Part 2 of 6
Next up SAFCblog.com looks at the Big Dick Advocat era.
In the previous blog post we covered at Di Canio and Gus, it was remiss of me not to mention that Gus was our manager when we swapped Jozy Altidore for Jermaine Defoe!!!!! WOW! That’s like swapping Lady Diane for Camilla Parker Bowler? (but the other way round)
With Gus on the bus, it was time for a bit of Dutch Dick. Big Dick Advocat arrived with a stellar CV and was clearly a very clever, experienced manager. In the last few months of the 2014/15 season he steered us to safety…. the crucial 0~0 draw at The New Highbury Stadium vs Arsenal, was one of my finest nights watching football. After 28 Arsenal shots, 76% possession and 555 more passes than us…. it was 0~0 ~ job done. Arsenal always did overplay it in the Wagner years?
Legend status assured, it was time for Dick to withdraw from his position….. but the club had got under his skin! And he couldn’t resist coming back for the new season, (never go back ~ and Super Kev for manager campaigners, please take note).
The 2015/16 season started poorly and Dick was soon under pressure, by October he was on his way. Despite a poor start to the season, Dick paved the way for Guardiola etc….. yes in September 2015, Big Dick showed up for work, (home match), in his jeans! Not pep fitted jeans, no… proper gardening jeans!!
On the occasions I met Advocat, he was a proper man, a real gent ~ chatting to kids, genuinely nice bloke etc.
His legacy should have perhaps ended with the peak of May 2015?
Rating 8.5/10
Dress code 9.5/10
Next….. exit Big Dick, enter Big Sam
