January

[pneal]

Pretty happy with our squad so we shouldn't be making any signings just for the sake of it. However, iff we're able to find the kind of mobile, hard-pressing target man that Alex Neil wants then we should push the boat out. If we can't, there's no point signing another forward that Neil doesn't rate and won't use.

I also think Rafferty will make the rightback slot his own so backup for Hughes needs to be found. It could be Earl coming back, it could be someone else.

As someone said previously, top priority should be securing our best players on new contracts. We're bound to lose one or two of our better players this summer: probably even if we did get promotion. But I don't think it'll be the mass exodus many are expecting, and whoever does go lets make sure it's for a huge fee.

 

[RedScarBelgrade]

I don't think it'll be just them sadly. Bodin, Browne and Bauer could well follow.

Bodin - what has he actually done (other than that goal against West Ham and a decent ish performance against Forrest this season) to make you think anyone would be in for him ? Whenever I've seen him this season he has had one or two decent fleeting moments early on in the game then completely drifted out of it until he's subbed around 60 mins. I know he's coming back from a serious injury but for me right now he's a bench player at best for us.

 

[B(rad)P(otts)IG]

I also think Rafferty will make the rightback slot his own

Fisher is one of the best RB's in the league.

 

[ernest]

We're bound to lose one or two of our better players this summer: probably even if we did get promotion.

I could see an established Premiership side being interested in Davies even if we do go up but otherwise even our current 'stars' e.g. Pearson and Johnson might look like a bit of a gamble for sides already up there. A big lure for them if we do find ourselves a level higher next season - amazing that this time last season we were staring the possibility of relegation in the face - is that they would still be first choice players and could expect a lot of game time. Who knows if a team on the other side of the Pennines were to come down we might even look to re-sign a player we sold to them. But a lot of things need to happen first.

 

[truenorthender]

Fisher is one of the best RB's in the league.

Your right ... He's a right twat for a winger .. snapping at your ankles, fouling you over and over.. that might sound like shit defending but trust me it's not.. you always need a player or 2 like that ... Makes you hesitate sometimes n end up just passing instead of running down his wing with the ball... You can see it in his eyes yeah that he's got a nasty plan. I wonder what went wrong that he has to foul people's feet.

 

[B(rad)P(otts)IG]

Your right ... He's a right twat for a winger .. snapping at your ankles, fouling you over and over.. that might sound like shit defending but trust me it's not.. you always need a player or 2 like that ... Makes you hesitate sometimes n end up just passing instead of running down his wing with the ball... You can see it in his eyes yeah that he's got a nasty plan. I wonder what went wrong that he has to foul people's feet.

You're proper strange aren't you but I like the use of Arctic Monkeys lyrics so I'll allow it.

 

[truenorthender]

You're proper sexy aren't you but I like the use of Arctic Monkeys lyrics so I'll allow it.

? I ruined at the end tho ... Fouling feet? Wtf... Fucked it all up.. I'd ban me for it

 

[John T]

1. It's a crystal ball. ?
2.At some stage, the wage cap will have to be raised. You can't realistically expect to pay the same wages over a 10 year period.
3. He can't take his money with him and I'm sure his sons and Grandchildren won't end up on the dole if he were to invest more money into the club.
4. The only way he's going to get his money back with interest is if we get to the Premier league. He must have taken a gamble or two throughout his life to get where he is today.
I'm not expecting Mr Hemmings to gamble his hard earned fortune in getting PNE to the promised land but if he really wants to see us there(as he said in the post Wembley interview), he really needs to show a bit more ambition.

Thank you for correcting me on No1

On No2 Yes I would expect so, but not I suspect in the immediate future, I should imagine in Trevor’s eyes bearing in mind the money coming in from the previous three transfers and no 'dip' on the playing side of things, I suspect he is well satisfied with the way things are
On No3 I am surmising (yes) but football is only one of his interests and again, as with No2 why bother risking more of inheritance to the kids by giving more
On No3 it depends if he is really interested in taking the Club further and all that entails financially, (definitely NOT a cheap option)
On the question on getting his money back? I suppose it depends on his point of view, he might simply not regard this has a money maker, more a project that he can afford to spend a ‘bit’ on, with the hope when he does sell (as he will eventually) he might get it back

Questions only he can answer, not me. As for promises and statements, I am an ‘old cynic’ I take them with ’a pinch of salt’

 

[John T]

I could see an established Premiership side being interested in Davies even if we do go up but otherwise even our current 'stars' e.g. Pearson and Johnson might look like a bit of a gamble for sides already up there. A big lure for them if we do find ourselves a level higher next season - amazing that this time last season we were staring the possibility of relegation in the face - is that they would still be first choice players and could expect a lot of game time. Who knows if a team on the other side of the Pennines were to come down we might even look to re-sign a player we sold to them. But a lot of things need to happen first.

Tend to agree Ernest

But not sure Davies is up to Premiership level YET though, too many mistakes for that level
As I have posted on other threads I suspect as Players contracts come to an end, if they don't want to sign new ones they will be sold for what the Club can get
It's hard to argue the present squad is any worse (certainly results wise) with the departures of Hugill, Cunningham and Robinson
So as far has Uncle Trevor will be concerned, the present policy is working well, why change it

 

[JohnPNE]

Sorry I’m not having this ‘we didn’t strengthen in January’ as a reason we fell out of the play offs under Simpson. Simpson proved that he was out of his depth. The reason we started the season so well was because it was still Davies squad on the whole.
he then claimed there were ‘bad apples’ and then tried to get rid of key players. Yes strengthening would have helped but when you are 2-1 up against Southend and lose 3-2 then the blame has to lie somewhere. A result that would have gained a play off place.

 

[Lord Edgington]

Don’t be sad
Don’t be angry with me
......

February
Don’t you come around
Why it is you say you leave......

 

[baldnobber]

The only striker signing I can see happening is a prem youngster on loan such as hornby or surridge, or a rough diamond from the lower leagues such as Clarke Harris. All would be gambles in terms of needing to hit the ground running with zero/minimal championship experience.
Vydra is out of our price range both in terms of fee and wages...top scorer in this league year before last clubs will be queuing up at this level if made available. All of which could offer a greater wage contribution if loan was an option.
I think if there was a striker available for 2-3m who was better than the options we've got we'd do it. I don't see many realistic candidates though.

 

[the12thman]

Fisher is one of the best RB's in the league.

Defensively probably. Going forward definitely not in my opinion. He gets in some good positions, but rarely creates anything of note. I'd suggest it is a position we could try to improve upon in terms of quality.

 

[No Danger]

Fisher is one of the best RB's in the league.

Going to miss a few for suspension at the current rate he's picking up bookings.

 

[Dick Dastardly]

Browne’s as good in my opinion.

 

[pneal]

Fisher is one of the best RB's in the league.

I like Fisher, and he has spells where he's excellent, but I don't think even he would think he's one of the best right backs in the Championship. I think Rafferty should be ahead of him on form right now, but have no problem with the two of them competing for the spot. Shows we have decent depth and competition for places in the squad.

 

[Mancunian White]

I like Fisher, and he has spells where he's excellent, but I don't think even he would think he's one of the best right backs in the Championship. I think Rafferty should be ahead of him on form right now, but have no problem with the two of them competing for the spot. Shows we have decent depth and competition for places in the squad.

He statistically is. Someone posted it recently, along with Hughes being the best in the league defensively iirc

 

[pneal]

He statistically is. Someone posted it recently, along with Hughes being the best in the league defensively iirc

Really? I guess I missed that one. Was that purely on his defensive stats?

I know it's somewhat arbitrary but whoscored.com ranks him 12th behind Matt Cash, Stuart Dallas, Darnell Furlong, Jack Hunt, Henrik Dalsgaard, Chris Solly, Andy Yiadom, Elliott Bennett, Max Lowe, Maxime Colin and Steven Sessegnon.

 

[Mancunian White]

I like Fisher, and he has spells where he's excellent, but I don't think even he would think he's one of the best right backs in the Championship. I think Rafferty should be ahead of him on form right now, but have no problem with the two of them competing for the spot. Shows we have decent depth and competition for places in the squad.

Found it

 

[B(rad)P(otts)IG]

Really? I guess I missed that one. Was that purely on his defensive stats?

I know it's somewhat arbitrary but whoscored.com ranks him 12th behind Matt Cash, Stuart Dallas, Darnell Furlong, Jack Hunt, Henrik Dalsgaard, Chris Solly, Andy Yiadom, Elliott Bennett, Max Lowe, Maxime Colin and Steven Sessegnon.

4 of them aren’t even fullbacks.