Charles Vernam

Quoted from jamesgtfc

When was the last player who returned for a second spell (or in the case of Vernam, a third spell) actually a successful signing? Pearson has been alright this season but I wouldn't say he's been outstanding.

Matt Tees was one that’s for sure.

Quoted from GrimExile

Matt Tees was one that’s for sure.

Beat me to it

In the unfinished season, Charles would have probably been Player of the Year and most were disappointed when he signed for Burton in the league above so I find it pretty bizarre that some don’t want him back especially if Wright and Maguire-Drew remain injured.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Beat me to it

👍👍👍

Paul Groves didn't pan out too badly when he returned for the 97/98 season.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

When was the last player who returned for a second spell (or in the case of Vernam, a third spell) actually a successful signing? Pearson has been alright this season but I wouldn't say he's been outstanding.

John Oster. Erm, Dean Sinclair 😉

Anyway, I'd give a vital organ* to have a player of the quality of Vernam at GTFC.



* I wouldn't really, how would that come about?

Vernam would fit in very well with our 4-3-3 formation. He never looked properly comfortable as an out and out wide player to me but his ability to run with the ball would pay dividends in this division, especially with our current setup.

This assumes he's somewhere near the form when he left us.

Not sure if this would be good or not


But there’s a lad I reckon he’s after at York ………

Quoted from Rodley Mariner

Paul Groves didn't pan out too badly when he returned for the 97/98 season.

Groves is just a physical phenomenon. Like Butterfield said the other day, he was staying hydrated during training when it wasn't normal for athletes to stay hydrated.

But seriously, I was thinking of people like Groves, Oster in 2002 and then Conor Townsend in 2015.

Players returning have typically been quite disappointing. Nick Colgan was probably more impressive for us in 1994 when he didn't play but seriously, Aidan Davison was disappointing second time round, Alan Connell and Jamie Devitt were too. Marcus Marshall was outstanding against Braintree but that was his only real contribution of his second spell.

In the case of Vernam, he was a rare bright spark in an otherwise disastrous 2017-18 season on loan and I seem to recall Jolley wanting to keep him around the place despite him being Derby's player and out for the season.

He was an exciting signing that summer but he never seemed to offer much under Jolley. I seem to recall a couple of injuries but I think he was mainly restricted to sub appearances and had little chance to impress. There were very few complaints when he was sent on loan to Chorley but Limbrick made a point of recalling him when he was in caretaker charge. As his contract wound down and we benefitted from an upturn in performances before Covid hit, he hit a purple patch with his performance against Colchester being the highlight.

He was under 24 and if we offered him a better contract, we would have been owed a fee but we decided against doing that and he joined up with his ex Derby teammate at League One Burton. Once Hasselbaink came in though, he was soon on his way to Bradford.

I'd take the Vernam we had in that purple patch but the last 18 months and most of his time with us suggest that was just a blip.

Quoted from GrimExile

Matt Tees was one that’s for sure.

I saw him before he left and was there the game he returned, I think he doubled the normal attendance.