kyle Bennett

Rumoured to Be signing on loan from bristol Rovers- highest paid player at Gas, Midfielder

Hasn’t played a lot of football recently but when he’s played at this level he’s been very good, most of his experience is at L1 level by the looks of it.

Could be a nice addition, we’ve a hell of a lot of wingers now though.

Perhaps Danny Rose and Ben Davies may have helped if true. Looks like their times at Pompey overlapped.

That's three members of the squad who will be able to understand Holloways accent

Quoted from sam gy

Perhaps Danny Rose and Ben Davies may have helped if true. Looks like their times at Pompey overlapped.

Rose and Bennett both scored against us in the same game. Both deflected over Macca  

ffs what is this clown playing at....another midfielder....

Im going to try a new formation, on my Football Manager game, going on Ollies signings

2-8-0

Lets see if that works

If he is anything like the player he was at pompey he would be a terrific signing

Quoted from Boris Johnson

ffs what is this clown playing at....another midfielder....

very funny Russell...

and people thought Man U's transfer policy was pathetic

We are getting into Marcus Bignot territory with the amount of midfielders we have. Then Ollie was a midfielder, so perhaps he has a penchant for them.

Looks to be surplus to requirements at Brovers, but has a good pedigree.

This article says he was reluctant to leave Portmouth for Bristol and uproot his family, so I don't know how he feels about coming up to the frozen north.  

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/not-match-made-heaven--4325720

If we bag this then would be a quality signing. Plays wide left in a front 3.

Squad coming together nicely. Don’t think we are anywhere near bignot territory. We basically have 2 players for each position plus a few youth and the lower league gambles that may come good eventually but not ready yet. Still think a better goal scorer is needed tho.

                            Macca/Russell.

Hendrie/ Hewitt.  Pollock/ohman. Waterfall/mohsni. Preston/hope.

                 Morton/Clifton    Rose/taylor

Edwards/Wright    Williams/Tilley .   Bennett/scannell

                         Hanson/green/Gibson

Quoted from 3610

If we bag this then would be a quality signing. Plays wide left in a front 3.

Squad coming together nicely. Don’t think we are anywhere near bignot territory. We basically have 2 players for each position plus a few youth and the lower league gambles that may come good eventually but not ready yet. Still think a better goal scorer is needed tho.

                            Macca/Russell.

Hendrie/ Hewitt.  Pollock/ohman. Waterfall/mohsni. Preston/hope.

                 Morton/Clifton    Rose/taylor

Edwards/Wright    Williams/Tilley .   Bennett/scannell

                         Hanson/green/Gibson

Plenty of eyes dwon options for you first number there then,,,,Bingo Bob at the helm.

Quoted from Boris Johnson

Plenty of eyes dwon options for you first number there then,,,,Bingo Bob at the helm.

Your off your nut mate.

It’s clear the plan is usually having 3 central midfielders, 1 striker and 2 wide midfielders/wingers, depending on the formation. That’s the way I see it anyway. Bennett was very good at Pompey from what I remember.

He may be a good player  but hey  another midfielder when we need a striker to score goals

It's clear with the number of games we have to play, and the injuries we're gonna get, that we need a decent sized squad.

We should probably look at a lot of the young non league lads we've bought in the same way we do youth team graduates...maybe not ready yet, but have a chance to break through, can provide back up and perhaps next season will be ready to step up when some of the loan signings have gone back.

Quoted from denni266

He may be a good player  but hey  another midfielder when we need a striker to score goals

Strikers often need help scoring goals, which is normally done by midfielders...

Quoted from 3610

If we bag this then would be a quality signing. Plays wide left in a front 3.

Squad coming together nicely. Don’t think we are anywhere near bignot territory. We basically have 2 players for each position plus a few youth and the lower league gambles that may come good eventually but not ready yet. Still think a better goal scorer is needed tho.

                            Macca/Russell.

Hendrie/ Hewitt.  Pollock/ohman. Waterfall/mohsni. Preston/hope.

                 Morton/Clifton    Rose/taylor

Edwards/Wright    Williams/Tilley .   Bennett/scannell

                         Hanson/green/Gibson

I know you mentioned youths and lower league 'gambles' separately, but just for clarity, in addition to the above we also have:

Battersby
Idehen
Boyd
Curran (loan)
Painter (loan)
Starbuck
Spokes
Jackson Jr
Sisay

If everyone is fit (and it's a big 'if') there will be some decent players not even make the matchday squad — a possible hallmark of a strong squad, but also the risk of not giving certain players a chance.

I imagine there will be some pressure from clubs higher up the league than us to play their players (otherwise, why loan them out?) so I reckon Morton, Taylor, Edwards and Bennett will be ahead of the non-league signings.

This is possibly the squad we'll look to play if everyone is available:

McKeown
Hendrie Pollock Waterfall Preston
Rose Taylor
Edwards Williams Scannell
Hanson

That leaves a bench of Hewitt, Mohsni, Morton, Tilley, Wright, Green, Gibson (one less if Russell is on the bench)

And that would mean the following wouldn't even make the squad: Russell/Battersby, Hope, Idehen, Ohman, Spokes, Jackson Jr, Sisay... and I haven't even mentioned Kyle Bennett (if he signs).

He'd be the 31st player in our squad to be on pro terms (2 out on loan). Just seems a lot at this level. Appreciate no team ever has a fully fit squad completely free of injury, and I'm excited by our full-strength side, but I can also already see a handful of players never making an appearance for us.

Quoted from 3610

If we bag this then would be a quality signing. Plays wide left in a front 3.

Squad coming together nicely. Don’t think we are anywhere near bignot territory. We basically have 2 players for each position plus a few youth and the lower league gambles that may come good eventually but not ready yet. Still think a better goal scorer is needed tho.

                            Macca/Russell.

Hendrie/ Hewitt.  Pollock/ohman. Waterfall/mohsni. Preston/hope.

                 Morton/Clifton    Rose/taylor

Edwards/Wright    Williams/Tilley .   Bennett/scannell

                         Hanson/green/Gibson

If you look at our squad, we currently have listed 3 keepers, 8 defenders, 5 forwards and 17 midfielders, not including Bennett if he does indeed sign. A tad unbalanced, especially as 3 of the forwards have never played at this level before this season.

https://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/teams/first-team/

Quoted from RichMariner

I know you mentioned youths and lower league 'gambles' separately, but just for clarity, in addition to the above we also have:

Battersby
Idehen
Boyd
Curran (loan)
Painter (loan)
Starbuck
Spokes
Jackson Jr
Sisay

If everyone is fit (and it's a big 'if') there will be some decent players not even make the matchday squad — a possible hallmark of a strong squad, but also the risk of not giving certain players a chance.

I imagine there will be some pressure from clubs higher up the league than us to play their players (otherwise, why loan them out?) so I reckon Morton, Taylor, Edwards and Bennett will be ahead of the non-league signings.

This is possibly the squad we'll look to play if everyone is available:

McKeown
Hendrie Pollock Waterfall Preston
Rose Taylor
Edwards Williams Scannell
Hanson

That leaves a bench of Hewitt, Mohsni, Morton, Tilley, Wright, Green, Gibson (one less if Russell is on the bench)

And that would mean the following wouldn't even make the squad: Russell/Battersby, Hope, Idehen, Ohman, Spokes, Jackson Jr, Sisay... and I haven't even mentioned Kyle Bennett (if he signs).

He'd be the 31st player in our squad to be on pro terms (2 out on loan). Just seems a lot at this level. Appreciate no team ever has a fully fit squad completely free of injury, and I'm excited by our full-strength side, but I can also already see a handful of players never making an appearance for us.

To be fair. That’s pretty much what I was saying.

Looks like Holloway has signed the youth and 8th tier players With the aim of playing them if really needed or next season after he has developed and coached them.

Without them listed. It’s Pretty much 2 for each position.

Quoted from ginnywings

If you look at our squad, we currently have listed 3 keepers, 8 defenders, 5 forwards and 17 midfielders, not including Bennett if he does indeed sign. A tad unbalanced, especially as 3 of the forwards have never played at this level before this season.

https://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/teams/first-team/

I would say quite a few of those midfielders could easily be classed as forwards. And an awful lot of them won’t get near our first team for a league game.

Quoted from 3610

I would say quite a few of those midfielders could easily be classed as forwards. And an awful lot of them won’t get near our first team for a league game.

If we had the 17 best midfielders in the world on our books they wouldn't all get a game

Quoted from GrimRob

If we had the 17 best midfielders in the world on our books they wouldn't all get a game

Well I can’t argue with that statement!!!

Just don’t see how it’s relevant at all.

Don’t understand why people are getting hung up about this 17 ‘midfielder‘ number.

Bennett plays wide left in a front three. It’s completely different to Morton. Or Clifton. Or rose etc.  All these players bring different attributes. When you look at them. It’s pretty much 2 for each position (plus youth and 8th tier).

I think This is actually a balanced squad. Rather than an unbalanced squad ? With the exception of another central striker that is clearly needed.

Ignoring the rest of the squad if Bennett is the same player he was at Pompey he’s got the potential to tear league 2 a new one

Quoted from Henryscat

Ignoring the rest of the squad if Bennett is the same player he was at Pompey he’s got the potential to tear league 2 a new one

I'm really sorry for taking this thread off on a tangent, but your username has just triggered a weird sense of nostalgia in me. I seem to recall, all the way back in the late 90's as I was just getting to grips with the concept of dial-up internet and the porn bonanza it brought with it, there was an unoffical Town site which also happened to be Henry's cat themed. Was it yours by any chance?

Edit: I think I've found it (click the alternating Town badge to enter the site)...

https://web.archive.org/web/19991006221227/http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Stadium/1723/

I loved it when the internet used to look like this.

Quoted from Henryscat

Ignoring the rest of the squad if Bennett is the same player he was at Pompey he’s got the potential to tear league 2 a new one

Can't do a link at this moment but he gets quite a slagging off on the BR forum.

Quoted from Poojah

I'm really sorry for taking this thread off on a tangent, but your username has just triggered a weird sense of nostalgia in me. I seem to recall, all the way back in the late 90's as I was just getting to grips with the concept of dial-up internet and the porn bonanza it brought with it, there was an unoffical Town site which also happened to be Henry's cat themed. Was it yours by any chance?

Edit: I think I've found it (click the alternating Town badge to enter the site)...

https://web.archive.org/web/19991006221227/http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Stadium/1723/

I loved it when the internet used to look like this.

Yes that was me on geocities.

The internet moved on, my html skills didn’t so I gave up.

Quoted from Henryscat

Yes that was me on geocities.

The internet moved on, my html skills didn’t so I gave up.

Fair play mate, you were an early adopter.

1997 I started that site. Which as we all know was only 5 years ago.

If I’d had concentrated on the internet instead of beer I could be Jeff Bezos and we’d all be watching town in the champions league.

They were good days, about 20 people from all over the world in a chat room with one person basically typing out RH commentary.

I remember the play off final vs Fulham and drinking a full bottle of vodka while typing out the radio 5 commentary in a dial up chat room in my halls at uni. I was the only one in the chat room who had the radio and the large consumption of vodka must have made the “commentary” incoherent!

A few of us met up at the Humber Royal before the first Wembley trip too.

I ask the same question on signing another midfielder WHY

We needed to push the boat out on a proven striker FFS

Quoted from TAGG

I ask the same question on signing another midfielder WHY

We needed to push the boat out on a proven striker FFS

Yes but the problem is that quite possibly, with the COVID clause in our players contracts, nobody with a proven record wants to come here.

For all we know Ollie could have contacted every single available striker, and everyone of them could have said no. What are Ollie's options if that has happened? He can't just magic up a proven striker out of nowhere.

Quoted from Henryscat

1997 I started that site. Which as we all know was only 5 years ago.

If I’d had concentrated on the internet instead of beer I could be Jeff Bezos and we’d all be watching town in the champions league.

They were good days, about 20 people from all over the world in a chat room with one person basically typing out RH commentary.

I remember the play off final vs Fulham and drinking a full bottle of vodka while typing out the radio 5 commentary in a dial up chat room in my halls at uni. I was the only one in the chat room who had the radio and the large consumption of vodka must have made the “commentary” incoherent!

A few of us met up at the Humber Royal before the first Wembley trip too.

That vodka must still be doing it's job.........

Matt Green is a proven striker, but his service has been terrible. Maybe if he can concentrate on getting in the right positions with good service, rather than challenging for long balls, he might get some decent chances.

Quoted from Heisenberg

That vodka must still be doing it's job.........

Clearly!! 🤣

Thought about this a bit more, Holloway has said he wants to go 3-5-2..so a midfielder who's known for being experienced, good, pacey and can cross a ball playing on the left is why he's looked at getting Bennett in. Midfield 5 of Scannel, Williams, Edwards, Rose and Bennett looks pretty strong to me, then there's Wright, Clifton, Hewitt, Spokes, Taylor all ready to slot in should we lose one of the 5 I latterly mentioned..Green, I can see, partnering Hanson/Gibson/Jackson up front...Give it time and thought and this squad isn't as bad as it initially looked.

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

Thought about this a bit more, Holloway has said he wants to go 3-5-2..so a midfielder who's known for being experienced, good, pacey and can cross a ball playing on the left is why he's looked at getting Bennett in. Midfield 5 of Scannel, Williams, Edwards, Rose and Bennett looks pretty strong to me, then there's Wright, Clifton, Hewitt, Spokes, Taylor all ready to slot in should we lose one of the 5 I latterly mentioned..Green, I can see, partnering Hanson/Gibson/Jackson up front...Give it time and thought and this squad isn't as bad as it initially looked.

I'm really not sure about Williams so far.  I hope he proves me wrong.

I thought Harry Clifton looked one of our better players against Salford, and I hope he can get a chance to partner Rose in midfield this weekend.

Purely on paper this would be an excellent signing.

Remember watching him tearing us an absolute new one in pre-season for Donny a few years back.

I get the concern that it's another signing in an area where we seem bloated but I can only echo the thoughts of those who are questioning if we actually are...

Of the 17 listed on the official site as midfielders, I reckon only 6 are what you would class as first team central midfielders;

Rose, Williams, Spokes, Taylor, Clifton and Morton.

A further 6 are either Academy lads or new professionals (in the case of one, out on loan);

Curran, Boyd, Grist, Painter, Starbuck and Tomlinson.

You've then got 4 who are wide attackers;

Wright, Edwards, Tilley and Scannell.

Plus Hewitt as a utility player, even if you can him as a central midfielder it's 7 covering 3 positions (presuming that's the system we're going with).  

It looks more because we've given numbers to a fair amount of youth lads for the EFL Trophy games and we're finally giving lads the chance to develop upon graduating from the youth team so the numbers are a bit more bloated (the right approach in my mind too). I think Holloway is also looking at trying to bridge that gap between kids and men too by having a few punts on rough diamonds (as Brian Laws would say)....

Look at it another way.  I reckon at the minute we've got a first team squad of 21

McKeown, Hendrie, Preston, Ohman, Waterfall, Pollock, Mohsni, Rose, Williams, Scannell, Clifton, Wright, Spokes, Edwards, Tilley, Taylor, Morton, Hewitt, Green, Gibson and Hanson.

There's then 8 lads who are prospects, at various points of the season they'll get game time and may graduate to the above list.  But for now they're in development (I've discounted Russell from any list).

Battersby, Hope, Idehen, Curran, Starbuck, Painter, Jackson and Sisay.

Plus a couple of youth team lads.

That's not a huge squad really.  Not when we'll soon get into the nitty-gritty of Sat-Tues-Sat-Tues before long.

Even taking Bennett's position as a wide attacker into consideration, if we got 4-3-3/4-5-1 or 4-4-2 you're going to have 2 of them on the pitch at anyone time.  We've got 5 (including Bennett).  I'd argue that Edwards might be used more centrally and Tilley deeper.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Can't do a link at this moment but he gets quite a slagging off on the BR forum.

https://gaschat.co.uk/thread/16844/bennett-grimsby

One thing I didn't know until I had a quick browse at that thread is that Tommy Widdrington is now head of recruitment at Bristol Rovers.

Quoted from Les Brechin

https://gaschat.co.uk/thread/16844/bennett-grimsby

Gas heads more deluded than us lot

Quoted from Les Brechin

https://gaschat.co.uk/thread/16844/bennett-grimsby

One thing I didn't know until I had a quick browse at that thread is that Tommy Widdrington is now head of recruitment at Bristol Rovers.

Thanks 👍

Quoted from diehardmariner

Purely on paper this would be an excellent signing.

Remember watching him tearing us an absolute new one in pre-season for Donny a few years back.

I get the concern that it's another signing in an area where we seem bloated but I can only echo the thoughts of those who are questioning if we actually are...

Of the 17 listed on the official site as midfielders, I reckon only 6 are what you would class as first team central midfielders;

Rose, Williams, Spokes, Taylor, Clifton and Morton.

A further 6 are either Academy lads or new professionals (in the case of one, out on loan);

Curran, Boyd, Grist, Painter, Starbuck and Tomlinson.

You've then got 4 who are wide attackers;

Wright, Edwards, Tilley and Scannell.

Plus Hewitt as a utility player, even if you can him as a central midfielder it's 7 covering 3 positions (presuming that's the system we're going with).  

It looks more because we've given numbers to a fair amount of youth lads for the EFL Trophy games and we're finally giving lads the chance to develop upon graduating from the youth team so the numbers are a bit more bloated (the right approach in my mind too). I think Holloway is also looking at trying to bridge that gap between kids and men too by having a few punts on rough diamonds (as Brian Laws would say)....

Look at it another way.  I reckon at the minute we've got a first team squad of 21

McKeown, Hendrie, Preston, Ohman, Waterfall, Pollock, Mohsni, Rose, Williams, Scannell, Clifton, Wright, Spokes, Edwards, Tilley, Taylor, Morton, Hewitt, Green, Gibson and Hanson.

There's then 8 lads who are prospects, at various points of the season they'll get game time and may graduate to the above list.  But for now they're in development (I've discounted Russell from any list).

Battersby, Hope, Idehen, Curran, Starbuck, Painter, Jackson and Sisay.

Plus a couple of youth team lads.

That's not a huge squad really.  Not when we'll soon get into the nitty-gritty of Sat-Tues-Sat-Tues before long.

Even taking Bennett's position as a wide attacker into consideration, if we got 4-3-3/4-5-1 or 4-4-2 you're going to have 2 of them on the pitch at anyone time.  We've got 5 (including Bennett).  I'd argue that Edwards might be used more centrally and Tilley deeper.

And Boyd is still at school!

Quoted from Henryscat

Yes that was me on geocities.

The internet moved on, my html skills didn’t so I gave up.

I w%ll H&lp yoU iF YOu wAnT = i HAVe beEn learNiNg HmTL skiLlS fOr tHE LAST 2 yeARs

Quoted from Heisenberg

And Boyd is still at school!

As is Ben Grist. A bit fanciful to see them in the first team squad when things settle down.

Quoted from Poojah

I'm really sorry for taking this thread off on a tangent, but your username has just triggered a weird sense of nostalgia in me. I seem to recall, all the way back in the late 90's as I was just getting to grips with the concept of dial-up internet and the porn bonanza it brought with it, there was an unoffical Town site which also happened to be Henry's cat themed. Was it yours by any chance?

Edit: I think I've found it (click the alternating Town badge to enter the site)...

https://web.archive.org/web/19991006221227/http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Stadium/1723/

I loved it when the internet used to look like this.

I wondered where you were going with Internet porn and HenrySCAT!

So have we actually signed Kyle Bennett?  The Telegraph seems to have articles saying we are near to signing him but went quiet after that

Am wondering if its on hold a bit with there going to be another downing st anouncement on the next level of lockdown things

Hoping we get the usual Thursday presser tomorrow and get some answers on this and other recent events.

Quoted from LondonMariner43

So have we actually signed Kyle Bennett?  The Telegraph seems to have articles saying we are near to signing him but went quiet after that

It would be useful to get the deal over the line by Friday to allow him to play on Saturday, but as it is within the EFL, we have until deadline day 2 to get it done.

If wages, covid clauses, travel or acommodation issues have complicated this move, then Owen Windsor offers a low risk alternative. Can't see why we need both unless  Ollie has given up on a few of his earlier signings.

look how long it took to announce James Morton after we 'signed' him

Done deal according to Ollie in the Telegraph 😊