Transfer Gossip

[Eddie]

Any transfer news?

[W.cramp]

7 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Any transfer news?

Arsenal sniffing round max Conway apparently 

[wakey]

Fuck me, some definitive views on MC for a lad who's just completed his first season at L1 level and only his second in the league.

Started the season really well - most were raving about it on here and elsewhere - and faded in the latter stages. Our internet coaching experts have now determined he's been found out or doesn't have what it takes.

Alternative view - he's a young lad (first team experience-wise) in his breakthrough season who was played more out of necessity than he would have done normally.

He'll now be going into his first pre-season with the expectation of competing for a first team place week in week out. Let's give the lad a chance ffs.

[wakey]

Just now, W.cramp said:

Arsenal sniffing round max Conway apparently 

replacement for Martinelli, obviously 😁

[masi 51]

26 minutes ago, wakey said:

Fuck me, some definitive views on MC for a lad who's just completed his first season at L1 level and only his second in the league.

Started the season really well - most were raving about it on here and elsewhere - and faded in the latter stages. Our internet coaching experts have now determined he's been found out or doesn't have what it takes.

Alternative view - he's a young lad (first team experience-wise) in his breakthrough season who was played more out of necessity than he would have done normally.

He'll now be going into his first pre-season with the expectation of competing for a first team place week in week out. Let's give the lad a chance ffs.

Not sure many or any are putting the lad down. I am certainly not and his stats attacking wise backs that up.

The debate is mainly will he be left back or further forward in future.

I think he can have a big future but not at left back.....Repeat that is NOT putting him down

[Tonge moor green jacket]

2 hours ago, desperado said:

 

But those stats are comparing him against fellow left backs.

If we are using those stats to judge him, they’re telling you he was one of the best left backs in L1. 

I suspect they wouldn’t look as good if they were being compared to L1 left midfielders. 

That's because he played left back. 

Had he played in midfield then his stats would have been very different by nature of that position. 

Impossible to make a judgement on that.

Either way, he has done pretty well, and all the suggestions that he won't make it are premature, as he has time to improve.

If he doesn't, then fair enough, but he would always be remembered for his contribution this season. 

[gonzo]

We don't have to all rate every single one of our players you know.

It is allowed. 

 

[wakey]

4 minutes ago, gonzo said:

We don't have to all rate every single one of our players you know.

It is allowed. 

 

I miss JDB 😁

[gonzo]

5 minutes ago, wakey said:

I miss JDB 😁

Lads working on a fishing trawler hunting whales at the minute

[Johnnyrotten]

Not transfer news but we'd need another thread for current squad chatter for this. 

I read an interview with Gale reflecting on the season - interesting that he said he'd never played in January before!  Normally gets a break in Jan, fair enough we should appreciate he's new to this country and he should definitely be cut some slack. 

But interesting that he said "I was aiming for 10 goals, and I got 7".

If our wingers have a target of scoring goals, is it any wonder they are shooting more than they should be?  He's not the only one of course, but its a team game and SS should set out the target for each player that when they are on the pitch the team scores at least as many as the opposition, or 1 more than them.  If you score and we lose (eg at Wycombe), you've failed, that's not a success!  And if you're stood in an offside position when your teammate scores (Blackpool) that's also a fail, because we didn't win.  I've never been a fan of individual goal targets, its a team game.

[DirtySanchez]

1 hour ago, gonzo said:

Lads working on a fishing trawler hunting whales at the minute

He'd probably miss

[kent_white]

12 hours ago, Alf Hartigan said:

Course he does and I'm going to take Gonzo up on his bet about 5 appearances. 
 

Whatever position 😄

It's going to be messy in the ESL next year one way or another. 

I hope they've stocked up on Ribena! 🤣

[ianofcleveleys]

16 hours ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

I got no end of shite for saying Conway will gravitate to midfield.

But he will.

He played the vast majority of the 44 games in L2 where he was young players of the season as a LWB or LM.

When he started the season SS acknowledged the work still to be done with / by him on his positional awareness. Still some issues with that, even in the last few weeks of the season, hence sides continuing to target it right to the end. 

He can cover ground pretty quickly, in a marauding, often quite exciting way, but hasnt the sharp 20 - 30 yards pace on the turn needed to be a quality LB, even more so if he's trying to compensate for a positioning issue.

Kyle Walker got away with that a lot but due to GB sprint levels of speed. By comparison, Trent Alexander Arnold wasnt that quick and didnt.

I do agree with those who've said he could play as a LM, but it'd be in a particular formation (such as with GTs role at Wrexham maybe) that SS is pretty unlikely to adopt. 

Could be a challenging season for him and some hard work ahead in pre season.

 

[kent_white]

23 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

He played the vast majority of the 44 games in L2 where he was young players of the season as a LWB or LM.

When he started the season SS acknowledged the work still to be done with / by him on his positional awareness. Still some issues with that, even in the last few weeks of the season, hence sides continuing to target it right to the end. 

He can cover ground pretty quickly, in a marauding, often quite exciting way, but hasnt the sharp 20 - 30 yards pace on the turn needed to be a quality LB, even more so if he's trying to compensate for a positioning issue.

Kyle Walker got away with that a lot but due to GB sprint levels of speed. By comparison, Trent Alexander Arnold wasnt that quick and didnt.

I do agree with those who've said he could play as a LM, but it'd be in a particular formation (such as with GTs role at Wrexham maybe) that SS is pretty unlikely to adopt. 

Could be a challenging season for him and some hard work ahead in pre season.

 

Strange you should mention TAA. 

I was thinking that myself the other day. Not that MC is in the same bracket of course - but it's a similar problem. He doesn't neatly fit into either a LB/LWB or LW position. 

So he is a bit more situational than some other players that are a square peg in a square hole. Perhaps not as good footballers - but have the exact attributes you need to play a particular role. 

TAA - never seemed to be able to improve his positional play - which is why he ended up at a shit club! 😁

[tomski]

Personally like Conway, though it’s been quoted to me that I only like shit players. 

[Whitesince63]

5 hours ago, desperado said:

You’re just making stuff up now to steer the conversation in a different direction (which is fine, I’ll accept this as you got it wrong first off 😉)

So let’s move onto your other point. 

FWIW (because I’ve never once said “he will be our LB next season”) I think we’ll definitely be in the market for another championship LB, one who SS will probably see as our number 1 (similar to how he brought in Taylor last year)

If we get somebody who stays fit and  surpasses Conway at LB pre-season we might not see him play many games.

However if we see something similar to last year, that when MC gets his chance, he takes it well, we may see him play a bigger role.

Those stats suggest to me, that as an attacking LB he’s got real potential. Looks ok on duels too. IMO he needs to sort out his positional play and he needs to have some protection if we are to see him at LB next season. 

For goodness sake, he’s only played two seasons at a senior level, just what do some of you expect from the lad? He’s still very much at the learning stage and for me has all the necessary attributes to be a very good left wing back. Yes he gets caught out of position sometimes but that’s down to learning that ability and the coaching he receives. I’ve absolutely no doubts that Max will play LWB for us this season and expect him to grow and improve quickly with better and more experienced heads around him. I’ve no doubts also that Schuey will sign a more experienced left back but that can only be beneficial for Max to compete with and learn from. This lads the brightest prospect we’ve had for years and whilst of course you’re entitled to your opinions, the only one that really counts is Schuey and I’m certain he’s 100% behind Max.

[Cheese]

6 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

For goodness sake, he’s only played two seasons at a senior level, just what do some of you expect from the lad? He’s still very much at the learning stage and for me has all the necessary attributes to be a very good left wing back. Yes he gets caught out of position sometimes but that’s down to learning that ability and the coaching he receives. I’ve absolutely no doubts that Max will play LWB for us this season and expect him to grow and improve quickly with better and more experienced heads around him. I’ve no doubts also that Schuey will sign a more experienced left back but that can only be beneficial for Max to compete with and learn from. This lads the brightest prospect we’ve had for years and whilst of course you’re entitled to your opinions, the only one that really counts is Schuey and I’m certain he’s 100% behind Max.

You a few weeks ago:

On 06/04/2026 at 17:05, Whitesince63 said:

Don’t know what Conway is now, not a defender and nowhere near the attacker he was early season but certainly for me a liability at the moment. If he’s going to be a defender then stay in position and defend and if he’s a wide player then have someone to cover for him. At the moment he’s so far out of position every game that we’re wide open and it’s costing us.

 

[DazBob]

Wouldn't mind us going in for that Cashin, LCB / LB, who I thought looked decent for Derby when we played them.  Was farmed out on loan to Blackburn in the second half of last season.  Would be a decent replacement for Johnston IMO.

[gonzo]

28 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

For goodness sake, he’s only played two seasons at a senior level, just what do some of you expect from the lad? He’s still very much at the learning stage and for me has all the necessary attributes to be a very good left wing back. Yes he gets caught out of position sometimes but that’s down to learning that ability and the coaching he receives. I’ve absolutely no doubts that Max will play LWB for us this season and expect him to grow and improve quickly with better and more experienced heads around him. I’ve no doubts also that Schuey will sign a more experienced left back but that can only be beneficial for Max to compete with and learn from. This lads the brightest prospect we’ve had for years and whilst of course you’re entitled to your opinions, the only one that really counts is Schuey and I’m certain he’s 100% behind Max.

We played with wing backs about 3 times this season.

Can't see SS making a shift to 3cbs and wing backs now.

[kent_white]

We should try for Wigan's keeper just to get on their tits! 🤣

And because we need one!

[meanderson93]

7 minutes ago, kent_white said:

We should try for Wigan's keeper just to get on their tits! 🤣

And because we need one!

My brother knows him a bit, there's not a chance he'd come here 🤣 and personally, I wouldn't fancy him. Never got the hype. 

[kent_white]

17 minutes ago, meanderson93 said:

My brother knows him a bit, there's not a chance he'd come here 🤣 and personally, I wouldn't fancy him. Never got the hype. 

I'll believe that if and when I see him turn down a doubling of his wages! 😁

[Zog1]

 

[Johnnyrotten]

1 hour ago, meanderson93 said:

My brother knows him a bit, there's not a chance he'd come here 🤣 and personally, I wouldn't fancy him. Never got the hype. 

We aren't interested in Tickle, as he used to play for Warrington Rylands.

[Big E]

5 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

We aren't interested in Tickle, as he used to play for Warrington Rylands.

Remind me later to post my research on the successful non league lads. Truly remarkable. I was so wrong at how many of the greats for us have come from non league over the last 50 years. Truly phenomenal