Attacking midfielder.  Possible number 10 backup?

Only a one year deal.  

Called by absolutely no one  ;D

Quoted from out of town

Called by absolutely no one  ;D

In fairness someone did mention him on here last week.

Quoted from out of town

Called by absolutely no one  ;D

Sure he got a mention on another thread.

Quoted from out of town

Called by absolutely no one  ;D

I think it was mentioned last week by somebody on the rumour thread.

Another quiet rabbit !!

Surprise, surprise !!

Welcome !

Seems like a good young player, a welcome addition. Hopefully there’s an option in his contract to extend it by a further year.

Quoted from Davec

I think it was mentioned last week by somebody on the rumour thread.

Think it was Surrey97 the same poster who called Niall Maher first

Happy with that. Seem to remember Torquay’s really good run coincided with his run there, then he got injured before they played us at BP where we won 2-1 & effectively their season.

Looks very decent from that highlights real. Fast, tricky and a decent finisher. We've been tricked by those things before but Hursty certainly knows a player! Welcome to GTFC Steven and good luck!

Quoted from Abdul19

https://youtu.be/R1oAPBhlvrU

Looks like he has a very good touch in that showreel.  Can control and bring the ball away from tight areas.

It is a showreel though, he could have been garbage the rest of the time.   ;D

Hurst has said that he play as an attacking midfielder and out wide, so he gives us some flexibility.

Looks a good player tbh, tricky and always looking to attack.

Interviewed well, seems a bright lad. Welcome...

Torquay fans really rated him and wanted to keep him.

Good signing for me, this. Young and plenty of scope to improve. My Sunderland mate seemed to rate him, just as he did Embleton and Robson. Here's what he had to say:

Quoted Text

Looked a pretty good prospect last year, but based on age and the fact we got promoted was let go. Our policy after selling all our good youth players (see previous conversation about the owners) was to buy players that had not quite made it at other academies. He was only with us for 2 years but was always highly regarded and might have pushed for the first team had we not gone up,

Thread on Sunderland forum:

https://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/will-harris-kenton-richardson-and-stephen-wearne.1580155/page-2#post-36345726

I know those show reels can be a bit deceiving but he looks like he could be a nailed on starter on the left flank with him maybe moving into the middle when mcatee cant play. Gotta say an attacking mid 3 of him, mcatee and Maguire-Drew looks like it could be our main source of goals.

Also looks like he likes to press too which is never a bad thing

Quoted from ska face

Happy with that. Seem to remember Torquay’s really good run coincided with his run there, then he got injured before they played us at BP where we won 2-1 & effectively their season.

Aye, won 7 and drew 5 of his 14 games there. Defeats were v Halifax and Solihull too.

From that youtube video (a good one by the way, highlighting which player he is at the start of each clip helps), it looks like he'd fit into our system on the left of the 3 attacking players in the 4-2-3-1

Was told by a Torquay friend that most defenses never saw him coming.

Gingers do have souls...

Seems like Sunderland fans feel he has some potential and will do well getting more regular first team football. Looks decent from the highlights so hope he can kick on here and do well. 1 year deals work out well for all parties, maybe not if he does really well then leaves for nothing for a bigger contract but if he helps get us to the playoffs like Fox did I won't be complaining. If things don't work out here then both sides have an out with no problems.

I don’t think he’s signed to be a backup if I’m honest, although the one year deal implies that. Torquay fan says he can play off either flank or as a 10. Obviously be deployed on either flank if he’s going to play as Mcatee is pretty much undroppable

As I said on another thread; having 2 or 3 versatile players in the squad is never a bad thing. If he can play anywhere across the front line, then that gives the manager options before and during games.

Welcome.

He looks like he could be an upgrade on sousa with that ability to receive the ball in tight areas and wriggle out of it etc. May have less dribbling ability but hopefully more passing, crossing and shooting ability so his end product is better.

He seems to have been very well thought of at Sunderland and Torquay fans clearly wanted to keep him.

I also suspect he will have not been signed as backup and he has a 1 year deal to show what he can do at this level. Let's hope it works out for both parties!

Looks good - seems to be high in spacial ability.

Looks to have a certain swagger about him and a touch of cockiness. I like that.

my TUFC season ticket holder mate said that he looked a bit lightweight at first, but didn't take long to find his feet and was excellent for them. Played as a sort of wingback but tended to drift central. They were v disappointed when he got injured and had to return to Sunderland

From the showreel, he looks to be a very mobile player which is a quality that Hurst wants.

Any goal abilities will be a bonus - good age and different sets of fans liked his style, so could be a very astute signing.

Hope there has been an option for a 2nd year written in?

If Glennon can be signed as well, and Amos re-signs, the flank could be miles stronger and far more attacking.

Hurst seems to be sorting the attack out which is encouraging.

Seems to be a right footed left sided player in the main. Could be a very good combination if Glennon is going on the outside of him. Welcome Steven.

Quoted from ginnywings

Looks to have a certain swagger about him and a touch of cockiness. I like that.

Yeah so long as he can back it up a la mcatee!

Maybe a starter out on the wide left ordinarily, wonder if Hursty thinks Harry is a starter in central midfield this season? Think the biggest thing about this signing is that Hursty has identified how much of a drop off there was when McAtee didn’t play last season. I know we won all three playoff games after he had left the pitch but throughout the season there was a very clear drop off when he wasn’t available, whether that he through injury or suspension. We lost that crucial zip and edge, lacked ideas and seemed to lack belief without him. A more natural replacement with someone who can occupy that space he does and pick up the ball and cause problems in similar sorts of areas means we’ll hopefully be less beholden to his availability.

Does this mean Raikhy is no longer on the radar?

Quoted from Mariner_09

Maybe a starter out on the wide left ordinarily, wonder if Hursty thinks Harry is a starter in central midfield this season? Think the biggest thing about this signing is that Hursty has identified how much of a drop off there was when McAtee didn’t play last season. I know we won all three playoff games after he had left the pitch but throughout the season there was a very clear drop off when he wasn’t available, whether that he through injury or suspension. We lost that crucial zip and edge, lacked ideas and seemed to lack belief without him. A more natural replacement with someone who can occupy that space he does and pick up the ball and cause problems in similar sorts of areas means we’ll hopefully be less beholden to his availability.

I don't think it was entirely down to the loss of McAtee, though he was instrumental to how we played.

We couldn't seem to get the centre of mid right until Holohan came in and Fox got going again. Sousa wasn't producing end product either, which is why JMD was brought in.

Looking forward to a fitter JMD next season, with possibly Wearne on the other side? He looks like he could also fill in for McAtee should we need it in a way that Fox and others couldn't.

Who knows what PH has in mind?

Exciting signing this. If Glennon, Amos and Cropper all commit, Efete is our oldest full back at 24 so there should be plenty of energy for overlaps when JMD and Wearne cut inside.

Looking forward to see how we line up against Clee Town as that should answer some questions around how we set up. If Wearne ends up on the left, does Clifton partner Holohan in the middle?

If he was a key part of the team in the lead up to our game against Torquay before he was injured, you'd expect Hurst will have had him watched a few times. An encouraging signing and another of a good age if he can settle in well.

Welcome to GTFC Steven, we're on the up these days, enjoy the ride.

Quoted from acko338

Does this mean Raikhy is no longer on the radar?

I would hope he still is. Although he came on in the final as a 10, he seems more of a deep sitting playmaker. Room for both.

Completely different player to Raikhy. For what it’s worth (nothing) I didn’t think a great deal to Raikhy. Would’ve expected someone of his pedigree to be running games but they generally seemed to pass him by. He did chip in, excuse the pun, with some decent deliveries though and will always be a hero for his part in last season. Would want better this year though.

I've never really been a fan of Clifton on the left hand side so could this pave a way to him moving to the right.

It was said that our end product from wide areas let us down at times last season but we had a right footed Clifton on the left and JMD, a lefty on the right often sent down the line onto there weaker foot by the full backs or having to cut back and sent in field thus slowing our attacks

Would like to see some naturally footed players on the wings but Wearne certainly sounds a useful acquisition and to me seems versatile to play anywhere across the front line. Another important piece of the puzzle.

Quoted from ska face

Completely different player to Raikhy. For what it’s worth (nothing) I didn’t think a great deal to Raikhy. Would’ve expected someone of his pedigree to be running games but they generally seemed to pass him by. He did chip in, excuse the pun, with some decent deliveries though and will always be a hero for his part in last season. Would want better this year though.

I don't get the love in with him either. He was neat and tidy but didn't really do a great deal I thought, which is probably why Stockport sent him back early.

On the flip side, he's still quite young, so maybe I'm being a bit harsh.

Welcome Steven You will enjoy it here .

Bit late to the party, but i get James Tilley vibes from that video.
And thats not a bad thing, as i rated him, and he's done well since moving back down south to Crawley

Welcome Stephen.

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

Bit late to the party, but i get James Tilley vibes from that video.
And thats not a bad thing, as i rated him, and he's done well since moving back down south to Crawley

I hope he's a lot harder working than Tilley who was also extremely lightweight.

Good vibe about this one. Reacts quickly to a loose ball, good close control a la McAtee and great awareness of the movement of others. Contrasts well to the head down runs of Sousa.

His busy style should help us exploit the pressing of McAtee and Taylor's lay offs. Another piece in the jigsaw hopefully.

Quoted from Croxton

Good vibe about this one. Reacts quickly to a loose ball, good close control a la McAtee and great awareness of the movement of others. Contrasts well to the head down runs of Sousa.

His busy style should help us exploit the pressing of McAtee and Taylor's lay offs. Another piece in the jigsaw hopefully.

That line has just made me think the unthinkable.

I wonder if we've put an option to extend the deal?
Would make sense, young lad, starts doing well and we don't lose him on a free.

I'm not up on the rules these days.

Given his age, if we offered him a new deal next summer on terms that were equal to or better than what he's already on, then would we get a fee if he went somewhere else?

If we'd offered Vernam a new deal on the same terms, would we have got money for him too?

Quoted from RichMariner

I'm not up on the rules these days.

Given his age, if we offered him a new deal next summer on terms that were equal to or better than what he's already on, then would we get a fee if he went somewhere else?

If we'd offered Vernam a new deal on the same terms, would we have got money for him too?

Yes and yes but the fee is also determined by the years we have spent developing them in our youth system so from that perspective, the fee for both would be low.

Quoted from ginnywings

That line has just made me think the unthinkable.

are you thinking the same as me?
a) could be the passing midfielder that Taylor, Orsi and McAtee need

or

b) he's a potential replacement for our leading goalscorer?

Quoted from forza ivano

are you thinking the same as me?
a) could be the passing midfielder that Taylor, Orsi and McAtee need

or

b) he's a potential replacement for our leading goalscorer?

It was the latter that suddenly popped into my head.

McAtee will have admirers after the season he had, especially the play off exposure.

We would be mad if we haven't offered him improved terms, so until we hear otherwise from the club, I think he's going to be on the radar of others.

Think Wearne coming in alongside a (hopefully) fully fit JMD will really help the team and McAtee. We saw how much we relied on McAtee at times last year and when he had an off day, we really struggled. This should give us another option going forward and all three of those behind the main striker can make something happen out of nothing.

Seems weird to have so many players that other clubs will be looking at. The vast majority of players we've signed since we last got into the EFL got released and went on to play at an equal or lower level.

Been thinking maybe this signing could mean a switch for Clifton? Wearne on the left coming in and then Clifton narrow on the right with Efete passing on his outside?

Clifton came on leaps and bounds in terms of his forward play at the end of last season, or it could have just been that his shackles were released. It was always awkward for him though on the wrong side. Perhaps he could perform a similar duty on the other side now? Or maybe I am just overthinking things 🤣 either way I don’t think he’ll now partner Holohan as Fox’s replacement.

Just had a look at that show reel. Wow, looks a real quality player. All those skills will be very much appreciated inside a packed Blundell Park and we have several players who will be only too willing to contribute with him.

I don't know what's happened to Hurst but he seems to have had a complete change of mindset from years ago and he looks determined to out play the opposition with a very skillful team.

Should be a cracking season.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

Just had a look at that show reel. Wow, looks a real quality player. All those skills will be very much appreciated inside a packed Blundell Park and we have several players who will be only too willing to contribute with him.

I don't know what's happened to Hurst but he seems to have had a complete change of mindset from years ago and he looks determined to out play the opposition with a very skillful team.

Should be a cracking season.

Proper backing and being able to attract the players he wants, not the ones he can merely get.

So where would Andrew Dallas fit in were he be added to the team? Seems to me as if we already have a very busy and intelligent midfield to drive us up the pitch. Thoughts?

Quoted from WelwynGardener

So where would Andrew Dallas fit in were he be added to the team? Seems to me as if we already have a very busy and intelligent midfield to drive us up the pitch. Thoughts?

In our 4-2-3-1, he'd presumably be able to play anywhere across that line of 3 attacking players supporting the striker.

Currently we only have Wearne, McAtee and Maguire-Drew who are natural fits for those positions, with Clifton able to do a job as a stand-in. Maguire-Drew needs massive improvement on his fitness/stamina if he's going to be able to start games regularly at a higher level.

So some high quality competition for these positions is very much needed.

Having said that, I'd be pretty surprised if Dallas were to sign for us.

Says a lot about the lad that at a young age was happy to go all the way to Torquay from Sunderland in search of game time

Quoted from SWMariner

Says a lot about the lad that at a young age was happy to go all the way to Torquay from Sunderland in search of game time

Fúcking hell of a commute.

Quoted from Poojah

Fúcking hell of a commute.

if he’s passionate and true to the cause he would have moved to Torquay (jokes)

Anyone else just listening to BBC Humberside??

Who is the 'Cancun Mariner' ?!?

Basically a lad on holiday wearing his Town top in a hotel in Cancun sealed the deal for Wearne to sign!

Steven Wearne wants to get in touch with him!!

Great story

I think this lad will be our star signing this year.. Got high hopes for him.