The quiet man departs.
Michael Appleton just about did enough to be given the benefit of the doubts.
A satisfying detective story will reveal the culprit with a forensic explanation of the vital clues and identifying the red herrings which could be discounted. The enjoyment for the reader or viewer is that everything they needed to know to solve the crime was there on open display as they followed the story until the finale shows how everything connects, so you share Miss Marple’s dismay about being too stupid not to see the truth earlier.
Some modern mystery thrillers have abandoned the intricacies of a well-constructed plot in favour of the surprise reveal. The ITV series ‘Vera’ is a prime example of this: the bulk of the story took the viewer on a tour of multiple red herrings until the final part, when suddenly a piece of standalone evidence emerges that incriminates a thus far unsuspected peripheral character.
If Michael Appleton’s departure from Shrewsbury Town came as a surprise, it was because there was no apparent logic in the reasons and timing for him having to clear his desk. All the clues seemed to point to him remaining in post, at least in the short term. Back in September Appleton appeared to be in an extremely vulnerable position, with a disastrous run of results leaving Salop standing on the EFL trapdoor. After a dismal home defeat to the franchise that should not be named, there were even rumours that the head coach had been sacked after the match. Short term security came with a good run of results through October – three home wins on the bounce no less – and a passage to the third round of the FA Cup navigating a couple of tricky away ties.
The start of October was the ‘stick or twist’ moment, requiring a decision on whether Appleton was the man to be entrusted leading the club’s January transfer window reconstruction. Just in the nick of time results improved sufficiently to give the head coach the benefit of the doubts. He was given time to plan the squad changes and given resources needed to make the six new signings that have joined the club since 1 January. Even though results deteriorated over the Christmas period, all logic pointed to Appleton being allowed to complete his January plans and be given a period for the new signings to bed in. With Salop just holding on to a position above the two relegation places, a feasible fallback position was the option of bringing in a new manager with a dozen games left to produce a bounce in results that would see the club to safety.
What seems to have done for Appleton was the abject performance away at the franchise that must not be named, one that made the flesh crawl with its softness and acceptance of defeat. Following on from the hiding Salop received at Molineux, it seems that confidence in the head coach rapidly drained away – or more likely confidence had been dripping away for some time and the 5-1 defeat was the final straw. With Gavin Cowan having been appointed within twenty-four hours of Appleton’s departure, it is hard not to conclude that the final decision had been taken before match at Cambridge and even if Salop had been the team that had snatched victory with a late penalty the change would still have been made.
Appleton arrived at Croud Meadow to hold the fort after the Ersatz Proud Salopian left Salop in the lurch; the then director of football Micky Moore claimed credit for bringing in a caretaker head coach in double quick time. Despite results not improving during the remainder of the season, the club seemed keen that Appleton took the role on a permanent basis. Moore’s influence seems to have been decisive here – he had plans to reshape the squad and develop a playing identity. Appleton appeared to buy into Moore’s plans, both tactically and for player recruitment.
Moore’s shock departure from Croud Meadow early in the season, left Appleton in full control of the playing side of the club. It was not long before he was distancing himself from the former director of football in a way that suggested he had never really been comfortable with the summer recruitment and the tactics employed. Appleton made a pitch that was now free to himself, and this would be a new start for Salop.
The problem was that the real Michael Appleton did not instil any more confidence than the original constrained version. He was unflappable in the technical area, but this was close to appearing to be inactive. There was a firm sense of having assiduously prepared a game plan, but he was either too stubborn or not flexible enough for any spontaneity in his tactics. His management of players seemed suspect: at various time George Nurse, Mal Benning, Harrison Biggins, Alex Gillead frozen out. A damaging public spat with Sam Stubbs. The decision to select Elyh Harrison over Will Brook against Wolves and brining on Jack Loughran in the same match out of the blue. Signing Chuks Aneke purely to be an impact substitute as he was unable to start a game – an inexplicable luxury for a club like Shrewsbury. Plenty of doubts, but ones Appleton consistently got the benefit of.
Why was Michael Appleton able to hide in plain sight? It seems to me that it was a desire to bring stability to the club. Having gone through three managers in little more than two years, there was little appetite to make another knee jerk change. Appleton had enough on his CV – successes in the lower divisions with Oxford and Lincoln – to give him credibility and instil a belief that he was able to turn things around. A desperate desire for him to succeed made many – including myself – turn a blind eye to concerns that should have been obvious.
Appleton’s departure should not have been unexpected. The clues were there, but like Miss Marple it took time to see the truth.