Who opened the door? My money is on Janus! 2024 January transfer thread.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I hear Charlton have offered a better package for Collins, both club and player but we've offered more upfront?

while anything is possible, this rumour seems to have originated from someone who said a fortnight ago that Charlton bid £1.5m for Collins and who then posted “Port vale bloke can’t remember his name isn’t happening”.

Gotta love deadlines…

[GhostoftheBok]

Seems much more like the type we'd actually target than a one-position centre back.

Really comfortable left of a three, but can play down the left and in midfield. Adds loads of depth without blocking any of the returning lads.

Localish lad (believe his mum lives down the road from me, if it's who I'm think of) and has multiple promotions from this division under his belt.

The Wigan/Utd links are obviously a blemish for some, but does mean he's settled in the area.

Seems like it would be really, really shrewd business.

Downside is he's another with serious fitness issues, isn't he?

[GhostoftheBok]

I hear Charlton have offered a better package for Collins, both club and player but we've offered more upfront?

while anything is possible, this rumour seems to have originated from someone who said a fortnight ago that Charlton bid £1.5m for Collins and who then posted “Port vale bloke can’t remember his name isn’t happening”.

Gotta love deadlines…

So that's more "If you can't pay we'll take it away" memes if we get him then.

[BWFC_Insane]

Seems much more like the type we'd actually target than a one-position centre back.

Really comfortable left of a three, but can play down the left and in midfield. Adds loads of depth without blocking any of the returning lads.

Localish lad (believe his mum lives down the road from me, if it's who I'm think of) and has multiple promotions from this division under his belt.

The Wigan/Utd links are obviously a blemish for some, but does mean he's settled in the area.

Seems like it would be really, really shrewd business.

Downside is he's another with serious fitness issues, isn't he?

I don’t get this at all. We have loads of players who can cover the wide centre half roles. Jones, Iredale, Cogley (allegedly), Toal, Forrester…

All play there. And Johnno when fit. Maybe even Ashworth could play there. The big hulking centre back role is santos and Toal at a push but when either are out we feel unbalanced to me.

We had a discussion yesterday where you agreed that we had loads for the ‘full back centre half’ hybrid roles but lacked an actual proper centre back option when Santos isn’t fit.

Why can’t we go and sign an actual centre back? What’s the obsession with hybrid full back centre halves? I mean James isn’t going to be bombing down from wing back….I dare say we aren’t overloaded with options but there must be somewhere a centre back more in the Toal/Santos mould for us?

[GhostoftheBok]

I don’t get this at all. We have loads of players who can cover the wide centre half roles. Jones, Iredale, Cogley (allegedly), Toal, Forrester…

All play there. And Johnno when fit. Maybe even Ashworth could play there. The big hulking centre back role is santos and Toal at a push but when either are out we feel unbalanced to me.

We had a discussion yesterday where you agreed that we had loads for the ‘full back centre half’ hybrid roles but lacked an actual proper centre back option when Santos isn’t fit.

Why can’t we go and sign an actual centre back? What’s the obsession with hybrid full back centre halves? I mean James isn’t going to be bombing down from wing back….I dare say we aren’t overloaded with options but there must be somewhere a centre back more in the Toal/Santos mould for us?

I'm not saying we "can't", I'm saying we're unlikely to.

What I recall saying is we were more likely to sign a versatile sort of player in the MJ mould, which James would sort of fit.

It might be that if a hulking centre half who'd happily sit on the bench were available we'd sign one, but a multiple promotion winner who'd slot nicely into our defence doesn't strike me as a "woe is me" signing and he's very similar in profile to the Reading lad reports claim we missed.

[BWFC_Insane]

I think he makes sense if the question we needed answering were different. His experience a big plus. I believe we tried to sign him last season or one before so I won’t be surprised.

I just don’t think for me he’s the profile of player type I think we need. His injury record also scares me.

[Mar]

Seems much more like the type we'd actually target than a one-position centre back.

Really comfortable left of a three, but can play down the left and in midfield. Adds loads of depth without blocking any of the returning lads.

Localish lad (believe his mum lives down the road from me, if it's who I'm think of) and has multiple promotions from this division under his belt.

The Wigan/Utd links are obviously a blemish for some, but does mean he's settled in the area.

Seems like it would be really, really shrewd business.

Downside is he's another with serious fitness issues, isn't he?

I don’t get this at all. We have loads of players who can cover the wide centre half roles. Jones, Iredale, Cogley (allegedly), Toal, Forrester…

All play there. And Johnno when fit. Maybe even Ashworth could play there. The big hulking centre back role is santos and Toal at a push but when either are out we feel unbalanced to me.

We had a discussion yesterday where you agreed that we had loads for the ‘full back centre half’ hybrid roles but lacked an actual proper centre back option when Santos isn’t fit.

Why can’t we go and sign an actual centre back? What’s the obsession with hybrid full back centre halves? I mean James isn’t going to be bombing down from wing back….I dare say we aren’t overloaded with options but there must be somewhere a centre back more in the Toal/Santos mould for us?

I think the general idea is to get players that can cover many positions and not ones that are pidgeonholed into dedicated CB's which are likely to get frustrated when Santos and Toal are available. The fact that Iredale for example can play that LWB role aswell as the CB role gives us that flexibility that we wouldn't usually have.

Real awkward timing for both Santos and Toal to have injuries concerns. Tough to gauge what level of depth we'll need to bring in.

[GhostoftheBok]

I believe we tried to sign him last season or one before so I won’t be surprised.

I don't remember, but could certainly see it.

With less than 48 hours left in a window I'm not looking for perfection, I'm looking for positives.

I can see negatives, but there are also some real upsides of bringing in a player like that.

I have no idea what the terms of this deal would be, what the source of the info is, or anything else. If someone said to me "Would you take Reece James? Not that one." I think I'd say yes

[Spartan2]

When does the window close?

[GhostoftheBok]

When does the window close?

11pm tomorrow.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I also think the ideal profile of player we need is vanishingly unlikely to be available.

“Hello, fellow managers! Do you have any strong 6’5” centre-backs who can run like the wind, are comfortable on the ball and 1v1, can pick a pass, are rarely injured and are for some reason unwanted by their club?”

BWFCi had it right when he noted that in Rico’s absence we drop deeper and that multiplies the midfield workload. If we are given a choice between a huge but static centre-back and one who’s slightly smaller but more mobile, we’ll target the latter. And I can see why.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

[BWFC_Insane]

I also think the ideal profile of player we need is vanishingly unlikely to be available.

“Hello, fellow managers! Do you have any strong 6’5” centre-backs who can run like the wind, are comfortable on the ball and 1v1, can pick a pass, are rarely injured and are for some reason unwanted by their club?”

BWFCi had it right when he noted that in Rico’s absence we drop deeper and that multiplies the midfield workload. If we are given a choice between a huge but static centre-back and one who’s slightly smaller but more mobile, we’ll target the latter. And I can see why.

I agree it’s just it’d be good if we found a more natural centre half for me rather than constantly recruiting and converting full backs. I agree that converted full backs play a big role in the system we play but still we need a more normal centre half sometimes. We saw it work well for example with Aimson. Yes we lost somethings but he did a good job and we had a very good run. A player like that won’t get ahead of Santos but might stem the bleed when we are struggling with him missing.

[BWFC_Insane]

It’s been a quiet day but sounds like Collins may be on for tomorrow. Few tweets suggesting that anyway. Nothing that is that reliable or solid yet.

But guy linking us to Reece James is also suggesting Bristol are ‘happy with deal’ but still points to sort out.

[GhostoftheBok]

It’s been a quiet day but sounds like Collins may be on for tomorrow. Few tweets suggesting that anyway. Nothing that is that reliable or solid yet.

But guy linking us to Reece James is also suggesting Bristol are ‘happy with deal’ but still points to sort out.

Bristol Rovers are now actively shopping.

Barnsley are assuming they'll have to deal with Collins at some point on Saturday and are producing crib-sheets on him.

None of that proves anything, but weight of evidence may be shifting in our favour.

[GhostoftheBok]

Lots of people now claiming Collins is checked into the hotel.

Collin's Twitter profile has apparently changed from "Professional footballer for Bristol Rovers" to just "Professional footballer."

Could have left on a free transfer, I suppose.

[GhostoftheBok]

To offset all the positive "oh, he might..." stuff, Charlton have just allowed Fraser to move to Hearts on loan - which they said they'd not do unless they'd signed a replacement.

Charlton fans are interpreting this as Collins signing for them.

[jmjhb]

To offset all the positive "oh, he might..." stuff, Charlton have just allowed Fraser to move to Hearts on loan - which they said they'd not do unless they'd signed a replacement.

Charlton fans are interpreting this as Collins signing for them.

He'll be a bit pissed off he's checked into the wrong hotel in that case

[GhostoftheBok]

He'll be a bit pissed off he's checked into the wrong hotel in that case

Never pass up a free night in a hotel. Nice and refreshed for the drive down to London tomorrow.

[officer_dibble]

Forest Green have signed Christian Doidge. Let’s see if we can convince Dale Vince with an IOU on the back of a packet of lambert and butler again.