In addition, Jamie Proctor has gone back to Rotherham from his loan to Newport. Interesting as Paul Warne & Paul Hurst are mates from their playing days.

Proctor would be a decent signing for us wouldn't he?

Jolley is not messing about is he...
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He seems to be making so good signings.

Good luck to the bloke, but not at the expense of Town - UTM

Quoted from MuddyWaters

In addition, Jamie Proctor has gone back to Rotherham from his loan to Newport. Interesting as Paul Warne & Paul Hurst are mates from their playing days.

Devitt is such a hot and cold player. I thought he was decent when we first had on loan a decade ago, second time round he started well but faded. I actually expected him to drop into Non-League after that spell with us but he went on to do well at Carlisle. Shouldn't have left them to go to Blackpool as in all honesty as it's gone pear shaped again, he is on his 4th club since summer 2019.

Quoted from Gainsbro_Mariner

Devitt is such a hot and cold player. I thought he was decent when we first had on loan a decade ago, second time round he started well but faded. I actually expected him to drop into Non-League after that spell with us but he went on to do well at Carlisle. Shouldn't have left them to go to Blackpool as in all honesty as it's gone pear shaped again, he is on his 4th club since summer 2019.

Like you I was impressed with Devitt first time around. One of the best for Grimsby in his first spell when I saw him in a number of games. Physically weak but technically looked quite good.

If you look a bit closer at Jolley's signings they may not be that great - 2 of them are loans. One of them hasn't played a first team game for Barnsley and the other has had a serious injury and hasn't played since.

The lad from Tranmere has played 19 times this season and you've got to wonder why he wants to leave Tranmere and go to Barrow if he's made that many appearances. And then there's Devitt.

I don't know more than that, just saying.

Devitt to Barrow? That guarantees at least one goal against us when we meet Barrow... Damn... The curse of former Grimsby players....   :o

Quoted from MuddyWaters

In addition, Jamie Proctor has gone back to Rotherham from his loan to Newport. Interesting as Paul Warne & Paul Hurst are mates from their playing days.

Hurst signed him for the Scunts (1 goal in13, so presumably not a roaring success!)

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

If you look a bit closer at Jolley's signings they may not be that great - 2 of them are loans. One of them hasn't played a first team game for Barnsley and the other has had a serious injury and hasn't played since.

The lad from Tranmere has played 19 times this season and you've got to wonder why he wants to leave Tranmere and go to Barrow if he's made that many appearances. And then there's Devitt.

I don't know more than that, just saying.

And what calibre of signings are you expecting us to make ? We will be signing similar as has been proved in the first two..

Or are you expecting Podge, Bogle and Toto?

Quoted from male private Nale

And what calibre of signings are you expecting us to make ? We will be signing similar as has been proved in the first two..

Or are you expecting Podge, Bogle and Toto?

Two of those were not exactly met with glee were they? Toto was a free agent, picked up by Southport, for whom he played less than 20 games before he came here. Amond came from Morecambe with a modest scoring record.

Nsiala had a really good game in a classic 0-0 at home to Southport a few months before, so I think it was well received IIRC.

Quoted from Abdul19

Nsiala had a really good game in a classic 0-0 at home to Southport a few months before, so I think it was well received IIRC.

Yeah, fair enough, but he wasn't exactly a well known, experienced centre back.

I think people are looking at Barrow making more signings than us and wondering why. We could make more signings if we just took players that are available. Hurst won't do that unless he thinks they are better than what we have, either in ability, attitude, or hopefully both. There is no guarantee the Barrow signings will make them significantly better, whereas I believe that the two we have so far recruited will.

The fact that Barrow are able to make quality signings despite their position in the league takes away the excuse people are making for us not making decent signings.

We really need to get a shift on ourselves, it's vital we have a forward or 2 in ASAP.

Quoted from 872[b

]The fact that Barrow are able to make quality signings[/b] despite their position in the league takes away the excuse people are making for us not making decent signings.

We really need to get a shift on ourselves, it's vital we have a forward or 2 in ASAP.

Think that's the crux of it though. Are they quality signings, or just signings?

Devitt can be a very good player, but he can also be anonymous.

I think the fact we are not making "quality" signings is because there aren't that many out there better than we have who want to come here. There will be some, but all teams will be chasing the best ones. Movement usually gets freed up as the month progresses. Our next opponents are also chasing an elusive striker without much success at the moment.

Quoted from pontoonlew

The fact that Barrow are able to make quality signings despite their position in the league takes away the excuse people are making for us not making decent signings.

We really need to get a shift on ourselves, it's vital we have a forward or 2 in ASAP.

They’re not exactly ‘quality’ are they. They’re players that haven’t been able to get games at other teams in league 2. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, with a certain manager and team players excel, but there’s just as much chance they won’t have such an impact.

I think Devitt was consistently Carlisle's best player for a couple of seasons wasn't he?  Even in a wingback formation which I honestly couldn't see him playing in based on his appearances for us.

Fair enough he's done little since leaving Carlisle but it's been such a disjointed last 12 months, I'm not sure how much you can really take that into account.  Stop, start, stop...if a player has fallen out of favour or struggled with a knock during that period or before, it's a quite lengthy spell of disruption.

Second spell here was a disappointment but he looked incredibly unfit.  Wasn't he recovering from glandular fever or something?  Actually think he's a decent signing for Barrow.

What we need to remember is that Barrow is a completely different team and club to us.

They have different priorities and manager.

As has been said we have tried signing loads of players (as er Holloway etc) and it didn't work for us - I admit a lot of them were rough diamonds, but no one can deny that Rose, Bennett and Mohsni should have/ should be performing way better than they have been; Bennett has  picked up as of late.

What we need now is key players rather than squad members - this new CB, for example, is quick, big and has played in L2/L1.

We now need a CM who can organise the midfield and break up play - someone who will develop Hewittt, Clifton Spokes etc, and who might provide competition to get Rose to up his game.

A striker is also required, but I have absolute faith Hurst will identify the sort of layer we need - I mean it's pretty simple.. a striker that can kick the ball into the back of the net  ;D ;D ;D

Anyway that's my thoughts for what they're worth ..!

in Hurst we trust..

Quoted from Mariner93er

They’re not exactly ‘quality’ are they. They’re players that haven’t been able to get games at other teams in league 2. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, with a certain manager and team players excel, but there’s just as much chance they won’t have such an impact.

If we'd made these signings we'd all be pretty pleased and based on previous form, 2 of them would definitely improve our squad.

So the point remains, if we fail to sign decent players in January, not only will we go down but we'll not be able to use the 'nobody wanted to come here' excuse.

The thing I like about Hurst most is his ability to bring in players who have the right balance of experience and attitude.

Both Habergham and Menayesse have backstories that make them want to play and prove to themselves - if no one else - that they are good enough and worthy enough of being FL players.

It's a bit different from bringing a young, unexposed kid in from Bristol City because you've got a mate there who says he's good. He might be brilliant, but if he doesn't fit your system, your philosophy or your culture, he's not going to shine.

Holloway recruited a bunch of individuals. Not even a darts tournament could get them to gel on the pitch.

Hurst seems more methodical and attentive to the mental side of the game. He's not without his faults, but he's a good judge of character. I remember questioning his decision to release Aswad Thomas and Scott Nielsen when, on their day, they were match winners.

12 months later we'd won promotion. Not saying they were bad apples but we knew there was nothing wrong with their footballing abilities. Hurst obviously didn't think that was enough.

Quoted from RichMariner

The thing I like about Hurst most is his ability to bring in players who have the right balance of experience and attitude.

Both Habergham and Menayesse have backstories that make them want to play and prove to themselves - if no one else - that they are good enough and worthy enough of being FL players.

It's a bit different from bringing a young, unexposed kid in from Bristol City because you've got a mate there who says he's good. He might be brilliant, but if he doesn't fit your system, your philosophy or your culture, he's not going to shine.

Holloway recruited a bunch of individuals. Not even a darts tournament could get them to gel on the pitch.

Hurst seems more methodical and attentive to the mental side of the game. He's not without his faults, but he's a good judge of character. I remember questioning his decision to release Aswad Thomas and Scott Nielsen when, on their day, they were match winners.

12 months later we'd won promotion. Not saying they were bad apples but we knew there was nothing wrong with their footballing abilities. Hurst obviously didn't think that was enough.

Agreed, perhaps Holloway's recruitment policy was formed around hurling darts at his board with names attached  ;)

The signings made no sense, but as an optimist myself you always try and understand why they have been signed and look at the positives of having them here. It just seemed like blind recruitment to me. A scout told him of a few decent Non-League players and he was dishing out contracts before watching them play, and then that was sprinkled with unfit veterans who on their day were decent a year or two ago.

After Burnley turned down the approach to take back Glennon and Benson it just seemed to be a case of any young player who was available to bring in on loan. He was rattling on about bringing in a new striker (just weeks after bringing in Jackson, Gibson and Touray) to freshen up the ranks and all of a sudden we end up with Virgil Gomis who had 1 goal to his name in around 30 first team appearances. Itn just seemed like there was no thought to it and before we knew it we had 39 players.

Hurst like you say is going after the right players at the right time. Yes, it's disappointing that we haven't managed to bring in anyone else yet and especially a forward but I am confident that Hurst is navigating through the dead wood at the moment trying to uncover a gem. Who knows, we may not find that gem but I would rather us not find it than dish contracts out to inadequate players for the sake of it.

I seem to recall Hurst saying that if couldn't get the 'main' players in he wanted; then he would get others in and build around them. These were not his exact words but but 'gist' of his statement.

Given that I think he not only knows the weakness's of the team but has a plan B if the strikers he likes don't want to come here.

Quoted from DB

I seem to recall Hurst saying that if couldn't get the 'main' players in he wanted; then he would get others in and build around them. These were not his exact words but but 'gist' of his statement.

Given that I think he not only knows the weakness's of the team but has a plan B if the strikers he likes don't want to come here.

I’m not saying it’ll happen this January but for the majority of his January windows in the Conference, Hurst struggled to get what he needed. The one season he got it right was the season we went up.

Quoted from pontoonlew

I’m not saying it’ll happen this January but for the majority of his January windows in the Conference, Hurst struggled to get what he needed. The one season he got it right was the season we went up.

As log as we stay up I'll go along with any signing

Quoted from Gainsbro_Mariner

Agreed, perhaps Holloway's recruitment policy was formed around hurling darts at his board with names attached  ;)

The signings made no sense, but as an optimist myself you always try and understand why they have been signed and look at the positives of having them here. It just seemed like blind recruitment to me. A scout told him of a few decent Non-League players and he was dishing out contracts before watching them play, and then that was sprinkled with unfit veterans who on their day were decent a year or two ago.

After Burnley turned down the approach to take back Glennon and Benson it just seemed to be a case of any young player who was available to bring in on loan. He was rattling on about bringing in a new striker (just weeks after bringing in Jackson, Gibson and Touray) to freshen up the ranks and all of a sudden we end up with Virgil Gomis who had 1 goal to his name in around 30 first team appearances. Itn just seemed like there was no thought to it and before we knew it we had 39 players.

Hurst like you say is going after the right players at the right time. Yes, it's disappointing that we haven't managed to bring in anyone else yet and especially a forward but I am confident that Hurst is navigating through the dead wood at the moment trying to uncover a gem. Who knows, we may not find that gem but I would rather us not find it than dish contracts out to inadequate players for the sake of it.

He deserves no defence at all, but what I would say about Holloway's approach is that it seemed to be adopting the approach that the season would be curtailed.  Hence the lack of recruiting a spine to build around, which is probably the most expensive part of your squad.

It seemed to me that he/the club took the route of bringing in a lot of young and/or raw talent to develop them with a view to the future.  With regards the mass of loan signings, none have, with the exception of the far more experienced Bennett, looked quite ready for the demands of League Two football.  Neither at the standard of the likes of Glennon and Benson, or even Embleton and Robson from previous years.  I took it more that getting them in was sort of like an extended trial for maybe having the successful ones back the following season, either be it on loan or once released from their clubs.   I'd then have expected that this coming summer (assuming the 21/22 season is the one when everything is back to 'normal') he would have recruited his backbone.

Either way, it failed and it's left us in the proverbial.  Holloway massively disappointed me and I felt incredibly let down by him.  But I believe he was and still is capable of building a good squad.  This time last year he took a struggling squad but he quickly identified what it really lacked and addressed it.

Quoted from pontoonlew

If we'd made these signings we'd all be pretty pleased and based on previous form, 2 of them would definitely improve our squad.

So the point remains, if we fail to sign decent players in January, not only will we go down but we'll not be able to use the 'nobody wanted to come here' excuse.

I'd take issue with that as I think it's far from certain at this stage. The standard in this league is not that high, and I feel with all our best players on the pitch, fit and firing, we don't have too bad a side. We need numbers as much for competition and back up as anything else, because after a first choice 11, we don't have much in reserve. We definitely need a striker or two though, but then so do most teams who are struggling.

I'd also take issue with your "no one wants to come here" being an excuse, based on the fact that Barrow have made a handful of signings, none of whom look like the "quality" signings you seem to think they are. I rather think it's not a case that no one wants to come, but that no one decent wants to come, and that's the nub of it. Hurst could sign any number of players and loanees desperate for a game/contract, but what's the point if they don't improve on what we have? Holloway did that and look where it got us.

Quoted from ginnywings

Two of those were not exactly met with glee were they? Toto was a free agent, picked up by Southport, for whom he played less than 20 games before he came here. Amond came from Morecambe with a modest scoring record.

I reference the quality of them now as opposed to when we plucked them from relative obscurity. Many posters on here suggest the possibility of re-signing these players I wondered if the poster was of the same delusional tendencies or whether he has his feet on the ground.