Sam Habergham - SIGNED

Playing for our U23s today.

Wasn't he rumoured in the summer?

i seem to remember Lincoln fans saying he's a good solid player, and a good guy as well, something we know Hurst wants!

Also good to see Wright and Spokes playing!

Still no Hanson tho....

Battersby, Painter, Habergham, Idehen, Hope Curran, Starbuck, Spokes, Sisay, Jackson, Wright.

Subs: Boyes, Addlard, Smaller, Davey, Khouri.

Max Wright also gets his first run out after recovering from injury, we could do with him back asap.

Been injured a long time. But was a good player

Left back too. He was released by Lincoln after a bad knee injury.

Very good full back when he was at Sincil Bank and is well thought of at Lincoln, but like stated above has seen a fair bit of injury in recent times and hasn't played since the back end of the 2017/18 season.

It appears he was signed to Lincoln in 2018/19 but spent the entire year out and had surgery and then last year he didn't have a club at all, which I am sure recovering and Covid would have been reasons.

Definitely worth a look though. No harm in putting the lad through his paces to see if he is up to scratch.

Seems Hurst has realised we need a solid Left back for cover/competition for Preston.

Interesting that the reserve game announcement says our Under23s will be in action. Hurst stated the other day that he is going to split the squad into 2 training groups as the squad was too big to train in one go, so am sure the players under 23 and not yet ready for the first team, i.e, Sisay, Idehen, Hope, Jackson Jnr, Starbuck etc will continue training aside from the first team so Hurst can concentrate on the smaller group.

Good idea I feel

Was quality at Braintree and did well at Lincoln too. Just depends on how much the injury has affected him.

Thought he was excellent whenever we came up against him at Braintree and was obviously rated highly enough by the Cowley's to take him to Lincoln. His last game was in April 2018 though, almost three years ago - that's one hell of a long time to go without playing, particularly given the last nine months.

No harm done in taking a look though.

Someone’s already updated his wiki page.
“Habergham made his debut in the 2017–2018 season in an EFL Trophy match against Mansfield Town of EFL League Two replacing Neal Eardley in the squad.[9] Habergham would win the EFL Trophy that season with Lincoln City on the club's first ever trip to Wembley, but he only played three more times before succumbing to the effects of a serious knee injury. He had surgery in 2019,[10] but was released when his contract expired having not played a game during the 2018–19 season.[11]

On 6 January 2021, Habergham joined Grimsby Town on trial and was added to the clubs starting line up for their U23 fixture against Scunthorpe United.[12]”

Just seen that Sam Habbergham has joined you lads.... I hope he’s recovered from his serious knee injury. He was mr consistent for the Imps and was always a 7.5/10. Great deadball technique aswell.
Hope he comes through and gets back to playing again

He was still training with Lincoln up until March when Covid hit. Not sure what he's done since though.

A couple of bad injuries but has never given up.

Lots of good things said about him from Imp fans and their medical team.

Best of luck Sam hope it works out for you and us.

Quoted from SalsaE70

Just seen that Sam Habbergham has joined you lads.... I hope he’s recovered from his serious knee injury. He was mr consistent for the Imps and was always a 7.5/10. Great deadball technique aswell.
Hope he comes through and gets back to playing again

Was excellent at Braintree as well, could see why Cowley brought him along to Lincoln.

What time is the match today please?

If he can replicate the Danny Andrew signing (also signed after a long term injury) then I’ll be delighted.

Quoted from oochiad

What time is the match today please?

1pm kick-off.

Quoted from AndyGTFC

Was quality at Braintree and did well at Lincoln too. Just depends on how much the injury has affected him.

Quoted from Gainsbro_Mariner

Was excellent at Braintree as well, could see why Cowley brought him along to Lincoln.

Yeah he was part of the Braintree defence when we beat them in the playoffs that took us 300+ minutes to break down over the course of 4 matches.

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

Also good to see Wright and Spokes playing!

Still no Hanson tho....

Battersby, Painter, Habergham, Idehen, Hope Curran, Starbuck, Spokes, Sisay, Jackson, Wright.

Subs: Boyes, Addlard, Smaller, Davey, Khouri.

Why would Hanson be playing for the under 23’s?

That would be like Charlie Adam turning out for Stoke’s academy in the EFL Trophy.

Oh...........

That lineup looks like a trial game to me - one or 2 of them should be going into that game thinking 'I need to deliver today' or they might be the subject of an announcement in the next couple of days.

Habergham was great for us, I think I am right that he was our first signing under the Cowleys. Never really let us down and was great at taking set pieces, see below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kXtIvyo6Zg

Injuries did start catching up with him which was a shame as he was one of the best LBs for many a year at SB. Guess it all depends if they are behind him now, if he can get that sort of performance back in him, he would be a very decent acquisition.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

That lineup looks like a trial game to me - one or 2 of them should be going into that game thinking 'I need to deliver today' or they might be the subject of an announcement in the next couple of days.

Interesting to see that Terry Taylor is not involved in this game and hasn't been on the bench for the first team recently as well. Perhaps he could be another one for the exit or perhaps Hurst is prioritising game time for contracted players.

Taylor has been injured.

Still only 28... prime age for a full back. If he can prove his fitness would be an incredible signing for this level. Wouldn’t surprise me to see him get a deal until the end of the season.

An excellent player for The Imps, pivotal in both the National League title and FA Cup run. Set piece specialist too including 2 memorable goals from free-kicks.

Cruelly had his career cut short due to injury, if you can get him match fit he’ll surely serve you well, a thoroughly nice lad too.

very risky signing given his injuries, we should stay clear, we cant afford any passengers, doesnt seem to me that people are aware of how dire our situation is.  Recruitment must be faultless

Quoted from Boris Johnson

very risky signing given his injuries, we should stay clear, we cant afford any passengers, doesnt seem to me that people are aware of how dire our situation is.  Recruitment must be faultless

You would have said the same about Paul Futcher.

Quoted from Boris Johnson

very risky signing given his injuries, we should stay clear, we cant afford any passengers, doesnt seem to me that people are aware of how dire our situation is.  Recruitment must be faultless

You are a virus on this board. i understand Porton Down are working on a vaccine to eradicate you, can't wait.  

Taylor recalled

Winning 1-0 at half time. Jackson with the goal.

Quoted from Boris Johnson

very risky signing given his injuries, we should stay clear, we cant afford any passengers, doesnt seem to me that people are aware of how dire our situation is.  Recruitment must be faultless

In our position faultless is not an option. We would be searching for faultless signings until Easter. If the manager knows someone can do a job for 4 months it will do.

According to the Twitter commentary, Habergham has been quite lively in the first half, he saw a header go wide, put Touray Sisay though on goal but he didn't take his chance, and then later put a cross in that Touray put over the bar.

Quoted from Boris Johnson

Recruitment must be faultless

Not only are you a troll, you also write like a Dalek.

Quoted from Gainsbro_Mariner

Interesting to see that Terry Taylor is not involved in this game and hasn't been on the bench for the first team recently as well. Perhaps he could be another one for the exit or perhaps Hurst is prioritising game time for contracted players.

He’s gone back

Quoted from FrazerGTFC

He’s gone back

Commented before the news broke, no surprise.

Habergaham sounds promising and may be worth a punt for next season.

But right now we have an urgent requirement to bring in fit, quality pro's who are ready to go straight into the first team..

Quoted from RonMariner

Habergaham sounds promising and may be worth a punt for next season.

But right now we have an urgent requirement to bring in fit, quality pro's who are ready to go straight into the first team..

He's 28 and has plenty of quality. I suspect it's his fitness that's the question.

Quoted from Impish2

Habergham was great for us, I think I am right that he was our first signing under the Cowleys. Never really let us down and was great at taking set pieces, see below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kXtIvyo6Zg

Injuries did start catching up with him which was a shame as he was one of the best LBs for many a year at SB. Guess it all depends if they are behind him now, if he can get that sort of performance back in him, he would be a very decent acquisition.

Imagine this without the crowd  

Great scenes, and hopefully we can all get back soon!

Quoted from RonMariner

Habergaham sounds promising and may be worth a punt for next season.

But right now we have an urgent requirement to bring in fit, quality pro's who are ready to go straight into the first team..

He'll push a fairly capable Preston for his position and hopefully overtake him. He'd be a fantastic backup option and we'd be a great option for him to prove he's fit and capable.

No brainer

Quoted from pontoonlew

He'll push a fairly capable Preston for his position and hopefully overtake him. He'd be a fantastic backup option and we'd be a great option for him to prove he's fit and capable.

No brainer

Think you’ve got it the wrong way around. We need to be bringing in better than Preston and hopefully Habergham is exactly that.

Given he’s not played for two years a six month initial contract on a small weekly wage with an additional payment each appearance, or something like that, would appear a sensible approach to adopt IMO.

If he wasn't fit, I doubt he'd even be getting a trial. The question is whether his knee will hold up to the exertions of playing in a game. Today will go some way to answering that.

Quoted from davmariner

Think you’ve got it the wrong way around. We need to be bringing in better than Preston and hopefully Habergham is exactly that.

No I absolutely get that it's needed, but lets be realistic in the fact that he's going to take a few weeks to force Preston out of the team

Quoted from Stew0_0

Hurst stated the other day that he is going to split the squad into 2 training groups as the squad was too big to train in one go, so am sure the players under 23 and not yet ready for the first team, i.e, Sisay, Idehen, Hope, Jackson Jnr, Starbuck etc will continue training aside from the first team so Hurst can concentrate on the smaller group.

Good idea I feel

Its the obvious thing to do now that the support staff numbers have grown. Previously there was only Ben Davies who used to do the training for the whole team. Ollie just used to shout at players and 'teach' them by waving his arms around.

But now there is Hursty, puppy Doig, and Ben Davies, so splitting them up makes perfect sense.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Given he’s not played for two years a six month initial contract on a small weekly wage with an additional payment each appearance, or something like that, would appear a sensible approach to adopt IMO.

I have deep reservations about signing a player who hasn't played for so long but if he's on a 'pay as you play' or some variant of that (ie not a full time 18 month contract!) then let's go for it.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

I have deep reservations about signing a player who hasn't played for so long but if he's on a 'pay as you play' or some variant of that (ie not a full time 18 month contract!) then let's go for it.

Surely PH isn't stupid enough to offer him a full-time contract due to his recent injury problems. As you say a week to week pay as you play contract seems far more sensible, until he has proved his fitness.

Quoted from Les Brechin

Surely PH isn't stupid enough to offer him a full-time contract due to his recent injury problems. As you say a week to week pay as you play contract seems far more sensible, until he has proved his fitness.

Good job things have changed or he may have had a 6 day rolling contract

      I didn't realise that we had so many football managers in this town, just let PH get on with it.

     In Hurst we trust ( well i do)

What we don't know is that he might have been training like a dog for the past 6 months and is fitter than the rest of the squad, all he lacks is 'match fitness'.

Quoted from Ruston AT

      I didn't realise that we had so many football managers in this town, just let PH get on with it.

     In Hurst we trust ( well i do)

Ha! You make a good point but I'm not sure that posting our musings on here is obstructing PH in any way. If he's reading this for coaching/managing tips we really are in deep sh*t!!!!!!

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

I have deep reservations about signing a player who hasn't played for so long but if he's on a 'pay as you play' or some variant of that (ie not a full time 18 month contract!) then let's go for it.

Fairly sure we had Georges Santos on a pay as you play deal, not so much on account of his injury record but due to his propensity to 'give people a lick'.

He was alright.

Quoted from Poojah

Fairly sure we had Georges Santos on a pay as you play deal, not so much on account of his injury record but due to his propensity to 'give people a lick'.

He was alright.

Don't want that. Especially now.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Don't want that. Especially now.

I think it was his way of saying "I only chinned him a little bit".

Quoted from Poojah

I think it was his way of saying "I only chinned him a little bit".

Wonder if licking would count as violence, retaliation (if after a foul) or ungentlemanly conduct.

28 isn't the end of life, but being out for 2 seasons will surely spur Sam to show what he can do for someone willing to give him a go ??

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

What we don't know is that he might have been training like a dog for the past 6 months and is fitter than the rest of the squad, all he lacks is 'match fitness'.

He was still training with Lincoln before COVID hit the season to a halt. I expect he's quite fit otherwise he wouldn't of lasted an hour tonight, probably more about match sharpness than anything.

Think an honest chat between Paul and the Cowleys will result in the right decision

Don’t know either way, but my guess would be sign him on on a sensible contract related to games played

Seem to be getting a lot of imp rejects lads.

You'll be after our players soon

Quoted from Lincs Iron man

Seem to be getting a lot of imp rejects lads.

You'll be after our players soon

I wouldn't have thought so, our squads bad enough, why would we want to make it worse!!

Quoted from Lincs Iron man

Seem to be getting a lot of imp rejects lads.

You'll be after our players soon

We are trying to stay up thanks

A 6 month contract with a one year option would be a decent outcome for both parties. If he can get to 80% of the level he was at for Lincoln, he'd improve us.

Quoted from denni266

We are staying up thanks

ed

I think he’d be a good signing, as long as he is over that nasty injury. I like Preston but he is young and looks like he needs a rest/competition at LB.

Quoted from Lincs Iron man

Seem to be getting a lot of imp rejects lads.

You'll be after our players soon

No, we learnt that lesson when we signed Terry Barwick and Beagrie.

Quoted from Boris Johnson

very risky signing given his injuries, we should stay clear, we cant afford any passengers, doesnt seem to me that people are aware of how dire our situation is.  Recruitment must be faultless

Cowleys also signed Michael Bostwick and Neal Eardley who were allegedly 'dodgy and injury prone'. They were players of the season and won League 2.

Quoted from Posh Harry

Why would Hanson be playing for the under 23’s?

That would be like Charlie Adam turning out for Stoke’s academy in the EFL Trophy.

Oh...........

That would be a problem. Adam plays for Dundee  

James Findlater believes SH has signed or will sign for GTFC based on what he's seen at the training ground.

Signing confirmed on Twitter.

Signed, sealed now he needs to deliver, could be a really good signing this, kids full of quality, pings a good ball and takes pressure off Preston.

Now we have two solid, dependable and experienced full backs in Hendrie and Habergham

Back line is looking much better, now just a more mobile CB to complement Waterfall and/or Pollock

UTM

I would start him tomorrow and see how he gets on, rather than throw him on at the end. Good luck Sam, UTM.

Welcome Sam and I hope this move gets you back into the game you must have sadly missed.  

Welcome Sam and hope you make a solid contribution to the good fight. I’m sure you will.

Happy with this one of many good players gimps had during cowley reign

Welcome Sam I think 2 games in a week is too much after having not played for a long time.

Next week would be more likely for him to start.

Nice to sign someone who knows what he is supposed to do.
Hopefully his fitness holds up

I remember as being one of the best at Braintree. Hoping he can still do it at this level. Quietly pleased about this as I’ve had my reservations about Preston being too inclined to pass it back.

Welcome Sam. I think this will be a great move for you and gtfc

If his fitness is okay, he's a very good player for this league. Welcome Sam.

He says he's fit and ready to go in his interview. Match fitness is a different proposition though.

i just wish for once that the interviewer would ask just how the move came about so we can all learn some of the behind the scenes stuff  or maybe just ask the player what he sees as his best position

A good signing I think. We could do with some competition at full back.

But its new signing further up the pitch that will determine our fate and it sounds like Hurst is on top of it. he suggests 6 or 7 new faces which I think is what is needed.

Worth keeping in mind that PH will have a lot more footballing contacts now, compared to first time around.  Remain hopeful.

i know 1 thing, Habergham won't allow Bennett to get away with his 'dangle a leg and trot back' defensive work.