Every month, the Doncaster Rovers Official Website brings you the musings of former BBC Radio Sheffield correspondant and current match day press officer Alan Smith.
This month, Alan looks back on what has been a crazy month - filled with the unexpected.
"You know, football's a funny old game" is saying that is as true today as it was when the late Alec Stock - who was one of football's true gentlemen - first came out with what many supporters think is a statement that's blindingly obvious.
As a player Alec Stock turned out for Spurs, Charlton and QPR and then went on to become a successful manager with the likes of Leyton Orient, AS Roma, QPR, Luton Town, Fulham and Bournemouth. Is Stock's CV really all that relevant you may ask? Well yes, I think so, because the point I'm making is that with that sort of pedigree you assume that he clearly knew what he was talking about.
But why is football a 'funny old game'? - Well it could be argued that it's because you never know what's going to happen next or equally you could look at it and say 'always expect the unexpected'. Either way, perhaps they both do amount to the same thing at the end of the day.
Anyway look no further than the opening week of the current season. By 6 o'clock in the evening on the second Saturday of the Championship campaign, two managers had parted company with their respective employers - as firstly Steve Coppell (Bristol City) and then Kevin Blackwell (Sheffield United) left hot seats.
The Steve Coppell saga was puzzling to say the least and whether there are other contributory factors in addition to the ones given for his departure from Ashton Gate may well forever remain a mystery. However, his tenure at City lasted a mere 100 days during which he was in charge of the team for just two competitive games - both of which were lost. On its own two consecutive defeats doesn't seem to be a sound reason for quitting.
Surprised about the timing, is how I feel about the departure from Bramall Lane of Kevin Blackwell. OK, there always seems to have been rumblings behind the scenes at Sheffield 2, and I suppose the Carling Cup exit at Hartlepool did not help matters but perhaps the 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Queen's Park Rangers - ironically managed by former Blades' boss Neil Warnock - was the proverbial 'last straw'.
But just one cotton-picking minute! If managers are to be sacked on the strength of one 3-0 home defeat - the Blades incidentally had got a point from a 1-1 draw at Cardiff on the opening weekend of the season - then being in charge of a professional football team can hardly be described as a stable occupation. Having said all that I am pleased that the Sheffield United board have shown loyalty by promoting Gary Speed to the position of first team manager.
Then of course if we're looking for the unexpected - look no further than the results on the opening two weekends in the Championship. Millwall are a case in point - newly promoted from Division One and perhaps everybody's favourite to go straight back down - they win 3-0 at Bristol City on the opening day and then thrash Hull City by four clear goals at the New Den the following weekend.
Results like that are always difficult to comprehend and perhaps when things have settled down later in the season 'freak' score lines may well become less commonplace. On the other hand wouldn't it be a little mundane if we could predict the outcome of every game played?
I guess it all goes down to prove - as we often say - that 'football's a funny old game'.
Alan Smith
(picture courtesy of Action Images - Tony O'Brien)
