What do fans think of Peter Taylor ???

[fan_of_mulligan]

I have just been asked this question on Twitter and I thought it would be an interesting debate to have here on Gills Discussion.

My own opinion on Peter Taylor has changed from his Interim Appointment back in October towards the end of last season, replacing such an likable and charismatic manager in Martin Allen who got us promoted as League Two Champions with Peter Taylor was something back in October that did not please me one bit, however as the season went on I started to hear bits and pieces around the club that all was not well behind the scenes - transferring Charlie Lee, Chris Whelpdale, Antonio German and Steven Gregory appeared to be the final straw which saw Martin Allen's employment terminated at Gillingham Football Club.

In came Peter Taylor, who's task was to keep Gillingham in League One and that task was mostly achieved with loan signings like Elliott Hewitt, John Mousinho, Michael Harriman, Joe Pigott, Ryan Inniss, Donervon Daniels and Connor Smith - while Gary Borrowdale and Craig Fagan were both free agents who were given contracts until the end of the season - as most of the money was spent as we had higher earners like Charlie Lee, Chris Whelpdale and Adebayo Akinfenwa at the club.

But there are comments I see on Facebook and Twitter referring to Peter Taylor as "Scally's Puppet" or a "Yes Man", but on the flipside to this argument, our new signings Brennan Dickenson, Luke Norris, John Egan and Josh Pritchard have all mentioned Peter Taylor as a huge influence for them signing for Gillingham because of Peter Taylor's record with developing young players.

Are some fans still angry with the way Martin Allen was sacked and replaced by Peter Taylor inside twenty four hours, had there been a few weeks where we looked for a managerial appointment and appointed Peter Taylor would there be less anger then there is now ??? - I also felt that Martin Allen underestimated the strength of teams and the quality of players that are playing in League One and I remember Martin Allen's comment about "smashing League One" after all there was no open top bus parade and we did not max out all the commercial opportunities we should have done after being crowned as League Two Champions.

We see it with ex players, Connor Essam and Luke Rooney were at Crawley Town last season, Connor Essam gets cheered and yet Luke Rooney gets booed because we sold him to Swindon Town, the same-thing appears to happen with manager's Tony Pulis gets cheered from all four sides of Priestfield when Gillingham played Stoke City in The FA Cup a few years back, but the man who took us into The Championship (well Nationwide Division One back then) still splits opinion now.

I also think that we're in uncharted terrority now, in League Two it was always about promotion into League One, last season was about staying in League One, but now our ambitions and expectations are mixed, personally I be happy to avoid relegation and mid-table would represent a level of success for me.

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

Taylor took over as Manager in difficult circumstances.Allen was sacked probably for non Football reasons as Scally always gives Managers longer than ten games into the new season.I think some fans do not like Taylor because he took over from a Manager who was fantastic to the fans,and won us a League Title.Also Taylor was seen at Gills games a few weeks before Allen`s sacking,which made fans feel it was planned anyway.I wasn`t keen on Taylor`s appiontment at first as I saw it as underwhelming,but to be fair to him he signed some good loan signings and took the same players that were struggling at the start of the season and got us the points we needed to stay up.There were some poor games like both Brackley games,and Leyton Orient away,but also some good results like the win at Sheffield Utd,and our first win at Carlisle in decades.Taylor is quite a conservative Manager,he doesn`t jump up and down like Allen,but i`m sure in the dressing room if things are not going well then he lets the players know.

I do wish Taylor would clap the fans at away games,as small things like showing his appreciation of us travelling hundreds of miles softens the blow after a defeat,but I am pleased with the job Taylor has done overall so far.This is his squad now so he will be judged on this now.I think if he can get us playing a better style of Football,and keep us up again then he is doing a good job.A run in any of the Cups would be a nice bonus as well.

[Garawa]

Scally is far from being a loved figure amongst the fans and for many MArtin Allen's sacking was an excuse to exercise their feelings once more. I said long before that Allen would have to go from what I heard and he knew it, doing whatever he could to get the fans on his side. I will always be thankful for him delivering a title but I think he knew his tactics wouldn't work past a season and that eventually he and Scally would clash. Any owner in any business would probably have done the same.

[Rimshot]

Let's be honest NO manager with any success at the club and/or opinions worth listening to is going to sustain a long term relationship with Scally. First and foremost successful managers are likely to want a better deal and to sign better players. Pulis, in my view, was the best manager we have ever had, has gone on to be both a respected premiership boss and a media/World cup pundit. Despite all that Scally has had to say about him the plain facts are that Pulis WON in court - £70k settlement in his favour.

When he brought Stoke to Prestfield Scally banned him, the fans cheered him.

It has been clear for years that Scally is a dissembler,a carpetbagger and a self-seeker.By today''s Premiership standards then, ideal material for a football club Chairman except that he doesn't use his money to fund the club he use the club to fund his life style.

Where does that leave Taylor ? A decent enough bloke who is happy to be in work and won't cause his boss a minute's worth of aggravation. Also he will never be popular enough that it will cause ructions with the fans when Scally decides to replace him.

[Elgrande]

Luke Rooney was booed because he was an arrogant little Tw+t who wasted his talent, but Connor on the other hand was a good lad who gave his all and fell out with Mad Dog because he forgot his passport.