Hero Takes A Fall

With Northampton Town parting ways with playing legend Ian Sampson as their manager, Nobes looks at how it worked out for others who made a similar transition at their club.

Club legend Ian Sampson had been in charge at Sixfields for just 16 months

"It's not about Sammo the legend," remarked Northampton chairman David Cardoza when explaining the difficulty of the decision to remove boss Ian Sampson from his position last week.

The Cobblers have experienced a disappointing campaign in League Two. Although expected to challenge for the top seven, new boss Gary Johnson finds his side lying well off the pace in 16th, a full 12 points off the play offs.

Sampson spent a decade serving Town as a player, making the second most appearances in a claret shirt. He then joined the club's coaching staff before replacing Stuart Gray in the top job in September 2010.

He oversaw an encouraging second half of the campaign, eventually steering Northampton to 11th, but has been unable to build on that momentum this term.

Despite a memorable League Cup victory on penalties over Liverpool, it's the bread and butter which has let Town down. Events at Anfield couldn't disguise underachievement at Sixfields.

Not that Sampson is the first, and he won't be the last, to have a go managing the club he represented with distinction as a player. Here's my look at how it turned out for a few others:


Roberto Martinez (Swansea City)

The Spaniard only spent four seasons as a player in South Wales, but became a fans' favourite for his cultured displays in midfield as captain of the Swans.

He helped guide them away from relegation to the Conference in 2003 before playing an important role in their promotion to League One in 2005.

He was controversially released by boss Kenny Jackett at the end of the next season - a move which upset many City fans.

Less than a year later he had returned to the Liberty to replace Jackett as manager and took them to the League One title in his first full season playing a brand of attractive passing football.

Consolidated them in the Championship before leaving for Wigan - arguably laying the foundations for Swansea's current push for the Premier League.


Bryan Gunn (Norwich City)

A Scot by birth, Gunn is an adopted son of Norfolk after spending more than a decade between the sticks as Norwich keeper.

He was twice voted player of the season during his time at Carrow Road, and was part of the side which, in 1993, finish 3rd in the Premier League - the club's highest ever finish.

A member of the Norwich team who upset Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup during the '90s as well as the Canaries' Hall of Fame. There's even a club at the ground named after him.

Initially was a goalkeeping coach at City before stepping up to replace Glenn Roeder as boss in January 2009. However, he was unable to stop Norwich sliding into League One at the end of the season.

He retained his post only to be removed after the first game of the new season, a 7-1 thrashing at home to Colchester.


Eddie Howe (Bournemouth)

Howe joined his local club as a youngster and spent the majority of his playing career with Bournemouth before leaving for Portsmouth in 2002.

However, he suffered an injury-hit time at Fratton Park and eventually re-joined the Cherries, initially on loan, before fans helped raise money to re-sign him permanently.

He progressed to the role of reserve team boss before taking over as caretaker manager from Jimmy Quinn with the club staring relegation to the Conference in the face.

The Football League's youngest boss engineered a great escape, despite an 18-point deduction. Then, last term, not even a transfer embargo could prevent him leading the Cherries to promotion to the third tier.

Before leaving to take over at Championship Burnley in January, Howe had taken Bournemouth into contention for back-to-back promotions.


John Askey (Macclesfield Town)

When Askey first joined the Silkmen, they were plying their trade in to the Northern Premier League. However, he helped them win the title in 1987 and gain promotion to the Conference.

During his time at the Moss Rose as a player, Macc twice won the Conference title and also secured the FA Trophy before finally reaching the Football League in 1997.

Twelve months later, Askey had again played a major role in Sammy McIlroy's side's elevation to League One as they secured successive promotions.

By the time of his final game for the club in 2003 he was assistant to boss David Moss, and stepped up to replace Moss a few months later - overseeing an improvement in results for the struggling Silkmen.

As they began to struggle again though he stepped down to assist the experienced Brian Horton as Macclesfield avoided the drop and then qualified for the play offs in 2005. Now in charge of the Town Youth Team.


Steve Tilson (Southend United)

As a player with Southend in the '90s, Tilson was part of the Shrimpers side who secured back-to-back promotions into the Championship.

After retiring as a player he joined the club's Centre of Excellence before being named caretaker manager of the first team in 2003 after the departure of Steve Wignall.

Tilson helped keep United in League Two and guided them to consecutive Football League Trophy finals, although they ended up on the losing side on both occasions.

However, in his first full season he took Southend to promotion via the play offs and a year later they had repeated his feat as a player - winning back-to-back promotions as League One winners.

He couldn't keep them in the Championship though, and eventually left the club after financial problems condemned them to relegation to League Two last season. Now at Lincoln.


Stuart McCall (Bradford City)

The Yorkshireman began his career at Bradford and during his first spell at the club was part of their third tier title winning side in 1985.

He returned to the Bantams in 1998 and captained them as they secured a place in the top flight of English football for the first time in 77 years.

They stayed there for a couple of years and, after retiring and spending time assisting Neil Warnock at Sheffield United, McCall returned to Valley Parade for a third time in 2007.

On this occasion it was as manager, with the club newly relegated to the basement division. Despite lofty expectations, he failed to guide them to the play offs in his first two seasons.

Persuaded to stay on by supporters, he eventually resigned midway through his third campaign - again with the Bantams struggling to make the top seven. Now managing at Motherwell.


Jim Gannon (Stockport County)

As player with Stockport, Gannon spent a decade helping the Hatters to two Football League Trophy finals as well as a couple of promotions.

Hugely popular with the Edgeley Park faithful, after retirement and a move into management in Ireland, the club turned to him to aid their battle against relegation to the Conference in 2005.

He helped them escape the drop on the final day of the season and then transformed them into a young side playing good football which, two years later, won promotion via the play offs.

However, County's financial turmoil saw him unable to take the club much further, and they only narrowly avoided the drop back to the basement division.

He was made redundant by cost-cutting County at the conclusion of the 2008/9 season. Now at Port Vale, but is constantly linked with a return to the Stockport job.


Mick Harford (Luton Town)

Often voted the best ever player for the Bedfordshire club, Harford spent six years with Luton during the 1980s.

During his time with the Hatters, he helped Ray Harford's men win the 1988 League Cup and preserve their top flight status. He also appeared for the England senior side.

He spent a short spell at Derby before returning to Kenilworth Road again, almost scoring the goals to keep Town amongst the country's elite. However, he left after relegation.

Harford was assistant to Joe Kinnear in 2001, helping Luton win promotion from League Two before leaving a couple of years later. He returned as manager himself in 2008, with the cash-strapped Hatters facing relegation back to the basement division.

Docked 30 points, he was at the helm as Luton crashed into the Conference in 2009, but did secure them the Football League Trophy. He left the club early on last term after a poor start to the campaign.


Ronnie Moore (Rotherham United)

Now in his second spell as manager of the Millers, Moore has a long and successful connection with the South Yorkshire club.

He first went to the club as a player in the '80s. His goalscoring exploits over three years made him a terrace favourite and saw him recently voted United's greatest ever player.

In 1997, he returned to Millmoor as manager and guided the club to successive promotions to the Championship where, despite a comparatively small budget, he kept them for four seasons.

Eventually, with relegation looking likely, he departed in 2005. However, he returned to Rotherham last season to replace Mark Robins.

Moore took the Millers to the play off final where they were beaten by Dagenham. They are once again in contention for promotion from League Two this term.


Brian Tinnion (Bristol City)

Despite being a man of the North East, 450 appearances over 12 years as a player at Ashton Gate means Bristol is the city most associated with Tinnion.

He was part of the Robins side who fluctuated between the second and third tiers during the '90s - winning promotion in 1998 but suffering relegation in 1995 and 1999.

Working with the club's youth system, Tinnion was already being groomed for the top job before becoming a player coach under Danny Wilson as City once again fought for promotion from League One.

He replaced Wilson as manager after successive play off failures, but in his first year at the helm Tinnion was unable to even guide the Robins into the top six.

A poor start to the next season saw him resign from his post following a 7-1 thrashing at Swansea left City in the relegation zone.

Let Me Hear Your Trumpets Ringing Out

Nobes salutes some of the clubs and managers who, despite staying out of the spotlight this season, deserve recognition.

Barnsley boss Mark Robins has overseen a year of progress at Oakwell

They say no news is good news. Find that your club is constantly overlooked and fails to grab the national media's attention, and you can count on that being because things are ticking along just nicely.

No manager being sacked and, although not involved in the race for promotion, there's no relegation battle to be fought either.

It's all too easy to gloss over such clubs and the work of their managers. However, they are often the bosses who consistently do the best jobs without receiving the recognition they merit.

Take Barnsley's Mark Robins, for example. When the Reds turned to the 41-year-old last term, they found themselves struggling at the foot of the table after a poor start to the campaign.

However, the former Rotherham manager soon turned things around and, at one point in the spring, the Oakwell outfit were even on the cusp of the play offs.

A late dip in form eventually saw them finish 18th in a congested mid-table. However, he has built on that first season with a term of solid progression and development.

Saturday's 4-1 defeat to resurgent Leicester left the Tykes in 13th, a full 13 points clear of the bottom three. Also, since a 4-0 loss at QPR on the opening weekend, they haven't dropped lower than 18th all term.

For a club who fought the drop for three successive seasons under his predecessor, Simon Davey, it's clear that Robins has moved the team on to another level.

Not that he's had the greatest resources available to him. Indeed, Barnsley are outperforming sides with higher wage bills who have spent more, and that is testament to the manager.

Coaxing consistently fine performances, as well as goals, from winger Adam Hammill also earned the club £4 million from Woverhampton Wanderers in the January transfer window as they sought to secure his services.

He will undoubtedly be a loss to the Reds for the remainder of the season, but they were quick to replace his goal threat with the signing of Bristol City striker Danny Haynes.

The summer captures of centre half Jason Shackell and Serbian midfielder Goran Lovre have also been astute moves, and Garry O'Connor from Birmingham is a proven forward in the Championship.

Robins, who notably had to overcome financial problems, points deductions, and a temporary home when in charge at Rotherham, is proving himself to be a young manager of increasing capability - who gets the best out of what he has available.

Not that he's the only one. Indeed, across South Yorkshire, Sean O'Driscoll continues to establish Doncaster in the second tier, as well as furthering their reputation as purveyors and protectors of the beautiful game.

It's earned the boss himself admirers - he was strongly linked with the Sheffield United job over Christmas. Perhaps that has proved a distraction, with Rovers losing four of their last five games to drop to 15th.

However, they still remain secure in the middle of the table, which is no mean feat for a side on modest resources with some of the smallest attendances in the Championship.

It is also a sign of the job the Irishman performs at the Keepmoat that pundits were all confident that Rovers wouldn't figure in the fight for survival at the bottom.

Although not advocating the same footballing principles as O'Driscoll, Millwall boss Kenny Jackett also deserves praise for the way his side have adapted to life in the second tier.

Kenny Jackett is ensuring promoted Millwall make a bright return to the Championship

I spoke after their opening day 3-0 win at Bristol City that the Lions were in good hands under Jackett's guidance. A hard-working pragmatist, opposition managers always speak in glowing terms about his team's endeavour and the danger they pose.

While they may not be the prettiest team to watch in the Championship, they also don't have the money of some of their rivals. Fine recent form has even propelled them up to 7th - albeit having played more games than some of the sides around them.

However, successive promotions aren't out of the question should the London side repeat their exploits of 2002 in qualifying for the play offs the season after coming up from the third tier.

It is a tier itself which is home, too, to managers quietly and efficiently going about their business.

Take Exeter City's Paul Tisdale, a manager who has rejected offers from other clubs to remain in Devon.

The Grecians are one of the smallest clubs in League One, but Tisdale has stayed loyal to them to help further his managerial education while competing against most illustrious opponents.

After a last gasp escape from relegation on the final day last season, City have held a place in mid table since August.

Not only that, but he guided them through to the regional final of the JPT this season - the run ending with an aggregate defeat to Brentford over two legs to deny them an appearance at Wembley.

They also continue to play the brand of fluid passing football which the manager has implemented since their days in the Conference. It's the mix of style and substance on a limited budget that so often eludes other bosses.

Keith Hill is not one of them though. The Rochdale supremo wrote his name into the Lancashire outfit's history books when promotion last term ended more than 35 years spent in the basement division.

However, after a poor sequence of results at the end of last season, allied with a difficult time in the summer transfer market, Dale fans were concerned their stay in League One would be a brief one.

They currently sit in 9th though, and continue to adhere to playing the game the right way.

The boss has also shown great character and nerve to turn around a worrying slide down the table from the dizzy heights of 4th to just above the drop zone in 18th. Even if Dale do end up in the bottom half, they have been one of the season's surprise packages.

As have Milton Keynes Dons. Indeed, naming the then 29-year-old Karl Robinson as manager last summer was a surprise in itself.

The youngest manager in the Football League was also taking over at a tricky time in the short history of the club. Paul Ince brought an end to his second spell at stadium:mk last season citing budget cuts and differing ambitions for his departure.

It appeared as though the ambitious Dons, who reached the play offs in 2009, would now have to scale back their dreams. However, Robinson has them competing once again for the top six.

To be doing so in his first job, as well as outperforming Ince despite less money to work with, is an achievement which should not be overlooked. You may not like the Dons, but the manager deserves some kudos.

The experienced Paul Sturrock is giving a masterclass in crisis management at Southend

While they profit under the leadership of a rookie, it's an experienced pro who is once again proving his worth in League Two at Southend United.

The Shrimpers went close to going out of business during the summer after relegation from League One, and a transfer embargo was only lifted days before they kicked off their season against fellow financially-troubled Stockport.

However, unlike the currently flailing Hatters, United boss Paul Sturrock used his many years in the game, as well as his various contacts, to fashion together a team that, while quickly assembled, currently sit just three points off the top seven.

It's no mean feat to bring a large collection of players in all at the same time and gel them into an effective and winning unit in a matter of months.

While promotion via the play offs may well prove beyond them this term, the Scot, who has previously guided both Plymouth and Swindon out of League Two, will be a good bet to lead the side from the Essex coast up next season.

Down on the South Coast, another boss who consistently does his job well - without receiving the recognition he deserves - is Torquay United's Paul Buckle.

During their time in the Conference he guided the Gulls to Wembley on three occasions - including winning the play off final in 2009 to return to the Football League.

Last season, he established them back in League Two and the Devonians have kicked on from there, comfortably sitting in mid table and earlier in the campaign went nearly 1000 minutes without conceding a goal.

It's not just their league form which should be praised though, but their recent record in the FA Cup also tells the tale of a manager who treats the competition with respect - not afraid to progress at the cost of not playing in the league.

They've reached the third round in three of the last four seasons, twice making the fourth round, and claimed the scalps of Blackpool and Coventry along the way.

Buckle has also earned praise for the way he conducts himself, including the dignified manner in which he dealt with their disappointing FA Cup exit amid the antics of Crawley last month. No surprise bigger clubs are already sniffing around the 40-year-old.

It's a mystery why John Coleman continues to be overlooked for positions though. There is arguably no manager in the Football League who so regularly gets his side to punch above their weight than the Accrington Stanley boss.

No club in the Football League attracts smaller crowds or works with an inferior budget than the Lancashire outfit. However, they are well on their way to securing a sixth successive year in League Two.

Coleman is the architect behind it and, although he can sometimes let his passion overtake him, it is impossible not to admire his achievements and longevity at the Crown Ground.

Basement division rivals Lincoln were rumoured to be interested in the Liverpudlian earlier in the campaign, but he eventually signed a new deal to remain with Stanley.

While it would be a wrench to leave the club after 12 years though, it is remarkable that more clubs haven't tested his loyalty by giving him the chance to prove what he can do at a bigger club with greater resources.

If only he could afford a bigger trumpet.

Tired Of Hanging Around

With Leeds and Norwich in the Championship, Bournemouth in League One, and League Two Oxford all vying for back-to-back promotions, Nobes looks back on other sides who've done the same in recent years - and what happened next.

Up from League One last year, Leeds and Norwich are fighting for successive promotions

Promotion for one, or both, of Leeds and Norwich at the end of this season would cap an incredible turnaround in fortunes at both Elland and Carrow Roads in the past two years.

The pair both won promotion from League One last term and have continued their momentum this term in challenging at the top end of the Championship. Successive elevations aren't out of the question.

League One Bournemouth, too, are also gunning for successive promotions after their against-all-odds promotion last season. Oxford, after their exile in the Conference, have also returned stronger and are mounting a play off push.

While continued success may sound like a dream scenario though, is there an argument for rising too far too soon? Here's my look at some of the other sides who've won back-to-back promotions and how they fared afterwards.


Watford 1997-1999

Graham Taylor, in his second spell in charge at Vicarage Road, guided the Hornets to the third tier title in 1997/8.

Twelve months later, and they had completed a return to the top flight for the first time in more than a decade - beating Bolton in the play off final.

However, after their quick ascent, they found themselves well short in the Premier League. Watford finished bottom, a full 12 points adrift of safety.

Relegated back down to the Championship, it took them another six years before they returned to the top tier for another single year.


Rotherham United 1999-2001

The Millers made it two promotions on the spin during the first managerial spell of current boss Ronnie Moore.

They finished runners-up in both the basement division and then, to everyone's surprise, in the third tier, too, as they returned to the Championship for the first time in nearly 20 years.

Despite small crowds and limited resources, there they remained for four seasons before tumbling back down the ladder due to financial problems.


Brighton & Hove Albion 2000-2002

Not since the mid-1980s during Oxford's rise up the footballing ladder had a team won successive championships.

That changed at the beginning of the new Millennium when Brighton went from the basement division to the Championship - winning both divisions along the way.

Firstly, Micky Adams took Albion to the 1999/2000 League Two title and then, when he left mid-way through the next campaign to join Leicester, replacement Peter Taylor kept the Seagulls on course for consecutive titles and promotions.

Their sudden rise, allied with cramped facilities at the Withdean, ensured Brighton were instantly relegated - although they did manage to bounce back at the first time of asking under Mark McGhee's stewardship.

Currently top of League One - dreaming of a return to the Championship ready for playing in their brand new ground at Falmer.


Doncaster Rovers 2002-2004

Rovers spent five years in the Conference after falling out of the Football League in 1998.

However, they became the first ever Conference play off winners in 2003.

In unknown waters, people predicted the second team to come up to struggle, but Donny shocked everyone by romping away with the League Two crown.

Dave Penney's side comfortably held their own in the third tier before winning promotion to their current position in the Championship in 2008 under his successor, Sean O'Driscoll.


Hull City 2003-2005

The year Doncaster won the basement division title, many people's favourites had been big spending Hull City.

With the experienced Peter Taylor at the helm, and playing in the brand new KC Stadium, the Tigers had to settle for second spot and promotion though.

Twelve months later, and they had made it successive promotions - as runners-up in League One to Luton. Taylor ensured City stabilised in the second tier before Phil Brown led them into the top flight in 2008 for the first time in their history.

They hung around for a couple of seasons before falling back down last May.


Southend United 2004-2006

After years of mid-table mediocrity in League Two, local lad Steve Tilson engineered a dramatic turnaround in fortunes at Southend.

The Shrimpers were victorious in the 2005 play-off final against Lincoln to gain elevation into League One.

There, they shocked everyone by winning the title - pipping local rivals Colchester to boot - and gain a return to the Championship for the first time in a decade.

They only lasted a year there, and although they went close to returning, off-field financial troubles saw them relegated back down to League Two for this season.


Carlisle United 2004-2006

The masters of avoiding relegation from the Football League finally paid the price for previous close-calls in 2003 when a disastrous start cost the Cumbrians their League Two place.

They bounced back at the first time of asking - Paul Simpson's men beating Stevenage in the play off final.

United then followed in Doncaster's footsteps by winning the League Two title the very next season.

Now firmly consolidated in the third tier of English football - as well as performing their usual JPT heroics.


Peterborough United 2007-2009

Ambitious owner Darragh MacAnthony fuelled back-to-back promotions in the Fens as Posh made it from League Two to the Championship.

Darren Ferguson led the Cambridgeshire side to runners-up positions behind Milton Keynes and then Leicester in successive seasons to return United to the second tier for the first time since 1994.

However, Posh struggled badly last term, culminating in Ferguson getting the boot and three other managers failing to stave off relegation.

Now back in League One and back under Ferguson's control.


Exeter City 2007-2009

The Devon side were the first victims of two-up two-down between the Football League and Conference in 2003.

They remained there for five years, losing out in the 2007 play off final to Morecambe before 12 months later returning to Wembley and beating Cambridge to win promotion.

Paul Tisdale's Grecians then finished as runners-up in League Two behind Brentford as they secured a return to the third tier for the first time in 15 years.

They battled against the drop last term, eventually ensuring survival on the final day to secure another year in League One.


What do we learn from a look in the history books? Certainly for Norwich and Leeds, winning successive promotions into the Premier League is rare. Watford found the step-up too big, but then they are a much smaller club.

They would find it hard, like all promoted sides in the top flight do, but would stand a better chance than most of staying up.

For Bournemouth, clubs of similar stature like Peterborough and Rotherham have found the going tough after their rapid ascent into the Championship. With their financial limitations, the Cherries probably would too.

Oxford have cause to be optimistic though. Plenty of promoted Conference clubs have gone straight through the basement division and none of them have been relegated immediately.

With their resources, they should feel confident that a second successive promotion can be the platform for establishing themselves back in the third tier.

Sturrock and a hard place

After their appointment of Paul Sturrock, Nobes looks at why troubled Southend United might just have the right man for the right occasion.

Paul Sturrock has a successful track record in the lower leagues

They've had even more cause than usual to be feeling blue down at Southend of late.

The Shrimpers relegation back to League Two last season brought to a close a successful spell under Steve Tilson. It had included successive promotions, and a year spent in the Championship.

The future, it seemed, was bright again for United - after years spent toiling in the basement division.

It appeared, too, that the popular Tilson - who it would be harsh to blame their demotion on - would be remaining at Roots Hall, determined to take the club back up again.

However, chairman Ron Martin's decision to put Tilson on 'gardening leave' and end his manager's seven-year reign indicated that he was determined to move onto pastures new.

Whether the change is a result of the club's relegation is unknown. It seems strange that a move would be made so long after the end of the season if that was the reason.

At the time, I spoke about the difficult decision that both club and manager would now have to make. Tilson, it appears was willing to continue, but Martin has decided that a change of direction is what's called for.

In hindsight, the removal of Tilson's assistant, Paul Brush, towards the end of last season was probably an indication that the man at the helm was beginning to have doubts about whether the manager should also continue.

The swiftness of the appointment of Tilson's successor is also a sign that this had been a move long in the planning, and not simply a knee-jerk decision based on a breakdown in the pair's relationship.

Enter Paul Sturrock. The appointment of the experienced Scot is somewhat of a coup for Southend, and one that should earn Martin some rare praise.

It is, unsurprisingly - and probably justifiably - the chairman who has borne most of the anger and frustration of unhappy Blues fans.

The Essex club have suffered huge financial problems, the squad has been largely decimated, and Sturrock finds any rebuilding job hampered by a transfer embargo.

A meeting at the High Court over unpaid bills last week saw them given a fortnight to prove that they are in a sound-enough financial state to avoid being put into administration.

United at Southend: Ron Martin and Steve Tilson in happier times

It's a far cry from a few years ago when talk was of a brand new stadium as part of plans to establish themselves back in the second tier of English football.

All of which begs the question why on earth Sturrock would have signed up for such a fire-fighting job? Worried Shrimpers fans must hope that he only agreed to join after being given the assurances by Martin about the club's future.

If so, and the club can find a way to survive off the field of play then, despite their money troubles, they can prosper next season under Sturrock's guidance.

Rarely can a club in such trouble have been fortunate enough to appoint a new manager with a more impressive track record than that of his predecessor. However, the -year-old has a sound record in the lower divisions.

In 2002, he took Plymouth Argyle to the League Two title securing a record number of points. That was despite three quarters of their Home Park ground being re-developed at one stage or another during the season.

Two years later, and he had led the Pilgrims to the brink of the League One championship and promotion to the second tier before answering the call from top flight Southampton.

He next took over at Sheffield Wednesday midway through the 2004/5 campaign and managed to secure promotion to the Championship through the end of season play-offs.

His other Football League promotion - with League Two Swindon in 2007 - was also achieved despite only taking over the reins from Dennis Wise midway through the season.

It's a record which shows a man who not only knows how to win promotion - but how to achieve success in a short space of time. Southend will be hoping he can work similar miracles at Roots Hall in the coming season.

However, they must also learn to accommodate a change of culture under their new man. Sturrock's own brand of quick-fix remedying is based around a direct, no frills approach to playing the game.

Fans accustomed to seeing their side trying to pass their way to success under Tilson will have to re-acquaint themselves with a more pragmatic, less exciting, spectacle every Saturday afternoon.

However, in their current state, it is results on the pitch which must take precedent over any issues of style. Sturrock should ensure that the ship is steadied and begins to point in the right direction once more.

That should be more than good enough for Southend. As the old saying goes - beggars cannot afford to be choosers.

What goes up must come down

After their relegation to League Two was confirmed at the weekend, Nobes analyses the future for Southend United.

Southend fans are facing up to the prospect of League Two next season

There's a thought that football, like life, goes in cycles. For Southend, after Saturday's 2-2 draw at Oldham, that cycle is complete.

The result at Boundary Park condemned the financially troubled Essex side to relegation to League Two.

It also completes a six-season journey which took them from the basement division to the Championship and back again.

It's not the first time a team have had such a similar rise and fall down the ladder. However, Southend's has all come under the management of Steve Tilson.

From their play-off final win over Lincoln in May 2005, to life in the second tier after lifting the League One title.

Tilson led the club into games against the likes of Birmingham and Sunderland in their one season stay in the Championship. Next term it'll be Burton and Stevenage on the fixture list.

The popular 43-year-old, who spent the majority of his playing career at Roots Hall before joining the coaching staff, had been at the heart of the club's renaissance.

Relegation back to League Two will hurt him more than anyone - particularly in the manner it has happened.

The Shrimpers have been beset by off-field money troubles - owing huge amounts to Customs & Revenues. At times, the future of the club has been in doubt as they have struggled to stay afloat.

Indeed, the future could still be perilous, with the club only narrowly avoiding a winding-up order in the past week.

It was also the determining factor in the sale of striker Lee Barnard to Southampton in the January transfer window.

Barnard had notched 17 goals for United before his move to St Mary's. When he left, Southend were 14th in the division - five points clear of the drop zone.

Since his departure, they've won just once in 19 games - a disastrous run of results which have conspired to send them down to League Two with still two matches of the campaign left to play.

Now the manager, and club, must face up to a difficult decision.

Does he stick with 'his' club in their hour of need and help turn things around? Or, does he decide that he needs a fresh challenge, a new set of surroundings, and try to further his career?

After all, staying on with the Shrimpers just because of his loyalty to the club isn't necessarily the right thing to do. If he lacks the same energy and hunger needed to drive a club to success, he must move on.

If he would be going through the motions at Roots Hall - continually frustrated by the financial restrictions - then he must do the right thing by the club.

Southend boss Tilson is the fifth longest serving manager in the Football League

After all, two relegations will not diminish a CV that once had him being linked to Championship jobs. Keeping Southend in the second tier was always unrealistic, and matters off the pitch have been the biggest factor in their demise this term.

Tilson has a reputation for building teams who play good football, and his two promotions and one play-off failure at Southend will ensure he remains an option for any vacant managerial posts.

If he has the wish to test himself at a higher level, if he thinks he deserves the chance at a bigger club, or that his time at Roots Hall has runs its course, he must leave.

Not that that's the scenario the club wish to see. Their decision to remove Tilson's long-serving deputy, Paul Brush, earlier in the campaign smacked of a club who thought a new approach was necessary, but were unwilling to change their manager.

Perhaps they should be applauded for their loyalty, after all, Tilson is largely blameless in Southend's current troubles. It's also doubtful whether a change of manager would have seen a turn around in fortunes.

Club chairman Ron Martin has publically backed his manager - recognising his part in the club's original success - and understands Tilson knows what it takes to win promotion.

The manager has stated this week that "he's not a quitter" and his chairman is already discussing sitting down with him and sorting out a new contract.

It must be a decision made with the head though - and not the heart - if Southend's cycle is to start over again.