Well, I think you can blame Guilfoyle for that one.....

Guilfoyle treated him with absolutely no respect.

Had Potter been kept on the payroll (even on reduced terms) I think his outlook may have been slightly different at this point. It seems that Mick has decided enough is enough. Not sure how hard Messers Khan and Sutcliffe really tried to keep him, but his decision is made.

I commend Mick's loyalty to his staff, but I've got visions of McNamara and Noble with the possible handover to Cummins. Hopefully if Franny takes over he will succeed, but he'll have one hell of a job on. At this point as unpopular as it may be in some circles, Nobby might be needed for a couple of years of stability and guidance before Franny was to take over. However, I can see Franny jumping ship if he doesn't get the top job, as isn't that pretty much the reason he left Leeds? His path was blocked by at least 1 maybe 2 individuals for the top job.

Thanks Mick - you've conducted yourself superbly and the view that many people had of you has had to be changed (outside the Bulls). All the best for the future.

I always been under the impression, perhaps falsely, that Brian Smith was responsible for a lot of our contacts in Aus.

Got to say the news hit me right in the stomach with that sinking feeling. I guess I knew it was always likely but it hit just the same. The debt we owe MP is immense imo and I obviously wish him, and Megan, all the best back in Aus. If ever Australia needs a new ambassador they couldn't do better than Michael Potter.

Yeah quite possible.
Franny went over to Aus too so I might be jumping the gun a bit.

Know what you mean about a black Friday feeling. Hopefully this is only bad news and their getting it out the way now before starting with good news announcements. We live in hope!.

But would FC want the job if we are not in SL?

Another one of those little loose ends at the moment.

I hear Brian Smith is unemployed, we could do no worse than appointing him to mentor Franny for a while, funds permitting.

Well huge thanks to Mick Potter for holding things together this season. Such a shame he's gone just as things were starting to bear fruit. Now it looks like we'll have to start from scratch again. Just hope we get a decision on what division we're in asap.

As for Mick's successor, I hope the board has been thinking about this for some time. It may be that personal loyalty between the coaching staff has coloured the judgement here. The coded message from Potter about hoping the job didn't go to certain individuals who had been involved in the past (Noble obviously) was interesting. The board won't want to risk losing the dressing room by appointing the wrong man, similarly they won't want to let emotion take over and employ someone purely on the basis that he was loyal to Potter.

It's a tough decision. Personally I'd like to see a totally fresh start with a young coach that is forward thinking, up to the minute who can command the respect of the players. If we lose a load more players then the argument for keeping Cummins starts to look weaker, as there'll be fewer of the current squad around. I'm not that enthusiastic about Noble, who's been out of things for a while. His heart may be in the job but he could alienate certain players and staff if he parachutes back in.

A third option would be interesting. Who's available? We're not rolling in cash so the likes of Craig Bellamy won't be coming. For similar reasons I'd say Brian Smith won't be either. What we need is the equivilent of a Brian Smith circa 1995/6.

Of course if we're not in SL this is all academic.

All seems a bit odd.
Did he not say a few days ago he would love to stay and finish the job.
So why the sudden change of mind in the space of a few days.
Does he know something which is not in the public domain,or was the offer from the new owners well below his previous remuneration package.

Nothing but the upmost respect for the man and what he's did for us.

All the very best in whatever you do next Mr Potter.

I get the feeling we are going down :/

I dunno but I imagine we're on a shoestring next year. I had heard he'd gone on Monday and I suspect the board knew his plans before then.

Think Mick has done a great job. But would like to see franny given ago defo