Thetownend.com

We signed

Sammy Igoe,
Andy Nicholas,
Grant Smith,
Jon Stevenson,
Adi Viveash.

1 week later we signed Tommy Mooney.

Then Brian Howard and Rhys Evans the week after that. All free transfers.

Even on June 29th, 2003, we still had a stronger squad than what we have now.

Looking back we should have finnished in the top 2 with that team. But that is the sort of summer you have to have to get in the play offs and its just not happening.

Take your finger off the panic button Spencer, for at least two more weeks anyway!

But surely this shows that the fact we hadn't signed anybody else by yesterday was not a sign that we wouldn't make the play-offs, as some are making out! There's still plenty of time, and it should also be noted that much worse teams have made the play-offs than that Swindon squad

Mild concern at this stage for me. There is a month to go though before mad panic sets in.

I think we have another 2 weeks to snap up some decent free transfers.

After that we will have to start buying players for £50k or more.

Problem is, we need too many players.

Six years ago. ouch.

 Interesting and the sort of thing that Huddersfield are doing, but we couldn't fund that level of investment back then and the current owners have stated often enough, they'll not do anything like that.

 

How many players have huddersfield signed so far.

I saw today in the paper or maybe on the BBC gossip column that they are after Jason Price, another striker.

And yesterday I saw they were after Rickie Lambert.

I can only assume that they are planning on starting the season with a Subuteo-style-formation of 6 up front.

4 so far.

Yeah well, they said they wouldnt sack Malpas either, on the basis of his amazing interview. He lasted 8 months (2 of which were pre season).

So the mighty huddersfield have signed 2 more players than us.

If Price is that afro fella then he's more a midfielder. A very good one at that.

We've pretty much got the defensive side sorted, it's a case of the attacking options. With Cox gone we really need about 5 or 6 players, but I expect a couple can be loan signings, so we probably need 4 permanent signings.

Let's be honest, if we signed players of the Viveash, G. Smith or Stephenson variety I and others would be sounding their disappointment at such apparent panic buys.

alot of big teams in the div this coming season.another year of nothing for us i expect

I wouldn't say that, at CB we're looking strong I think but we really could do with a new FB on each side.

I'm still staying positive, I know we're not going up and I very much doubt we'll go down - if we can play some good football and finish comfortably in mid-table then it will set us up nicely to do some good business next summer.

As the squad is it isn't good enough for that but I've got faith that DW can get the right players in for us to do that - I still think that the board's ambition to be Championship in 3 seasons is acheiveable whether or not we get that or not remains to be seen but I think the wrist cutting comments on thisis mainly and here to a degree are far too premature.

I'm not too childish to think that my life is shit if my football club doesn't deliver and wish that a few others were a little more patient - it might actually help the club.

Amankwah is good enough at rb

None of them were panic buys. Most were very pleased with the signings of Viveash and Stephenson at the time. They didnt work out, but others did. Dont think anyone knew about G Smith, but he ended up being one of our better players in the second half of the 04/05 season. That's the point to a certain extent you have to chance your arm. But if players sign early it gives a great indication that they want to be at the club.

A panic buy is a Yinka Casal. All those 2003 players were on a free transfer and most did well.

I think we need another good attacking full back and Greer's partner at CB is up for grabs. So far from sorted defensively. Never seen any indication that Aljofree can play full back, unless he was playing rugby and kicking for touch.

As for comments being premature, I think fans will always apply pressure to the board to make better signings.

Yeah, I agree but if he's injured?

Fuck knows.

lets be brutally honest.we wont be competing with the big boys on wages,transfer fees etc.so we need a manager who will scour all over the shop for cheap talent and get the best out of them.personally i dont think wilson is all that.but is competant enough for us to do a little better than last year.
i hope i'm wrong and we pull up trees,but i strongly doubt it.

If we get those calibre of players in now they will be likened to Casal aka a panic buy. They weren't at the time, I wasn't trying to make that point.

I can see where Spencer is coming from, management have said play offs this year so of course you're going to make comparisons to 2003

Can we get Bennett on a free up front? I heard of his raw talent in the "Play on the Pitch" thingy.  ???

Uddersfield seem to be trying to buy any body & everybody at the moment which I find a tad surprising. Ok they sell a lot of cheap season tickets, but the money raised ain't going to be massively more than we would get, certainly not the same as  Leeds who sell many more at higher prices. The point is they aren't paying massive amounts for players, as illustrated by the ludicrous bid for Coxy. I read the story about Lambert, & I'd have thought if he were available, & DW wanted him we could certainly compete with them specially if Cox is going.

Agreed, I'm not too worried at the moment but we definately need a back up right back now Smiths gone (if Thomson comes through it is a bonus but we shouldn't be relying on him making the step up this year) and I don't think we have a left-full back at the club capable of league 1 football at this time bar possibly Lecinel if he does improve. Casal and Aljofree both were tried out at Left back and Aljofree got roasted as he has no pace and well Casal just can't play football so neither of them is an option. Kennedy is similar to Thomson in that if he makes the step up it is a bonus but if we start the season with Kennedy seriously in contention for a place in the team then I will be pretty worried.