Official January Window Including Speculation And Rumour Thread

[NerfHerder]

A very good post to which i agree with everything you have said, we now have the players to either start with a flat back four or switch during the game should the situation require it , I think it gives Collins some more flexibility . One thing I will say is that I mentioned before the window that I did not think we would lose many players , there were mentions of mass clear out & fire sales but apart from one occasion this rarely happens in january , unlike the summer where recruits are usually for the long term january deals are usually done to effect the current season, whether our deals turn out to be positive only time will tell , personally I am pleased to see a couple of defenders recruited which in my book confirms that our defensive recruitment last summer was indeed disappointing & may well have cost us a crack at going up but Collins has worked miracles with the hand he was dealt, lets hope the board have backed him enough to keep us in with a shout , I am not confident but you never know,

Agreed. Collins has done well to put us in this position and recruiting in defence should improve us. Some big games upcoming, get some good results and we could well be in with a shout. Like you’ve said though, top 2 is probably out of reach.

Keeping the likes of Kane, Williams, Cadden and Cole is certainly a risk. If we don’t go up, I reckon none are re-signing, only possibly Cadden, so would be a lot of quality leaving the club for no money. Let’s hope in 4/5 months we’re celebrating promotion and some contract extensions.

[Young_Nudger]

Conor Grant
On loan.
Strong athletic midfielder 6’ tall.
Phillips needs to up a gear now.

[SBRed48]

Tell us about him Nudge as i have not heard the name before.

Age 22, with 11 MK Dons appearances this season. Is he one for development or "oven ready" for the first team ?

I am assuming the paperwork is all in order.

[Young_Nudger]

Tell us about him Nudge as i have not heard the name before.

Age 22, with 11 MK Dons appearances this season. Is he one for development or "oven ready" for the first team ?

I am assuming the paperwork is all in order.

All I can tell thi is that recruitment have pulled another one out of the hat he looks brilliant on YouTube.



Hides behind setee 🛋️

[SBRed48]

All I can tell thi is that recruitment have pulled another one out of the hat he looks brilliant on YouTube.



Hides behind setee ��️

Is that the hat labelled "Ones needing to go out on loan" ?

[Young_Nudger]

Is that the hat labelled "Ones needing to go out on loan" ?

I reckon it won’t be long before he replaces Phillips.
He looks to be out of the same mould as Connell and Benson.
Can tackle and pass the ball.

But as discussed before - it’s not a winger type signing.
Which I think we need.
But it ain’t gunna happen.

[NerfHerder]

This Grant signing certainly seems to be a “layering” for when Phillips leaves. I.e. can fill in a bit now but likely won’t be a regular in the team for 12 months or so.

He does look good in clips (“best bits” will do that I guess), has played a good number of games in league 1 and won their young player of the year. Bit weird that he’s struggling to get in their team more recently but I suppose that could be due to any number of reasons. As always, will judge what I see of him in a reds shirt.

[EthelRed]

Mixed feelings for me, summarised like this.

Goalkeeper - glad he’s still with us but we lose him in June providing he’s not recalled sooner.

Defence - looks stronger and more experienced on paper but we haven’t seen them play yet.

Midfield - weaker after Styles departure, cover is virtually non existent. Glad we retained Kane and Connell

Striker - still the same, we rely on Cole (probably having the best season of his career) and McAtee. The ones who are on the bench look like duds to me. Don’t see any improvement from them. Think we needed to bring another one in.

Someone said earlier there would be a we tried but we failed statement, well they were right. Byers preferred Blackpool and the interest in Ennis didnt come to fruition.

So we end up arguably better in defence, weaker in midfield with less cover and the same up front.

I have to say that this window owes much to previous ones when you look at who has gone out. Almost all of them hopeful summer punts that haven’t come off.

When will this ownership ever learn? Fans have been telling them their model is flawed but they still plod onwards making the same mistakes.

I think this window could end up being an opportunity lost as this league is there for the taking and a little bit of investment might have seen us over the line.

[EthelRed]

Just read we and other clubs inc Pigs are linked to Dwight Gayle who left Stoke yesterday.

Hes 34 now but has always known where the onion bag is and if he can still do it, he looks like a Jason Scotland type of opportunity for us.

Thoughts anyone?

[Arblasterfromthepast]

Just read we and other clubs inc Pigs are linked to Dwight Gayle who left Stoke yesterday.

Hes 34 now but has always known where the onion bag is and if he can still do it, he looks like a Jason Scotland type of opportunity for us.

Thoughts anyone?

I'd go for him Ethel. Like you say, he seems to have scored wherever he's played. Plus, his age maybe makes him slowly but that shouldn't be too much of a problem in league 1. Experienced to bring the kids along as well.