Filling in some of the blanks, but not all, from what i am aware Pritch was actively courted by the chaiman during the tenure of 2 previous managers.
Two weeks into the current season he told Mark he was ready to come back. At that point we had a manager in place, so nothing could happen.
Most of you will have seen Pritch at games this season, doing his homework.
Results were average, not terrible - but, and its a big BUT (kinda like Brian’s!), the off-field discipline was a major issue, and there was a split developing in the dressing room.
I was in September told by a person no longer associated with the football club that Pritch was lined up to replace Scott once results provided that opportunity.
At FC United the chairman was heard criticising Scott Dundas, and as Scott alluded to when leaving the club, everybody knew the axe was about to fall, and that Pritch was lined up to be the new manager.
We lost the following game, and Scott was immediately releived of his position.
Pritch was offered the job and accepted it. However, his work pattern was plotted up to the Lancaster home game - hence the delay in appointing a manager.
He also had his personal situation to resolve, as his partner was not sure he should return to football. The chairman met up with her and Brian to convince her that everything would be ok. She accepted Pritch returning to the club at the end of this meeting.
Sheenz was brought back to the club by Pritch, and Powell was brought in as his new captain. Nige Deeley had agreed to return as a coach. Dave Andrew had also been contacted.
As the Lancaster game approached - the game which was due to be Pritch’s return to Witton - Brian was asked to come in and meet the board to finalise his appointment. The night before the meeting he suddenly reaslised that this was to be an ‘interview’, for a position which he had been made to believe was already his…which he had moved work around to accomodate, and which he had had to struggle to convince his partner that their relationship would not suffer by his return to Witton (as it transpires, she actually booked the Saturday off work so she could be at the Lancaster game, such was her belief that Pritch would be in the dugout).
I am told that Carl didn’t actually apply for the job, and at the time of Pritch’s interview wasn’t even in the frame. He was apparoached by a Witton board member after Pritch’s interview, came to watch Witton on the Saturday and was interviewed on the Sunday, and appointed on the Tuesday. There is no wonder he has been shocked by the state of things at the club currently…unlike Pritch he was coming in cold.
Should Mark have given the job to Pritch without going through due process? I suppose that’s a question for the next board meeting and/or AGM? He has done it before though - Gary Finley was appointed to replace Nige without an interview process, Pritch was previously appointed without an interview process.
Were the board aware Pritch had been given the job? If they were, then they actively voted against their chairman - which must be a huge concern? If they weren’t, then why is Mark making appointments he doesn’t carry the authority to?
It is a very strange turn of events.
The upshot is that Carl is our manager, and he should be supported whilst he holds that position - it certainly isn’t his fault that he has a job which Pritch has already been given.
The bigger issue here, and the saddest thing to come out of this whole mess, is that Brian Pritchard (record appearance holder, our most successful manager since Stan) is now lost to the Club he served with such distinction for almost 2 decades. He claims he will never set foot inside Wincham Park ever again, that he wants all reference to him removed from the stadium, the museum, the match day programme etc, and that he no longer views Witton as ‘his club’.
Whatever your thoughts on Pritch, that should never have been allowed to happen.