Any guesses what the squad looks like now?

[DutchBantam]

2 pre season games down... any clues as to what the squad is shaping up like?

My guesses:

GK: Ricketts and Saynor.
We don't look like bringing anybody else in here so I'm guessing Macca has enough faith in Saynor and emergency loan ruling as cover for Ricketts.

DL: Heckingbottom and Lukey
Hecks is here for 6 months at least and despite mixed reviews for Lukey so far Macca and Jakes seem to have faith in the lad as first choice cover.
Bower also in there as cover.

DR: None yet
Gate absent today... does that mean he's signed, injured or released?
Williams, mixed reviews so far.
Harban, no clue as to the situation here.
Hopkins, sounds like he's concentrating on centre back position so I'd hope he gets loaned out this season with Farsley/Halifax a good destination.

DC: Bower, Wethers, Clarke, Ainge

ML: None yet
Nix and Leven with mixed reviews so far. Taylforth probably should be loaned out.
Daley and Colbeck can provide cover. Simon Johnson can also play here.

MR: Daley and Colbeck
Seems Penford is in the gaffers thoughts as backup.

MC: EJ, Evans, Bentham and Penford
EJ looks settled in the middle rather than up front. Evans looks a shoe in after todays comments in the press.
Phelan has had fair reviews so could see himself given a contract too. Luke Morgan another who should be loaned out for experience.

FW: Conlon and Thorne
Simon Johnson has had fair reviews and could well sign up, Joynes the same. Luke Medley probably another for the loan list or reserves. Osbourne has set himself back a year with his interweb antics.


With the guys on trial we could be very nearly there.

[ChuckleBantam]

2 pre season games down... any clues as to what the squad is shaping up like?

My guesses:

GK: Ricketts and Saynor.
We don't look like bringing anybody else in here so I'm guessing Macca has enough faith in Saynor and emergency loan ruling as cover for Ricketts.

DL: Heckingbottom and Lukey
Hecks is here for 6 months at least and despite mixed reviews for Lukey so far Macca and Jakes seem to have faith in the lad as first choice cover.
Bower also in there as cover.

DR: None yet
Gate absent today... does that mean he's signed, injured or released?
Williams, mixed reviews so far.
Harban, no clue as to the situation here.
Hopkins, sounds like he's concentrating on centre back position so I'd hope he gets loaned out this season with Farsley/Halifax a good destination.

DC: Bower, Wethers, Clarke, Ainge

ML: None yet
Nix and Leven with mixed reviews so far. Taylforth probably should be loaned out.
Daley and Colbeck can provide cover. Simon Johnson can also play here.

MR: Daley and Colbeck
Seems Penford is in the gaffers thoughts as backup.

MC: EJ, Evans, Bentham and Penford
EJ looks settled in the middle rather than up front. Evans looks a shoe in after todays comments in the press.
Phelan has had fair reviews so could see himself given a contract too. Luke Morgan another who should be loaned out for experience.

FW: Conlon and Thorne
Simon Johnson has had fair reviews and could well sign up, Joynes the same. Luke Medley probably another for the loan list or reserves. Osbourne has set himself back a year with his interweb antics.


With the guys on trial we could be very nearly there.

Woo Hoo!! Get the Champagne on Ice!!!

[DutchBantam]

No harm in thinking positive. Certainly makes for a much happier lifestyle!

[Ed]

It's not a bad League 2 squad despite Chuckle still thinking we should be putting in offers for Gerrard and Crouch.

[ChuckleBantam]

It's not a bad League 2 squad despite Chuckle still thinking we should be putting in offers for Gerrard and Crouch.

Not at all. I just think that Stuart should be shopping at the level Lawn bullshitted us that he would be shopping at instead of scratching around for the crap he has had to settle with. Like it or not, If Stu was told what the fans were told with regards to the kind of squad he would be allowed to build, then he's had the goalposts moved and that is a very dangerous thing to do to a manager who know's how desperate the club were to get him onboard.

That squad Dutch highlights above would struggle in the bottom league of the Unibond. Don't shoot the messenger, that is just an obvious fact. There are going to be a lot of disappointed ickle bunny rabbits on here three months into the season.

You just carry on living in your dreamworld ed, a world where everything is hunky dory and City are a club on the up and your "source" with a 100% record of being wrong is 100% right. It's no skin of my nose if you carry on looking a ****.

[Ed]

No skin of my nose, I must use the same source as you then as your right as often as me :)

I notice you've resorted to name calling again, something you do when your scrapping the barrel after getting it wrong.

[Jantje]

That squad Dutch highlights above would struggle in the bottom league of the Unibond.

How do you know? Not being one of the mugs how can you tell if a player will fit into a squad or not.

Was Greg Abbott **** after Coventry let him go and we picked him up without playing a league game?

[Jamaica Love]

How do you know? Not being one of the mugs how can you tell if a player will fit into a squad or not.

Was Greg Abbott **** after Coventry let him go and we picked him up without playing a league game?
We have picked up many a legend in that manner!!!

[DutchBantam]

Not at all. I just think that Stuart should be shopping at the level Lawn bullshitted us that he would be shopping at instead of scratching around for the crap he has had to settle with. Like it or not, If Stu was told what the fans were told with regards to the kind of squad he would be allowed to build, then he's had the goalposts moved and that is a very dangerous thing to do to a manager who know's how desperate the club were to get him onboard.

That squad Dutch highlights above would struggle in the bottom league of the Unibond. Don't shoot the messenger, that is just an obvious fact. There are going to be a lot of disappointed ickle bunny rabbits on here three months into the season.

You just carry on living in your dreamworld ed, a world where everything is hunky dory and City are a club on the up and your "source" with a 100% record of being wrong is 100% right. It's no skin of my nose if you carry on looking a ****.

Not being funny Chucks but surely a few of these guys ARE from the level Mark Lawn promised us.

Paul Evans
Paul Heckingbottom
Kris Gate
Darren Williams
Scott Phelan
Peter Leven
Peter Thorne
Simon Johnson

As far as I can tell the only players on trial from the lower echelons of the ****-pool are:

Thomas Harban
Barry Conlon
Nathan Joynes
Kyle Nix

We are a league 2 team so who do you honestly think we should be dipping in for? Do you think City should gamble 150k on a single player PLUS what would be hefty wages for such a player who costs money to sign? Yes we may be being overly cautious but has history taught us nothing?

You don't have unrealistic expectations which is fine but you seem to be way too far the opposite way. It's all very well having differing opinions on here in order to make for decent banter, that's what makes a message board interesting, however this pure negativity is a bit too much.

Take a look at other teams squads before comparing us to lover unibond league. Since when have Heckingbottom, Wethers and Bower been not good enough for a 1 league 1 squad? Clarke is a top league 2 player. Last time I checked Daley and Ricketts were current internationals who played against England not so long ago. And if you throw in a couple of the missing links into the squad (Evans a league 1 player, Leven a Scotch Prem player, SJ a league 1/2 player, Williams a Championship player, Conlon a league 2 player) then we look to have a small squad but that is the par for this level and we have a squad on paper that is on average league 1 standard.

So stop exaggerating as it is achieving nothing. If you want to have good banter then try to be a "realist" whilst actually being a bit realistic. And it would also help if occasionally you had something positive to say instead of the pure negative vibes we are seeing at the moment.

Yes, I know... I have fallen into your cunning trap by posting the above and I have achieved for you what you set out to do. But that's besides the point !

[Jantje]

One of the 'shitpool' players last night showed a distinct improvement. Nathan Joynes showed a keeness for hard work and effort that Macca said he wanted. Not convinced about Simon Johnson but Williams, Leven, Phelan Gate and maybe Nix are worth persevereing with. Harban i've only seen for 45 minutes and he was steady enough.

Evans and Heck are more than good enough and Thorne will be great if he stays fit. Conlon had a better game last night also.

Don't worry too much about Chuckle ripping to shreds all things BCFC, he can't be bothered to check the players out personally because he's not a 'mug' so i wouldn't bother too much about his opinion on any trialists we have

[Devil's Advocate]

He's not a "mug" who'll be cheering them on from the stands with his cheap season ticket and enjoying the success when we are top by Christmas. Nah, not our Chucks, he's no "mug" him! ;)

[Jamaica Love]

He's not a "mug" who'll be cheering them on from the stands with his cheap season ticket and enjoying the success when we are top by Christmas. Nah, not our Chucks, he's no "mug" him! ;)
If his previous predictions are to go by, hell also have name plaque on seat, scarf, full kit (with shinnies) and a MUG!!!...And occasionally he will upgrade to the chairmans suite so he can pretend to be his hero GR!

[ChuckleBantam]

I stand by what I alwayssay at this time of season and am always proven right unless I am actually in some kind of Life on Mars type coma and we're not really kicking off the season one division in front of Farsley Celtic and I'm going to wake up to find us kicking of against Boro in the Premier League and the previous seven years of Rhodes haplesness as been some kind of alter world??

There is no chance of promotion because the manager be it Todd, Wethers or McGod is not given the tools to do the job. The brainless cunts on here who have us up before a ball is kicked season in and season out (you know who you are) are the ones constantly proved wrong and yet like puppy dogs they are jumping up and down with tounges out frenzidley telling everyone how promotion is a cert! I tell you this, looking at what there is available, what Dutch has highlighted in this thread there is not a ****ing hope.

Last time when the penny dropped that things were going tits up you turned on Todd, the Time before you turned on Law, is it Macca's turn this time??

[Jamaica Love]

we should know on the trialists soon anyway:-

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportlatest/display.var.1558878.0.dday_for_city_trialists.php

[London Bantam]

Last time when the penny dropped that things were going tits up you turned on Todd, the Time before you turned on Law, is it Macca's turn this time??

Maybe Mark Lawn? Oh no, ****, it's your job to slate the Chairmen!:jd:

[ChuckleBantam]

Maybe Mark Lawn?

You could well be right there, because one thing's for sure somebody will be doing his usual spineless disappearing act when the flak starts flying.

[eurobantam]

To be realistic, I should imagine they will see how they get on and then do a bit of business in the window if required. New manager, whose never bought players before, new team, new division. I dont think we should put what few eggs we have in same basket straight away.

[Mallorcabantam]

good idea Euro -- make a start and see how we go

[Skeptic]

To be fair Stuart has said apart from the trialists he's looking to bring in a couple of players that we don't have on trial as well as a couple of loans. Im not very confident about the state of our squad at the moment and we desperately need an inspirational signing.

[Devil's Advocate]

I stand by what I alwayssay at this time of season and am always proven right unless I am actually in some kind of Life on Mars type coma and we're not really kicking off the season one division in front of Farsley Celtic and I'm going to wake up to find us kicking of against Boro in the Premier League and the previous seven years of Rhodes haplesness as been some kind of alter world??

There is no chance of promotion because the manager be it Todd, Wethers or McGod is not given the tools to do the job. The brainless cunts on here who have us up before a ball is kicked season in and season out (you know who you are) are the ones constantly proved wrong and yet like puppy dogs they are jumping up and down with tounges out frenzidley telling everyone how promotion is a cert! I tell you this, looking at what there is available, what Dutch has highlighted in this thread there is not a ****ing hope.

Last time when the penny dropped that things were going tits up you turned on Todd, the Time before you turned on Law, is it Macca's turn this time??

Chucks, lighten up a bit, mate, it's easier to get a bite with you than I thought.

Your bit in bold makes sense. If I was being realistic I look at it this way:

We have struggled financially ever since "the slate was wiped clean", last season we got by with loan players, we sold our best player and loaned out our most prolific and competent striker, albeit I personally think that was long overdue because of his attitude but it doesn't detract from his ability to hit the back of the net. We limped on with a manager who could not practice what he was good at because he was forced to work with an under-qualified squad, a team of players who were a mix of "doing it for someone else" (loanees), "can't be arsed cos we aren't going anywhere anyway" (short term contracted players/those lacking motivation), and "not good enough but have to do" (Muirhead, Graham, Colbeck, Edgehill, arguably Schumacher). He had no resources to work with, no money to play with and he was the most obvious scapegoat for the results which reflected the exact state of the football club - a wounded animal very near death and struggling to hang on to a memory that it was once a magnificent beast.

In reality at the moment the PR from the Club has been on overdrive. Nobody can say that the appointment of McCall was predominently for his ability and experience in management - it was mainly for the publicity it would create and the feelgood factor it would generate that would lead to a surge in season ticket sales. The cheap ticket offer was well-timed to coincide with this as JR would not risk missing out on further boosting the headlines because the ticket prices were so high that even McCall's return didn't generate enough interest to get record sales.

The debts have apparently been wiped out. I have serious reservations about this. The overdraft might have been wiped out but we were told the slate was clean 3 years ago and that was false. Last year despite being told in December that we were set to make a loss of £600k we then sold our best player in JJ and loaned out Windass yet by the end of January we were still set to lose £600k - what happened there? Did someone discover an unpaid tax bill that had been mis-filed with the customer complaints in the bin? :rolleyes: In any event what has changed on the expenditure side to mean that we won't face the same losses next year when you consider that we have gone down and therefore will have reduced income, we have put our prices down and therefore will receive less income and we still have a lease back agreement that commands a massive chunk of our expenditure. Alright we've lost probably our highest earner off the wage bill and we've let go a few that may have had reasonable contracts but I bet Conlon/Thorne et al aren't on much less than MBW, Schuey and others were on. The wages budget cannot be seriously cut cos I have no doubts that it was seriously near non-workable anyway and it can only go up with some bankrolling or investment from the co-owners. I can't see anything massively different that would make me think we will see a positive balance sheet next year.

Anyway back to the new investment. The debts were supposed to be wiped clean so that McCall could get a fighting fund to staff his playing squad. So far I haven't seen any monies splashed out extravagantly other than to pay compo for Jakes to Halifax and that wasn't exactly a fortune. There is no extra money for the players and McCall is having to tread a very tight rope and seek players on frees, loans etc to keep within the financial constraints that a Club with our off-field problems will always have. Whether you want to say someone lied or not is besides the point, I am merely trying to show here that the reality is different to the (almost blind) optimism and faith shown by many supporters. It doesn't look great in terms of pushing for promotion as one would expect a flurry of activity before now where we were getting front page news with the signings we were making if we were going to take this division by storm. We might still do because the other teams we are up against aren't exactly pulling up trees with their spending/recruitment and we might just be ok with what few resources we have to beat some of the mediocre teams we face. That said we will need a season like the one we had in 99 where we had almost nil injuries if we are to achieve any sort of success. remember though as well, one difference back then and I know times have changed but even so the difference was we were making a profit as a Club (due credit to the big man) and could afford to spend a million on a player or two - Mills and Rankin. We can't afford to do anything like that now and we don't have a Beagrie, Blake, Whalley or Lawrence in the locker either.

All that said, and I hope it comes across ok, there is nothing wrong with an optimistic outlook from most fans and that is part of what might drive the Club forward. Fans have belief whether or not they have a load of shitpool players out there. We in particular recognise workrate and effort and we might actually start seeing that with McCall at the helm. That in itself gives rise to confidence and we have every right to be confident going into the season. What this has to be tempered with is a reality check and a review of expectations - just because we were in the Premiership less than a decade ago does not mean we are entitled to walk this division. We might be a "biggish" Club but only because we are left with Richmond's legacy of a massive (empty) stadium and a label attached to our name that suggests we should be one of the best teams in the country outside the Premiership. No we shouldn't, we deserve to be where we are and the recovery will be hard and probably slow. If we can aim to get promotion within 3 years that would do me. if that can be built into a longer and sustainable improvement plan that aims to achieve Championship level football within 10 years then that would also do for me.

Onwards and upwards, eh?