Who should we sign?

[Iron Curtain]

Well, yes, but let's look at that pre-season without hindsight.

 

We had Tom Pope, a man whose best ever season was 12 goals, detested by his former club, and had scored 5 in 45 for us the previous season. He was striker number 1. The sole goal getter.

 

We had Louis Dodds, a popular and decent player but not a prolific scorer and not really a striker, who had never reached double figures in a season.

 

We had Ben Williamson, a raw but promising striker who the previous season had scored 3 in 37.

 

I distinctly remember a meltdown on here as we had lost Marc Richards and Sean Rigg, who between them has contributed 30 goals the prior season, and not replaced them with 'proven strikers'.

 

My point is, that it is all well and good saying Hughes and Pope were our main men, but; pre-season Pope was largely seen as an unprolific carthorse, and Lee Hughes was playing for Notts County. We only were able to sign Hughes due to being top of the league, as a result of Tom Pope's excellent form. Calvin Andrew wasn't signed till November.

 

Let's not rewrite history. And let's wait for the summer to run its course before we get so worked up about what are clearly young squad players who Askey trusts. Let's not label them 'gambles' until we know what role they are to play. We simply cannot afford or attract 25 professionals who have hundreds of games at FL level; some will have to be cheap/inexperienced, or you risk not having enough money to sign the premium players.

 

Some players have to be brought in under the proviso that they are to serve as backup players, as substitutes, competing with the first 11 to ensure standards are high and replacements are available. I imagine Burgess, Kennedy, and Lloyd will be of this ilk. Calm down. When we've made all of our signings we can judge whether these players were sensible buys. Or, and here's a radical suggestion, see them play.

 

Excellent post!

[Erniemossrules]

Ernie is just an attention seeking WUM

 

Better than being a happy clapper.

[newchapel valiant]

Spending big does not guarantee anything, look at Notts County they spent a fortune last summer.

[Mario]

Better than being a happy clapper.

So now, you are admitting to being an attention seeking WUM

[mbycars]

Better than being a happy clapper.

 

Does the word " Happy clapper " automatically appear on autofill on all of your posts

[Erniemossrules]

So now, you are admitting to being an attention seeking WUM

 

and you admit you are a happy clapper.

[Joe B]

Better than being a happy clapper.

 

Ernie; I was a massive moaner under the previous chairman. All I did was moan.

 

I'm also willing to see how this summer pans out before brigading every thread on here with premature proclamations that everything is going wrong.

 

We get it, the signings thus far aren't the experienced pros you want; we all feel the same. We all want to see the proven striker.

 

The difference is, that I'm willing to see the quality/experience of ALL the players brought in before I judge these signings. I think these players are purely rotational and are all of a good age and character to perform that role. In an ideal world we'd have 22 players of good FL pedigree but we simply can't afford it, as Norman has stolen literally all the money he could get his grubby hands on. We have to prioritise; I would take 3-4 of these cheaper signings to ensure we have a competitive, young squad, that also allows us to financially compete for the experienced players.

Just give it a little time, is all I ask.

[Guitar Ray]

Better than being a happy clapper.

 

That’s open to conjecture. Personally I’d rather a happy clapper over a miserable pessimist any day of the week.

[Rampant Zebra]

At least a "happy clapper " has an opinion that everything is OK, even if others disagree, whereas an attention seeking WUM is only contradicting others opinions to gain attention and annoy people. A bit like that quote from the Wild One:

 

Hey Johnny, what are you rebelling against?

 

What've you got?

[Erniemossrules]

No problem I want along with a lot of other Vale fans a better team at Port Vale after watching the dross for the last few years.

I also understand that it won’t happen overnight and by throwing money at it.

What I do find strange is why we are filling the squad with mediocre players before waiting to see who is available.There will be better players capable of holding down a regular first team place and providing competition to the existing players.

We have hungry youngsters who are as good as some of the players we are currently considering signing and should be given a chance.The squad places can be filled at the end of the window after we have bought in the quality strikers and midfield players we need.

We have seen Baldrick Brown and Aspin wasting the budget signing mediocre players instead of a smaller squad of better players.

[Rampant Zebra]

Hungry youngsters like Dan Turner you mean?

[Iron Curtain]

Better than being a happy clapper.

 

Someone didn’t think this through did they? 👆

[Joe B]

No problem I want along with a lot of other Vale fans a better team at Port Vale after watching the dross for the last few years.

I also understand that it won’t happen overnight and by throwing money at it.

What I do find strange is why we are filling the squad with mediocre players before waiting to see who is available.There will be better players capable of holding down a regular first team place and providing competition to the existing players.

We have hungry youngsters who are as good as some of the players we are currently considering signing and should be given a chance.The squad places can be filled at the end of the window after we have bought in the quality strikers and midfield players we need.

We have seen Baldrick Brown and Aspin wasting the budget signing mediocre players instead of a smaller squad of better players.

 

I think these players are amongst the first signed as they are relatively uncomplicated signings; cheap, the manager knows them, no extensive scouting needed, not much negotiating, bish bash bosh they're through the door.

 

The more established signings will come. They just take a bit more time, and they're the sort of players that command higher wages, especially at this stage of the window. Players at this level, the lowest professional tier in the country, of often much of a muchness, and there is little to be gained in competing in bidding wars for a player, and paying much over the odds, when he is unlikely to be double a player you could get for half the price.

 

The signings will come mate. Lets evaluate Crooks, Burgess, Kennedy, and Lloyd once the squad has taken shape. I personally think they'll form a solid nexus of young, good character squad players. They won't make or break the season but they're the sort of lads you're grateful for in the depths of winter, instead of trotting out a decrepit Anthony Kay or one of the many poor character lads we've been subjected to the last few years.

[Erniemossrules]

Hungry youngsters like Dan Turner you mean?

 

Dan Turner had his chance and didn’t take it.

Couldn’t hold a place at Tamworth or Kidsgrove when on loan.

[leedsvaliant]

I think these players are amongst the first signed as they are relatively uncomplicated signings; cheap, the manager knows them, no extensive scouting needed, not much negotiating, bish bash bosh they're through the door.

 

The more established signings will come. They just take a bit more time, and they're the sort of players that command higher wages, especially at this stage of the window. Players at this level, the lowest professional tier in the country, of often much of a muchness, and there is little to be gained in competing in bidding wars for a player, and paying much over the odds, when he is unlikely to be double a player you could get for half the price.

 

The signings will come mate. Lets evaluate Crooks, Burgess, Kennedy, and Lloyd once the squad has taken shape. I personally think they'll form a solid nexus of young, good character squad players. They won't make or break the season but they're the sort of lads you're grateful for in the depths of winter, instead of trotting out a decrepit Anthony Kay or one of the many poor character lads we've been subjected to the last few years.

Bang on the money. It's clear to me that Askey is building a squad and not every player is going to be a star name. At least he knows these lads, so they are not complete punts in the dark.

 

As you quite rightly say, the higher earners such as strikers will have different offers on the table, so it's going to take more time.

 

If you look at those at the top of our league, they generally have 2 to 3 game changers and the rest are just average or competent. You don't need Man City's squad to get out of this league, just one or two game changers and the rest are much of a muchness. We simply haven't got the money to have 2 stars in every position.

 

If we get to August and the rest of the signings are of this level, then we can all be concerned, but for now let's have a bit of patience and see what else comes through the door.