Martin Gray and the team ...
- theoriginalfatcat
- Posts: 6719
- Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:40 pm
- Team Supported: Darlington
Martin Gray and the team ...
Martin Gray really has found his feet since December.
Since then we've played 14 games and dropped only 5 points. Comparing that to Blyth's last 14 (dropped 15 points) and Salford's last 14 (dropped 19 points) that's amazing form.
And re Salford, on paper they would seem a big threat as they seemingly have more money for players and a bigger better pool in which to find them, but Gray and his team seem to have outsmarted them by making sure that every new signing is a good one, not only in a footballing way, but how the new players fit in and become part of the unit.
It seems that the higher up the leagues we get ,the more Gray's wealth of experience tells, and whilst the managers of our competitors are striving hard to get somewhere new, Gray's already been there and learnt from his experiences.
I'm impressed by the players discipline too - we had more stupid sendings off when we were a league team.
If we can keep this going and finish top it will be an incredible achievement.
Profile pic
Feethams the Panda. 28 Jan 2012.
Now extinct!
Feethams the Panda. 28 Jan 2012.
Now extinct!
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
Darlington fc as a whole stems from a very good foundation laid down when it became a fan owned club under our previous C.E.O.,s which led to martin gray signing a 6year contract.this then allowed the manager to.bring his vast knowledge and experience to put us back on the map,the team spirit and bonding is there for all to see at matches .altogether an excellent club,team ,manager and most of all the fans who wholeheartedly put Darlington f.c. where we are today.a very big well done to everyone involved.now let's get back to Darlington,s Blackwell meadow a.s.a.p and carry on up the ladder to where we used to be and further if possible.together it can be done.
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
Gary Brown's return has had a huge impact IMO - no coincidence we've picked up since he re-signed
- QuakerPete
- Posts: 1196
- Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:51 pm
- Team Supported: Darlington
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
Would be good to have the ground deal signed asap, the end of March deadline for fund-raising is creeping ever neareronewayup wrote:Darlington fc as a whole stems from a very good foundation laid down when it became a fan owned club under our previous C.E.O.,s which led to martin gray signing a 6year contract.this then allowed the manager to.bring his vast knowledge and experience to put us back on the map,the team spirit and bonding is there for all to see at matches .altogether an excellent club,team ,manager and most of all the fans who wholeheartedly put Darlington f.c. where we are today.a very big well done to everyone involved.now let's get back to Darlington,s Blackwell meadow a.s.a.p and carry on up the ladder to where we used to be and further if possible.together it can be done.
-
- Posts: 4127
- Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:14 pm
- Team Supported: Darlington/Blackburn
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
I'm not sure I could attribute a single causal explanation. Brown and the superb central partnership of Cartman/Gaskill have made a massive difference no doubt. Nevertheless I wold attribute a great deal to the impact of Turnbull not just because he is a talented player but a massive leader on the pitch. He is by far the best signing Darlo have made since the reformation. His technique and reading of the game is exceptional.divas wrote:Gary Brown's return has had a huge impact IMO - no coincidence we've picked up since he re-signed
A personal view is the presence of Scott in midfield must also not be under-estimated. He isn't the most subtle player I have ever seen but he does a great defensive job and has actually got a decent eye for a pass. HIs pass for the first goal against Matlock shows what he can do and how efficient he is. Gives us muscle in the centre of midfield and I think his performance away at Ilkeston with 10 men was one of the best solo performances I have seen this season. He is a great foil for Turnbull. I would also say that players like Galbraith and Thompson have had exceptional seasons probably now they are fully fit again.
Fantastic effort all round. To Martin Gray we must give the final plaudits.
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
Some news this week I hear......QuakerPete wrote: Would be good to have the ground deal signed asap, the end of March deadline for fund-raising is creeping ever nearer
-
- Posts: 14082
- Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:13 pm
- Team Supported: Darlington
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
I also agree that Scott has been a revelation this season and having him in midfield with Turnbull it has provided us with a very solid heart of our team. Gray has flourished as we have gone up the leagues, but I also think that Gregan's influence has been significant, as he has stayed with the club from our re-birth.
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
and Brian Atkinson?Darlo_Pete wrote:I also agree that Scott has been a revelation this season and having him in midfield with Turnbull it has provided us with a very solid heart of our team. Gray has flourished as we have gone up the leagues, but I also think that Gregan's influence has been significant, as he has stayed with the club from our re-birth.
- Robbie Painter
- Posts: 2289
- Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:37 am
- Team Supported: Darlington
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
Hope it is a definitive deal with rugby club on BM ground share.loan_star wrote:Some news this week I hear......QuakerPete wrote: Would be good to have the ground deal signed asap, the end of March deadline for fund-raising is creeping ever nearer
The time line is getting very tight.
Robbie Painter - http://twitter.com/RobbiePainter
-
- Posts: 14082
- Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:13 pm
- Team Supported: Darlington
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
Yes I agree but I see Gregan having much more of an input during the games than Atkinson does. Gray has done really well to keep his coaching staff intact, that continuity helps the team.lo36789 wrote:and Brian Atkinson?Darlo_Pete wrote:I also agree that Scott has been a revelation this season and having him in midfield with Turnbull it has provided us with a very solid heart of our team. Gray has flourished as we have gone up the leagues, but I also think that Gregan's influence has been significant, as he has stayed with the club from our re-birth.
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
We correctly give great credit but Atkinson and gregan also deserve our praise. Does gregan still live in Preston? If so the commitment is fantastic
-
- Posts: 14082
- Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:13 pm
- Team Supported: Darlington
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
I've heard he lives in Fleetwood, which is even further away and he's always there, whatever day or night we are playing.
- HarrytheQuaker
- Posts: 3148
- Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:57 pm
- Team Supported: Darlington
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
Yeah he does still live in PrestonD_F_C wrote:We correctly give great credit but Atkinson and gregan also deserve our praise. Does gregan still live in Preston? If so the commitment is fantastic
-
- Posts: 1005
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 10:25 am
- Team Supported: Darlington
- Location: Darlington
- Contact:
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
Fully agree: Brought the right spirit to a defence that was struggling. Burgess in particular has blossomed. We will be thinking of player of the season soon and his name will be up there with Turnbull & Cartman 2 off the best signings in the last few years.divas wrote:Gary Brown's return has had a huge impact IMO - no coincidence we've picked up since he re-signed
-
- Posts: 4127
- Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:14 pm
- Team Supported: Darlington/Blackburn
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
Burgess has improved massively.tezza wrote:Fully agree: Brought the right spirit to a defence that was struggling. Burgess in particular has blossomed. We will be thinking of player of the season soon and his name will be up there with Turnbull & Cartman 2 off the best signings in the last few years.divas wrote:Gary Brown's return has had a huge impact IMO - no coincidence we've picked up since he re-signed
-
- Posts: 1202
- Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:18 pm
- Team Supported: Darlington
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
Very general point about our winning run. I don't get to as many games as I'd like but when I have been we look fitter this season. Anyone else noticed this? Some of the late wins maybe bear this out?
Not sure if this is down to Alan White? We definitely look more and more like a pro/semi pro outfit.
Not sure if this is down to Alan White? We definitely look more and more like a pro/semi pro outfit.
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
Yes, particularly noticed it with Thommo who looked back to his quickest in the first half v Ilkeston. Back four seem able to cope with most opposition forward lines, midfielders all have good stamina (although would like to see them running at teams more often) whilst Cartman does a lot of off-the-ball chasing and space creating which Gaskell then exploits to good effect. Thanks to better on-pitch discipline and avoiding yellow / red cards, MG has had the luxury of substituting forwards and 'saving legs', whilst avoiding injuries thus giving some squad players valuable playing experience. Coupling all these factors with a 'never say die' attitude, we have been able to pull back from the brink of defeat and go on to take those late wins as the opposition seems to wilt.
The run-in and spell of 3 games a week, will put our fitness to the test (not to mention playing on that excuse for a pitch at HP). MG has been able to select a consistent side either by luck, or more likely good management, and has had the support of a great back-room team. Even the fans have made a valuable contribution (although would like to hear the drum beating when we are not performing to the best of our ability) and hope that during the run-in, people continue to make the effort to go and show, nay voice, their support. Some of the opposition teams are obviously not used to playing in front of such numbers and can be influenced. The only things we haven't got control of are the inconsistency of refereeing and the weather. Hopefully we can avoid the play-offs and go up as champions as this is now in our own hands, then come back to town in triumph and use the summer to create a decent playing surface at Blackwell.
The run-in and spell of 3 games a week, will put our fitness to the test (not to mention playing on that excuse for a pitch at HP). MG has been able to select a consistent side either by luck, or more likely good management, and has had the support of a great back-room team. Even the fans have made a valuable contribution (although would like to hear the drum beating when we are not performing to the best of our ability) and hope that during the run-in, people continue to make the effort to go and show, nay voice, their support. Some of the opposition teams are obviously not used to playing in front of such numbers and can be influenced. The only things we haven't got control of are the inconsistency of refereeing and the weather. Hopefully we can avoid the play-offs and go up as champions as this is now in our own hands, then come back to town in triumph and use the summer to create a decent playing surface at Blackwell.
- theoriginalfatcat
- Posts: 6719
- Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:40 pm
- Team Supported: Darlington
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
So far our luck this season has been pretty good, with (as said above) player injuries/suspensions, and of course the points deduction thing.jjljks wrote:The run-in and spell of 3 games a week, will put our fitness to the test (not to mention playing on that excuse for a pitch at HP).
Even the long lay off at H.P had the benefit of allowing arguably our best player to recover from his broken jaw, and from that long lay off we've seemed a better team.
The big question now is how we cope with all these fixtures?
Cope well and promotion could well be ours.
Profile pic
Feethams the Panda. 28 Jan 2012.
Now extinct!
Feethams the Panda. 28 Jan 2012.
Now extinct!
-
- Posts: 1260
- Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2012 8:40 pm
- Team Supported: Darlington
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
Never mind the stats, I think I smell promotion, as it seems........
Darlo can both scrap effectively and box clever.
Class players from our level have been attracted in to us, rather than higher level teams.
The adaptability of the squad and avoidance of knocks with the forwards are other factors.
Many players are at peak performance.
Team spirit is high , with no prima-domas.
Regular football with Darlo's crowds & trophy prospects keeps the players with us.
Comes down to good squad management, team development and effective training.
OTT?
Darlo can both scrap effectively and box clever.
Class players from our level have been attracted in to us, rather than higher level teams.
The adaptability of the squad and avoidance of knocks with the forwards are other factors.
Many players are at peak performance.
Team spirit is high , with no prima-domas.
Regular football with Darlo's crowds & trophy prospects keeps the players with us.
Comes down to good squad management, team development and effective training.
OTT?
-
- Posts: 14082
- Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:13 pm
- Team Supported: Darlington
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
Nope I agree with all that.
-
- Posts: 484
- Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2014 7:51 am
- Team Supported: Darlington
Re: Martin Gray and the team ...
This could be a memorable season, another promotion and a return to Darlington. Momentum is always talked about with a winning mentality, we presently have both; there will be a few more twists and turns but I am feeling positivity from the players. If it does go to plan a few more quality players will be knocking at MG door to join the one North East team moving steadily upwards