The Squad List (2023/24 Edition)

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

I think some are confusing the transfer window in its entirety with Deadline Day. I reckon we’ve had a bloody good window. Hence being unbeaten and playing some great stuff.

Flogging Wakeling is really neither here or there.

[Lemis]

I'm not panicked as Flynn seems to know what he's doing (although there is a worry that injuries will start pilling up and leave us in the shit. I'm more disappointed, I think most here would agree we needed some experience at the back and a CF to rotate with Austin with bonus points for a ball winning midfield. Unfortunately (at time of posting) none of those have materialised. As Flynn said, we're going to need to get lucky with injuries.

Think this combined with the whole share saga has left a very sour feeling around the club with the only thing keeping spirits up is the great attacking football we've been treated to thus far

[Mooneyraker]

I actually agree. I think its been obvious that Wakeling has been low down on the pecking list. Perhaps we got a decent fee and/or sell on. Perhaps we HAD to sell. Not sure I see any TEF multi-millionaires putting their hands in their pockets and bailing us out.

In which case Clem/Aberdeen/Kiely's wife need to be honest with us and stop this competitive budget BS.

[ThreeDrawsMentality]

It's perfectly fine to have a multitude of feelings off the back of this window and deadline day.

You can be perfectly happy with the recruitment Flynn has managed to perform with the budget he's been given.

But you can also at the same time feel aggrieved that we are constantly gaslighted into having to back the club in numbers in order for the club to be competitive, the fans then back the club in numbers, only for the 'competitive' budget to not appear that competitive after all.

[Mooneyraker]

It's perfectly fine to have a multitude of feelings off the back of this window and deadline day.

You can be perfectly happy with the recruitment Flynn has managed to perform with the budget he's been given.

But you can also at the same time feel aggrieved that we are constantly gaslighted into having to back the club in numbers in order for the club to be competitive, the fans then back the club in numbers, only for the 'competitive' budget to not appear that competitive after all.

Yup, and I have no issue really with Wakeling moving on for presumably a reasonable fee (£200k ish?) in isolation.

It is just rank bad comms (as ever) to have Flynn out there saying he wants 1/2/3/4 players in and then ending up with zero. Has he been mugged off?

We are all enjoying the football but the sense that the club is built on sand is growing stronger and the lies from the boardroom are mounting up.

[A.N.Other]

I don't think the club told lies - just not the whole truth - until put under pressure. Also, the notion of a competitive budget - as I recall, was made months ago. Things change!

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

I know it’s early, but surely the proof of a competitive budget is being competitive in the league - which we are.

[DiV]

I actually agree. I think its been obvious that Wakeling has been low down on the pecking list. Perhaps we got a decent fee and/or sell on. Perhaps we HAD to sell. Not sure I see any TEF multi-millionaires putting their hands in their pockets and bailing us out.

Wakeling started our first game of the seasons (technically)
The pecking order at the start of the season was clearly Austin, RHM (supposed to start at Colchester) Wakeling (started against Crewe) then Young.

Youngs only come in due to injuries to RHM (shock) and Wakeling.

So, we can stop all the Flynn didn’t rate him and he surplus to requirements to justify another shitty quick money grab of a window.

[Mooneyraker]

I know it’s early, but surely the proof of a competitive budget is being competitive in the league - which we are.

That's fair but a few injuries and suspensions and I'm not sure even the happiest of clappers would say our second string looks competitive.

The non-use of the additional loan spot is an odd one. Is the loan window still open...?

[Quagmire]

I know it’s early, but surely the proof of a competitive budget is being competitive in the league - which we are.

You must realise how short we are on numbers? Surely?

RHM has been injured once already, FBT is a booking away from a suspension. We have next to no depth.

[DiV]

Great move for Abu Kanu thinking about it.

Is it?

Surely he’s better off (and more likely to be) playing 90mins every week for the U18s than sitting on our bench and getting a minute or two here and there

[ThreeDrawsMentality]

I know it’s early, but surely the proof of a competitive budget is being competitive in the league - which we are.

Teams can be competitive on the pitch in spite of budget, Carlisle etc have proven that in the past. It's not the end of the world but when you're continuously told to back the team in numbers in order to fund the club a competitive budget and alas it doesn't lead to one, it is incredibly grating.

[TheDukeOfBanbury]

You must realise how short we are on numbers? Surely?

RHM has been injured once already, FBT is a booking away from a suspension. We have next to no depth.

This, a few out and we are truly fucked.
Disastrous window underling the intent of the club right now.

[Nemo]

Thought I'd compare this squad to the Garner season size wise as it seems comparable - we had a tiny squad, got fairly lucky with injuries, were competitive in the league but the tiredness seemed to get us in the playoffs.

Goalkeepers
Then: Wollacott, Ward, Idem (3)
Now: Mahoney, Ward, Brann (3)

Central Defence
Then: Odimayo, Conroy, Baudry, Crichlow/Cooper/O'Brien (Part season loans) (6, but basically 4 at a time)
Now: FBT, UGM, Brewitt, Clayton, Minturn, B Ward  (6)

Full Backs
Then: Hunt, KKH/Egbo, Tomlinson, Iandolo (5, but only 4 on the books at any one time)
Now: Hutton, Genesini, Uwakwe, Shade (4, I'm not counting Devine)

Midfielders
Then: Gladwin, Lyden (injured all season), Williams, Payne Reed, Aguiar, Grant (played 5 games) (5 to 7 depending on if you count Lyden and Grant)
Now: McEachran, Khan, Kinsella, Kemp, Cain, Dworzak (5 or 6 depending on if you count Dworzak)

Forwards
Then: Simpson/Davison, McKirdy, Barry/Gilbert, JML, Parsons (5, but 3 functional footballers)
Now: Austin, RHM, Young (3)


That's... pretty much the same throughout.

[Mooneyraker]

Thought I'd compare this squad to the Garner season size wise as it seems comparable - we had a tiny squad, got fairly lucky with injuries, were competitive in the league but the tiredness seemed to get us in the playoffs.

Goalkeepers
Then: Wollacott, Ward, Idem (3)
Now: Mahoney, Ward, Brann (3)

Central Defence
Then: Odimayo, Conroy, Baudry, Crichlow/Cooper/O'Brien (Part season loans) (6, but basically 4 at a time)
Now: FBT, UGM, Brewitt, Clayton, Minturn, B Ward  (6)

Full Backs
Then: Hunt, KKH/Egbo, Tomlinson, Iandolo (5, but only 4 on the books at any one time)
Now: Hutton, Genesini, Uwakwe, Shade (4, I'm not counting Devine)

Midfielders
Then: Gladwin, Lyden (injured all season), Williams, Payne Reed, Aguiar, Grant (played 5 games) (5 to 7 depending on if you count Lyden and Grant)
Now: McEachran, Khan, Kinsella, Kemp, Cain, Dworzak (5 or 6 depending on if you count Dworzak)

Forwards
Then: Simpson/Davison, McKirdy, Barry/Gilbert, JML, Parsons (5, but 3 functional footballers)
Now: Austin, RHM, Young (3)


That's... pretty much the same throughout.

Good comparison work!

Looking at that we are clearly short up top and in central defence if we continue to play a back three.

At what point does Clayton get labelled 'injury prone'? His record so far is looking a bit patchy.