Kevin, you need help....and you need it now

Aldershot Town lost yesterday’s encounter with high flying Bury 3 v 1. It was a game destroyed by the early sending off Aldershot defender Jones, followed in the second half by the dismissal of Marvin Morgan.

From my seat in the North Stand I’m sure some, and quite possibly a lot, of the decisions made by the referee were flawed….and his posture and overall demeanour certainly didn’t win him many friends in the ‘home enclosures’. But then he was the man in charge and despite his disaster inducing performance our only hope of survival was combative but considered, and within the rules, retaliation.

Early in the 20th century, Walter Cannon’s research in biological psychology led him to describe the 'fight or flight' response of the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) to perceived threats to physical or emotional security. Cannon, W. B. (1929) - Bodily changes in pain, hunger, fear and rage: An account of recent research into the function of emotional excitement.

And what observations would a psychologist have made looking across to our Manager Kevin Dillon yesterday afternoon?

Well the simple narrative was rage and lost control. Finger pointing and ‘abuse’ directed towards anyone connected with the control of the game. Behaviour that led to his removal from the touchline, to be followed, no doubt by a fine and ‘ban’. Many supporters I’m sure felt the same anger and pain……the boos and corporate vitriol pretty evident as the final whistle was blown. But in a disaster situation how should we react…..well perhaps a quick lesson from Aviation.

A pilot in charge of flying an aircraft is called the 'pilot in command'. All pilot training involves coping with equipment failures and other emergencies.

Emergencies can happen no matter how well-prepared and competent the pilot may be.

When an emergency occurs, physiological changes resulting from the threat to life favour strong surges of energy in the large muscles, and they foster a narrow focus of attention on the 'blood rage' necessary for survival.

In a crisis, however, a pilot needs precise hand and foot movements—not gross physical strength—and he or she needs clear thinking—not the tunnel vision of rage.

Consequently, the 'natural' survival skills triggered by an emergency can actually contribute to a pilot losing control of the aircraft.

Therefore, in order to manage SNS arousal in an emergency, a pilot—or any person—needs a third option, a sort of 'unnatural' option: not fleeing the problem, and not fighting the problem either, but taking command of it.

In an emergency, a person should be 'pilot in command' of his or her body as one essential step in coping with the overall problem.

Kevin ‘lost it’ yesterday…it wasn’t edifying to watch and, despite the many comments in support of his reaction, a ‘Monday morning’ sincere apology to the officials would be the proper course of action.


But unfortunately Dillon does not strike me as a man who welcomes opinions other than his own…..so, in fear of raising his temperature..... Kevin you need help and I think you need it now…..