When we start the season on 5th August how many  new players do you think we will field. A new player is one that did not play for us in the 22/23 season.

I will go for 5.

Ive gone for 7 or more mainly because we have much more going on behind the scenes with scouts and the Recruitment Analyst.

There are the obvious positions that need filling but Hurst may look for further in the future by getting in some up-and-coming players that have possibly been released from Premiership Academy teams or from Championship clubs who can play at this level from the off, but would mainly be used on the bench.

Surely it would be better to have back up players contracted to us than having to dip into the loan market and pick players up who are frankly useless.....mentioning no names over the last 2 seasons (mainly because it'd take ages to list them)

I think 5 is a relalistic number , I hope we go for quality rather than quantity this year

As an alternative perspective we have a solid starting 8 or 9 (if Max stays ) If not a keeper is certain .But starting with that XI that know each other inside out and gradually introducing the newbies might be an option ?

I wonder how many of his 'slots' Hurst will leave until the last minute , sometimes it works ,sometimes it does not ; but he seems to leave room to manoeuvre up until the deadlines .

How he uses loans will be crucial too , we need a higher % of quality loans for me .

I think anything less than 7 isn’t feasible to go into the season with. It’s surprising but until you look at the squad you don’t think we need as much as we probably do.

1 back up keepers, maybe 2 keepers if Max doesn’t resign.

A right back, wether it’s ahead of Michee (which I think it should be) or as cover we will need 1 there.

We have 2 centre backs so again 2 minimum for the season as 3 CBS would be dangerously low.

In central midfield we have numbers but probably need something in there aswell to add to what we have or give us something abit different.

We have 1 out and out winger, in addition to Harry doing a job there. So for me that’s 2 wide options.

Then the dreaded striker position, currently just Orsi. So you’d imagine 2 as a minimum.

So that’s 9, presuming Max stays. Granted it’s likely we get a couple that do jobs in more than one position ie CB that can play RB, or a winger that can play across the forward line.

However I think we need a fair amount through in this window to progress us forward. That’s without any departures of current under contract players. Wether all of these are permanent or ‘first team ready’ can be up for debate.

Quoted from Mikey_345

I think anything less than 7 isn’t feasible to go into the season with. It’s surprising but until you look at the squad you don’t think we need as much as we probably do.

1 back up keepers, maybe 2 keepers if Max doesn’t resign.

A right back, wether it’s ahead of Michee (which I think it should be) or as cover we will need 1 there.

We have 2 centre backs so again 2 minimum for the season as 3 CBS would be dangerously low.

In central midfield we have numbers but probably need something in there aswell to add to what we have or give us something abit different.

We have 1 out and out winger, in addition to Harry doing a job there. So for me that’s 2 wide options.

Then the dreaded striker position, currently just Orsi. So you’d imagine 2 as a minimum.

So that’s 9, presuming Max stays. Granted it’s likely we get a couple that do jobs in more than one position ie CB that can play RB, or a winger that can play across the forward line.

However I think we need a fair amount through in this window to progress us forward. That’s without any departures of current under contract players. Wether all of these are permanent or ‘first team ready’ can be up for debate.

It will be 2 keepers if Max does not sign up I think ,even though Hurst seems reluctant to have one on the bench ,he invariably has 2 in the building most of the time .

GK, RB, CB, CM, WNG, ST x 2

7 for me

For me we have a good spine of a squad. If we can bring in 5 players who will improve on what we have then I think we will be up their for sure. But each year everyone bar a small few seem to get stronger. So for me I've written 5.

Quoted from Stew0_0

GK, RB, CB, CM, WNG, ST x 2

7 for me

Is 3 CB’s and 2 wide players enough?

Efete was quite useful in a 3 but assume we will go back to 4 at the back next season - not sure if he can play in a 2 ?
If he could maybe only is  one required ,but if not definately 2 surely .
Will Shaun still be registered as a player or has he retired ,retired ?

7 is a good number if they all improve those still here.

Examples, Hunt has ability but needs players who can be receivers and enforcers round him.

Efete and Emmanuelle eorked well as a pair interplaying with defending and attacking.

More good partnerships needed on both flanks.

Better passing and better possession required along with speedier thoughts and actions so as not to be caught in possession.

Unless I have misread, I think a couple in here might be misunderstanding the poll question... I THINK it's asking how many new players will START in our first game of the season - so players we are signing as backup/rotation options or who will be slowly worked into the first team don't count (if I've understood the question!)

In which case, I've gone with 6, being the following:

NEW KEEPER (I suspect Max is going to leave - expect he would have re-signed by now otherwise)

Efete Waterfall Maher NEW LEFT BACK (I am not sure Hurst is a fan of Glennon's defensive qualities and might look for someone a bit more solid - Glennon definitely a great player though)

NEW WINGER (someone with a bit of pace) Clifton NEW MIDFIELDER (seems to be a common consensus that we are still lacking that midfielder general type player) Khan

NEW FORWARD (big target man type, i.e. the new Taylor) NEW FORWARD (nippy, hard working forward - Hurst doesn't seem to like Orsi for whatever reason so I would be surprised to see him start the season leading the line)

The above isn't necessarily what I think Hurst SHOULD do, but more what I think he WILL do, judging by his approach in past seasons and his treatment of the current squad.

Twelvety.

Twelvety.

Quoted from MaccasBoots

Unless I have misread, I think a couple in here might be misunderstanding the poll question... I THINK it's asking how many new players will START in our first game of the season - so players we are signing as backup/rotation options or who will be slowly worked into the first team don't count (if I've understood the question!)
.

Yep, that’s a really good point! 😂

My bad!

Like all politicians, we'll answer the questions we think you should have asked

Quoted from Southwark Mariner

Like all politicians, we'll answer the questions we think you should have asked

I’ve been repeatedly assured all questions asked were answered at all times..

A squad of 20 players would be about right plus the young pros, so 7/8 needed.

But to answer the actual question 4 new players to start

I think 4 will start, keeper,cb and 2 forwards; plus 3 others 2 midfield and a winger.

UPDATE - After reading again ! - 4 definite new starters in the 11 and at least 7 new signings capable of starting if needed.

Not counting any younger fringe signings to develop over the season.

3 new signings in the starting 11.

Will only have 3 new starters at kickoff, but think we need 7 new players +1 if Max leaves

Guilty as charged, your Honour. I misread/misconstrued the original question as well.

My original guess still stands for the number of players to sign for Town by the end of the transfer window (but nobody has asked that question)

But new signings to start the first league game of the new season will only be 2, as I think the majority of transfers will come between the start of the season and the end of the transfer window. I still think there will be more than 2 new signings before 4th August, but only 2 newbies will start.