David Holdsworth Thread

Quoted from heilkmoon on Thursday, 14 October 2025

It doesn’t take a lot for some of us to be soft-soaped does it?

“Speaks well” isn’t going to keep us up.

There's a different between speaking well and being good at his job. You're inferring quite a lot there.

Tony Blair and David Cameron speak well and are clearly intelligent, doesn't mean they aren't bellends.

Quoted from ccu on Thursday, 14 October 2025

If you seriously think we should be paying out £200k Signing-On Fee’s on top of Wages in L2 then your crackers Marko!

Say we offered a 2yr deal, that’s roughly £2k a week ON TOP of a similar wage likely!

Madness…

I was told by my taxi driver's hairdresser.

The agent has previously acted for players, during our ex England defender's reign. They like signing on fees because it's cash up front, but in accounting terms they are spread over the life of the contract. So Zanzala receives £201k. It appears over 3 years in wages in the accounts as £67k a year . That's why we have losses of £200k, but a cash spend of £500k. Then a thumping great loss after Curle left.

Quoted from whytakemypostcode on Thursday, 14 October 2025

Marko - bang goes your argument that all decisions are made by Holdsworth and Clibbens - DH has stated today that after the manager shortlist has been drawn up, it will go to a vote, including the board.

Some of the animals are more equal than others.
DH will have a fairly crucial role, he controls the criteria, whose cv is considered, and whose is not.
I'm sure if AJ stamps his feet and holds his breath, he can veto someone. But if candidates are being considered against what DH wants, it's hard to see he isn't the key man. When he finishes his interview with, it won't just be my decision, he means 'but it will be mainly'.

Marko, I know how SOF’s work, but it would still be crackers to offer such a level with our current standing…

Holdsworth stiring it a bit saying Beech will be disappointed in some of our players regarding trust

Quoted from ccu on Thursday, 14 October 2025

Marko, I know how SOF’s work, but it would still be crackers to offer such a level with our current standing…

We didn't offer it, that's the point. But if we can't offer that we can't build a stadium

Holdsworth and our BOD making decisions on who is the Manager/Head Coach is the reason why we are in the mess we are in now.

Repeat ad nauseam every 18-Months.

Quoted from Markovitch on Thursday, 14 October 2025

We didn't offer it, that's the point. But if we can't offer that we can't build a stadium

I’m glad we didn’t offer it, as it would be a ridiculous waste of Budget. Would pay for another Player or two!

I agree. But we won't be building a stadium anytime soon

I think a chimpanzee throwing darts at a dartboard would probably do the job.Just read the Holdsworth interview and it sums it all up-it’s says absolutely nothing at all!

That interview is laying the foundations for appointing Skelton permanently.

I don’t know about anyone else but I’d be totally against this.

Quoted from crunchblue on Thursday, 14 October 2025

That interview is laying the foundations for appointing Skelton permanently.

I don’t know about anyone else but I’d be totally against this.

I thought the same.
Skelton has been part of the problem not the answer.

However, he is also the cheapest option which would appeal to all at the club.

The most predictable, most CUFC outcome would be that Skelton gets the job and is told he can’t make any more signings.

Cue quotes about rolling sleeves up, promising to work hard and not making any excuses but we do have one of the lowest budgets in the division.

I'd disagree with the Skeleton theory.

I read Davros' comments on knowledge of players purely as him saying he'd expect anyone interested in the position to be able to demonstrate their knowledge of our squad. It chimes with the rest of the mind numbingly obvious banality in his interview.

So good knowledge of tier four is a prerequisite? Wow, he's a recruitment genius, no wonder we employ him.

Furthermore, if we win the next three league games, playing beautiful football in the process, why wouldn't you consider Skeleton for the job? You've nothing to lose by at least interviewing the unfortunate chap...

More from DH:

Skeltons wasn’t too keen on Beech according to one or two. Probably unlikely to have similar ideas to Beechy.

He needs to watch Moneyball-the head shot and it’s over rather than bleeding to death with one to the stomach

At the end of the day, the selection committee make the decisions-are they happy to take the rap?

Quoted from nobbyblue on Thursday, 14 October 2025

Skeltons wasn’t too keen on Beech according to one or two. Probably unlikely to have similar ideas to Beechy.

Hopefully not!

Obvious statement from the 'Teflon' man (Holdsworth). i.e. not his fault.
Says it was a board decision, not his to sack the manager. Was that the holding board or the 1923 board?

Holdsworth is everything that’s wrong with the club personified.

Got given an unadvertised role because he is mates with the bloke who lent the club money. Nothing is ever his fault, no accountability and no on field success.

He was brought in to fix/sort the ridiculous failings of Nixon with Curles bonus structure sign off and to try to get value for money. In one sense his succeeded because his sold players and replaced with tat.

But he has also got to be responsible for the product, which is the football side and management. 4 failed managers, can’t retain players and 22nd in tier 4 - for that it’s time to go.

I watched DH being interviewed on Lookaround this evening.

I thought the interviewer did a good job in asking pertinent questions, although he didn't press DH to expand on his answers.

There were questions about the fans' fear of relegation, whether Skelton was to be offered the job, Day's role at the club and succession at board level.

Quoted from Bluedazblue on Thursday, 14 October 2025

I watched DH being interviewed on Lookaround this evening.

Said interview:

Carlisle United's director of football David Holdsworth has sat down for an interview with ITV Border's Ryan Dollard - @RyanDollardITV - following the departure of Chris Beech.https://t.co/T8YxkqIAl6 pic.twitter.com/IhIgb9A2NS

— ITV News Border (@ITVborder) October 14, 2025

Watched both the ITV and BBC interviews and read the interview on the official site. My conclusion is, what an arrogant man !

No reason to be-he’s director of football on a club staring into the abyss.Time for contrition and a good appointment

The club has a history of jumping in and giving out new deals to managers( Abbott even got one after doing crap) , like they did to Beech. Don't understand it as it never seems to work out. You'd think with them going on about finances every week, they wouldn't do it as it wastes money