Summer transfer targets/rumours, retained list etc

[valeparklife]

8 hours ago, johnjeffersfanclub said:

How can anyone be disappointed in the Stevens signing? Only downside is he's on loan, but he's a gun keeper and one who will make big saves. 

I'm just disappointed it's a loan. We're effectively developing a rivals player for them.

But I guess if he can help us stay in L1, then it will be worth it.

Although, we'll again be in the market for another keeper next June!

[Bobnewtonian]

3 minutes ago, valeparklife said:

I'm just disappointed it's a loan. We're effectively developing a rivals player for them.

But I guess if he can help us stay in L1, then it will be worth it.

Although, we'll again be in the market for another keeper next June!

I know what you mean about it being a loan… but Oxford may have 2 better keepers so at some point he may become available for transfer? Anyway as you say main thing is to stay in this league this year so we needed a proper challenge for stone.

[SFBT]

19 minutes ago, valeparklife said:

I'm just disappointed it's a loan. We're effectively developing a rivals player for them.

But I guess if he can help us stay in L1, then it will be worth it.

Although, we'll again be in the market for another keeper next June!

And possibly January. At this point, he's a short term solution who may turn into a longer term answer.

[tisdeano]

Would have to agree, still a few areas to improve but we're in a stronger place after yesterday's movement. Would like to see another striker in to cover for Proctor when he inevitable gets injured. Still don't understand why Harrison couldn't be signed up ahead of the start of the season if DC knew him but he's in now so let get him into the team pronto.

I'd always thought glandular fever was just a really bad sore throat. Interesting to read up about it after the goalie signing.

Maybe because Fleetwood wouldn’t sell him

[Walka003]

Maybe because Fleetwood wouldn’t sell him

Very possible, I read they have Cole Stockton lined up so maybe they were ready to get rid now.

[Fosse69]

Very possible, I read they have Cole Stockton lined up so maybe they were ready to get rid now.

Wheeler dealing, the higher the league the more it happens. We may have to wait another week for a loan striker until the Champ or Prem settle down.

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[Fosse69]

I'm just disappointed it's a loan. We're effectively developing a rivals player for them.
But I guess if he can help us stay in L1, then it will be worth it.
Although, we'll again be in the market for another keeper next June!

I don't think he is here for development but to recover from having 3 month off due to illness. More likely to get more game time here Oxford think, we shall see what happens.

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[The man in the pub]

Can I have a job?

Are you over 6ft ?

[Guitar Ray]

1 hour ago, valeparklife said:

I'm just disappointed it's a loan. We're effectively developing a rivals player for them.

But I guess if he can help us stay in L1, then it will be worth it.

Although, we'll again be in the market for another keeper next June!

Loan or permanent, it didn’t really matter, either way we needed another keeper.  Barring injury, it gives us at least 5 months breathing space, during which time squads and first teams will become a bit more established and players who aren’t available now may well be in January.

Worth remembering that we had 3 first team keepers on the books for a period last season.

[newchapel valiant]

I am hoping we get another striker signed today. 

[Clayts]

The idea that he's here to recover feels like a bit of a strange one, since he was first choice in the second half of last season after his 3 months off with illness. So even if he wasn't 100% when he came back, they still felt he was fit enough and performing well enough to stay in the team ahead of Eastwood, and have subsequently given him the #1 shirt. Only to then sign a keeper from Sligo and start Eastwood in the league. It doesn't add up somehow, but at least we have a L1 standard keeper, so good news for us.

I think the evidence all points to us having had Blackman lined up; releasing Cov, the mentions at the forum of signing close (and CG's specific nod towards Huddersfield), the links from respected journalists. Just hijacked at the last minute by Exeter I guess, c'est la vie.

Two L1 experienced players arriving in a few hours, we've definitely had worse days.

[Clayts]

9 hours ago, Budgie_2260 said:

Is the squad now stronger than at the end of last season?

Covolan / Stevens
Martin / Forrester & Cass
Gibbons / Massey & Small
Taylor / Ojo
Cooper / Holden
Amoo / Harrison
Harratt / tbc
Edmonson / tbc

Thoughts?

I think it's also worth looking versus the start of last season, as there were a couple of players who left in Jan that we never replaced.

So I'd say Small and Massey replace Amos and Gibbons (just about a win overall), Cass replaces errrr.. Cass(!), Harrison replaces Rodney (definite win).

I would say the only players we now need to replace are Lloyd/Harratt (confident we'll get a young Prem loanee for that later in the month) and Politic/Amoo (depending on which one you think Holden replaces, and whether or not you count McDermott as having replaced one of them).

All in all, confident we're better off (certainly will be by the end of Aug) than we were at the same point last year.

Sticking with my 14th-16th prediction, and would be happy with that.

[Jacko51]

10 hours ago, prof said:

I can't remember Ray King but Ken Hancock was always a favourite. I'm not sure, though, how you would measure them objectively against Mussie, etc. They were all great players...

I met Ray King when he came for one of those evenings at Vale celebrating old players. He signed my programme. Lovely man. He was quite tall. Although as you know, I think Jimmy Krankie is quite tall!!!

[geoff1]

12 minutes ago, Jacko51 said:

I met Ray King when he came for one of those evenings at Vale celebrating old players. He signed my programme. Lovely man. He was quite tall. Although as you know, I think Jimmy Krankie is quite tall!!!

i remember ray owning a grocery shop on hamil road corner of tellwright st. great bloke. good goalie.😄

[Heatwave]

34 minutes ago, geoff1 said:

i remember ray owning a grocery shop on hamil road corner of tellwright st. great bloke. good goalie.😄

I remember him coaching at Tranmere and coming with them to a reserve game at VP, then bantering with the Vale fans at the end of the game. Seemed a nice guy.

Anyway, back on topic - I fancy we'll take a striker on loan next.