Onwards and Downwards: 2020 transfer speculation thread.

[BWFC_Insane]

I'm cautious about any manager having to sign 9 free/loan players in a day and realistically what they can achieve. We will have to hit promotion form to have a chance and given we've signed 9 in a day most of whom haven't played much and all were unwanted it seems a very tall order to the point that right now I'll take Hill's advice and look at it game by game. First objective has to be try and get a win somewhere. Then go from there. Hill and Flitcroft bring fresh enthusiasm and whilst I have some misgivings they certainly are positive and that is needed now. They need 18 months for me before anyone judges a thing. The likelihood is that this team they've built will struggle to click and patience will be needed.
But I think they get that and more.

All in opposition to what, having no club? What options exactly did Hill have, and what exactly are you expecting this season, UEFA Cup winning? We're climbing Everest, but at least we have some guides and a lot of hope.

That's exactly what I'm saying....its absolutely great we've survived and signed a team and a management duo who are passionate about us.

Brilliant. And there is no need to get on their backs if we struggle because the situation was very very difficult. To survive with our points deduction means play off form from a team brought together like this. And then if we get more points it makes it even harder.

None of that is Hill's fault and I'm confident that everyone will be patient.

The future that just over a week ago looked very very bleak is now bright. The fans are onside. We know it won't be straightforward or even happen this season. But who is complaining? We love the fact we are saved.

[taddyontoast]

During last night's bout of insomnia...

cracking job - and very helpful! I suspect there will be a LOT of surreptitious glancing down at programmes for the next few games!

"Go on.... errr... (pause as matches number to name on programme) JAKEY BOY... err.. Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevers..."

[taddyontoast]

Blades fans love him: Twitter reactions to his departure included "Besta luck to the lad...was phenomenal for us", "superb defender", "A great signing. A leader too. Will make an excellent manager", "Good luck Jake will always remember the incredible performances you had absolutely rock solid", "Never, ever, ever put a foot wrong in a Blades shirt. Leader of the defence for 18 months in, what proved to be a huge upturn in our fortunes 18 months. Brought on the likes of Bash & JOC to be better players aswell", "Plays football the Sheffield Utd way, steel, passion, together and never say die. Always felt reassured with him in the back four."
Jake Wright.jpg

Presumably "Bash" is Chris Basham, formerly of this parish... If he is good at bringing younger players on around him - then that will be a notable plus on his CV for this particular job...


Josh Emmanuel... OK, right-back rather than left-(wing) back - BUT... "became a cult figure with his powerful surges forward" - that's Ricardo Gardner!! The glory has returned

[Bruce Rioja]

Apparently Gaz O'Neil's been on SSN issuing a come-and-get-me to Hilly.

[Jugs]

Ben Pringle signed for Gillingham, a lad who trained with us this summer. I wouldn't have minded having him here but perhaps we're covered for wingers now

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Ben Pringle signed for Gillingham, a lad who trained with us this summer. I wouldn't have minded having him here but perhaps we're covered for wingers now

Depends on the system (4-3-3? 4-2-3-1?) and where he plays Buckley and Crawford. On Pringle, I liked the idea of it but I can’t imagine a way KH&DF weren’t aware of his availability - trained with the club, they’d know of him, his agent would have been contacted - so either they didn’t fancy him enough or he falls in the category of those asking too much. That’s not to be unfair, just possibilities.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Andrew Taylor has announced his retirement. Just in case you were wondering.

[Harry Genshaw]

Andrew Taylor has announced his retirement. Just in case you were wondering.

Just seen that. A sad way for his career to end waiting for his overdue pay. Surprised that there wasn't a L1 or L2 side in need of a steady reliable full back

[malcd1]

That has surprised me. I know he has lost some pace but surely he can do a job in L1 and L2?

[DJBlu]

That has surprised me. I know he has lost some pace but surely he can do a job in L1 and L2?

Good luck to him, maybe a job for him at the PFA.

[Bruce Rioja]

Andrew Taylor has announced his retirement. Just in case you were wondering.

Wow. He's one of the ones who I hoped would be coming back. Think he'd have done a cracking job for us this season.

[BWFC_Insane]

Andrew Taylor has announced his retirement. Just in case you were wondering.

Wow. He's one of the ones who I hoped would be coming back. Think he'd have done a cracking job for us this season.

Always liked him but I think his relationship with the club went so far South there was no coming back. In his eyes. And Keith Hill likes attacking and dynamic full backs (hence he converted Bunney a striker into an attacking LB) and with the best will in the world - AT is not and never will be that.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Bit of background on Ali Crawford.

5ft7in Scot who turned 28 in summer. Came through Hearts youth ranks but they did the old "Bolton to Alan Ball" and released him for being too wee. Went to Hamilton, where he played 271 games over nine seasons; for most of that time Accies were a top-flight side, with three promotion-chasing second-tier seasons.

Last summer (ie 2018, not the one that finished last week) he said he wanted to move to England and switched on a free to Donny, who just happen to wear the same red-and-white hoops as Hamilton, although I'm sure that wasn't the main factor. He played 42 games last season (29 starts, but perhaps interestingly only 10 full games; three goals, five assists, one yellow card) as they finished sixth under Grant McCann and reached the play-offs: it was from Crawford's 88th-minute corner in the second leg at Charlton that Andy Butler's header took the game into extra-time. But Donny lost on pens, McCann switched to Hull and Darren Moore took over.

So what is he? My mate and colleague The Mighty Flanners watched Donny as a second team and seemed surprised when Crawford was described as a winger. More of a central midfielder. I dunno, maybe he's a Mark Patterson type.

Views from a Donny forum:

* Wouldn’t be happy with that
* Clearly out of favour, but he would need to be replaced.
* This wouldn't surprise me as he's had very little game time under DM with Gomes being preferred even from the bench.
* Good player but never consistent. McCann I think got tired of that by the end. Moore obviously doesn’t fancy him.
* I wouldn't mind Crawford going. Too lightweight and loses the ball too much.
* Crawford is clearly out of favour with [Donny manager Darren Moore], but he was a fairly big contributor to our success last season
* Like Crawford but he’s not consistent. Wouldn’t be a big loss imho
* Wouldn't be a massive loss
* From what I’ve seen of Gomes, Ali is better.
* Really disappointed with this. Crawford is a grafter, he made a positive contribution to the team both on and off the ball and I always thought we looked better with him in the team.
* Poor decision for me. I felt he was one of the few players who could have improved this season.
* Disappointed Ali is leaving, thought he would have kicked on this season.
* Bad move letting Crawford go. He should have been partnering Whiteman in midfield
* Shame. Decent player. Certainly on the evidence I’ve seen a better option than Gomes, and has more ability and quality to play in CM than Blair.
* We will not miss Crawford, decent going forward but lacking defensively. From what I saw he was not a midfielder who was going to command the midfield and drive a team forward.
* He certainly polarised opinions, I was in the I liked him, and feel, again, we have players still here who are not as gifted
* Too lightweight, knocked off the ball easily, and his passing was poor most of the time.
* Crawford is certainly no more light weight than Gomes. And Crawford was important in many games last season
* knew were the net was especially from a dead ball
* He was outstanding in the game v Rochdale on New Year’s Day. Hill was the Rochdale manager that day I bet he can’t believe he’s got him on a free
* At Bradford he was diabolical, and in many other games.
* Decent player, not brilliant and not a starter but he was worthy of a place on the bench.
* I can't for the life of me work out why this guy hadn't featured for us this season, let alone wanting to get rid. He wasn't amazing but always seemed capable of pulling something out of the bag and never went hiding like some flair players. I can think of a few who I would be looking to move on before him. Bizarre.
* Just can't believe they let him go, He played well for us last season, and not been given a chance this season. There has been a couple of games this season that have been crying out for Crawford IMO.
* He did well for us last season and played in 42 games throughout a good campaign. He may not have been a favoured starter this season but he was still a part of every match day squad.
* Too small
* Being too small isn’t a reason to get rid of a player on a free who was instrumental in our success last season.
* Crawford contributed much to our good last season.
* watching the game tonight it made me realise that Ali would have had little chance of breaking into Moore's team. Although a good player I don't think he is mobile enough or quick enough for Moore. Anyway best of luck to him, I'm sure he will play at this level for a good few years yet.
* Aye, good luck to him. I thought Crawford was an ok player for us, but not much better than 'ok' which is a bit disappointing given the fanfare that accompanied his arrival. While he's clearly talented technically, he can be a bit lightweight and wasteful. And he lacks pace. At 28 I'm not sure there are many better years ahead for him. He'll have been on £3-4k a week with us so if his agent has touted him around and got a better deal at somewhere where he'll be playing regularly then hats off.

He can also levitate, too, which might be useful:

Ali Crawford.jpg (12.33 KiB) Viewed 3674 times

Not really, that's an image from this goal against, well, Rochdale:

[Bruce Rioja]

Oh blimey. Hope he's alright, the lad.

"We can confirm that Joe Bunney has been involved in a road traffic accident.

He will remain in hospital for the next 48 hours as a precautionary measure.

Everybody at Bolton Wanderers wishes Joe a quick recovery."

[taddyontoast]

Oh blimey. Hope he's alright, the lad.

"We can confirm that Joe Bunney has been involved in a road traffic accident.

He will remain in hospital for the next 48 hours as a precautionary measure.

Everybody at Bolton Wanderers wishes Joe a quick recovery."

aye - hope it's (as they suggest) just a precaution... you finally assemble a squad and then....

[officer_dibble]

Broken ribs and broken collarbone??

Poor lad. Hope he’s on the mend.

That’s more terrible luck for us mind...two injured left backs

[TonyDomingos]

Oh blimey. Hope he's alright, the lad.

"We can confirm that Joe Bunney has been involved in a road traffic accident.

Rabbit caught in the headlights?

[enrdentw]

Bit of background on Ali Crawford.

5ft7in Scot who turned 28 in summer....

Thanks for that, DSB. Great insight, certainly seemed to divide opinion.

Perhaps he has been brought in for free-kicks and corners and to work his socks off. Sounds like he made a good impression against Rochdale last season which is why Hill has brought him in.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Great insight, certainly seemed to divide opinion.

Aye. I didn't search for hours but I couldn't find much off-forums. I'm not massively keen on trusting forums to take the temperature of an issue, because they tend by their nature to be fairly divisive and confrontational: any visiting fan checking these pages would find plenty of posts decrying Madine, Zach, ALF and so on all the way back to the Europa League days.

But he does seem to genuinely divide opinion, and I'm intrigued that he rarely finished 90 minutes, which implies the gaffer wasn't 100% sold (or he has fitness issues). Slightly worried that Hill saw some kind of organic YouTube clipreel during that New Year's game but hey-ho, he's here and I'll get behind the wee man.

[taddyontoast]

Broken ribs and broken collarbone??

Poor lad. Hope he’s on the mend.

That’s more terrible luck for us mind...two injured left backs

merely a flesh wound...