Reid foresaw safc demise


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The Bruce era with the team we had then was the other chance and we blew that too - can you imagine having players of the calibre of Bent, Gyan, Welbeck etc playing for SAFC? It’s like a dream now, but we could and should have built on those opportunities.
In terms of technical footballing ability, that Bruce team was the best we've probably ever had. Granted, some of them were on loan but we had quality throughout. It was just a shame Bruce then thought the likes of Craig Gardner were adequate replacements for Malbranque.
 
Hutchison did an outstanding job of replacing him at Stamford Bridge.
That’s a good point actually. Hutchison rarely played CM that season he played up front or wide right. That game at Chelsea showed he could work with Phillips too. Maybe thats something we could have worked on for a season or two rather than panic buying tall forwards and not giving DH the pay rise he was promised.
 
It's possibly worth noting that we had our second 7th place finish after the extension was built, in front of an average of over 46,000. The effect on transfer funds may not have been quite as big as is being intimated.

Reid was one of those managers where if you gave him a hundred grand you could trust him with your life to unearth a diamond, such as Jody Craddock and Alan Johnston. Give him £10m, though, and you couldn't trust him as far as you could throw him.

There also seems to be a myth around Thomas Helmer being good enough for the Champions League but not good enough for us. Reid said his legs had gone, and Hertha Berlin showed there may have been some substance to that, as he was bombed from there after less than half a dozen games from the subs bench before the year was out.

As alluded to earlier, if Reid had resigned after the end of the 2001 / 02 season, he would have left the new manager with a summer to bring in fresh faces, and his legacy would have been a lot more appreciated. By staying on until he was sacked, he undid all the great work he had achieved in the top flight.
 
All managers make bad signings

Even fergie at Man Utd did
It's possibly worth noting that we had our second 7th place finish after the extension was built, in front of an average of over 46,000. The effect on transfer funds may not have been quite as big as is being intimated.

Reid was one of those managers where if you gave him a hundred grand you could trust him with your life to unearth a diamond, such as Jody Craddock and Alan Johnston. Give him £10m, though, and you couldn't trust him as far as you could throw him.

There also seems to be a myth around Thomas Helmer being good enough for the Champions League but not good enough for us. Reid said his legs had gone, and Hertha Berlin showed there may have been some substance to that, as he was bombed from there after less than half a dozen games from the subs bench before the year was out.

As alluded to earlier, if Reid had resigned after the end of the 2001 / 02 season, he would have left the new manager with a summer to bring in fresh faces, and his legacy would have been a lot more appreciated. By staying on until he was sacked, he undid all the great work he had achieved in the top flight.


I thought the reason helmer was dumped cause he'd had a row with saxton during training

Allegedly saxton called helmer a kraut
 
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Not a team manager’s decision to increase the capacity of the stadium, nor was it his decision how much should be spent on players.

The thread title is misleading to say the least.
 
the man who gave us 2 7th placed finishes

the man who brought in the best striker we will ever see in our lifetime

the man who built a promotion winning squad so good that when first teamers were injured reserved slotted in seamlessly

the man that ressurected Quinnys career

the man who put together one of the premier leagues best ever strike force

the man who gave Us something to shout about again
The man who many years later said he should have left two years before he actually did.
 
That's my point 42000 was big enough if we were a top 6 team on a regular basis then yes extend it to 49000 but it was a mistake extending it when we did
Our support is magnificent considering what we've put up with for decades

Nor it wasn't, it was cheap to do and we used to fill the fooka.....one man Fooked us up...Moyles
 
When you consider whether you should extend your stadium you make the decision of being at least moderately well ran, knowing there is going to be peaks and troughs ahead. We have been the worst ran club in England in the 2 decades since the extension so that's what makes it look like a questionable decision in hindsight. Having said that, it's probably paid for itself in the last 20 years?
 
I think Reid would’ve turned it around eventually that season he was sacked.

If he said that about the stadium then he was right. Money was tight anyway so we would’ve been ok with 42k for a bit.

However he was a stubborn old bastard and the way he fell out with some players was detrimental. Bridges, Johnston, Summerbee, Kubicki, Helmer and even Laslandes(who was shit mind) was just through stubbornness.
 
I think it only cost around £8m so the extension probably worked out a lot cheaper than the likes of Flo. I know which one has proved better value for money and is still there if needed in the future. Imagine the uproar on here if it turned out we were no longer in a position to fully extent the stadium due to a hotel being built behind the stand.

Don’t want to knock Reid as he gave us the most entertaining side I’ve seen, but always thought he was just in the right place at the right time when the players seemed to click. However he couldn’t keep it going when players needed replacing and never did anything like that before or after in his managerial career.
 
It’s an incredible thread this and one that I didn’t expect. Most managers get the sack eventually, they usually get the sack because they have made mistakes. That’s certainly true of Reid and being at Sunderland 6 years there will be plenty of mistakes to discuss and many mentioned on here are valid. However on the whole he was absolutely fantastic for us. Building us up from a shell of a team looking certain to drop into the 3rd to a team that could go anywhere in the country and give the opposition a game. Seeing Quinn, Phillips, Johnston, Summerbee, Hutch, Rae etc, turning our fortunes against the Mags around and the sheer quality of the team. For almost 5 years up to the summerr of 2001 including a relegation season of 96/97 we were a joy to watch. If Safc had replaced Reid well he would be looked back by everyone with the fondness and respect he deserves. This thread isn’t shameful or owt but it’s a sad read.
 
That’s a good point actually. Hutchison rarely played CM that season he played up front or wide right. That game at Chelsea showed he could work with Phillips too. Maybe thats something we could have worked on for a season or two rather than panic buying tall forwards and not giving DH the pay rise he was promised.
It’s what wrecked the “new” safc.
Ive been watching safc since 68/69 at that point. We’d never had a proper top flight strike partnership that’d worry the big boys until Quinn n Phillips. Then with Quinn fading another falls into our lap!. Hutchison should’ve been given what he asked for. So what if it means other positions came asking for rises....they could’ve been told no chance. Footballers know who is really making the difference.......and I think Hutchison/Phillips would’ve been every bit as good as Quinn/Phillips.
I bet both Reid and Murray wish they’d handled it differently now. I believe Hutchison divorced now.....I bet he does anarl.
 
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