I wouldn't have the players down as true believers myself.

It’s a difficult situation. You have to balance the books but that can mean the club just carries on as it is. That means you may lose your decent players as they decide they have a better chance of success elsewhere. That can then impact on attendances and income meaning you have to make more savings. In the end it becomes a downward spiral.

Now we have the threat of P&R the temptation to spend is greater than ever.

Pretty obvious to many in a similar position


Knocking on a bit, works for the fun of it and that extra bit of cash that allows a frivolous lifestyle. When it gets hard or no longer enjoyable it's time to call it a day and wind down towards death.

I think he probably spoke to his brother about the situation and that could have pathetic the way for a call from another club. I don't see that as unprofessional but simply talking to a member of his family. M C said he couldn't recollect saying no to B S about anything that could have been a well prepared reaction. To work from December in a frosty environment would probably lead to a blow out and boy did we get one. I'm sure the club can learn from the recent goings on and I would hope that the next no brained appointment turns out to be just that.
I have no idea who es leading the field but whoever gets the job will need to have his eyes wide open and a large amount of stamina , thick skin, be single minded, and a vast amount of experience. Fledglings will find the going extremely difficult.
Balancing the books will prove the biggest challenge YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE AND OCCASIONALLY HAVE A PUNT.

I really don't know what BS means by his last comment but I would like to add that the 'REAL' WTW believers are the silly buggers that pay good money year in year out to watch the team that means something to them; not necessarily those huddled in a bar somewhere talking a good game!
I was originally gutted that BS has gone but on reflection I think the way he left was disrespectful to the club, paying him good money and real fans - those on the terraces.

I think you're reading a bit too much into his comments to be honest.

I'm gutted he's gone but he's not disrespected anyone as far as I can see, MC perhaps by the way he resigned but they weren't getting on so hey ho, thats life.

Glad that we've had him at the club, don't think we'd of got the likes of Tupou etc without him, but its absolutely vital that we get this next appointment right. I'm hoping that with BS being the highest paid coach we've ever had, we should have room in the budget to get a quality replacement. Its the one area that MC can't go for the cheap option with, but again, think he knows this already.

Really hope its Morrison or Rowley. Fond memories of Kear and what he did for the club but we shouldn't go back, besides there's no guarantee a man of his years would leave Batley where he is in his element battling against the odds against bigger clubs, but without all the pressure of the WTW gig.

This.
As I've said previously I'm very ********** angry and feel very let down! I bought into the BS (very apt initials) gag, I thought we had a guy with staying power and passion, but sadly not, it might be that I sit back and reflect and have a bit of sympathy for Brian, but at this moment in time it's not happening

Smiths statement, if anything, has left me even more angry. If he wasn't up for the fight (which is what his statement suggests) why did he bother



Also some of the wording of that statement is quite vague and can be left open to interpretation, which doesn't help us at all.

But he said he probably wasn't going to go beyond last year and was convinced to stay.
If he feels he isn't getting what was discussed as the thing to make him stay then I can see his frustration.

On top of that he 'implies' that it isn't doing his health any good so I feel for the guy and although I'm really disappointed, he has my respect and a merry bon voyage from me.

After the Hull KR game BS posted a message on facebook or twitter thanking the fans for their support. If I remember correctly he also asked if anybody had ideas on how to grow the club/take it forward. it seems to me he wan't happy with the finances provided, not for the players but for the things that need to go on in the background for a club to grow and succeed. There is very little engagement with the fans from the club and this is an area which should be improved. You never know there may be people out there who could help but don't believe they would be listened to.

Well he kept you up. For that alone he deserves credit. It would probably have been better if he’d gone at that point but for whatever reason he stayed.

What’s done is done. You need a new coach now. There are a few half decent candidates around as SL jobs don’t grow on trees.

Hiya guys.

I thought I'd give this a few days whilst it was still raw, and plenty of emotion has been poured out over this thread I see. Understandable really.

You were massively improved almost instantly when Smith came in, with the team that Webster had - was this just players playing for full time contacts or playing for the new coach???? I asked a few people this at the time and of course nobody can really answer, but it certainly is interesting.

With regard to him losing the dressing room and being a bully, Wakefield have shown far better character this season than last and certainly more purpose and pride in their performance. You went 26-0 down in frankly pathetic fashion on Sunday but showed a big pair of kahones to fight back - last year that'd have been a 60 or 70, of that I have no doubt.

I fail to see how much greater qualified and experienced coach will come along for you guys, he seems universally respected in the game as a coach. I don't believe for a second that he didn't have the heart for the fight, else why would he have come in the first place??? The situation when he arrived is far improved now than it was when he came in.

Mr Carter has come out and said "we have had a frosty relationship" so I don't think the players have had any bearing on this. He's admitted himself that he's left as they weren't seeing eye to eye. Perhaps Mr Carter expected more from the team, however this doesn't explain why the situation has been frosty since Christmas.....

Surely then, the only reason that fits the bill is that Smith wanted/expected more funding that simply wasn't available.

I have smelled a bit of a rat when Carter said this is your most expensive squad ever.... In which case, how can the books be balanced now but you were massively in arrears before??? And who is accountable for the lions share of these wages??? Kirmond? Scruton? Anderson? If so then who agreed these deals?

I appreciate Mr Carter has taken your club from the brink and needs commending massively for that. But it seems as if his tenure is coming to an end, or needs to be - if high quality coaches are leaving due to disagreements with him, then what else? This will obviously result in players being put off signing for your club.....

The names I've heard being branded about as replacements only have 2 things in common - a weaker CV and, probably crucially, will want less money.

I feel Mr Carter will want somebody who won't complain about the current situation, as it is apparent no more money will be available on the playing squad.

Who can get the best out of these players, that's assuming you aren't seeing it already?

I'm astounded by people calling for John Kear. It was a pitchfork and torch job when he left.....

I was gonna throw a couple of names in the hat but I actually can't think of anyone cheap, available, willing and with that much ambition

Dave, I think we have a bigger budget for the squad this year because we are debt free. Over the last couple of years money had to be allocated to clear those not so insignificant debts.

But the money has potentially gone on existing players who have not been playing to the best of their ability, or are past their best, such as the three I mentioned

I'm disappointed he's gone as he had a positive image and gave us a degree of credibility which we've lacked for years (or since JK was appointed). What does surprise me is that how can anybody in Rugby League not know that as a club we don't have a lot of brass to throw around, especially somebody who'd been working under those conditions for the previous six months.

I would imagine with Brian it was one little thing after another little thing which led him to say enough is enough, he maybe thought after last season being thrown in at the deep end , his pre season and in season would run smoothly and he would get everything he wanted. Despite what MC says I dont think this was quite how Brian saw it! I'mt not against MC in the slightest but he is an accountant running a Rugby club and a balance sheet could be seen to be more important than 'little things' that dont sound like much but add up to big things when things arent going your way...

If as some on here say Mr Carter's time is coming to an end. Can those people please tell me who will be taking over the club ?

David Garthwaite and Kath Hetherington wanted to put in a million each but didnt because MC was at the club (According to a FB village idiot). So thats who has been waiting to invest all the years Ted was in charge.

Would be nice if MC could connect with the fans, and take their opinions into consideration before a new coach is appointed. It would also give us some sort of feeling that we are part of the club and not just money donors. I'm sure if Mr Carter had put the idea of engaging Agar and Webster as coaches to us supporters they would have got the thumbs down and a lot of this embarrassment over the last three seasons.avoided.

MC had nothing to do with the Agar appointment - that was Glover and Elston. What makes that worse is that Daryl Powell applied but those two clowns decided to go down the "jobs for the boys" route and appointed Agar, Webster and Fozzard.

But get your gist regarding involving the fans more.

Yeah! You're right, of course, re Agars appointment Wilzay, but I'm glad you get the gist.

Agar did a fantastic job in his first yr and made the top 8 . Then had to assemble a squad the yr after on a very small budget . So his appointment was a good one to start with don't you think. It's easy to sit here 3 yrs down the line and say they got it wrong . We have 3 coaches now that have all walked away from MC for me something is wrong at the very top

In his reign as chairman we have made many changes at the club, change to the kick off time after the season tickets were sold, segregation, change of ground, change to the ticketing system and ending any entertainment to name a few. I don't remember any meetings to discuss the impact of these changes on us the supporters.
I know it's his club and he can do what he likes, I agree but he must take the supporters with him and threatening to walk away every time someone posts something negative or asks an awkward question is not the way. We help to keep the club alive and contribute to its very existence. What happens to the sky money whitch to a club like ours represents a large chunk of the turnover.
We now had a situation where the chairman and coach do not speak, quite unusual with the exception of Salford and Leigh, but looking at some of his Twitter posts is not surprising. I expect Smith knows more about running a RL club than our chairman who admits he is new and with this knowledge he thought it was pointless to keep going.
He must now look to appoint his 4th coach let's hope this is one he can get along with or we may be seeking our 5th before the season is out.
The club i presume after two years is shaped in a way he wants so its success or failure is entirely down to those running the club. If it fails which I hope it doesn't it cannot be blamed on the supporters we have done our bit by going to games, buying the merchandise and blindly accepting the changes.
I would call Brian Smith an honourable man who could have stayed, took the money and left at the end of the season back to Australia. He doesn't think that the club will progress in a way he wants so has left it to another to take on the challenge that is Wakefield Trinity.

Finally people are starting to see it . ......[i=#0000FFedited by Poptart - Sorry Housecat, you can't make accusations like that. Consider this a warning[/i .......... People are taken in cos he is a good speaker and says what they like to hear . Would make a good politician .