Stickied League 2 Transfer Rumours/Confirmed Transfers 2023/24

[shoddycollins]

Why do Carlisle still employ David Holdsworth?

Don't know really. If we're losing players because the board won't sanction a reasonable wage budget then it might not be his fault, but that means Barrow must have a much bigger budget than we do. If our budget is comparable to Barrow's then one wonders what they can offer that Holdsworth is not.

Biggest crazy thing is that since Anderton rejected a contract with us, the board have made zero statements, not even the standard 'wish him well in his future endeavors' we've been learning about it from the opposition clubs announcing our players as signings, now two more have gone and still nothing.

Apparently we're the 2nd best club in the EFL for communication, who in earth was in that survey?

 

[chipmunx]

Don't know really. If we're losing players because the board won't sanction a reasonable wage budget then it might not be his fault, but that means Barrow must have a much bigger budget than we do. If our budget is comparable to Barrow's then one wonders what they can offer that Holdsworth is not.

Biggest crazy thing is that since Anderton rejected a contract with us, the board have made zero statements, not even the standard 'wish him well in his future endeavors' we've been learning about it from the opposition clubs announcing our players as signings, now two more have gone and still nothing.

Apparently we're the 2nd best club in the EFL for communication, who in earth was in that survey?

I think only Carlisle and 1 other club replied to that survey.....

 

[Indian Dan]

We have 9 players under contract and 0 keepers I think.

Mind you, I think 0 keepers would have done better last season than some of the half dozen keepers we played.

 

[shoddycollins]

I think only Carlisle and 1 other club replied to that survey.....

For what it's worth, the thing that pisses me off most about losing players to Barrow is that you're the one club in this division with an even worse location than us. We're used to losing players, even to teams in the division below, because they wanted to move closer to home. Carlisle is a convenient location for very few players, but can't really use that excuse when they're going to Barrow. Farman is from South Shields so he's moving even further from home, when he signed for us last season he actually mentioned location as a factor in our favour.

 

[EricSabin]

We are apparently signing a league two center half who had a very good season. On a free so out of contract. Who could that be?

It’s Lloyd Jones from us. Excellent excellent player, given the armband towards the end of the season.

Our defensive record was really good once Brady was appointed and he’ll be a massive loss but not a surprising one.

 

[Bottega Don]

Can we all keep talking up Vale please? I like it very much.

How many Vale losses until you vanish for months again?

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Don't know really. If we're losing players because the board won't sanction a reasonable wage budget then it might not be his fault, but that means Barrow must have a much bigger budget than we do. If our budget is comparable to Barrow's then one wonders what they can offer that Holdsworth is not.

Biggest crazy thing is that since Anderton rejected a contract with us, the board have made zero statements, not even the standard 'wish him well in his future endeavors' we've been learning about it from the opposition clubs announcing our players as signings, now two more have gone and still nothing.

Apparently we're the 2nd best club in the EFL for communication, who in earth was in that survey?

Do you not think it also comes down to contract length? You offered Farman one year last summer (so presumably one year again this summer) and Zanzala six months. It hardly makes them seem valued.

Also our chairman went all out to convince Cooper to apply, knowing it's a bit of a statement appointment. If we'd settled for someone like Neil Ardley or Keith Hill, I doubt those players would've been as keen to sign.

Location isn't Carlisle vs Barrow though, it's Carlisle vs Greater Manchester. That's got to be a big factor?

 

[Indian Dan]

Be typical of Vale to do well this season when I backed them last season. The reverse happened last season when I stopped backing Cambridge to go up.

 

[valefan16]

Biggest signing yet for Vale... Andy Crosby has been announced as permanent assistant, he came in just before the Bolton game to help out and oversaw the huge turn around in our form.

 

[EricSabin]

Do you not think it also comes down to contract length? You offered Farman one year last summer (so presumably one year again this summer) and Zanzala six months. It hardly makes them seem valued.

Also our chairman went all out to convince Cooper to apply, knowing it's a bit of a statement appointment. If we'd settled for someone like Neil Ardley or Keith Hill, I doubt those players would've been as keen to sign.

Location isn't Carlisle vs Barrow though, it's Carlisle vs Greater Manchester. That's got to be a big factor?

Only reason Evatt became manager was because of the training base being in Manchester

 

[SVH]

It’s Lloyd Jones from us. Excellent excellent player, given the armband towards the end of the season.

Our defensive record was really good once Brady was appointed and he’ll be a massive loss but not a surprising one.

Yes someone on our forum has just said we are in for Lloyd Jones. Salford in for him too. Have you heard it’s done or he’s just leaving? Sounds like a top signing. Be happy with him and Brophy as our early recruitment.

 

[EricSabin]

Yes someone on our forum has just said we are in for Lloyd Jones. Salford in for him too. Have you heard it’s done or he’s just leaving? Sounds like a top signing. Be happy with him and Brophy as our early recruitment.

Fella on our forum knows the family by all accounts, has been spot on with info before regarding him

 

[Soz]

that is huge!

it is a pretty unusual feeling to know that Vale have a plan off the pitch and on the pitch. I was talking to a mate yesterday about the absolute shit show the club was in under Smurf which was inherited by Carol and Kevin - eg not giving new signings medicals, not being able to scout opposition teams under aspin, or having a senior coaching team of 2 people.

I wonder when the last time was that PVFC actually had a competitive playing structure off the field - eg proper physios/doctors/coaches/scouts comparable to the teams in whatever league we were in. I can't see how we'd have had this stuff in place properly under V2001 never mind Smurf.

it's a miracle we're still in the league with the complete lack of professional infrastructure we've had over the last 20+ years. And the absolute front of us on here predicting promotion last season I knew it was bad off the field obviously, but i didn't know it was THAT bad.

I just can't wait to see how much of an impact this will have over the longer term, from recruiting the players to actually developing talent to sell on when the time is right.
Everyone who signs and does an interview at the moment is talking about the same thing - the vision/plan for the club. people are buying into the project. it must be very persuasive if a player has 2-3 clubs offering similar wages.

Probably all ends in tears, classic vale, but i'm going to get excited whilst I can.

 

[Conker]

Don't know really. If we're losing players because the board won't sanction a reasonable wage budget then it might not be his fault, but that means Barrow must have a much bigger budget than we do. If our budget is comparable to Barrow's then one wonders what they can offer that Holdsworth is not.

Biggest crazy thing is that since Anderton rejected a contract with us, the board have made zero statements, not even the standard 'wish him well in his future endeavors' we've been learning about it from the opposition clubs announcing our players as signings, now two more have gone and still nothing.

Apparently we're the 2nd best club in the EFL for communication, who in earth was in that survey?

I cannot imagine whatever wage Holdsworth is taking can be worth it, much rather put that towards a player.

 

[valefan16]

Talk on our form that we have a couple of others signed but yet to be announced:

Aaron Martin - Hamilton Accies (Ex Coventry and Exeter defender
Ryan Johnson - Hartlepool United (To be announced when they finish their play offs)

Josh Gordon has hit a stumble over personal terms apparently.

 

[shoddycollins]

I cannot imagine whatever wage Holdsworth is taking can be worth it, much rather put that towards a player.

We're not the only club with a DoF though, and until this summer we weren't even paying Holdsworth, EWM were.

 

[Moomin]

Talk on our form that we have a couple of others signed but yet to be announced:

Aaron Martin - Hamilton Accies (Ex Coventry and Exeter defender
Ryan Johnson - Hartlepool United (To be announced when they finish their play offs)

Josh Gordon has hit a stumble over personal terms apparently.

Aaron Martin is well liked by us. Very tall but not quick. He’s good though, composed and is positionally decent.

We released him last pre season and brought in Rory McArdle instead, which was a mistake.

 

[shoddycollins]

Do you not think it also comes down to contract length? You offered Farman one year last summer (so presumably one year again this summer) and Zanzala six months. It hardly makes them seem valued.

Also our chairman went all out to convince Cooper to apply, knowing it's a bit of a statement appointment. If we'd settled for someone like Neil Ardley or Keith Hill, I doubt those players would've been as keen to sign.

Location isn't Carlisle vs Barrow though, it's Carlisle vs Greater Manchester. That's got to be a big factor?

Think money is also a factor in contract length though. If we weren't so brassic I imagine we'd want to offer longer term contracts. We have now said "We made very good offers to them but if they decide to go for more money elsewhere we will always respect that". Whatever Holdsworth's interpretation of 'very good' is clearly open to interpretation as Rhys Bennett would disagree but both Bennett's comments earlier and now this seems to suggest that a low basic wage we're offering is at least one of the factors.

 

[EricSabin]

We’ve also got an assistant manager coming who will blow Vale’s out of the water

 

[Chief Rocka]

Talk on our form that we have a couple of others signed but yet to be announced:

Aaron Martin - Hamilton Accies (Ex Coventry and Exeter defender
Ryan Johnson - Hartlepool United (To be announced when they finish their play offs)

Josh Gordon has hit a stumble over personal terms apparently.

We signed him as a backup player on a 3 month deal, most Kidderminster fans reckoned he was cack and he turned out to be the nuts, tied him down till the end of the season and I'd imagine he'll probably leave whatever happens to us.

Good player, decent in the air, chips in with goals, still prone to the odd brain fart and thinking he's prime Maldini but should do alright in the league above.

 

[chipmunx]

Barrow Seal Deal For Tom White

Mark Cooper has completed an eye-catching hat-trick of new signings for the week by clinching a deal to bring midfield star Tom White back to Barrow.

www.barrowafc.com

*White was on loan with us when we got promoted
** was at Carlisle as a youth player... thought i'd add that as we're on a run of signing Ex-Carlisle players

 

[Monkey Tennis]

White was one of my favourite players in the promotion season - it felt a bit like he was scapegoated a bit for Bolton being a shambles at the start of last season. We know what he can do, he was popular, he won't be expensive and it's only a year if it doesn't work out. Another good signing.

 

[Giorgio]

Mind you, I think 0 keepers would have done better last season than some of the half dozen keepers we played.

Ryan Delaney is available good solid defender, can't agree terms.

 

[AR27]

An ITK on our forum reckons we've made a cash bid for a striker in this division. Speculation that its Jamille Matt because he's played under Adams before but I can't see it. Then again I'm not sure there's many players other than him that fit the bill.

 

[Chris FGR]

An ITK on our forum reckons we've made a cash bid for a striker in this division. Speculation that its Jamille Matt because he's played under Adams before but I can't see it. Then again I'm not sure there's many players other than him that fit the bill.

Would you pay a decent fee for a bloke in his thirties? Usually at this level you won't pay transfer fees with little or no resale value.

 

[Agombar stool]

Scott Twine has turned down our (almost certainly pitiful) contract offer and is signing for the Franchise.

 

[valefan16]

Vigoroux rumoured to be linked with Vale.

 

[Agombar stool]

Vigoroux rumoured to be linked with Vale.

You will love him.

 

[AR27]

Would you pay a decent fee for a bloke in his thirties? Usually at this level you won't pay transfer fees with little or no resale value.

Well we paid a fee for Danny Rowe albeit it was only around 50k ish.

Looking at the list of strikers who hit double figures last season, I can only see it being Matt, Bowman or Quigley as I imagine it'll be a proper number 9 type.

 

[Huntsman94]

So who leads the table after 10 games? Vale or Barrow?