January - Pivotal month?

I know that we have lots of the season left and all games are going to be important but feel that January is going to be a pivotal month for more than 1 reason.

Firstly our biggest transfer window since we returned to the league but if we look at the fixtures for the rest of January:

Port Vale (A)
Southend (H)
Scunthorpe (A)
Barrow (A)
Stevenage (H)

We really need to be picking up plenty of points in these fixtures or we could get set adrift of those above us by February.

Really hopeful that Hurst can get us drilled, bring in some quality and finally get this season started for us.

Quoted from Stew0_0

I know that we have lots of the season left and all games are going to be important but feel that January is going to be a pivotal month for more than 1 reason.

Firstly our biggest transfer window since we returned to the league but if we look at the fixtures for the rest of January:

Port Vale (A)
Southend (H)
Scunthorpe (A)
Barrow (A)
Stevenage (H)

We really need to be picking up plenty of points in these fixtures or we could get set adrift of those above us by February.

Really hopeful that Hurst can get us drilled, bring in some quality and finally get this season started for us.

Its not going to be easy though. He will have to get the men in that he wants, who are match fit and raring to go. They have got to gel with other new players and so on.

He needs two new strikers who are able to score goals, they are hard to come by at any level, so that is a tough ask.

One thing in our favour is that things are very tight at the bottom of league 2, and any number of clubs are in real danger. Our second half of the season cannot be worse than the first, so that is a plus.

Scunthorpe was even worse than we were when we played them, so that is a plus and they haven't got the impetus of a new manager/takeover so that could work in our favour.

We all wish him the best of luck, and he has done rescue acts before so that is also a good thing that he has that experience under his belt. If we can just survive this season and then the consortium outline their plans it could be very rosy indeed.

I don't think we need the hard to come by level of striker you are referring to, although that would be ideal. A striker who could get 12-15 or so a season would be an absolutely huge improvement on our current lot, who would all be on half that at best even if played consistently, I dare say green would be lucky to get 3 or 4.

We need 2 reasonable strikers at league 2 level. At the moment we have none.

Well December was pivotal too when we played Mansfield, Scunts, Southend and Bradford ion succession.  Sadly we only won one of those six pointers.

If Hollow Words was still in charge I wouldn't back us to win any of the nest five games. Thankfully he has gone.

If we get Hanson and Wright back, and start to bring in new players in the next fortnight, we have a great opportunity to pick up valuable points. All of these teams are beatable if we get our act together.

But I do not think it will happen without new signings.  

I always find myself nodding in agreement when you post Ron, I agree if we can get Hanson and Wright back along with 2-3 quality additions we could pull away from the bottom, I must admit I’m starting to feel a bit nervous now though (especially after dropping into the bottom 2 yesterday)

A further optimistic note - the next 3 games are all on Saturdays with no midweek games. Plenty of time on the training ground for Hurst and Doig to work with the players. I think they'll look very different when we play the Scunts. It also gives time for injuries to heal.

I don't share some of the optimism about 'if we get Hanson fit......' We have never had Hanson fit, I doubt he will ever be fit. Time to go.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

A further optimistic note - the next 3 games are all on Saturdays with no midweek games. Plenty of time on the training ground for Hurst and Doig to work with the players. I think they'll look very different when we play the Scunts. It also gives time for injuries to heal.

I don't share some of the optimism about 'if we get Hanson fit......' We have never had Hanson fit, I doubt he will ever be fit. Time to go.

Yeah, I must say that struck me in terms of the fixtures. It’s obviously been a weird season with seemingly relentless Saturday / Tuesday combinations.

A couple of full weeks between games will hopefully enable Hurst to impose his ideas on the team and get some much needed inbound and outbound business done.

Stevenage also have quite a tough run in a short space of time once they start back in the league on 16th.

I think we need to win at least 3 of those 5 or I fear we’ll be cut adrift. Thankfully I think Hurst can do it with several key incomings, but we really are taking it for granted that he can do that. I think getting Scannell back would be a huge boost.

Port Vale are currently bottom of the form table. We have a week to prepare, and some players coming back from injury (hopefully Wright and Hanson).   So it's an opportunity to get some points.

I am guessing its too soon to expect new signings, so we will have to go with what we have at the moment.

Quoted from RonMariner

I am guessing its too soon to expect new signings, so we will have to go with what we have at the moment.

I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Hurst will have known about the job for at least a week now, and he had by coincidence already watched some of our recent games.

With another six days until our next match, I see no reason we couldn’t make a signing or even signings before Port Vale. For so many reasons, time is of the essence this January window like never before.

I would expect 1 or maybe 2 signings before we play Vale. Hurst seemed very keen to crack on with new recruits.

In recent weeks, we've gone from one out, one in, to the money is there, to being able to recruit without anyone having to go out, and having a split squad.

The club have said to do whatever it takes according to PH, which is quite a turnaround.

To my mind January is pivotal if there’s a risk of the season being curtailed, we need points quickly.

We have to start winning our home games .

If we can W 1 D 1 L 1 of the away games that gives us ,10. Points which would make us safe if they decide to end the season come Feb.

We've been told money is there, but if Day insists on a covid clause like the summer then good players might not want to come!

Quoted from ginnywings

I would expect 1 or maybe 2 signings before we play Vale. Hurst seemed very keen to crack on with new recruits.

In recent weeks, we've gone from one out, one in, to the money is there, to being able to recruit without anyone having to go out, and having a split squad.

The club have said to do whatever it takes according to PH, which is quite a turnaround.

I think the consortium have probably had an input in that too but Hurst isn't like a kid in a candy shop. Runaway went silly and signed loads of players so we probably had to reign him in.

Hurst is a typical Yorkshireman. He likes to get value for money so when you give him freedom, you know he isn't going to be stupid with it.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

I think the consortium have probably had an input in that too but Hurst isn't like a kid in a candy shop. Runaway went silly and signed loads of players so we probably had to reign him in.

Hurst is a typical Yorkshireman. He likes to get value for money so when you give him freedom, you know he isn't going to be stupid with it.

Agree with that. In hindsight, isn’t it a massive shame he wasn’t still here when we had the Bogle money to spend? How different things could have been.

Quoted from Poojah

Agree with that. In hindsight, isn’t it a massive shame he wasn’t still here when we had the Bogle money to spend? How different things could have been.

In hindsight it's probably cost a lot more not giving him what he asked for!

I imagine he would want most of that Bogle money spending behind the scenes. Like he said, players spend most of their week on the training ground.

I'd like to think the consortium had an input and decent terms for new players contracts. However the current directors listed on companies house do not show any consortium members being added to the list of directors.

While we all assume that the consortium is is taking over GTFC but the club is still officially run by JF. Incidentally the last director to leave was IH on 23rd Dec. The accounts showed him as a director, until his resignation having 5 £100 shares, but I couldn't find  IH on the list of 1817 shareholders!

I know very little about company account but can read. So the question is why have none of the consortium been co-opted onto the board. I know if I had £1 million being invested then I would want an input.

Quoted from DB

We've been told money is there, but if Day insists on a covid clause like the summer then good players might not want to come!

We are doomed if he does.

Everyone at the club knows we need new players to survive, and we need to pay whatever it takes to get them in.

I think we should bring in players of proven L1 standard and off load however many of the current squad we need to in order to keep within the cap.  

Quoted from DB

I'd like to think the consortium had an input and decent terms for new players contracts. However the current directors listed on companies house do not show any consortium members being added to the list of directors.

While we all assume that the consortium is is taking over GTFC but the club is still officially run by JF. Incidentally the last director to leave was IH on 23rd Dec. The accounts showed him as a director, until his resignation having 5 £100 shares, but I couldn't find  IH on the list of 1817 shareholders!

I know very little about company account but can read. So the question is why have none of the consortium been co-opted onto the board. I know if I had £1 million being invested then I would want an input.

Because they are still dotting the i's and crossing the t's. Have to get the contracts drawn up and have their legal people check them over. Then there is the EFL fit and proper test to pass before it can all be ratified. Anything legal takes a while, The legal eagles have to get their billable hours in.

The takeover hasn't happened yet.  The shares have not been bought yet.  It is happening, or so we are led to believe, but until it is legally finalised the golden triumvirate cannot join the board.
No need to panic just yet

Quoted from DB

I'd like to think the consortium had an input and decent terms for new players contracts. However the current directors listed on companies house do not show any consortium members being added to the list of directors.

While we all assume that the consortium is is taking over GTFC but the club is still officially run by JF. Incidentally the last director to leave was IH on 23rd Dec. The accounts showed him as a director, until his resignation having 5 £100 shares, but I couldn't find  IH on the list of 1817 shareholders!

I know very little about company account but can read. So the question is why have none of the consortium been co-opted onto the board. I know if I had £1 million being invested then I would want an input.

At the moment they own nothing. They have agreed "head of terms" which isn't legally binding. Essentially John has agreed to sell his shares to either one, two, all three of them or a company owned by them. We don't know the full details but nobody has said they need to make an offer for everyone elses shares. The rules state this must be done if you acquire 30% so I assume at least 2 of them are buying his shares rather than one of them or a company.

Once that goes through I'm not sure if they will be co-opted onto the board or an EGM will be called. I wouldn't be surprised to see them take over with more than 50% of the shares which would give them the power to shape the boardroom to suit them. To do this they would need to buy at least half of Mike Parker's shares.

It isn't legally binding yet but Hurst has met with the consortium and we are investing in an analyst. That tells me it's going through.

No panic, just being observant. Co-opting onto the board would give the consortium a feed back on what is or is not happening.

Quoted from DB

No panic, just being observant. Co-opting onto the board would give the consortium a feed back on what is or is not happening.

They are having input, whether they sit on the board or not. They will be party to any decisions, i don't doubt that.

I sincerely hope the sale is going through but given the reported track record of JF, sale on sale off, I want to sell, o no I'm not etc. I would be more confident of it going through with a new board member.

Question.
Would Mike Parker be interested in working with them?
Would he be prepared to join the board, maybe as Chairman?  He has the shareholding.
I cant imagine that the Golden Triumvirate with all their other business interests wanting to be involved on a day to day basis

Quoted from DB

I sincerely hope the sale is going through but given the reported track record of JF, sale on sale off, I want to sell, o no I'm not etc. I would be more confident of it going through with a new board member.

Can you imagine the outrage if Fenty pulls another stunt like that? One of them being on the board wouldn't make a difference because Fenty and his puppets would outnumber him anyway.

how does the voting work,  One man one vote or is it based on shareholding?

Until he sells his shares JF will always be in control. I was just making the point if I was going to buy him out I would want my man on the inside. Yes he would be outvoted but, unlike us, who sit outside a closed shut bolted barracked boardroom, they would know what was happening

The man with most shares wins, either a hands vote or he can call an EGM and win

Quoted from The_Laughing_Mariner

how does the voting work,  One man one vote or is it based on shareholding?

Around the table in the boardroom it is one person, one vote. Fenty has one vote with £975k and so does Phillip Day with his £3000 worth of shares.

I think 10% of the shares (either collectively or individually) are needed to call an EGM and then you need over 50% to win. This is why I think they will purchase shares off Mike Parker as it will give them the power to shape the boardroom how they want it.

Quoted from Stew0_0

I know that we have lots of the season left and all games are going to be important but feel that January is going to be a pivotal month for more than 1 reason.

Firstly our biggest transfer window since we returned to the league but if we look at the fixtures for the rest of January:

Port Vale (A)
Southend (H)
Scunthorpe (A)
Barrow (A)
Stevenage (H)

We really need to be picking up plenty of points in these fixtures or we could get set adrift of those above us by February.

Really hopeful that Hurst can get us drilled, bring in some quality and finally get this season started for us.

Shiiiit, I wasn't actually aware that that was our run of fixtures. Shame they can't be our February fixtures, once we've got new players in and got a bit of game time in them. Should be looking for a minimum of 7 points from those really but if we can scrap and avoid defeat in 4 of them, even if 3 are draws, that'll be alright, at least our rivals wouldn't be picking up maximums whilst we get the team somewhere near where it needs to be.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Can you imagine the outrage if Fenty pulls another stunt like that? One of them being on the board wouldn't make a difference because Fenty and his puppets would outnumber him anyway.

They don’t. It’d be 3 v 3 if INE of them is co-opted on the board. The Trust reps are not Fenty puppets and know the feeling of the supporters.

Question, what does Mike Parker do? I don't know anything about his business/professional background

Quoted from KingstonMariner

They don’t. It’d be 3 v 3 if INE of them is co-opted on the board. The Trust reps are not Fenty puppets and know the feeling of the supporters.

Fenty, Day, Marley, Chapman

It would be 4 v 3 but even at 3 v 3 surely Fenty/Day hold the deciding vote as biggest shareholder or chairman?

Basically, It's sold 'subject to contract'. It could still fall through, but I doubt it will.

Quoted from Davec

Question, what does Mike Parker do? I don't know anything about his business/professional background

Youngs  not sure what part of it he owns but got more worth than Fenty.

It did not take him long to find Fenty Out after he invested a million worth of shares.

We're in big trouble if we're pinning our hopes on Hanson getting and staying fit for the remainder of the season, history suggests he won't and as he is getting older, niggling injuries become more of a problem, not less of one.

Wright is still a young lad and he alone isn't going to keep us up either.

We're going to need some much, much better players and we need them fast so they can play in that run of 4 massive 6 pointers later in the month.

The good thing for me is I trust Hurst's judgement way more than Runaway's and he's no doubt already worked out who he wants to sign.

If we can win a couple and draw a couple of those 4 games, big if I accept, then things will look a lot rosier come February but the importance of signing better players cannot be understated.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Fenty, Day, Marley, Chapman

It would be 4 v 3 but even at 3 v 3 surely Fenty/Day hold the deciding vote as biggest shareholder or chairman?

Forgot about Chapman.

I think the value of shares formally only kicks in if there’s an EGM. But doubt anything but the most controversial items would be contested to the point they went to an EGM.

Quoted from Mariner_09

We're in big trouble if we're pinning our hopes on Hanson getting and staying fit for the remainder of the season, history suggests he won't and as he is getting older, niggling injuries become more of a problem, not less of one.

Wright is still a young lad and he alone isn't going to keep us up either.

We're going to need some much, much better players and we need them fast so they can play in that run of 4 massive 6 pointers later in the month.

The good thing for me is I trust Hurst's judgement way more than Runaway's and he's no doubt already worked out who he wants to sign.

If we can win a couple and draw a couple of those 4 games, big if I accept, then things will look a lot rosier come February but the importance of signing better players cannot be understated.

Wright is nearly 23. Not sure when a player stops being a young lad.

is this week that is pivotal, if Hurst isnt able to get the players in we are doomed.

Quoted from Boris Johnson

is this week that is pivotal, if Hurst isnt able to get the players in we are doomed.

I believe the transfer window is open for the whole month. He has 4 weeks to get this right. Don't be so dramatic.

Quoted from Wrawby_Mariner

I believe the transfer window is open for the whole month. He has 4 weeks to get this right. Don't be so dramatic.

not really, current squaD/side not picking up a lot of points from what I can see, needs new players in by the weekend.

Quoted from Boris Johnson

not really, current squaD/side not picking up a lot of points from what I can see, needs new players in by the weekend.

I quite agree we aren't picking up enough points, that much is evident but we can't rush this. The summer recruitment appeared rushed and haphazard, lets not make the same mistake twice.