Just back.

Quoted from Mariner_09

I think, as the season progresses, injuries permitting, Green and Morris will be the mainstays of our midfield. However, apart from Khan I think the front three/four will need some serious surgery if we’re going to really challenge. Taylor will be another year older, Keirnan isn’t up to it as a winger for a serious challenger, JMD hasn’t done much when he’s started (although that’s more to do with how we haven’t got the ball to him enough I think), Wearne hasn’t shown much more than Keirnan and McAtee and Richardson will have gone. Apart from that, I think we’ll retain basically all the other starters (bar Smith). I don’t know if JS/AP would look at injecting more cash if they thought there was a genuine shot at promotion on offer, we’ll have to put ST prices up to get anymore money out of gate receipts (unless we expand the capacity somehow). So, there is scope to improve but it will be quite hard, Hursty will have to get his recruitment even more spot on than he usually does.

Quoted from Croxton

Mainstays? Levels of fitness so far have restricted them singly never mind together. What about Hunt, Holohan and Clifton? Or even Khouri later on? Agree with you about strikers. Apart from cash I think our points total at New Year will be a critical factor if we are to counter the geographical issues.

Quoted from Mariner_09

Hence I caveated it with injuries permitting. Morris will come straight back in once he’s fit and Green was his main target who’s been playing with a knock for much of the season or just unfit to play. Once he’s properly fit, I think he’ll come in and look very good. We are well stocked in midfield for sure.

Quoted from Mariner_09

Wearne hasn’t shown much more than Keirnan .

Quoted from acko338

Am I the only one who would be perfectly happy with Town at mid table at season end, but also having a better newly located training facility, better behind the scenes work for upgrading of toilets and food outlets at BP, more ongoing fan debates and participation, settled coaching and teaching at all levels including the ladies' team, good player education for any that may not make the grade?

Several of the above will please new and regular fans - some could influence players to join us on the remote East Coast- some could influence higher level managers to loan out their players from being well looked after here - and Hurst could then perhaps have better success with his players A1 list in the next couple of transfer windows?

Then, next year, a full blooded promotion bid with few kick backs??

Who would want to see a scraped promotion bid as we are, and maybe a relegation season to follow?

We have several players not yet on top form, several long term injuries, several young loan strikers alongside an experienced guy, who would struggle to play well twice in a week, some liked and some unliked players, according to where played and how long they manage in minutes, so a very mixed bunch.

Are we being flattered with results, as Hurst is still not happy with some aspects of pressing, pressure and speed of play.

McAtee missing has been hard to take as he runs, draws defenders, sees gaps, scores goals, and no one has fitted into that place in the team yet.

Both he and Scannell have been missed for their individual skills and vision. Two hard to replace areas - just lucky that Harry C hasn't had to try himself in goal !!

Perhaps pick who we have, and let them try to settle into form over time. Have some of our better players last season now found their limit at a regular league higher?

Why has the passing and running suddenly dropped in quality?

2 hard games coming up so let's get behind those picked and look for an increased consistency of play !

As ever - UTM !

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

There was also that delicious flick late on against Salford, that set former boo-boy target Clifton away. It should have resulted in Orsi winning the match for us; even after two bites of the cherry.

I thought Kiernan played a major role in our late rally against Salford. He’s had a few bright moments, including the abandoned Carlisle match. Just a typical inconsistent L2 forward / wide man; perhaps a quarter yard short of pace and goal threat but with a decent touch.

If Kiernan is a super strength, reliable condom, Wearne is featherlite and prone to splitting and JMD is bareback (pleasurable at times but very risky).

Quoted from acko338

Am I the only one who would be perfectly happy with Town at mid table at season end, but also having a better newly located training facility, better behind the scenes work for upgrading of toilets and food outlets at BP, more ongoing fan debates and participation, settled coaching and teaching at all levels including the ladies' team, good player education for any that may not make the grade?

Several of the above will please new and regular fans - some could influence players to join us on the remote East Coast- some could influence higher level managers to loan out their players from being well looked after here - and Hurst could then perhaps have better success with his players A1 list in the next couple of transfer windows?

Then, next year, a full blooded promotion bid with few kick backs??

Who would want to see a scraped promotion bid as we are, and maybe a relegation season to follow?

We have several players not yet on top form, several long term injuries, several young loan strikers alongside an experienced guy, who would struggle to play well twice in a week, some liked and some unliked players, according to where played and how long they manage in minutes, so a very mixed bunch.

Are we being flattered with results, as Hurst is still not happy with some aspects of pressing, pressure and speed of play.

McAtee missing has been hard to take as he runs, draws defenders, sees gaps, scores goals, and no one has fitted into that place in the team yet.

Both he and Scannell have been missed for their individual skills and vision. Two hard to replace areas - just lucky that Harry C hasn't had to try himself in goal !!

Perhaps pick who we have, and let them try to settle into form over time. Have some of our better players last season now found their limit at a regular league higher?

Why has the passing and running suddenly dropped in quality?

2 hard games coming up so let's get behind those picked and look for an increased consistency of play !

As ever - UTM !

Quoted from diehardmariner

I would like to see more of Wearne.  He's only made 3 starts for us (1 of which he scored in against Crewe in the cup and whilst against a poor side looked very good).

The only two starts he's made have been in games where we didn't impress overall as a team (Rochdale and Sutton).

Of his five sub appearances, only two have been for more than 15 minutes - both for a full half.  One was against Forest in the cup when we were 2-0 down, yet considerably better in the second half.  The second against Walsall were we turned the game around in the second half to win 2-1.  Neither improvements/outcomes directly a result of him but he played a part.

He's only 21 and this is his first season at this level.  Other than a dozen or so games in the National League last year, he's only played Academy football.  

Quoted from Poojah

Crocombe
Amos
Cropper
Pearson
Smith
Kiernan
Morris
Wearne
McAtee
Maguire-Drew
Pepple
Richardson
Scannell
Simmonds
Taylor

That’s 15 senior players who will have either reached the end of their contract or their loan no later than June next year. Contrast that with just 10 senior players contracted beyond the end of the season, I’d say there’d be scope to improve regardless of what league we find ourselves in next August.