Stickied League 2 Transfer Rumours/Confirmed Transfers 2023/24

[Conker]

I will just change my own personal ethos if that happens.

Mansfield definitely well ran in many ways, but you can't say every way because of your obscene wage budget...and horrendous PR.

I dunno if our wage budget will be obscene this season, large still, but it’s significantly reduced with Maynard, Pearce, White, CJ, Macca etc etc all our top earners going. Gives us a nice chance to reset and despite still paying good wages and it’s going to be smaller by a considerable amount.

GC is quoted as saying the squad will be cheaper, younger and smaller and that’s what I’ve been advocating since Flitcroft left on Stagsnet.

Yeah PR criticism is fair, so is our owners being rubbish at managerial appointments but that’s why I said *Nearly* but ultimately stags fans have got it very good.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

not sure where you get the Barrow bit from - but don't compare us to Bolton it's like chalk and cheese.... we're £325k up on transfers/compo this closed season already and will probably have one of the smallest budgets in the league.

We're spending like crazy, with these three free transfers and the signing of a youth player...

 

[Son of Cod]

We're spending like crazy, with these three free transfers and the signing of a youth player...

Yes, I have heard they are playing for free and not picking up a wage so I retract my earlier comments.

 

[masi51]

We're spending like crazy, with these three free transfers and the signing of a youth player...

Fee paid for Matty Platt

 

[Boz]

Really hope when COVID v2.0 kicks in the EFL don't bail out all this ridiculous and completely unbudgeted spending from what now seems like half the division. The teams like us that are doing things sensibly should be worried, but the truth of the matter is that at least two clubs won't survive the season so there won't be any relegation spots to worry about.

Odds on faves to go under have to be Bolton and Barrow. There should be some sort of North West governing body that can shut down all the joke clubs up that way that are seemingly incapable of running themselves. Absolutely absurd that the two from around there in this division doing it the correct way right now are Macc and Oldham (unless I've missed that even they've signed Omar Bogle and Steven Fletcher respectively or something).

What about us? TRFC haven’t signed anyone or renewed out of contract players unless you include 3 youths getting their first pro contract.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Fee paid for Matty Platt

Yes, it'll be a negligible amount and a sell on clause.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Yes, I have heard they are playing for free and not picking up a wage so I retract my earlier comments.

Right, and we've got a smaller squad on lower wages than almost everyone else in this division. All of these signings are very much in line with what any small, promoted side would be spending. There's clubs, probably your own included, spending more on wages for reserve players than we're spending on our highest earner.

 

[Son of Cod]

What about us? TRFC haven’t signed anyone or renewed out of contract players unless you include 3 youths getting their first pro contract.

Then you are also allowed to join the stage and lecture the rest of the divison's spendthrifts along side ourselves.

 

[Son of Cod]

Right, and we've got a smaller squad on lower wages than almost everyone else in this division. All of these signings are very much in line with what any small, promoted side would be spending. There's clubs, probably your own included, spending more on wages for reserve players than we're spending on our highest earner.

We quite literally don't have any reserve players right now. This is our entire first team squad:

Cod Almighty - the Grimsby Town fanzine

codalmighty.com

9 of those (including every midfielder bar Tilley) are youth graduates.

We're a club in the top 5-10 average attendances in the division every single season too, just about breaking even. That alone should tell you just how much some teams are overspending right now.

 

[Chris FGR]

I remember in the season pre-Vince takeover, we started a Conference season with 13 senior players, 4 of who were part time. The rest were Hartpury college lads. Wouldn't surprise me to see the likes of Grimsby, Carlisle and Macc go down a similar route this season.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

We quite literally don't have any reserve players right now. This is our entire first team squad:

Cod Almighty - the Grimsby Town fanzine

codalmighty.com

9 of those (including every midfielder bar Tilley) are youth graduates.

Just a guess, but some of the players you recruit this summer will be for the first team. Your subs will be on higher wages than our highest earners. Not sure what's convinced you we're spunking cash.

The things that are going to be a financial burden this season are the improvements needed to bring the ground up to standard.

 

[The_Boss]

Yeah look at us we've not signed anyone yet, and have just 2 players on the books. We were well ahead of this Covid malarkey and started cost cutting exercises at the beginning of last season so all the money we saved in wages over the past 12 months should put us in a strong position now.

Does that make us the most sensibly run club out of us all?

 

[masi51]

Yeah look at us we've not signed anyone yet, and have just 2 players on the books. We were well ahead of this Covid malarkey and started cost cutting exercises at the beginning of last season so all the money we saved in wages over the past 12 months should put us in a strong position now.

Does that make us the most sensibly run club out of us all?

Makes sense if you are to survive...You are obviously going to sign your players in september saving july/august wages.

We went down that route last year no pre season no team bonding...You have to do what you have to do to survive

 

[masi51]

Mansfield in small club attempting to buy the league shock.

Salford in fake club attempting to buy the league scandal. I have decided I hate those Man Utd bastards. Vale training sessions get more observers than Salford home games will get in with a 30% capacity restriction.

missed us out

 

[Vanni]

SOC's on a roll, though it's hard to argue the point he's putting across, esp. when considering how much the football world has changed due to the whole pandemic mess. I have banished any ludicrous fears I had over relegation. True, we may finish bottom of the league but we'll be staying up due to other clubs over stretching the playing budget

Can I join the club SOC? Ta.

oh btw, I'm not sure Bolton are overspending. Well if they are then they wouldn't have signed George Taft now would they. He's not even good enough to play for a lower mid table side like the U's, in fact he was in and out of the side this year.

 

[Greenacres]

I remember in the season pre-Vince takeover, we started a Conference season with 13 senior players, 4 of who were part time. The rest were Hartpury college lads. Wouldn't surprise me to see the likes of Grimsby, Carlisle and Macc go down a similar route this season.

I remember those times too, when you turned up for a pre-season friendly and didn't recognise half the players, most of them were triallists.

Mind you there were a few pleasant surprises, a goalie called Johnny Maxted who was hired on the day of a game because we didn't have anyone who was fit to play in that position. He played an absolute blinder, was awarded the man of the match trophy, and we subsequently signed him on a permanent deal.

 

[T.A]

Yeah look at us we've not signed anyone yet, and have just 2 players on the books. We were well ahead of this Covid malarkey and started cost cutting exercises at the beginning of last season so all the money we saved in wages over the past 12 months should put us in a strong position now.

Does that make us the most sensibly run club out of us all?

I think it's us actually..

 

[valefan16]

Vale are negotiating a transfer fee for a midfielder. Hopefully it's (extrapolated due covid) 13 goals from centre mid piss the league Jake Taylor. Also after a striker under contract and are trialing a few backup keepers when we're back in from Monday.

Allegedly not but on OVF it’s being suggested two quality additions if we can pull them off. Looks like we are looking to play our cards although surprised we are looking to pay fees!

Wonder if the CM is the ex Macc lad from Salford?

If we can get a half decent hit man in then we’d be in a great position on paper. Maybe if under contract someone who’s out of favour or got a lot of competition, Vaughan maybe or someone like that. Who knows but certainly exciting compared to waiting for a reject from Crewe or Stevenage

 

[hellogregory]

Every recent summer I’ve read this forum and got the impression that Port Vale are going to wipe the floor with this division, but it never happens. Is this going to be the season?

 

[kieran_vale]

Would never say wipe the floor with the division but I do think our way which has been to basically keep the same squad in place with one or two additions in the present climate is an advantage to us compared to many clubs who are going for big overhauls.

Basically got to factor in the fact that Salford et al are throwing money around rightly or wrongly so always tough to compete with that but the fact our squad is quite stable gives us a reasonable shot I think.

 

[Posh Harry]

Every recent summer I’ve read this forum and got the impression that Port Vale are going to wipe the floor with this division, but it never happens. Is this going to be the season?

Every recent summer I’ve read this forum we are guaranteed that Carlisle are certain to be relegated but it never happens!!

 

[valefan16]

Every recent summer I’ve read this forum and got the impression that Port Vale are going to wipe the floor with this division, but it never happens. Is this going to be the season?

The last three years we’ve just hoped to survive at the start!

It’ll be tough, you’ve got the sides such as Salford, Bolton and Mansfield chucking money at it but as said above we had a great second half of the season (well what was played of the half!) and had started to really click. Keeping the squad should be an advantage in that we won’t need time to gel but there is high expectation this year, last year was a free hit we wanted consolidation to set a foundation for this campaign under the new owners but we well exceeded expectations.

First year in a long time we’ve had a feeling that good things may happen, all be it with the cloud of pandemic over it which maybe denied us a chance to do it this season just gone.

 

[chipmunx]

our 2 latest (unannounced as yet) signings....
looks like Ryan Croasdale on the left?
not sure on the other one?

 

[Chris FGR]

Vale looked strong last season, have stability, a good manager and a feel good factor around the place. Teams carrying a bit of momentum just adding a few to a gelled group are generally well set to challenge. Bit like Crewe last year.

More solid bet then Salford imo, who could tear up the league but could just as easily play like a load of individuals and sack Alexander after about 10 games.

 

[BarraMatt]

Salford were expected to walk the National League but never did, despite going up via the playoffs. However if they do have a bad spell they just chuck more players at it for better or for worse.

 

[Conker]

The last three years we’ve just hoped to survive at the start!

It’ll be tough, you’ve got the sides such as Salford, Bolton and Mansfield chucking money at it but as said above we had a great second half of the season (well what was played of the half!) and had started to really click. Keeping the squad should be an advantage in that we won’t need time to gel but there is high expectation this year, last year was a free hit we wanted consolidation to set a foundation for this campaign under the new owners but we well exceeded expectations.

First year in a long time we’ve had a feeling that good things may happen, all be it with the cloud of pandemic over it which maybe denied us a chance to do it this season just gone.

Honestly you can say we are chucking money at it if you like but there’s no way we are in the same league as Bolton and Salford in terms of money this season.

 

[Son of Cod]

Just a guess, but some of the players you recruit this summer will be for the first team. Your subs will be on higher wages than our highest earners. Not sure what's convinced you we're spunking cash.

The things that are going to be a financial burden this season are the improvements needed to bring the ground up to standard.

We won't be recruiting until the EFL tell us when fans are allowed into grounds and we can ascertain how many season tickets we'll be shifting, but yes when we do bring players in they'll be for the first team. Our bench will mainly be made up of first/second year graduates though, I'd imagine so you're off the mark with this comment about our subs being on more than your top earners. I'm not saying you're spunking loads of cash, what I'm saying is that you shouldn't be recruiting at all when you're potentially a vulnerable club in a new division that has additional outgoings with your stadium.

SOC's on a roll, though it's hard to argue the point he's putting across, esp. when considering how much the football world has changed due to the whole pandemic mess. I have banished any ludicrous fears I had over relegation. True, we may finish bottom of the league but we'll be staying up due to other clubs over stretching the playing budget

Can I join the club SOC? Ta.

oh btw, I'm not sure Bolton are overspending. Well if they are then they wouldn't have signed George Taft now would they. He's not even good enough to play for a lower mid table side like the U's, in fact he was in and out of the side this year.

You are allowed in pending a full investigation into the Wes Hoolahan signing, as @BIG_BOSS_AGENT on Twitter currently has him at 6k pw.

 

[valefan16]

Salford were expected to walk the National League but never did, despite going up via the playoffs. However if they do have a bad spell they just chuck more players at it for better or for worse.

Wasn't Neville quite keen on the salary cap as well! Although they've got in early before it comes in.

I don't think it is that easy to buy your way out of the bottom division's, generally it seems more 50/50, Mansfield the past few seasons a good example, and Notts County, took Lincoln a couple of go's, Salford were very meh last season.

Problem is you are not realistically going to get Championship level players dropping so you end up with L1 level players mixed in with a few L2 level but the gap isn't that big between the two.

Sides that have generally done well have been clubs like Swindon, Crewe, Accrington, Cheltenham, Exeter, that have built on consistency. Two many ego's mixed in with players of this level probably isn't the best mix.

 

[masi51]

We won't be recruiting until the EFL tell us when fans are allowed into grounds and we can ascertain how many season tickets we'll be shifting, but yes when we do bring players in they'll be for the first team. Our bench will mainly be made up of first/second year graduates though, I'd imagine so you're off the mark with this comment about our subs being on more than your top earners. I'm not saying you're spunking loads of cash, what I'm saying is that you shouldn't be recruiting at all when you're potentially a vulnerable club in a new division that has additional outgoings with your stadium.


You are allowed in pending a full investigation into the Wes Hoolahan signing, as @BIG_BOSS_AGENT on Twitter currently has him at 6k pw.

First sensible post i have seen on here.
The is more than a even chance that football will be played behind closed doors until a vaccine has been found.

Salford will be able to honour all the players contracts with Tam and the 92 owners not really struggling to meet there obligations.

I do not know the wealth of the other owners but some will struggle ours included..and others will simply go into administration.
We got out of it last year because the economy was buoyant.....Not a chance with todays business climate
Some teams are gambling on there futures by offering contracts now

 

[Son of Cod]

First sensible post i have seen on here.
The is more than a even chance that football will be played behind closed doors until a vaccine has been found.

Salford will be able to honour all the players contracts with Tam and the 92 owners not really struggling to meet there obligations.

I do not know the wealth of the other owners but some will struggle ours included..and others will simply go into administration.
We got out of it last year because the economy was buoyant.....Not a chance with todays business climate
Some teams are gambling on there futures by offering contracts now

If Salford aren't breaking the wage cap if it's £1.5M, even with that £1300k pw loophole F-I-R-T-H-Y posted an article to, I'd be amazed. If they don't break that cap they are chucking absolutely barmy signing on fees at players.