Disappointment derails the Accrington fanbase over John Coleman sacking
Accrington Stanley fans have been left disappointed by the nature of long serving manager John Coleman’s sacking.
Coleman and his loyal assistant Jimmy Bell were sacked last Monday following the team’s 4-0 defeat to highflying Wrexham.
In Coleman and Bell’s two spells at Stanley, they managed 1,098 games taking them from the Northern Premier League First Division to a peak of League One.
Relegation to League Two last season, however, combined with boardroom disruption and a string of poor form which left the Owd Reds sitting 16th in the league, was deemed enough for club chairman Andy Holt to sack the club icons.
Following the pair’s sacking, first team coach John Doolan, who’d been at the club since 2017, was promoted to interim manager with his first game coming in a 3-0 defeat at the Wham stadium against Bradford.
Despite having seven years of experience at Stanley, Doolan was unable to produce the fresh bounce the club so desperately needed following such a bleak run of form.
After notching up a combined 24 years together, over two separate stints, the nature of any departure would always be controversial. But with Holt’s decision to remove the pair over text and use just a 41-word club statement, some fans have hit out at the approach.
Fan John Freeman, 71, said: “I’m not surprised at the sacking, but shocked at when they did it, I thought they could have waited till the end of the season.”
Similarly, Georgia Brennan wasn’t happy with the nature of the sacking.
She said: “I think it was going come sooner or later really but I don’t agree with how it was done. I don’t think it was very respectful, doing it over text after so many years of them doing amazing things for the club.”
However, not all fans were critical of Holt’s approach.
Leigh Walmsley, 55, said: “If you look at Andy Holt, what he’s achieved at this club as well, we need to look at that side, how much money he’s put into the club.
“I started coming to this club and it used to be called the Cows Shed where we used to go and now it’s unbelievable the facilities that Andy Holt has brought to the club so I think it’s a bit bitter sweet the way it’s been handled.”
But the debacle won’t stop her from coming back to Wham Stadium. She added: Walmsley said: “Funnily enough I’m going to get my season ticket renewed today, so I’ve got to be optimistic.”
Likewise, fan John Freeman hailed Holt’s commitment to the club’s success: “Marvellous job, we wouldn’t be here today.”
With so much love for Coleman and Bell, some fans have seen their allegiance to chairman Holt, shatter so quickly.
Shaun Webster wasn’t impressed with the chairman: “He came across as a child, he’s gone from an absolute hero, saved the club from going bust….to a bit of a villain.”
Ultimately, no matter who you are, football is a results business and for Coleman and Bell, this is no different.
Fan Geoff Hounslea said: “They’ll go down in Accrington history…but sadly it’s a hard game football.”
Accrington Stanley’s last five results
- Accrington Stanley 0 – 3 Bradford City
- Wrexham 4 – 0 Accrington Stanley
- Walsall 2 – 1 Accrington Stanley
- Crawley 1 – 0 Accrington Stanley
- Colchester 1 – 1 Accrington Stanley
