New manager hunt starts (2024)

https://www.bathcityfc.com/club-statement-jerry-gill

I too wanted Jerry to go but would still like to wish him all the best for the future.

As far as championing for a future manager my favourite would be Scott Rogers. He was one of the better players at this level, is very enthusiastic and has already bedded in on a management level at Weston as assistant.

PHILB1973# wrote: As far as championing for a future manager my favourite would be Scott Rogers. He was one of the better players at this level, is very enthusiastic and has already bedded in on a management level at Weston as assistant.

I'm not sure how relevant a candidate's history as a player is. What I hope for is someone with experience of managing as well as coaching at this level and with a good grasp of the type of players and style of football which is successful.

I was involved as a Board member last time and I was impressed with how thorough the Club's recruitment was and the huge response to the job advertisement. Hopefully both will be the case this time round.

This is my fear. The modern non-league manager seems afflicted with the same stats driven, possession over deified approach to football, so it may well be a case of "meet the new boss, same as the old boss."

As for JG, despite thinking this was the correct decision, there is a part of me that is saddened by his removal, 7 years is a long time, and some of his earlier sides were very good, I genuinely thought we might win the league late in 2019, and an ex-player who genuinely cared for the club is always a good thing.

As Lord Sugar would say......it's with the utmost regret to see that Jerry has departed and whilst it's probably the correct decision am surprised the club didn't delay until after the next four matches ( three of which are at Twerton Park ) to improve results or if not, then due to our trophy exit there would have been a 2 week hiatus to potentially make this change.

I feel Jerry has always acted in the best interest of the club and we enjoyed some really good football over the majority of his 7 year tenure. However in football there must be a time when players, especially when they themselves have been at the club for several years, need a fresh voice in the dressing rom and new ideas at training etc so it's inevitable a time must come for change even if results were going well.

I for one wish him all the very best for his future and thank him for all the undoubted hard work he has put into the club over recent years. He imo was always very passionate and professional in his role including building and in sustaining strong ties with the league clubs in the area which paid dividends with some excellent young talent introduced to the team. In particular I won't forget the solid lead he gave the club during the period after the awful injury to Alex Fletcher which was exemplary and for steering the players and staff through that difficult period.

Hopefully we get some excellent candidates for the role and meanwhile lets all get behind the players to turn things around and start climbing the league

Good to see the forum more active, need to hear all views on key issues going on. So, 7 years ago I think we were all very happy to see a former player come on board, ambitious and passionate, we thought he would take us forward while giving himself a chance of moving up the managerial ladder. What happened? well, an initial failure to grasp what was required in NLS, rarely do ex league players make a significant impact on the pitch. But gradually a decent team was formed and that memorable 3-2 win over Torquay will live long in the memory, perhaps overall the best team he put together.

An appreciation of the local scene improved as Raynes came in and latterly JT, could we have got more? probably, but as other signings have shown there are no guarantees. We've generally taken the best that Chip can offer. Last year's early attacking line up of Clark, Cooke, Wilson and JT produced some of the most enjoyable football seen for some time.

3 play off campaigns represent success, not reaching the FA Cup 1st round the opposite. As we look for the next manager once again we should ask what our ambition is. Growing crowds leads to growing ambition. We should be a club capable of getting and succeeding in the play offs. Ironically, this seasons NLS could be one of the most open for some time, still not too late for a run ! But to succeed above and to be frank long term then we have to get our heads around bringing in more investment. We can still do great work in the community with an investor on board.

As for JG, thanks for the great memories on the pitch, there comes a point when its time for both parties to move on, and that time is definitely now.

Digger wrote:Remember Mr Gill achieved a Somerset Cup, 3 failed play offs, 0 FACup runs, 0 FAT runs and if it hadn't been for covid we would have been relegated. Not the greatest of records.

Yep fair point though not many City managers will be measured by titles or cup runs

Digger wrote:Remember Mr Gill achieved a Somerset Cup, 3 failed play offs, 0 FACup runs, 0 FAT runs and if it hadn't been for covid we would have been relegated. Not the greatest of records.

ssshhh! don't mention facts now

Peteboa wrote:

Digger wrote:Remember Mr Gill achieved a Somerset Cup, 3 failed play offs, 0 FACup runs, 0 FAT runs and if it hadn't been for covid we would have been relegated. Not the greatest of records.

ssshhh! don't mention facts now

I think it's more a case of how you frame these facts.

Somerset Premier Cup - first manager to win it since John Relish in 2007
Play-offs - in charge for three of the four times we've reached the play-offs
FA Trophy - we've had two runs of note in the 50+ years of the competition so he just maintained that woeful record
Hypothetical - but for Covid we'd had won the 19/20 play-offs as that was probably the best side he built - playing a one-off match four months later was always going to be a lottery
FA Cup - Yes, I'll give you that one!

Perhaps the reason he was the first manager since Rello to win the Som Cup was because those in between didn’t take it so seriously.

One of the paradoxes about JG was his record in the three ko competitions. As you know the Som Cup is the closest to my heart and I keep scrupulous records. In his time we played 17 ties against lower level opponents (as of course most are in that competition) with 16 wins. In fact the only defeat was on penalties against Welton.
If you add the 2 games against teams from our level (both defeats on penalties to Weston) we have an 84% success rate.
However in the Cup and Trophy what stands out for me was our record against clubs from our level and one below…
14 wins 13 defeats - a success rate of just 52%.
And yet in the four matches against higher level opponents we had a 50% wins record. One of those against Bromley (albeit on penalties) was I’d argue JG’s most memorable win (along with the 3-2 in the league at home to Torquay) - they were the Trophy holders and finished the season in the playoffs before winning them a season later and reaching the Trophy SF.

But overall I find it strange that he could lift his teams sufficiently to regularly beat lesser opponents in a competition which is often seen as an irritant and yet in the two competitions with significant prize money in the last seven years we suffered embarrassing defeats to Banbury, Sevenoaks, Hendon, Peterborough, Bracknell, Coalville and Chertsey.

Not intruding on private (actually public) grief, but sorry to hear of the developments and sorry I won't be able to catch up with Jerry on Saturday. Great respect for his years of service.

I hope some of you will be making the gruelling trip south-east, and you will as always be made very welcome!