Why time ran out for Mike Walsh - Bury Times - Fri, 08 Sep 1995:
MIKE WALSH'S reign as Bury boss ended because he tinkered unsuccessfully with the long ball system and failed to lift the players sufficiently when they were down. Those were the views expressed by major shareholder Hugh Eaves during a half hour long interview before Tuesday night's Coca-Cola Cup tie with Chesterfield. Tottington born Mr Eaves, now a successful London stockbroker, admitted to preferring the direct route to goal but conceded there are other valid schools of thought. "I do accept that some the fans are interested in one style of play and some are interested in another," he declared. "What we are all interested in is getting out of this division and the fact that our home attendance's increased by 24% last season suggests we must have been pleasing someone. "On balance our style of play was getting results and I think that when it's played well it is extremely exciting. Last season we scored almost the most goals in the division and had almost the fewest against us. It is hard to argue that it is other than attractive from an excitement point of view. "Mike tried to refine the system this season and he was refining it in a way that was losing the very thing that he was originally trying to achieve. In effect you cannot mix playing tip-tap football and all action play at the same time. I think we got to a mixed state that wasn't working and a change was needed. Despite his desire to see change Mr Eaves, who has pumped more than £l.6 million into Gigg Lane and in the process made it into one of the best run league clubs in the country, was fulsome in his praise for the part Walsh played in resurrecting the fortunes of the Shakers. "He took us into the play-offs three times and to Wembley for the first time ever. Mike Walsh actually did achieve a great deal for us," said Mr Eaves. "His selection of players that he brought to the club was, by and large, extremely good. I would say that Mike Walsh left this club in a stronger position than when he took over. "I think you have to look at the club as a total entity and we have transformed Gigg Lane during the period that Mike Walsh was manager. He fully acknowledged that a lot of resources had to go into ground rebuilding and that . in effect reduced the amount that could go into the team. He was an extremely co-operative manager in the interests of Bury FC. He was always able to look at the whole picture rather than his own team building needs. "If he had any weakness at all it was when the team got its head down. he found it hard to lift them. I felt we should have won at Wembley after dominating the first 25 minutes . There wasn't the ability there to lift the team quickly enough after they'd gone 1-0 down to a lucky goal."