Amidst all the anger and recrimination up pops our old friend Celtic legend Chris Sutton in today’s Echo. Don’t blame me is the banner headline. For the record (retreating a safe distance) this writer does not blame Chris Sutton, not totally anyway. Chris Sutton is part of a series of events and one of several parties that led to relegation and a convenient target.
Sutton told the Echo;-
“The truth of the matter is that when I left the club they were in a decent position and they finished in the relegation zone
."There were 34 games left to avoid this scenario, which, in my opinion, is more than enough time.
"Yes I made mistakes in the 12 months that I was there, but when I took the job, the club were in a lot worse position yet I still kept them up.”
The Sutton resignation is a conundrum that has baffled the fans ever since it happened but can any of us, in our heart of hearts say that everything in the garden was lovely until the great man came along. It wasn’t. We all know that the club was in decline and had been for some time since those heady days of the play offs.
The truth of the matter was that when Sutton left the club they were, if not in a decent position, not in the relegation places. Tantalisingly Sutton drops a big hint as to what really happened in his conversation with the Echo:-
“Bob and the vice-chairman, both know why I left, but in the meeting after that Burton game I had agreed that I would not say anything derogatory about the club. However, if they want to come out and elaborate to the fans about why I really left then I have no issue with that. You would have to ask them."
Hopefully someone will but, just for fun, here is a completely made up suggestion as to what may or may not have been said after the Burton game.
Chris Sutton is a famous footballer lucky enough to have played top flight football at a time when wages were sufficient to set a player up for life upon retirement. He doesn’t need to work but he misses the buzz of professional football and fancies a go at management. He realises he has to start at the bottom and applies for a job at Lincoln City. The budget is modest but the pay is irrelevant to him and he thinks he can give it a go. A couple of good seasons and he will be on his way. He aims to be in the premier league in seven or eight years. It goes reasonably well and relegation is avoided. The fans don’t exactly warm to him, he’s not that type of guy but hey ho, it’s not for long. Great things are expected in his second season, he has after all given the fans some great players to enjoy particularly Davide Somma who scored a lot of goals. To his dismay the budget for the next season is not great. The Chairman explains that gates are not on target and money doesn’t grow on trees. The season starts badly.
Chairman Bob: “I need to speak to you Chris. The natives are getting a bit restless, you know we were the first club to be relegated from the league and that is to be avoided at all costs.”
Famous footballer: “I’m confident that won’t happen Mr Chairman”
Chairman Bob:” There’s another problem, we’re going to have to cut the budget, people aren’t coming through the door and you know season tickets were down this year?”
Famous footballer: “ Well if that’s the case I can’t guarantee anything. I speak to other managers and compared to some of them I’ve got my hands tied behind my back. It’s not easy to persuade players to come to Lincoln.”
Chairman Bob: “ There you go again Chris, you’re not in the premier league now, we’ve got to live within our means.”
Famous footballer:” When I came here you promised me things that you haven’t kept to, That makes my position very difficult. I could walk away now you know, it’s nothing to me.”
Chairman Bob:” Don’t be like that Chris, anyway you’ll never get another job in football if you walk away now.”
Famous footballer: “See if I care, I don’t need this job.”
Chairman Bob:” You’re not resigning are you?”
Famous footballer:” Yes, and I’m taking Ian with me.”
Charman Bob:” For Gods sake don’t breathe a word about this, I’ll be strung up from a lamp post.
Famous footballer:” Alright as long as you don’t rubbish me”
Can you do better? Don’t forget it’s completely made up. The writer claims no inside knowledge whatever.