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[Elite_Pie]

David Vaughn was 35? Had injury issues the season before, I would suggest more of a Hardy than Nolan signing and didn’t suit Nolan’s style of play. So, I would suggest no comparison.

The comparison is relevant because regardless of his age and injury issues, David Vaughan was widely seen as a positive signing*. After we'd seen him play, that positivity didn't last long. I was only using Vaughan as a prime example of pre-season optimism going down the pan, and I hope the optimism will be justified this time around.

* I was one of those who saw him as a good signing at our level. My first doubt surfaced at the pre-season friendly at Rolls Royce against the pub team. I heard someone ask him "what are you doing playing here David?" His answer was "Forest didn't want me".

[Killerkline]

The comparison is relevant because regardless of his age and injury issues, David Vaughan was widely seen as a positive signing*. After we'd seen him play, that positivity didn't last long. I was only using Vaughan as a prime example of pre-season optimism going down the pan, and I hope the optimism will be justified this time around.

* I was one of those who saw him as a good signing at our level. My first doubt surfaced at the pre-season friendly at Rolls Royce against the pub team. I heard someone ask him "what are you doing playing here David?" His answer was "Forest didn't want me".

I understand what you’ve suggested. However, what I’m suggesting is that the David Vaughan signing is not comparable to the signings we’ve made so far for the reasons I’ve previously highlighted.

The positivity around David Vaughan was unjustified.

[Elite_Pie]

The positivity around David Vaughan was unjustified.

Hindsight has shown that the minority view that Vaughan wasn't a good signing back then turned out to be 100% correct. The minority view now is that our current signings might go tits up. I just hope the majority win this time.

[ncfcog]

Hindsight has shown that the minority view that Vaughan wasn't a good signing back then turned out to be 100% correct. The minority view now is that our current signings might go tits up. I just hope the majority win this time.

I’d suggest the minority you talk about in this instance probably need to drag themselves into the 21st century. I don’t say that with any malice or intend to be flippant, a few years ago I would be saying the same, but one thing I’ve discovered over the last few years is that football as a game is evolving, in fact it always has been, you either embrace it or get left on the scrap heap. We are fortunate to be supporters of a club that despite their current league standing is at the forefront of the latest footballing revolution and with that in mind I now choose to pick out the positives wherever possible. You can guarantee at least one of these signings will not live up to expectations but we have to believe that on the whole they will.

[Killerkline]

I’d suggest the minority you talk about in this instance probably need to drag themselves into the 21st century. I don’t say that with any malice or intend to be flippant, a few years ago I would be saying the same, but one thing I’ve discovered over the last few years is that football as a game is evolving, in fact it always has been, you either embrace it or get left on the scrap heap. We are fortunate to be supporters of a club that despite their current league standing is at the forefront of the latest footballing revolution and with that in mind I now choose to pick out the positives wherever possible. You can guarantee at least one of these signings will not live up to expectations but we have to believe that on the whole they will.

Completely agree

[MAD_MAGPIE]

I’d suggest the minority you talk about in this instance probably need to drag themselves into the 21st century. I don’t say that with any malice or intend to be flippant, a few years ago I would be saying the same, but one thing I’ve discovered over the last few years is that football as a game is evolving, in fact it always has been, you either embrace it or get left on the scrap heap. We are fortunate to be supporters of a club that despite their current league standing is at the forefront of the latest footballing revolution and with that in mind I now choose to pick out the positives wherever possible. You can guarantee at least one of these signings will not live up to expectations but we have to believe that on the whole they will.

I completely agree. The club now have additional information available in the form of stats and data which help to create a more detailed profile of a player and can aid the decision making process as to who to sign.

We also have to remember and not be naive to think that every signing will work out. Players are after all human beings and sometimes the fit just is not there, or things don’t work out for a multitude of reasons and some will be out of the clubs control. What the club can control is the type of environment for players, facilities and a place in the team where players can be free to express themselves. It’s all about giving a player the best chance to flourish and grow to which the club will as well. The two are not mutually exclusive.

I’ve always believed you can play your way out of any league from grassroots to the premier so long as you have the players who can play and have the technical ability. It’s becoming clear to me with the players we are signing that is our intention.

One day I think we will have a situation whereby we say goodbye to a player who will go onto play at a higher level. The club may make some money from it. Whilst that is alien to us in recent times and will be like nothing seen since the Pavis era it will show the club is doing something right and is going in the right direction as much as it may pain us.

[Elite_Pie]

I’d suggest the minority you talk about in this instance probably need to drag themselves into the 21st century. I don’t say that with any malice or intend to be flippant, a few years ago I would be saying the same, but one thing I’ve discovered over the last few years is that football as a game is evolving, in fact it always has been, you either embrace it or get left on the scrap heap. We are fortunate to be supporters of a club that despite their current league standing is at the forefront of the latest footballing revolution and with that in mind I now choose to pick out the positives wherever possible. You can guarantee at least one of these signings will not live up to expectations but we have to believe that on the whole they will.

I hope you're right and I can see your grounds for thinking you're right, because we seem to be going down a road we've not been down before (with the possible exception of Moniz). It's more exciting than going for a manager that 'was good at this level once', and I'm looking forward to seeing how it pans out more than I would be with the aforementioned type of manager. I'm still not as convinced as some that it will lead to the promised land, but I really hope my doubts are unfounded. I suppose I'm saying that you can mock Kelton's negativity at the moment, but unfortunately with Notts negativity has a big lead over positivity over the last couple of decades.

[applepie2]

Completely agree

I also agree, though players can be good one season and poor the next, even if the environment (manager, division etc) are unchanged. Eric Probert was an example in my opinion. He was very good in his first season, but a disappointment later on. At around the same time, Arthur Mann improved from useful squad player in at least three positions to a fine midfielder. Signings are never guaranteed to live up to expectations, but a good selection process gives a better than random chance of good results.

[nw6pie]

While I agree that the ball-winning midfielder is something of a dying breed these days, I still think you need one in your squad for those metaphorical rainy Tuesday nights in Stoke (or Solihull in our case). I also think DKE could be that player for us. Also, set plays are such a key element in the lower leagues, we do need to give ourselves the best chance of defending them against the more physically robust sides - let’s hope the new players will do the ugly stuff too, because that’s what actually wins you promotions as a rule.

Disagree with those who say Francis has experience with the rough and tumble of men’s football. Under-23s has nothing like the physical demands of our level, so he’s basically played half a season in men’s football from what I can see. He’s going to be learning on the job this season, so we will need to be patient with him.

[laddo]

Let's be real here if you come on NCM and say every signing won't be a good signing or no better than the guy he's replacing.

Claim the Notts manager is rubbish and needs replacing.

State early that we won't get promoted this season (under this manager, with these players etc).

Say any or all of these things and as we all know you are going to be right more often than not.

The history books tell us that as do basic mathematics and odds/percentages.

We are Notts County FC after all lol, but we aren't alone the same applies to the majority of clubs in every league.

It's called very much 'playing the percentages'. No prizes for being negative all the time, no prizes for predicting Notts will fail.

Sorry