6 minutes ago, Diego Maradona said:

Embleton? Who's that then?

Elliot Embleton - Wikipedia

EN.M.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

Good player - seen him play a few times for Sunderland and Blackpool but said to be injury-prone

5 hours ago, Burslem Academicals said:

Question...So we play three at the back and go into the season with only four centre backs in Deborah/Heneghan/Hall/Humphreys (not counting U21 Lomax) is this sufficient and necessary?

Or could it be that apart from the centre half "head-it kick-it" that both LCB and RCB are in some sense full backs in terms of mobility/cover and bringing the ball forward such that Hart/Gordon can cover at LCB and Gabriel/John can cover at RCB?

On another train of thought as in Wain was mentioned a week or so back alongside Embleton and Wain has been signed so perhaps Ojo stays (can also play centre back) or perhaps Ojo is moved on and another midfielder signed.

Finally the trialists firstly the keeper only 24 and one for the future but with Amos 35 and Marosi 31 can't see the luxury of three keepers unless Amos is looking for a 2 year contract somewhere on the back of the promo...but mostly in terms of 3/4/3 having five strikers Stockley/Curtis/Tolaj/Paton/Wain then there would seem to be room for one more and what kind of player is the trialist striker....a target man/number nine/centre forwar/ back up for Stockley or Other?

 

Just want to say, I love Burslem Academicals posts. 

Was so happy to see him return to OVF from his hiatus!

58 minutes ago, NW9Valiant said:

Very funny Paton is on here laughing at all the comments saying he might be moved on. Not at all discreet, no. 

I don’t understand why we have a lot of comments about Paton moving on. We have invested heavily in him for our sized club, why would you just give up on the investment after 6 months, ridiculous. Sometimes it takes a little bit of patience and also playing in way which gets the best out of a player. Tolaj hardly pulled up trees playing wide right.

I’m sure and hope DM gives him every chance to be part of the L1 squad. 

Absolutely no doubt to me he has the quality to play in L1. Look at his freekicks last season against Salford and Harrogate. Helped change the game away at Cheltenham, granted didn’t see enough of it but that’s the challenge for him and the coaches.

This looks like our profile of player target.👀 

Go on then @Robert1888, smash pre season and make it impossible for Darren to ignore you. Get yourself playing between the posts and be more selfish. 

Callum Paterson leaving Wednesday. Has literally played in every position bar centre half.

6 hours ago, Con2Pvfc said:

Kaizer Chiefs, who are historically the biggest club in South Africa

He’ll have a riot there I think 

6 hours ago, Con2Pvfc said:

Kaizer Chiefs, who are historically the biggest club in South Africa

He’ll have a riot there I think 

I’m sure DM is paying close attention.
Terrible what’s happening at the club but  opportunities for others…

So it a lovely dilemma have we have id say   a very good starting xl and a very good back up xl 

        Amos

Gabriel Humpfries Hall 

Clark                      Headley 

           Garrity Byers 

                Croasdale 

   Tolaj Stockley 

Then you have a equally and more potent team potentially .

         Marosi 

 Deb  Henegan  John

Plant.                              Gordon 

            Shipley Garrity 

                 R Richards 

     Paton Waine 

Have i missed anyone only Hall and Garrity as our leaders play every game .

The depth looks good but ultimately its down to connections forming and injuries permitting .

I like the look of it obviously its down to form aswell ..

 

 

 

Be hopefully a good watch the Vale this time in league 1 not they were a terrible watch but didnt have pace in areas that were needed and it cost big time ..

Edited July 1, 2025Jul 1 by Dipepa delight

1 hour ago, JoeB2 said:

I think the lad who told us we were after Waine weeks ago mentioned Embleton? Might be getting mixed up.

It wasn't the same person Joe

42 minutes ago, Dipepa delight said:

So it a lovely dilemma have we have id say   a very good starting xl and a very good back up xl 

        Amos

Gabriel Humpfries Hall 

Clark                      Headley 

           Garrity Byers 

                Croasdale 

   Tolaj Stockley 

Then you have a equally and more potent team potentially .

         Marosi 

 Deb  Henegan  John

Plant.                              Gordon 

            Shipley Garrity 

                 R Richards 

     Paton Waine 

Have i missed anyone only Hall and Garrity as our leaders play every game .

The depth looks good but ultimately its down to connections forming and injuries permitting .

I like the look of it obviously its down to form aswell ..

 

 

 

Be hopefully a good watch the Vale this time in league 1 not they were a terrible watch but didnt have pace in areas that were needed and it cost big time ..

As it stands our "First XI" is probably something like this:

Marosi

Debrah, Humphreys, Hall

Gabriel, Garrity, Byers, Walters, Headley

Stockley, Tolaj

21 minutes ago, Granville said:

As it stands our "First XI" is probably something like this:

Marosi

Debrah, Humphreys, Hall

Gabriel, Garrity, Byers, Walters, Headley

Stockley, Tolaj

I think Shipley will be a starter. 

24 minutes ago, Granville said:

As it stands our "First XI" is probably something like this:

Marosi

Debrah, Humphreys, Hall

Gabriel, Garrity, Byers, Walters, Headley

Stockley, Tolaj

Home or Away? Defensive or Attacking opposition?