Proven 20 goals a season striker.

People, if you are waiting for such a signing then get real, it is not going to happen. Reason being, demand outstrips supply and the price reflects that, such that financially we cannot compete. So we have to gamble on potential and try make such players better.

I've no issue with us dipping into the 'potential' market for this.  Let's face it, we've done pretty OK out of it previously.  Biggest shame of the Slade debacle was that we abandoned the buy-develop-sell policy.

Could easy get a 20 goal striker. plenty in the lower leagues that could be worth a punt.

Its hard for a prolific striker to score 20+ without a good midfield, and we have improved in that area.

And you don't need a 20+ goal scorer to be in and around the play-offs, and having a 20+ goal scorer doesn't mean you will be around the play-offs, just ask Chesterfield

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

Its hard for a prolific striker to score 20+ without a good midfield, and we have improved in that area.

And you don't need a 20+ goal scorer to be in and around the play-offs, and having a 20+ goal scorer doesn't mean you will be around the play-offs, just ask Chesterfield

Correct Jarmo, we lacked goals from all over the park.  In our previous promotions im sure we have numerous players in double figures.

Much as I'd like to see us sign a proven goal scorer, we've got to create as well which we failed to do for most of last season even before the catastrophic winless run. Let's see what other gems can be unearthed or could it be that we're waiting for a loanee from a higher league club?

I know everyone loves having a hero of a no.9 who bangs 20-30 goals, but looking back at Buckley's reigns we never had prolific strikers, so it's not the be all and end all if you have several chipping in with goals.

Buckley's 1st spell, top scorers
88-89: Big Keith - 14
89-90: Rees - 13
90-91: Gilbert/Woods - 12
91-92: Woods - 8
92-93: Groves - 12
93-94: Mendonca - 14

Buckley's 2nd spell, top scorers
97-98: Donovan - 16
98-99: Groves - 14
99-00: Ashcroft - 12

In fact the only times we've had a striker score 20 or more league goals in a season in the last 30 years were Alan Connell (25), Liam Hearn (27) and Padraig Amond (30). Two of those were nothing seasons finishing in midtable and one play-off winning season.

I only made the point because plenty on here have been going on about it and every time a potential new striker is mentioned people are straight away drawn to his scoring stats. Let's face it we did not score enough last season and in away it does not matter where they come from but a couple in double figures is a minimum really to be successful.

Our last 20 league goals striker was Jack Lewis with 21 goals, 43 years ago!
As others have said successful teams don’t necessarily have a single goal scorer the important thing is that 3-4 players get into double figures, something lacking in last year’s team.

Quoted from Barrattstander

Our last 20 league goals striker was Jack Lewis with 21 goals, 43 years ago!
As others have said successful teams don’t necessarily have a single goal scorer the important thing is that 3-4 players get into double figures, something lacking in last year’s team.

Are you forgetting Bogle and Amond?

I don't recall many posting that they expected a proven 20 goal a season striker?

We would all like one but don't think many expect one.

Still like a striker with genuine potential but have a feeling Cook may prove useful given a run up front

Whilst I am happy with MJs signings so far it is a shame we haven’t taken a punt on any non league players . Always worth the risk Imo

Quoted from LocalLadGTFC

Are you forgetting Bogle and Amond?

Omar got 19 and Amond was technically non league, Mendonca managed 19 in the league during 1996/7

Quoted from Tommy

I know everyone loves having a hero of a no.9 who bangs 20-30 goals, but looking back at Buckley's reigns we never had prolific strikers, so it's not the be all and end all if you have several chipping in with goals.

Buckley's 1st spell, top scorers
88-89: Big Keith - 14
89-90: Rees - 13
90-91: Gilbert/Woods - 12
91-92: Woods - 8
92-93: Groves - 12
93-94: Mendonca - 14

Buckley's 2nd spell, top scorers
97-98: Donovan - 16
98-99: Groves - 14
99-00: Ashcroft - 12

In fact the only times we've had a striker score 20 or more league goals in a season in the last 30 years were Alan Connell (25), Liam Hearn (27) and Padraig Amond (30). Two of those were nothing seasons finishing in midtable and one play-off winning season.

But in those Buckley seasons you had Cockers, Cunnington, Childs, Watson, Birtles, Gilbert, Livvo, Lester, Burnett and all ,chipping in as well. They all contributed to make up the 20+ goals..plus the odd standard few from centre halfs.

We hardly scored any as a team last year...39 in total was it !?!?!  

42.

Incredibly, we only scored 55 in 97/98!

The problem with a 20+ goal striker is the tendency to rely on them to provide the goals. As someone pointed out above, one of our most memorable seasons 97/98 saw several players getting into double figures, with Donovan scoring more than the strikers.

Donovan was actually the only player to get into double figures.

What pis@es me off is we got decent money for dembele but have clearly not tried to spend a penny of it on a decent striker/goalscorer which clearly last season we were crying out for,Im not happy with the strikers we have in place for next season although for some still early doors and unproven yet and I hope they do prove me wrong of course but if we genuinely want to go places we need to buy an out and out goalscorer for once like other teams have in this league

Quoted from Mendonca1995

What pis@es me off is we got decent money for dembele but have clearly not tried to spend a penny of it on a decent striker/goalscorer which clearly last season we were crying out for,Im not happy with the strikers we have in place for next season although for some still early doors and unproven yet and I hope they do prove me wrong of course but if we genuinely want to go places we need to buy an out and out goalscorer for once like other teams have in this league

Can I just ask how the hell you know that we haven’t tried to spend a penny of the Dembele money? Are you JF’s right hand man? What pis@es me off is people who come on here talking about things they haven’t got a clue about and making complete guesses.

You may be right, but I suspect you haven’t got a clue or any way to back up that comment.

Quoted from Posh Harry

Can I just ask how the hell you know that we haven’t tried to spend a penny of the Dembele money? Are you JF’s right hand man? What pis@es me off is people who come on here talking about things they haven’t got a clue about and making complete guesses.

You may be right, but I suspect you haven’t got a clue or any way to back up that comment.

Not fentys right hand man definitely not ok then we’re did all the Bogle money go because that too wasn’t on a goalscorer to replace him and trust me I have more a clue than you what goes on at town

Quoted from Mendonca1995

Not fentys right hand man definitely not ok then we’re did all the Bogle money go because that too wasn’t on a goalscorer to replace him and trust me I have more a clue than you what goes on at town

I have no doubt that you have more of a clue about what goes on at town than I do. I wouldn’t have a clue, but then again I wouldn’t claim to. You clearly think you do, or maybe you do. If so why are you questioning where the Bogle money went rather than knowing?

Doesn’t sound like someone who knows very much at all.

Quoted from Posh Harry

I have no doubt that you have more of a clue about what goes on at town than I do. I wouldn’t have a clue, but then again I wouldn’t claim to. You clearly think you do, or maybe you do. If so why are you questioning where the Bogle money went rather than knowing?

Doesn’t sound like someone who knows very much at all.

If I remember correctly, I got a reply on a thread about three months ago from someone who clearly did know that we hadn't had all the Bogle money from Wigan.

Quoted from Posh Harry

I have no doubt that you have more of a clue about what goes on at town than I do. I wouldn’t have a clue, but then again I wouldn’t claim to. You clearly think you do, or maybe you do. If so why are you questioning where the Bogle money went rather than knowing?

Doesn’t sound like someone who knows very much at all.

Well it’s quite simple really ask your self this did any of the Bogle money get spent on a replacement goal scorer for him when clearly it needed to be because I seem to recall it never and is the same thing happening with the dembele money it seems things are done on the cheap all the time that’s what I’m getting at

Quoted from Mendonca1995

Well it’s quite simple really ask your self this did any of the Bogle money get spent on a replacement goal scorer for him when clearly it needed to be because I seem to recall it never and is the same thing happening with the dembele money it seems things are done on the cheap all the time that’s what I’m getting at

So you know as much as the rest of us and having put 2 & 2 together you've come up with a bedside table.

Didn’t we spend a lot of money on bringing players in under bignot.. hence the ridiculously big squad we had and some good earners within that squad....

Sam Jones was good for a few goals, why did the club let him go?

Its annoying as i actually think thst jamie osbourne and sam jones would have been Jolley type players.
Unfortunately Slade shredded away all the talented players of the squad before he got sacked

Quoted from wiggers

Sam Jones was good for a few goals, why did the club let him go?

Slade and Fenty were not really happy with the mega deals Bignot got his buddies or their attitude. All the Bignot supporters on the team were pretty much frozen out or removed from the club.

Quoted from Mendonca1995

What pis@es me off is we got decent money for dembele but have clearly not tried to spend a penny of it on a decent striker/goalscorer which clearly last season we were crying out for,Im not happy with the strikers we have in place for next season although for some still early doors and unproven yet and I hope they do prove me wrong of course but if we genuinely want to go places we need to buy an out and out goalscorer for once like other teams have in this league

And I feel the same.......give Jolley that money to bring in a proven goalscorer.

Mr Fenty is playing a dangerous game again in only funding bargain basement players and this time it may well spell disaster.....sorry but I've still not bought a season ticket as I still can't see where the goals are going to come from.

Quoted from promotion plaice

And I feel the same.......give Jolley that money to bring in a proven goalscorer.

Mr Fenty is playing a dangerous game again in only funding bargain basement players and this time it may well spell disaster.....sorry but I've still not bought a season ticket as I still can't see where the goals are going to come from.

And I feel the same. Had a season ticket for years but I will not get one this season until we get a proven striker with a decent goal record. We haven't so I haven't. Got until 14th July when the early bird offer runs out.

“Grimsby Town are urgently trying to find proven striker, a source close to the club has said, as fans promotion plaice and lancspontooner give them an ultimatum”

Lincoln have just signed a striker who is as proven as it gets at this level, yet some have said he's a waste of money and a poor signing. It has taken a big wedge of cash and i suspect fairly high wages to get him there, so that is what we are competing against. Proven strikers cost big bucks and soon drain the budget without any guarantees that they will reproduce past glories. Let's see how we go before writing off the guys we have, and as some say, it's a better bet having the goals spread around anyway, than it is to rely on one man.

Quoted from ginnywings

Lincoln have just signed a striker who is as proven as it gets at this level, yet some have said he's a waste of money and a poor signing.

Yep, makes me laugh how people can say Akinde is a poor signing after one injury blighted season, especially when he has played loads of games consistently before that. We wouldn't have given him a 3 year deal unless the medical team and relevant checks about his fitness were all in place.

However, getting a proven striker has been hard for us, it's taken three transfer windows to get a decent enough partner for Green even with having a reasonable amount of money to spend.

Quoted from Impish2

Yep, makes me laugh how people can say Akinde is a poor signing after one injury blighted season, especially when he has played loads of games consistently before that. We wouldn't have given him a 3 year deal unless the medical team and relevant checks about his fitness were all in place.

However, getting a proven striker has been hard for us, it's taken three transfer windows to get a decent enough partner for Green even with having a reasonable amount of money to spend.

Yep, and even then, there is no guarantee that he will repeat past exploits. The likelihood is that he will, and that is why he cost what he did. You have gotten yourselves into a strong financial position where you can do that. We will hopefully get to that level over the next season or two now we have a forward thinking manager, and not the dinosaur we had before. Just wish we had made a better fist of things sooner and not spent 2 seasons dicking around since we got promoted.

It's very rare for a team to be able to get a "proven" striker from within the league they're playing in. Generally, that costs money as Lincoln have shown. Even then, every striker is a gamble.

The two routes if you haven't got the money are to either gamble on a player from a level or two below who has been knocking them in and hope that he can make the step up or you can sign a player from higher up who's record in a higher division maybe hasn't been exceptional but hope that by coming down to you their goalscoring picks up e.g Amond for us.

I'm surprised we haven't gone down the non-league route so far this season. Given how Jolley generally gives off an air of being well prepared and knowledgeable you'd think he'd have a good idea of players who could make the step up, particularly now Limbrick is part of the management team.

I'm also surprised 91, as the last two players we have sold for a good chunk of cash have come from non league and the Nike academy. Must be some players below who are worth a punt to develop. Having said that, some players currently higher up in academies may drop down to develop, then go on to greater things. More than one way to skin a cat i suppose.

Wonder if we are still in for Chris Long. Dont think he has signed for anyone else yet?

I don’t know why but the prospect of Robles, and the experience of Cook genuinely excites me. Hooper and Cardwell were ok too, with Cardwell a prospect too and hooper ending on a high