Simpo

Left wing backup yes yes! Left back no no no.

NEIL TOLSON will play for Latics on Saturday, replacing Andy Ritchie. Just been on the Masters site and he's listen in our squad. Only just elegible at 35, he is still playing, combined with his managerial duties at Hyde United.

I'm going to start calling it Broadway. If other people do too, hopefully it will stick, and will still be called that even after the inevitable sponsored name is announced. =)

Rating signings out of 10, a lot of guesswork involved as they haven't played a competitive game for us yet. 6 is League One baseline average, 10 is best in League One. Brill - Young, good clean sheets record in league 2 last time out, wait and see. 5 Jacobson - Showed up well with B.Rovers in this division, before a poor, injury-blighted 2008/9. A stand-out in friendlies though. 7 Worthington - Lots of experience at this level, has won a fans' player of the year award. 6 Furman - Both Bradford and Rangers fans believe he will be a hit at this level, impressive in friendlies. 8 Holdsworth - Was linked with Leeds and Millwall after rejecting a new contract at Huddersfield. He's a damn good player at this level. 7 Purdie - Have a good feeling about him, which is why I'm so eager for him to get fit. I think he's one of those players that will relish the chance to play at a higher level. Darlo fans loved him to bits. 7 Abbott - Has scored at this level before, went to L2, but only because Darlo paid 6 figures to make it so. Class. 8 Parker - The only signing I'm not so keen on, but there's talent there, somewhere. 3 Penney - Has a track record of making a team perform above and beyond the sum of its parts. Promotion and popularity have followed him at Donny & Darlo. Our best new signing. 9 Another thing is that we're getting players at good ages, either at their prime, or early-20s, so they can develop with us. Too many over-30s last season cost us I believe. I have a good feeling about this season.

Good stuff from our new local paper. ;)

I think he's here to play midfield. With Lee on his way out, and Purdie struggling, Whitaker will be right midfield backup methinks.

I am very pleased about this news. It has more of a feeling of something that will actually get done, as opposed to the pipe dreams which have never really got off the ground in recent times. I see people are saying that it lacks ambition, it doesn't go far enough. Well it would be a step further than any we're taking at the moment. Kneejerk negativity is not what is required at this time. This figure of 12000 may not be set in stone. We need to embrace this project. Short of a massive investment of funds, I fail to see how a massive super-stadium could be built, or indeed why it needs to be so much bigger than is stated. To be honest, selling 12000 tickets most weeks is a problem I'd love to have, in these times of 5k a week! That said, it would be an excellent idea if questions about the details of it all could be asked. I for one would like a touch of individuality and quirkiness to be included in the construction of the new stadium. Onwards and upwards! =)

1-0 up after 5 mins, says Bet365!

Yes, and Blackpool have recently explicitly denied their interest in Eardley. I usually ignore rumours now, with ones like this, and the rest, very, very few are true.

No.

Hednesford?!

Doubt he'd get a work permit.

Angelos Tsiaklis, Cypriot, 19, skilful midfielder, released by City, been on loan at Wrexham, on trial at Latics. Might play in tomorrow's friendly.

That is last season's City kit, they have 3 new ones this year.

Not for me, at all. Love love love the navy/orange colour combo!

Newcastle on Sky 3 times in 1st 2 months of the season as well

What with teams getting promoted, and outgoing transfers, there's a lot of quality strikers leaving this division...

Rob Purdie: RM (or anywhere) - Very popular at Darlington, great attitude, not been discussed much but could be a belter IMO Jon Worthington: DM - Another hard worker, will give protection to our defence in an Allott mould, possibly a bit better as he's younger. Joe Jacobsen: LB - Doesn't seem our best signing, but has potential, and we finally have our very own left back. Also fits into our new young, fit vision of Latics. Pawel Abbott: ST - Class player, scores goals, the kind of player fans love to watch, great free signing, hopefully he will stay fit with us! Dean Furman: CM - Really good signing, ticks loads of boxes, this guy will make us a lot of money down the line, possibly overhyped though! Dean Brill: GK - like all keepers he has his pros and cons, we now have 2 young keepers fighting for the no.1 shirt. And our best signing of the summer: Dave Penney. Really like what I've read about him. I reckon this will be the kind of season we look back on fondly, we seem like we're building the kind of squad that can go on cup runs, beating complacent Championship or even Prem sides.

Please be more descriptive in your thread titles. "How?" does not give any indication of what the topic might be about. Thanks.

I once saw Rodney Jack park in the fans' car park in a t-shirt and jogging pants, look a bit bemused that someone else was already there, change into his suit, get back in his car, and drive round to the players' car park.

The knee injury he got in Portugal really took a lot out of him. I reckon we've just signed a young Paul Murray style of player anyway!

9 clean sheets in 25 games for a struggling Luton last season - great record!

Don't forget that after getting these players, there is still scope for season-long loans. I wonder if DP could use his north-east connections and get us Nile Ranger on loan from Newcastle? He's a striker, 18, looked great recently for England U19s, NUFC wouldn't want him to go to a rival Championship club...

Dean Furman, Furman The best midfielder in the land Our brilliant South African Dean Furman, Furman Or something along those lines!

Haha, are you Craig Hunter as in Ter? The fact Craig likes Fleck and that he's amazing on Football Manager may be linked more closely than you think, if he's who I think he is!