The best example to use to see whether this is true is Stewart Downing. Came in 2019 just turning 35 and played at times in CM and at times out wide (where pace is more important). No uproar. Some questions asked about whether he still had it (which I'm pretty sure were also asked when we signed Hughes), but I certainly wouldn't say uproar. People had different views on him as with all players, but overall he was deemed to do a pretty good job in that first season by most, when he was an almost ever present playing 41 league games. I think it's clear, it depends on the player not just their age. There'll always be question marks over players of more advanced ages, but no uproar unless they've also been shit in recent years or have abysmal injury records, and some will work out, some won't.

Armstrong is only 5 ft 8.

Leonard to a Championship side on loan would be very stupid, even if we sign another striker. Not only does it reduce our depth in a position we are light, but it would likely go the way of Buckley to Sheff W - at best. Truthfully he'd probably play a lot less than that. If he does go out on loan (after we sign someone else) it has to be League One for regular football. Anywhere else would be a waste of time. Unless the Championship club are buying of course, in which case you'd have to consider fair offers.

I'm not sure we'd even notice that tbh.

What won't? The flexi ticket? It's literally happening.

That gives us a total 42.9% chance of finishing in the top 6. Which would probably be a fair shout based purely on the data from the season so far. What Opta of course can't factor in is Venkys fucking us in this window whilst other teams strengthen.

??

Probably had what, two good games for us?

Some of JDT's failings with the team came down to tactical obstinacy. He was shafted in the market, we all know that, but the team was still capable of more than it was delivering in his later matches. Lost his way or got pissed off and behaved as unprofessionally as the ownership, whatever way you slice it things weren't working out anymore and I couldn't fail to acknowledge that in making my point. I liked JDT. Some fans have a far less positive image of him than I'm presenting.

I very much fear if we lost Eustace. The last two appointments have been good tbf, even though JDT eventually lost his way. But we know from experience we usually recruit cheap plodders and that can't work out too often. This squad, IMO, is equally as capable of entering a relegation dogfight under the wrong manager as it is of competing for the playoffs under the right one.

Reading between the lines, the LT article suggested there was something in the Schlupp one. But I'd imagine too much (any) competition will rule us out.

Might be a relief to have one less competition tbh, given how many we're in and with half the squad off on loan...

74 minutes in, 1-1. Our goal from Harrison Wood (17th minute), theirs from veteran 36 year old Ched Evans (59th minute). I see they've also got Patrick Bauer playing, but the rest of their starters are all 19 or younger.

Total side note, but this weird non league structure made me curious about how AFC Darwen were doing these days, so I took a look at their league and got momentarily confused...there's an Ashton Athletic there, so I thought I was looking at the 7th tier again...but there's also an Ashton Town there. And of course the 7th tier has Ashton United. It seems Ashton really excels at producing crap football clubs...or so I thought. The 7th tier sides are in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Ashton United are in Ashton-under-Lyne. Both come under Greater Manchester apparently but they're 28 miles apart. Not a lot of originality in naming going on between the Ashtons and the numerous Premier Leagues, maybe the same people named them all!

I'm pretty sure that's what it is. Well, more along the lines of the leagues taking branding decisions to sound as impressive as they can. Which seems a vain pursuit, somebody isn't going to move to a lower league because it has a shinier name (especially when all the leagues have shiny names!).

Tbh, I'd thought he was already playing in the 6th tier due to the confusing names, but clearly it's the 7th (not sure how Macclesfield managed to fall so low, I'm sure that's a whole story). So I think he could definitely do to move up at least a level.

When everything is Premier, nothing is Premier.

Ah I thought Hyde were in the 6th tier...I see now, Northern Premier League is below the National League North....they really should've picked better names for all these leagues.

Todd Kane (31) and Dominic Samuel (30) playing for the mighty Ebbsfleet. We've had some crap through the doors... Then again Kane was playing (a bit of) Championship football just two seasons ago, and fairly regularly three seasons ago. He has also graced the Eredivisie and played quite a few fairly full Championship seasons. He spent quite a bit of last season in Gibraltar though, then got a brief deal (from March) at Stockport at the tail end. Samuel managed 3 goals in 22 League One games for Gillingham after leaving us, then 1 goal in 39 SPL appearances for Ross County, who released him. 6 goals in 23 for Ebbsfleet last season, 1 in 5 this season. Probably found his level, and he's not even shining there (although Ebbsfleet do appear to be shit so he might not get many chances).

It's pretty pathetic that at age 23, the best Jordan Eastham can do is the 7th tier. I believe he was in the 6th tier last season? So only going backwards. Contract is up in the summer, surely he'll be released. Goddard came with a good reputation from City (then again so did Davenport, currently plying his trade in Ireland at 26 years old) so I did think he might be further along by now. Not too late though, 5th tier at 20 isn't shameful and it's hard to get League Two teams and above to take a risk on young goalkeepers. Ebbsfleet are rock bottom and have shipped 60 goals, so he'll definitely get lots of practice!

Dolan? I thought we were talking about Siggy.

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2025/january/07/doherty-shortlisted-for-december-award/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3JXHfKEHOqmY0Xx2l0pldYt8zkzn0BdqITwHafOG9LSLcuMUvv7eQm_aI_aem_uZrKjDGLr0EqihuB3Uv1Bw

Oh I must have misread, I could have sworn I'd seen something saying it was a two year extension. Hopefully they get him tied up for longer once he's 18.

From what I read it sounded like loans. Just that they'd have to stump up more money (loan fee, maybe wage contribution) for Leicester to see it as worthwhile. Leicester apparently want 7 million for him. I could see Luton doing that with their parachute money, they're not going back up but they should have the funds and that's probably a decent deal for a 22 year old with a nearly 1 in 2 goals record at this level. Likely get their money back or with profit in a few years if they want. Luton seem to do things on the cheap though, even when they went up. I doubt Sheff W have that much spare cash. We should do, but of course we don't. I'd be trying to offer what Islander said, a loan with a guaranteed purchase if we go up.

It's strange he's never been (as far as I can remember) tried as a striker. His all round game is poor but I bet he'd be a decent poacher.