Like Raymondo, I support both clubs (born Friskney, raised family in Dereham).
I was concerned when Gunny was appointed manager, as I knew that a legend would leave under a cloud. He was too loyal to leave for a "bigger" club, and so inevitably the end would come with either walking away from the club that he loved, or being sacked. When he was appointed, I did however, expect to see him around for a fair while.
He inherited a team consisting of a majority of loanees with no club loyalty. He saw out the season with these players and they were relegated. Them not Gunny! He built his own team over the summer on an absolutely bare-bones budget, won or drew all pre-season games, and then lost the first game of the season with the keeper having a nightmare. On the strength of that one admittedly heavy defeat, he went off to the west country, thrashed Yeovil Town in the Carling Cup and remained with his team in the west for tomorrow's game at Exeter. We must therefore assume that there was not a great deal of communication with the board over that distance. And then they sack him!
I would be interested to know how they told him. Could it have been any better timed to cause maximum disruption on the eve of the Exeter game?
From the first promotion to the top flight until the glory days of Munich and third place in the Premiership, we had five managers, three of whom left of their own accord. The last three seasons will have chalked up five managers. Isn't it time for a little stability?
Best of luck to Gunny, whatever he does. A great Scot and a massively loyal Norfolkman.
