So, Paul Bignot.

The reason for this thread is how can he go from being perhaps considered the best right back outside the football league to only making 21 starts in 51 league games for us? You have to wonder had it not been for the clause in Bignot's favour whether Hurst would have offered him a new deal, especially if he didn't see him as first choice. After so little football in 3 years I'd be at Hurst's door asking very politely if I could go play first team football somewhere.

He might have done that. We don't know.

As for him 'possibly being the best right back outside the football league' -  who thinks that? Where has that been suggested? Is this the same as the received (and flawed) idea that Thomas is the best left back in the conference?This is a view often expressed (as though it were fact) by Town fans who dont actually have a genuine knowledge of all of the left backs playing in the Vanarama premier following a comprehensive and comparative, objective study. We can probably all agree that Bignot is a decent right back, but beyond that I'm not sure......

Personally, I think that Bignot is a perfectly capable full-back at this level. Not brilliant, but able enough. I think I'd probably prefer it if he was to start ahead of Nsiala at right-back as I think Toto's positioning is extremely dodgy in that position, to say the least. Alfreton didn't cause him any problems as his pace got him out of trouble when necessary, but from the Gateshead highlights, it looked like they got in behind us quite often down our right.

That said, I think Nsiala is OK at right-back at a push, but I'm not convinced he's going to be steady enough there when under pressure from a good winger.

Indeed

Quoted from chaos33

He might have done that. We don't know.

As for him 'possibly being the best right back outside the football league' -  who thinks that? Where has that been suggested? Is this the same as the received (and flawed) idea that Thomas is the best left back in the conference?This is a view often expressed (as though it were fact) by Town fans who dont actually have a genuine knowledge of all of the left backs playing in the Vanarama premier following a comprehensive and comparative, objective study. We can probably all agree that Bignot is a decent right back, but beyond that I'm not sure......

This is based on reading other Conference supporters' views on the Football Forum when he played for Newport. He was seen as hot property at the time. Can we all agree that Bignot is a decent right back? I have only seen him on a few occasions and he looked competent on every occasion, at best.

Yeah, hence me choosing the word 'decent'.

Do you think he should be playing as first choice or not?

I've not seen enough of him and I haven't seen anything of Walker or Magnay, to be in enough of an informed position to make that judgement. Hurst's playing background leads me to trust his judgement a fair bit. He doesn't rate him enough to start him regularly it would appear. I would love to know why, as I've said, considering how highly regarded he was before (earning him a move to Blackpool), why it hasn't worked out more successfully for him here thus far. He had the injury last year that kept him out for a bit but I thought with Hatton leaving, he would cement his place with a run of games this year. It's a bit of a shame because I thought when we signed him we would have a cracking player on our hands, not 'decent' back up. He's 28 now, should really be in his prime as a footballer but has made little over 30 appearances in 3 and a bit years.

Quoted from chaos33

We can probably all agree that Bignot is a decent right back, but beyond that I'm not sure......

I love it how you ask others all the questions but often seem to avoid giving your own view on them.

1) Is he a decent right back or not ?
2) Would you start him on Saturday or not ?
3) What's your starting team ?

Please come off that fence (if you can !)

Are you blind? I have stated more than once in this thread that I consider him to be decent - a deliberately chosen word. I qualified that view by saying I thought he could be targeted by rivals as a potential weak link based on watching him in a pre-season friendly at Harrogate. Hurst doesn't think he should be first choice at the moment and neither do I. How much more f*cking explicit do you want me to be? No he wouldn't be in my team on Saturday, not that my view of what the team should be matters a jot.

Quoted from chaos33

I have stated more than once in this thread that I consider him to be decent

Actually you didn't.
You chose the word "decent" but said "we could probably agree...."
Hardly the same as speaking for others in a "probable" terms.
Are you deluded or thick ?

Quoted from chaos33

No he wouldn't be in my team on Saturday

Hallelujah ! Well done.

Still haven't answered 3) though...
Same starting team as Monday ?