Stickied Confirmed Signings 2023/24

[sadgull]

Wasnt expecting marquee signings we already had our players signed up and only a few have left anyway not as if its a mass exodus after a relegation. The keeper looks fine and Lapslie looks like he will be fine. Still some trialists at training a couple of loanees could well happen too.

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

Tom Walker confirmed on a one-year-deal - meh.

Length of deal and lack of enthusiasm in the press release suggests he’s gonna have to up his game from last season if he wants minutes.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

To be fair, none of us had heard of Kyle Cameron, Ben Whitfield, Aaron Nemane or Lucas Covalan before they signed for us (well, I had heard of Covolan as I saw him play for Worthing) and they've all gone on to bigger and better things (except for Cameron, I think he's signed for someone called Nottinghamshire United or summit like that).

But, as always, time will tell.

I personally don't think they are 'underwhelming' signings. Far from it. When you have players coming in from the likes of Bournemouth, Barnsley, Colchester etc you'd expect them to be of a decent standard. The one I'm most intrigued about is Lolos from Argyle... if he's anything like Adam Randell who was with us on loan last season from the Greens I'll be more than happy.

77, Lolos is not as technically gifted as Randell (in fact I am not sure many/any are at Argo currently), but he does make things happen either as an out and out striker or an attacking midlfielder. He was quite good with short precise passes in and around the box, so does make opportunities for others. The key to him is whether he will put the effort in and realise what he needs to do to succeed. if he does you will have someone that will attract the attention of league 2 clubs in 12 months time.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

Wasnt expecting marquee signings we already had our players signed up and only a few have left anyway not as if its a mass exodus after a relegation. The keeper looks fine and Lapslie looks like he will be fine. Still some trialists at training a couple of loanees could well happen too.

It would not surprise me if a loanee went your way after our PSF in a week or two.

 

[The Codfather]

Seen Lapslie play a handful of times. OK enough player but in this big physical league can see him getting dominated. Isn't he only like 5"5?

 

[AJS]

Don’t think they are terrible signings by any means. Just thought there would be more established players in there rather than mainly being youngsters with barely any first team experience.

 

[Stocky]

Tom Walker confirmed on a one-year-deal - meh.

Length of deal and lack of enthusiasm in the press release suggests he’s gonna have to up his game from last season if he wants minutes.

Rusk and Wilson's comments on that signing are bizarre to be honest. Just bascially saying he was desperate to come back so we let him but we don't think he's that good. Not in those words obviously.

I rate Walker tbh. I think we've become a bit spoilt on the signings front. Rusk can have no excuses this season, we've got a brilliant squad. Quality and depth all over it.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

Don’t think they are terrible signings by any means. Just thought there would be more established players in there rather than mainly being youngsters with barely any first team experience.

I doubt Torquay have the financial muscle of several of the other bigger clubs, but these young players are going to a club managed by a man with a track record of bringing on youngsters to bigger and better things.

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

Rusk and Wilson's comments on that signing are bizarre to be honest. Just bascially saying he was desperate to come back so we let him but we don't think he's that good. Not in those words obviously.

I rate Walker tbh. I think we've become a bit spoilt on the signings front. Rusk can have no excuses this season, we've got a brilliant squad. Quality and depth all over it.

Haha I know - reading between the lines they are saying we’ve signed him he wanted to come back, he’s cheap and versatile.

CB, CM or two and big lump of a back-up striker and I’m happy.

 

[Jerry]

Jerry what was the thinking about announcing all seven on the same day? they presumably did not all sign on the same day?

Johnson said the league have changed their rules and you're not supposed to announce signings until they have been registered with the league, as all of them were from clubs not in this league they all had to be newly registered. Not sure about that to be honest as everyone else seemed to be able to announce players easily enough. To be honest I think it might just have been a publicity thing, certainly seems to have got people talking.

 

[nuffsaid]

Haha I know - reading between the lines they are saying we’ve signed him he wanted to come back, he’s cheap and versatile.

CB, CM or two and big lump of a back-up striker and I’m happy.

big lump of a back-up strike - well having got rid of Bell, Cardwell and Bennett there's not that many to go for but as long as we don't go for the biggest lumpiest forward in non-league I'll be happy - is he still at Chesterfield btw?

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

big lump of a back-up strike - well having got rid of Bell, Cardwell and Bennett there's not that many to go for but as long as we don't go for the biggest lumpiest forward in non-league I'll be happy - is he still at Chesterfield btw?

He is and available I believe (at least on loan).

I’d actually have him as a shove him up top in last 15 mins when needing a goal option.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

He is and available I believe (at least on loan).

I’d actually have him as a shove him up top in last 15 mins when needing a goal option.

Calvin Andrew is your man.

 

[Stocky]

We won't sign a big striker just to throw on last 10. Wilson and Rusk will think we're above it. I think we've got plenty of attackers to be honest. If we were desperate the market still opens up with loans etc throughout the season.

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

We won't sign a big striker just to throw on last 10. Wilson and Rusk will think we're above it. I think we've got plenty of attackers to be honest. If we were desperate the market still opens up with loans etc throughout the season.

Quigley is better facing goal by all accounts, Madden is a midget and Reid is soft as shite.

Rusk started Cardwell no matter how bad he became towards the end - I don’t see us not having that kinda option at least off the bench.

The game Cardwell was injured he was forced to chuck Bennett on at HT because we were so bad without any kind of vocal point up top.

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

Calvin Andrew is your man.

Noticed him when I flicked through your highlights to get a close look at Quigley - wonder if our recruitment team did the same when watching him.

How come he left you guys?

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Noticed him when I flicked through your highlights to get a close look at Quigley - wonder if our recruitment team did the same when watching him.

How come he left you guys?

He was only really an emergency signing to help keep us up.

His legs are gone, but he's as good as anyone I've seen in the air in the lower leagues. Probably doesn't fit the bill for Stockport, but he's certainly an option for someone to throw on for 15 minutes to cause mayhem.

 

[iesty wfc]

Is there anyone who hasn’t signed a single player yet? Not seen $olihull announce many?

theyve just signed this chap

https://twitter.com/x/status/1417397625515565066

 

[jacobncfc]

I always thought Preston was decent, but anyone involved in Barnet last season you’d have to be wary of.

We’re about to sign an ‘exciting midfielder’ - surprised we’ve had the balls to actually tweet that. It can surely now only be underwhelming.

 

[#Beebot]

I always thought Preston was decent, but anyone involved in Barnet last season you’d have to be wary of.

We’re about to sign an ‘exciting midfielder’ - surprised we’ve had the balls to actually tweet that. It can surely now only be underwhelming.

He was fine for us last season when fit. Our worst defensive performances last season were with him out injured. I'd have kept him but he seemed determined to return to the Midlands - surprised he came down here in the first place on the budget we had last season.

 

[Chief Rocka]

I always thought Preston was decent, but anyone involved in Barnet last season you’d have to be wary of.

We’re about to sign an ‘exciting midfielder’ - surprised we’ve had the balls to actually tweet that. It can surely now only be underwhelming.

Will it be a Torquay-esque wet fart, or will it blow us out the water, we wait with bated breath...

 

[Wooderson]

Will it be a Torquay-esque wet fart, or will it blow us out the water, we wait with bated breath...

I fear we have probably ‘done a Torquay’, as it shall forever be known and it will be some youngster released from a L1 academy, or something

 

[jacobncfc]

Ed Francis. Former Man City and England u19 captain, spent the back end of last season at Harrogate.

Not sure I’d have described it as exciting personally, but fine with it. It’s the kind of player we pick up.

 

[Stocky]

I see they ran with "Former England U19 Captain" and not the "Just been released by Harrogate" angle

 

[jacobncfc]

I see they ran with "Former England U19 Captain" and not the "Just been released by Harrogate" angle

We know how to spin it.

As I said above, this is our model now which is fine, but I’m still a very wary of that midfield. Two young lads in Vincent and Francis to come in and learn from Doyle is fine, but I prefer O’Brien further up so would really like to see the other midfielder we’re going to sign arrive with some proper NL or at least lower league experience.

 

[EnglishRed]

Not much experience but can't fault his football education.

That said weve got Devonte Redmond on our books, who was once described as the most talented player in the Man Utd youth team that including Rashford, and he never get picked (rightly)

 

[iesty wfc]

Not much experience but can't fault his football education.

That said weve got Devonte Redmond on our books, who was once described as the most talented player in the Man Utd youth team that including Rashford, and he never get picked (rightly)

Rashford himself said he was the most talented out of all the lads in his team

Hopefully this season will be the one!

 

[jacobncfc]

Not much experience but can't fault his football education.

That said weve got Devonte Redmond on our books, who was once described as the most talented player in the Man Utd youth team that including Rashford, and he never get picked (rightly)

Our last signing from the Man City academy was a disaster. Will Patching, now in Ireland.

We’re a different club now though and clearly have a plan for how to develop players like this, which we didn’t remotely have then. We’ve already picked up Rodrigues and Roberts from nowhere and turned them into players we could sell for big money (obviously if Cal comes back and proves his fitness), so that side of our ‘new era’ is working, it’s whether we can do it and get promoted from a league with so few promotion places and the likes of Stockport doing the opposite to us.

 

[Stocky]

Our last signing from the Man City academy was a disaster. Will Patching, now in Ireland.

We’re a different club now though and clearly have a plan for how to develop players like this, which we didn’t remotely have then. We’ve already picked up Rodrigues and Roberts from nowhere and turned them into players we could sell for big money (obviously if Cal comes back and proves his fitness), so that side of our ‘new era’ is working, it’s whether we can do it and get promoted from a league with so few promotion places and the likes of Stockport doing the opposite to us.

We're linked to youngsters at United at the moment and in Rusk and new assistant Mark Beard we have two people who know the academy circuit more than most. It's a route we explore aswell and will be doing more going forward. We have a real mix of profiles in our squad, still 4 or 5 who helped us up from the North. Notts have got more experienced football league lads than us. We came up to this league with part timers from further down the pyramid and we've tried to add some players who are proven in this league like Hogan, Rooney, Quigley etc. Only really Madden who is FL proven. Maybe Hogan. Quigley has done one year there. Notts with O'Brien, Doyle, Brindley, Rawlinson, Wooton etc

 

[EnglishRed]

Our last signing from the Man City academy was a disaster. Will Patching, now in Ireland.

We’re a different club now though and clearly have a plan for how to develop players like this, which we didn’t remotely have then. We’ve already picked up Rodrigues and Roberts from nowhere and turned them into players we could sell for big money (obviously if Cal comes back and proves his fitness), so that side of our ‘new era’ is working, it’s whether we can do it and get promoted from a league with so few promotion places and the likes of Stockport doing the opposite to us.

This Francis fella sounds pretty good from write ups. Harrogate had some nice things to say about him, sounds like they only didn't keep him because they are pretty stacked in his position.