Assessment

Quoted from acko338

If this season becomes just a survival season in lower mid table, then just be thankful that we have by some set of miracle games regained EFL status.

We have no wonder rich Saudi owners - we have 2 long established business people who have excellent local connections and have national esteem from their continued hard work.

Football Manager 23 is not the real world, mostbof us couldn't take the pressure of running this club, so get real, and have some patience, not mass panic !!

Chelsea finances are pie in the sky Monopoly money with no guarantee of success !

I sincerely hope the owners have more ambition than a 'survival season'.

And I honestly have no idea what your point is supposed to be around Saudis and Chelsea? Last time I heard, you didn't need Saudi money to sign a league 2 quality player on a permanent deal. Expecting us to do so is hardly unrealistic.

I will make my assessment on January in a few weeks. If we get sucked in to a relegation battle, serious questions need asking for sure.

I am neutral on the window. Not disappointed or untwisting my underwear this morning because Mullarkey went to Rochdale “over us”, or because Dallas opted to stay in the NL “over joining us” etc, because we don’t even know if we were in for those players. The optics of the window aren’t brilliant because again it does look like we have just taken scraps on loan at the last minute but in reality it is ok business to keep us plodding along where we are this season. The majority of players at this level move without fees so the majority of our work should be done in the summer.

Being realistic, we aren’t going down and we’re not going up. The doom-mongers looking over their shoulders at going down are the people getting carried away at the start of the season thinking we’d challenge at the top of the league based off our season ticket sales and a feel good factor. Mid-table was always going to be a more realistic aim this season, and a good achievement at that. Consolidate this year, build and improve again next.

Our form isn’t that bad is it? 3 wins and 3 defeats in 7. The draw coming away at Luton who could be in the Premier League later this year?

My main disappointment is that we didn’t add wide players but then maybe this indicates the shape of the team for the last half of the season. 532 plays to our strengths IMO whilst Taylor is out at least. We have added what sounds to be a very good wing-back and 2 centre forwards to hopefully play alongside McAtee and get the best from him.

Let’s just see, I don’t think it was great but I definitely don’t think it’s worth getting worked up about.

Whoever pulls on the shirt will always have my support - that will never change. We were playing catch up last September and it was a matter of getting some bodies in. Ultimately it hasn't worked with most of them being sent back and us lying 16th in the table looking down rather than up.
My frustration with the club is I didn't expect us to repeat that this January. This was a marker to show ambition. For whatever reasons it hasn't happen and I am sure questions will need to be answered in due course. I am mighty glad its over and looking forward to Crewe on Saturday.

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

The team has been reduced in numbers, and quality.

Curious what you're basing the reduction in quality on?

We've seen one game from O'Neill and nothing of the other 3.

We're making an assessment of the window having not seen any of these boys play (except O'Neil in the Swindon debacle)
The real issue here is that Fenty went and was replaced by successful, committed GTFC fans who've done a lot of good in a short space of time. That lifts expectations and it seems a lot of people have raised the bar for this window
When Jason said we'd improve every window I think a lot of people were expecting reasonable quality permanent signings, not more unproven kids. I'll judge at the end of February when we've hopefully seen a bit more of the new recruits.

532 really does seem to be the way we need to set up. 3 from 5 of Maher, Smith, Waterfall, Efete and Pearson. Emmanuel and Glennon/Amos WB

I'm looking forward to watching the new lads playing TBH.  I hope they are hungry and fearless.

Quoted from buckstown

We're making an assessment of the window having not seen any of these boys play (except O'Neil in the Swindon debacle)
The real issue here is that Fenty went and was replaced by successful, committed GTFC fans who've done a lot of good in a short space of time. That lifts expectations and it seems a lot of people have raised the bar for this window
When Jason said we'd improve every window I think a lot of people were expecting reasonable quality permanent signings, not more unproven kids. I'll judge at the end of February when we've hopefully seen a bit more of the new recruits.

Jason said the aim is to improve every window which is clearly sensible, as the vagaries of transfer windows (as we've seen)
means a non-billionaire can't promise improvement.

Aims are one thing ... but not every dart hits the bulls-eye. That's life.

Quoted from acko338

How many non league rough diamonds have we signed and paid transfer fees?

None!

Have we signed players from teams higher in the EFL than us?

Yes !

Did those teams see something in those players in order to sign them originally?

Yes !

Will Town fans actually give these new signings a fair crack of the whip, and let them get on the pitch and play, before slating them on here?

I bloody hope so !!

The Fishy itself could put potential signings off, with a hell of a lot of negativity from well over ambitious expectations after a miracle of 3 great play off games.

Swindon was a classic case of how to play in this division.

They did to us what we did to Dover last season. Not easy to watch, was it ?

Spend big !! Didn't work for Wrexham or Chesterfield, did it? Stockport arent exactly scorching up this league yet !!

If this season becomes just a survival season in lower mid table, then just be thankful that we have by some set of miracle games regained EFL status.

Season ticket sales will help to put in better fan facilities,  better player facilities, and slowly make Grimsby a better prospect for potential.new signings.

We have no wonder rich Saudi owners - we have 2 long established business people who have excellent local connections and have national esteem from their continued hard work.

Football Manager 23 is not the real world, mostbof us couldn't take the pressure of running this club, so get real, and have some patience, not mass panic !!

Chelsea finances are pie in the sky Monopoly money with no guarantee of success !

I can't believe the number of times I've read rubbish like this in various posts along the years.
Are some fans either so deluded or so arrogant that they honestly believe potential signings would trawl through hundreds of pages of a fan's forum before deciding to sign for a football club?

"I'm thinking of joining Grimsby mum"
"Ooh make sure you check the fan's forum"
"You're right mum, they're all arguing and toxic, they're much nicer with less expectations on the Barrow forum"