Is this Tilson's best season as a manager?

[Csboy]

A strange topic you may ask considering we won League One and the play offs under his reign but we were helped by having a certain Freddy Eastwood. Having a striker like that could have turned any number of average teams into promotion candidates.

This season there has been no Eastwood and he has had to rely on a lot of loan signings and a small squad. Where we are at the moment is quite an achievement on the resources we have and all the injuries and the loss of form of Maher.

This season was always going to be make or break for Tilson and he has come through it with flying colours. We could have just faded away like Luton,Gillingham and Crewe have done after relegation from the Championship but we haven't and whatever happens in the last few games its been a good season.

Of course TIlson is only human and has made mistakes(please take note TTK and Wiggy) but is getting far more things right than he gets wrong.

I just hope he is with us for many years to come as manager, he is improving all the time as a manager and I'm really confident that he can lead us back to the Championship if not this year then in the next few years and stay there this time.

 

[Nobby Snide]

totally agree...good points, well made!

 

[Kristof]

Obviously the title winning season was his best season but not too much went wrong, other than the splutter over the line after the second LDV defeat.

Tilly is certainly earning his money this year, with the injuries, losing our top scorer and such like, it been a strange season so far with all the negativity flying about but he's handling it well and we are sat nicely for a run at a play off spot which at the start of the season I personally thought we'd struggle to make.

 

[Reg Martin]

This season has definitely been his biggest test as a manager and so far he's come through it pretty well.
Our division is so tight now that we could still end up anywhere between 4th and 18th so, for me, it's hard to say yet its the best ever season under Tilly.
But whatever happens between now and end of season, the club is moving in the right direction on many fronts and I hope Steve Tilson is our manager for many years to come.

 

[Irate Ian]

Maybe his most challenging

A strange topic you may ask considering we won League One and the play offs under his reign but we were helped by having a certain Freddy Eastwood. Having a striker like that could have turned any number of average teams into promotion candidates.

This season there has been no Eastwood and he has had to rely on a lot of loan signings and a small squad. Where we are at the moment is quite an achievement on the resources we have and all the injuries and the loss of form of Maher.

This season was always going to be make or break for Tilson and he has come through it with flying colours. We could have just faded away like Luton,Gillingham and Crewe have done after relegation from the Championship but we haven't and whatever happens in the last few games its been a good season.

Of course TIlson is only human and has made mistakes(please take note TTK and Wiggy) but is getting far more things right than he gets wrong.

I just hope he is with us for many years to come as manager, he is improving all the time as a manager and I'm really confident that he can lead us back to the Championship if not this year then in the next few years and stay there this time.

Don't know what others think, but I trust him more so than anyone bar perhaps Webby, but Tilly still learning and improving.

Capable of going on to great things IMO. Hope I may be right !!

UTB

 

[Jam_Man]

Biggest test he has had indeed and we have done well to get into the play-offs, but its going to be tough to stay there.

We have made some good signings but overall there has been too much mediocrity to class it as a great season.

Overall if we finish in the top 6 its a good achievement but way we have played and the way we have done it up until now I wont be walking away thinking its the best season Ive seen under Tilly.

The squad now looks promising though and if we dont go up this year (I still dont think we will) then next year with the team gelled and hopefully fit will be something worth looking forward to.

 

[Magnum PI]

I disagree.. we have lacked a certain fluency and some of the decisions to loan out players when we have been down to the bare bones has been very unprofessional..
He is still the man, but not really learning.. hooper banging goals in at hereford and we have a striker crisis..

but we can still go up, and we have decent players in, at the crunch time of the season..

i think next season will be a good one.. but probably in league 1

 

[Murkey_Mouse]

Yes, Iam happy with Tilson process in the league table, we are moving into the right direction, our first half display agasint a strong Forest side show how good we can be when the team click and work hard for each anothers.

Tony_The_Kray, WHERE ARE YOU when we was in League 2 between 1998 to 2003? come on, hand up and admits that Tilson did FAR better jobs than the ex manager in 1998-2003! I remeber the years in 1998-2003, we NEVER look likely to finish in top 7, never mind the top 12! Losing to like of Boston, Torquay, Halifax, Exeter and Kidderminster etc .... god! I NEVER hope we dont go back there.

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

I agree. Before we had Eastwood, things were on a roll, we had momentum which carried us forward. This year Tilson has had to halt the downward slide form Championship relegation - not easy. He's had to restructure the side after the loss of Eastwood, retirement of Prior, poor form of Maher. The measure of a manager is how you deal with the hard times, and this season was always going to be difficult and being 6th is a great acheivement.

 

[BaileytheQuitter]

If you take away Eastwoods goals from 05/06 then we would have only achieved a play off finish at best.

Tilson has done well to build a squad not just around one player but compiling of a selection of decent players.

So yes- Tilson has done very well.

 

[Jam_Man]

I agree. Before we had Eastwood, things were on a roll, we had momentum which carried us forward. This year Tilson has had to halt the downward slide form Championship relegation - not easy. He's had to restructure the side after the loss of Eastwood, retirement of Prior, poor form of Maher. The measure of a manager is how you deal with the hard times, and this season was always going to be difficult and being 6th is a great acheivement.

I do agree he has done well during the season to get players like Clarke on loan, and some good January signings.

It was some task to replace Eastwood and to stop the rot from the relegation.

However we still have an appalling defensive record away from home, we have had games with only one striker fit and where the only way we looked like scoring was from a midfielder.

Yes he has done well to get us back to the play-offs, and a top 6 finish will be a good season, just not his best.

 

[Pubey]

i think there is evidence that he is continuing to learn, and that's the main thing i think

 

[sufcintheprem]

If you take away Eastwoods goals from 05/06 then we would have only achieved a play off finish at best.

Tilson has done well to build a squad not just around one player but compiling of a selection of decent players.

So yes- Tilson has done very well.

I would have said midtable at best but probably safe.

Although Bailey is our standout player, he gives a platform for our other players to perform rather than marauding on his own to win games as Eastwood did

 

[Rayleigh boy]

well I reckon Tilson is a winner -

so the jury is out on this season until its over ...... if go up it will be his finest acheivement .... and why the **** not ?

 

[WickfordShrimper]

If I was Ron Martin....

I would draw up a new 10 year contract ......

Hey What more does a Wickford boy like me want in life.... Southends my club and our No1 Son is from Wickford is our manager......

HAPPY DAYS n Everyones a WINNER

 

[Rob1920]

I agree Tilly has really earned his wages this year, its not easy to stop a slide & he's done a brilliant job as far as I'm concerned. But I do think he is half of a double act, with Ron being just as important. I think his steadying influence & faith in Tilly has brought the best out in him. There must be loads of managers out there who wish Ron was their chairman.

 

[DTS]

I dont think anyone could say that anything other than his Champioship winning season was his best.

I do think however he has shown that he is a very diverse manager who can manage in many different ways.

He has this season gone shopping at the bigger clubs both with decent prem players (Gilbert,Grant,Walker & Barnard) and getting a bargain from the lower level (Bailey)

He had to weather the fact that Freddy left as did that crap midget JCR and also the loss of talisman Kevin Maher.

I would class this as his second best season.