Phil Brown

[Robwez10]

From Southend fans, he likes to play hoofball and plays older players more than the younger lads. Also plays 442

[Southendfan]

Southend fan in peace, we're all a bit baffled that Brown has managed to get another league job, he did well in his first spell but his second with us was a complete disaster.

A few have pointed out his record in the last 6 games of the season as a positive but if you look at our results against the same teams earlier in the season he actually managed less points against those teams than the manager before him got, he didn't really do anything special with us (especially considering a lot of teams were already thinking about their holidays), the match that did matter (Colchester) was awful and basically confirmed our relegation.

That isn't why he was a failure though, after all he only had 6 games with a poor squad so he was thrown in at the deep end, it's what he did this season that was a disaster. He did make a couple of good signings up front (although one only started scoring once he left because Brown inexplicably kept sticking him on the wing when he's a poacher) but he filled the midfield with aging players whose best days were long behind them and completely neglected to strengthen the defence (goalkeeper aside, who was admittedly a good find from Brown). As a result in every match we were getting overrun by younger players in midfield and our defence didn't fare much better.

We were getting thrashed on a regular basis and Brown didn't seem to have a clue how to fix it. He got so desperate that he phoned Akinola (a player Brown decided he didn't want and so he had relegated Akinola to the under 21s before the season started), Brown had to identify himself on the phone because Akinola didn't have a clue who was ringing him!

Phil Brown was sacked with us just outside the relegation zone on goal difference and you would have been hard pressed to find a fan that was sorry to see him leave. Our new management team took a month or two to find their footing (not helped by the fact we unexpectedly learned we were in an embargo when we tried to sign new players, which has since been resolved) but they've since turned things around. They bought in new, younger faces from semi-pro clubs eager to make the step up and also drastically improved the fitness of those that they deemed good enough to stay, in our last 15 league matches we've only lost 1, which highlights how poor a job Brown did.

Hopefully he's learnt a lot from his second spell with us because if he manages you with the same attitude he managed us you'll be in serious trouble. At least he doesn't have access to the transfer market, if you've got a decent squad that's been underperforming then he may be able to get them playing and keep you up, his management style upsets a lot of players but in the short-term it might make them play. If he does keep you up though don't make the mistake of thinking his deal should be extended, his transfer policy is extremely outdated and will likely find you in another relegation battle next season.

[Cromwell58]

We need the players to respond now not sure of their motivation in a few of the games, time to show us what they can do.

[Jonty]

Well thanks Southend fan- we can all look forward to the next 9 games then with great confidence. Results are all that matter now. I personally think Cooper would have seen us over the line and I see this is a massive gamble by the board. The same players have got to hit the net.

[Jeeby]

Southendfan, I guess you didnt write his CV then.

[SUFCRob]

Hi. Southend fan, here. Our supporters forum picked up on this thread, so I thought I’d post some perspective on what happened to us under Phil Brown.

Firstly, he had enjoyed a good period in charge of us initially from 2013 to 2018, leading us out of League Two in the right direction in 2015 and narrowly missing out on the play-offs in League One the following season.

Our Chairman backed him pretty well in that spell, and he was able to bring in some good players on decent wages, but he was what I’d term a streaky manager. At the end of that 2014/15 season we won 7 matches in a row to almost earn automatic promotion before missing out on the last day and going up via the play-offs, but then we were in a wretched run when he was sacked first time around, winning 2 in 12 in the league and losing 7 of his last 8. The side were devoid of ideas and there were rumours he’d lost the dressing room which had some pretty big names in it like Anton Ferdinand, Michael Turner and Simon Cox. He’d previously fallen out with club legend Adam Barrett as well.

So, last season, when we were struggling badly, it was something of a surprise when he returned. Many fans remembered the good times, and thought it worth a gamble with six games to go, but they forgot the bad ones (the end of his reign and also the start, when he replaced Paul Sturrock in the eve of a Football League Trophy final and won 1 out of 8 games).

He had a free shot last season and, although he did OK, he also oversaw a 2-0 defeat at Colchester United which effectively extinguished our hopes. That should’ve been a warning sign as he threw our analyst under the bus for providing poor information and not taking personal responsibility. However, much of the damage had already been done by then, and although he was in charge as we lost our league status, there were others more to blame.

This season under Brown showed his shortcomings. His style of play was dated, when we lost he continued to throw individuals under the bus and his reaction to one midweek defeat was to make the squad undertake a 10k run the next morning. Whereas he’s been at the forefront of sports science in his first spell, he was now behind the curve, and there seemed to be an element of him goading the chairman to sack him at the end of his period in charge with a series of baffling team selections. He got his wish after an emphatic 4-0 home defeat to Chesterfield.

His contacts list was poor (although that won’t be an issue for you this season) and he didn’t seem to have any idea how to motivate a team any more.

For what he did in his first spell with us, I wish him well, and having gone through relegation last year, I wish you all the best in your efforts to stay up, especially after you spent so long in the wilderness. If you get a couple of wins early in his time with you, you should get enough momentum to stay up, but I’d worry if it starts badly.

[RedWeb]

Welcome to the Phil Brown Fan Club (Southend Branch).

[Lowtower]

I can’t imagine PB passing incognito among the crowd

Been in bluey the bluebird hasn't he.

Bloody hell, We've already had that Peado as a manager, Shez waving his banger at the burger girls and now a new one who is into this sort of thing ?

It all goes on at the Soccer.

[Big_Bluebird]

Browns interview is a breath of fresh air. Saying the training ground is fantastic everything he has to say is positive about. Worth a listen

[blue nige]

Whoever is in charge we're all supposed to support the club so let's put the prejudices aside and support our club 9 massive games, I'm sure those fans going on Saturday will give it some ,together we'll do this seen Phil Brown's interview and his attitude is different to Cooper's he appears to be a glass half full guy not half empty ( have I got that right ?)

[philbrownstan]

Call me biased but i think its a good appointment til the end of the season. Look at the impact an experienced Simpson has had at Carlisle, fingers crossed for the same thing with PB for us.

[Matty]

Not sure how long this has been lined up for, he mentions he was at the Rochdale game last week.

[MisterPleasant]

Talks a good game. He actually says "we" and "us": https://www.barrowafc.com/news/2022/mar ... 1cjbNTtDsE

[saltcellar]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... sn=scwspwa

Good interview with Phil Brown.

[RedWeb]

Saying the training ground is fantastic everything he has to say is positive about.

Cooper would have said "the training ground isn't the best but it is what it is" etc.