As a long time stockport county fan, seeing not only our rise to prominence to 5th in division 1 and a coca cola cup semi final, but also our decline to what is now a near certainty of division 3 football, i would like to express my sorrow for any mansfield town fans.
When Carlton Palmer took over as manager, it was inevitable that we were going to get relegated sooner rather than later. we had become stale, and needed a time in division 2 to rethink. That season, we were anything but competitive. We finished over 23 points adrift of TWENTY THIRD place. All our best players left, and were simply not replaced. Palmer built the team around himself, and when he wasnt standing around doing nothing he was either scoring own goals or getting sent off. Off the pitch, he spent most of the time slagging off our best players, well, the ones who hadnt left, in the match day programme. He was seen on Football focus speaking to a friend in october saying, almost bragging "i know we're going to get relegated." Which must have done wonders for morale at the club.
After getting fired on september 19th 2003, after a two years reign of terror, i hoped that the game was rid of him. But for some reason, mansfield gave him a way back into the game, first temporarily, and now on a permanent basis. Mansfield fans, i wish you luck, your team will need it.
