Sothall_Blade
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http://stv.tv/sport/football/clubs/...d-flecks-sheffield-united-move-falls-through/
1ST SEPT 2011:- Kyle Hutton and John Fleck’s proposed loan move to Sheffield United appears to have fallen through. The Rangers duo were due to head for League One until the end of the season, but the Blades failed to process the necessary paperwork in time.
This was Danny Wilson's first season when we missed out on promotion to Wendy by 3 points. My hypothetical question is this, if the Blades had processed the paperwork in time and signed Hutton and Fleck, how much difference would it have made? If it wasn't for a faulty fax machine would we have been promoted in May 2012 and where would be now?
For a start, I think we can disregard Kyle Hutton from the equation. His subsequent career has seen him mostly playing in the lower reaches of Scottish football and I doubt he would have made any meaningful contribution to us back in 2011/12.
So what about John Fleck at the age of 20? Would/could he have contributed enough to gain us three extra points and promotion? After failing to sign for us he went on to play 4 times in the Scottish Premier League for Rangers (who finished 2nd) and 7 times in The Championship for Blackpool (who finished 5th). Therefore, not a regular but playing at a much higher standard than League One.
Our first choice midfield that season was very strong Williamson-MacDonald-Doyle-Quinn but would Fleck have been a more creative option than Doyle when we needed a goal? Or a more combative option than MacDonald when we needed that? The main two reserve midfielders seem to have been Montgomery and Flynn (with Williamson moving central). Would Fleck have been a better option than those two? Particularly in those vital last few matches when MacDonald was injured?
At the time, Fleck was very much seen as a striker/attacking midfielder ("The Scottish Rooney"). Would he have been a better reserve striking option that Porter, Beattie and O Halloran?
All hypothetical of course but having seen what a good all-round talent Fleck has matured into it's tempting to suggest that the dreaded faulty fax machine helped to ensure 5 seasons of League One misery.
1ST SEPT 2011:- Kyle Hutton and John Fleck’s proposed loan move to Sheffield United appears to have fallen through. The Rangers duo were due to head for League One until the end of the season, but the Blades failed to process the necessary paperwork in time.
This was Danny Wilson's first season when we missed out on promotion to Wendy by 3 points. My hypothetical question is this, if the Blades had processed the paperwork in time and signed Hutton and Fleck, how much difference would it have made? If it wasn't for a faulty fax machine would we have been promoted in May 2012 and where would be now?
For a start, I think we can disregard Kyle Hutton from the equation. His subsequent career has seen him mostly playing in the lower reaches of Scottish football and I doubt he would have made any meaningful contribution to us back in 2011/12.
So what about John Fleck at the age of 20? Would/could he have contributed enough to gain us three extra points and promotion? After failing to sign for us he went on to play 4 times in the Scottish Premier League for Rangers (who finished 2nd) and 7 times in The Championship for Blackpool (who finished 5th). Therefore, not a regular but playing at a much higher standard than League One.
Our first choice midfield that season was very strong Williamson-MacDonald-Doyle-Quinn but would Fleck have been a more creative option than Doyle when we needed a goal? Or a more combative option than MacDonald when we needed that? The main two reserve midfielders seem to have been Montgomery and Flynn (with Williamson moving central). Would Fleck have been a better option than those two? Particularly in those vital last few matches when MacDonald was injured?
At the time, Fleck was very much seen as a striker/attacking midfielder ("The Scottish Rooney"). Would he have been a better reserve striking option that Porter, Beattie and O Halloran?
All hypothetical of course but having seen what a good all-round talent Fleck has matured into it's tempting to suggest that the dreaded faulty fax machine helped to ensure 5 seasons of League One misery.
