Joe Royle

[Joey66]

I think Royle "lost the plot" really and we lacked a Chairman who had the skill to take the pressure out of the situation. He was increasingly paranoid and banning Echo Journalists. He probably had some basis for his paranoia and certainly sections of the press wanted him gone.

Royle was lucky in that he had a 2 year honeymoon golden period and it was (much like Martinez this season) the first time things went a bit wrong. I think Joe struggled to handle that and was confused what was happening. It was a great shame, as it took till Moyes came in for us to recover to anything like what we got too under Royle.

What contributed to the demise. Well Southall (like Howard this season) had gone on a year too far. We didn't replace him well enough. Likewise Watson showed his age a bit. Fergusan became injury prone. Kanchelskis who had been majestic lost interest. As others had said Parkinson got injured later on too. I always felt he was playing through injury a bit and his form dipped.

In those days squads weren't as big and that is 5 fairly important players we had lost. Alongside that lads like Horne and Ebbrell had injury difficulties and were moved on as well as guys like Rideout. We also lost Limpar and never really replaced his creativity.

We bought quite well, Speed was excellent. Barmby would go on to do very well for us but struggled to produce under Royle and certainly didn't get to anything like Kanchelskis's level.

Royle wanted to sign Flo who went on to be an excellent acquisition for Chelsea. He'd had been a great foil for Fergusan had we have got him.

In the end it was a season where injuries, players loss of form and confidence and age caught up with different players at once. We should have kept Royle. Johnson handled the situation badly. I think had Kenwright been in charge he'd have calmed Royle down, made it clear he was going nowhere and Joe could have seen out the season and prepared for a summer of rebuilding that was needed. That was what was required, a calm supportive approach.

Agree with some of that agen Johnson was the problem though Joe was ask to go quietly! Flo would have been a great signing for 1 million!

 

[mrb85]

I was 14 and went to nearly all the games the year we won the league, I had two posters on my bedroom wall Joe Royle and Jimmy Husband.
Jimmy used to drive a yellow E-Type Jag
Joe was a fantastic CF , brilliant in the air and could really thump the ball , his pens right down the middle at warp factor 1 .
Jimmy was a good forward bit light weight but he had others looking after him , great times , great team !

Though obviously not when Dave MacKay was on the park....or when Panathinaikos singled him out from the first minute in the European Cup QF at GP and had him stretchered off in the first half.

 

[Blue Sky]

Though obviously not when Dave MacKay was on the park....or when Panathinaikos singled him out from the first minute in the European Cup QF at GP and had him stretchered off in the first half.

Dave MacKay now there was a hard man, can't remember the Greek match but it wouldn't have took much for Jimmy to take an early bath

 

[Joey66]

I was 14 and went to nearly all the games the year we won the league, I had two posters on my bedroom wall Joe Royle and Jimmy Husband.
Jimmy used to drive a yellow E-Type Jag
Joe was a fantastic CF , brilliant in the air and could really thump the ball , his pens right down the middle at warp factor 1 .
Jimmy was a good forward bit light weight but he had others looking after him , great times , great team !

Seen Jimmy Husband on Mosscroft estate Huyton in a flash car picking up a blond bombshell, it was by my aunties flat when I came out with a pen and paper for his autograph he had gone off with her, he was a fast mover on the pitch as well - Dave Mackay finished his career Jimmy was never the force after that tackle it was in the league cup at Goodison took him out waste high he was stretchered of dirty Dave got a booking when it should have been a sending off!
Jimmy had pace to burn before that incident!