Cove Thread

[CoveRangers1922]

35 minutes ago, Ian Mcleod said:

The longer Hartley stays with you the closer you get to becoming Grenta 2.0 your board don't seem to have a clue either being part time in the championship but going full time in league 1 when it looks very unlikely that you will get promoted again anytime soon you can only afford to be full time in this league if you have a serious chance of getting promoted which Cove don’t at the moment as it's very unprofitable and clubs can only afford to do it for so long before serious financial problems happen if we don't get promoted in the next year or 2 then it's likely we'll end up part time. if you had just kept Jim McIntyre I honestly still think you guys would still be in the championship right now. We definitely wouldn't of finished above you last year. I've heard rumours in the past that Hartley isn't nice to his staff either godknows why any player would want to play for him hopefully when Cove do make the right decision whenever that is that it will be his last job in football 

The whole club is a mess right now. Saying that all our league games so far this season have been close and we've been competitive but seriously lacking in performances and quality. As we should be I know but it's points that matter and his future employment with us will rely on that changing.

McIntyre was doing the minimum but doing it well. Better recruitment, better style of play and undoubtedly had us on track to stay up. We sack him and give Hartley 3.5 year contract. Just nepotism and everything he's touch has turned to shite so far 

Edited September 10, 2023 by CoveRangers1922

[Ian Mcleod]

43 minutes ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

The whole club is a mess right now. Saying that all our league games so far this season have been close and we've been competitive but seriously lacking in performances and quality. As we should be I know but it's points that matter and his future employment with us will rely on that changing.

McIntyre was doing the minimum but doing it well. Better recruitment, better style of play and undoubtedly had us on track to stay up. We sack him and give Hartley 3.5 year contract. Just nepotism and everything he's touch has turned to shite so far 

Yep it's certainly a worrying time though for Cove most of your signings apart from 1 or 2 of them during the summer were unknown or finished players and it seems very concerning that apparently 3 are leaving already at this point you've got more chance of ending up in the relegation playoffs than the promotion ones. I think Edinburgh will comfortably finish 10th and i expect Annan will finish 9th however if Annan go on a run a win a couple of games then I would start getting worried. 

[CoveRangers1922]

16 minutes ago, Ian Mcleod said:

Yep it's certainly a worrying time though for Cove most of your signings apart from 1 or 2 of them during the summer were unknown or finished players and it seems very concerning that apparently 3 are leaving already at this point you've got more chance of ending up in the relegation playoffs than the promotion ones. I think Edinburgh will comfortably finish 10th and i expect Annan will finish 9th however if Annan go on a run a win a couple of games then I would start getting worried. 

Most of our signings are unknown to be fair. Barely signed anyone over 25 apart from McGowan who I don't rate.

We should have more than enough to not be dragged into relegation playoffs. We're not a million miles away from seriously competing for promotion playoff spots, not saying being guaranteed to get one of those places but competing, but Hartley is failing us with his recruitment and style of play.

It wouldn't have taken a drastic overhaul in the summer to have us competing at the right end imo. He's gone quantity over quality and it looks a bad choice.

[Ian Mcleod]

2 hours ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

Most of our signings are unknown to be fair. Barely signed anyone over 25 apart from McGowan who I don't rate.

We should have more than enough to not be dragged into relegation playoffs. We're not a million miles away from seriously competing for promotion playoff spots, not saying being guaranteed to get one of those places but competing, but Hartley is failing us with his recruitment and style of play.

It wouldn't have taken a drastic overhaul in the summer to have us competing at the right end imo. He's gone quantity over quality and it looks a bad choice.

Yeah McGowan is a clown and he proved that against us. I think you've got a mid table squad seems like you are relying on guys like Meggision,Fyvie,Yule who all are good players and will probably be the reason you avoid a relegation battle. But again with Hartley in charge anything could happen. 

[Springfield]

I know some great guys that have followed Cove faithfully through thick and thin, from the dark winter nights in the lower leagues to the championship. When you get them complaining it’s time to take stock. He absolutely destroyed our club, and was very much to blame with our demise (albeit with other factors) Similarities are frightening, high wages to players signed/plucked from nowhere, two/three year deals etc etc. It’s no secret that there’s some fantastic financial backing behind the club, but a four year deal ? Really ?

 

[Passionate]

8 hours ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

The whole club is a mess right now. Saying that all our league games so far this season have been close and we've been competitive but seriously lacking in performances and quality. As we should be I know but it's points that matter and his future employment with us will rely on that changing.

McIntyre was doing the minimum but doing it well. Better recruitment, better style of play and undoubtedly had us on track to stay up. We sack him and give Hartley 3.5 year contract. Just nepotism and everything he's touch has turned to shite so far 

Would you say winning League 1 has been a millstone round your neck,   going up a league part time,  playing much better sides etc,  relegation ensued and a rebuild begins which looks like it will take time,  do you think promotion came a season or 2 early for the club.

[CoveRangers1922]

2 hours ago, Passionate said:

Would you say winning League 1 has been a millstone round your neck,   going up a league part time,  playing much better sides etc,  relegation ensued and a rebuild begins which looks like it will take time,  do you think promotion came a season or 2 early for the club.

Hard to say but staying in the Championship was crucial and then ensuing full time would have made more sense or been a more logical step. The board clearly didn't want to give McIntyre the keys to the warchest.

It's not an easy task to come back up. It was a golden generation of NE based players we had in their prime that got us up. That doesn't come around too often.

It was important to keep the momentum, however the board made a couple of critical errors in sacking McIntyre when they did and appointing Hartley which is really easy to say in hindsight but also quite obvious to many at the time. Equally as poor a decision is the offer of a 3.5 year deal to Hartley. If they wanted to give him a second chance, prove himself until the end of the season it's hardly as if he had a list of options after the debacle that was Hartlepool.

Hartley doing a rebuild and on a long term contract is worrying. He's already shown to the Cove fans he's useless on the recruitment front. We'll be here until Hartley moves on and the board appoint someone progressive.

 

Good to see the Diamonds making a relatively smooth transition to life in tier 2 after too long in L1. Some good results already and looking competitive.

Edited September 10, 2023 by CoveRangers1922

[Passionate]

10 hours ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

Hard to say but staying in the Championship was crucial and then ensuing full time would have made more sense or been a more logical step. The board clearly didn't want to give McIntyre the keys to the warchest.

It's not an easy task to come back up. It was a golden generation of NE based players we had in their prime that got us up. That doesn't come around too often.

It was important to keep the momentum, however the board made a couple of critical errors in sacking McIntyre when they did and appointing Hartley which is really easy to say in hindsight but also quite obvious to many at the time. Equally as poor a decision is the offer of a 3.5 year deal to Hartley. If they wanted to give him a second chance, prove himself until the end of the season it's hardly as if he had a list of options after the debacle that was Hartlepool.

Hartley doing a rebuild and on a long term contract is worrying. He's already shown to the Cove fans he's useless on the recruitment front. We'll be here until Hartley moves on and the board appoint someone progressive.

 

Good to see the Diamonds making a relatively smooth transition to life in tier 2 after too long in L1. Some good results already and looking competitive.

Survival in League 1 was paramount for yourselves last season and really for us to kick on as a club,  if we do fail and go back to League 1 it will be a disaster,  we are holding our own at the moment,  there will be plenty twists and turns to go.,  as an outsider I think you guys will get it right, you never know if you target top 4 it's all about hitting form at the right time, 

 Good luck for the rest of the season.

[Reggie Perrin]

How any club could let Hartley embark on a squad overhaul after the catastrophe he oversaw at Falkirk is bewildering.

A complete charlatan as well as a deeply unpleasant wee tramp.

[Moorie]

16 hours ago, Reggie Perrin said:

How any club could let Hartley embark on a squad overhaul after the catastrophe he oversaw at Falkirk is bewildering.

A complete charlatan as well as a deeply unpleasant wee tramp.

His connections and what he’s done with the club previously 

[Moorie]

I see Blair Yule getting a testimonial next summer. Well deserved. Hope they get in a good “glamour game” wouldn’t surprised to see Arbroath 

[gav-ffc]

On 10/09/2023 at 11:26, CoveRangers1922 said:

Rumour around Balmoral yesterday is that the following players signed by Hartley this summer have been told they aren't good enough and should leave.

All 3 weren't present last week against Alloa and this weekend against Montrose. All 3 were trialists, all 3 were never good enough it must be said.

 

Dayshonne Golding, signed 21st July 2023, 1 year contract.

Jacob Jones, signed 21st July 2023, 2 year contract 

Rio Davidson-Phipps, signed 7th August 2023 , 1 year contract

 

How have we signed 3 players and within 6 weeks are looking to tear up there contracts?

We have 3 youths in our squad who are only about HL level and will be loaned out.

Vigurs hasn't been seen in 6 weeks and is negotiating his release.

With those 7 likely going and Kerr and Strachan long term injured we've gone from the biggest squad in the league to maybe 17 available players and looking short.

Hartley's weeks are now numbered. Chorus of boos at full time yesterday and many calling for his head towards the board in the stand.

 

Wait I’ve seen this movie before!

For Dayshonne Golding I raise you Dan Turner.

[CoveRangers1922]

1 hour ago, Moorie said:

I see Blair Yule getting a testimonial next summer. Well deserved. Hope they get in a good “glamour game” wouldn’t surprised to see Arbroath 

Yeah well deserved. He and Fyvie returning should start to see us using the midfield not just bypassing it with long punts from defence to midfield in what has been eye bleeding tactics.

See a Keith player got a testimonial against Aberdeen this summer. Granted was an under 18 Dons team. Strong Dons side played a friendly against Turriff and was a packed Haughs.

Love to see Aberdeen play at Balmoral for Blair's testimonial and it be 3k packed out attendance 

 

[CoveRangers1922]

17 hours ago, Reggie Perrin said:

How any club could let Hartley embark on a squad overhaul after the catastrophe he oversaw at Falkirk is bewildering.

A complete charlatan as well as a deeply unpleasant wee tramp.

Couldn't build a sandcastle let alone a squad.

[1320Lichtie]

On 10/09/2023 at 11:26, CoveRangers1922 said:

Rumour around Balmoral yesterday is that the following players signed by Hartley this summer have been told they aren't good enough and should leave.

All 3 weren't present last week against Alloa and this weekend against Montrose. All 3 were trialists, all 3 were never good enough it must be said.

 

Dayshonne Golding, signed 21st July 2023, 1 year contract.

Jacob Jones, signed 21st July 2023, 2 year contract 

Rio Davidson-Phipps, signed 7th August 2023 , 1 year contract

 

How have we signed 3 players and within 6 weeks are looking to tear up there contracts?

We have 3 youths in our squad who are only about HL level and will be loaned out.

Vigurs hasn't been seen in 6 weeks and is negotiating his release.

With those 7 likely going and Kerr and Strachan long term injured we've gone from the biggest squad in the league to maybe 17 available players and looking short.

Hartley's weeks are now numbered. Chorus of boos at full time yesterday and many calling for his head towards the board in the stand.

 

Now I don’t like Man Bun as a player but how could any club treat a player like that. The guys obviously moved up from England to play for Cove. 
 

What kind of message would that send to any future player considering a move to Aberdeen to play for Cove FT and what kind of message does that send to the players already at the club who will have become pals with these guys and have done the same thing. 
 

If that is true that is shocking 

[Vegetableman]

Hartleys best days were clearly at Alloa

Guiding us to back to back promotions , he clearly seems to stumble taking a club any further though 

lHe did well with cove bringing them to league one too but seems to hit a wall regarding signing decent fulltime players , strange .

[Moorie]

On 12/09/2023 at 13:37, CoveRangers1922 said:

Yeah well deserved. He and Fyvie returning should start to see us using the midfield not just bypassing it with long punts from defence to midfield in what has been eye bleeding tactics.

See a Keith player got a testimonial against Aberdeen this summer. Granted was an under 18 Dons team. Strong Dons side played a friendly against Turriff and was a packed Haughs.

Love to see Aberdeen play at Balmoral for Blair's testimonial and it be 3k packed out attendance 

 

Yeah I’m surprised we haven’t been back up for a pre season since the last one was abandoned due to the injury of Brown.
Full house that day too.  

[BB_Bino]

On 10/09/2023 at 12:06, CoveRangers1922 said:

It would be a brave chairman that takes a chance on him. He's had 5 promotions which isn't to be forgotten but his stock is incredibly low.

Would definitely need to go down a league and rebuild his reputation from scratch.

Very true, but looking at the players he was able to bring in at Alloa and then Cove at the time, he must have been financially very very well backed by the clubs. This wasn't a guy that achieved promotions by recruiting well and building a club or recruiting well and punching above their weight. He's damaged goods (more than once) and we are to believe that he is a very divisive character off the field, I can't for a minute imagine that when a vacancy comes up at a club with a more modest budget, or at somewhere where the Manager is expected to wheel and deal and punch above their weight, that Hartley would be top of the boards wanted list.

[CoveRangers1922]

2 hours ago, BB_Bino said:

Very true, but looking at the players he was able to bring in at Alloa and then Cove at the time, he must have been financially very very well backed by the clubs. This wasn't a guy that achieved promotions by recruiting well and building a club or recruiting well and punching above their weight. He's damaged goods (more than once) and we are to believe that he is a very divisive character off the field, I can't for a minute imagine that when a vacancy comes up at a club with a more modest budget, or at somewhere where the Manager is expected to wheel and deal and punch above their weight, that Hartley would be top of the boards wanted list.

He definitely had financial backing and was in a very favourable position with Cove. [Winston standing outside the posh school bagging all the champagne and chocolates]

Sheran had built or forged a strong squad in the Highland League with Mitch, Blair, Scully, Milne, McKenzie, Strachan, Ross, Masson etc. He would have breezed us past Berwick and into the SPFL if it wasn't for a heart attack and he would have likely succeeded in L2 too. The foundation was already firmly in place. 

Hartley added a couple, likes of Fyvie and Rory, but they joined due to location, money and due to being very friendly with existing players rather than because of Hartley. 2 promotions in 3 years and getting to the Championship will always be an achievement for him and for Cove. They are glory years that don't come around too often.

At Alloa when he took over, they had no contracted players so did manage to build but like you say was backed by Mulraney. Did make him noticed and had them flying. Perhaps back then players didn't see or know his managerial or man management faults. Hearing more and more people within the game saying they don't want to play under Hartley.

I can't see where he goes from Cove. He did well for us first time but has struggled massively since. As much as I want to be optimistic this season, even under him, and see a bright future I don't see it based off his recruitment and style of play. I'd be amazed if it works out from here.

If he was anyone else he'd be gone already or under severe pressure.

 

Edited September 14, 2023 by CoveRangers1922

[NavyBlueArmy1876]

I think we saw both sides of Hartley in his one spell at Falkirk.

He was appointed after we sacked Houston at the end of September 2017 following a poor start. We limped along to the January window and Hartley shipped out around 12 players and signed 8 (though mainly on loan). Guys like Tommy Robson, Reghan Tumilty, Sean Welsh, Loius Longridge, Alex Jakubiak & Andrew Nelson with virtually all of them hitting the ground running.

These players along with the guys we already had like Aaron Muirhead, Jordan McGhee, Craig Sibbald etc combined to create a cracking side. I think we took more points from the start of January onwards than everyone else other than champions St Mirren, and that was only by a point. We played some great football, battering teams including a 6-1 win against Dundee United which should have been 10 

Naturally we all thought the following season promised much. However most of Hartley's January signings moved on and he also got rid of the remnants of Houston's squad. Hartley then spent the summer signing utter dross from the lower leagues in England. We lost our opening 3 games with every single one of the 15 he had signed looking absolutely terrible (this banter recruitment listed below), and he was promptly sacked at the end of August 2018. 

Spoiler

All in all it was a pretty mental 11 months. 

Edited September 14, 2023 by NavyBlueArmy1876