Mike Grant, Capital Canaries After the inevitable loss at Bramall Lane in which the referee seemingly said we deserved a point (I always knew they needed glasses) and the abysmal defeat to the hopeless Charlton, it was with a great sense of relief that the news of Roeder's departure was announced.

Mike Grant, Capital Canaries

After the inevitable loss at Bramall Lane in which the referee seemingly said we deserved a point (I always knew they needed glasses) and the abysmal defeat to the hopeless Charlton, it was with a great sense of relief that the news of Roeder's departure was announced. The board had acted quickly and correctly and they have to be congratulated for that.

He just had to go as he was universally disliked on the terraces, obviously not respected by the players, totally unfair and spiteful when dealing with certain individuals and prone to making the same excuses week in week out.

The problem with us fans was that we were all experts now and only his opinion mattered, yet every week he'd bemoan a badly defended set piece, or a mad five minutes without ever being able to stop them happening. I'd suggest when you are not running a successful side; it's probably not best to keep having a go at the fans.

He was totally against the widely touted "togetherness" our current board always state as being important and as such I don't feel sorry he lost his job (nice little pay-off remember) and I'm sure that we can all look forward to his impending tenure as England manager!

So, with the arrogant but not so special one gone, I had a smile on my face and an extra spring in my step but I have to admit that some of this disappeared with the Irish FA's announcement that we had approached them to speak to Nigel Worthington.

Why would you go back to a man we paid �600,000 to sack and who inspired demonstrations, meetings and protests?

At a time of unrest you need an appointment that is not controversial and not guaranteed to split the support right down the middle. Now the club have said it did not approach the Irish FA, but had informal discussions. Same thing, and the overall impression is of a board totally out of touch with supporters' feelings and wishes.

It is laughable that we would even consider Worthington, given the way it finished but maybe they have forgotten the thrashing on live TV in front of the nation against the mighty Burnley? The feeling among fellow fans and on all the forums (sorry Neil, but we do use them because people like yourself help make them available and when it takes two days to announce Gunny as Caretaker, people will chat…) was one of complete and utter shock. Fans of other clubs that I know are just laughing to be honest.

So, the first chapter after the nasty one's departure has been an absolute failure and PR disaster and we can only hope that the next step is successful.

I do want the board to succeed because I do believe they are decent, honest individuals. But it does not look good given this board's recent performance (plan? what plan?) and if they do not get it right (and quickly as January 31 is fast looming), the next demonstration and the next ground swell of discontent will find itself targeted firmly on those that own our club and not the poor soul charged with cobbling together a team fit to wear the shirt.