The thing you need to do is compare what Kear had to work with and what is available to Brian Smith.
Man for man Kear had a superior team in the majority of positions.

Players like Owen, Arundel ,lyne, Miller ,Riley and (FFS if the rumour is true) Howarth will win you sweet FA if they are in your side. They are simply not good enough and that is something that it is impossible for Brian Smith to do anything about.

A man for man comparison of the team Kear had for the first Cas game he was in charge, and the team we put out against Cas at the weekend.

1 COLUM HALPENNY or RICHARD OWEN
2 SEMI TADULALA or TOM JOHNSTONE
3 RYAN ATKINS or DEAN COLLIS
4 JAMES EVANS or REECE LYNE
5 JASON DEMETRIOU or CHRIS RILEY
6 BEN JEFFRIES or JACOB MILLER
7 JAMIE ROONEY or TIM SMITH
8 ADAM WATENE or SCOTT ANDERSON
9 DAVID MARCH or PAUL MCSHANE
10 MICHAEL KORKIDAS or NICK SCRUTON
11 DAVID SOLOMONA or DANNY KIRMOND
12 DUNCAN MACGILLIVARY or DANNY WASHBROOK
13 MONTY BETHAM or JON MOLLOY
14 SAM OBST or PITA GODINET
15 TOM SAXTON or MATT RYAN
16 OLIVIER ELIMA or MICKAEL SIMON
17 NED CATIC or DANIEL SMITH


Interesting how your mind plays tricks. I would have said the players we had now were much better (although not playing very well) than the ones we had then but looking at that list I'd probably choose more players from Kear's team than the one that Brian Smith will inherit.

Kear's team would wipe the floor with that current list.

Halpenny

Tadulala (Johnstone has potential though)
Collis
Evans
Demetriou

Jeffries
Smith

Watene
McShane
Korky/Scruton (both offer different things can't decide between the two)
Solomona
Washbrook
Betham

Godinet
Ryan
Elima
Smith

Just watched the Bradford away game 2 weeks after Cas away when we won 20 - 12. That defensive effort was one of the best I ever saw against the likes of Vainikolo, Vagana and Lynch. They tackled like trojans from the first minute to the last making us all proud and setting up the million pound game a week later and the rest is legendary. Oh for that effort again in the coming weeks, I sincerely hope Brian can do what John Kear did for our team then, the difference between the performances then and now is an almighty chasm.

Is that the one where David march came staggering back onside under the posts like he'd just drunk 2 gallon of ale not knowing if he was on this earth or fuller's and Ganson penalised him?

Yep that's the one Chissitt, and the woman at the end with her top off flashing her bra. Needed a fix of a classic Trinity performance, that one does the trick every time.

It's true how you're mind plays tricks and I'd have to agree that kear's team would probably beat the current one.
One thing I did notice is that, in my opinion, both teams were/are underperforming.

Due to my strict upbringing when that happened I naturally put my hands over my eyes
That was a better classic performance a fortnight later though when we played our nearest and dearest

I would have Ryan Atkins infront of Collis and also Duncan McGillvary in there. Big Dunc put more into one game than some of our back rowers have done all season.

However looking at both squads I think it backs up my point that Kear had a much easier task than the one facing Brian Smith

He sounded very positive in his interview on bootsnall just now, he certainly has the experience. Looking forward to seeing what he can do with this team, especially the defence!!!

Remember standing on the wall on the western terrace after the million pound game when the team came round at the end and said to McGillivray that he was my man of the match...he was really chuffed at that and told me so !!
Always gave 100% in every game

But would Tony Smiths two weeks before?

how many slated matt blaymire? yes he probably didnt break a tackle but he didnt miss many or drop many!