Transfer Window January 2024 Transfer Window Thread

[Symp59]

A center forward today would be great , another video please

 

[Northernyellow]

I'd have Sam Smith, although I'm sure plenty wouldn't. Obviously a w****r but a very good player who would improve us and Nick Harris would probably be ok with his name.

Otherwise Femi Azeez has 4 goals and 6 assists playing for a crap team and is only 22, he'd be worth an ask. Absolutely ripped Brown to shreds in the first half when we played them and has scored a few since then, looks a really good player at a good age.

I'd take Sam Smith in a heartbeat. Scores goals in poor teams, leads the line well, always winding up defenders. A Jamie Mackie with legs. He goaded us in the same way Maguire wound up Swindon, so I think I can get over it

 

[Paul Cannell]

I hope we sign Smith.

 

[oufc1991]

Yep would definitely take Sam Smith maybe we could use kips 400k to get him also azeez isn't a bad shout

 

[Obstructed view]

Your phrase that "at least we're not padding out the bench with academy players" prompts me to ask what are the prospects of any of our current academy players becoming members of the first team squad. Now I accept that many,probably the majority,of the current cohort will not achieve a career as a professional player in the EFL and will fall by the wayside. But there must be some who will, otherwise the undoubtedly expensive exercise of running an Academy has no purpose. I would like to be told who the club expect will make the grade and in what time scale we can expect to see them in the first team squad.

That would never happen as its quite counter productive to their development.

In the older ages I still think Golding has the potential to make a good professional career, Obviously Gatlin only just turned 19 could kick on with a good loan move, Elliott-Wheeler is only 17 and in his second season in mens football so obviously has a chance. Below that there are some really good prospects (some playing age group international football) and most weekends many premier league clubs scouting players. I would expect by the start of the 25/26 season circa 5 or 6 of the first team squad will have come through the academy


Obviously not the primary purpose of the academy but in the past year alone it has brought in circa as much money as would be required to purchase J C-H in player sales from the younger ages. Those sales are 100% profit from an accounting purpose, whereas academy costs are offsettable losses. At present the academy competes (results and performance wise) with Cat 2 academies but being only cat 3 limits player development a little and more importantly limits compensation when bigger clubs come knocking for players.

 

[Chris on a Bike]

I would like to be told who the club expect will make the grade and in what time scale we can expect to see them in the first team squad.

Christ on a bike! Personally I wouldn't want to heap that additional pressure on any individual by publicly naming them as the next big thing. Besides which it would convey a message to the rest that they may be wasting their time.

 

[Big Ron]

Weird one as reading fans couldn’t see him off soon enough a couple months back

Was just about to write the same - a mate at work was saying there was ability but no end product (sounds familiar) but suddenly everything has clicked in assists and scoring.

 

[Leysboy]

We need two decent strikers, another winger or two, and a right back.

 

[Colin B]

Sam Smith can f**k off.

Taking him back is the equivalent of taking back the girlfriend who dumped you and then told everybody that you were crap in bed*. He might be a decent player, but he's an absolute t**t, and has made his feelings known about his dislike for us on a few occasions now.

Have some standards people, there are other strikers out there better than him.

* Obviously this isn't from personal experience!

 

[Scrongo]

Sam Smith can f**k off.

Taking him back is the equivalent of taking back the girlfriend who dumped you and then told everybody that you were crap in bed*. He might be a decent player, but he's an absolute t**t, and has made his feelings known about his dislike for us on a few occasions now.

Have some standards people, there are other strikers out there better than him.

* Obviously this isn't from personal experience!

Yes 100% agree horrible t**t ,that has shown his dislike of Oxford. What's wrong with some people... Unbelievable.....

 

[LeftSideBoy]

Lewis Bate available. I'd have him back in a flash! Imagine a midfield 3 of McGuane, Bate, Brannagan. Not disputing the fact that we need a 'disruptor' in the squad, but before he got injured, Bate was really starting to come into form. No brainer for me if we can get this one done!

 

[BicesterU]

A center forward today would be great , another video please

Fridays are the second most common day for player announcements since the start of the summer window...

4 out of 16: Beadle (11am), McEachran (3pm), Edwards (1pm) and Perkins (3.30pm).

 

[werthersoriginal]

Sam Smith can f**k off.

Taking him back is the equivalent of taking back the girlfriend who dumped you and then told everybody that you were crap in bed*. He might be a decent player, but he's an absolute t**t, and has made his feelings known about his dislike for us on a few occasions now.

Have some standards people, there are other strikers out there better than him.

* Obviously this isn't from personal experience!

He goaded our fans again when he scored this season, I think we still have a ‘no twats’ rule? I guess we could sign him and boo him a lot.

 

[Bigdwoolly]

Lewis Bate available. I'd have him back in a flash! Imagine a midfield 3 of McGuane, Bate, Brannagan. Not disputing the fact that we need a 'disruptor' in the squad, but before he got injured, Bate was really starting to come into form. No brainer for me if we can get this one done!

We don't need to imagine, we had that midfield last season and it got over-run quite often. All good players, but too similar. Bate might be a medium term replacement for Brannagan though.

 

[Berliner]

Sam Smith can f**k off.

Taking him back is the equivalent of taking back the girlfriend who dumped you and then told everybody that you were crap in bed*. He might be a decent player, but he's an absolute t**t, and has made his feelings known about his dislike for us on a few occasions now.

Have some standards people, there are other strikers out there better than him.

* Obviously this isn't from personal experience!

Agreed, not only a tw*t but one that doesn't learn either.
A player like Curtis, for example, is most definitely a challenge as an opposing fan...but if we were to sign him I'm sure we'd be right behind him.
But Smith, no thanks!

 

[werthersoriginal]

We don't need to imagine, we had that midfield last season and it got over-run quite often. All good players, but too similar. Bate might be a medium term replacement for Brannagan though.

Our midfield gets overrun quite a lot this season too. I'd like us to sign someone who can help stop that - not a midget.

 

[Jakehodgson51]

Lewis Bate available. I'd have him back in a flash! Imagine a midfield 3 of McGuane, Bate, Brannagan. Not disputing the fact that we need a 'disruptor' in the squad, but before he got injured, Bate was really starting to come into form. No brainer for me if we can get this one done!

Too lightweight for me… got bullied last season. Wasnt exceptional. Would take him as a bench option. Probably better than mceachran. But we do need a player in the middle whos gonna break up play.

 

[Jakehodgson51]

Yep would definitely take Sam Smith maybe we could use kips 400k to get him also azeez isn't a bad shout

Dont think many fans would accept smith. He wouldnt come here anyway. Azeez looked a great threat when we played them. Him on our RW would be handy. Abbey is another quick big centre who would give competition to Brown

 

[dickwalton1964]

We should be all over Smith. Not only scores goals but works his socks off, is a physical presence and quick - everything a number 9 should be. It’s so childish to say we shouldn’t have him because he did this or he did that or he offended some of our delicate fans. Who really cares less If he wears a yellow shirt and sticks the ball in the net.

I’ll guarantee you something, Swindon fans would have taken Chris Maguire in a heartbeat if we were getting rid of him in his pomp and just after he gave them some verbals. Fans should forget and do forget. Smith is hardly the first footballer to cup his ears to opposition fans - and by the way, that’s fans who were booing his every touch.

If you can’t take a bit back don’t dish it out in the first place.

 

[Mystery Yellow]

Lewis Bate available. I'd have him back in a flash! Imagine a midfield 3 of McGuane, Bate, Brannagan. Not disputing the fact that we need a 'disruptor' in the squad, but before he got injured, Bate was really starting to come into form. No brainer for me if we can get this one done!

I disagree imo that midfield 3 never worked well as a partnership last season on paper it sounded great but in reality it didn’t flow well, Bate is a good player no doubt about it & would be a vast improvement on McEachran but we really need a box to box midfielder with legs who can get up the pitch & has a physical element.