Transfer News January 2021/22 Transfer Window

[werthersoriginal]

Thanks for sharing that. I always had Maddison down as a really talented but thoroughly nasty piece of work. Comes across here as a sensitive, insecure kid without any coping strategies. Probably the same for a lot of troubled young men behind the surface I guess.

Like you I thought he was a really good player but quite arrogant and sometimes nasty - I didn't expect he'd be a sensitive guy. It was interesting what he said about not liking the dressing room environment of lads, lads, lads, as he seemed cocky and laddish when I've seen him play. Not sure if this is right, but I get the impression that the OUFC environment is a bit more thoughtful and less laddish than some? (He should have joined us!).

 

[Yellow and Blue Army]

Sheffield Wednesday sign Tyreece John-Jules on loan from Arsenal. Would’ve been an interesting one to have here, definitely different to the other striking options we have

 

[WEYellow]

Sheffield Wednesday sign Tyreece John-Jules on loan from Arsenal. Would’ve been an interesting one to have here, definitely different to the other striking options we have

Seems to have followed Darren Moore around during his career. Not too prolific and after watching on Saturday, not sure forwards are a position Sheff W needed to strengthen!

 

[tonyw]

I am the only one who thinks that the notion of paying $650k for Cole Stockton is nuts?

The guy is about to turn 28, and he's having the first good season of his career. So zero potential sell-on value, and a big chance that he's a mediocre player who's suddenly hit a golden patch of form.

I get that we are now owned by some very wealthy men - but I'm not yet convinced that they're Abrahamovich/Ryan Reynolds-style sugar daddies that are content to blow their cash on a football club just for fun. And until we know that they are (and would be willing to write off what they're owed in the future) I would rather our debt does not get up to absurd levels. Especially when the new stadium (which is utterly essential for the club to grow sustainably) is still just a gleam in our eyes.

Which means that we should be continuing to follow the model that's worked for the best part of a decade now - if we're going to buy, buy younger high potential players that might be a bit green, but can contribute now and could also be worth a bundle in the future.

Don't splash an OUFC record transfer fee on an late-middle career striker who might be a one season wonder!
If we do that, it implies to me that a) we're desperate, and b) our scouting and recruitment networks that have been so, so good in recent years at identifying future stars must be drying up.........

 

[Brahma]

@Scotchegg I found my post funny, I found your reply funnier. Keep smiling. Only joking.

 

[WuTang]

I am the only one who thinks that the notion of paying $650k for Cole Stockton is nuts f*cking massive?

Fixed it!

 

[tatabanya]

I am the only one who thinks that the notion of paying $650k for Cole Stockton is nuts?

The guy is about to turn 28, and he's having the first good season of his career. So zero potential sell-on value, and a big chance that he's a mediocre player who's suddenly hit a golden patch of form.

I get that we are now owned by some very wealthy men - but I'm not yet convinced that they're Abrahamovich/Ryan Reynolds-style sugar daddies that are content to blow their cash on a football club just for fun. And until we know that they are (and would be willing to write off what they're owed in the future) I would rather our debt does not get up to absurd levels. Especially when the new stadium (which is utterly essential for the club to grow sustainably) is still just a gleam in our eyes.

Which means that we should be continuing to follow the model that's worked for the best part of a decade now - if we're going to buy, buy younger high potential players that might be a bit green, but can contribute now and could also be worth a bundle in the future.

Don't splash an OUFC record transfer fee on an late-middle career striker who might be a one season wonder!
If we do that, it implies to me that a) we're desperate, and b) our scouting and recruitment networks that have been so, so good in recent years at identifying future stars must be drying up.........

I don't disagree with the sentiment of your post but

a) He had a very good season in L2 last season
b) Not right re sell-on value. Say he comes, we get promoted and in a year's time he had 20 goals for Oxford then he would be worth far more. He's 27, not 37.

 

[windmill]

I am the only one who thinks that the notion of paying $650k for Cole Stockton is nuts?

The guy is about to turn 28, and he's having the first good season of his career. So zero potential sell-on value, and a big chance that he's a mediocre player who's suddenly hit a golden patch of form.

I get that we are now owned by some very wealthy men - but I'm not yet convinced that they're Abrahamovich/Ryan Reynolds-style sugar daddies that are content to blow their cash on a football club just for fun. And until we know that they are (and would be willing to write off what they're owed in the future) I would rather our debt does not get up to absurd levels. Especially when the new stadium (which is utterly essential for the club to grow sustainably) is still just a gleam in our eyes.

Which means that we should be continuing to follow the model that's worked for the best part of a decade now - if we're going to buy, buy younger high potential players that might be a bit green, but can contribute now and could also be worth a bundle in the future.

Don't splash an OUFC record transfer fee on an late-middle career striker who might be a one season wonder!
If we do that, it implies to me that a) we're desperate, and b) our scouting and recruitment networks that have been so, so good in recent years at identifying future stars must be drying up.........

Quite agree. He might have scored at the Kassam...but it was only a tap in

 

[WEYellow]

I am the only one who thinks that the notion of paying $650k for Cole Stockton is nuts?

The guy is about to turn 28, and he's having the first good season of his career. So zero potential sell-on value, and a big chance that he's a mediocre player who's suddenly hit a golden patch of form.

I get that we are now owned by some very wealthy men - but I'm not yet convinced that they're Abrahamovich/Ryan Reynolds-style sugar daddies that are content to blow their cash on a football club just for fun. And until we know that they are (and would be willing to write off what they're owed in the future) I would rather our debt does not get up to absurd levels. Especially when the new stadium (which is utterly essential for the club to grow sustainably) is still just a gleam in our eyes.

Which means that we should be continuing to follow the model that's worked for the best part of a decade now - if we're going to buy, buy younger high potential players that might be a bit green, but can contribute now and could also be worth a bundle in the future.

Don't splash an OUFC record transfer fee on an late-middle career striker who might be a one season wonder!
If we do that, it implies to me that a) we're desperate, and b) our scouting and recruitment networks that have been so, so good in recent years at identifying future stars must be drying up.........

I can see why you may think that, but we're not in a position to wait for these players to turn green. We're in a great position in the table and the best we've had in years, the league is relatively open and there is still a chance albeit a small chance we will get autos this year.

Stockton is match fit, bang in form and attracting interest from higher up. He frightened the life out of our defenders when we played Morecambe and scored a goal which Lewandowski would be jealous of, he also provides the 'Plan B' of a targetman and someone to get on the end of Cadden's crossing. Also allows us to switch to a 2 up front and I can guarantee a front 2 of Stockton and Taylor is one that would give defenders nightmares.

I love the ambition shown from the board if the rumours are true and also the temptation to go for the big name in Defoe is seemingly being ignored for the form man in Stockton.

Another thing is, if he has a poor 6 months here it won't effect his market value too much and we could recoup most if not all of the money we're paying for him

 

[werthersoriginal]

Quite agree. He might have scored at the Kassam...but it was only a tap in

I remember Manny Omoniymi scored the goal of the season against us for Gillingham at the Manor, so we were excited when we signed him. But he was rubbish!

 

[Scotchegg]

£650k for Stockton seems huge, but it will be nothing if he gets the goals that get us promotion. I said after we played them in October that he did nothing but scored an absolute screamer. Even coming on for 25/30 minutes at the end of games could see him get 8/9 goals. And if they're the difference between losing and getting a draw, or drawing and getting all 3 points they could make all the difference. As for resale value, who knows? If he gets 25+ goals this season and another 20 by next January with us in the Championship, then his value could be tenfold what we pay. Even if we don't sell him on but he gets 70 goals over a 3 1/2 year contract then he's still super cheap.

 

[WuTang]

Any "ITK" posters have any updates regarding Stockton? Feel like it's too good to be true...

 

[dickwalton1964]

I am the only one who thinks that the notion of paying $650k for Cole Stockton is nuts?

The guy is about to turn 28, and he's having the first good season of his career. So zero potential sell-on value, and a big chance that he's a mediocre player who's suddenly hit a golden patch of form.

I get that we are now owned by some very wealthy men - but I'm not yet convinced that they're Abrahamovich/Ryan Reynolds-style sugar daddies that are content to blow their cash on a football club just for fun. And until we know that they are (and would be willing to write off what they're owed in the future) I would rather our debt does not get up to absurd levels. Especially when the new stadium (which is utterly essential for the club to grow sustainably) is still just a gleam in our eyes.

Which means that we should be continuing to follow the model that's worked for the best part of a decade now - if we're going to buy, buy younger high potential players that might be a bit green, but can contribute now and could also be worth a bundle in the future.

Don't splash an OUFC record transfer fee on an late-middle career striker who might be a one season wonder!
If we do that, it implies to me that a) we're desperate, and b) our scouting and recruitment networks that have been so, so good in recent years at identifying future stars must be drying up.........

I think this is what you call evolution. If we are serious about being a top 30 club in the coming years then at some point we have to start acting like a big club and big clubs spend big money on big players and right now Stockton is certainly one of the biggest in League 1. The model that, thus far, has served us well hasn't though got us to the promised land of The Championship and you'd think signing a player like this is as big a statement of intent from Oxford as I'd have seen in the past, maybe, 25 years. When have we ever been in the market for the leading scorer of the division we are playing in ? John Aldridge perhaps but I'm pretty sure Newport were the league below at the time.

Young, aspiring loanees get you so far but we need the real deal and if the owners are prepared to back Robinson with a purchase like this then it's fantastic news for the fans , not to mention exciting to be seen as a serious player in this league rather than just little old Oxford buying, selling and striving to over achieve to maybe knock on the door of the play offs.

Don't criticise it, embrace it is what we should be doing and hopefully welcoming a new era where we are in for the best we can get.

 

[tonyw]

I don't disagree with the sentiment of your post but

a) He had a very good season in L2 last season
b) Not right re sell-on value. Say he comes, we get promoted and in a year's time he had 20 goals for Oxford then he would be worth far more. He's 27, not 37.

a) He scored 15 goals in 49 appearances last season in a promotion-winning side. That's a James Constable level of output.
Now I love Beano as much as the next man, but there's no way I would have suggested that he was better than an average League Two striker.
And that is the limit of what Stockton has been, until this year

b) Both you and Scotchegg have used this # - if he has scored 20 goals for us in the Championship by this time next year, then yes he'll be worth a lot more.
But only two people have scored 20 goals in the Championship so far this season.....a Serbian international (Mitrovic) and a Chilean international (Brereton). That's an absurd level of expectation for the guy. Remember, Matty Taylor couldn't score at Championship level. Does everyone think, based on one cracker at the Kassam, that Stockton is an order of magnitude better than him?!?

 

[GreenMachine]

Yeah, in the same shape as Akinfenwa due to inactivity. We could roll him on with 10 minutes to go.

You would literally be rolling me on as I can't run.

 

[theWizard]

Worst day of pressing re-fresh web page ever!

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Worst day of pressing re-fresh web page ever!

Since?…… yesterday?

 

[bazzer9461]

the only one who thinks that the notion of paying $650k for Cole Stockton is nuts?

The guy is about to turn 28, and he's having the first good season of his career. So zero potential sell-on value, and a big chance that he's a mediocre player who's suddenly hit a golden patch of form.

I get that we are now owned by some very wealthy men - but I'm not yet convinced that they're Abrahamovich/Ryan Reynolds-style sugar daddies that are content to blow their cash on a football club just for fun. And until we know that they are (and would be willing to write off what they're owed in the future) I would rather our debt does not get up to absurd levels. Especially when the new stadium (which is utterly essential for the club to grow sustainably) is still just a gleam in our eyes.

Which means that we should be continuing to follow the model that's worked for the best part of a decade now - if we're going to buy, buy younger high potential players that might be a bit green, but can contribute now and could also be worth a bundle in the future.

Don't splash an OUFC record transfer fee on an late-middle career striker who might be a one season wonder!
If we do that, it implies to me that a) we're desperate, and b) our scouting and recruitment networks that have been so, so good in recent years at identifying future stars must be drying up.........

Wasn’t 650k paid for Marvin Johnson?

 

[Leysboy]

Worst day of pressing re-fresh web page ever!

Stop doing it to yourself.

I’m very confident of 3 signings at least, Just a little patience needed.

 

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

I think this is what you call evolution. If we are serious about being a top 30 club in the coming years then at some point we have to start acting like a big club and big clubs spend big money on big players and right now Stockton is certainly one of the biggest in League 1. The model that, thus far, has served us well hasn't though got us to the promised land of The Championship and you'd think signing a player like this is as big a statement of intent from Oxford as I'd have seen in the past, maybe, 25 years. When have we ever been in the market for the leading scorer of the division we are playing in ? John Aldridge perhaps but I'm pretty sure Newport were the league below at the time.

Young, aspiring loanees get you so far but we need the real deal and if the owners are prepared to back Robinson with a purchase like this then it's fantastic news for the fans , not to mention exciting to be seen as a serious player in this league rather than just little old Oxford buying, selling and striving to over achieve to maybe knock on the door of the play offs.

Don't criticise it, embrace it is what we should be doing and hopefully welcoming a new era where we are in for the best we can get.

Aldridge had 20 goals in 28 games in the same Division and 70 in 170 games overall.
Aged 26 and a cracking signing ( followed by Billy Hamilton in the summer )