Signings - This season

[MapperleyMagpie]

Not disputing the player assessments, although I think Bass is L1.

I?m confused by the maths though.

I make it 19 signings.

And ?up to? 11 not good enough for a league above where we are playing. Including 2 who aren?t even with the club for any hypothetical promotion.

Did I get that wrong? As it doesn?t look all that bad to be honest.

Or you could look at it this way?.

16 signed who are currently at the club.

2 who should never have been signed, and 3 where the jury is still out.

Meaning up to 5 who are not good enough for the level we are at.

Fair enough, I'll concede it's statistics which can of course read anyway you like. I appreciate your feedback though.

[LeftPeg_Pie]

With the injuries we?ve got at the minute in attacking and creative areas, we should be giving Jarvis a go
through the middle I think.

100% agree.

[LeftPeg_Pie]

I think using the Munto season as a recruitment comparison is a dud. As mentioned, it was all totally fake. I am happy to accept Ravenhill, Bishop and Davies as relatively normal profile signings, amongst a few others but God only knows what we actually paid them.

Lee Hughes turned us down earlier that summer and then signed post Munto.

[The_Don_ORiordan]

I think using the Munto season as a recruitment comparison is a dud. As mentioned, it was all totally fake. I am happy to accept Ravenhill, Bishop and Davies as relatively normal profile signings, amongst a few others but God only knows what we actually paid them.

Lee Hughes turned us down earlier that summer and then signed post Munto.

And even that money doesn?t buy you good players.

As well as those mentioned there was Adi Akinbayi, Grahame fall on the floor Lee, and Karl ?can?t score anymore? Hawley.

So it wasn?t all roses.

The pre season strategy admitted by McParland and Kevan, wasn?t exactly Radar, it was to sign ?captains?.

Since captains are usually the better players in the side (wtf went wrong with Cameron) and money was no object that sort of worked out. Very scientific.

[slack_pie]

And even that money doesn?t buy you good players.

As well as those mentioned there was Adi Akinbayi, Grahame fall on the floor Lee, and Karl ?can?t score anymore? Hawley.

So it wasn?t all roses.

The pre season strategy admitted by McParland and Kevan, wasn?t exactly Radar, it was to sign ?captains?.

Since captains are usually the better players in the side (wtf went wrong with Cameron) and money was no object that sort of worked out. Very scientific.

Graeme Lee was quality! He should be in the list of decent Munto signings, along with Westcarr.

[PedroTheFisherman66]

I think we've got a bit of a perception problem, too.

We almost never sign players who can truly hit the ground running, and almost never sign players who are at their full potential yet. We almost always sign players who we think can significantly improve. Based on that, if I look at all recruitment under the brothers since they bought the club, in general they've done an absolutely fantastic job and I really don't remember a time when recruitment was better.

Right now the squad is a bit weak. That's really bad timing. But it's likely that even with no new signings the current squad will become a L2 killer. Still some newbies finding their feet and yeah, absolutely, odds are one or two recent signings don't work out. That's a WAAAY better ratio than the previous several owners'.

So overall I'm not concerned about the long term, although promotion this season is looking somewhat far-fetched at this stage. Which is disappointing because it was looking within reach not so long ago.

I think this just about nails it all.

[The_Don_ORiordan]

Graeme Lee was quality! He should be in the list of decent Munto signings, along with Westcarr.

That good he wasn?t a regular the following season then left for national league Darlington. He joined us at the very end of his career and his legs had gone. He was lucky to play in a side in 2009/10 that barely needed to defend and had the best keeper in the bottom 3 divisions. And was found out when it did.

[slack_pie]

That good he wasn?t a regular the following season then left for national league Darlington. He joined us at the very end of his career and his legs had gone. He was lucky to play in a side in 2009/10 that barely needed to defend and had the best keeper in the bottom 3 divisions. And was found out when it did.

In terms of a no nonsense defender, he was about as good as an average L2 side could get back then. Great experience, a beast in the air. He was a regular under Short the following season if I recall. Maybe not under Ince or whoever replaced Short.

We had three decent CBs that promotion season in Lee, Edwards, and Hunt. Hunt had a lot of potential - shame his career was ruined by injuries.

[The_Don_ORiordan]

In terms of a no nonsense defender, he was about as good as an average L2 side could get back then. Great experience, a beast in the air. He was a regular under Short the following season if I recall. Maybe not under Ince or whoever replaced Short.

We had three decent CBs that promotion season in Lee, Edwards, and Hunt. Hunt had a lot of potential - shame his career was ruined by injuries.

My recollection of Lee was entirely different. He fell over whenever turned, and had the acceleration of a speed bump. The fact he was only 32 when he left and his career after involves 20 odd games for Darlington (relegated) in the national league then on to Celtic Nation (whoever they are) suggests he was far from at his peak and ?decent?.

And you are right, he played in the early games under Short, and kept his place until being dropped for midfielder/full back Thompson as centre back. Also well past his prime, but still better.

[Boomerangpie]

After the criticism earlier in the season I took for daring to say Montague has yet again saddled us with some poor signings, I thought I'd give my thoughts on this year's crop as they stand.

EXCELLENT Good enough for league 1 and above

Abbott ( Oh he isn't ours ! )

GOOD - League 1 building -

Bass, Bedeau , Platt , Jatta, Ness

OK - League 2 Squad only -

Tsaroulla, Johnson ( not ours )

BACK UP LEAGUE 2 - Nothing more

Gordon, Grant, Hinchy, McDonald

POOR - Should never have been signed ! -

Brown, Martin, Cundy, Edwards

UNDECIDED YET - But certainly not convinced -

Traore, Jarvis, Whitaker

So 18 players signed - Only 6 good enough for League 1 ( 1 not even ours )

Upto 12 Not good enough beyond league 2

Not a great ratio.

Those who called me a " Bed wetter " and other derogatory comments, please feel free to argue the case differently now.

When all fully fit do we have a squad good enough to get promoted from League Two this season? A squad put together by Montague with all the good and average and poor signings from past transfer windows. I say yes we do even when factoring in the head coach.