Boss Rob Smith today urged AFC Telford United supporters to keep a sense of perspective after the angry reaction to Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Solihull Moors.
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Smith was quick to express his own frustration at the manner of the defeat to a side battling against relegation in Blue Square North - a result which jeers from some fans at the final whistle.
But Telford remain in fourth place in the table, and Smith insists they are punching well above their weight in what is a strong league.
“We’re not a really great side and we’ve had to work hard to get where we are,” said the Telford chief.
“People have got to keep their feet on the ground because we have come a long, long way and we are scrapping to be where we are.
“There’s a few teams in this league who have been there for a long time who would swap places with us in an instant.
“Look at Hinckley - they’ve got a bigger budget than us and their manager (Dean Thomas) is experienced at this level and look where they are. We’re not a club with a sugar daddy and we have to be realistic.
“I heard fans moaning that we’ve signed someone like Vaughan Thomas from Chasetown and saying is that what we’re all about? Well yes it is, if you want me to be honest.
“What we have got out of our squad is sensational and we’ll stick to what we believe in.”
Thomas made his debut as a substitute in the defeat to Solihull Moors, which was sealed by two goals in the closing 15 minutes of the match.
And Smith added: “The frustration on Saturday was that we didn’t have one player who could come out with any credit and that’s what disappoints me.
“You look for your leaders to put in a good performance and we didn’t get that.
“At the end of the day, the team that is put out is a reflection of me and I was embarrassed by that performance.”
10 Comments
Agreed keep going Smithy your doing a great job!!!
Lay off the players and management nobody goes out to lose. Some so called supporters are a disgrace and the players don’t need telling they have had a bad game. Keep playing football - up the lillywhites!
Heard some comments towards players as they left the pitch on saturday that were totally out of order. Look at where we are and then look at where we were. Who has put us there? SMITH AND CHAMBERS thats who !!!!!!!!!
great team bad supporters its allways been the same at Telford
Pub team in a pub league, run by a bouncer.
Unfortunately some of our so called fans leave a little to be desired (should be ashamed of themselves) however the majority of supporters totally back the players and Management Team!
Yes the game was awful at Solihull but I am sure we will bounce back, up the Bucks!
Rob & Larry know where the problems are and I’m sure they can resolve them. If I have a critisism its down to a lack of a creative player in the middle of the park. Chris Cornes was beginning to fill that role before his fall from grace….Perhaps Rob and Chris’s differences need to be resolved!
To be where we are now, with a massive chance at the play-offs and a return to conference football is an absolute credit to the guys in charge, the current players and those who have gone before to get us where we are. With a good showing from Redditch against Hyde tonight and us getiting 3 points on Saturday we’re well back on track. Up the Bucks - you know it makes sense!!
Again, not sure what the difference is in fans moaning about the team and Rob smith moaning about the team? If he can have a moan in the press every time they lose, why can’t the paying fans?
All in all, Football is like that; if the team play well they get applause, if they are garbage and put in little effort… they get moaned at. With the exception of kettering, i highly doubt any other club in this division has far better facilities and budgets than at telford, so that argument is rubbish.
Tmos -if you honestly think that there aren’t lots of other clubs in this league with far bigger budgets than us, then you are deluding yourself I’m afraid…Most clubs have chairman with big pockets keeping clubs afloat. We do not.