Thetownend.com

May as well put any rumours about transfer deals in this window in here.

I heard we have made an approach for Tyler Smith from Bradford on loan.

Harrogate sign midfielder Bryn Morris from Newport County for an undisclosed fee.

Morecambe extend Liverpool center-back Rhys Williams loan until May.

Bradford sign midfielder George Lapslie from Gillingham for an undisclosed fee. They have already been linked with Tommy Leigh at Franchise while Wigan striker Josh Stones too.

Walsall have rejected bids from twoL1 clubs for midfielder Jamie Jellis.

Carlisle sign midfielder Elliot Embleton on a three-and-a-half year deal from Blackpool for an undisclosed fee. They have also signed Gateshead midfielder Callum Whelan. Also midfielder Will Patching from Derry City on a free.

Notts County recall defender Kyle Cameron from his loan at St. Johnstone and send him on loan to Barrow.

Barrow AFC sign tall midfielder Isaac Fletcher from Spennymoor where he scored 11 goals so far this season.

Cheltenham Town goalkeeper Owen Evans has joined Barnet on loan until the end of the season.

Newport sign GK Lewis Webb on a free from Swansea.

Surely this time Bradford have learned their lesson about loaning us strikers!

Carlisle look like they're trying to spend their way out of trouble.

McKirdy isn't getting much first team game time.

Tranmere also looking at him for a loan, geographically they would have the edge I would think though.

No thank you.

Seconded. No ta. Just nowhere near the player we sold and no time to get him match fit.

Maybe in the summer..

 :fishing:

Getting McKirdy back would the the most "Clem" thing to do to try and get fans back on his side.  McKirdys time has gone. If he came back at full fitness he would be an asset but he isnt and probably wont ever be again. OOC in the Summer and Hibs will probably want him off the wage bill.

He would be another waste of a huge wage and he didnt even like it here anyway.

Would like to see him turn up somewhere and get back to the player he was here - there is clearly a talent there

Maybe he'll rock up to Colchester with his mate Jack.

I'd imaginr the Cowley's would love his maverick ways :)

Might win a few penalties for them without the need to take out the keeper first or fake contact with a defender.

He's in the last year of his contract so it'll be interesting to see what he does do. Maybe he's just lost interest in the game? I hear he's big on golf now.

To be fair, he wasnt that bad when he returned last season. Scored a nice goal, but let's be real, he wasn't fit at all. God knows what condition he's in right now.

Bradford City have signed midfielder Brandon Khela from Birmingham City on loan.

Huddersfield Town defender Jaheim Headley has joined Port Vale.

It's clear that his Scottish adventure hasn't worked out. I'm sure when Hibs release him he'll talk 'fondly' about how badly it went. He needs a fresh start and a proper pre-season to get fit and allow him to prove he's over his heart issues. It wouldn't surprise me if he decides to hang up his boots and go into humerous football story podcasting, a la Simon Ferry.

He came on yesterday for 20 minutes and every single one of the comments when he came on basically felt he’s a waste of time and the manager only subbed him on to get at the board. I’m sure he’s made a fair few quid in Scotland but it’s a real shame to see how he’s declined (albeit the health issues not his fault).

Calvin Ramsay (signed for Liverpool for 4m in 2022) is the latest player to be heavy linked with Carlisle. Had a failed loan move at Wigan Athletic this season. Certainly not messing about…

Expecting cash transfers out in January. Heard some whispers that Clem needs funding to see us through until the end of the season. Simply Red have a song about the current financial state.

I'd imagine if we get a bid for Harry Smith, or one of our talented youngsters, we'll be snapping off hands, despite what Olly says.

Yeah, Holloway wont be the one making those decisions!

Absolutely. Clem is going to formerly oversee January again probably and just try and get a load of ex-players in.

Harry McKirdy, come on down.

Holloway has already said we may have to look at trialist.

Perhaps we will hear that Clemente has personally put his own money in to sign McKirdy on loan.

Wonder if we will take a punt on Billy Bodin.  Bench warmer for Burton and expect we probably have money owed for Godwin-Malife.  Could allow us to replace Glatzel who’s totally off the boil.

Embarrassing.

Some australian bloke on facebook reckons we are trying to sign Dan Kemp.

Next joke please

What I think has happened is he's telling someone we need a player of x, y and z qualities, he gets have a list back from someone then wants them in to look at.

They then come in "on trial"

Doesn't scream "I've got a plan".

Then again, if you could see them playing for their club they wouldn't be available.

If this was summer it would be fine. But we can all see this will probably take until the end of the window. Again.

I mean it’s not great but let’s not pretend we are the only club who will be looking at trialists
Plus, you never know what you might find.
Ofoborh was on trial last season before we signed him. Kirkman was on trial in the summer etc.

It’s always an avenue worth looking at

"Tried our best but just couldn't get it over the line as they rejected our offer of 50p spread over 48 monthly payments with no interest"

Wouldnt accept a clause of we keep the player if we default on payments either

Im not saying we shouldn't be looking at trialists but let's be real, we dont have a pot to piss in. The way Holloway said it, was as if 'dont expect much movement as we dont have any money'.

Trialist come and go throughout the season that we arent told about, so to bring it up in the January transfer window is quite worrying.

Indeed, but not great if that’s your only option.

Hopefully it’s not for us, but we all fear that it is, unless we sell our better players :(

We have some absolute deadwood in the squad that we won’t be able to move on.

Feel our season is set. I’d imagine we’ll finish between 15th to 18th. I don’t think having a massive squad overhaul in January makes much difference to that.

Honestly - I’d accept just getting a new keeper in & swapping Freckleton and Tshimanga for different options. As well as keeping our better players.

A lot easier to move players in / out and have a massive overhaul / rebuild in the summer.

This


Should result in this


and I'd be thrilled with that right now.

Agreed, i dont think we'll see much movement at all. Players like Cain and Uwa are impossible to get rid off. You have to wait till their contact runs out. I'd be surprised if we see more than three players come in through the door.  

I just want a capable keeper.

I expect Wright to leave and i have a feeling Killkeny might be shipped off (Angus MacDonald syle)

Wish list:

Send back Barden and Tshimanga

Sign an experienced #1 goalkeeper with 150/200+ EFL appearances. Doesn’t need to be anything special, just somebody who will command the box.

Sign a fast powerful striker to compliment Smith. Doesn’t have to be a prolific goal scorer, just somebody who will stretch the play and battle for the flick ons. The ideal candidate won’t spend half the game on the floor.

Don’t sell anybody good. (Smith, Wright, McGregor)

Sounds harsh but hoping Barden’s injury keeps him out for a week or two so the club have no choice to get a new GK in (probably Redmen Evans knowing Clem) **EDIT - Just seen Holloway said its not concussion just a kick to the head so shouldn’t be a big deal.

Maybe add additional pace out wide but now we’ve already exceeded expectations.
Expect we had “x” players lined up but they fell through but we sold “y”.
Meanwhile Clem saved the Club - clap, clap and fucking clap.

Wayne Hennessey is a free agent!
About to turn 38 & hasn’t played regularly since Palace in 2021.
…would he fancy a short term deal to play a bit?

Well if he hasn’t played for 4YEARS it’s a no from me.

Not me if he's been out the game that long, but wiki has him being at forest 22-24. Presumably they have reserve games.

We've done well with young goalies over the last decade or so Fodringham, Vigroroux, BFG, Wollacot etc.   Even in the Sheridan season when we played 7 goalies one of them now plays regularly in the prem.

This is the first year really where it hasn't worked out.

Bycroft is a far better shot stopper than Barden who gets there but has hands made of paper, Bycroft also doesn't roll the ball out and then take 3 steps back before he kicks it into touch.
Barden however has more presence and flaps less at crosses, corners etc.

They are still young and will improve but neither quite ready yet

We also have no pace, so have no way of forcing the defenders back on a day like yesterday when we were camped on the edge of our box for most of the 2nd half.  

So Goalie and a pacey forward/winger for me.    Could do with more of course but avoiding the drop and then reassessing in the summer is probably the way to go.

 

At no point in my post did I say he hasn’t played for 4 years.
I said he hasn’t played regularly for 4 years…but you already knew that & just chose to be deliberately obtuse…

Scott Carson is another option as we're listing unrealistic goalkeepers that haven't played a lot of football recently.

It's a sad state of affairs when the only keepers we can realistically get are free agents and u21 loans. And even most free agents are probably out of our wage bracket.

A sad state of affairs full stop!

This. Maybe also send back Cotterill but happy to keep him if he will be a squad player and not an auto 1st team pick.

Bring Tom Heaton back

I’d get Ben Foster out of retirement!

Shilton could still do a job ;) been out of work a few years and just got over the hand of God goal!

But seriously....a good keeper who hasnt played regularly is nowhere near as much of an issue as a striker or defender who hasnt played regularly. Yes match fitness wont be quite up to it but his stopping and catching ability wont have changed due to innactivity as much as an outfield player.

I want a more experienced keeper who knows L2 rather than another kid learning the ropes.

On 35k a week at Man Utd. Best job in the world, third keeper!

Bet you didnt say that about the manager not managing anyone for 4 years though

Doesnt take as long to get a flat cap match fit.

He definitely needs a smaller size cap😁

Carson has a club.
Hennessy doesn’t? He might I dunno want a job? He might not but it’s possible he might

A couple of keepers on frees.

Ryan Schofield 24 year old ex England U20 keeper last at Portsmouth.

Jamal Blackman 30 year old keeper OOC at Shrewsbury after a short spell there.

Sam Sergeant 27 year old ex Waterford keeper previously with Orient and Barnet.

Jamal Blackman is contracted to the other STFC.
He played yesterday

Is he injury prone and has he also played for Liverpool? If so, thats as far as our scouting remit will go. Should fit right in.

Only until this month, he signed until January a few weeks back.

No hes never played for Liverpool.

I was joking. More making a point ex waterford and orient so probably top of the list as thats where our outstanding scouting network seems to stretch!

True, Liverpool would have been the full house.

Desperately need to bin Barden off and bring in a decent keeper.

Not convinced it needs to be an experienced keeper though. Neither Benda nor Brynn were particularly experienced and they were both brilliant. Someone of their level who none of us have heard of would be the ticket.

Fair, but you have something to go on with someone who has played.

Great if we get a Benda* but what if we get a kovar?

*Even he didn't play first 10 games or so

I think the cry for experience stems more from how unorganised (been better the last few weeks tbf) our defence is as much as it’s a requirement specifically for the keeper…

…that on our defending at set pieces.

Keeper does need to be a bit more commanding (regardless of experience) because claiming high balls or rushing out to sweep are both traits Barden & Bycroft lack.

Calling out for a Luke Mccormick type keeper (maybe without the history) who can be the settling influence. Must be plenty around warming benches or not playing regularly.

Do all goalkeepers at STFC need to have a surname starting with a B?  :sherlock:

Benda
Bryan
Bycroft
Barden

Bmahoney

One that can catch the ball would be a start :D

Have a mind block on "Bryan"?

Brynn I'm guessing.

Tshimanga and Smith seemed to have something pretty decent forming as a partnership so was a real shame Smith got injured.

We desperately need a new striker though. Someone with a bit of place that can play off Smith would be nice. Failing that, just someone who knows how to shoot on target!

(https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/16/15/newFile-1.jpg)

Yes. Bloody autocorrect.

😂 of course, should've worked that out!

Romaine Sawyers has left Wimbledon.

Way too good for League Two.

Wonder if he is going to Port Vale - played for Moore at WBA i think

Guess he's got offers then. Was only there on a 1 month contract.

Wonder why nobody picked him up over the summer?

I think he was like Jamal Blackman at Shrewsbury, recent injuries they had to overcome and both only offered a month contract respectively mostly to prove fitness.

Ah, fair enough

Don’t give a flying fuck about their history, just get a keeper who can stop the ball hitting the back of our net.

Nahhhh I could do without the child killing, if I'm honest... we'ver not had an image reclaimation project for a few years now though, I guess we might be due.

Killed two children in a road accident, yes agree he was pissed.  He never see out to murder anyone.

Oh well that's ok then.

I know you aren't saying it is. But mistakes have consequences and I did not enjoy it being his rehabilitation.

Maybe I should have just said David Lucas (season 1 version) but I meant Mccormick's second spell in 2018 post playing for Oxford and Plymouth.

It did have consequences yes. He spent time in Prison for it.

The thing is, unless you think the death penalty should stand, people do need to get on with their lives after they get let out.

If he worked at Tesco, nobody would have an issue with him going back to a supermarket.

His proffesion was football, so he went back to being a footballer.

Where do you draw the line as to which jobs people should be able to come back to and which not?

Getting back on track after an old derailment about a drunken killer.

Carlisle United re-sign striker Cedwyn Scott from Notts County.

Carlisle also in talks to sign 31-year-old free agent, winger Adam Reach previously at WBA.

Released Dons midfielder Romain Sawyers set to sign for Bristol Rovers.

Notts County sign 22 year old winger Will Jarvis from Hull City for an undisclosed fee.

Mean while, we havent even fired up the laptop.

Anthony Hall and Clem are trying to decipher Jamie Russell's out of office response and work out where the responsibility for transfers now lie.

Jamie didnt leave the password for the laptop.

Trying to find the little orange lotto machine and a set of balls  :)

Heard Harry Smith didnt play saturday because we couldnt get a mask made in time. Club wanted it done for free but didnt realise the local playgroup werent doing papier mache and werent back till yesterday :wink:

They take time to grow  :D

https://youtu.be/87NHueHBHwY?si=oQY2EY-1FpTKptzK

I remember noseybonk. They are right, it was weird

Several teams in L2 and L1 looking at 23 year old Tom Cursons who's scored 20 goals this season for Ilkeston in the Northern Premier this season.

Don't think hes the type of player Ollie wants or needs at the moment though.

Not a deal, but a big deal: Andy Cook out for the season at Bradford with a cruciate. They're going to be in the market for a big man up top...

Spoke to my mate who says they seem to be playing better, as they are not so direct.

Bradford have agreed a deal with Franchise for ex-Accrington player, Tommy Leigh

Bradford have signed 21 year old big striker Michael Mellon on loan from Burnley.

Will that have an impact on Tyler Smith coming here? Or is he Andy Cook's replacement?

No idea TBH but he plays a quick target man role when he was on loan at Dundee and Morecambe where he scored a fair few goals previously. 16 goals in 36 games in those 2 loans.

Carlisle United have signed 19 year old Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Sean Fusire on loan.

Ex Town loanee Admiral Muskwe released by Harrogate after a short term deal.

Another one! Well they may improve, or take ages to gel. Suppose there's not much for them to lose by twisting.

4th midfielder this window they have signed. 5 new signings so far and 4 more wanted by Williamson! after 3 more strikers!

Carlisle are going for it - no great surprise, expected to happen with their new ownership - it's called ambition and they clearly got it wrong in the summer

The difference is that they are not afraid to admit it by their actions

And can afford to take a gamble to try and stay up.

Just signed for Bristol Rovers

Only 2 of the top 13 Teams to play away. Donny & Walsall.

That’s good. 100% nil points anyway.

Carlisle sign Paul Dummett

Bradford sign Tommy Leigh from MK.

They really are going all out to avoid relegation, but then they can with their wealthy owner.

Gotta hope they gel quickly.

Didn't Gills do the same 2 seasons ago and managed to scrape free of the relegation places, just, when they signed Hutton in the January window?

Used to shag my mate's sister, fun fact.

Nathan Lowe recalled by Stoke.

Quite unlikely but would love to see them bottle it, 14 points clear of play offs tho so would take some crumble.

Would be absolutely beautiful to witness

They have goals all over their team and are a very good side anyway, I don't think it will effect them too much

How have they managed to become good, were always consistently average. Crowds are still poor.

Chesterfield sign someone who is delightfully named Bim Pepple.

Blimey, I'd taken my eye off the ball at the top. How on earth did that happen. Only 3 losses and 5 more wins than anyone else! Fair enough.

Still, at least they aren't owned by American owners who probably aren't fans of the club...Actually that's unfair. Have they invested  heavily or just wisely?


Nice! His full fist name is apparently Aribusitamunoipirim.

Still going to difficult to beat Nortei Nortey IMO

This just sums up where we are as a club. Fans don't even notice who's clear at the top because we don't ever have to check anywhere near that direction anymore. How depressing.

I heard we were also in for him, scored a lot at Southend this season and had his loan terminated by Luton to play at a higher level. Scored 11 in 23 games for Saarfend.

His full name is Aribusitamunoipirim Emmanuel "Aribim" Pepple.

Signed him on FM24.

Would not recommend…fwiw

One of Notts County's best players Dan Crowley is set to sign for MKD.....why? massive step down on every level IMO.

Leeds United are set to allow academy prospect Charlie Crew go out on loan to Doncaster
Rovers until the end of the season.

MKD defender Jack Tucker set to sign for Crawley in L1.

Swansea City goalkeeper Nathan Broome has joined Port Vale on loan.

Carlisle United have signed attacking midfielder Stephen Wearne from Franchise.

Notts County has signed Everton forward Charlie Whitaker on a free and Sunderland defender Zak Johnson on loan until the end of the season.

Carlisle squad must be huge now after the 7 new players they have got and still going - good luck with the squad harmony

Crowley is a very Scott Lindsey player, he'll do well there.

Supposedly 300k fee for a guy with six months on his contract who wasn't going to renew.

Wimbledon's signing of free agent Marcus Browne was interesting

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Browne_(footballer)

When I looked at Wiki to determine who he was, this part peaked my interest -

On 14 January 2025, Browne signed for League Two side Wimbledon on a deal until the end of the 2024/25 season.[20] The signing was financed by John Green through EA Sports FC streaming funds

I then googled who John Green was  -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Green

And of STFC interest was this piece -

He is also a supporter of the English football club Liverpool F.C. of the Premier League and an official sponsor of the English League Two club AFC Wimbledon, whose kit have featured a Nerdfighters emblem on the back of their shorts since 2014, considered by Green to be one of his crowning achivements.[156][335] Starting in 2011, Green had a gaming series on YouTube where he played FIFA, first as the "Swoodilypoopers", a fictionalized version of Swindon Town F.C., and then, starting in 2013, as the "Wimbly Womblys", a fictionalized version of AFC Wimbledon. Advertising revenue from the series was donated to the team.

Almost a case of, look at what you could have 'won'

I remember watching the Swoodilypoopers for a bit way back when. He's the same fella who wrote Fault in Our Stars, so a bit of money behind him.

Does he want to buy a club?

Some of his streams were getting 30K viewers. A team featuring "fat Lucas" five times more popular than the real deal!