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79imp
Guest
Exactly. And you could go the opposite way with the likes of Muldoon or Power.
Terry Hawkridge
- Thread starter Dale1981
- Start date
Exactly. And you could go the opposite way with the likes of Muldoon or Power.
Scotimp
Vital Football Legend
Danny believes you need players good enough for the level above in order to get promotion. Be honest with yourselves: how many of our National League championship team were really good enough for League One? The reality is, very few of them. So why should we start bringing them back?
The whole idea of re-signing former players makes little sense. Are we saying that our former players are better than any others out there? If we insisted on doing that, we would not have had Raggett, Woodyard, Bostwick, Rhead or Eardley because we would have re-signed Andrew Boyce, Charlee Adams, Nicky Nicolau, Vadaine Oliver and Sean Newton instead. They all did a decent job for us at the time, but are a long way short of being good enough for what we needed going forward.
Believe me, there are players out there who are better than what we had before.
The whole idea of re-signing former players makes little sense. Are we saying that our former players are better than any others out there? If we insisted on doing that, we would not have had Raggett, Woodyard, Bostwick, Rhead or Eardley because we would have re-signed Andrew Boyce, Charlee Adams, Nicky Nicolau, Vadaine Oliver and Sean Newton instead. They all did a decent job for us at the time, but are a long way short of being good enough for what we needed going forward.
Believe me, there are players out there who are better than what we had before.
I don't think we're going to end up with a squad of 24 L1 quality players. Yes, *some* of our former players are betterthan the likes of Stewart.
Scotimp
Vital Football Legend
It's an evolution, isn't it. Four years ago, we had a poor squad of players with hardly any good enough for the level we were playing at, let alone for the level above. It has changed significantly since then. Next season we will have a squad of players who are all good enough for the level we are at, and many will be good enough for the level above. Very few of our former players fit with that status.
Ruskingtony
Vital Squad Member
If NottsCounty had not come in with a deal we couldn't match then Hawkridge would still be with us. He is one of the players who Danny offered a new contract to and wanted to keep. So I don't think he falls into the category of ex players we wanted rid of. And let's be honest Habergham looked a much better player with Hawkrige in front of him.
It is a position we never really found an answer to last season.
It is a position we never really found an answer to last season.
Scotimp
Vital Football Legend
If we had wanted to keep Hawkridge, we would not have offered him a one-year deal. It was inevitable he would leave. Just because you 'offer a contract' doesn't necessarily mean you want to keep them. There are many games played during transfer windows, much of it driven by agents.
I doubt we're going back for him to be honest. No we don't have the budget for 20 league 1 level players + loans. (I'm expecting our squad to end up around 20-21 players with 3-4 loans).
Hawkridge would be an ok signing, but judging by what we're signing (Toffolo, Andrade and possibly O'Connor) we're not signing ok just yet. Cowley's have said we're looking at free agents anyway and he has a year left on his contracts.
Hawkridge would be an ok signing, but judging by what we're signing (Toffolo, Andrade and possibly O'Connor) we're not signing ok just yet. Cowley's have said we're looking at free agents anyway and he has a year left on his contracts.
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79imp
Guest
As far as I can tell, there is no clamour whatsoever for bringing back ex players. The only one who seems to have generated any serious discussion this transfer window is Hawkridge, and the majority are of the opinion that he’d make a decent squad player (and squad players are needed) and no more.
From your response Scotimp, it seems you would turn down a signing like Hawkridge simply because he used to play for us. Seems a somewhat flawed transfer policy.
In terms of ex players re signing - were we not happy when Freck re signed? Yes I'd take Raggett, Hobbs and Woodyard back but they moved upwards from us. Hawkridge moved sidewards (same league). Whitehouse and Farman have gone sideways too so would not be good re-signings. Most players used to move downwards from us.
nlondonimp
Vital Champions League
your point is strengthened by the fact that raggett was sold and dc was more than happy to have him back in a heartbeat. [he also sold margetts and went back for him].
interested to know why your opinion is less 100% on having woodyard back?
nlondonimp
Vital Champions League
surely there is no hard rule here. nobody has mentioned clucas lately... i would have him back.
Not a hard rule no, but you can see a general trend. I forgot about Clucas and there's Jon Nolan too. Maybe a Cowley player trend? Thoughts on Alan Power back is an interesting one? (No rumour, link or anything - all just theoretical.)
Scotimp
Vital Football Legend
Specifically regarding Hawkridge, we offered him a one-year deal when we were offering two and three years to others. That tells its own story. Furthermore, he was in and out of the side in the championship season, so would he get many games in League Two and beyond? Is that really what we need?
syimp
Vital Squad Member
All the above ships have sailed ;no time for sentiment in football. Alex has made his bed elsewhere, Robinson only showed up when he was in the shop window and Terry, God bless him, is not the answer when we have pretentions to L1 football.Sean is a Championship player, who will be playing in L1 next season, most probably.
I'm looking forward to welcoming the new guys and can't wait to see Bruno and Harry (2) take to the hallowed turf, amongst the many others we have yet to meet and greet.
Cricklewoodimp
Vital 1st Team Regular
No thanks.
GreenNeedle
Vital Squad Member
While I am not of the opinion that Hawkridge would be anything more than a squad player I don;t think we can say he moved sidewards.
At the time the likelihood was that he was moving upwards despite being in the same league. At the beginning of last season we were realistically aiming for mid table with County aiming for promotion.
The reality was that they were only just "better than us" but at the beginning of the season to anyone without red and white tinted glasses they must have been the better bet.
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But my red and white tinted glasses are so stylish?
