Ollie Palmer Signs....

Quoted from 75

Palmer will probably outpace our zimmer framed centre backs, or possibly the zimmer framed right back. Let's hope we don't sign a left back who was also born in the seventies.

Zzzzzzzz

Quoted from jamesgtfc

At a push our oldest player was born in 1979. Age is just a number. If you are good enough, you are old enough.

I would agree but a lot depends on how you look after yourself as well and the culmination of that over your career.You read and hear about youngsters going on the razzle and their bodys being able to get away with it to a certain degree(having said that if you live like a monk and you have ability you will go far coupled with mental strength eg the likes of Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt for instance from what I read use to be far more disciplined than most youngsters their age when in the youth ranks with regards to drinking as they saw the overall goal of making it as a pro worth the sacrifice over going on the razzle with other teammates ).However older you get the body cant take it and starts affecting performance.

Quoted from 75

Palmer will probably outpace our zimmer framed centre backs, or possibly the zimmer framed right back. Let's hope we don't sign a left back who was also born in the seventies.

It was you who worshipped that other (past it) centre back Lord Paul Futcher, turned out to be possibly the finest player in that position to ever grace BP

Quoted from 75

Palmer will probably outpace our zimmer framed centre backs, or possibly the zimmer framed right back. Let's hope we don't sign a left back who was also born in the seventies.

FFS...............

We shouldn't have three of the back four at 34, 36 and 36 years old. We need some athleticism in there. Okay, I'm as popular as a ginger kid but the alarm bells are ringing. We released Shaun Pearson so we could give some bloke his last contract, nowt against him, I just think it's madness.

I don't give two tosses if it's his last contract if he's better than pearson, which is completely possible. People seemed to have fooled themselves into believing Pearson was irreplaceable, a man who barely started in our promotion season, and was only first choice for half of the last one. Clarke has a vast amount of experience from higher leagues which makes me believe he'll do a cracking job.

Quoted from 75

We shouldn't have three of the back four at 34, 36 and 36 years old. We need some athleticism in there. Okay, I'm as popular as a ginger kid but the alarm bells are ringing. We released Shaun Pearson so we could give some bloke his last contract, nowt against him, I just think it's madness.

The six defenders who played the most games for us in 2005/06 were Rob Jones, Whittle, Macca, Croft, Newey and Ben Futcher. Macca was 36. Croft was 32.Whittle was 34. Neither Jones or Futcher were what you would call athletic leaving only Newey. Newey was less athletic then than Mills is now. That season we had the 3rd best defence in the league.

We still don't know who will be playing at left back and I would bet that we'll sign another centre back as well who may well turn out to be athletic. I can't remember the name of the guy that the Telegraph said we were signing on Friday but he was young and looked reasonably athletic. That being said, it's more important for a defence to be organised and capable of reading the game than it is to be quick. I play up front for my uni team and I would rather face someone who's quick but can't read my movement over someone who is two steps ahead of me mentally any day of the week. If we start the season with a solid and organised back four but have more pace in the middle and going forward then I would be very happy and we'll be a much better side than last season.

Humberside said we were signing Karleigh Osborne. Is that who you were thinking of?

Quoted from Garth

It was you who worshipped that other (past it) centre back Lord Paul Futcher, turned out to be possibly the finest player in that position to ever grace BP

I'm not trying to be a helmet Garth, you're right I did and still worship Paul Futcher. He was immense but he did have younger legs around him. Crofty, Macca and his direct partner was generally Mark Lever.

Is nobody else even a little bit concerned? As things stand, even if Zac Mills plays at right back, I wouldn't say Zac is particularly athletic. I hope I am wrong and the majority are right.

Quoted from 75

I'm not trying to be a helmet Garth, you're right I did and still worship Paul Futcher. He was immense but he did have younger legs around him. Crofty, Macca and his direct partner was generally Mark Lever.

Is nobody else even a little bit concerned? As things stand, even if Zac Mills plays at right back, I wouldn't say Zac is particularly athletic. I hope I am wrong and the majority are right.

Zac Mills not athletic? Have a word with yourself.

I am not in the slightest bit worried about the age of the defenders. With age comes experience and wisdom, probably the two most important attributes needed for a centre half. Great centre halves do not need pace. It is more about how they read the game and where they place themselves which is important. There was never a better example of this than Paul Futcher. I watched Futch make fools of some of the paciest strikers you could find in the 1st Division (the Championship).

Finally, these defenders may not lack pace. Age does not = lack of pace