David Jones

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

Based on what?

Disley still played for us at 35, and his career never went higher than league 1.

Jones has never been lower than league 1... around 250 games in championship, over 100 in the premiership.... yet we are still writing him off because of the Welsh signing...

Disley joined us at the age of 30, pretty much his prime. And played continuously for those years. Jones has played 2 games in the last year. So either he's been injured or completely out of favour. He's only played 67 games since the age of 30, whereas Disley played around 200. Even if he hasn't been injured, it's not easy for a midfielder to get back to full fitness and mobility at the age of nearly 35. It's different if you're a defender or keeper where you don't necessarily have to have much mobility but if you're unable to get around the pitch as a midfielder, you've got to be much, much better on the ball than the level you're playing at or you become a liability. Who knows, he could sign and be ace but we've been stung very recently with a similar type of signing so I wouldn't be overly enthusiastic personally.

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

Based on what?

Disley still played for us at 35, and his career never went higher than league 1.

Jones has never been lower than league 1... around 250 games in championship, over 100 in the premiership.... yet we are still writing him off because of the Welsh signing...

But Disley was 29 ( ? ) when he joined us, still had a few years left and proved it. Jones is one year younger than Dis when he went non-league. I know Jones has experienced playing two league higher than us but not that many games in the last couple of seasons. He may be experience but so was Clarke when Slade signed him and I would rather have kept Pearson than bring in Clarke. I just feel that at 34 we would only really get 1 possibly good season out of Jones and then what? Find another experienced but ageing replacement? Too old for me and not a player who you could be the basis of a future promotion achieving team.

Quoted from mariner91

Disley joined us at the age of 30, pretty much his prime. And played continuously for those years. Jones has played 2 games in the last year. So either he's been injured or completely out of favour. He's only played 67 games since the age of 30, whereas Disley played around 200. Even if he hasn't been injured, it's not easy for a midfielder to get back to full fitness and mobility at the age of nearly 35. It's different if you're a defender or keeper where you don't necessarily have to have much mobility but if you're unable to get around the pitch as a midfielder, you've got to be much, much better on the ball than the level you're playing at or you become a liability. Who knows, he could sign and be ace but we've been stung very recently with a similar type of signing so I wouldn't be overly enthusiastic personally.

That is the nail on the head. Unless there is some other backroom role for him as well I too would be very dubious about his fitness and reluctant to spend any of our minuscule budget on him.

At no point have I said he will be a great signing, be our best player, but you can't say he will be crap because he's old?

5 pages on conjecture and a summation...we really need to get some signings in to have a "real" discussion...

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

At no point have I said he will be a great signing, be our best player, but you can't say he will be crap because he's old?

I'd say that the chances are that any 34 year old who hasn't played much in recent years is a risky proposition. He might well still have the 'legs' to cope with the wear and tear of regular first team matches as some 'older' players do, but there is no way of knowing one way or the other. We all remember players such as Strachan and McAllister who played at a high level until much older than 34 but they were playing regularly all the way through their careers, even in their early 30s. Disley similarly so.

For me, it would be too much of a gamble. If a player of a similar age who had been making 35+ appearances for the past few years became available, it might be a different matter.

This is for outfield players, of course. Quite commonplace for keepers not to play much for years but you wouldn't expect them to suffer with injuries as much as there is less wear and tear in goal.

You’ve got to question his desire really . He’s hardly played the last couple of years at Wednesday when he should/ could’ve dropped down a league or 2 to play games at the end of his career . But it would look like he’s been happy to slide away . Why would he suddenly want or have the drive to scrap in L2 now when he’s most likely got all he wants from football.
It would be a brave manager to sign him . I wouldn’t bother with . The minus points outweighs his plus points for me . He won’t come cheap - id rather split the £ he would want between a couple of younger hungry players from non league everyday of the week .

Quoted from Davec

Obviously his age is a risk but just because he's 34 that doesn't mean hes automatically past it and he will be John Welsh MK II, look at James Coppinger, Neal Bishop, David Perkins, and to a lesser extent Kevin Ellison and even Danny Whittaker when he played in non league, all late 30s but still do a job.

and all playing regularly and not plagued by injury .... i think his record looked like he played less than half of the games he could have wherever he has been...30 odd games in two seasons type of thing and last time out 2 games in a season was it ?

Quoted from The_Laughing_Mariner

You never know he might be a Star Man.

You should change your username to the Laughing_Gnome

To be fair he has played at a high level, I would think that at best he could be another Collins, do a good job for a couple of years, but I'd fear it's more likely he'd be a woolford type who comes in and never really provides what is needed...