Managerial merry-go-round

In an article on the BBC Football website by Paul Fletcher, John Barnwell, chairman of the League Managers Association, gives his views on the current trend of sacking managers before they've had a chance to get established.

The article was prompted by the alarming statistic that 15 of the 16 teams outside the top 8 in Division Three of the Football League have now changed managers since the start of the current season.

"In general managers are dismissed too quickly," Barnwell states, "At the top level, management is a mixture of talent and experience. The only way you get experience is by being in a job. Yet if you look at the clubs that continually change managers they very rarely achieve the success they want. Clubs that are more consistent and give the manager a reasonable period of time are more likely to gain some success."

Motormen upset Daggers' chairman with proposed change of name

Ford Utd have angered their near-neighbours, Conference club Dagenham & Redbridge by announcing they are changing their name to Redbridge FC. Daggers chairman Dave Andrews promptly accused the RLPD club as being 'unprofessional in how they handled the announcement of their plans'.

"I think Redbridge is our name and it doesn't seem right," said Andrews, and although the Daggers chairman has stated they'll make their feelings known to the FA, he doesn't expect there is much his club can do about it.

Apparently Ford Utd faxed Dagenham & Redbridge to inform them they were proposing to change their name and the RLPD are now awaiting FA approval.