(That long since we've had any, couldn't find the thread)

Alan Nixon: "Top Liverpool starlet Cameron Branagan will Ben allowed out on loan in Jan.

Bolton lead the race for the 20 year old midfielder"

Edited December 11, 20169 yr by Ratwhite

looking forward to a relegation battle

1 minute ago, L/H White said:

looking forward to a relegation battle

I'm not sure Liverpool are going to fall off a cliff that much tbh.

Never heard of him. But that doesn’t mean a lot. I don’t watch much footy anymore. 4 years is a hell of a contract at this level though! 
 

he better have a good fitness record for that kind of commitment 

Edited June 9, 20251 yr by boltonboris

Should offer us something we badly lacked last season. A physical presence up front.

A hell of a lot of teams & alright ones at that in for him considering he's meant to have only bagged about 4 goals in the EFL. If he turns out be decent then we have an asset on our hands of a good age who's physically a pain in the arse for CB's to play against, if he's wank then surely a Scottish team will take him off our hands for a bit of cash seeing as he's just been made to look like Zlatan in that league! 

I hope we’re also in for someone with some pace up top, severely lacking last season

PFA team of season 👍

Welcome Salby

He'll do for me, socks up and shin pads too.

As SS first recruit I fully expect him to be better than Dan and Vic. And the fact that he is a ball heading striker, this should indicate that those 2 will be moved on,(easier said)

Followed his progress in Scotland with interest, looked back in the Winter the sort we could do with. Good luck to the lad.

We need a target man and someone who can head the ball so fine by me

His SPL stats suggest he knows how to get in the right positions and with the right supply will score 

Parky wanted to keep him for the championship 

So far so good 

But 4 years? 

He'd better be decent otherwise we're stuck with him

I am encouraged by the list of other clubs in for him. Not all of those scouts/recruitment types can be wrong.

As I have said before I dont think we can get by with just one striker who has physique and aerial ability. Its still fresh in the mind how lame we used to look when Madine was unfit. 

5 hours ago, tomski said:

Just seen this. Bloke only has 428 followers and his info looks ropey on previous transfers 

This'll be a loss if it's correct.

Huddersfield beat us to the Preston midfielder too. Looks like they're chucking everything at it.

Game plan against Evatt was this and it was down to the way he built the team. Flood the middle, press the centre backs into making mistakes and find space behind the wing backs. 

Having Dalby in the team makes us more unpredictable, more difficult to play against and plan for. As with the tactic above we could just bypass the middle if we want, something we haven't really been able to do for a long time. 

8 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

This'll be a loss if it's correct.

Huddersfield beat us to the Preston midfielder too. Looks like they're chucking everything at it.

Their Chairman looks (and sounds) like an old Ron Burgundy! 

Just now, kent_white said:

Their Chairman looks (and sounds) like an old Ron Burgundy! 

He really does

Did you see that clip of him last week going on about "northern football"?

Mad

2 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

He really does

Did you see that clip of him last week going on about "northern football"?

Mad

Yeah that was the one where I first laid eyes on him. Absolutely sensational lookalike! 😂

12 minutes ago, paulhanley said:

I am encouraged by the list of other clubs in for him. Not all of those scouts/recruitment types can be wrong.

As I have said before I dont think we can get by with just one striker who has physique and aerial ability. Its still fresh in the mind how lame we used to look when Madine was unfit. 

We have a couple of youngsters (Abimbola and Lewis) who are traditional big centre forward types, and could act as a backup. If we’re going for a second striker I think a bit of variation might be good: a Charles or Doyle type.

2 minutes ago, Rival Son said:

We have a couple of youngsters (Abimbola and Lewis) who are traditional big centre forward types, and could act as a backup. If we’re going for a second striker I think a bit of variation might be good: a Charles or Doyle type.

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

31 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

Followed his progress in Scotland with interest, looked back in the Winter the sort we could do with. Good luck to the lad.

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.  

36 minutes ago, Zico said:

We need a target man and someone who can head the ball so fine by me

His SPL stats suggest he knows how to get in the right positions and with the right supply will score 

Parky wanted to keep him for the championship 

So far so good 

But 4 years? 

He'd better be decent otherwise we're stuck with him

Its a reasonable point, as if say in 2 years we're in the championship, it would be normal for us to be looking for an upgrade.  The other scenario is when SS leaves (law of averages says in less than 4 years), his successor may want his own men/a different style.

But he's signed on a free, a risk worth taking for me.  We'd only have to find someone to take him off our hands (perm or loan), its a better scenario than our circa £1mil signings where we are staring at huge losses for each of them.

14 minutes 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

Agreed.  SS may have used kids when the matches didn't matter, he isn't using them again as strikers in league games that matter IMO.  He'll want 4 strikers I'm sure, which I presume will mean signing another, but if not the 4th striker would be Dan or Vic when fit.

16 minutes 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

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!

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.