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Although he did a good job with us I always was a little puzzled by him as he never seemed to link particularly well with any strike partner on a consistent basis and appeared to prefer a lone striking role. Then when played alone often appeared reluctant to put the runs in but maybe that was he became too isolated and the quality of our forward passes left a little to be desired.

Did an ok job but wasn’t sorry when he moved on.

Any other team in the division last year he gets 20+ goals for me. Fantastic player thats had a career at a higher level, shame he fell out with Jolley as I think he would of been an asset this year.

Fantastic player?  Let's not get carried away here.  He's a lower league journeyman, albeit a quite effective one.  The fact he's only had one spell exclusively at one club that's exceeded one season (2 season at Oxford - the first of which he was injured from November onwards) speaks volumes.

He was an asset last year and there's no doubt that if you take away his efforts, our goal return looks even more abysmal.  But he's the complete embodiment of someone who has all the attributes without an attitude to match it.

To progress remotely beyond our disappointing finish last season, we need better players as individuals but also far better team-players.   Based on the relatively limited appearances I've seen from them (and their track records) at their former clubs, I would go for both Green and Hanson over Thomas every day of the week.

Thomas will find himself a club no trouble. Managers talk, word will have gotten round that he's hard work and a disruptive influence.  But someone will be willing to take a chance on him, probably having to a pay a premium for his services the longer it goes to the start of the season, or even beyond.  Strikers, especially those with decent track records, are probably different to other players in that they can afford to sit it out beyond pre-season knowing someone will offer what they want eventually.

Don't get the knockers ....he was obviously as pi55ed off as we all were with the lack of supply and support he was getting on a match by match basis, and as a striker whose whole career depends largely on his goal ratio then no suprise he eventually kicked off.
Scored a couple of crackers in his time so no bitterness from me.

Sorry, but a man who thinks he performed okay at Oldham doesn't deserve any adulation...
He was out for his own kudos and didn't play for the team, see his backside too easy and didn't dig in when needed..
Yes, he scored goals for us but his tweet complete p!ssed and decent town fans right off .
Good riddance to a bad egg and let's see what Hanson and Green can do for us...

for all the lack of service he got, how many assists did he contribute?

I must have seen him on his good days because I thought he ran his socks off in the games I watched him play :-/

Edit: being crap and lazy is code for somebody who will go onto score against us :P

Quoted from nightrider

I must have seen him on his good days because I thought he ran his socks off in the games I watched him play :-/

Yes but he said he was happy that he no longer has to do long commutes to training and that upsets people. So we need to say he was crap and we didn't need him. As soon as players mention travel they become public enemy #1 because why aren't they happy to move themselves and their family here as soon as they get a contract?

Quoted from Kris2

Yes but he said he was happy that he no longer has to do long commutes to training and that upsets people. So we need to say he was crap and we didn't need him. As soon as players mention travel they become public enemy #1 because why aren't they happy to move themselves and their family here as soon as they get a contract?

Try actually reading the whole thread before spouting your usual bollox.

Then tell me what percentage saiid he was sh1te or we didn’t need him. None.

Most agreed he has talent , but won’t be crying that he’s gone.
That’s my opinion too

Quoted from nightrider

I must have seen him on his good days because I thought he ran his socks off in the games I watched him play :-/

You n me both.plus apart from Embleton he was the only player with any flair of creative ability

Quoted from Sigone

for all the lack of service he got, how many assists did he contribute?

I seem to remember mid-season he had the most assists. Could well be wrong.

He'll end up at Eastleigh or somewhere like that.

Thomas got 3 league assists last season, if rebounds and an own goal deflection count as assists. Got 2 more in the cup v Chesterfield.

Quoted from Grantley

Thomas got 3 league assists last season, if rebounds and an own goal deflection count as assists. Got 2 more in the cup v Chesterfield.

Said I could be wrong

He's also one of the worst penalty takers I've ever seen in a Town shirt.

Quoted from nightrider

I must have seen him on his good days because I thought he ran his socks off in the games I watched him play :-/

Edit: being crap and lazy is code for somebody who will go onto score against us :P

I’ve got to be honest, I always thought he was one of our hardest working players on the pitch. We asked a lot of him last season - to press, to run the channel, to hold the ball up, to score goals. He had a tough role in a side lacking in attacking prowess and I thought he performed admirably on the whole.

His lack of tenure at any single club does make you wonder if there’s an attitude problem there somewhere, but not being privy to what goes on behind the scenes it’s unfair to speculate really.

I thought some games he busted a gut and others he seemed to not give a toss, whether that was down to the way he was played I don't know but I think that the front players we have now look better, only time will tell.

If I was asked to play up front on my own without someone beside me to win headers and do a bit of the groundwork, I'd get tired after a while.

And when the service dried up after Embleton got injured then, well, I can see how his frustrations may have got the better of him.

Of course,a professional footballer should be just that - a professional - but on a human level, if I try to look at things from his point of view, for argument's sake, I can perhaps understand why he was glad to get away.

I didn't go to enough games to see his non-performances... although I was at Oldham. Thought he was one of about six players that day who didn't look bothered.

He's was on trial at tranmere couple weeks ago but apparently he didn't play well

Signed for Billericay lol

[tweet]1152937562039865344[/tweet]

Well, someone’s happy about it. Best of luck to him, he’s gonna need it...

Strongest starting 11 in the history of the club ;D
.... theyve just signed Gavin Gunning also

He's so Essex he makes Scott Neilson look like, errrr, Kent?

He'll score a hatful in the Conference. Until he falls out with them. Billericay must be splashing the cash this season which is pretty bizarre statement to have to make

Only 32 and has played over 60 times in the championship which is pretty decent as some good lower league players never make that step up to the 2nd tier.

Never saw him play but stats speak for themselves but feel he could have done far better than Conference South?

The mighty Billericay hey 🤔 not even league football for him next season must of given him big wages surely

Whilst you can understand money matters when your getting toward to the end of your playing career, this shows his true mercenary colours. He did not want to be here towards the end and it showed on the field.

Quoted from Stew0_0

Strongest starting 11 in the history of the club ;D
.... theyve just signed Gavin Gunning also

They're going for it, fair play to them. If they're paying Thomas League 1 or 2 wages, and it's near London, this is a great move for him. He'll score a bucket load.

Quoted from Heisenberg

They're going for it, fair play to them. If they're paying Thomas League 1 or 2 wages, and it's near London, this is a great move for him. He'll score a bucket load.

Until he falls out with Tamplin or Tamplin throws more money at it and signs a better striker.

I would be very worried if we had an owner like Tamplin at the helm...

Quoted from norfuk mariner

Whilst you can understand money matters when your getting toward to the end of your playing career, this shows his true mercenary colours. He did not want to be here towards the end and it showed on the field.

Players who have a lot of clubs do this don’t they? Start well and look the dog’s spherical objects and then go downhill as soon as they don’t get their own way.

Still, he’s back where he wanted to be and getting league money for playing pub football. Can’t be bad.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Players who have a lot of clubs do this don’t they? Start well and look the dog’s spherical objects and then go downhill as soon as they don’t get their own way.

Still, he’s back where he wanted to be and getting league money for playing pub football. Can’t be bad.

Happening more and more in the lower leagues it seems?

Quoted from Stew0_0

Strongest starting 11 in the history of the club ;D
.... theyve just signed Gavin Gunning also

To be fair, he's just left a team that finished in the league 2 playoffs....character is more than questionable, but i don't think you can say that it isn't a good signing for them!

Quoted from Heisenberg

They're going for it, fair play to them. If they're paying Thomas League 1 or 2 wages, and it's near London, this is a great move for him. He'll score a bucket load.

Will he have to commute? ;)

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Until he falls out with Tamplin or Tamplin throws more money at it and signs a better striker.

I would be very worried if we had an owner like Tamplin at the helm...

Tamplin is an absolute nut-case.

who cares he is history

Quoted from Stew0_0

Strongest starting 11 in the history of the club ;D
.... theyve just signed Gavin Gunning also

So much for Gunning playing in the Championship again!

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Players who have a lot of clubs do this don’t they? Start well and look the dog’s spherical objects and then go downhill as soon as they don’t get their own way.

Still, he’s back where he wanted to be and getting league money for playing pub football. Can’t be bad.

Do we know what he is getting in wages? For all we know he could have other income streams outside of football.

Apparently Wes is going to Billericay.

I think that he was a decent player. He didn't score that many goals but as a team we didn't provide much service last season. We ponced about playing cute triangles but rarely created an opening. Good through balls for someone to run onto were an endangered species as was the overlap. I hope that changes this season. I think he had a decent work rate too but towards the end of the season you could see him looking tired. disinterested or both. The spat with Jolly was a shame - it takes two to tango. All said and done, It's probably better he left but I have no hard feelings toward him.

Quoted from norfuk mariner

Whilst you can understand money matters when your getting toward to the end of your playing career, this shows his true mercenary colours. He did not want to be here towards the end and it showed on the field.

Thing is, I can't imagine that as a young lad he would have really listed the likes of Grimsby and Oxford as clubs he wanted to play for. Unless you support those clubs, it's highly unlikely you would have a real desire to play for them.

He's also at an age where he will realise that he isn't going to break it back into the Championship or above. His career is on the dwindle. He could have had another dabble at League One but deep down he will know he's not good enough to be a big deal on that stage.

He won't have made a life-changing amount out of the game so can't blame him for taking a big payday, probably one that allows him to explore other avenues and is closer to home.

As much as I cringe at Billericay, it's a hell of a signing at that level - suspect attitude or not.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Thing is, I can't imagine that as a young lad he would have really listed the likes of Grimsby and Oxford as clubs he wanted to play for. Unless you support those clubs, it's highly unlikely you would have a real desire to play for them.

He's also at an age where he will realise that he isn't going to break it back into the Championship or above. His career is on the dwindle. He could have had another dabble at League One but deep down he will know he's not good enough to be a big deal on that stage.

He won't have made a life-changing amount out of the game so can't blame him for taking a big payday, probably one that allows him to explore other avenues and is closer to home.

As much as I cringe at Billericay, it's a hell of a signing at that level - suspect attitude or not.

Couldn't agree more with that.

Wes was quality for us in my opinion. He certainly wasn't lazy as some have implied. He was clearly frustrated with the total lack of service and probably was getting sick of the way MJ set his team up. Wes worked off scraps and still bagged a good total. None of the strikers at the club, bar Charles Vernam maybe could have scored that goal Wes scored at Port Vale. I'll remember him fondly and I'll give him my finest salute if he ever plays against us again.

Wes was a quality player for us best striker we've had since Bogle.

Yep agree with the last few posts in this thread. Surprising to see the drop down maybe but hell of a signing for them at that level. I thought he did a great job in a fairly poor team last season. Take his goals away and we’d have been relegation material.

But someone else may have stepped up into the breach in his absence?

In Cook and Vernam I think we have/had a potential decent pairing that could have worked well together. Jolley got into a bit of an obsession with Thomas and using him as some sort of target man, when it's never really his game. For large periods of the season the goals were ever only going to come through Thomas as all the play was centred around him.

That's not a criticism of Thomas, more the approach and tactics that Jolley used. I suppose Jolley's all eggs in one basket attitude have been shaped by the fact that neither Cook or Vernam, can add Cardwell and Rose to that mix too, were consistently free from injury.

Hopefully this season we'll have more than one approach to our attack!

Now joined at Billericay by Matt Rhead.

Quoted from mariner91

Now joined at Billericay by Matt Rhead.

Rhead, Thomas and billericay are well suited together

Quoted from Pogo

Rhead, Thomas and billericay are well suited together

It’s funny how twits seem to gravitate there isn’t it?

Billericay will be paying decent wages. Wasn't that long ago they signed Jermiane Pennant and Paul Konchesky to name just a couple of the signings they made.

Quoted from LH

It’s funny how twits seem to gravitate there isn’t it?

Sure is!.. the money on offer is obviously pretty good but that club is an insult to the lower leagues and all it stands for in my eyes

Quoted from Pogo

Sure is!.. the money on offer is obviously pretty good but that club is an insult to the lower leagues and all it stands for in my eyes

Assuming Rhead still lives in Stoke his commute has doubled. All that time driving will be great for his figure!

He'd need two Greggs breaks for a journey that long.

Been told by an Imp supporting mate of mine who is usually spot on with his info about the Imps that Rhead is on £250K after tax at Billericay. I knew their nutjob chairman was throwing money at it but if that’s anything like true it’s insane.

Quoted from Pogo

Sure is!.. the money on offer is obviously pretty good but that club is an insult to the lower leagues and all it stands for in my eyes

Why?

Quoted from jock dock tower

Billericay will be paying decent wages. Wasn't that long ago they signed Jermiane Pennant

What a fine player he was.I remember seeing him in a youth team game for Arsenal and thought him and a lad called Jeremie Aliadiere looked a cut above all the players on the park that day.