philsalt

Has it been mentioned that Ngoo was caught selling laughing gas? 

https://www.essexlive.news/news/former-liverpool-england-striker-sold-1373339

We’re playing well but these lot have got nothing. Can’t believe Whittaker is still around. 

Just seen our glorious owner buying a replica shirt for his lad in the club shop. Only gets 10% discount. 

Bailey Whalley, youth striker released at the end of last season has turned up in Sweden’s fourth division for Ytterhogdals FC and scored on his debut. Seems to be a team made up almost entirely of young British players. 

15 hours ago, Dew Dilly Dance said:

George Green is now at Chester

Follow him on Twitter, he seems in a genuinely good place these days, very open about his past mental struggles. There’s a genuinely good player there. 

2 hours ago, leeslover said:

Wouldn't it be lovely to sign players at Christmas to support a promotion push instead of to try and drag a threadbare squad out of the relegation places?

True, although the last however many seasons have seen us patching up holes in our squad with loan signings and free agents in January. Unlike 2 years ago where we didn’t actually have a keeper until just before the first game of the season, dare I say that we seem to be a little better prepared for the upcoming season than in previous years.  

Is there anyone at this level who is deserving of a long term deal? 2 year deals seem to be as good as it gets. Risky to sign players for any longer when finances are tight I’d presume. 

Anyway, I’m hoping that we don’t suddenly need to bring in several loan players after Christmas. 

Was there ever an official announcement on the youth players at the end of the season? Presume Uche and Sheridan signed deals but have no idea who was released. 

Kallum Mantack has signed for Stockport it would seem after his trial. No announcement as far as I can see, but he’s in the official team photo. Injuries aside, I always thought he could have been a decent league one player. 

According to wikipedia and other sites, Sidney Schmeltz is somehow still a footballer, playing in Bahrain. Probably earning a packet as well. 

First time watching us this season, i couldn't actually figure out what we were trying to do. We seemed most of a threat (and i use the word 'threat' at its most generous) when playing down the flanks, surely that was the aim based on the team selection. McLaughlin and at points Kyeremeh seemed willing, and able to run at their defence. However with only one striker up front who was rarely making runs into the box it often resulted in a pass backwards and, frustratingly ended up back with our keeper. I thought we looked less awful when Dufus came on. He showed a willingness to run at their defence and i recall one ball being crossed in by him. Osei at least showed effort as well.

Having said that we spent far too long trying to play through the middle, lots of pointless passes in our own half.

I also thought Gerrard was awful, looks half a stone overweight also. Jamie Stott might be worth a run in the team. At least we could find a pair of shorts that'd fit him. 

Possibly mentioned on another thread, but recently released youth defender Dylan King has joined Robinson up at Motherwell. 

Thoughts on the game:

Ladapo will not get many goals if we need him to play with his back to goal, Irwin much better at this when he came on.

Flynn anonymous most of the game. Too many side ways passes. Surely Winchester should be worth a place on the bench?

still not convinced by Green and Fane together in midfield. Fane seems scared to take the ball into the opposition half, at least Green seems to be trying to take up the playmaker role.

when we play with width and put balls across the box we seemed at our most dangerous.

Second half was really good. Can't help but feel that once McKay gets a goal he'll be a real asset.

Joes Baxter released by Sheffield Utd

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36347192

Get him back on short-term deal post suspension?

Whatever happened to Jonathan Burn - did he get injured and return to 'Boro? Wikipedia says he's still with us.

Chris Sutherland has signed for Macclesfield, i presumed he'd given up. Apparently he 'spent time' at Birmingham City!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/35136574

Sat in the GP waiting room with time on my hands, checked Twitter and Wikipedia to find out what happened to this lad once released.

Wikipedia has nothing but Jacobs' Twitter page, although protected, shows him playing for a team in a black Puma strip against a Burnley team.

Has he been picked up by a championship side? I presume this picture is from a reserve game. Another player we may regret not given enough time to perhaps.

Second game i've been to (first being that forgettable 0-0 at Colchester). Thought the width and focus on counter attacking was the big difference today. The new right back proved a real attacking threat and could really be an asset in the coming weeks (if he also starts to defend), especially when combined with a marauding Poleon and tricky Fulton.

Would have liked to see Winchester on for Danny Phil at some point in the second-half. Other than that was a great performance excluding the first awful 10 minutes.

I'd like to see less loan players in the squad but overall they have improved the squad massively from the start of the season.

Would be quite a good addition.

.....because the club thinks it can make some more money! Yes, from its own fans. If you don't like this idea, don't buy it. They'll get the hint, the shop will be embarrassingly full of these new shirts, but then as I said Latics are not a Man U or Newcastle.

I am well aware of the arguments against looking back and bringing ex players back, but what about Danny Philliskirk? He's been released by Coventry. Coventry had a fairly good attack, does anyone know how he's developed since leaving us for Chelsea? Worth a trial at least?

I think the priority is that the club make a bit of cash so we don't go the same way as Bury. If that's through a new kit, then so be it. It's not like we shift millions of them in Asia ala Man U. The price isn't particularly high. If you don't like it then buy a scarf.

Well if we take that view that it is something that we 'always' do at the last home game then clearly its a privilege that was abused yesterday, and is damaging to the club. So something has to change.

Cisak is too good to warm the bench, before losing his place i'd have said he would be off to bigger and better things. Not much between him and Dean really.

Brown has great potential, more games and he'll be seen as a bargain im sure. He's only a kid and he's always seemed a long term investment to me, same with Tarky.

Keep Grounds and Crofty definitely, Simpson can go as we could use the money he's on.

Think our targets for the transfer window are a defender and a striker, Smith has done well but even if he stays he can't play like he has been all season. Could do with someone to play off him.

As with every club, there is a minority of supporters who think that because they have committed the holier-than-thou act of buying a ticket for their local clubs match they can do whatever they like once in the stadium. Fact is, they can't.

The match was recorded by the BBC, the police were there, it can't be that difficult to make an example of these fans. Its not like they can hide amongst the tens of thousands of other fans in the stadium is it???

I read on Facebook the views of one person who defended these fans by saying that the fans deserved this moment of 'enjoyment' after a dire season on the pitch. As much as young fans are the future of this club and should be encouraged to come to BP over watching United and City on Sky TV they can't hold the club to ransom with this behaviour. I watched Oldham V Coventry in the away end with my Coventry supporting friend and the behaviour of our fans was disappointing, throwing food and teabags at Coventry fans throughout and i saw several younger fans being thrown out of the ground.