2025 Summer Transfer Thread. 😂

[Ossydave]

6 hours ago, NeilInBristol said:

Equally worried about this guy

do Scottish league players ever do well in the championship? ? 
hedges hasn’t exactly been fantastic and he was doing ok up there

The pursuit of Hedges was always very weird, we were after him for months on end. He did ok in Scotland, just ok though, not enough for us to be desperate to sign him! I can't actually believe he's only been here 3 years either, feels like an eternity, probably 1 of few contract extentions nobody was arsed about us triggering, but we did.

I do find it very odd though how many people are saying with absolute certainty that Miller is a downgrade on Brittain without even seeing him play.

[philipl]

Hedges now replaces Dolan for the misery guts who get high on moaning.

Or perhaps not as I am seriously worried by McLouhlin and the other summer signings based on their (non) performance pre-season.

Hedges has been a serviceable Championship player for us but sadly has proved Welsh management right correct in not selecting him for a seriously underwhelming Welsh squad of players and opted for L1 and L2 plodders instead.

If he is a regular starter this season then we really have had a dud of a summer window.

 

[oldjamfan1]

10 hours ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

Is this Miller any good?

He could be a very decent championship player based on what I’ve seen of him, albeit in the dog and duck league*. He’s steady, hard working, good in the air and reasonably robust, with a long throw. 
*Disclaimer - Ryan Hedges didn’t look shit in the same league. 

Edited 15 hours ago by oldjamfan1

[KentExile]

In order to maintain 4 esc slots after this season, English qualifying players (EQP) would need to play in at least 35% of minutes in the Championship for Rovers this season.  This equates to a little under 16000 minutes.  Any less, and the number of allocated esc slots will drop. 

This may be an issue.  Following the departure of Brittain, Dolan, Batth etc and with seemingly Pickering & Pears no longer being regular starters, as I only see Travis & Cantwell as "guaranteed"  English qualifying starters, So even if they both remain & play in every single minute of every single Championship game, that is only just over half of these minutes (8280 minutes) & if either of those leave, they are likely to be replaced by an non qualifying player.

Whilst some of those remaining minutes will be covered by subs./rotation etc (Carter, Wharton, Pickering, Forshaw, Tyjon, Alebiosu etc), This may be an extra reason why Gestede was so interested in increasing the minutes for U21 players (who are in the main English qualifying), as not doing so will derail any future transfer plans and leave them having to shop in more expensive (British & those who qualify for work permits automatically) markets

* Obviously this makes the rather precarious assumption that Rovers consider events at least a year in the future

** If we have 4 ESC players but our number of slots is then reduced, we can still keep those 4 ESC players (thank you WilsdenRover), although if we sell/convert them, we cannot replace those slots until our minutes are back up to the required levels

 

https://analyticsfc.co.uk/blog/2023/06/21/introducing-esc-the-new-gbe-guidance-opens-up-recruitment-post-brexit/

2024/25 onwards Criteria

However, from this season onwards clubs will be able to plan for the number of ESC slots that they have, with the possibility that they could only have one if the number of minutes for EQP is lower than 20%.

	Number of available ESC places
Weighted EQP minutes %	Premier League	Championship	League One	League Two
>= 35%	4	4	2	2
>= 30%	3	3	1	1
>= 25%	2	2	–	–
>= 20%	1	1	–	–

Edited 14 hours ago by KentExile

[RoversClitheroe]

49 minutes ago, philipl said:

Hedges now replaces Dolan for the misery guts who get high on moaning.

Or perhaps not as I am seriously worried by McLouhlin and the other summer signings based on their (non) performance pre-season.

Hedges has been a serviceable Championship player for us but sadly has proved Welsh management right correct in not selecting him for a seriously underwhelming Welsh squad of players and opted for L1 and L2 plodders instead.

If he is a regular starter this season then we really have had a dud of a summer window.

 

Speaks volumes that league 1 players get selected ahead of him in the Wales setup

[wilsdenrover]

31 minutes ago, KentExile said:

In order to maintain 4 esc slots after this season, English qualifying players (EQP) would need to play in at least 35% of minutes in the Championship for Rovers this season.  This equates to a little under 16000 minutes.  Any less, and the number of allocated esc slots will drop. 

This may be an issue.  Following the departure of Brittain, Dolan, Batth etc and with seemingly Pickering & Pears no longer being regular starters, as I only see Travis & Cantwell as "guaranteed"  English qualifying starters, So even if they both remain & play in every single minute of every single Championship game, that is only just over half of these minutes (8280 minutes) & if either of those leave, they are likely to be replaced by an non qualifying player.

Whilst some of those remaining minutes will be covered by subs./rotation etc (Carter, Wharton, Pickering, Forshaw, Alebiosu etc), This may be an extra reason why Gestede was so interested in increasing the minutes for U21 players (who are in the main English qualifying), as not doing so will derail any future transfer plans and leave them having to shop in more expensive (British & those who qualify for work permits automatically) markets

* Obviously this makes the rather precarious assumption that Rovers consider events at least a year in the future

 

https://analyticsfc.co.uk/blog/2023/06/21/introducing-esc-the-new-gbe-guidance-opens-up-recruitment-post-brexit/

2024/25 onwards Criteria

However, from this season onwards clubs will be able to plan for the number of ESC slots that they have, with the possibility that they could only have one if the number of minutes for EQP is lower than 20%.

	Number of available ESC places
Weighted EQP minutes %	Premier League	Championship	League One	League Two
>= 35%	4	4	2	2
>= 30%	3	3	1	1
>= 25%	2	2	–	–
>= 20%	1	1	–	–

Just for completeness…

If we have 4 ESC players but our number of slots is then reduced, we can still keep those 4 ESC players.

[KentExile]

1 minute ago, wilsdenrover said:

Just for completeness…

If we have 4 ESC players but our number of slots is then reduced, we can still keep those 4 ESC players.

Thanks 🙂 

Yes we do, have amended my post 

[Emerald Isle Rover]

17 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Speaks volumes that league 1 players get selected ahead of him in the Wales setup

That means nothing and certainly in his position/s isn’t true - don’t think hedges is v good myself steady player who can do a job (just not the one that we need) but using international call ups isn’t the best barometer 

[RoversClitheroe]

8 minutes ago, Emerald Isle Rover said:

That means nothing and certainly in his position/s isn’t true - don’t think hedges is v good myself steady player who can do a job (just not the one that we need) but using international call ups isn’t the best barometer 

A league 1 player getting called up ahead of him is surely a barometer? 

[roversfan99]

2 hours ago, Ossydave said:

The pursuit of Hedges was always very weird, we were after him for months on end. He did ok in Scotland, just ok though, not enough for us to be desperate to sign him! I can't actually believe he's only been here 3 years either, feels like an eternity, probably 1 of few contract extentions nobody was arsed about us triggering, but we did.

I do find it very odd though how many people are saying with absolute certainty that Miller is a downgrade on Brittain without even seeing him play.

Brittain was right up there with the best in the league in that position so it is unlikely that any replacement would be as good.

[Jimmy612]

I probably see Miller as the most sensible signing of the summer, along with probably McLoughlin which seems a bit of a no brainer given his Champ experience.  Okay, SPL isn’t the pinnacle of global football, but Hibs have progressed well in recent years. He’s a good age and it seems a good price given his contract situation.
 

He obviously offers versatility given his ability to play two positions, BUT I do sometimes wonder whether that can become a bit of a Jack of all trades situation. Other than Berg, how many players have we had over the years that have really excelled at CB and FB? Maybe Mulgrew, but I didn’t have him down as a good LB really. He came in to his own when he moved to CB. 

On paper, I think this is a decent signing. But like always, that opinion could change dramatically in the next 10 months. He’s also replacing one of our standout players from last season, which is another matter entirely. 
 

 

[Emerald Isle Rover]

32 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

A league 1 player getting called up ahead of him is surely a barometer? 

What a centre midfielder? Hedges doesn’t play there 

he’s competing for spots with Roberts / Thomas / brooks / Davies / matondo / Williams / James 

any of those on the wing back/forward roles left or right - not centre mid 

[NeilInBristol]

8 hours ago, Eddie said:

Eyal Berkovic did quite well for us. 

We could also run through a long list of players who have left the SPL who we'd be delighted to sign. I know the question is direct SPL to Championship, but there's lots of talent in Scotland. 

Yeh good shout he was good tbf

 

yeh agreed I’m not talking specifically Scottish league players to championship because there are a number but i was thinking more us buying players from there hasn’t traditionally good for us but Eyal was quality 

[NeilInBristol]

22 minutes ago, Jimmy612 said:

I probably see Miller as the most sensible signing of the summer,

 

. He’s also replacing one of our standout players from last season, which is another matter entirely. 
 

 

Hopefully not replacing 

Britain is one of the best RBs in the league 

Miller seems to be a right footed CB and done better there but can operate at rwb

or rb

agree 

let’s see how it unfolds, I note he is already injured 

[bluebruce]

2 minutes ago, NeilInBristol said:

Yeh good shout he was good tbf

 

yeh agreed I’m not talking specifically Scottish league players to championship because there are a number but i was thinking more us buying players from there hasn’t traditionally good for us but Eyal was quality 

Tugay

[KentExile]

7 minutes ago, NeilInBristol said:

Hopefully not replacing 

Britain is one of the best RBs in the league 

Miller seems to be a right footed CB and done better there but can operate at rwb

or rb

agree 

let’s see how it unfolds, I note he is already injured 

He will be playing right back

Watch his interview, specifically mentions getting forward at every opportunity up and down the line

What is maybe in question is his delivery once he is forwards

Edited 13 hours ago by KentExile

[KentExile]

28 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

Tugay

I think you just won the internet today

Edited 13 hours ago by KentExile

[Hasta]

9 hours ago, BRFC4EVA said:

I was a big fan of Davidson. Thought he was an excellent left back. Am I miss remembering as I would have been 11 when he signed in 1998?

Was OK. Probably a decent championship left back but ultimately one of Brain Kidd's rubber dinghy men in the relegation season.

I suppose he was on a bit of a hiding to nothing being brought in to replace Le Saux.

[GHD]

9 hours ago, NeilInBristol said:

Equally worried about this guy

do Scottish league players ever do well in the championship? ? 
hedges hasn’t exactly been fantastic and he was doing ok up there

Colin Hendry

[BigHoz]

Championships looking quite strong as a whole, Derby Birmingham Wrexham strengthened well so far, hull seem to be doing a good few bits considering their under an embargo, looks like it’s going to be a rough ride, unless these unknowns turn out to be good signings, but looking at it as a whole as it stands we’re one of not many teams to go into the new season weaker than last. 

[wilsdenrover]

26 minutes ago, KentExile said:

I think you just won the internet today

Ahem…

[KentExile]

4 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

Ahem…

In all fairness, the question was do players the Scottish league ever do well in England

Fair to say that Tugay might have been the best of those, (maybe Van Dijk runs him close?)

The fact that 95% of players from the Scottish league are not particularly good doesn't change that

 

Edited 13 hours ago by KentExile

[wilsdenrover]

1 minute ago, KentExile said:

In all fairness, the question was do players the Scottish league ever do well in England

Fair to say that Tugay might have been the best of those

The fact that 95% of players from the Scottish league are not particularly good doesn't change that

 

My post might not have been entirely serious 😁

[bluebruce]

2 minutes ago, KentExile said:

In all fairness, the question was do players the Scottish league ever do well in England

Fair to say that Tugay might have been the best of those

The fact that 95% of players from the Scottish league are not particularly good doesn't change that

 

I think he was just joking that Amaruso was in the same category

[KentExile]

Just now, wilsdenrover said:

My post might not have been entirely serious 😁

In which case, I blame a lack of coffee, and your mind being sharpened by watching Indian court case drama