STFC Transfer Rumours

[hefty toe]

Think it’s marginally better.

1. Charlie Austin, still a class player and will still get goals. Obviously he was here January onward but also obviously wasn’t pre January. One of the main gripes about the Lindsey days were having a finisher.

2. Year under their belts, ok so some assumptions on my part but think some of our younger lads will kick on with a full year under their belts. I expect Darcy, Clayton, Cain, Wakeling to be better.

3. Fitness, similar to point 2 and assumptions again but I expect RHM, Brewitt, McEachern to be better for being fit and having a pre-season. Hopefully Devine too.

4. Flynn. Decent manager, decent record, knows the lower leagues, knows how to get his team playing effective football. Hoping he might be able to get a tune out of the likes of written off players like Shade & Adeloye.

Some big assumptions on my part but i think based on the above we will do better than last season - however the large majority of the last seasons issues (well actually all the issues that weren’t named Lindsey or Morris) are still there & need addressing because being a bit better than 10th isn’t likely to be enough of an improvement to trouble the promotion race - if that makes sense.

I'm inclined to agree although not sure about Flynn. I hope he is not an upmarket Flitcroft. We shall see.

Unfortunately, League 2 is going to be tough this year given the large amount of clubs with rich backers. It was annoying that none of the clubs with deeper pockets were promoted last year. I would imagine that Franchise, Stockport, Bradford, Salford, Wrexham, Mansfield will have bigger budgets. Gillingham also spending big. Clem doesn't seem to want to run the club at a loss which I'm fine with.

Not fussed by the lack of transfer activity thus far. 'Doing business early' often seems to either result in getting players no one else really wants or overpaying.

I don't think Swindon really need 'experience' either. I remember such calls for experience after relegation with Luke Williams and we ended up with Flitcroft signing Lancashire, Robertson and Dunne. We just need 3 good players.

[Audrey]

Maybe this explains things a bit

https://therealefl.co.uk/2023/07/08/reported-swindon-town-target-becomes-free-agent/

[Legends-Lounge]

I'm inclined to agree although not sure about Flynn. I hope he is not an upmarket Flitcroft. We shall see.

Unfortunately, League 2 is going to be tough this year given the large amount of clubs with rich backers. It was annoying that none of the clubs with deeper pockets were promoted last year. I would imagine that Franchise, Stockport, Bradford, Salford, Wrexham, Mansfield will have bigger budgets. Gillingham also spending big. Clem doesn't seem to want to run the club at a loss which I'm fine with.

Not fussed by the lack of transfer activity thus far. 'Doing business early' often seems to either result in getting players no one else really wants or overpaying.

I don't think Swindon really need 'experience' either. I remember such calls for experience after relegation with Luke Williams and we ended up with Flitcroft signing Lancashire, Robertson and Dunne. We just need 3 good players.

‘Unfortunately, League 2 is going to be tough this year given the large amount of clubs with rich backers.’

Sentiment confirmed when I spoke to RA at Supermarine. He also agreed with my comment that I imagined on the playing side of things that the club appear to be in Swan mode. Serene and relaxed on the surface but paddling like fuck underneath to make things happen… it was also evident that the hierarchy have high hopes for Mr. Flynn and of course the club going forward.

FWIW, I’d imagine (not sure if I have said this before) but WE are a BIG club only in a lower league state of suspended animation. Like Newcastle Utd if you like. Flynn ought to have bitten our hand off to take the job. Now in saying that, if he’s worth his salt he would have drilled down on all our player match day stats, the technical stuff the IT guys have and watched every game we played last season more than once.

Couple that with how much each player under contract is being paid, having in his mind their own worth to the clubs budget,  then working out who he needs, who he could utilise as a back up if needed and who can go. Then the fun starts as to who to bring in. Of course he’d be remiss to not look at players he’s managed before and if they’re available and in his/our budget.

I’m relaxed about our recruitment TBF. Mainly because I can’t influence it so why get vexed? Some of you would make shit poker players.

Think of it this way. Clems investement, RA’s and the other employees jobs rely on us being successful. The Phoenix season was one hell of a ride. Last season was a fuck up and an opportunity to score in an open goal but we missed. This season well we all know what is at stake.

[Nemo]

Maybe this explains things a bit

https://therealefl.co.uk/2023/07/08/reported-swindon-town-target-becomes-free-agent/

"with players having agreed to contracts which include five-figure per week wages (approximately 4 times the average wage of a League Two player) artificially inflating the market."

Bloody Nora. And that's not even Wrexham, who haven't signed anyone...

[Nomoreheroes]

But still not a rumour.

More of a discussion point on the current squad and its capabilities.

C'mon chaps, it really isn't that hard.

But if we are going to persist: Can anyone give me any tips on how to remove the centrelock rings on a bicycle disc brake rotor that seem to be stuck solid?

Managed to do it in the end. Took it to the LBS and they did it in seconds. Guess it comes down to the quality of the tools available.

We talked about lots of rumours, but no knowledge of any football related ones.

[DV]

Well, that was better than my suggestion of just complaining about it on the internet…

[bathford]

One person definitely not coming back is McKirdy. Needs a heart operation, problem picked up in pre season checks.
Out for up to 6 months.

[Peter Venkman]

One person definitely not coming back is McKirdy. Needs a heart operation, problem picked up in pre season checks.
Out for up to 6 months.

Mentioned a few days ago.

McKirdys move to Orient or Colcheter is off as he picks up a long term injury, heart related.

https://therealefl.co.uk/2023/07/06/exclusive-update-on-leyton-orient-deal-for-former-swindon-town-forward/

[McGurk's Missus]

…or to be less waffling

I’d expect this seasons squad under Flynn to beat last seasons squad under Morris - if they had a game against each other. But that difference is mostly Flynn > Morris

But my question was regarding where the squads are at exactly a year apart. As in off-season 2022 versus off-season 2023 - Not the squad a present versus the squad post Jan or ended the previous season with.

Morris wasn't here then so I guess we can replace your analysis, based on manager quality with Lyndsey instead of Morris, since he was in post from end of June/begin July 2022 - aka last off-season.

[McGurk's Missus]

This time last year (8th July) our signings were Shade, Brynn, Harries, Devine, Brennan, Massey and Wakeling.

We had yet to sign Clayton, Darcy, Adeloye, Hutton, Khan, MacDonald, FBT, Roberts, Jephcott, Brann, RHM and Lavinier.

The season started a week earlier last year as well. This coming week, the second week of July, was the busiest we had last summer until deadline day with five players in. Let's hope for similar!

So at that point last season, would you personally say it was stronger, weaker or has stagnated at present.

Indeed, let us all hope for a similar or slightly even better W2 in July

[McGurk's Missus]

But still not a rumour.

More of a discussion point on the current squad and its capabilities.

C'mon chaps, it really isn't that hard.

But if we are going to persist: Can anyone give me any tips on how to remove the centrelock rings on a bicycle disc brake rotor that seem to be stuck solid?

Understand it's not a rumour but it does at least link comparison to what we had last season to what we may have...we can weave rumours into that discussion. For example, I think Maghoma formerly of Eastleigh would be a good transfer, RobT thinks he's too similar to the types of punts Shandy signed. Who would you want to rumour as a decent enough but realistic signing in that {or any} position?

Your final paragraph is a bit extreme and is rather comparer pommes avec oranges 

[McGurk's Missus]

Now in saying that, if he’s worth his salt he would have drilled down on all our player match day stats, the technical stuff the IT guys have and watched every game we played last season more than once.

I agreed with most of what you said but this stuck out as a bit of an impractical point. That task alone if we take even just two viewings would take a minimum of 140hrs or about 6 days without doing anything else, or having breaks/eating etc. And if being so meticulous as you state, then he would have to watch all 90+mins x 46 to ensure he didn't miss anything...or what would be the point of watching fully say ten matches - although I would say a good sample might be around a third of matches...5 from the early part, 5 from the middle and 5 from the latter. But of course, this would mean things would/could be missed.

It seems like a strange point to say that he must watch all games more than once when it's probably not too realistic or practical. Also, it could lead to binge fatigue let alone the health implications or just general brain fog/mush. Even if breaking it up into more manageable chunks - watching STFC last season in entirety twice..would finish most people off {I say that with some tongue-in-cheek but also seriously a smidge too}. So it's likely that Flynn probably hasn't watched every match twice; even if he reserved a somewhat excessive 6hrs per day to watch two matches twice that would still take up a good 25 days without reply to complete. As well as maybe doing everything else required of him. Also a reminder that he's only been in post for two months, so half of his time {however we schedule it} here, spent just watching all the recordings multiple times makes it even more unlikely.

Unless he's entrusted someone like Hatswell to go through it whilst he tends to other matters than fair enough - but I think it's the kind of task given to someone you either don't like too much or someone who has pissed you off.

==================================================================

Any road, STFC Transfer Rumours before NMH implodes:

A few Irish based lads for you to ponder -

Robert McCourt
Mark Connelly
and
Alfie Lewis

[tans]

Flynn says we are close to one but wouldnt say position.

Shaun Close is coming back

[Peter Venkman]

Shaun Close is coming back

Massively underrated player, underrated by Shaun Close!

[DV]

Flynn says we are close to one but wouldnt say position.

Shaun Close is coming back

Funny you should say that. On Monday I saw a great big white BMW X5 (I think) heading up Queens Drive towards the magic roundabout with a personalised plate that spelled Close.

…was gonna post it as a rumour but couldn’t think of a (current) footballer with that surname.