Cameron has played for Sportvereniging Zulte Waregem in the Dutch league after he played for Man City so he fits part of the clue

Certainly a lot more deals completed today. Nothing like 1st week of pre season to focus minds to get ready to play football again. 

Can’t work out Bradford, most signings look a bit meh to me but Pennington is a cracking signing today. I wonder if we were also interested?

Blackpool with 2 signings in Honeyman and Ennis show the gulf in finances and quality in L1 compared to L2.

I do like what we have done so far, solid if unspectacular, largely the same group from last year, given scope to play better balls from the back, added depth to midfield and WB’s with more pace. I’m hoping some of our less experienced players make the adjustment quickly but I do hope DM has an ace up his sleeve upfront. 

Edited June 25, 2025Jun 25 by MBE

From purely Wiki scouting then we seemed to have signed a real good player in Humphreys 

35 minutes ago, Wrex said:

From purely Wiki scouting then we seemed to have signed a real good player in Humphreys 

I think it’s an excellent signing. Exactly what we needed. 

On paper, Humphreys looks a brilliant signing – only 26, played most of his career at a higher level, and was linked with a few Championship clubs after Rotherham went down in 23/24.

I’m still not 100% sure what type of defender he is though. Thought we’d go for more of a bruiser to sit in the middle of the back three, but Humphreys seems more like a ball-playing option who’d fit better on either side. Makes me wonder if another centre-back’s still on the way?

That said, we’ve done some really smart business so far. Gabriel and Humphreys both look like starters to me. Gordon, Shipley and Rico all add solid depth and a good bit of balance.

Wouldn’t be surprised to see a keeper come in – maybe Marosi – to push Amos, plus another centre-back and a striker to compete with Stockley. Then maybe a younger forward on loan, someone like Hackford, to offer a different option off the bench.

If we can shift the likes of Hart, Ojo and Paton, and then get decent loans for the younger lads, it could end up being a really good summer. 

1 hour ago, southport vale said:

Cameron has played for Sportvereniging Zulte Waregem in the Dutch league after he played for Man City so he fits part of the clue

They’re a Belgian League club.

Flemish Belgium, I’ll grant you, but that’s a pretty tenuous link for the clue.

34 minutes ago, Portvale4 said:

On paper, Humphreys looks a brilliant signing – only 26, played most of his career at a higher level, and was linked with a few Championship clubs after Rotherham went down in 23/24.

I’m still not 100% sure what type of defender he is though. Thought we’d go for more of a bruiser to sit in the middle of the back three, but Humphreys seems more like a ball-playing option who’d fit better on either side. Makes me wonder if another centre-back’s still on the way?

That said, we’ve done some really smart business so far. Gabriel and Humphreys both look like starters to me. Gordon, Shipley and Rico all add solid depth and a good bit of balance.

Wouldn’t be surprised to see a keeper come in – maybe Marosi – to push Amos, plus another centre-back and a striker to compete with Stockley. Then maybe a younger forward on loan, someone like Hackford, to offer a different option off the bench.

If we can shift the likes of Hart, Ojo and Paton, and then get decent loans for the younger lads, it could end up being a really good summer. 

Humphreys has played over 50 games in the Championship, an excellent pedigree, I'd say. 

Tyrese Fornah signs for Northampton. 

I liked the look of this guy. Would love to have seen him at Vale but we currently well stocked in midfield 

3 minutes ago, Dol Boy said:

Humphreys has played over 50 games in the Championship, an excellent pedigree, I'd say. 

Exactly, and still at a great ages to develop further as Moore has said.

Solid signings made so far.  I think for us exceed expectations and surprise a few teams will depend on the forward(s) we’re able to sign, plus every team needs a slice of luck with injuries. (Say it every season).

 

48 minutes ago, Portvale4 said:

On paper, Humphreys looks a brilliant signing – only 26, played most of his career at a higher level, and was linked with a few Championship clubs after Rotherham went down in 23/24.

I’m still not 100% sure what type of defender he is though. Thought we’d go for more of a bruiser to sit in the middle of the back three, but Humphreys seems more like a ball-playing option who’d fit better on either side. Makes me wonder if another centre-back’s still on the way?

That said, we’ve done some really smart business so far. Gabriel and Humphreys both look like starters to me. Gordon, Shipley and Rico all add solid depth and a good bit of balance.

Wouldn’t be surprised to see a keeper come in – maybe Marosi – to push Amos, plus another centre-back and a striker to compete with Stockley. Then maybe a younger forward on loan, someone like Hackford, to offer a different option off the bench.

If we can shift the likes of Hart, Ojo and Paton, and then get decent loans for the younger lads, it could end up being a really good summer. 

I suspect you are right and we will see another CB.

I remember last preseason DM was essentially told by the club “Get what you need and we will worry about players to move on afterwards ” Looks to me like that is the case again this preseason.

Last off season we offloaded Loft and Yak after we had already signed x8 players including Stockley, Curtis and Byers. 
 

Humphreys 26

Shipley 27

Gordon 27

Gabriel 26

Rico 21 is the outlier but our signings are following a pattern. L1 experience players approaching the prime years.

Definition of a long term squad plan.

So all we need to do now is look at Free Agents with L1 experience 26 or 27 to guess our next signing😀

 

Edited June 25, 2025Jun 25 by MBE

10 hours ago, valeparklife said:

Jake Beesley about to sign for Burton from Blackpool.

He'd have been the perfect Stockley-type target man we're all hoping to sign.

Damn.

He's bloody terrible. 

3 minutes ago, Granville said:

He's bloody terrible. 

Always seems a big fuss on Beasley after he dominated us for Rochdale at home in the promotion season but that was one game and doesn’t seem to have done massive amount since.

1 hour ago, MBE said:

Humphreys 26

Shipley 27

Gabriel 26

In these 3 alone we have brought in

296 games at League 1 level and 147 games at Championship level

4 hours ago, MBE said:

 Can’t work out Bradford, most signings look a bit meh to me but Pennington is a cracking signing today. 

Not here to disagree or agree, but I’d be interested to understand your meh judgement in a bit more detail. 
 

CM - Max Power - captained Wigan and Sunderland - won L1 three times - Smallwoods replacement. 

CB - Joe Wright - Killie’s player of the year - solid L1 experience

CB: Curtis Tilt - Critchlow’s back-up - who will be squad player at best - won L1 with Wigan 

RWB - Josh Neufville - Wimbledon’s talisman for the past couple of seasons  -umpteen clubs tried to sign him  

LB - Ibou Touray - played 40+ games for Stockport last season - who finished third. Won L2 the season before. 

ST - Stephen Humphrys - very capable attacker at this level. 

CB - Matt Pennington - solid L1 defender, with 70 Champ appearances

No where near the finished article, but if we’re judging signings thus far in comparison to all those promoted from L2 last season, I think we’ve had the best window so far.

Game of opinions, however.