Hammill is supposed to be on.

 

Different ball game now - parachute payments etc put teams on a different level to back then.

 

He’s also spent more because we had the money by selling players, which reduced the quality of the playing staff, but gave us more to spend so it’s only fair that he’s had more to spend given the players we lost. Net spend would be a fairer comparison

 

In all seriousness I think Mel did a great job and they were my favourite years as a Barnsley fan. Some of the end of days choices were down to the stress of his wife being ill I believe.

 

Net spend would be negative for both given that Taggart was sold when Danny was manager.

 

Danny actually built 2 sides the one that solidified in upper mid table and the one that got promoted.

You are probably right about Machin (marginally) can’t agree about Hunter though that team was poetry. He took it to a whole other level.

 

I'd put Hecky on a par with Clarkey and in front of any other manager. He's won trophies and his teams have always tried (and usually succeeded) in playing attractive, entertaining, winning football, with the lads always giving 100% commitment to the cause. On the pitch, he's competing against clubs with a far greater gap in wealth than other managers have had to cope within the past. Off the pitch, he's had to deal with so many issues beyond his control that most other managers would've simply walked away.
As for Machin & Collins, do me a favour. Dull, defensive football with entertainment and enjoyment being as big a rarity as a really rare thing.
Just my opinion.

 

Definitely a fair point. Another thing which adds to Hecky's achievements though, is that a high turnover of players means more unsettled periods and time needed to gel. Wilson had a very steady turnover of players over his first two seasons, gradually improving on the squad.

 

Hence I said in terms of what WE pay

 

Fair points. Collins managed the club at the most difficult point in our history. I thought he did ok and we played reasonably most of the time having had his best player flogged off. The football under Hecky post Christmas was poor. As for Mel again he managed under difficult circumstances sometimes with 6000 crowds etc the football was poor at times but both finished higher in the same league than Paul. Don’t get me wrong he is probably better than both it’s just too early to tell. Again just an opinion.

 

Damn it! Reasonable points, eloquently presented! Bloody debates without personal abuse!
I'm going to have a big sulk now!

 

I was watching the video from Mel's final season recently. We played some very decent stuff before we ran out of steam in March.

 

Clarke did an amazing job. Transformed the club from top to bottom. Had us playing beyond the level of teams in that 4th Division. I think, if the weather hadn't obliterated two months of our games and forced us to play catch up we could have won the title that year. Then he built the side that was to take us to the brink of the top flight.
Hunter inherited that side and allowed them to flourish. I think I heard one of the players from that team say later we'd been a top goalkeeper short of what was needed.
Wilson....don't get me wrong..a fine manager but I think there was a big slice of luck involved in Wilkinson, Appleby, Thompson, Marcelle and Bozancic gelling like they did and I reckon if we hadn't won the first five games we wouldn't have challenged, certainly for automatic promotion. That said ee played some sublime football.
Hecky is currently doing wonders and is at the least in the category of the others.
It's all about opinions though innit?

 

Fair enough Wilson era 1 was before my time! Would still be an interesting comparison I think

 

Hecky now needs to commit to the super reds with a decent contract. He will be linked to every job coming up now especially as we are seeing an upturn in consistency with our young team. We can't go through the uncertainty everytime a job comes up that he is linked to it will become tiresome for him and us and a major distraction to the players.

I realise about the complications involved with the takeover and contracts but if a call can't be made to the potential owners and if a contract cant be done now then something is amiss and maybe he should just go.

I would seriously hope takeover or not Hecky is secure here and even without the takeover we can afford him a decent contract. If he goes then they have to pay big money for him if he stays then great I don't want anyone else anyway but what can't happen is a repeat of the Sunderland ********.

 

Allan Clarke singlehandedly converted Barnsley FC from a small lower division club with limited ambition, to a big club. We've been there ever since.

 

I started watching barnsley the season of the premiership promotion what wilson did was great and take nothing away from him, football has changed alot in 20 years and what hecky has done in his time here is remarkable competing with with clubs who have spent 10s of millions and he has a squad of championship novices.