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In the season 1966/67 when Joe Mercer had been our manager for around two years these were the statistics:

Up to mid February:
Won 8
Lost 11
Draw 9
Played 28 - Points 33 (adapted to the 3 points for a win.)

This season, after Mark Hughes has been in the job around eight months:

Won 9
Lost 12
Draw 4

Played 25 - Points 31

A very similar topsy turvy season with some good wins but a lot of defeats.
Joe had done well to get us promotion in the previous year but was obviously still very much rebuilding his team and we were struggling to adapt. A more difficult job for Joe undoubtably, as he was more or less building from scratch. But, in fairness, he'd had much more time than Hughes and had spent quite a bit of money just as Sparky has.

So what's your point Spike i hear you say?

Well....in today's times Joe could have easily been on the edge of the sack for the performances that 66/67 season, after expectations had run high from the previous year's positive outcome, just as many believe Hughes is heading for the chop right now.

Who in their right mind would have predicted, without the benefit of knowing what we know now about Mercer/Alison, that they would have taken us on to win the league the following season and then go on to win trophy after trophy?

So...my point is....Could Hughes do the same? (I can hear most of you laughing from here.)

But seriously....outrageous though that statement seems right now, you just never know do you? Things can change very quickly in football it seems, if you give a bloke a bit of time.

Spike