(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

5 minutes ago, Zico said:

yeah, I'd say for a short spell when we made a play off charge under DF

and when Lennon first came in, around the time we beat Wigan on a Friday night and got a draw at Liverpool in the cup

neither lasted long though

We beat Cardiff at home on Tuesday night and then Wigan at home Friday night. Odd scheduling, but a great week!

12 hours ago, Krimzon said:

to do that but release Desmond is madness . 

As others have suggested, maybe it's no coincidence that he got better towards the end of the season.

Shop window and all that.

Worked out well for both parties of course, and good look to him, but I'm hardly gutted.

As for Sheehan, for me, this idea that he is better suited to the championship is for the birds.

A save said on plenty of occasions, if that was the case, then plenty of offers would have been made before.

He may well do OK, but arrival of this young lad from Scotland suggests all midfielders we have will have to scrap for their places. I don't see Watson as coming in from the top league up north just to warm a seat.

 

10 hours ago, desperado said:

Each to their own. I’m happy to leave it to the experts to choose our squad for next year.

But who am I to criticise what folk talk about on here, I filled a couple of pages talking about our attendance at Wembley 😂

Did you go? What did you make of it all? 

Just got back last night, the perfect weekend, well worth the 5,600km round  trip. Got into the Green Man at 10.00am, it was absolutely  fuckin rammed, atmosphere fantastic. Up there with the Reading game, and the weather definitely helped.

1 hour ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

As others have suggested, maybe it's no coincidence that he got better towards the end of the season.

Shop window and all that.

Worked out well for both parties of course, and good look to him, but I'm hardly gutted.

 

thinking about it, maybe it works the other way

as in

we were working towards two budgets / outcomes - so maybe we keep Tutu if we stay down, but not if we go up

not that we tell Tutu that

he's probably thinking if I work hard we can go up and I can get a new contract at Bolton, as opposed to elsewhere

doubt any player were told to wait and see what league we were in before making a decision 

dunno

thinking out loud here

It's always difficult when u go up a league, I think SS would have pencilled in who he wants out who to  keep to build a squad capable of staying up the manager has his lists, it's going to be an interesting time now before the new season in the championship lots of speculation makes for a good gossip!!

Getting excited to see who we sign.

Just now, Rizlar said:

Getting excited to see who we sign.

Doesn't matter who it will be because they're all shite (getting it in early)

Fergal Harkin is highly rated and was a coup when he signed for us and seems to focus on the finances and the squad unlike his predecessor.  Contracts for L1 and Champ would have been decided some time ago not in Fannies on Monday afternoon.

The squad needs a huge strengthening and we need to be ruthless whilst celebrating those who got us promoted.

I would guess a minimum of 6 loans coming in from Prem.

35 minutes ago, TrickyTrotter said:

 

I would guess a minimum of 6 loans coming in from Prem.

I agree, I think you can only ever have 5 in any matchday squad, but I do think we'll load up with loans again

11 hours ago, desperado said:

Each to their own. I’m happy to leave it to the experts to choose our squad for next year.

But who am I to criticise what folk talk about on here, I filled a couple of pages talking about our attendance at Wembley 😂

Did you go? What did you make of it all? 

Quite simply the best day I've had watching us. 

From start to finish - seeing all the whites taking over what seemed like every pub and street around Wembley was something else.  The Green Man, we were a bit later getting there than most but walking up that hill and walking against a tide of white, all ages, the enthusiasm was fantastic.

If I could choose how to win a play off, it would be 1-1 at H-T - no team starting the 2nd half just hanging on, and both teams getting a flavour of celebration and dejection, rather than a flat cagey boring half like Boro v Hull.

2nd half - perfect mix of jeopardy, celebration, tension and enjoyment.

The post match celebrations going on for ages, in and out of Wembley.

The weather being perfect play off final weather (sympathies for fans of both teams not in the shade).

More fans of the other team would add to the sense of big match occasion, but beating a "rival" made it even better.

Sunday could only be surpassed if we do it all again with a better KO time and so even more of us there! 

Edited May 27May 27 by Johnnyrotten

And you can all blame @desperado for the wrong thread situation 😀

8 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

The Green Man, we were a bit later getting there than most but walking up that hill and walking against a tide of white, all ages, the enthusiasm was fantastic.

One or two pints supped there over the weekend 

 

2 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

 

He may well do OK, but arrival of this young lad from Scotland suggests all midfielders we have will have to scrap for their places. I don't see Watson as coming in from the top league up north just to warm a seat.

 

Simons, Taylor, Gale, EE, Cissoko, Forss, Apter, were signed last season and between them there was a lot of seat warming, I bet they expected to start more games.

Nobody is coming from a small club in Scotland and expecting to start games in the championship.  The timing of the signing suggests it was a done deal before the weekend and he would have been signed for L1 if we'd lost.

Surely if he was a nailed on championship starter one of the big clubs in Scotland would have signed him?

5 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

 

Surely if he was a nailed on championship starter one of the big clubs in Scotland would have signed him?

Nope.Have'nt you heard we are absolutely massive 

8 minutes ago, burnden said:

One or two pints supped there over the weekend 

 

At £7.50 a pint, even if only averaging 2 pints each (obviously plenty of kids included in the 12k), that's £180k takings.

I wonder who the 1% that misbehaved supported? 🙄😁

11 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Simons, Taylor, Gale, EE, Cissoko, Forss, Apter, were signed last season and between them there was a lot of seat warming, I bet they expected to start more games.

Nobody is coming from a small club in Scotland and expecting to start games in the championship.  The timing of the signing suggests it was a done deal before the weekend and he would have been signed for L1 if we'd lost.

Surely if he was a nailed on championship starter one of the big clubs in Scotland would have signed him?

He was heading to Aberdeen by all accounts if the result had not gone our way Sunday. Plenty of interest in him from home and abroad including Italy. The snippets of information i have found on him seem to suggest he is highly regarded

Scottish Young player of the year 24/25 Killie Fans player of the year 25/26. More than once i have seen him compared with Mctominy....We all know the Scottish Premier league taking away the top three or four teams is awful but with only a nominal fee these are the signings we need to make.......He could turn out to be like Kenny or Richard Taylor it is a gamble that worked last season we signed some quality and some dross

3 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

As others have suggested, maybe it's no coincidence that he got better towards the end of the season.

Shop window and all that.

Worked out well for both parties of course, and good look to him, but I'm hardly gutted.

As for Sheehan, for me, this idea that he is better suited to the championship is for the birds.

 

 

Yeah fair point . If Tutu & family want to go home then Ive no problem with that . Im sure his agent can get him a 3 yr deal on the same cash at say Leyton Orient or similar. 

As for Sheehan , I remember Bradley Dack being a very good Lg 1 midfielder , then went to Rovers and ripped up trees until his injury . Id say Sheehan is equally as good as him , if a slightly different type of midfielder. 

55 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Quite simply the best day I've had watching us. 

From start to finish - seeing all the whites taking over what seemed like every pub and street around Wembley was something else.  The Green Man, we were a bit later getting there than most but walking up that hill and walking against a tide of white, all ages, the enthusiasm was fantastic.

If I could choose how to win a play off, it would be 1-1 at H-T - no team starting the 2nd half just hanging on, and both teams getting a flavour of celebration and dejection, rather than a flat cagey boring half like Boro v Hull.

2nd half - perfect mix of jeopardy, celebration, tension and enjoyment.

The post match celebrations going on for ages, in and out of Wembley.

The weather being perfect play off final weather (sympathies for fans of both teams not in the shade).

More fans of the other team would add to the sense of big match occasion, but beating a "rival" made it even better.

Sunday could only be surpassed if we do it all again with a better KO time and so even more of us there! 

Great post Johnny - it really was the perfect day 👏

3 hours ago, Blondi said:

With the exception of Dalby, Sheehan, Rodrigues and possibly Erhahan, don't think many of the rest of the contracted players will be up to championship football, hope I'm wrong.

Agree on RR and Sheehan, they can step up.  I think Forino has it in him, plus he's a leader which is rare.  

I've no problem with keeping Toal in the squad, he's got faults but good qualities too. 

And Conway is staying, with his class and potential (I don't expect many to agree).

I love Dalby and he's got a role to play, but we have to be realistic about his limitations too.  As with the released players, would a championship club come in for Dalby and have him as 1st choice striker?  Course not.  Squad player.

EE not champ level for me, nothing exceptional at L1 level, too limited to go higher IMO.  

We got 75 points in L1, despite having ACD who would walk into any L1 team.  In the 46 games we were well behind Lincoln never mind the standard we'll be up against.  If we'd stayed down we'd still have to strengthen in every area of the team, with going up we're virtually ripping it up and starting again.

3 hours ago, Blondi said:

With the exception of Dalby, Sheehan, Rodrigues and possibly Erhahan, don't think many of the rest of the contracted players will be up to championship football, hope I'm wrong.

Forino is good enough 

Jury is out on Conway who I think has the potential but might need another season in League 1

Taol can do a job

Simons can do a job

Sheehan the jury is out. Best game I've ever seen him have for us was vs Luton in the cup at home. So not sure I agree with TMGJ - the change of style might work for him

Gale can do a job

McAtee - still big question marks. I don't think his career has really taken off here. 

The only person I'd be genuinely gutted to see go (from a footballing perspective) is Forino. 

 

7 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Agree on RR and Sheehan, they can step up.  I think Forino has it in him, plus he's a leader which is rare.  

I've no problem with keeping Toal in the squad, he's got faults but good qualities too. 

And Conway is staying, with his class and potential (I don't expect many to agree).

I love Dalby and he's got a role to play, but we have to be realistic about his limitations too.  As with the released players, would a championship club come in for Dalby and have him as 1st choice striker?  Course not.  Squad player.

EE not champ level for me, nothing exceptional at L1 level, too limited to go higher IMO.  

We got 75 points in L1, despite having ACD who would walk into any L1 team.  In the 46 games we were well behind Lincoln never mind the standard we'll be up against.  If we'd stayed down we'd still have to strengthen in every area of the team, with going up we're virtually ripping it up and starting again.

Isn't it odd how people see things differently having watched the same match. 

I think EE was instrumental in the last few games and was absolutely mortified to see him dropped for Simons. Breaks up play, steps into the back line and gets in there.. Not much going forward but gave the back line a bit more confidence. 

TBF i would wager most of the players SS got on long term contracts will be fine for Championship in his eyes. No point offering 3/4 year deals to limited players. 

35 minutes ago, masi 51 said:

He was heading to Aberdeen by all accounts if the result had not gone our way Sunday. Plenty of interest in him from home and abroad including Italy. The snippets of information i have found on him seem to suggest he is highly regarded

Scottish Young player of the year 24/25 Killie Fans player of the year 25/26. More than once i have seen him compared with Mctominy....We all know the Scottish Premier league taking away the top three or four teams is awful but with only a nominal fee these are the signings we need to make.......He could turn out to be like Kenny or Richard Taylor it is a gamble that worked last season we signed some quality and some dross

Fair comments.  To be clear it looks like a good signing, at a good price.  I'm just thinking he's coming down to England and stepping up from a relatively poor level (bottom half of Scots Prem which is more like L1 standard) to the championship playing against the likes of Southampton, Wolves and Middlesboro.  IMO he's far from being a nailed on starter, we'd want to be signing a midfielder or 2 that are proven at that level.  The same goes for Sheehan etc, he will want to prove himself but he's not got a right to expect to start as many games at this level.

12 minutes ago, kent_white said:

Forino is good enough 

Jury is out on Conway who I think has the potential but might need another season in League 1

Taol can do a job

Simons can do a job

Sheehan the jury is out. Best game I've ever seen him have for us was vs Luton in the cup at home. So not sure I agree with TMGJ - the change of style might work for him

Gale can do a job

McAtee - still big question marks. I don't think his career has really taken off here. 

The only person I'd be genuinely gutted to see go (from a footballing perspective) is Forino. 

 

I still remember that Sheehan performance v Luton, who were in the Prem but essentially Champ standard, he looked every bit a championship player.  Its whether he can rise to that level most weeks.

Then again Vic looked good in the 1st half of that replay too 😁

I don't think SS has really been happy about the 2 in the middle all season. Don't forget Sheehan didn't really get into the team until October. 

12 minutes ago, only1swanny said:

Isn't it odd how people see things differently having watched the same match. 

I think EE was instrumental in the last few games and was absolutely mortified to see him dropped for Simons. Breaks up play, steps into the back line and gets in there.. Not much going forward but gave the back line a bit more confidence. 

TBF i would wager most of the players SS got on long term contracts will be fine for Championship in his eyes. No point offering 3/4 year deals to limited players. 

I don't want it to seem like I've got a downer on EE or anyone else, just trying to be objective, and as @desperado says I'm happy to let SS just get on with his recruitment and squad selection.

I'd just say on EE, if we decide we don't want him will any other champ side (other than Lincoln?!) come to us and put a bid in and play him regularly?  IMO we'll be coming up against better, taking an example I'd say Tomo is no world beater but he's got more to his game for me, EE is a bit of a one trick pony - breaking up play and the least attacking intent of anyone I can recall.  We need more IMO.