So, that's 14/15 with 4/5 more to come then.

[beatific blade]

I give you dark horse Brizzle City

Can't see how Bristol City would be a dark horse to be honest. The way they finished the season would suggest they are on the up.

 

[wizadry]

Being frugal and tippy tapping about aren't the same thing. Frugal means careful, not necessarily tight. I want to get out of league 1 as much as the next guy, but I also dont believe it should be achieved at any cost.....

At the moment we are tippy tapping about getting squad players in imo,when in actual fact we haven't even got a first 11 to compete in the play offs never mind top two but i'm willing to give him until august to sort it out.

I also love these people who say wev'e done a great bit of buisness when that can't be proved until the end of the season.

 

[SwindonBladeJnr]

At the moment we are tippy tapping about getting squad players in imo,when in actual fact we haven't even got a first 11 to compete in the play offs never mind top two but i'm willing to give him until august to sort it out.

I also love these people who say wev'e done a great bit of buisness when that can't be proved until the end of the season.

So people aren't allowed to say we have done good business until it's been proven at the end of the season, but you can tell us that we won't compete in the play offs before the season has even started?

 

[Darthblade]

A lot of managers would have snapped at the first chance of spending the cash, bought a load of good League 1 players in, put a promotion on their CV and then left this club snookered in the Championship when half the budget's gone and we have a squad full of fellas in their late 20's not good enough to make the step up. Fair play to Clough, he's doing what he thinks is the right thing for the Club, but it is a gamble, because if we don't go up next season then his job certainly won't be secure.

Our first eleven (with Brayford & Coady), which at its best couldn't beat Preston, Wolves or Brentford in the league last season, was stronger than anything we could put out next week (and we may be about to lose Maguire on top of that).

I believe we still require two good strikers and replacements for Coady and Brayford (and probably Collins, if Butler is here to replace Maguire as I expect he is), as well as a couple of cover players. Davies looks to be signing and will be one of the cover players I mentioned, he'll be useful to fill in anywhere down the right, but Harris doesn't have any such cover at left back and he tends to be quite injury prone, so I think that needs addressing. It seems Wallace is being earmarked to replace Coady, though most Tranmere fans seem to believe he isn't the same player anymore since his injury, so he might not be an ideal signing, our interest in McGinn has waned. The most important signings will be up top, if we get those right we'll be there or there abouts, if we don't get quality there, forget it in my opinion.

As it stands, I too am in "Camp Underwhelmed" and don't feel we look anything like a top two side. But the beauty of it is, is that it's early days, great to see us busy already.

Agree ..... we "currently" don't look anywhere near a top 2 side, but if we manage to keep Harry ( I think Butler is a replacement for Collins cos he's a left sided CH ) and sign a strong, pacey CM, a RB plus two decent strikers with pace, then we start to look more like it !!
I would also like to see freeman back if he's available as he can play LB & RB.
I'm still trusting in Nigel to produce a rabbit or two from his hat .......
UTB & FTP

 

[wizadry]

So people aren't allowed to say we have done good business until it's been proven at the end of the season, but you can tell us that we won't compete in the play offs before the season has even started?

Not with the team we have at the minute,no we won't make the playoffs.I also never said you or anybody else wasn't allowed to say anything,point me towards that please.

Oh by the way, nice to meet you swindon.

 

[Blade58]

Agree ..... we "currently" don't look anywhere near a top 2 side, but if we manage to keep Harry ( I think Butler is a replacement for Collins cos he's a left sided CH ) and sign a strong, pacey CM, a RB plus two decent strikers with pace, then we start to look more like it !!
I would also like to see freeman back if he's available as he can play LB & RB.
I'm still trusting in Nigel to produce a rabbit or two from his hat .......
UTB & FTP

Apparently, we are chasing a decent striker, with rumours reported to be Sam Baldock. He would be a good signing at this level imo if true

 

[Darthblade]

Being frugal and tippy tapping about aren't the same thing. Frugal means careful, not necessarily tight. I want to get out of league 1 as much as the next guy, but I also dont believe it should be achieved at any cost.....

Agreed ..... it isn't necessary to spend fortunes to get out of this Division. What is needed are players who are "consistent" and a settled side scoring goals regularly and not conceding too many !!

Look at Orient last season; not one player who cost a fee and they get to the playoffs.

But its also sensible ( something not associated with SUFC Management & Board up until the arrival of NC ) to acquire players in the squad who are "capable" of performing in the Division above if we can. I think some of the players we have now fall into that category, which is good for the future. But what we do lack, and have done for a while, is we don't have goals in the team yet. ( apologies to McNulty as he's still young and unproven at this level. )

Teams who get promoted from L1 usually score a fair few goals ........
UTB & FTP

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Apparently, we are chasing a decent striker, with rumours reported to be Sam Baldock. He would be a good signing at this level imo if true

No chance of that happening imo. Why would they let their top scorer go to a divisional rival? Also according to my City supporting mates he's on a good wedge. No substance to that rumour I don't think. Just the usual people making 99% of things up.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Clough clearly hasn't taken a holiday for himself, which he richly deserves.

Unprecedented, a manager still communicating with fans during June and clearly working at squad building in plenty of time to prepare for the new season. Unprecedented..... we've always been told "nothing happens until July" haven't we?