6 September 2005: Sacked

Bobby Williamson is no longer Plymouth Argyle manager.

Bizarrely, the media don't seem to have picked it up yet. The Argyle board issued the Press Release at 9.30pm, it's now 11.10 and the BBC website and Sky Sports News seem unaware that Bobby has won the Sack Race in this year's Championship. Still, they'll catch up.

Can't say I'm too saddened by this. It's sad that it didn't work out for Bobby, and it's sad that he wasn't able to keep up his early promise, seeing the team to victory in the third tier of English football a couple of years ago, and a good start to last season. It all went wrong from there very quickly and Argyle only stayed up by three points last year. This year has been worse by all accounts: although the defeats haven't been heavy, they've been comprehensive, and suddenly the selling of players like Graham Coughlan and David Friio seem quite short-sighted given the way the previously successful team had been built around that solid backbone through the formation.

Wise heads on Pasoti note that Jocky Scott taking temporary charge may not be for the best: those who attend reserve games and training sessions report Jocky, until now the team coach, is nothing short of abusive towards the players. Some believe he, rather than Bobby, has been the problem. But the timing of the announcement (late at night, a long time after the last game) perhaps implies an imminent appointment. Tony Pulis, John Gregory, Peter Reid and even Paul Sturrock are the names being banded around. We'll see what develops over the next few hours and, perhaps, days.

Frankly, as long as it's not David Kemp I think we'll be fine.

Addendum: 11.19 and Sky Sports News have a two line report with a few seconds footage of Bobby shouting on a touchline somewhere. AFTER the report from the Chester - Grimsby game in the basement division. Great stuff.