Seldom have I been quite so disillusioned with the “beautiful game” as I was after the Palace match.

Seldom have I been quite so disillusioned with the “beautiful game” as I was after the Palace match.

Two tame efforts on target and contrary to Nigel's assessment, it really was like watching paint dry. With this dismal performance still at the fore, I was going to start this column by berating the more prominent members of the Board for not standing up and at least admitting that team performances just aren't acceptable. Then on Monday it finally arrived. The Plymouth game had clearly been the final straw and at long last the majority shareholders made the statement we've all been waiting for and we now know that even the most ardent Nigel Worthington fans have had enough.

Unfortunately I believe the “two games to put it right” is delaying the inevitable and I can see a scenario similar to last year where we carry on winning home games and being beaten away. But this can't be allowed to continue.

Our financial situation is precarious and this is the last year of Premiership parachute payments so we have to make a concerted effort to at least make the play-offs.

All the signs are there of a need for a new manager. Even the effort level, a trademark of Nigel Worthington's management style, has vanished. Game after game, he now condemns his team for their lack of commitment.

But if players are not showing the manager the commitment and desire to win on a regular basis surely it's a sign of an unhappy relationship. All those excuses, so often touted last season in support of the manager, are no longer applicable.

After all, those “want-away” players with Premiership aspirations have left.

A new coach with impeccable credentials has been employed and the last one disposed of. We finally have a right-sided winger and all those new midfielders have had the time to gel and come up to our much-vaunted fitness levels. That leaves one constant, the manager.

But according to Plymouth manager Ian Holloway, Worthington simply needs time. Clearly he's unaware of the appalling away game statistics.

I suspect that Holloway's comments are a combination of naivety and obligated support for a fellow member of the manager's union.

Perhaps he also wants us to retain Worthington's services until his Plymouth team have played at Carrow Road because we all know that this manager has had unprecedented levels of patience and time. It's a great shame, but in the world of sports management there are only a very few unique individuals who can continue to inspire, motivate and lead a team to continued success.

The rest simply need to accept that at the higher levels it's a very well-paid, privileged but short-term job and move on gracefully.

Thanks for what you've achieved Nigel, but like Iwan Roberts, Malky Mackay and Steve Foley, I'm afraid it's time to move on and save both the fans, the club and yourself further anguish.

NCISA's annual meeting is at Carrow Road on October 19. This will be followed by a forum attended by Delia, Michael Wynn Jones, Neil Doncaster and Andrew Cullen and all are very welcome.