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Quoted from promotion plaice

Come on Paul, we've had a great start to the season.

But now is the time to bring in that extra striker before we regret it.

Bring on the red crosses but money talks, let's push the boat out and bring Omar Bogle back.

Isn't there a salary cap next season?

I like the majority of your posts but as the saying goes this one 'it's up a gum tree without a paddle '. Why? because we all know, from the start of the season we need a No 9 and that's why we haven't one, nobody fits the bill. We don't need a mercenary because he hasn't played a first team match in months and to all accounts, he's collecting his paychecks.

To all extents I don't think money would be a problem, the problem is the right person who has to fit in with the team.

With McAtee out for 4 weeks minimum I'll take anyone if it means LJL doesn't start

The Shop is fine for the last 20 minutes if you're seeing out a game. If you're starting with him, you won't get promoted. He just doesn't have either the ability to do something when the other team parks the bus (see Tuesday night) or to score a half chance when you're playing a good team (see today) We need another striker and it's up to Hurst to find the right one, hopefully quickly.

OK, we all know we need a striker, but who? No sentiments or was. Names in the frames please, EFL teams are reluctant to release because their No1 striker might get injured. So that leaves the prem or where we are in the NL or below. if they want to move?

So it's all right to state the obvious, but who?

Hurst said he was looking at championship and a first division strikers last week but they didn’t work out so it’s not as if he isn’t looking……

If anybody knows a. Striker that fits the bill that Paul is looking for.

Please tell him or put his name on here because Paul can not find one.

If Hollowhead was still here I bet he would have signed 3 or 4 by now.

They would not be any good but he would have signed them.(fly)

Quoted from Ipswin

With McAtee out for 4 weeks minimum I'll take anyone if it means LJL doesn't start

And you didn’t expect red crosses for that?
You’re not a nice man

Does anyone know if we are allowed to buy a player for a fee from another team in our division? All the talk seems to have been mainly been about free agents or higher level U23 players, but I keep wondering why we couldn't maybe go and try for someone in our division. Someone mentioned the other week the guy Waters at Halifax - could we maybe test their mettle with a 75-100K offer (assuming we've got that to spend) or someone similar who is doing reasonably well for a smaller club who might need the money.

I guess one of of problems is finding somebody who is good enought to fill in when McAtee/Taylor are injured, but won't kick up a fuss if they are fit and firing and so maybe won't get many minutes.

"We need to bring in that extra striker ASAP"
No we don't.

Quoted from Roast Em Bobby

Does anyone know if we are allowed to buy a player for a fee from another team in our division? All the talk seems to have been mainly been about free agents or higher level U23 players, but I keep wondering why we couldn't maybe go and try for someone in our division. Someone mentioned the other week the guy Waters at Halifax - could we maybe test their mettle with a 75-100K offer (assuming we've got that to spend) or someone similar who is doing reasonably well for a smaller club who might need the money.

I guess one of of problems is finding somebody who is good enought to fill in when McAtee/Taylor are injured, but won't kick up a fuss if they are fit and firing and so maybe won't get many minutes.

Given the increase in gates, that sort of money should be in the kitty, unless you know who has milked it, again. Another striker, of some quality, may not always be 3rd choice and could make McAtee/Taylor compete for their place in the team. The question is who?

Look ph will sign a striker when one becomes available who he thinks can do a job for us , no good doing what holloway did & draw names out of a hat , he goes to enough u23 football i expect one if not two signings before we play our next league game , in the meantime 29 points after 14 games keep averaging that & we will be title contenders for sure

Quoted from Roast Em Bobby

Does anyone know if we are allowed to buy a player for a fee from another team in our division? All the talk seems to have been mainly been about free agents or higher level U23 players, but I keep wondering why we couldn't maybe go and try for someone in our division. Someone mentioned the other week the guy Waters at Halifax - could we maybe test their mettle with a 75-100K offer (assuming we've got that to spend) or someone similar who is doing reasonably well for a smaller club who might need the money.

I guess one of of problems is finding somebody who is good enought to fill in when McAtee/Taylor are injured, but won't kick up a fuss if they are fit and firing and so maybe won't get many minutes.

I mentioned him - think he would be a good addition, but Halifax will need a big offer to sell to a rival, unless they really need the money and he may not want to warm the bench if we a fully fit squad, but of course money talks in that respect as well.

Be interested to know the type of player PH has been chasing. I think we need a poacher type that can get us goals alongside LJL's physical presence if we are missing Taylor but PH will have the right plan. I thought he got it right yesterday BTW - the midfield were impressive, we needed a scruffy goal from a Notts mistake from our pressing game but it was our errors (positional and Macca) that lost the game.

Andy Carroll is a free agent at the moment, still only 32 could do a job at this level

Is there a ceiling on how many loans you can take?

Quoted from Simon

Andy Carroll is a free agent at the moment, still only 32 could do a job at this level

We should be able to get him for £50 a week and 100 Tesco points

Quoted from golfer

We should be able to get him for £50 a week and 100 Tesco points

I'd want him to pay us a lot more than that

Quoted from golfer

We should be able to get him for £50 a week and 100 Tesco points

............. and he could bring his own striped shirt with him .

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Is there a ceiling on how many loans you can take?

Thought it was 6, so we are alright there. We must be because the players PH was trying to bring in last week would have been loans I imagine.

As for signing a striker for a fee, I would like to think that if PH identified one, then the board would put up the money, especially as we are making way more than we could have imagined at the start of the season with all the extra fans through the turnstiles.

Stockport signed Sarcevic from Bolton, so It's doable.

The top teams in this league are now spending the sorts of money unheard of until recently and there was much made about Chesterfield paying what they did for Tshimanga, but he is quickly repaying that investment with 9 goals already.

Maybe we could prise away someone like Waters or Campbell from Woking.

Ultimately though, it's solely down to PH to identify the correct fit. As good as we have been this season, we are still in the building process yet and there is room for improvement in more than just forward areas I think.

We need to use the next 2 or 3 weeks to bring someone in before we hit that run of tough games against most of the top sides.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Is there a ceiling on how many loans you can take?

Not sure, but you can only have 5 in the matchday 16.

It's easy to spend someone else's money though isn't it?

For what it's worth (which is very little, I'm just a voice on a message board) I don't think the answer is throwing money at a striker and I don't think that's the model we're going to go for and whilst the budget is no doubt healthy we can't compete with the likes of Wrexham or Stockport and pay the wages they're paying to prise people from elsewhere. I'm not sure I'd want us to be so reckless with the budget that we would try either, it seems that we're aiming for a sustainable and safe operating structure.

Beyond that I'm not sure how easy it is to 'go get a striker'. It's the easiest thing in the world to talk about on social media or a forum. It's easy to do on FM or FIFA but in real life with real people I'm not sure its as simple as that. What is clear is that Paul Hurst is trying, he's been knocked back by a couple of players and he's discounted others himself. he's alluded that this may be down to their personalities/attitudes. What PH does build in a team is a work ethic and a bond. I don't think he'd take someone who isn't the right fit. It must be difficult to persuade someone to move at this time of year, we're all thinking about Christmas aren't we? Would you want to move away from your family at this time of year? Footballers are just people, with thoughts and emotions and feelings, I think sometimes we forget that.

I agree that we need strengthening or help in the striking options, especially now McAtee is injured and Taylor is having to be managed in a return but I trust Paul Hurst and I trust the board to get the right person in, and if that person isn't out there then I'd rather we didn't spend the money for the sake of it and we make do with what we've got.

Quoted from darren9

It's easy to spend someone else's money though isn't it?

For what it's worth (which is very little, I'm just a voice on a message board) I don't think the answer is throwing money at a striker and I don't think that's the model we're going to go for and whilst the budget is no doubt healthy we can't compete with the likes of Wrexham or Stockport and pay the wages they're paying to prise people from elsewhere. I'm not sure I'd want us to be so reckless with the budget that we would try either, it seems that we're aiming for a sustainable and safe operating structure.

Beyond that I'm not sure how easy it is to 'go get a striker'. It's the easiest thing in the world to talk about on social media or a forum. It's easy to do on FM or FIFA but in real life with real people I'm not sure its as simple as that. What is clear is that Paul Hurst is trying, he's been knocked back by a couple of players and he's discounted others himself. he's alluded that this may be down to their personalities/attitudes. What PH does build in a team is a work ethic and a bond. I don't think he'd take someone who isn't the right fit. It must be difficult to persuade someone to move at this time of year, we're all thinking about Christmas aren't we? Would you want to move away from your family at this time of year? Footballers are just people, with thoughts and emotions and feelings, I think sometimes we forget that.

I agree that we need strengthening or help in the striking options, especially now McAtee is injured and Taylor is having to be managed in a return but I trust Paul Hurst and I trust the board to get the right person in, and if that person isn't out there then I'd rather we didn't spend the money for the sake of it and we make do with what we've got.

Is it other peoples money though? The fans by and large fund the club through ticket sales and sometimes you have to speculate to accumulate. We have responded to what we have seen on the pitch and turned up in numbers not heard of for a long time. The club has made far more money than they could have imagined and would probably be willing to fund a modest transfer, should one be identified.

I'm not talking about spending a quarter of a million on a striker like Chesterfield did. We got Hearn and Bogle for considerably less than that, because we took them from clubs that were glad of the money and happy for their star striker to get a move that enhanced their career.

I think sometimes Hurst can be a bit stubborn in that regard, but if you stand still, you go backwards.

Quoted from ginnywings

Thought it was 6, so we are alright there. We must be because the players PH was trying to bring in last week would have been loans I imagine.

As for signing a striker for a fee, I would like to think that if PH identified one, then the board would put up the money, especially as we are making way more than we could have imagined at the start of the season with all the extra fans through the turnstiles.

Stockport signed Sarcevic from Bolton, so It's doable.

The top teams in this league are now spending the sorts of money unheard of until recently and there was much made about Chesterfield paying what they did for Tshimanga, but he is quickly repaying that investment with 9 goals already.

Maybe we could prise away someone like Waters or Campbell from Woking.

Ultimately though, it's solely down to PH to identify the correct fit. As good as we have been this season, we are still in the building process yet and there is room for improvement in more than just forward areas I think.

We need to use the next 2 or 3 weeks to bring someone in before we hit that run of tough games against most of the top sides.

Jason did go on record recently to say if we need an addition the board will support it. I doubt we’d get Waters as Halifax have realistic ambitions. Campbell looks decent as did the big lad Woking had up front with him when we played them.

I think he’ll bring someone in as long as they fit the bill in terms of ability and attitude and more importantly they’re match fit or as close as they could be.

Quoted from ginnywings

Is it other peoples money though? The fans by and large fund the club through ticket sales and sometimes you have to speculate to accumulate. We have responded to what we have seen on the pitch and turned up in numbers not heard of for a long time. The club has made far more money than they could have imagined and would probably be willing to fund a modest transfer, should one be identified.

I'm not talking about spending a quarter of a million on a striker like Chesterfield did. We got Hearn and Bogle for considerably less than that, because we took them from clubs that were glad of the money and happy for their star striker to get a move that enhanced their career.

I think sometimes Hurst can be a bit stubborn in that regard, but if you stand still, you go backwards.

I agree with a lot of what you say here but saying Hurst is stubborn is a bit off the mark in my view. I’d describe it as picky but stubborn suggests he’d cut his nose off to sought his face which he wouldn’t do, why would he “self harm” our chances of success.

It is other people's money its not mine or yours it's the club's when you give them that money its for entrance, or for merchandise or whatever, you relinquish any rights to it when you hand it over.

Remember we still have to pay back JF so that's got to be harming any potential budget.

But, what I'm saying (maybe badly) is that I trust in Paul Hurst (and the board) to identify and bring in the right person rather than just *a* person. I'd rather have no-one than the Richard Brodie situation

Quoted from darren9

It is other people's money its not mine or yours it's the club's when you give them that money its for entrance, or for merchandise or whatever, you relinquish any rights to it when you hand it over.

Remember we still have to pay back JF so that's got to be harming any potential budget.

But, what I'm saying (maybe badly) is that I trust in Paul Hurst (and the board) to identify and bring in the right person rather than just *a* person. I'd rather have no-one than the Richard Brodie situation

Exactly!

It's the club's and the club's reason for being is football. Football needs footballers to attract and entertain the punters.

I trust Hurst too, but if we need to sign a striker and the only ones that fit the bill and are available cost a fee, then so be it.

We didn't do badly out of the Bogle deal did we?

Quoted from DB

I like the majority of your posts but as the saying goes this one 'it's up a gum tree without a paddle '. Why? because we all know, from the start of the season we need a No 9 and that's why we haven't one, nobody fits the bill. We don't need a mercenary because he hasn't played a first team match in months and to all accounts, he's collecting his paychecks.

To all extents I don't think money would be a problem, the problem is the right person who has to fit in with the team.

What would you do if you had a paddle up a gum tree? The mind boggles! ;) 8)
UTMM

Quoted from gobby

What would you do if you had a paddle up a gum tree? The mind boggles! ;) 8)
UTMM

How much can a koala bear?

Quoted from ginnywings

Exactly!

It's the club's and the club's reason for being is football. Football needs footballers to attract and entertain the punters.

I trust Hurst too, but if we need to sign a striker and the only ones that fit the bill and are available cost a fee, then so be it.

We didn't do badly out of the Bogle deal did we?

The new owners haven't exactly pushed the boat out with spending on players or management, Time to dig deep, after all they don't want to be tarred with the same brush investment-wise as their predecessor do they?

Hurst has put together an excellent squad that. with just a couple of decent (fee paying) acquisitions, (one of which must be up front) could easily see the new owner's investment back in the EFL at the first time of asking

Maybe - just maybe - given that Grant is seemingly near - the rush isn’t as urgent as it may appear. I expect he’ll be introduced from the bench at Kidderminster, and if no injuries, and he recovers after the game with no issues - that’s another iron in the fire for Aldershot and onwards.

Quoted from Ipswin

The new owners haven't exactly pushed the boat out with spending on players or management, Time to dig deep, after all they don't want to be tarred with the same brush investment-wise as their predecessor do they?

Hurst has put together an excellent squad that. with just a couple of decent (fee paying) acquisitions, (one of which must be up front) could easily see the new owner's investment back in the EFL at the first time of asking

It's not all about throwing money at it... just look at the league positions of Wrexham and Stockport!

Quoted from Ipswin

The new owners haven't exactly pushed the boat out with spending on players or management, Time to dig deep, after all they don't want to be tarred with the same brush investment-wise as their predecessor do they?

Hurst has put together an excellent squad that. with just a couple of decent (fee paying) acquisitions, (one of which must be up front) could easily see the new owner's investment back in the EFL at the first time of asking

When Hurst was here before it was pretty much him, Doigy, Dave and Andy Warrington. I think Greg the fitness guy was doing a bit for free.

Now he’s got,

Him
Doigy
Ben Davis
Greg the fitness guy
Keeper coach (who’s not the reserve keeper)
Dave
A masseur
An analyst
A kit man
I think there is another lad helping out with SAQ stuff as well.

On top of this though we’ll struggle for goals without McAtee and Taylor he’s got most positions covered without having to take a punt on a young kid.

The new owners also have the liability of paying off Fenty and making the training ground and BP fit for purpose for the short term.

To say they haven’t pushed the boat out is probably right if your expecting us to sign numerous players for 6 figure fees but they have invested in sustainable growth which in the mind of most supporters I know is the right path.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

When Hurst was here before it was pretty much him, Doigy, Dave and Andy Warrington. I think Greg the fitness guy was doing a bit for free.

Now he’s got,

Him
Doigy
Ben Davis
Greg the fitness guy
Keeper coach (who’s not the reserve keeper)
Dave
A masseur
An analyst
A kit man
I think there is another lad helping out with SAQ stuff as well.

On top of this though we’ll struggle for goals without McAtee and Taylor he’s got most positions covered without having to take a punt on a young kid.

The new owners also have the liability of paying off Fenty and making the training ground and BP fit for purpose for the short term.

To say they haven’t pushed the boat out is probably right if your expecting us to sign numerous players for 6 figure fees but they have invested in sustainable growth which in the mind of most supporters I know is the right path.

To say the new owners “haven’t pushed the boat out” is unfair. They’ve put a lot of money into areas that aren’t the playing squad some listed above. This makes us a better club. Throwing money at players is a short term strategy. Investing elsewhere is long term and I’d much rather the owners do that than short term fixes.

Putting money into the playing squad may give you a temporary uplift but ignoring the other elements of a football club gets you relegations.

If investing in the facilities, coaches, the ground, infrastructure and other areas means the playing budget is slightly less than so be it. The “when does a (insert non playing staff cost) get you 3 points on a Saturday?” Attitude has been proven to be short sighted and wrong.

The current squad and decisions made sees us second in the league and having only lost twice so far this season. That’s not a bad place to be and we’ve got there on a wave of optimism. this handwringing from fans about a new striker is damaging the positivity. It’s cliched but we’re stronger together and we need to back the club, the staff and the players that are here.

In hurst, Stockwood, and Petit we trust.

Im sure if Hurst was to identify another Bogle/Hearn the board would back him with the funds necessary etc..

I suspect we have a pay structure installed that not only makes economic sense but precludes any fast bucks merchants coming in to disrupt the harmony in the dressing room.
Players who have that rare ability to score regularly have agents who know that & thus, if available, reflect their demands.
I don't like the loan system as these guys are just passing through to eventually return to their parent clubs possibly better players.
However needs must & I understand the PH philosophy of patience in seeking a talent from a level above on loan to bag us some goals in the absence of JM & a striker.
Ah well time just enough to top up the glass before the missus comes in.
.

Quoted from AussieMariner

How much can a koala bear?

Not a lot without a paddle apparently! 8)
UTMM

It's hard to recruit from below given the lack of football over the last 20 months but I've just had a look at the National League North top scorers. 22 year old Cedwyn Scott at Gateshead will probably be attracting some attention.

Glenn Taylor at Spennymoor impressed me when I saw him earlier this season but he has a good job and earns £900 p/w apparently!

Harry Cardwell and James Hanson feature high up the list too!

Quoted from jamesgtfc

It's hard to recruit from below given the lack of football over the last 20 months but I've just had a look at the National League North top scorers. 22 year old Cedwyn Scott at Gateshead will probably be attracting some attention.

Glenn Taylor at Spennymoor impressed me when I saw him earlier this season but he has a good job and earns £900 p/w apparently!

Harry Cardwell and James Hanson feature high up the list too!

Not saying never, but we've been there last season with promising goalscorers who did not make the grade, no need to panic just because we lost two games that we could have easily won

I don't think we are limited by our investments in infrastructure or coaching. In his first interview after completing the takeover, Stockwood said, "we're prepared to stand behind some pretty substantial losses", which I took to mean that they will personally be backing the improvements to - and eventually replacement of - training facilities, etc. The Fenty payments have been budgeted for. So we should be looking at a budget surplus heading into January.

What kind of forward do we need anyway? Probably a more direct player than what we have, preferably with pace, who could perhaps play off Taylor/LJL. I also think we could do with a left-sided midfielder/winger. I presumed Revan would be an option there but Hurst sees him as a back-up to Crookes at LB.

I didn't actually think it was the striking position that was the problem on Saturday, it was the absence of McAtee.

LJL did what he could but was badly isolated without someone genuinely operating just off him.  Fox was deployed further upfield and did his best, but not his game and he got sucked back into midfield (a criticism that's been levelled at McAtee at times this season too).  Taylor came on and was equally as isolated and I felt actually got less involved than LJL.

It doesn't matter who we play up top, be it LJL or Taylor, it's the gap left by McAtee that's the real issue.  If he's not available we need to either be able to replace him in a like-for-like way or change the system to adapt.

Like-for-like wise I think the only person we've got the in building who could do that role is Scannell, unfortunately he's never fit so we probably need to give up on that idea.  We therefore, in my opinion anyway, need to adjust the system to make sure we're not reliant on a guy floating about in the hole to make things happen.

Other than McAtee, one of our biggest strengths this season has been our ability to basically outrun and dominate teams in midfield.  It's essential we don't lose that either.

If we want to still boss the midfield and be able to press and create from other areas, I think we need to look at overloading from wide.  That's going to either have to come from having the full-backs pushing forward more and/or wingbacks with wingers operating much higher and closer to Taylor/LJL.

I know Hurst likes what Clifton brings from wide, but he isn't a real attacking threat.  Equally so with McAtee's energy missing from the central areas we need to realign that a little.  I'd like to see Clifton in a midfield 3 with Hunt and Fox.  Sousa and Bapaga either side of the striker for a genuine front 3.  Also the full-backs pushing forward into the space vacated by the wingers moving forward more.

PH said Grant will prob be on the bench. I've never seen him play but he can play up front.

Agree on Grant. I’d like to see another forward come in but I’d also like to see if Bapaga might play effectively where McAtee does. Additionally, I think we might need to be a bit bolder in both full back positions to address the ‘isolation’ issue, and that means Efete and Revan instead of Sears and Crookes in certain games.

I thought Fox's advanced role in the first half was as much a case of stopping their No. 18 building play out from the back as it was supporting LJL. A more defensive sort of a role, despite the advanced starting position. I also thought that Sousa was supposed to be the main one pushing forward but he did end up wide more often than not so not sure if this actually was the case.

Quoted from diehardmariner

I know Hurst likes what Clifton brings from wide, but he isn't a real attacking threat. Equally so with McAtee's energy missing from the central areas we need to realign that a little. I'd like to see Clifton in a midfield 3 with Hunt and Fox. Sousa and Bapaga either side of the striker for a genuine front 3. Also the full-backs pushing forward into the space vacated by the wingers moving forward more.

Didn't we try that in the game mcatee came on in about the 70th minute? Think we have tried something like that a couple of times. Never really worked.

I think bapaga could play the mcatee role but we would definitely lose something work rate wise. However I would hope bapagas seemingly very high efficiency of end product in terms of penalties/assists/goals might make up for that.

Quoted from diehardmariner

I didn't actually think it was the striking position that was the problem on Saturday, it was the absence of McAtee.

LJL did what he could but was badly isolated without someone genuinely operating just off him.  Fox was deployed further upfield and did his best, but not his game and he got sucked back into midfield (a criticism that's been levelled at McAtee at times this season too).  Taylor came on and was equally as isolated and I felt actually got less involved than LJL.

It doesn't matter who we play up top, be it LJL or Taylor, it's the gap left by McAtee that's the real issue.  If he's not available we need to either be able to replace him in a like-for-like way or change the system to adapt.

Like-for-like wise I think the only person we've got the in building who could do that role is Scannell, unfortunately he's never fit so we probably need to give up on that idea.  We therefore, in my opinion anyway, need to adjust the system to make sure we're not reliant on a guy floating about in the hole to make things happen.

Other than McAtee, one of our biggest strengths this season has been our ability to basically outrun and dominate teams in midfield.  It's essential we don't lose that either.

If we want to still boss the midfield and be able to press and create from other areas, I think we need to look at overloading from wide.  That's going to either have to come from having the full-backs pushing forward more and/or wingbacks with wingers operating much higher and closer to Taylor/LJL.

I know Hurst likes what Clifton brings from wide, but he isn't a real attacking threat.  Equally so with McAtee's energy missing from the central areas we need to realign that a little.  I'd like to see Clifton in a midfield 3 with Hunt and Fox.  Sousa and Bapaga either side of the striker for a genuine front 3.  Also the full-backs pushing forward into the space vacated by the wingers moving forward more.

It all sounds reasonable and you put a good argument forward but if the ball didn’t constantly ping off LJL, it would’ve allowed the forward players to get forward.

As it happened, the ball didn’t stay up there long enough to get the wide players involved.

I also thought a key part was Clifton not being at his best, Bapaga should’ve been on way before he was.

What’s the Scannell situation? He can play up front.

Quoted from louth_in_the_south

What’s the Scannell situation? He can play up front.

The only place he can successfully play is Dave Moore's crash test dummy!...
Really is some quality in Scannell but I'd be surprised if we see him anytime this side of 2022

Quoted from pontoonlew

It all sounds reasonable and you put a good argument forward but if the ball didn’t constantly ping off LJL, it would’ve allowed the forward players to get forward.

As it happened, the ball didn’t stay up there long enough to get the wide players involved.

I also thought a key part was Clifton not being at his best, Bapaga should’ve been on way before he was.

Clifton is disciplined and industrious. One thing I've noticed in the last 2 home games is that the opposition have targeted him for some rough treatment so they clearly see him as an important player in this team.

Yeh he certainly took a right whack on Saturday - imo the lad who took him out should of been shown the red

Quoted from marinerjase

Maybe - just maybe - given that Grant is seemingly near - the rush isn’t as urgent as it may appear. I expect he’ll be introduced from the bench at Kidderminster, and if no injuries, and he recovers after the game with no issues - that’s another iron in the fire for Aldershot and onwards.

Is he really that close to coming back?

If so, then great news!

If we don’t bring a new player in, I could see Edwin Essel up front or on the bench for Saturday.

Quoted from RonMariner

Is he really that close to coming back?

If so, then great news!

can imagine Grant will be pushing to get some match time as the next league game is at one of his former clubs, Aldershot, where he is fondly remembered

Use some of the profit from the season so far on tempting Cheek up North for the first time in his career, he’s a born sniffer and can also bang the odd screamer like he did against us. He would score goals all the way to L1 level and would get even more in our side who create chances from all over.
Should’ve fought harder to get Tshimanger here as the 250K Chesterfield paid will be peanuts compared to the sell on fee.

I know - but remember all our extra income will have to go to paying off a certain JFS?

Quoted from Heswall Mariner

I know - but remember all our extra income will have to go to paying off a certain JFS?

We will pay it off a lot quicker if we get a quality striker to take us back at the first attempt.

Quoted from Abdul19

Not sure, but you can only have 5 in the matchday 16.

That was the mistake Ollie made. He signed 42,or was it 43,on loan but could only name 5 in the squad

Quoted from Grim up north

Use some of the profit from the season so far on tempting Cheek up North for the first time in his career, he’s a born sniffer and can also bang the odd screamer like he did against us. He would score goals all the way to L1 level and would get even more in our side who create chances from all over.
Should’ve fought harder to get Tshimanger here as the 250K Chesterfield paid will be peanuts compared to the sell on fee.

Whoever we get (if we do) will be somebody PH wants. Somebody that adds to the squad and fits in with a harmonious dressing room. It's all well and good throwing names around on here but PH knows what he wants, he is the manager and on this I will trust his judgement.

Quoted from rancido

Whoever we get (if we do) will be somebody PH wants. Somebody that adds to the squad and fits in with a harmonious dressing room. It's all well and good throwing names around on here but PH knows what he wants, he is the manager and on this I will trust his judgement.

Wasn't it his judgement that brought Lewis back .That's worked well

That’s a balanced view

Quoted from Grim up north

Use some of the profit from the season so far on tempting Cheek up North for the first time in his career, he’s a born sniffer and can also bang the odd screamer like he did against us. He would score goals all the way to L1 level and would get even more in our side who create chances from all over.
Should’ve fought harder to get Tshimanger here as the 250K Chesterfield paid will be peanuts compared to the sell on fee.

Cheek is a leery Southern tw@t (I know he was born in Nuneaton but I added that for effect) but scores 1 in 2 on average so he'd be ideal and arguably the type of player we have missing ATM, but I would imagine he'd get a nose bleed anywhere North of Watford, it would be nice to get him though as it would really p1ss off that bell end Woodman.

In terms of buying a player for £250K and paying him stupid money (at this level) which I'd assume the lad who went to Chesterfield is no doubt earning I can't see us doing that for lots of reasons. When Hurst was here before I remember an interview he did with RH where he talked about the impact of a lack of wage structure and how it can disrupt a squad.

This may sound an odd comment from a supporter who wants us to get promoted but I would have been quite concerned if we'd have spent that kind of money on a player when the whole squad left behind by Holloway needed a couple of windows to truly strengthen.

It's a bit of a dilemma though as if you bring in a free agent or someone who's not been playing at their club they'll take a bit to get going when we need an instant impact.

I think you could bring another U23 in on loan but that would mean we have 6 and can only name 5 in a squad which would p1ss off the parent club of the lad that misses our and potentially endangering any other loans from that club in the future.

I still think he'll wait to January when the market opens up a bit and there will be a few players in the last year of their deal who may want to jump now rather than being stranded in the summer.

Ryan Seager at Hungerford Town could be worth a punt. 8 goals in 10 games. Previously played for Southampton and a handful of loan teams. Hardly scored any goals in his first 6 years but the has seemed to have run into some decent form having scored over 20 goals in last season and the first 10 games of this season

Quoted from WayneBurnettsJockstrap

Ryan Seager at Hungerford Town could be worth a punt. 8 goals in 10 games. Previously played for Southampton and a handful of loan teams. Hardly scored any goals in his first 6 years but the has seemed to have run into some decent form having scored over 20 goals in last season and the first 10 games of this season

Southampton are a funny club for holding onto 'young' players that clearly aren't going to make it at the top level and most likely several tiers below. I don't know much about Seager but he's 25 now and at Hungerford, and was only released two years ago.

Tommy Forecast meanwhile was kept on their books until just a couple of months short of his 27th birthday, before they finally let him go. I mean, you hear of late developers and all that, but fúcking hell...

Tbf R Thomas didn't go there til he was nearly 22

(that 5 year deal makes Montel Gibson's 3 look shrewd!)

Quoted from Abdul19

Tbf R Thomas didn't go there til he was nearly 22

(that 5 year deal makes Montel Gibson's 3 look shrewd!)

Wasn't Forecast part of Bale moving to Spurs?

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Wasn't Forecast part of Bale moving to Spurs?

He moved a year later, as part of a 'renegotiation' of Bale's sell on clause. Shrewd bit of business by Saints.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/mike-walters-meets-tommy-forecast-2257918

Quoted from toontown

Didn't we try that in the game mcatee came on in about the 70th minute? Think we have tried something like that a couple of times. Never really worked.

I think bapaga could play the mcatee role but we would definitely lose something work rate wise. However I would hope bapagas seemingly very high efficiency of end product in terms of penalties/assists/goals might make up for that.

You're right, we did. Against Eastleigh. Although I wonder how much the flatness of that was down to a bit of the Lord Mayor's show after the Wrexham game.

Quoted from pontoonlew

It all sounds reasonable and you put a good argument forward but if the ball didn’t constantly ping off LJL, it would’ve allowed the forward players to get forward.

As it happened, the ball didn’t stay up there long enough to get the wide players involved.

I also thought a key part was Clifton not being at his best, Bapaga should’ve been on way before he was.

I get what you're saying and in previous games this season I'd have agreed. I just didn't think LJL did bad at all on Saturday, far from it.

Need a couple of new strikers and different types of strikers too.

Would like to see a forward so that we can go to a plan B if a game is looking a bit stale, so we can go a bit more direct.  We are too predictable and easy to defend against IF Taylor or McAtee are out.  Yes, we need to play the beautiful game, but sometimes we need to mix it and get it forward quicker.

A proper beast of a player, who we can wheel on with 10-15 mins to go, who isn't afraid of putting himself about (just within the laws of the game or not), roughing up a few centre backs, causing them to deal with a different challenge.  Might not score himself, but midfielders or other players can poke home from the scraps and general carnage left in his wake.

McAtee and Taylor are sharing the goals evenly. But no other striker is causing other teams problems.  Young Harry and Waterfall are our next highest scorers.

It'd be interesting to see how Chesterfield will cope if Tshimanga gets injured ...

For those of you having a meltdown we’ve got a manager who’s recruitment across 2 spells has been better than any other manager in my 30 years of following town. No one else comes close for signing quality players on a budget.

Quoted from Vance Warner

For those of you having a meltdown we’ve got a manager who’s recruitment across 2 spells has been better than any other manager in my 30 years of following town. No one else comes close for signing quality players on a budget.

And to balance things he never once built a team to challenge for the title

Quoted from dapperz fun pub

And to balance things he never once built a team to challenge for the title

And neither has anyone else in my 30 years of watching town. Hence the original point. If you can name a better manager that we’ve had for recruitment then crack on.

Quoted from Vance Warner

And neither has anyone else in my 30 years of watching town. Hence the original point. If you can name a better manager that we’ve had for recruitment then crack on.

That's why we should splash the cash and pay a reasonable transfer fee, as we trust his judgement. Free agents are one thing, we must have exhausted them by now, and if so we need to get someone who is not in the shop window.

Quoted from GrimRob

That's why we should splash the cash and pay a reasonable transfer fee, as we trust his judgement. Free agents are one thing, we must have exhausted them by now, and if so we need to get someone who is not in the shop window.

Because splashing the cash is working so well for Wrexham and Stockport. Not to mention the impact that breaking a wage structure can have on a team. Anyway how do you know we’re not willing to pay a fee for someone?

I’m pleased with the team that Hurst has assembled but despite the furore (and understandably so given our start to the season), I always had in the back of my mind, “what happens if Taylor or McAtee get injured?”.

On our day and with a fully fit team, we probably have a team as good as any in this league but my concern is that I don’t feel we have the strength in depth to cope with the rigours of a full season and be able to mount a sustained title challenge.

I’m all for signing a player for a fee if he scores us goals and we sell on for a big profit . It’s a business model we should be able to do now on the back of increased income .

There’s players like bogle out there .

Quoted from davmariner

I’m pleased with the team that Hurst has assembled but despite the furore (and understandably so given our start to the season), I always had in the back of my mind, “what happens if Taylor or McAtee get injured?”.

On our day and with a fully fit team, we probably have a team as good as any in this league but my concern is that I don’t feel we have the strength in depth to cope with the rigours of a full season and be able to mount a sustained title challenge.

I don't think it's squad depth were lacking in particularly, bearing in mind our level I think we have some strong options (we obviously can't afford to carry lots of players who won't be in the first 11 who are as of as strong a calibre as they are). I think it's more specific to position, were lacking up top with just mcatee, Taylor and lennie. Lenny I clearly inferior to taylor and nobody can replace mcatee it seems. Hurst was obviously hoping to sign a no 9, probably tshimanga but that didn't come off and in the meantime has hoped, whilst still looking out for a striker, that one of sousa, bapaga, Wight (or when fit Grant or scannel) could do a decent job invthat role as a stop gap. But Grant and scannel still aren't fit, Wright has become unfit again, sousa looks poor in the box (albeit great out of it) and bapaga lacks work rate.
Not sure what the answer is but I'd be inclined to go back to 4-4-1-1 with the same team as before (injuries permitting) but trying bapaga in the mcatee role. I think he has the ability to perform that function albeit we obviously lose out on mcatees work rate contributing in midfield and defending from the front.

Quoted from louth_in_the_south

I’m all for signing a player for a fee if he scores us goals and we sell on for a big profit . It’s a business model we should be able to do now on the back of increased income .

There’s players like bogle out there .

He's still out there - for a good reason it seems.

However I seem to recall Chesterfield paid circa £250k for Tshimanga & he's bagged 12 goals in 14 games so far.
Probably on big money as well but their gamble has so far paid off.
Stockport & Wrexham punts have so far have not - it 'aint easy to get it right that's for sure.