Geoff Butler launched a stinging attack on his players after Weymouth’s dreadful 2-0 defeat to Tiverton Town at the Wessex Stadium, yesterday.
The Terras boss is planning to wield the axe following what he described as an abysmal performance against a side forced to play with nine men for the last half-hour after both Steve Peters and Jamie Mudge were given their marching orders.
A furious Butler snapped:”That was an absolutely diabolical display. The players have let me, the directors, the fans and themselves down and I won’t stand for it. I can’t believe that I’ve got guys in my squad who are naive enough to think that because they won so well at Dover on Saturday, they only had to turn up and things would just happen for them again. I could live with that sort of attitude if they were a bunch of kids, but there are some very experienced players at the club who really should know better.
“Our effort today was totally inept and I will not have people playing like that for me. Players have to earn the right to wear a Weymouth jersey and there are some who just don’t deserve their place right now. I don’t know what’s been allowed to go on at this football club before, but things had better start changing pretty sharpish.
“If we lose games having given it our all, then that’s one thing, but there was nothing today in the way of effort, passion and commitment. To say we weren’t at the races is a massive understatement and all we succeeded in doing was helping Tiverton on their way.
“Before kick-off I told the players that if they want to be a top three side then all they had to do was go there and get it, but unfortunately they didn’t have the stomach for it.” He added: “Instead they were like frightened little men without an ounce of desire and there will now be changes before our next game at Grantham on Saturday.”
Only three players managed to escape Butler’s criticism in a game that Tiverton won through an own goal by Terras skipper Alex Browne on 34 minutes and a Mudge strike seven minutes into the second half.
“Only Mark Kenway, Martin Barlow and keeper Jason Matthews can take any credit from that,” said Butler, “the rest were awful. The boy Kenway is giving it his all despite having only just come out of local football and Jason was superb in goal. Martin Barlow worked hard in midfield, but that was about all.
“I felt sorry for Alex Browne on what was his 500th appearance. He’s been magnificent so far this season, but wasn’t at his best for once, although in fairness he was carrying a bit of a knee injury which restricted him towards the end.”
He concluded: “With the club now operating performance and win bonuses you’d expect the players to go out and die for the cause. If they want to do it for me then that’s fine, if they don’t then I’ll find people who do.”
