4 minutes ago, NW9Valiant said:

I was being a bit facetious with the Carroll remark tbf 😄  He's a great signing for the Daggers though. 

Yeah agree with that. I just don't see Hart as a centre back really which is why I'd look to move him on. 

If you were to rank our senior defenders Hart and Heneghan are probably at or near the bottom. I doubt from a long term squad management perspective either would be here next season. 

Could well be an area that Darren looks at a loan option for. But then Joe Williams might impress also (be fantastic if he does, I look forward to hopefully seeing him play in the EFL Trophy at the very least)

Hart was terrible other than the first 3 or 4 games before he got injured v Doncaster. 

I'd like to see us offload him myself. 

I'm only guessing maybe he's seen as a possibility if Hall is out. 

A new CH still needed for me and possibly one striker. The keeper situation is a nuisance as its a signing we didn't need to make. 

52 minutes ago, Hoppers said:

Aggffhhhhhh this verify you are human check is driving me up the wall - refuses point blank to believe me; I'm not saying it's necessarily incorrect, but it's flipping inconvenient 😬

And it only seems that OVF has to check every few minutes. No other website I use is as frustrating.

6 minutes ago, pensioner said:

And it only seems that OVF has to check every few minutes. No other website I use is as frustrating.

I

There was a spell when this happened to me regularly, but it hasn't asked me this for weeks now.

Just now, prof said:

I

There was a spell when this happened to me regularly, but it hasn't asked me this for weeks now.

Right pain in the arse, sometimes it's a case of tick this box  sometimes it just says, wait checking you are human and the biggest piss take is tick all images with a sidewalk in em. If they want me tick photos then make em bloody English photos. Or just put a picture of a pan of lobby up and ask - what is this. I keep asking myself why is it only OVF that has to do this. 

12 minutes ago, pensioner said:

And it only seems that OVF has to check every few minutes. No other website I use is as frustrating.

That's because it's built into the software of the website. Forums are notorious for bots signups and posting. Not much of a way round it really other than to put up with it for a while. 

4 minutes ago, pensioner said:

 I keep asking myself why is it only OVF that has to do this. 

It isn't. As I said, I haven't had this happen with OVF for weeks, but it has happened lots of times with other sites over that period.

Feel Heneghan has become a bit underrated in his absence. I actually thought he played pretty well when fit last season.
He won’t be first choice but last season was his first season playing below League 1 since he was a young lad at Chester 10 years ago. He has six consecutive seasons in League 1 before we signed him.
I think he’s absolutely fine as the CB back-up.
 

This. I really can't fathom why some posters think he's so poor. I'm sure I'll be corrected, but what did he do that was so bad last season that has made some form this opinion? From memory, he was on a par with the others by and large. All of our CBs made cock ups at some point during the season

I agree, can't remember BH making any catastrophic errors last season - as with every other player in the squad, he deserves the management and fan base to give him a chance in L1 - as stated in earlier posts, he has spent most of his career in L1 - in fact wouldn't be surprised if he is our most experienced L1 player appearances wise 👍

I aren't saying we are one of these teams but MK Dons and a number of other teams are after signing striker Louis Appere

41 minutes ago, philmpv said:

This. I really can't fathom why some posters think he's so poor. I'm sure I'll be corrected, but what did he do that was so bad last season that has made some form this opinion? From memory, he was on a par with the others by and large. All of our CBs made cock ups at some point during the season

I don't think he's poor. Perfectly fine like as a squad option. It's just when you rank the squad in terms of age, ability, potential, long term value to the squad he goes a bit further down the pecking order perhaps. If the question is, you can have one better player in, and one out, then you start looking at players like Heneghan in some cases. Though I'd really start with Sam Hart. 

I'm pretty sure that's basically what came down to Smudge going and not being kept, it was probably him or Debrah (since his contract expired too) and Moore wanted to add quality in Humphreys. It's just how it is. 

Wonder if we have a sell on should this happen?

Stockport County: Bolton Wanderers defender Will Forrester eyed

THE72.CO.UK

 

4 hours ago, JoeB2 said:

Not massively relevant but I was listening to Daniel Storey’s podcast with NTT20 after Storey completed the 92 in a season.

They were discussing how football has shifted to impatience and obsession with managerial performance, and how a lot of football fans aren’t happy.

Storey mentioned three clubs where he thought the fans were relatively happy, largely due to a connection between ownership and fans; Exeter, Wimbledon, Port Vale.

If were one of the three happiest clubs in the country I honestly dread to think what the other 89 are like.

I think that the messageboard warriors who regularly express unhappiness with Vale's football and finances fall into three broad categories -

1. Kids who haven't experienced Vale's many decades of football suffering (interspersed with a few bright periods) and Vale's recurrent financial near-doom episodes, and who just don't realise how good Vale's ownership now is.
    
2. Various S***e and C***e imposters simply trying to stir it in order to harm Vale.
    
3. A few die-hard genuine Vale supporters who are nevertheless simply miseriholics.

48 minutes ago, valeparklife said:

Wonder if we have a sell on should this happen?

Stockport County: Bolton Wanderers defender Will Forrester eyed

THE72.CO.UK

 

I'd be surprised if we haven't got a sell on clause.  Equally, I wonder how much he's moved on for?

2 hours ago, philmpv said:

This. I really can't fathom why some posters think he's so poor. I'm sure I'll be corrected, but what did he do that was so bad last season that has made some form this opinion? From memory, he was on a par with the others by and large. All of our CBs made cock ups at some point during the season

Here’s the thing for me.. why did he lose his starting place to Smudge(before he got injured)? He tended to start away games and help close out home games.

In my view he lost his place as he was exposed for a  lack of pace especially at VP. That will only get worse in L1.

We released the 1st team starter and keep the backup who was more exposed?

I thought Heneghan did OK last season, passed the ball out from the back well  but Smudge was a better overall defender.

Lack of pace is a big concern for me even if Deb or John are to the right of him. If we can move a few on to make space another CB is a must.

Edited July 13, 2025Jul 13 by MBE