In the second part of our special end of season feature,
former Upton Park favourite and regular whufc.com columnist Tony
Gale provides his own personal look back at the unforgettable
2006-07 campaign, reflecting on a period of momentous change at
Upton Park halfway through the season…
The middle part of the season was really the time when Alan Pardew's fate as manager was sealed. After breaking the successive wins record the previous season, Pards went through a torrid time during which the Club endured one of the worst runs in our history.
You really couldn't see where the next victory was going to come from. Pardew's departure came after the two worst performances of the season up to that point: Wigan at home, where we lost 2-0 and never looked like getting a point, and Bolton away where we lost 4-0 and it could have been double figures for them.
Personally, I think Pards's body language on the touchline at the time said it all. Carlos Tevez started the Bolton game on the right wing and I don't think Pards really trusted him to play in his best position just behind the main striker.
Looking back on it, if Tevez had had more starts and more opportunities to show his worth, then the upsurge in form might have arrived a lot sooner.
After the Bolton game the decision was made to dispense with Pards. It's amazing how things change so quickly in football, as the year previous Pards was everybody's hero after taking the Club up to 9th place in the Premiership and to our first FA Cup final since 1980.
I believed at the time that it was the correct decision for everyone. It may have seemed a bit harsh on Pards, but action had to be taken - and quickly. As it turned out, it was in the nick of time.
Alan Curbishley was appointed as the new manager and he couldn't have started any better when he won his first game in charge against Manchester United and followed it up with a good away point at Fulham.
Little did we know, however, that some problems were fairly deep-rooted and these two results had glossed over the cracks. Curbs was soon to find out that he needed some new players if he wanted the Club to stay in the Premiership.
The important thing about the new signings was that they had to be experienced players as the youngsters in the squad were clearly not coping with a poor run of results. The big question was who the Club was going to sign….
The final part of Galey's review of the season will be appearing on whufc.com soon.
The middle part of the season was really the time when Alan Pardew's fate as manager was sealed. After breaking the successive wins record the previous season, Pards went through a torrid time during which the Club endured one of the worst runs in our history.
You really couldn't see where the next victory was going to come from. Pardew's departure came after the two worst performances of the season up to that point: Wigan at home, where we lost 2-0 and never looked like getting a point, and Bolton away where we lost 4-0 and it could have been double figures for them.
Personally, I think Pards's body language on the touchline at the time said it all. Carlos Tevez started the Bolton game on the right wing and I don't think Pards really trusted him to play in his best position just behind the main striker.
Looking back on it, if Tevez had had more starts and more opportunities to show his worth, then the upsurge in form might have arrived a lot sooner.
After the Bolton game the decision was made to dispense with Pards. It's amazing how things change so quickly in football, as the year previous Pards was everybody's hero after taking the Club up to 9th place in the Premiership and to our first FA Cup final since 1980.
I believed at the time that it was the correct decision for everyone. It may have seemed a bit harsh on Pards, but action had to be taken - and quickly. As it turned out, it was in the nick of time.
Alan Curbishley was appointed as the new manager and he couldn't have started any better when he won his first game in charge against Manchester United and followed it up with a good away point at Fulham.
Little did we know, however, that some problems were fairly deep-rooted and these two results had glossed over the cracks. Curbs was soon to find out that he needed some new players if he wanted the Club to stay in the Premiership.
The important thing about the new signings was that they had to be experienced players as the youngsters in the squad were clearly not coping with a poor run of results. The big question was who the Club was going to sign….
The final part of Galey's review of the season will be appearing on whufc.com soon.