Transfer window

What does everyone think about the window with the benefit of 6 weeks of hindsight?

Lloyds and Emmanuel have turned out to be excellent signings that we wouldn't want to be without for the rest of the season.  To have two signings that genuinely add to the squad is a decent outcome - no transfer window results in 100% success.

I honestly can barely remember who else we signed so had to look them up.  Dickson-Peters - not really needed if we have a fit squad.  Gallacher - likewise.   O'Neill - a bit average.  I can't see any of these being on our list of people we'd try to keep come the end of the season.

I think O’Neil might be a fair bit better than we’ve seen.

Gallacher was solid and showed promise at Northampton

I suspect we would have seen more of him if he wasn’t injured

Makes frig all difference if we’re waiting around for other chess pieces to move until the last few hours of the window again.

I’d sooner us take a bit of a hit in paying fees/slightly over the odds to get business done and dusted in the first few weeks and then spend the summer getting sorted, rather than waiting until the 10:50pm on 31st August hoping for a unicorn to drop into our laps.

Apparently all the money from the cup run will go on the playing budget so perhaps we can afford the better players we crave (assuming they want to come!)

Emmanuel and Lloyd in particular look like astute bits of business, but I struggle to rate our January business as good because all of them are gone at the end of the season. Lloyd and Emmanuel through the door early in the summer would be a fantastic start.

I have a feeling Hunt will move on in the summer.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Emmanuel and Lloyd in particular look like astute bits of business, but I struggle to rate our January business as good because all of them are gone at the end of the season. Lloyd and Emmanuel through the door early in the summer would be a fantastic start.

I have a feeling Hunt will move on in the summer.

Not sure Hunt will move on, he signed a three year contract and, as others have pointed out, still very inexperienced for his age when compared to someone like  Clifton. Hopefully we recruit some better players and this will allow Hunt to prosper as he certainly has the ability.

Lloyd has certainly given us something different up front and is a real trier who has finished well when given the opportunity and it would be great if he could add some tap ins to this as we don’t score enough goals inside the six yard box.

Must be on my own re Emmanuel as whilst he clearly is a good player with great attacking attributes I think he needs to get more involved in games and I would like to see him come off the line occasionally and give us another body in midfield. Certainly wouldn’t be against signing him permanently but that appears unlikely.

Not seen Gallagher so can’t comment and the rest of January signings just haven’t had sufficient game time to judge them on.

I loved the last window, loads of supporters saying we should sign this player or that player without only seeing them play against Town at best, and we didn’t sign any of them.

Then we had the Hurst is stubborn and needs to try harder brigade.

Add to the Hurst is tight and the owners were bull sh1tting on the budget available chatter.

The almost suicidal response from some about us not signing Dallas or a know striker.

The Jan window is just an exercise created by the market and authorities to move money around and get a few big money/news moves going, it makes no sense unless you’re an agent of course.

Lloyd and Emanuel have made a difference, many players who move throughout the game in January don’t so I reckon we’ve done ok to date out of it.

I think the main thing to come out of the transfer window was what's happened after - Lloyd and Emmanuel becoming mainstays and others hardly getting a look in is a clear message that if you come here and apply yourself in the right way you'll get rewarded with playing time (see the development of Khouri too for that matter).

If you're a player considering a move to town in the summer or as a loan deal next season it's clear that you won't just be making up the numbers as long as you're good enough/work hard enough.  I personally think that should help keep the prima-donnas and the workshy away and help to attract the kind of players we want/need.

I find it strange that Morris is getting picked over Hunt.
I think Hunt really does have potential to play higher, and will play a bigger part next season

The season feels done and dusted barring the cup, so i think it's a big few weeks for many to make a mark on the team

Hunt has come into the fold more and more as the seasons has gone on, I'm expecting him to continue to improve and begin to nail down a starting spot next season.

I had a brief exchange with a Cheltenham fan on TFF regarding Lloyd if anyone is interested...

[img]https://i.ibb.co/60zycHs/2023-03-15-12-44-39.png[/img]

Quoted from Son of Cod

Hunt has come into the fold more and more as the seasons has gone on, I'm expecting him to continue to improve and begin to nail down a starting spot next season.

I had a brief exchange with a Cheltenham fan on TFF regarding Lloyd if anyone is interested...

[img]https://i.ibb.co/60zycHs/2023-03-15-12-44-39.png[/img]

I like Lloyd.
If we have ambitions of the play-offs next season, is he good enough as a starter? I'm not so sure.
If we kept him as a squad player, and somehow managed to sign a goalscorer... Like Tshimanga who's averaged 10minutes a game since joining Peterbough, i would be happy.

P.s, i'm under the impression Tshimanga was the one that we was hours away from signing on deadline day, before Peterborough got involved

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

I like Lloyd.
If we have ambitions of the play-offs next season, is he good enough as a starter? I'm not so sure.
If we kept him as a squad player, and somehow managed to sign a goalscorer... Like Tshimanga who's averaged 10minutes a game since joining Peterbough, i would be happy.

P.s, i'm under the impression Tshimanga was the one that we was hours away from signing on deadline day, before Peterborough got involved

Lloyd is definitely good enough to start in L2 for me. 10 games, 3 goals and 3 assists and that doesn't even really paint the full picture. Has a superb workrate and attitude, very tidy, can run at players, good range of finishing. I don't see him as our main/sole option up top, but as one of a few options. He can operate in a two or a three as well as probably being able to do a job out wide and in an advanced midfield role. He'd be a great signing alongside someone in the Tshimanga ilk.

Dallas was the one we were close to signing in the window too, surely? Doubt we'd have even contemplated paying the fee required for Tshimanga.

Quoted from Son of Cod

Lloyd is definitely good enough to start in L2 for me. 10 games, 3 goals and 3 assists and that doesn't even really paint the full picture. Has a superb workrate and attitude, very tidy, can run at players, good range of finishing. I don't see him as our main/sole option up top, but as one of a few options. He can operate in a two or a three as well as probably being able to do a job out wide and in an advanced midfield role. He'd be a great signing alongside someone in the Tshimanga ilk.

Dallas was the one we were close to signing in the window too, surely? Doubt we'd have even contemplated paying the fee required for Tshimanga.

PH said we had someone on his way to the training ground to sign, then at the last minute, another club come in and he now plays in league 1

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

PH said we had someone on his way to the training ground to sign, then at the last minute, another club come in and he now plays in league 1

Ah yeah, that vaguely rings some kind of bell now you say it (terrible memory here!).

The remit is to TRY and improve every window, and for my money we did. Not by a huge amount, but a improvement all the same.

Results have been better lately for sure, and 2 of the signings are getting regular minutes, so that has to be a positive.

Three of the incoming five havnt even dented the first team so I would say it was 40% successful.
Which isn't a great hit rate.

Lloyd is 100% good enough for a top 7 league 2 side. I'd be delighted if we signed him

Reminds me of Paul Dickov- a rash for defenders but also quite able technically

Looking in from the outside I suspect the last window reinforced what we often hear. It’s harder to get what you want/get value for money in January. The lesson could be that it’s better to be a buyer in the summer and a seller in the winter windows. The best to be hoped for in January, unless you throw the chequebook at it, is to pick up players who’ve been discarded and have a point to prove.

Then again looking at our squad practically everyone in it came here with question marks and something to prove. I love that Hurst often gives underrated players another chance. Then it’s down to the player to take it.

I fully expect there to be L1 interest in Harry Clifton at the end of the season.

The one thing we usually ask about a Hurst signing is who is he, followed by is he any good and a number to fill the squad.

A few weeks later it's he brilliant where did he find him from, Hunt, Lloyd, Emmanuel etc. Of course, this is not the case for every signing but Hurst does manage to pull 1 or 2 rabbits out of the hat each transfer window.

Slowly and surely we are on the move with improvement in each transfer window.

Quoted from Son of Cod

Hunt has come into the fold more and more as the seasons has gone on, I'm expecting him to continue to improve and begin to nail down a starting spot next season.

I had a brief exchange with a Cheltenham fan on TFF regarding Lloyd if anyone is interested...

[img]https://i.ibb.co/60zycHs/2023-03-15-12-44-39.png[/img]

Reading the second part of that thread, we should forget blowing a slice of the FA Cup money on Lloyd if Charlie Brown’s available - we’d pick him up for peanuts.

Quoted from chaos33

I fully expect there to be L1 interest in Harry Clifton at the end of the season.

This :
-Stamina-excellent
-Technical ability -now adequate
-leadership -excellent
-Goal return -Excellent this season (maybe double figures)
-Positional adaptability -excellent
-Games played -excellent

He ticks a lot of boxes ,he could almost be a James Milner type higher up I think . I fully expect there to be interest and expect much will come down to how much is offered and if H wants a quicker route through than possible with us and finances on offer of course .

We have another one in Khouri who I fully expect to be a regular the season after next ,he has all the attributes to be a fine player ; think Hurst has recognised this as hes never been one to just throw kids in if they are not ready .

Neil Woods and Co are doing a great job as we are seeing 1 or 2 every season ,or every other season getting a decent run and staying involved within the first team .

Quoted from chaos33

I fully expect there to be L1 interest in Harry Clifton at the end of the season.

Was it a 3 year deal he signed last summer? Frightening to think that young kid isn't too far off his prime now and has clocked over 200 games for us.

How much would a League One team pay for someone like Clifton?

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Was it a 3 year deal he signed last summer? Frightening to think that young kid isn't too far off his prime now and has clocked over 200 games for us.

How much would a League One team pay for someone like Clifton?

2 year i think

Quoted from Mappers

2 year i think

Correct.

1 more season after this one.

Quoted from Mappers

This :
-Stamina-excellent
-Technical ability -now adequate
-leadership -excellent
-Goal return -Excellent this season (maybe double figures)
-Positional adaptability -excellent
-Games played -excellent

He ticks a lot of boxes ,he could almost be a James Milner type higher up I think . I fully expect there to be interest and expect much will come down to how much is offered and if H wants a quicker route through than possible with us and finances on offer of course .

We have another one in Khouri who I fully expect to be a regular the season after next ,he has all the attributes to be a fine player ; think Hurst has recognised this as hes never been one to just throw kids in if they are not ready .

Neil Woods and Co are doing a great job as we are seeing 1 or 2 every season ,or every other season getting a decent run and staying involved within the first team .

If Harry wasn't a local lad I think there would be little doubt he would depart for league 1 next season, unless we were in it. As he's local we maybe have a bit of a chance of keeping him. Although possibly somebody may offer us money that's too good to turn down for a player in the final year of his contract?

Quoted from Mappers

This :
-Stamina-excellent
-Technical ability -now adequate
-leadership -excellent
-Goal return -Excellent this season (maybe double figures)
-Positional adaptability -excellent
-Games played -excellent

He ticks a lot of boxes ,he could almost be a James Milner type higher up I think . I fully expect there to be interest and expect much will come down to how much is offered and if H wants a quicker route through than possible with us and finances on offer of course .

We have another one in Khouri who I fully expect to be a regular the season after next ,he has all the attributes to be a fine player ; think Hurst has recognised this as hes never been one to just throw kids in if they are not ready .

Neil Woods and Co are doing a great job as we are seeing 1 or 2 every season ,or every other season getting a decent run and staying involved within the first team .

He may tick a lot of YOUR boxes, but the question is, does he tick a lot of boxes for a League 1 Scout/Manager?

Quoted from 123614

He may tick a lot of YOUR boxes, but the question is, does he tick a lot of boxes for a League 1 Scout/Manager?

Word on the street is that H had interest from at least one league 1 team before he re-signed for us, apparently FGR which I could see as at the time their manager was the lad who was it Notts County last season so he would have had great insight into H’s qualities.

Jesse Debrah of Halifax might be another player we should be taking an interest in if Smith leaves us at the end of the season...  A young centre half who also plays for England C. We have done ok with Halifax players recently (Green and Mayer) so this might be another good move...

Quoted from aussiej

Jesse Debrah of Halifax might be another player we should be taking an interest in if Smith leaves us at the end of the season...  A young centre half who also plays for England C. We have done ok with Halifax players recently (Green and Mayer) so this might be another good move...

Smith Will leave he's only here on loan

Yeah I think a major concern this summer is keeping Clifton.  He attracted a fair bit of interest from his form in the Conference last season and by all accounts was very credible offers on the table from higher up the ladder, which we had to contend with.

This season, a league higher, I think he's improved again and is definitely our best player.  He's also done it under an increasing glare of the national spotlight thanks to the cup run and has since established himself as a mainstay in his preferred central position.

If somehow we kept hold of him this summer, I would love to see another extended contract signed.  Ultimately I'm resigned to the fact he'll leave at some point, obviously the length of the contract he has increases the fee we can command.

Definitely echo the nods towards Khouri, said for a while that he's got a bright future and I think he could be the one who could step into Clifton's shoes (if he departs).  But important to remember it took Harry a while to get going in the first team and it might the same for Khouri too.  I think the one advantage Khouri has at this stage of his development is that he seems more physical than Clifton did at the same age.

The actual transfer window - well we improved didn't we?  That's the whole idea and approach we've got.  Emmanuel is a definite improvement on, well we didn't really have anyone in that position.  I suppose if we're pushing on it you would say Cropper but it's not exactly like-for-like.  Lloyd has added something to our front-line that we didn't have before.  O'Neill is a tough one to judge because his debut aside he's not really had a chance down the middle.  Dickson-Peters, even less chance to impress really.

I get the viewpoint that the two significant improvements are only here for the short-term, but sometimes you need the short-term boost to get things moving in the long term.  I've stated before it wouldn't surprise me to see Emmanuel here beyond the summer, the same for Lloyd.  But even if they both aren't here in August, as long as we can either match or improve on what they've brought in the next window then that's part of the continual improvement.

Quoted from Hagrid

Smith Will leave he's only here on loan

We’ll need 2 CB’s in the close season as Shaun will also depart. I think PH will probably go the same route with 1 experienced lad and a youngster possibly again on loan from another club, Ghoudry might fit into that equation as well.

Depending on incomings over the river Andy Smith could be available for a fee but it would be a relatively sizeable one.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Word on the street is that H had interest from at least one league 1 team before he re-signed for us, apparently FGR which I could see as at the time their manager was the lad who was it Notts County last season so he would have had great insight into H’s qualities.

And i believe scunny (then of league 1) were sniffing around him when he signed the contract before the one he is currently on, hence why he had to be offered a 3 year deal at the time (4 years ago) to keep him - not something fenty would have done if he didn't have to!

Smith is a more doable deal than Emmanuel. The latter is in the prime of his career - he needs to be earning well and playing at the highest level possible. Not sure Smith would be a starter at League 1 level other than at a struggler, that we should be able to compete with the geography in our favour for a change.

I don't think I'd be that interested in Emmanuel. He'll be on a lot of money and obviously has ability, but he's only really stood out once or twice and has been anonymous on a few occasions as well. I suppose there is the possibility he'll develop some consistency as the season continues, and this would change my view - though it would also most likely get him a move higher up the leagues.

Is Harry under contract for another couple of seasons? If so, might reduce his 'desirability' for League One clubs. A lot of players move on without a fee in this day and age so you really need to want a player pay to sign him when he's under contract.

Quoted from Maringer

I don't think I'd be that interested in Emmanuel. He'll be on a lot of money and obviously has ability, but he's only really stood out once or twice and has been anonymous on a few occasions as well. I suppose there is the possibility he'll develop some consistency as the season continues, and this would change my view - though it would also most likely get him a move higher up the leagues.

Is Harry under contract for another couple of seasons? If so, might reduce his 'desirability' for League One clubs. A lot of players move on without a fee in this day and age so you really need to want a player pay to sign him when he's under contract.

Clifton has one more year after this one on his current deal. The players who have deals expiring at the end of the season are:
Crocombe
Battersby
Amos
Cropper
Emmanuel
Gallacher
Pearson
Goundry (but we have the option of a year)
Braithwaite
Bramwell
Morris
Wearne
Essell
Scannell
Taylor
Tomlinson

Plus the loanees obviously aren't contracted either.

Out of that list, you're probably only massively bothered about Crocombe, Emmanuel, Taylor and maybe Amos and Morris.

The players we're left with are:
Efete
Glennon
Maher
Waterfall
Clifton
Green
Holohan
Hunt
Khan
Khouri
Orsi

That's obviously a light list, but there's absolutely no dross in it whatsoever. I don't think there is dross in the current squad anyway, I'm using that word because how often do we go into a pre-season with no players contracted that we aren't happy with? You can go even further and say that the vast majority of that second list are key players and a superb starting off point for building a sqaud. I'd be offering deals to Crocombe, Smith, Emmanuel, Taylor and Lloyd. Amos and Morris I think we could perhaps find improvements there but they're both still solid and I'd happily see the re-sign as well.

What I will say about Emmanuel though, is that I agree in part with Maringer. I think he's good, but I think some of the praise lavished on him is a tad OTT. I wouldn't break the bank to keep him.

Clifton is in that annoying place that McAtee was in last season. Do we cash in this summer or do we lose him for a nominal fee the summer after (we'll get a small fee with him being homegrown I believe)? Personally, I'd spin the wheel and risk losing him for free the following summer. See if we can get promoted together and offer him L1 football in 2024/25. Whether or not he wants that or not will probably be the deciding factor. He's earnt a shot higher up and any other player in this squad his age and on the same level would be out the door, but hopefully the hometown factor will tug at his heartstrings and keep him in a Town shirt.

Quoted from Son of Cod

Clifton has one more year after this one on his current deal. The players who have deals expiring at the end of the season are:
Crocombe
Battersby
Amos
Cropper
Emmanuel
Gallacher
Pearson
Goundry (but we have the option of a year)
Braithwaite
Bramwell
Morris
Wearne
Essell
Scannell
Taylor
Tomlinson

Plus the loanees obviously aren't contracted either.

Out of that list, you're probably only massively bothered about Crocombe, Emmanuel, Taylor and maybe Amos and Morris.

The players we're left with are:
Efete
Glennon
Maher
Waterfall
Clifton
Green
Holohan
Hunt
Khan
Khouri
Orsi

That's obviously a light list, but there's absolutely no dross in it whatsoever. I don't think there is dross in the current squad anyway, I'm using that word because how often do we go into a pre-season with no players contracted that we aren't happy with? You can go even further and say that the vast majority of that second list are key players and a superb starting off point for building a sqaud. I'd be offering deals to Crocombe, Smith, Emmanuel, Taylor and Lloyd. Amos and Morris I think we could perhaps find improvements there but they're both still solid and I'd happily seem the re-sign as well.

What I will say about Emmanuel though, is that I agree in part with Maringer. I think he's good, but I think some of the praise lavished on him is a tad OTT. I wouldn't break the bank to keep him.

Clifton is in that annoying place that McAtee was in last season. Do we cash in this summer or do we lose him for a nominal fee the summer after (we'll get a small fee with him being homegrown I believe)? Personally, I'd spin the wheel and risk losing him for free the following summer. See if we can get promoted together and offer him L1 football in 2024/25. Whether or not he wants that or not will probably be the deciding factor. He's earnt a shot higher up and any other player in this squad his age and on the same level would be out the door, but hopefully the hometown factor will tug at his heartstrings and keep him in a Town shirt.

Only 1 I'd like to see us keep is Crocombe and Emmanuel. Depending on their wage size I'd try keep Amos and Pearson

Quoted from lukeo

Only 1 I'd like to see us keep is Crocombe and Emmanuel. Depending on their wage size I'd try keep Amos and Pearson

Yeah, because that makes sense.

Can you count by the way?  

Quoted from Son of Cod

Clifton has one more year after this one on his current deal. The players who have deals expiring at the end of the season are:
Crocombe
Battersby
Amos
Cropper
Emmanuel
Gallacher
Pearson
Goundry (but we have the option of a year)
Braithwaite
Bramwell
Morris
Wearne
Essell
Scannell
Taylor
Tomlinson

Plus the loanees obviously aren't contracted either.

Out of that list, you're probably only massively bothered about Crocombe, Emmanuel, Taylor and maybe Amos and Morris.

The players we're left with are:
Efete
Glennon
Maher
Waterfall
Clifton
Green
Holohan
Hunt
Khan
Khouri
Orsi

That's obviously a light list, but there's absolutely no dross in it whatsoever. I don't think there is dross in the current squad anyway, I'm using that word because how often do we go into a pre-season with no players contracted that we aren't happy with? You can go even further and say that the vast majority of that second list are key players and a superb starting off point for building a sqaud. I'd be offering deals to Crocombe, Smith, Emmanuel, Taylor and Lloyd. Amos and Morris I think we could perhaps find improvements there but they're both still solid and I'd happily seem the re-sign as well.

What I will say about Emmanuel though, is that I agree in part with Maringer. I think he's good, but I think some of the praise lavished on him is a tad OTT. I wouldn't break the bank to keep him.

Clifton is in that annoying place that McAtee was in last season. Do we cash in this summer or do we lose him for a nominal fee the summer after (we'll get a small fee with him being homegrown I believe)? Personally, I'd spin the wheel and risk losing him for free the following summer. See if we can get promoted together and offer him L1 football in 2024/25. Whether or not he wants that or not will probably be the deciding factor. He's earnt a shot higher up and any other player in this squad his age and on the same level would be out the door, but hopefully the hometown factor will tug at his heartstrings and keep him in a Town shirt.

Emmanuel has looked very good but certainly not as 'above the level' as Connor Townsend did when he was playing with us in NL. Townsend was absolutely running some games from the left back position.

I still think league 1 clubs will at least be willing to offer emmanuel a 1 year deal tho. I suppose our chance would be if nobody in league 1 was willing to give him a multi year deal and we were, it's a slim chance though.

When we signed Emanuel I personally didn't think we would see the very best of him, before he signed for us he had not played a competitive game in well over a year, yes he was playing for Hull under 23s but that's not the same is it, he has shown glimpses of the talent he clearly has but that is all, he might not show his best until next season at another club with a full pre season behind him as i don't think be will be here next season.

I would love for him to show his very best on Sunday!