Tranmere bound. Puts that rumour to bed

makes sense location wise but i know the club were really confident of getting him.

its a shame as i think he's excellent but im sure PH has other irons in the fire

Can’t say I’m remotely fussed. Bloke’s hardly kicked a ball for two years and has probably not managed more than an hour for 10 games on the spin since being at Shrewsbury. Could be wrong though.

Not what we need if Hurst wants to be playing a high tempo pressing game again this year.

Confirmed to Tranmere

As much as I liked Jon Nolan last time around, I feel that a younger, stronger player will fit this year's team plan, with a chance to play more games than Nolan would possibly play.

Would a young player like Raikhy fit the bill, if allowed to rejoin on loan?

Or, has the manager got another un-thought of, under the radar, rabbit prepared from his surprise hat ??

We shall wait yet again !!

Most overrated player for twenty years in my opinion. Really relieved we haven't got him as he is completely unlikeable Danny Andrew or fox transfers - they were young players available as they were coming back from injury who had masses to prove.

Nolan is an old player with sustained injury problems working his way down the leagues for a few more pay days, far too much of a Hanson feel about it for me.

Quoted from toontown

Most overrated player for twenty years in my opinion. Really relieved we haven't got him as he is completely unlikeable Danny Andrew or fox transfers - they were young players available as they were coming back from injury who had masses to prove.

Nolan is an old player with sustained injury problems working his way down the leagues for a few more pay days, far too much of a Hanson feel about it for me.

ridiculous statement

played every season since leaving us above us, and was sold for over 1 million pounds

Good player, but I did not want him back. Too many injuries. For me one of those better to stay in the memory he was brilliant in the promotion season before

Quoted from toontown

Most overrated player for twenty years in my opinion. Really relieved we haven't got him as he is completely unlikeable Danny Andrew or fox transfers - they were young players available as they were coming back from injury who had masses to prove.

Nolan is an old player with sustained injury problems working his way down the leagues for a few more pay days, far too much of a Hanson feel about it for me.

God this feels like the guy who is rejected by a woman and then calls her a slag and says he didn't want her anyway.  ;D

Quoted from Hagrid

ridiculous statement

Yep. Wouldn't have gone up the first time from The Conference without him.

I'm with Ska though, I think I'd rather have players that don't have a dodgy past injuries wise. We need that make sure as little of our budget is on the treatment table as possible.

Played 26 minutes last season. Was brilliant for us before but couldn’t care less about him not signing this season. Missed out on better than him

Quoted from Kris2

God this feels like the guy who is rejected by a woman and then calls her a slag and says he didn't want her anyway.  ;D

I've never been a big fan of his and definitely didn't want him back here. I'd love to see the stats for the promotion teams win loss percentage with and without him in the side for the regular season like golly did for fox.

Personally although he was clearly a good individual he wasn't as good as most on here go on about and he upset the balance of the team somehow. We looked better when clay returned to CM and nolan was moved wide.

Quoted from Hagrid

ridiculous statement

played every season since leaving us above us, and was sold for over 1 million pounds

Didn't say he was no good just that he's overrated.

It’s a signing that can only be judged in time. If they get the Jon Nolan that was at Shrewsbury four years ago, then it’s a fantastic piece of business. If they get the perma-crocked John Nolan of the last two years, then it’s not.

It’s a risk with a high chance of failure but a substantial upside of it comes off. You’d imagine that will have been baked into any contract offer.

Glad he's not come back. Great memories of the job he did in 2016 when he needed us to get his career back on track as much as we needed him. If he returned, I think the reality would not have lived up to the expectation.

More than anything I think we need a yard dog type in CM with loads of energy like Fox gave us.

Quoted from ska face

Can’t say I’m remotely fussed. Bloke’s hardly kicked a ball for two years and has probably not managed more than an hour for 10 games on the spin since being at Shrewsbury. Could be wrong though.

Not what we need if Hurst wants to be playing a high tempo pressing game again this year.

Also his most successful season, under Hurst at Shrewsbury, had him playing the McAtee role in a 4-4-1-1.

Wonderful player when he was here but the injuries are too high a risk in my opinion.
Saw a quote from a Brizzle fan suggesting he probably pulled his hamstring signing the contract.

Quoted from toontown

Most overrated player for twenty years in my opinion. Really relieved we haven't got him as he is completely unlikeable Danny Andrew or fox transfers - they were young players available as they were coming back from injury who had masses to prove.

Nolan is an old player with sustained injury problems working his way down the leagues for a few more pay days, far too much of a Hanson feel about it for me.

He only 30yrs now so he must have been bloody good at 10 yrs old to be rated in any EFL team

Quoted from Roast Em Bobby

More than anything I think we need a yard dog type in CM with loads of energy like Fox gave us.

I am a bit pass it now, many a few years ago, but not now.

Quoted from The Yard Dog

I am a bit pass it now, many a few years ago, but not now.

:)

Quoted from Son of Cod

Yep. Wouldn't have gone up the first time from The Conference without him.

I'm with Ska though, I think I'd rather have players that don't have a dodgy past injuries wise. We need that make sure as little of our budget is on the treatment table as possible.

That hasn't stopped us in the last two seasons.

Quoted from arryarryarry

That hasn't stopped us in the last two seasons.

The last two? I think you’re being quite kind there, it’s something that we’ve done for years.

Nolan is a good player I’m sure everyone wishes him well, in Hurst we trust.

Am sure PH has got various irons in the fire and I do wonder if he'll give Harry a serious look as a "replacement" for Ben Fox as a more central box-to-box player. Would think that the experience that Clifton has built up in playing in an assortment of positions will serve him in good stead as a key component of Town's engine room as a No. 8.

Got a decent return goals wise from his wide midfield position last season and with a bit more composure and nous added to his seemingly limitless energy, he could be a real find playing in the middle.

I would though expect a signing or two to add something overall to the team's midfield options both central and out wide, along with another striker (or two). And then of course, there's the four young guys from last season's youth team to add to the mix...  

According to the tranny forum he’s been training with them for a week, so guess he’s had to prove a degree of fitness before signing

Quoted from IowaMariner

Am sure PH has got various irons in the fire and I do wonder if he'll give Harry a serious look as a "replacement" for Ben Fox as a more central box-to-box player. Would think that the experience that Clifton has built up in playing in an assortment of positions will serve him in good stead as a key component of Town's engine room as a No. 8.

Got a decent return goals wise from his wide midfield position last season and with a bit more composure and nous added to his seemingly limitless energy, he could be a real find playing in the middle.

I would though expect a signing or two to add something overall to the team's midfield options both central and out wide, along with another striker (or two). And then of course, there's the four young guys from last season's youth team to add to the mix...  

Ah yes, 'Bramwell, Braithwaite and Khouri'. Got the ring of 'Hall, Betmead and Buck'. Be nice wouldn't it?

https://forum.thefishy.co.uk/Blah.pl?m-1342976499/

Quoted from toontown

Most overrated player for twenty years in my opinion. Really relieved we haven't got him as he is completely unlikeable Danny Andrew or fox transfers - they were young players available as they were coming back from injury who had masses to prove.

Nolan is an old player with sustained injury problems working his way down the leagues for a few more pay days, far too much of a Hanson feel about it for me.

I mean, that’s mostly cobblers, but what do you mean by ‘he is completely unlikeable’?!

Quoted from toontown

I've never been a big fan of his and definitely didn't want him back here. I'd love to see the stats for the promotion teams win loss percentage with and without him in the side for the regular season like golly did for fox.

Personally although he was clearly a good individual he wasn't as good as most on here go on about and he upset the balance of the team somehow. We looked better when clay returned to CM and nolan was moved wide.

Clay? Now he was over rated.

The thing Nolan did was to always look forward and not turn around to pass sideways or backwards. He changed the momentum of the side and put us on the front foot. It was noticeable straight away to me. Wasn't here long but made a great impact.

Quoted from ginnywings

Clay? Now he was over rated.

The thing Nolan did was to always look forward and not turn around to pass sideways or backwards. He changed the momentum of the side and put us on the front foot. It was noticeable straight away to me. Wasn't here long but made a great impact.

Jon Nolan started 17 league games in 2015/16...
Won 7 (41.2%)
Drew 4
Lost 6 (35.5%)
For 23
Against 22
Goal Difference +1 (+0.059 per game)
Points 25 (1.471 per game)

The other 29 league games in 2015/16...
Won 15 (51.7%)
Drew 10
Lost 4 (13.8%)
For 59
Against 23
Goal Difference +36 (+1.24 per game)
Points 55 (1.897 per game)

Pretty conclusive that Nolan weakened us when he joined and was put in the team.

Craig Clay started 29 league games in 2015/16...
Won 15 (51.7%)
Drew 8
Lost 6 (20.7%)
For 56
Against 25
Goal Difference +31
Points 53 (1.828 per game)

The 17 league games he didn't start in 2015/16...
Won 7 (41.2%)
Drew 6
Lost 4 (23.5%)
For 26
Against 20
Goal Difference +6
Points 27 (1.588 per game)

And similarly conclusive that Craig Clay strengthened us when he started.

And let's not forget Craig Clay coming in for the injured Monkhouse for the Play-off Semi-Final 2nd Leg & Final saw us overturn the 1st Leg deficit and win promotion.

Let's not forget the Conor Townsend effect on the first half of the season. Stats don't tell the whole story.

There you have it. Nolan was gash, the stats prove it.

Just because he hasn’t re-signed for us, I don’t understand why that means people have to try and convince themselves he wasn’t any good. You only have to have watched us during that season to see the clear quality he had, on the ball he was one of the best midfielders I’ve seen at Town in the last 10 years.

Having said that, I agree with people regarding his injury concerns, I think his best days are probably behind him. But let’s not pretend he was rubbish before.

Quoted from chaos33

I mean, that’s mostly cobblers, but what do you mean by ‘he is completely unlikeable’?!

Unlike not unlikeable but autocorrect or my fat fingers changed it

Unlike the Andrews or fox transfers

Rumour has it he’s a very nice human.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

Jon Nolan started 17 league games in 2015/16...
Won 7 (41.2%)
Drew 4
Lost 6 (35.5%)
For 23
Against 22
Goal Difference +1 (+0.059 per game)
Points 25 (1.471 per game)

The other 29 league games in 2015/16...
Won 15 (51.7%)
Drew 10
Lost 4 (13.8%)
For 59
Against 23
Goal Difference +36 (+1.24 per game)
Points 55 (1.897 per game)

Pretty conclusive that Nolan weakened us when he joined and was put in the team.

Craig Clay started 29 league games in 2015/16...
Won 15 (51.7%)
Drew 8
Lost 6 (20.7%)
For 56
Against 25
Goal Difference +31
Points 53 (1.828 per game)

The 17 league games he didn't start in 2015/16...
Won 7 (41.2%)
Drew 6
Lost 4 (23.5%)
For 26
Against 20
Goal Difference +6
Points 27 (1.588 per game)

And similarly conclusive that Craig Clay strengthened us when he started.

And let's not forget Craig Clay coming in for the injured Monkhouse for the Play-off Semi-Final 2nd Leg & Final saw us overturn the 1st Leg deficit and win promotion.

Thanks golly as that has genuinely saved me a job and confirms what I felt, however good he seemed to be as an individual as a team we were weaker for his inclusion. And that includes the final tranmere game which we didn't even try to win (Warrington in Goal etc) as a non Jon Nolan game which mildly skews the figures in his favour.

I couldn't tell you exactly why we were better with Clay in the middle than Nolan but we were. Presumably the off the ball work, closing down, tackling etc. I also thought he improved us at first, I saw him in I think his first game for us at gateshead (god it was so cold) and he seemed to run the match. We lost 1-0. Eventually I realised the appearance of good individual performances from him didn't necessarily translate into good team results. Nolan definitely had ability, not saying he didn't, but he is massively over rated as to his contribution that season by most on here.

And that was a young and fit Nolan, no way would I want to take that risk on him now.

If stats alone are going to determine who is a good player and who is not, then we might as well stop watching football and just look at the stats after the game.

Nolan was a quality player, especially at conference level. I saw that with my own eyes and no stats (which don't take into account all the many variables and above all else the fact that it's a bloody team sport) are going to tell me otherwise.

^ Aye. I imagine a chunk of Nolan's games coincided with us having Pat Hoban up front.

The career paths of Nolan and Clay after they left us tell what the stats don't.

Quoted from Abdul19

^ Aye. I imagine a chunk of Nolan's games coincided with us having Pat Hoban up front.

I call your pat hoban and raise you a chunk of non Jon Nolan games having Ben Tomlinson up front!

Quoted from ginnywings

The career paths of Nolan and Clay after they left us tell what the stats don't.

Nolan hasn’t played central midfield since 2016/17 when he was part of Chesterfield’s relegation team.

At Shrewsbury Hurst played him as the attacking midfielder/McAtee role in a 4-4-1-1. Hurst had learned from his mistake at Town and didn’t attempt to play him in a central midfield 2.

Quoted from Wedidntdidwe

Let's not forget the Conor Townsend effect on the first half of the season. Stats don't tell the whole story.

So it was all Gregor Robertson’s fault that with Nolan in the team we became worse. Interesting.

Quoted from Tommy

If stats alone are going to determine who is a good player and who is not, then we might as well stop watching football and just look at the stats after the game.

Nolan was a quality player, especially at conference level. I saw that with my own eyes and no stats (which don't take into account all the many variables and above all else the fact that it's a bloody team sport) are going to tell me otherwise.

A polite reminder that GTFC have agreed a partnership with Loughborough University to improve our data science capabilities and to build an evidence based culture.

i.e. Moneyball and data led recruitment.

i.e. The use of statistics to analyse players.

But that will be about using stats properly rather than inferring cause and effect from apparent correlations

Nolan is one of the best midfielders we’ve had in my life time, albeit at conference level but to be honest, the obsession with ex players is the biggest worry here, not whether or not we could’ve/should’ve signed a bloke who’s barely kicked a ball in anger for a while…

Quoted from SpudUDontLike

But that will be about using stats properly rather than inferring cause and effect from apparent correlations

You should tell Brentford and Brighton that purely data driven recruitment doesn’t work.

I refer you to what I actually said.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

You should tell Brentford and Brighton that purely data driven recruitment doesn’t work.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

A polite reminder that GTFC have agreed a partnership with Loughborough University to improve our data science capabilities and to build an evidence based culture.

i.e. Moneyball and data led recruitment.

i.e. The use of statistics to analyse players.

Fingers crossed it will be marginally more sophisticated than your 'analysis'.

Quoted from aldi_01

Nolan is one of the best midfielders we’ve had in my life time, albeit at conference level but to be honest, the obsession with ex players is the biggest worry here, not whether or not we could’ve/should’ve signed a bloke who’s barely kicked a ball in anger for a while…

He was a class above . I was talking to an ex team mate who played at the highest level and he said Nolan should of played at championship level for many years.  He said he was one of the best midfielders he'd played with

Watch the play off final again. It wasn’t all about Bogle & Arnold.

Nolan had an excellent game carrying the ball forward and helped Hurst get a balance that enabled Dis & Clay to retain the ball, something we needed to improve on before he arrived.

I’m amazed anyone could doubt his ability based upon a run of results.

Signed for Tranmere

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Watch the play off final again. It wasn’t all about Bogle & Arnold.

Nolan had an excellent game carrying the ball forward and helped Hurst get a balance that enabled Dis & Clay to retain the ball, something we needed to improve on before he arrived.

I’m amazed anyone could doubt his ability based upon a run of results.

He wasn't playing as a  Central midfield pairing then though. I agree we were a better side for the inclusion of him over monkhouse.

flipping hell.  I'm not sure what's more bizarre, the slightest nod that Nolan was excrement or the very brash use of statistical data to prove this point. (Nice WUMing though, Golly.  ;))

Thankfully football isn't played on a crude spreadsheet.  As highlighted very well by others, far too many variables at play just to say it's as simple as points won whilst said player was involved.

Nolan was a quality player for us 6 years ago.  Anyone who failed to see that needs their eyes and head testing.  Am I bothered he's signed for Tranmere?  Not particularly.  I think the level of retention and recruitment we've shown this summer suggests Hurst's feels he can do better and I agree on that.  Not sure he would fit into our style of play now either.  Hurst's style of play has evolved since 2016.  

Quoted from diehardmariner

flipping hell.  I'm not sure what's more bizarre, the slightest nod that Nolan was excrement or the very brash use of statistical data to prove this point. (Nice WUMing though, Golly.  ;))

Thankfully football isn't played on a crude spreadsheet.  As highlighted very well by others, far too many variables at play just to say it's as simple as points won whilst said player was involved.

Nolan was a quality player for us 6 years ago.  Anyone who failed to see that needs their eyes and head testing.  Am I bothered he's signed for Tranmere?  Not particularly.  I think the level of retention and recruitment we've shown this summer suggests Hurst's feels he can do better and I agree on that.  Not sure he would fit into our style of play now either.  Hurst's style of play has evolved since 2016.

Agree with this. He built a far more dynamic team than we had in 2016. Emphasis on pressing hard and high as a team. All of our team this season have been physically capable and often physically out battled our opponents, that wasn't the case previously. Not sure that would suit Nolan. McAtee can do the things Nolan can but also hunts the ball down brilliantly, a constant thorn in the side of the opposition.