At a time when football clubs are hell bent on success at all costs, it is reassuring to have an owner who has time on is side.
Under the Mick McCarthy regime, there seems to be very little wavering and this applies to keeping hold of our best players too! It really is a breath of fresh air to hear what is coming out of the boardroom these days and a far cry from the crazy days of Keane and company.
It is indeed reassuring to know that Tyrone Mings has signed an extension to his current contract until June 2017 and with Teddy Bishop also expected to extend his professional contract terms; the clubs future is looking decidedly more stable.
Marcus Evans, it must be noted, has backed Mick McCarthy every inch of the way and when the manager says he wants to hang onto his best players, he says it in the knowledge that the man who has hold of the purse strings, will give him all the support he needs. We witnessed this on the closing day of the transfer window, when a club record bid for David McGoldrick was resisted, as well of course as an enticing offer for Town`s latest new talent Tyrone Mings. Today we have heard, via the popular press, that aside from Palace; Arsenal and Chelsea are also monitoring the player’s progress, which is a sign of his rapid development.
These are very encouraging signs from a club that is focused on gradual progression; without the fear of having to go back to the drawing board because the club is tempted into selling cheaply. The dark days of Roy Keane continue to remind us of what might have been? Jordan Rhodes would never have left this club had McCarthy been in charge and Marcus Evans once again gave his manager the opportunity to make those decisions, regardless of their merits. He was not going to question their wisdom, because he had paid them to make them.
We can now see how, over the years, the way Marcus Evans has got to grips with the mechanics of running a football club. He is much more street wise these days and is aware that simply throwing money at something will not alone get you to the Promised Land. He still gives the steering wheel to the gaffer but is much more aware of the skills of the person who is in the driving seat. Drive safely Mick, we know you can!
F.W.
