Transfer Gossip

[Farrelli]

14 minutes ago, Rival Son said:

I don’t disagree but last season they were our only option. As a backup, with a full pre-season with the first team, they might have progressed. They’re at the age where progression can be quick. My point about variety still stands, I think.

Next a couple of out and out wingers, who can cross. No point having a gun, if there’s no ammunition!

Yes two good wingers would be brilliant.   When Bolton have been a force in my time watching them it has been underpinned by quality widemen (Peter Thompson, David Lee, Morais, Dapo).  Players who are not scared of going for the line rather than coming inside or backwards all the time. 

[ianofcleveleys]

15 minutes ago, Rival Son said:

Next a couple of out and out wingers, who can cross. No point having a gun, if there’s no ammunition!

SS certainly gave the impression in a piece a few weeks back he was keen on strong, aggressive wide players who could run at players and get crosses in.

Where that leaves Collins and McAtee is another matter. I don't get the sense that bringing Dalby in means a front three of him and those two, where he's just doing their donkey work, whatever they may think themselves. 

[Matt Lofthouse]

Hopefully he will get the best out of Collins.

Edited June 9, 2025 by Matt Lofthouse

[Matt Lofthouse]

Couldn’t care less on McAtee. He’s toss no matter what. 

[gonzo]

39 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

I did too, I mentioned him on here a couple of times last season (wondering why Wrexham had let him go while signing JDB on a short term deal etc).  Looked good quality especially aerially on the Scots goals highlights, and was top scorer in that league for much of the season.  If nothing else when he's on the pitch it will feel like getting a corner is a reason for a bit of optimism for once!

On a free transfer, albeit with a long and no doubt pricey contract, is a no-brainer compared to how much we've spent in the last couple of years.  

Lads only 25 as well.

Folk have been cracking on as if he's some no mark journey man in his 30s

[masi 51]

1 hour ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

Lewis won't be acting as back up and I'm yet to be convinced Abimbola will either

Both have quite a lot of developing to do, which is not a criticism given their ages

Agree keep those lads for the EFL cup and even the league cup.....Dont want to see any of the first eleven in those pool matches.

Better still get them loaned out to the national league or lge2

[Only In Welsh]

Evening.

I'll offer my thoughts on Dalby for what they're worth..

First, he's no target man, or at least he wasn't for us, hence why we signed Palmer. I'd forget that notion now. 

He has most likely improved though and judging by his time in Scotland, his goals return, I'd say he definitely has.

He's not that great in the air either for his size, but on his day is a decent striker and scored some important goals for us. He was much better for us when we played the ball into feet or he could run at defenders.

He was always behind Palmer and Mullin and that scuppered his progress here. I've genuinely no idea why we offered him a contract in January given the sheer number of strikers we have but what do I know.

He never played on the wing for us, we don't play with wingers, he was always up front in a two. He absolutely needs to play in a front two as well and will need crosses and good service to get the best out of him.

He was liked here and never let us down. I wouldn't describe him as lazy either, Parkyball probably didn't suit him.

I wish him well and I saw a lot worse in L1 last season.

[tomski]

57 minutes ago, Matt Lofthouse said:

Couldn’t care less on McAtee. He’s toss no matter what. 

Come on mate. Clean slate for him. He’s not as bad as people make out.

[bwfc4ife]

1 minute ago, tomski said:

Come on mate. Clean slate for him. He’s not as bad as people make out.

I’m afraid he is. Love the swagger, unfortunately not quite good enough to walk the walk 

[Dr. Feelgood]

1 hour ago, Matt Lofthouse said:

Couldn’t care less on McAtee. He’s toss no matter what. 

I heard a rumour he's been 'given permission' to find a loan move.

[burnden]

I wish we would stop with the long contracts. 4 year deal .

[tomski]

11 minutes ago, bwfc4ife said:

I’m afraid he is. Love the swagger, unfortunately not quite good enough to walk the walk 

Time will tell but I’m not writing him off yet. Happy to come back on and say I was wrong. I appreciate we will see a fair bit of change but I’d not want him out unless Schuey does.

[Johnnyrotten]

32 minutes ago, Only In Welsh said:

Evening.

I'll offer my thoughts on Dalby for what they're worth..

First, he's no target man, or at least he wasn't for us, hence why we signed Palmer. I'd forget that notion now. 

He has most likely improved though and judging by his time in Scotland, his goals return, I'd say he definitely has.

He's not that great in the air either for his size, but on his day is a decent striker and scored some important goals for us. He was much better for us when we played the ball into feet or he could run at defenders.

He was always behind Palmer and Mullin and that scuppered his progress here. I've genuinely no idea why we offered him a contract in January given the sheer number of strikers we have but what do I know.

He never played on the wing for us, we don't play with wingers, he was always up front in a two. He absolutely needs to play in a front two as well and will need crosses and good service to get the best out of him.

He was liked here and never let us down. I wouldn't describe him as lazy either, Parkyball probably didn't suit him.

I wish him well and I saw a lot worse in L1 last season.

Thanks for that, seems a good balanced review.  

He might not be a target man, but the bar is very low currently, there is evidence to show he's headed a ball in the right direction once or twice in his career.  In our book, that's a target man 😀

Re Parky offering him a contract, I'm guessing it was a financial move where they knew they had someone of value on their hands, and he was about to leave on a free.  Signing a contract would have got Wrexham a fee in the summer, probably.  Maybe in the half mil bracket judging by the interest in him. Dalby has probably got a better contract on the back of his new employers not having to pay a fee, so I bet its paid off for him.  

[Cheese]

12 minutes ago, burnden said:

I wish we would stop with the long contracts. 4 year deal .

Why?

[gonzo]

I'd say the length of deal could've been the deal breaker seeing as so many other clubs were in for him.

[Cheese]

 

[ianofcleveleys]

20 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

I heard a rumour he's been 'given permission' to find a loan move.

One of him or Collins isn't likely to be starting next season, though we'll know more by the time we get into pre season, have maybe made the next few signings SS wants, and seen what sort of shape he wants to go with

[Zico]

31 minutes ago, tomski said:

Come on mate. Clean slate for him. He’s not as bad as people make out.

I'm thinking there's a player we can make use of there

he did well when we had our good spell post IE

so no reason not to think if we are playing well and winning next season, he will be playing a part

[masi 51]

It will be based on first team appearances and goals.....Win, win for both the club and Dalby if he is backing himself

[Zog1]

7 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

One of him or Collins isn't likely to be starting next season, though we'll know more by the time we get into pre season, have maybe made the next few signings SS wants, and seen what sort of shape he wants to go with

Would be happy to see Collins in the Stelios or Diouf role in a 433, or somewhere in the 3 in a 4231, think Randall could work behind Dalby in 4231. If we're going to get the most out of any of that we need a pacy trickster with a decent cross (Premier league youth loan?)

Edited June 9, 2025 by Zog1

[Whitesince63]

1 hour ago, ianofcleveleys said:

SS certainly gave the impression in a piece a few weeks back he was keen on strong, aggressive wide players who could run at players and get crosses in.

Where that leaves Collins and McAtee is another matter. I don't get the sense that bringing Dalby in means a front three of him and those two, where he's just doing their donkey work, whatever they may think themselves. 

How about Malik Wilkes released by Wednesday, he has all those qualities and can score a goal too?

[mickbrown]

1 hour ago, tomski said:

Come on mate. Clean slate for him. He’s not as bad as people make out.

He’s worse 

[Wanderlust]

55 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

How about Malik Wilkes released by Wednesday, he has all those qualities and can score a goal too?

Interesting shout. Bit of a troubled character but he’s the right age now (26) and he’s basically a striker who has been used on the wing. Plenty of talent TBF but although he’s not an out and out winger, he could do a job and he’s a good finisher when he gets in the box. And we need more than one finisher. Probably be looking for Championship football though.

 

[frank_spencer]

5 hours ago, Zog1 said:

Blast from the past wow. 

We were linked with him every window for years.

[Zog1]

13 minutes ago, frank_spencer said:

We were linked with him every window for years.

Two others i remember us being linked to countless times were

Owen Hargreaves

Andrew Johnson