Got sent this by Barry who doesn't have an account, but has supported Town for 73 years!

Might be worth offering a trial to Colby Bishop, a 22 year old at Leamington FC who scored 29 goals in National League North this season. Leamington is a small club of part-time players which is punching above its weight in a tough division which sports many far more wealthy clubs with much greater resources. Manager Paul Holleran predicts a bright future for Bishop, and has said he will not stand in his way if he is offered the chance in a higher division. Many fine players have come up the ranks from non-league, not just Jamie Vardy. Jolley should be spreading his search wide for the most important area the club has lacked since the sad departure of Amond (what a disgrace that was, to let such a great finisher leave!) and Bogle. Bothe experienced life in non-league and became better players as a result.

Sounds like a boogie nights esc porn star !

I watched Bromsgrove Sporting in their play off final recently, and their striker, Cowley, was a class above (I believe this is the evo stop level). Stevenage have now snapped him up which I reckon is a really good move by them.

This has to be the way forward for the club. Signing young up and coming players who are hungry and want to prove they can make a career in the EFL. You only have to look at the modest outlay and return we got for Omar Bogle to prove it can work.

Often non-league teams do not stand in the way of their players if they have a chance to enhance a players career and often league clubs can pick up a gem for free or a nominal fee.

I think we are going to have to get creative by signing younger unknown players who we can train and mold rather than signing a Welsh, Jones, Collins coming to the end of there careers.

Buckley Mark 1 was a similar setup and that proved to be an awesome team that helped us up to Championship level. A feat that would be near impossible now given our size and stature but with the right management of younger players we could hold our own in league one for sure.

I just hope Jolley has one eye on grass roots football.

Quoted from livosnose

Sounds like a boogie nights esc porn star !

Don't bash the Bishop!

Quoted from Mariner93er

I watched Bromsgrove Sporting in their play off final recently, and their striker, Cowley, was a class above (I believe this is the evo stop level). Stevenage have now snapped him up which I reckon is a really good move by them.

so Cowley has now joined the ranks of The Professionals ?   8)

Quoted from Stew0_0

This has to be the way forward for the club. Signing young up and coming players who are hungry and want to prove they can make a career in the EFL. You only have to look at the modest outlay and return we got for Omar Bogle to prove it can work.
Often non-league teams do not stand in the way of their players if they have a chance to enhance a players career and often league clubs can pick up a gem for free or a nominal fee.
I think we are going to have to get creative by signing younger unknown players who we can train and mold rather than signing a Welsh, Jones, Collins coming to the end of there careers.

Agree. There was a lad called Max Wright at Scarborough and Boston and Harry Clifton at Grantham recently ;-)

Is this an anagram?

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Don't bash the Bishop!

I didn't know religion was allowed on the Fishy

Exactly the type of player we should be looking at, problem is everyone else is after strikers from non league due to the ‘Vardy effect’.

Quoted from jimgtfc

Exactly the type of player we should be looking at, problem is everyone else is after strikers from non league due to the ‘Vardy effect’.

We should have been looking at these players during the season and getting in first. Surely we have scouts or don't we ?

Quoted from GrimRob

Got sent this by Barry who doesn't have an account, but has supported Town for 73 years!

Might be worth offering a trial to Colby Bishop, a 22 year old at Leamington FC who scored 29 goals in National League North this season. Leamington is a small club of part-time players which is punching above its weight in a tough division which sports many far more wealthy clubs with much greater resources. Manager Paul Holleran predicts a bright future for Bishop, and has said he will not stand in his way if he is offered the chance in a higher division. Many fine players have come up the ranks from non-league, not just Jamie Vardy. Jolley should be spreading his search wide for the most important area the club has lacked since the sad departure of Amond (what a disgrace that was, to let such a great finisher leave!) and Bogle. Bothe experienced life in non-league and became better players as a result.

Interesting post. I used to live in Leamington in the 80s and at the time they had a really good side (then called AP Leamington) and were Southern League Premier Champions but were denied promotion as the ground wasn't up to standard.

There is a wealth of quality players in the Birmingham area, many of whom have full time jobs and play part time. No doubt this guy is on somebody's radar...if not ours!

Am I right in thinking that Bogle was from the Birmingham area?

Just worth pointing out that this Colby Bishop lad didn't score 29 in the Conference North. That's his goal total for the season in all competitions including the County cup ones. He scored 16 in the Conference. No idea if he is anywhere near good enough for our level. Still, not a bad return as he apparently missed the first couple of months of the season following recovering from a cruciate injury.

Amusing to see that there is a Conoco link as Leamington play at the Phillips 66 stadium! I wonder if they got caps as well?

Sounds good, heard he makes good diagonal runs in behind the defence.

There’s 92 football league clubs all hoping to unearth the proverbial rough diamond.  The chances of us finding a player that no-one else has thought of are slim.  Ironically it was probably easier in non league because it was a chance to maybe move up a league or so and be involved with a team certain to be challenging for promotion.  Much harder to attract players with the sell of ‘we’re stuck out on the east coast and we have finished in the bottom third two years running’

The youth set up is what matters more.  Young lads and their parents will start to see we have developed players and that they have a chance of a pro contract.  

Also, we always need a sprinkling of experienced pros in the squad if they are the right sort - the likes of Whymark, Futcher and Birtles were massively important to the club in the past.

Quoted from pizzzza

Sounds good, heard he makes good diagonal runs in behind the defence.

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Quoted from pizzzza

Sounds good, heard he makes good diagonal runs in behind the defence.

The problem is how he wants his wages paid.


JF said  ‘weekly into the bank ok’.


Colby replied. I’d prefer a cheque mate’ !!!!!!

Don't underestimate the contacts MJ has with his time at Burnley cos the players he coached there at U23 level all have agents who have other players on their books who are looking for a "big" club to start their careers off
Got every confidence in MJ to bring in what he wants for GTFC to do the business next season

Cos we're just a stepping stone as far as MJ is concerned no doubt

Quoted from essexexile

Cos we're just a stepping stone as far as MJ is concerned no doubt

Let's hope it is a stepping stone, because that means he'll have been successful with us.

Colby Bishop has just signed a new deal with Leamington. Could have done with him leaving the league, was on fire last season.