That is a kick in the nuts! The reason will come out, but the over-riding concern now is there are a lot of players off contract who will no doubt be considering what to do. After so much progress it would be a massive waste to let things slide backwards. The club have a major job to do to retain the better players and now try to sign even better ones, but the uncertainty of a new coach will have an effect, and the vultures will be circling.

I was speaking to a pal of mine at the weekend who has in the past sponsored Rovers. He said to me that there had been some disagreement between Tony Smith and the CEO regarding certain areas that Tony wanted more say. If this turns out to be true, the people at board level need a good shake in my view.

I've supported Rovers for almost 55 years now, ever since my uncle took me as a young toddler back in the 1960s . During that time I've seen it all. The reasonably good times, the very good times and the not so good times, plus the absolute desperate times. I had been a yearly pass holder for 36 years right up to 2017 when I felt the club were taking the micky and were going around in circles, with poor signings, poor coaches and no real changes looking likely. Then finally, in came a man (Tony Smith) who was like a breath of fresh air. He slowly but surely went about changing not just the style of play but also the culture at the club, something he had already done at every club he'd been at previously. He changed it so much, that in 2021 I actually started to watch them again when I could due to covid. The style in which he had the team playing became a joy to watch, so much so that at the end of last season I decided t purchase a pass once again for 2022. Since attending matches this year I saw for the first time in a very long time the change in players attitudes that Tony Smith had brought about, just as he had done at his previous clubs. Then came the announcement that we had bought the ground. I thought to myself....At last everything is falling into place. We have a fantastic coach, our own ground and potentially a great future ahead of us. Now this bombshell today, has in my opinion fractured all that previous hard work.

If the rumours are to be believed and there has been a fallout between the CEO and Tony Smith, the clubs board should be ashamed. In Tony Smith we are talking about a man that has left every club he's been at in a much better position from when he first took charge of them. If he wanted to have a greater say in certain matters that might have benefited Rovers in the long run, he should in my view have been granted that extra input. After all, if it was for the good of the club which I definitely believe it would have been, what was the problem? I'm absolutely gutted by this news as I know most Rovers fans are. In my view it is a massive backward step for the club and one that will surely come back to bite them on the rear end in the future. I'm quite sure of one thing. Rovers wont find another coach that offers so much potential, and has changed the playing style as well as the culture of the club for the better in a relatively short time. What's equally concerning is the possibility that some out of contract players may follow him out of the door as he is well respected by all the current players. Plus what effect will it have on future recruitment? as many potential signings would have been coming on the proviso that Tony Smith would be their coach. At the moment after hearing this news I honestly feel like packing it in again, withdrawing my pass and calling it a day after all these years. I'm not sure I can any longer support a club that seems hell bent on shooting itself in the foot at every opportunity.

It's horrible that you feel that way, don't give up on the club, maybe take a bit of a break, I have for the last couple of years.
It's hard when you're so invested in the club from such a young age.

IMHO Hudgell is still the most important person at the club, and he's still there.

With hindsight there's been some strange comments coming out of the club in recent weeks, Lakin on the BBC saying that he doesn't get involved in the results side of the business.

It’s for the best, given what he’s said. Smith has done very well to re-shape the team and the culture over the last 3 years and that win in the play-offs last year was memorable. I wish him well. If the gears were grinding among senior people at the club that wouldn’t be good for anybody, as he says. I hope he can see the year out, but I think the semi-final result against Huddersfield might influence that. I can see a case for moving to the next phase if there’s not something to mitigate the tensions that are clearly there.

Hull fan,I come in peace. When Rovers aquired Smith I must admit I felt a hint of jealousy. A good coach with a good track record.He has pointed Rovers in to the right direction ,and as much as it chokes me to say it,made them an entertaining team. My question is,if the rumours are true,why would anyone want to interfere with his coaching role? I do understand Rovers fans being gutted,and I will hold my hand up and say if he crossed the river I would be happy. Not going to happen though.

It's not though is it.
Not a question, part of working as a team is being big enough to understand that you have to compromise in order for the team to move forward.

Depends what the rumours are. He clearly wasn’t able to get the level of organisational control that he wanted. Assuming he was at least able to pick the team, you get into the spectrum of the arguable.
Full control over recruitment… I think so, given it is Tony Smith and we don’t have a DoR. But if he’s only willing to commit for a year at a time (or similar) there is a counter argument. Do you also allow him full control of how the salary spend is structured? Maybe, but I think we’re getting into collaboration territory. Freedom to overhaul the academy and bring in new people… sort of head coach [iand[/i DoR territory. Input on potential new training facilities… yes but probably not the final say. Effective control of the club as head coach [iand[/i de facto CEO… getting silly in the other direction.

I’d have to know what the compromise is to judge who, if anybody, should have made it, and even then it is only my judgement. I think there’s a decent chance I’d think that Lakin could have been more flexible, but I don’t know the issue(s) of contention. I like Smith and he’s earned the right to know his own worth, but he can sometimes be a wee bit prickly and impatient.

Sometimes a compromise isn’t healthy or productive if it makes you unhappy. A single okay vision is generally better than two different good ones. He and Lakin are in leadership roles rather than team roles (makes it sound more mutually exclusive than it is, I know), and it looks like they haven’t been able to agree on boundaries.

Sometimes things just run their course. Sheens did what we needed him to. Morgan did a great job, and I was sorry to see him go, but I understood why the club wanted to try a different approach.

I’m disappointed but not devastated. The bad years left me with a deep distrust of ‘entertaining footy’, maybe that is why!

Interesting piece in the Fail today by Paul Cooke re. TS, and I must admit I agree with the crux of the article. I was gutted when I heard TS was going to go, but when the dust settles, the club moves on. What I agree with is the point re. Paul Lakin and his contribution and upward curve of the club since he has been our CEO, not diminishing by any means the other board members and of course our "saviour" Neil Hudgell. It just seems that Lakin has the (hopefully) financial brain and drive that has benefitted Rovers since he arrived, and to criticise without knowing too much is unfair. The TS news was akin to our good news and confidence balloon being popped at a crucial time, but the club is in a better state then it was. The bottom line is that finances dictate a clubs trajectory, and if as we believe, they are much better then they were, then things have improved and must continue to do so by making sensible decisions. We have been financially on the verge of disaster before, and I don,t want it again, and it,s a tightrope to walk between spending too much to attain success, and building sensibly to progress and be secure.
I want TS to stay, but if there is major disagreement between key personnel as to who make the big decisions, it,s probably going to be the coach that gives way. Not great, but that,s the way of it. Personally I would be more concerned if Paul Lakin left but that,s just my view. I want a strong financially stable(as much as is possible)club.
Coaches come, coaches go, but the club remains. I want a strong one, not one in financial trouble(like a near neighbour) we,ve been there before and it,s bloody awful. I remember 1500 gates, administration, and collection blankets going round the pitch...no thanks! I prefer the late 70,s early 80,s.
Some great news re Elliot Minchella, more of that please.

Needs to leaves now! Has Nothing to bring to this season no matter what he says in the HDM

Early Taxi for Smith?



Took one hull of a beating today.