Nathan Clarke

If he was playing in the scunny game last match of the season then he is woeful

He wasn't

Excellent signing, rock at Huddesfield for well over a decade and not done too bad at league one level since.

That's good cause they were embarrassing at the back

Welcome to GTFC Nathan.

Great high-level of experience at centre back now with Collins (ex-Premier League) and Clarke (ex-Championship).

Sure there'll be plenty of the predictable comments about having two "older" centre backs and lacking pace etc etc, but with their experience I wouldn't expect them to get in positions where they'll be exposed for pace.

And I'd rather have players at the back with ability than just be quick and able to chase back to where they should've been in the first place.

Good to see a signing! Sounds like a pretty solid choice.

I'd imagine we might have to play quite deep and that won't worry me seen as what Jones and Osborne were able to produce on the break last season in patches. Need a good left back, another centre half and a top striker now.

Good signing. Really good

Looks like a great signing. He might be 33 (which is hardly ancient anyway!) but who's to say he's any slower than Pearson??

We'd be lucky to sign anyone else with the pedigree of Collins and Clarke, and i imagine we only managed to get Clarke because of the Slade connection.

left back and we have every position covered. couple of utility players after

No upper age limit on players so it doesn't matter how old they are as long as they are good enough. Very experienced which can't be a bad thing. Welcome aboard, Nathan.

Really happy with that signing, left back next please.

UTM

Excellent signing IMO. Read a lot of good things about him from previous clubs fans (on the whole) , RS obvs knows him very well and will be confident he can do well for us. I'm just waiting for the 'I'd rather if kept Pearson' comments and the 'doubt he's better than pearson' comments from the odd moron. Would be typical to compare a decent conference defender to a player who's had a very good career and never played below league one! Welcome aboard Nathan

Fantastic signing for us, agree with others here we need a left back to replace Danny Andrew then we are set. A few Coventry City fans moaning on twitter, didn't rotherham fans say the same when we signed Danny Collins? Now just look how godly Collins has been in League Two. UTM.

The negative comments on this are embarrassing,the same people moaning are the same moaning that we'd made no signings. He's had a fantastic career at a high level, brilliant signing IMO.

We won't see any 'mark' signings this year. Slade is about team building. This lad is an important bit of the jigsaw. If he has weaknesses Slade will already know them. But he obviously has strengths and great experience and he is a leader. Looks good to me.

Good signing, lots of experience at higher levels and good defenders don't need to be physically quick as long as they are mentally quick.

Quoted from pontoonlew

The negative comments on this are embarrassing,the same people moaning are the same moaning that we'd made no signings. He's had a fantastic career at a high level, brilliant signing IMO.

Am I reading a different thread to you, as most of the comments on this thread are happy with an experienced defender added to the squad.

IMO we need a goalkeeper, left back, winger & striker and a bit of weeding in the midfield area.

Slow but stead progress in the right direction

UTM

Pleased with this signing, strong experienced in the middle of the defence with Collins

Quoted from The Yard Dog

Am I reading a different thread to you, as most of the comments on this thread are happy with an experienced defender added to the squad.

IMO we need a goalkeeper, left back, winger & striker and a bit of weeding in the midfield area.

Slow but stead progress in the right direction

UTM

Tbf it was aimed at a couple of idiots who opinions unfortunately tend to be the loudest. Nice that the majority seem to be pleased.

Quoted from The Yard Dog

.

IMO we need a goalkeeper, left back, winger & striker and a bit of weeding in the midfield area.


UTM

Why have we sacked the groundsman.

Good signing,another player who could of easily stayed in league one. His and Collins experience should be enough to contain most strikers in this league

Ooohhh you can't have a loud opinion anymore .........  Free speech alive and well at the fishy ... so long as you are a sherp

What's a sherp ?

Quoted from fleabag1970

What's a sherp ?

So happy everyone's relishing pre-season  





















Taxi

Good bit of experience. We should have a good few leaders in the squad.

Quoted from pontoonlew

Tbf it was aimed at a couple of idiots who opinions unfortunately tend to be the loudest. Nice that the majority seem to be pleased.

So anyone with an opinion different from yours or the majority is an idiot?

Quoted from fleabag1970

What's a sherp ?

A Barnsley sheep.

Good signing so its not Knott then.

Good signing for me.

Quoted from grimsby pete

Good signing so its not Knott then.

Noooooooooo it's not Knot, Knots not happening not yet, and I care not anyway

A good player with experience and leadership qualities, nice to see as he won't be cheap, maybe an indication we are spending a bit more on wages to bring the right players in.

I honestly feel that in Collins and Clarke we have a potentially very good partnership
Not the fastest but neither was Bobby Moore!
They have 5 yards of pace in their heads - snuff things out before they happen

Loved Shaun to bits - top man and top player - but Slade and Wilko will have thought "if we want to challenge next year" is Shaun a first team centre half?

The fact he's ended up at non league Wrexham is revealing IMO

Left back, one more centre half and a quality striker and I think we are home and dry... oh and another 5 or 6 midfielders

Getting excited now about the squad - it will be more competitive I think than last season and we did really well IMO

I can see us being no nonsense solid at the back; busy, combative, pacy and skilful in midfield; and the icing would be a top notch L2 standard striker along with what we have

Top 7 sorted!

Quoted from devs

I honestly feel that in Collins and Clarke we have a potentially very good partnership
Not the fastest but neither was Bobby Moore!
They have 5 yards of pace in their heads - snuff things out before they happen

Loved Shaun to bits - top man and top player - but Slade and Wilko will have thought "if we want to challenge next year" is Shaun a first team centre half?

The fact he's ended up at non league Wrexham is revealing IMO

Left back, one more centre half and a quality striker and I think we are home and dry... oh and another 5 or 6 midfielders

Getting excited now about the squad - it will be more competitive I think than last season and we did really well IMO

I can see us being no nonsense solid at the back; busy, combative, pacy and skilful in midfield; and the icing would be a top notch L2 standard striker along with what we have

Top 7 sorted!

Hope we push the boat out for Nicky Maynard

Agree Garth
Or a couple like that!

Back sound as a pound
Midfield mix of attack dogs and skill
Two 100mph wingers
Two top notch up top

Job done

I never complain and I'm patient but I really want and would love to see us sign either a very experienced striker or a well known up and coming striker

Quoted from devs

I honestly feel that in Collins and Clarke we have a potentially very good partnership
Not the fastest but neither was Bobby Moore!
They have 5 yards of pace in their heads - snuff things out before they happen

Loved Shaun to bits - top man and top player - but Slade and Wilko will have thought "if we want to challenge next year" is Shaun a first team centre half?

The   fact he's ended up at non league Wrexham is revealing IMO

Left back, one more centre half and a quality striker and I think we are home and dry... oh and another 5 or 6 midfielders

Getting excited now about the squad - it will be more competitive I think than last season and we did really well IMO

I can see us being no nonsense solid at the back; busy, combative, pacy and skilful in midfield; and the icing would be a top notch L2 standard striker along with what we have

Top 7 sorted!

All it reveals to me is that Wrexham offered Sean a good deal that suited him and rather than play the waiting game he made a quick decision.
You point out we need another centre-half who I would presume would be a back-up to Collins and Clarke. If that is the case then why let Pearson go as he has demonstrated in the past that he will fight for his place, would certainly learn from Collins and Clarke and has constantly improved since he came. Also , if Nathan is the answer to our centre-half problem in pushing for promotion then why sign him for only 12 months?
Obviously anything said about Sean going is secondary because he has gone but I feel there is more than a smattering of " engineering " been done by releasing Pearson to bring in a potential  "favourite" of Slade.

Quoted from rancido

All it reveals to me is that Wrexham offered Sean a good deal that suited him and rather than play the waiting game he made a quick decision.
You point out we need another centre-half who I would presume would be a back-up to Collins and Clarke. If that is the case then why let Pearson go as he has demonstrated in the past that he will fight for his place, would certainly learn from Collins and Clarke and has constantly improved since he came. Also , if Nathan is the answer to our centre-half problem in pushing for promotion then why sign him for only 12 months?
Obviously anything said about Sean going is secondary because he has gone but I feel there is more than a smattering of " engineering " been done by releasing Pearson to bring in a potential  "favourite" of Slade.

Slade's decision would have to have been whether Shaun was going to be first choice as Boyce was already contracted as a 'back up'. Shaun wasn't even first choice in promotion season and much as we loved his stepovers, he wasn't beyond a howler or two. Clarke and Collins have a proven record at higher levels and we already had Boyce.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Slade's decision would have to have been whether Shaun was going to be first choice as Boyce was already contracted as a 'back up'. Shaun wasn't even first choice in promotion season and much as we loved his stepovers, he wasn't beyond a howler or two. Clarke and Collins have a proven record at higher levels and we already had Boyce.

The point I was making was in reference to the poster saying we needed another centre-half, that was all. As far as howlers are concerned I'm sure Clarke has made a few and certainly Collins has.

Some fans do seem to see Pearson through rose tints. He is a decent defender when the ball is in front of him. Don't forget though it was the manager who signed him at Boston and brought him to BP who was leaving him out first. PH was a defensive coach and for him to do that must be significant. Personally I think he is at his optimum level. Players don't improve a lot after mid-20s. Good lad, great attitude but not L2 material.

I don't see the one year contract for Clarke as any big deal either. You build your side to achieve from where you are, in stages. If we succeed this year then we will need other reinforcements in defence and Boyce's contract is up as well.  The manager will know this but - one thing at a time.

Sometimes fans just to accept that Managers have more ability and knowledge than fans
Lets just cut RS some slack and see what happens, eh?

What Ilkley said.........

Plus.....re Shaun he's a great guy who deserves success in his life and career but check back over the last few seasons and see how many goals we have conceded when he was to slow to read a ball into the near post, contrary to what people feel with the ball at his feet he can actually play but in a Town shirt at times his reading of the game was prett average.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

I don't see the one year contract for Clarke as any big deal either. You build your side to achieve from where you are, in stages. If we succeed this year then we will need other reinforcements in defence and Boyce's contract is up as well.  The manager will know this but - one thing at a time.

Agreed. If I'm ever in danger at moaning at a player's contract being too short I think back to the glory days of Boshell (or maybe it was someone else, I can't be arsed checking) and Hegarty getting THREE year deals.

Quoted from GtfcGarner

Excellent signing, rock at Huddesfield for well over a decade and not done too bad at league one level since.

And should still have some life left in him considering he is only 33(if he has looked after himself) which for a defender is not that old.Heard from other ex pros  that in other positions eg midfield it takes it out of you more  due to the to the extra running and movement needed.

Some players do gone on longer. Dis was 35 last year and didn't look woefully off the pace at all.

Quoted from Mariner_09

Some players do gone on longer. Dis was 35 last year and didn't look woefully off the pace at all.

Rooney's only 31 and he looks more like on the p1ss than on the pace.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

What Ilkley said.........

Plus.....re Shaun he's a great guy who deserves success in his life and career but check back over the last few seasons and see how many goals we have conceded when he was to slow to read a ball into the near post, contrary to what people feel with the ball at his feet he can actually play but in a Town shirt at times his reading of the game was prett average.

You're entitled to your opinion as am I and I think what you have said is bollox.

The problem with some people on here is that they think they have a better knowledge of the players than the manager has.

    I have faith in RS and his experience in football as a football manager and in his ability to sort out the wheat from the chaff!

Well that's a problem around the country, everyone thinks they know tactics,if a player will be good or not and how to pick the team.

People get a bit age obsessed on here though, they think everyone over 30 shouldn't be allowed to play anymore even though there are players in their late 30's who still play regularly in the premiership by the time they hang up their boots. Or they take big money to play in China,America and Turkey whatever works for them.

Quoted from arryarryarry

You're entitled to your opinion as am I and I think what you have said is bollox.

Based upon?

Quoted from 123614

The problem with some people on here is that they think they have a better knowledge of the players than the manager has.

    I have faith in RS and his experience in football as a football manager and in his ability to sort out the wheat from the chaff!

Admittedly I'm not an expert but I base my appraisal of Pearsons ability after watching him all the time he has been at BP. RS released him after 6 weeks? and prior to that I doubt whether he knew who Sean Pearson was!

Quoted from rancido

Admittedly I'm not an expert but I base my appraisal of Pearsons ability after watching him all the time he has been at BP. RS released him after 6 weeks? and prior to that I doubt whether he knew who Sean Pearson was!

Who is Sean Pearson?? You cant mean Shaun Pearson, especially after "watching him all the time he has been at BP" because you d have probably learned how to spell his name....

I've got no idea who Sean Pearson is either

Seems to me that a team needs 4 central defenders for a variety of reasons including injury, suspension, loss of form, squad rotation, etc. We have Boyce, Collins, and now Clarke, and that's fine, but shouldn't we have kept Pearson as well? If we end up with another central defender who is as good as Pearson I'll be very pleasantly surprised.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Based upon?

Based upon the fact that he has been one of our most consistent players this past 6/7 seasons.

like all the players in the last few seasons Shaun has strengths and weaknesses, lets just hope RS has got it right and brings in better

Quoted from HertsGTFC

like all the players in the last few seasons Shaun has strengths and weaknesses, lets just hope RS has got it right and brings in better

Exactly, Shaun was he'll of a player to be in the squad though, probably did not want to be just a squad player and was used to being a regular