Press Release from Sockett

http://www.redditchstandard.co.uk/story-Sockett-is-new-man-at-the-Valley-42048.html

Intresting! He's said all the right things, now we need to give him a chance and see what he can do this season!!

He wants to be in the playoffs!! Personally, i'd be happy with winning 5 games !

And he looks likes Ian Holloway!!

Met Martin Sockett today at the press conference and had a nice chat with him, he spoke of his plans and certain players that he would like to bring to the valley.
He wants to play good attacking football that people will want to come and watch and install the right attitude within the new Team, he will look at players from last season but insists that he will want players that want to play here at Redditch and at this level.
He has played against Redditch Back in the 80's and knows the club and past players very well, my first impressions of him are good and he seems to have the right attitude, drive and knowledge of the Game and wishes to be open with the Fans.
He has heard good things about the mighty Redditch Fans and looks forward to hearing the cedar road choir and he hopes to give us something to really sing about, I promised that our first song for him will have no reference to lack off hair
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Yes it will.

porrohman wrote:Yes it will.

I think he knows it will

Welcome to the club Martin!

I can’t say that I had heard of Socket until a few days ago so don’t really have that much to say! The one thing that I really wanted to see is a manager who is experienced at this level of football, and that box has certainly been ticked. With such a long CV, the guy has obviously been doing something right over the years.

It seems quite obvious that this decision was made some time ago; Mr. Swan is clearly confident that he has the right man for the job. Interesting that he was ‘tight lipped’ about the playing budget a few days after Simon Redhead was quite public about it. Read into that what you will.

He is spot on with regards to the importance of the crowds. This is both the most important and the most difficult challenge that the club faces. Reaching out to the local schools is a welcome development and one that will reap rewards, albeit in the medium to longer term. That said, I guess there is no instant fix!

I’m really pleased to see that The Standard are writing some pretty decent, in depth articles about the club recently. I’m seeing a noticeable difference to a few years ago when the club barely got a mention. A good relationship between the club and the local rags is of obvious importance to us.

P.S. Rawlings, you’re right; he does look like Ian Holloway!

del boy wrote:

Interesting that he was ‘tight lipped’ about the playing budget a few days after Simon Redhead was quite public about it. Read into that what you will.

nothing to read into, its a starting budget. See no need for him to run to the advertiser to defend what was a clear and right decision, If the budget was 20k Redhead would still be gone imo.
Not everything is a conspiracy.

That'll be 8 quid for that scarf Mr Sockett!

porrohman wrote:That'll be 8 quid for that scarf Mr Sockett!

haha nice one, although it was sallie's. If i'd have got in first i'd have sold him one!!!

Look, this is why we run the shop, and you paint it

rawlings09 wrote:Look, this is why we run the shop, and you paint it

I sold two pens and a lighter?

rawlings09 wrote:Look, this is why we run the shop, and you paint it

Sit down shut up

Redditchbluenose86 wrote:

rawlings09 wrote:Look, this is why we run the shop, and you paint it

Sit down shut up

that's it the wall goes back up tomorrow

Redjeff wrote:

rawlings09 wrote:Look, this is why we run the shop, and you paint it

I sold two pens and a lighter?

come on jeff u only sold the pens cus i couldnt find 1 and brought 2 off u but must admit martin spoke very well, he talked the talk as they say feel confident he will walk the walk

Like delboy, I know nothing of Martin, so I will preserve judgement until the new season is well under way.

But I'm very pleased that we have got a manager with plenty of experience at this level, and seems to have the same targets at heart that we the fans have been hoping to see. Certainly filled me with confidence after reading his statement.

Welcome to the club Martin

I am sat down!!

I'm feeling happy with that appointment, obviously chris and fenners won't have chosen anyone willie nillie so let's see how it goes!

rawlings09 wrote:
I am sat down!!

I'm feeling happy with that appointment, obviously chris and fenners won't have chosen anyone willie nillie so let's see how it goes!

I meant Jeff sit down, seeing as you well and truely pissed on his chips

Excellent

The coverage is getting getting better from the local papers I agree, he is saying all the right things here which is positive.
However...TRUST have been talking to Fenners for months regarding shirt sponsoring of the Under 21 team..way before Redders was dismissed...

I've got to say, I am quite under-whelmed by this appointment.

I thought a higher profile manager would have been good for the clubs exposure and potential sponsors etc.
I do not know Martin and VS Rugby played us off the park at a friendly last season..so I am hopeful.

He looks and sounds like a 'working class' manager...maybe what we need in this league...but is it attractive to pull the punters/players?
Success on the field is critical...I hope Martin proves all the doubters wrong (including me!)

I will be renewing my season ticket to continue my support of the team.

Onwards and upwards.

The problem with getting a higher class manager or an ex pro is that they don't understand non-league.

If you find a 'high class' manager at non league you'd question what he was doing there anyway...

Look at Gainsborough... Average if you ask me...

Give Sockett a chance first

I understand your point, Rawlings 09.

However, as part of the infamous Plan B project, we talked to Andy Sinton about the role and he was extremely knowledgable about our level of football and lower even....plus he was high profile to attract youth, sponsors, players, punters etc.

I would have liked someone like this.

NB - Hasn't done a bad job at Teflon as he?

I doubt Sinton would consider it now...

He's done a fantastic job, but you saw how many years they were in the playoffs, bottling it untill they finally went up on Sunday, so it would have taken a bit longer for us? Who knows.

The point is, we have a new, experienced manager that is aiming to do the right things.

Although it's what you can expect from a press release... lets see if he can deliver the goods when it matters!

All the Best Sockett!

I don't think Steve was promoting Sinton for our job..having done a a great job at Fleet, he was looking to move to the Midlands to pursue his football management career.
Really nice guy, with a great attitude..with a huge knowledge of non league football.

We had more chance of Arsene Wenger than Andy Sinton right now...

My point was that just because the 'Brian Little at Gainsborough' doesn't work, doesn't mean there are not big names out there with a wealth of experience and knowledge of the non league game.

When the missing hundreds around the town read that Martin Sockett is now the new Reds manager, they will have forgotten his name 5 minutes later...this isn't going to get them down the Valley out of interest.

I seriously hope that I am wrong, but I am just not excited by this appointment (as a Reds fan) so why would other potential punters be at all interested? Results on the field are the most important thing, so I hope Martin will deliver where it counts!

A big name manager may have created some initial interest and publicity. But pretty soon that novelty would fade because as you say, ultimately it comes down to results. I think we’ll see increased interest at the start of next season anyway, with the ‘feel good factor’ following the take over.

Also a big name manager would probably mean a big wage to match; I imagine Brian Little was on a fair whack! The more money spent on a manager means less available for players. Our budget is tight enough as it is.