TERRAS bosses Andy Mason and Fred Davies are in the centre of a fans’ row about their future as they prepare to take their team to Ilkeston tomorrow in search of top spot in the Dr Martens Premier Division.
The row began when supporters were asked to vote on the Terras website this week whether they believed the management team should be changed, even though the club are second in the table and in a great position to press for promotion into the Nationwide Conference.
Around 50 fans rushed to log on and have their say in the first 24 hours of the poll. But there were also plenty of complaints from supporters that the vote was “devisive” and that led to website editors Steve Dadd and Paul O’Reilly calling a halt to the controversial poll.
Terras’ fan Ian White said although he thought fans should have the right to air their views, he was “staggered” when he logged on to see the vote and its subject.
“A vote that could clearly undermine the team is not the answer,” said Mr White who revealed that he had voted in favour of Mason and Davies staying on.
“We have a real chance of promotion this season, let’s all go for it united. In the end management change is down to the Board and only the Board and that is where it must stay,” he said.
Mason said the thought of fans voting about his future hadn’t upset him. “To be honest I didn’t read it, but at the end of the day everyone is entitled to their views and I suppose they all have their views on Fred and me,” he said.
“I don’t worry about things like that – I’ll just keep going until I get the tap on the shoulder from the chairman. Football’s a fickle game and we have to be judged by our results, but we are second in the table and playing quite well.
“I think it was just the disappointing FA Cup defeat that started all this off and the fans just have to put that behind them like the players are doing and concentrate on winning the league.”
Mason’s men return to the scene tomorrow of last season’s best away win, a resounding 6-1 thumping of the Derbyshire side who have not beaten the Terras in six attempts.
“I would certainly settle for that again tomorrow – but whereas they were very up and down last year Ilkeston are now much more consistent and their results are much better,” said Mason.
“The important thing in our position is to go to places like that and not get beaten and the way we have been playing we will go there feeling confident we can achieve that.”
Defender Ryan Cross and winger Kevin Parker are both unlikely to recover from hamstring injuries, though Mason is hopeful his skipper Alex Browne who trained last night will have
completely shaken off a similar injury.
Striker Darran Rowbotham is also fit again following his calf injury and is likely to be on the bench alongside Mason and young defender Arron Bastafield.