Schu me the way to Amarillo - Summer 2025 Transfer Thread

[BWFC_Insane]

Another centre half coming in smells like one of the incumbents leaving.

I think we’d be at our squad limit with Taylor.

As far as I know, it's still 22 overage outfielders. We are indeed at that liomit... but only if we include more or less everybody.

DEFENDERS: 7
Forrester
Johnston
Toal
Forino
Taylor
Dacres-Cogley
Conway

MIDFIELDERS: 5
Thomason
Morley
Simons
Dempsey
Sheehan

WINGERS/ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS: 7
Osei-Tutu
Mendes Gomes
Schön
Collins
Lolos
McAtee
Randall

FORWARDS: 3
Dalby
Adeboyejo
Nlundulu

So that's 22 but it's very low odds they'll all still be about:
• Collins widely linked with leaving.
• Adeboyejo, injured until Christmas, v likely to be deselected.
• Nlundulu must surely be loaned out.
• Lolos also very likely to be on his way.
• Conway yet to prove himself worthy of a squad slot (though I strongly hope he does).
• plenty reason to speculate on how others fit in. (5 centre-backs? 5 centre-mids? a million 10s?)

NB I can't easily see a birthdate for Charlie Warren (at least not our one, as opposed to Spurs' young defender). He's widely described as 21; if his birthday was earlier this year, he's in his final underage season, but if it was in the second half of last year, he's overage.

Don’t know if accurate but Google suggests 3rd Jan 2005.

[Prufrock]

Anyway Worthy, you're going to be well chuffed, as we're apparently signing someone called Richard Taylor.

6ft 2. I’m practically moist now.

I agree, he looks a bit of a unit - I have dust in my eye. As for the name, it's decent, unless he announces himself as "Rich"

That would be unit up front, unit in MF, unit in defence and a keeper. Being a unit isn't just about height.

Ignoring for a moment, Pru seems to have got us landing more in a closed window, than when it was open, in principle, this was the bulk - pun intended - of what I was hoping to see. Hopefully they bring pace, athleticism and tenacity and maybe we can successfully dangle a few wet wipes along side them.

I'm going with Dick Taylor. Proper name that.

Though it does sound like head of design for Durex.

[Worthy4England]

Anyway Worthy, you're going to be well chuffed, as we're apparently signing someone called Richard Taylor.

6ft 2. I’m practically moist now.

I agree, he looks a bit of a unit - I have dust in my eye. As for the name, it's decent, unless he announces himself as "Rich"

That would be unit up front, unit in MF, unit in defence and a keeper. Being a unit isn't just about height.

Ignoring for a moment, Pru seems to have got us landing more in a closed window, than when it was open, in principle, this was the bulk - pun intended - of what I was hoping to see. Hopefully they bring pace, athleticism and tenacity and maybe we can successfully dangle a few wet wipes along side them.

I'm going with Dick Taylor. Proper name that.

Though it does sound like head of design for Durex.

It'll do for me with the tagline "They don't like it up 'em"

[boltonboris]

"not as soft as the last guy"

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I can't easily see a birthdate for Charlie Warren (at least not our one, as opposed to Spurs' young defender). He's widely described as 21; if his birthday was earlier this year, he's in his final underage season, but if it was in the second half of last year, he's overage.

Don’t know if accurate but Google suggests 3rd Jan 2005.

Which would make him 20, as opposed to the 21 widely reported (the club, local press, etc). Wouldn't be the first error ever but you imagine the club knows.

[BWFC_Insane]

I can't easily see a birthdate for Charlie Warren (at least not our one, as opposed to Spurs' young defender). He's widely described as 21; if his birthday was earlier this year, he's in his final underage season, but if it was in the second half of last year, he's overage.

Don’t know if accurate but Google suggests 3rd Jan 2005.

Which would make him 20, as opposed to the 21 widely reported (the club, local press, etc). Wouldn't be the first error ever but you imagine the club knows.

Fair point. Best I can do is say that his agency signed him up January of this year and described him as ‘a 20 year old’ so one assumes his birthday is post then.

https://www.futureglobalsports.com/blog ... bal-sports

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I can't easily see a birthdate for Charlie Warren (at least not our one, as opposed to Spurs' young defender). He's widely described as 21; if his birthday was earlier this year, he's in his final underage season, but if it was in the second half of last year, he's overage.

Don’t know if accurate but Google suggests 3rd Jan 2005.

Which would make him 20, as opposed to the 21 widely reported (the club, local press, etc). Wouldn't be the first error ever but you imagine the club knows.

Fair point. Best I can do is say that his agency signed him up January of this year and described him as ‘a 20 year old’ so one assumes his birthday is post then.

https://www.futureglobalsports.com/blog ... bal-sports

Cool, good good. Gives him a year as a "free" squad member - though you imagine he'll have to impress in the Bs and then the autumn cup games.

[Mar]

I can't easily see a birthdate for Charlie Warren (at least not our one, as opposed to Spurs' young defender). He's widely described as 21; if his birthday was earlier this year, he's in his final underage season, but if it was in the second half of last year, he's overage.

Don’t know if accurate but Google suggests 3rd Jan 2005.

Which would make him 20, as opposed to the 21 widely reported (the club, local press, etc). Wouldn't be the first error ever but you imagine the club knows.

Fair point. Best I can do is say that his agency signed him up January of this year and described him as ‘a 20 year old’ so one assumes his birthday is post then.

https://www.futureglobalsports.com/blog ... bal-sports

Cool, good good. Gives him a year as a "free" squad member - though you imagine he'll have to impress in the Bs and then the autumn cup games.

We've clearly not had enough of a platform for the B team and youth team to get into the squad. This looks like it may be changing. Bringing in top scorers in random leagues is probably a good a shout as any. Vardy was a gem in the lower leagues, hopefully we'll unearth a few gems of our own.

[Worthy4England]

"not as soft as the last guy"

Kudos, mate, Kudos.

[Harry Genshaw]

Some site or other reporting the Jacobs deal as done too.

It'll be some window this when it opens!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

We've clearly not had enough of a platform for the B team and youth team to get into the squad. This looks like it may be changing. Bringing in top scorers in random leagues is probably a good a shout as any. Vardy was a gem in the lower leagues, hopefully we'll unearth a few gems of our own.

Bears repetition that it's hard to rebuild from scratch, as FV had to. Obviously the first team is usually the priority. The latest crop of kids look very good for their age range, but it's a brutal funnel so we'll all be crossing our fingers as they become the Bs' backbone.

We're also getting better at picking up players from elsewhere. Last summer we got Dubem Eze, a former Chelsea schoolboy released by Norwich; he was oven-ready enough to lend to tier-6 Chorley in September, then switched up to tier-5 Halifax Town for their play-off campaign. He's still got two underage seasons left, so I have high hopes he can continue to improve (his own highlight reel shows some of his weaknesses as well as strengths).

Conversely, it's also an interesting sign that we were happy to release Trevon Bryan - signed from Burnley in summer 2023 - this time, despite the fact that (like Eze) he still had two underage seasons left and had also been switched up mid-season, from tier-7 Ashton to tier-6 Marine. We didn't trigger our optional extension on fellow striker Ben Andreucci, entering his final underage season after spending two loan spells in tier 6 this time.

With young defenders Charlie Hayes-Green and Noah Halford also let go after their loans topped out at tier 6 – even if Hayes-Green moved to Halifax ahead of their playoffs - it seems to me, from a small data-set, that a pattern is developing: players need to prove themselves capable of moving above tier 6 to avoid that brutal funnel.

Which brings us to Charlie Warren... as Tony D will surely say – once he's stopped smarting from how much better Pru's transfer thread is – it's a huge step up from tier 8, even if Warren's just had a very promising season there. Clearly we think there's something in him, especially as he's slightly older, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see him loaned out (tier 6?) to prove himself once we've had a good look in pre-season.

[TonyDomingos]

Remind me: is it better to get our business done early or not? Does early imply we're picking up the chaff?

[Spartan2]

The speed with which we're getting these deals done is great, almost a full 11 now. Can't wait for the winger/s to come in.

lineup (2).png (126.71 KiB) Viewed 463 times

[sonicthewhite]

I reckon Forino at 6 and Randall at 7.

[truewhite15]

The speed with which we're getting these deals done is great, almost a full 11 now. Can't wait for the winger/s to come in.

lineup (2).png

Assuming that our newbies are actually decent, that's not looking too bad a line up.

I worried that a Toal-Forino defensive partnership wouldn't be a promotion-winning one. A Taylor-Toal or Taylor-Forino duo might be closer to that ideal. It does leave us with at least two centre backs in Johnston and Forrester for whom game time is already looking limited.

If Jacob is signing on, then that is LB pretty much sewn up - Conway as back-up, Schon could be used there too. RB is still looking weak, with JDC as the only real option there - though I suppose JOT could perform that role in an emergency.

Centre midfield is looking pretty stocked, with Simons, Morley, Thomason and Sheehan fighting for the 6/8 position. I'm inclined to think that the formation that Spartan suggests is strongest right now. Maybe another out and out 6 would be of benefit - but that would definitely require outgoings.

Those two wide roles can be either wingers, which would suit Collins, JOT, Schon and CMG, or narrower 10s, suiting Collins, McAtee, Randell, Lolos or CMG. In the former, I think JOT and Collins are likely first choice, but there's room for a stronger out and out winger - might that be our marquee signing of the summer? - which would surely spell the end for at least one of those seven. In the latter, I'm not opposed to Collins and McAtee as first choices, but again, a proper league-beater wouldn't go amiss.

Up front is perhaps our weakest area. Great to have Dalby on board, and I hope he brings with him the goal-scoring instincts he uncovered at Dundee. But outside him, we have the crocked Victor (not expected back until Christmas), the much-maligned Nlundulu, or McAtee and Collins - who have both admitted that #9 isn't their best role. Lolos maybe at a push, but I wouldn't want to stake a promotion campaign on him. Another new centre forward is absolutely necessary.

[Worthy4England]

The speed with which we're getting these deals done is great, almost a full 11 now. Can't wait for the winger/s to come in.

lineup (2).png

In fairness Spartan, this is a moderate sized formation. So, one up on some previous offers. I love a good formation, it sorta keeps me up at nigh.

Out of preference, I'd rather the post was downsized and maybe stopped us looking like we got into CM sometime in the 2010's, I mean you'd struggle to put our current squad in any formation any software could cope with. But whadda I know?

I am hoping for daily formations from this point forwards. Certainly every signing and preferably with a few random B teamers in there. Well, becaus...e

[Worthy4England]

The speed with which we're getting these deals done is great, almost a full 11 now. Can't wait for the winger/s to come in.

lineup (2).png

Assuming that our newbies are actually decent, that's not looking too bad a line up.

I worried that a Toal-Forino defensive partnership wouldn't be a promotion-winning one. A Taylor-Toal or Taylor-Forino duo might be closer to that ideal. It does leave us with at least two centre backs in Johnston and Forrester for whom game time is already looking limited.

If Jacob is signing on, then that is LB pretty much sewn up - Conway as back-up, Schon could be used there too. RB is still looking weak, with JDC as the only real option there - though I suppose JOT could perform that role in an emergency.

Centre midfield is looking pretty stocked, with Simons, Morley, Thomason and Sheehan fighting for the 6/8 position. I'm inclined to think that the formation that Spartan suggests is strongest right now. Maybe another out and out 6 would be of benefit - but that would definitely require outgoings.

Those two wide roles can be either wingers, which would suit Collins, JOT, Schon and CMG, or narrower 10s, suiting Collins, McAtee, Randell, Lolos or CMG. In the former, I think JOT and Collins are likely first choice, but there's room for a stronger out and out winger - might that be our marquee signing of the summer? - which would surely spell the end for at least one of those seven. In the latter, I'm not opposed to Collins and McAtee as first choices, but again, a proper league-beater wouldn't go amiss.

Up front is perhaps our weakest area. Great to have Dalby on board, and I hope he brings with him the goal-scoring instincts he uncovered at Dundee. But outside him, we have the crocked Victor (not expected back until Christmas), the much-maligned Nlundulu, or McAtee and Collins - who have both admitted that #9 isn't their best role. Lolos maybe at a push, but I wouldn't want to stake a promotion campaign on him. Another new centre forward is absolutely necessary.

Interesting.

I'd struggle to differentiate the respective capabilities of our defenders, outside of collectively they're shit. Wheater, who I have a million miles of respect for (but didn't think he was a prem defender) and Beevers would piss all over this collection at defending and we're in L1.

There shouldn't be any sort of fight for MF. If new boy has any defensive nous, put Sheehan on the next bus to Wigan, He's worse than useless - I know, he's an international - but Wales are useless also.

I can't bear to look at much further forward, welcome Sam, if any of the other L1 Prima donna's don't like it, just thump 'em.

I want our new spine, to demonstrate their dominance. If they tread on some talentless egos on the way, refer them to Worthy the HR dIrector and I'll happily read em their rights...

[irie Cee Bee]

Is Dempsey still our player? He has been hardly mentioned. Surely if he is fit after an uninterrupted pre-season, he starts with Xavier and Thomasson in a midfield 3 which would be really strong and competitive at this level.

[Bijou Bob]

I have a lot of time for Dempsey, but can see him being loaned out if we can't get shot of McAtee. Shame, as I do think he offers a lot, particularly as an impact sub.

[BWFC_Insane]

Still a lot of players needed so let’s not get carried away.

Jacob has interest in Europe now and that may push his price up above what we can pay.

In terms of outs I’d say given we know there is likely interest I’d have to hope someone makes an offer for Sheehan and he can go as I don’t think he’s right for us.

We need wingers as I don’t think anyone we’ve got works in that system. Tutu is not a forward and his end product shows it. Schon isn’t either. Collins and McAtee can’t play wide.