What's happening with new signings??

[F*ck The Poor & Fat]

New faces in January when the current strengths and weaknesses, if any, have been identified.

[Lucky7]

We overspent on the budget last year. Belts being significantly tightened to reduce losses. Board are content with 22nd this season so don’t expect any major moves now Falkingham has turned us down.

Is it really true he's turned us down?

Falking hell

More bollox from the land of make believe

[Smendrick Feaselberg]

We overspent on the budget last year. Belts being significantly tightened to reduce losses. Board are content with 22nd this season so don’t expect any major moves now Falkingham has turned us down.

Nonsense. The budget for this season was agreed before last season ended and we've sold two players since then.

And Falkingham turning us down?

[Red_Army]

There was never any truth to the Falkingham stories.

Winning the National League doesn't mean we would be the 22nd best team in league two. There were plenty of teams in the bottom half we would have beaten last season.

The squad is only worse if Angol and Wilkinson don't fire, and we will see but I'm reasonably confident.

[Top of the JES]

Justin thought that the squad last season would have finished top eight in league two Teague mentioned this in one of his interviews. It was his decision to release the players we did and was aware that Bonne and Koroma would move on, we have also signed three players that were on his list of possible signings, still think we might see one or two in before the season starts. But all in all I think we have enough for mid table minimum.

[Top of the JES]

Our hopes of signing Louis Dennis from Portsmouth finally seem to have gone, been given a squad number by Pompey....shame.

[Long slender neck]

Getting concerned now

[Buckingham]

Getting concerned now

Do you think that there won't be any further signings?

My biggest concern at the moment is that we don't have a proven goalscorer. A lot of pressure on Wilkinson and Angol.

The fact that our only backups are a 35 year old who could manage about 10 minutes per game last season, a comical flop who scored 2 goals in the conference all season, and an unproven kid really isn't great.

If the main two don't come good we will serious struggle for goals. Combine that with our solid defense I'm expecting a lot of 0-0 draws an 0-1 losses.

[POSHO]

My main concern is that we have 20 senior pros of whom 4 have not kicked a ball as yet and we don't know the exact situation with them . Already relying on youngsters to fill in including 17 year olds

[Red_Army]

I was told last night that we were all but there with Dennis, but his form has prompted Pompey to have another look. The deal isn't dead, and a loan move might be more likely, but its further away than it was.

We are also interested in Anthony Grant at Shrewsbury who has been banished to train with the youth team by Sam Ricketts.

[Buddy Manucci]

Getting concerned now

Do you think that there won't be any further signings?

My biggest concern at the moment is that we don't have a proven goalscorer. A lot of pressure on Wilkinson and Angol.

The fact that our only backups are a 35 year old who could manage about 10 minutes per game last season, a comical flop who scored 2 goals in the conference all season, and an unproven kid really isn't great.

If the main two don't come good we will serious struggle for goals. Combine that with our solid defense I'm expecting a lot of 0-0 draws an 0-1 losses.

Re your proven goalscorer point.

Angols goals to games ratio is better then Bonne, including some at a higher level Bonne has played at.

Wilkinson scored more goals then Koroma last season in about 15 fewer games.

I believe we are actually stronger as a top 2 then we were previously as Koroma dropped deep and drifted wide. JMD will pick up that part from deep.

Koroma also went in to last season as pretty much an unproven kid in a forward role and was not first choice going into the season.

[RedDwarf 1881]

I wonder what he’s done to banished to train with the kids

[Smendrick Feaselberg]

I wonder what he’s done to banished to train with the kids

Just says "in house reasons" from what I've seen. He was a regular last season so may be disciplinary reasons.

[eagwgw]

Grant would be a bit of a coup, played virtualy all the games in League One.
He wouldn't be a bench warmer here.

Can't buy the dental or blood pressure excuses though, sounds like he has done something bad.

[Buckingham]

Getting concerned now

Do you think that there won't be any further signings?

My biggest concern at the moment is that we don't have a proven goalscorer. A lot of pressure on Wilkinson and Angol.

The fact that our only backups are a 35 year old who could manage about 10 minutes per game last season, a comical flop who scored 2 goals in the conference all season, and an unproven kid really isn't great.

If the main two don't come good we will serious struggle for goals. Combine that with our solid defense I'm expecting a lot of 0-0 draws an 0-1 losses.

Re your proven goalscorer point.

Angols goals to games ratio is better then Bonne, including some at a higher level Bonne has played at.

Wilkinson scored more goals then Koroma last season in about 15 fewer games.

I believe we are actually stronger as a top 2 then we were previously as Koroma dropped deep and drifted wide. JMD will pick up that part from deep.

Koroma also went in to last season as pretty much an unproven kid in a forward role and was not first choice going into the season.

All fair points.

I’m optimistic about Angol.

I would say that Wilkinson may have had a better goals to game ratio last season but that was in the division below.

A big concern for me is that even if Wilkinson and Angol do the business our back up I woefully inadequate. However, you raise a good point about the kid proving himself.

[PoundhillO]

I wonder what he’s done to banished to train with the kids

Just says "in house reasons" from what I've seen. He was a regular last season so may be disciplinary reasons.

We don't want a player with attitude problems that could upset the whole squad !

[redintheface]

Grant would be a bit of a coup, played virtualy all the games in League One.
He wouldn't be a bench warmer here.

Can't buy the dental or blood pressure excuses though, sounds like he has done something bad.

No disrespect, but I’m not sure that Grant being signed would be that much of a “ coup”. 32 years old and banished to train with the Shrewsbury kids for unspecified reasons doesn’t seem like something you’d want on your CV tbh!

[Long slender neck]

We are short in midfield

[Red_Army]

Do you think that there won't be any further signings?

My biggest concern at the moment is that we don't have a proven goalscorer. A lot of pressure on Wilkinson and Angol.

The fact that our only backups are a 35 year old who could manage about 10 minutes per game last season, a comical flop who scored 2 goals in the conference all season, and an unproven kid really isn't great.

If the main two don't come good we will serious struggle for goals. Combine that with our solid defense I'm expecting a lot of 0-0 draws an 0-1 losses.

Re your proven goalscorer point.

Angols goals to games ratio is better then Bonne, including some at a higher level Bonne has played at.

Wilkinson scored more goals then Koroma last season in about 15 fewer games.

I believe we are actually stronger as a top 2 then we were previously as Koroma dropped deep and drifted wide. JMD will pick up that part from deep.

Koroma also went in to last season as pretty much an unproven kid in a forward role and was not first choice going into the season.

All fair points.

I’m optimistic about Angol.

I would say that Wilkinson may have had a better goals to game ratio last season but that was in the division below.

A big concern for me is that even if Wilkinson and Angol do the business our back up I woefully inadequate. However, you raise a good point about the kid proving himself.

Wilkinson and Koroma were in the same division last season.

[Buckingham]

Re your proven goalscorer point.

Angols goals to games ratio is better then Bonne, including some at a higher level Bonne has played at.

Wilkinson scored more goals then Koroma last season in about 15 fewer games.

I believe we are actually stronger as a top 2 then we were previously as Koroma dropped deep and drifted wide. JMD will pick up that part from deep.

Koroma also went in to last season as pretty much an unproven kid in a forward role and was not first choice going into the season.

All fair points.

I’m optimistic about Angol.

I would say that Wilkinson may have had a better goals to game ratio last season but that was in the division below.

A big concern for me is that even if Wilkinson and Angol do the business our back up I woefully inadequate. However, you raise a good point about the kid proving himself.

Wilkinson and Koroma were in the same division last season.

Exactly. Which is a division below the one we are currently in.

[Smendrick Feaselberg]

We are short in midfield

Definitely. This would be my priority for improvement.

[Red_Army]

All fair points.

I’m optimistic about Angol.

I would say that Wilkinson may have had a better goals to game ratio last season but that was in the division below.

A big concern for me is that even if Wilkinson and Angol do the business our back up I woefully inadequate. However, you raise a good point about the kid proving himself.

Wilkinson and Koroma were in the same division last season.

Exactly. Which is a division below the one we are currently in.

But you are comparing it to Koroma's, who was also in the division below last season.

[ComeOnYouOs]

I think the two lads we signed up front, Wilkinson & Angol will be fine.....in fact better than fine. I reckon they will score 35 goals between them, (injuries permitting)
I think the first 11 ( or 14) looks pretty good, but the squad is thin. More than 3 or 4 injuries, suspensions, illnesses etc will really show us to be thin too
Even with the current squad, Im not at all worried about relegation, and i even think play offs are a possibility with a little bit of luck along the way

[CreamofSumYungGai]

My main concern is that we have 20 senior pros of whom 4 have not kicked a ball as yet and we don't know the exact situation with them . Already relying on youngsters to fill in including 17 year olds

Had to double check your numbers as they scared the life out of me and yeah, you're right. That's even with including the likes of Happe and Judd as senior pros, which they ain't and still need handling properly.

We really are cutting things fine.

1. Dean Brill
2. Sam Ling
3. Joe Widdowson
4. Dale Gorman
5. Marvin Ekpiteta
6. Josh Coulson
7. Jobi McAnuff
8. Craig Clay
9. Conor Wilkinson
10. Jordan Maguire-Drew
11. James Dayton
14. Myles Judd
15. Dan Happe
16. James Brophy
18. Matt Harrold
19. Lee Angol
23. Jamie Turley
27. James Alabi
44. Josh Wright
12. Sam Sargeant





Kids who have been excluded from the above:

28. Brendon Shabani
29. Jayden Sweeney
20. Ruel Sotiriou
24. Arthur Janata
25. Shadrach Ogie
26. Hector Kyprianou

[CreamofSumYungGai]

Getting concerned now

Do you think that there won't be any further signings?

My biggest concern at the moment is that we don't have a proven goalscorer. A lot of pressure on Wilkinson and Angol.

The fact that our only backups are a 35 year old who could manage about 10 minutes per game last season, a comical flop who scored 2 goals in the conference all season, and an unproven kid really isn't great.

If the main two don't come good we will serious struggle for goals. Combine that with our solid defense I'm expecting a lot of 0-0 draws an 0-1 losses.

Re your proven goalscorer point.

Angols goals to games ratio is better then Bonne, including some at a higher level Bonne has played at.

Wilkinson scored more goals then Koroma last season in about 15 fewer games.

I believe we are actually stronger as a top 2 then we were previously as Koroma dropped deep and drifted wide. JMD will pick up that part from deep.

Koroma also went in to last season as pretty much an unproven kid in a forward role and was not first choice going into the season.

Are you honestly saying that given the choice of Bonne and Koroma or Angol and Wilkinson, you would go for Angol and Wilkinson?