Summer 2021 Transfer Thread.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I do struggle with Stockton signing on again at Morecambe and not here, presumably sold on being the main man there (and it’s worked out for him).

Wait till you hear what happened to Sarce

[officer_dibble]

There’s no way Morecambe pay Stockport wages!

[GhostoftheBok]

There’s no way Morecambe pay Stockport wages!

I love this one, because it reads like it should be a joke but is entirely true.

I think it's reasonable he stayed. He clearly has a manager who trusts him and some players repay loyalty with loyalty. What I would say is that he might be regretting it. He is banging them in and Morecambe are still struggling. Were he doing for us what he's doing for them he'd be much higher up the league and possibly looking at promotion.

[TANGODANCER]

I do struggle with Stockton signing on again at Morecambe and not here, presumably sold on being the main man there (and it’s worked out for him).

Wait till you hear what happened to Sarce

Sounds like another "Wish I'd stayed at Bolton" in the making.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I do struggle with Stockton signing on again at Morecambe and not here, presumably sold on being the main man there (and it’s worked out for him).

Wait till you hear what happened to Sarce

Sounds like another "Wish I'd stayed at Bolton" in the making.

Yeah, we had a long run of those, didn't we? Not sure it's been quite the same since our ship hit choppy waters, but it's a sign of improvement if it does happen again. And let's face it, a bloke who turns 30 in four months has just gone into non-league.

[GhostoftheBok]

Ultimately with Sarce, you don't want a captain at your club who will accept going into non-league if your club aim is the Prem.

We are realistically years off that, but we all know that's what Evatt and FV want. Even sitting in League One, the ambition to get the club up the leagues has to filter through the set up. Sam used to say that the most ambitious person at any football club has to be the manager and that the captain has to reflect the manager's aspirations for the club and team. Even if you're a fan who thinks Evatt is delusional, you can't have that level of disconnect between the gaffer and his captain. Sarce should have been bursting every sinew to earn himself a new deal so he could have a crack at the Championship in the near future. He clearly wanted a new deal, but going to non-league shows it was about financial security and not football.

If it had all blown up and Sarce had sat on his arse until January in order to get a move to another League One club, that'd be bad; but it wouldn't have meant he was entirely the wrong captain for us. Moving to non-league shows where his priorities lie. I don't blame him in the least (short career, take the money, no issue), but he was clearly not the sort Evatt needs.

A player can be hungry at 17 and 37, it depends on the personality. Sarce was happy to peak as Bolton captain in League One.

[BWFC_Insane]

Ultimately with Sarce, you don't want a captain at your club who will accept going into non-league if your club aim is the Prem.

We are realistically years off that, but we all know that's what Evatt and FV want. Even sitting in League One, the ambition to get the club up the leagues has to filter through the set up. Sam used to say that the most ambitious person at any football club has to be the manager and that the captain has to reflect the manager's aspirations for the club and team. Even if you're a fan who thinks Evatt is delusional, you can't have that level of disconnect between the gaffer and his captain. Sarce should have been bursting every sinew to earn himself a new deal so he could have a crack at the Championship in the near future. He clearly wanted a new deal, but going to non-league shows it was about financial security and not football.

If it had all blown up and Sarce had sat on his arse until January in order to get a move to another League One club, that'd be bad; but it wouldn't have meant he was entirely the wrong captain for us. Moving to non-league shows where his priorities lie. I don't blame him in the least (short career, take the money, no issue), but he was clearly not the sort Evatt needs.

A player can be hungry at 17 and 37, it depends on the personality. Sarce was happy to peak as Bolton captain in League One.

I'm sorry but that doesn't work for me.

Your assumption that he's gone to Stockport hence revealing a player with a lack of ambition is not really taking account of what his personal circumstances are nor of course the details as to what has gone on.

He could only sign for non league clubs in October and you don't know whether realistically there was even the option for him to stay. I just think you can't measure someone's desire to be successful without the information.

What you can judge is what they give you on the pitch and in terms of workrate and desire he cannot be questioned, at all. And in fact if you do want to question that there are a whole load more on the list who need booting out.

This is often argued the other way round too - player not getting a shot in a premiership club - if they drop down to get football - wow they are hungry, what a super lad. If they sit and draw their wage at the higher level - what an absolute disgrace to humanity how dare you be happy sitting on the bench.

So yeah I think without knowing any of the details your conclusion is well, wide of the mark. Unless you simultaneously believe we shouldn't sign anyone from higher up the ladder since their decision to step down shows a lack of ambition that is to be avoided. You literally cannot have it both ways.

[GhostoftheBok]

A player who is desperate to get himself up the leagues doesn't go to Stockport, regardless of what went on with Evatt. He could have stayed at the club until January regardless, as that's what his contract guaranteed him. Players are going to Stockport for the same reason they went to Salford. It's not complicated.

[Prufrock]

Players moving down the leagues are hungry when they drop down to play football when they aren't playing it at their current level. He was playing for us and absolutely no way he wouldn't get an offer in at the very least League 2 and quite possibly/probably League 1. He was out of contract in the summer anyway.

Instead he's signed a 2.5 year deal to play non-league. It's obviously about the money.

[BWFC_Insane]

Players moving down the leagues are hungry when they drop down to play football when they aren't playing it at their current level. He was playing for us and absolutely no way he wouldn't get an offer in at the very least League 2 and quite possibly/probably League 1. He was out of contract in the summer anyway.

Instead he's signed a 2.5 year deal to play non-league. It's obviously about the money.

That's an odd conclusion - perhaps he was told to go and that he wouldn't play again? And then had a decision. Nobody knows what's gone on. Or what his family situation is. In October he had a decision of sitting here till January perhaps in a situation that was intolerable for whatever reason or going and playing elsewhere but with limited options.

[BWFC_Insane]

A player who is desperate to get himself up the leagues doesn't go to Stockport, regardless of what went on with Evatt. He could have stayed at the club until January regardless, as that's what his contract guaranteed him. Players are going to Stockport for the same reason they went to Salford. It's not complicated.

Stockport are offering good non league money but its not Salford. Not by a long stretch. Won't be on the salary he was here. Hence the contract length.

[GhostoftheBok]

Nobody knows what's gone on. Or what his family situation is.

I don't think anyone has said he couldn't have legitimate reasons for going there. Financial security IS a legitimate reason for a player to move, especially at this level. What it isn't is defensible in terms of ambition within the game.

[BWFC_Insane]

Nobody knows what's gone on. Or what his family situation is.

I don't think anyone has said he couldn't have legitimate reasons for going there. Financial security IS a legitimate reason for a player to move, especially at this level. What it isn't is defensible in terms of ambition within the game.

Ok. Just hope we steer clear of anyone above us in the league. Because to drop to Bolton they can't have any ambition. So lets stick to them from league 2 and below.

[GhostoftheBok]

Ok. Just hope we steer clear of anyone above us in the league. Because to drop to Bolton they can't have any ambition. So lets stick to them from league 2 and below.

Does that really strike you as a good argument? If Comley or Liam Gordon joined Stockport do you think we'd be drawing the same conclusions as we are about Sarce?

[Prufrock]

That's just nonsense. If he had any ambition he'd have walked and/or waited for Jan. He could sign for a league club just not play (and you'd think they'd want him in before Jan 1).

He clearly could have got those offers. Not a chance he couldn't find a club in League 2 if he'd wanted.

It's patently different to someone who isn't playing in, say, the Champo who wants games.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Interesting that this discussion has bobbed back up again the day we pay off Comley – the guy who sat fast despite Evatt trying to get rid of him for nearly a year now.

Not entirely sure what family emergency would require Sarce to play for a club very slightly nearer his home. If it's a family emergency about money, that makes absolutely no sense when you then say he's definitely on less money than here. He was transferred, he wasn't sacked and didn't leave by "mutual consent", either of which would have required us to pay up some of our contractual obligations. You don't have to be transferred. Ask Brandon.

It's fine. He wasn't wanted here, and rather than hang about to January he decided to leave. He signed a contract with a non-league club which will take him to the age of 32. I personally think he could have got several better offers, better in terms of league position, but as I've said he has a bit of a history of leaving clubs without tearful farewell parties – Shrewsbury, Plymouth, Bolton. I wish him all the best (except this weekend) but when it's time to go, it's time to go.

[BWFC_Insane]

Interesting that this discussion has bobbed back up again the day we pay off Comley – the guy who sat fast despite Evatt trying to get rid of him for nearly a year now.

Not entirely sure what family emergency would require Sarce to play for a club very slightly nearer his home. If it's a family emergency about money, that makes absolutely no sense when you then say he's definitely on less money than here. He was transferred, he wasn't sacked and didn't leave by "mutual consent", either of which would have required us to pay up some of our contractual obligations. You don't have to be transferred. Ask Brandon.

It's fine. He wasn't wanted here, and rather than hang about to January he decided to leave. He signed a contract with a non-league club which will take him to the age of 32. I personally think he could have got several better offers, better in terms of league position, but as I've said he has a bit of a history of leaving clubs without tearful farewell parties – Shrewsbury, Plymouth, Bolton. I wish him all the best (except this weekend) but when it's time to go, it's time to go.

If he wasn’t wanted here why was he captain and first choice pick? I’ve read some nonsense but that is Boris Johnson level of narrative twisting.

It might be longer term he wasn’t in their plans. But that goes for many players I imagine. As it was he was not exactly someone you would have said a day before events transpired was ‘surplus to requirements’.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Interesting that this discussion has bobbed back up again the day we pay off Comley – the guy who sat fast despite Evatt trying to get rid of him for nearly a year now.

Not entirely sure what family emergency would require Sarce to play for a club very slightly nearer his home. If it's a family emergency about money, that makes absolutely no sense when you then say he's definitely on less money than here. He was transferred, he wasn't sacked and didn't leave by "mutual consent", either of which would have required us to pay up some of our contractual obligations. You don't have to be transferred. Ask Brandon.

It's fine. He wasn't wanted here, and rather than hang about to January he decided to leave. He signed a contract with a non-league club which will take him to the age of 32. I personally think he could have got several better offers, better in terms of league position, but as I've said he has a bit of a history of leaving clubs without tearful farewell parties – Shrewsbury, Plymouth, Bolton. I wish him all the best (except this weekend) but when it's time to go, it's time to go.

If he wasn’t wanted here why was he captain and first choice pick? I’ve read some nonsense but that is Boris Johnson level of narrative twisting.

Oh come on man, you're humiliating yourself now, clinging to tinier and tinier straws. Getting abusive too, I note. Always a good look.

Obviously something changed. Clearly, I mean he wasn't wanted at the point at which he left the club – and presumably from a little while before that, perhaps when he de-prammed the toys at not being able to play against his old club.

Or do you think Evatt was clinging on to his ankles, sobbing and begging him to stay? Because if so that's quite a different story to the one you've been trying to spin for a fortnight.

[GhostoftheBok]

Sarcevic was running out of time here. He was a limited player who gave us key attributes that were no longer sufficient after this season and may not have been past January. His work rate and goal threat were great to have and I liked his attitude on the pitch (which dragged us through some games), but after time watching Evatt and his side you could see the writing on the wall. Poor use of the ball in key positions, not showing for the ball enough, not intelligent enough in the press (regardless of enthusiasm) and not improving in those areas.

Santos, Jones, Dapo, Williams etc have all improved dramatically under Evatt. They are better players than the ones we signed. The Sarcevic Stockport got from us is essentially the same player we signed, with marginally better recycling of the ball.

So he wasn't getting a new deal and I think there's every chance he wasn't going to be first choice for his position after January. He may have, but only if we couldn't find a better option in that window.

His leaving how he did was a crisis (still is), but we've not lost a long term key player....we've lost a short term key player. I'd rather he stayed until the end of the season to allow us to transition to his replacement, but he was getting replaced.

You could make an argument that that's disrespectful to a promotion winning captain, but as Sarce himself essentially said "that's football."

We are currently worse off without him, but we can be a much better team with someone more suitable coming in in January.

There are other players I suspect may suffer a similar fate, but I expect them to react professionally when faced with that reality. I have my doubts about whether Sarce did, but it's speculation.

[BWFC_Insane]

Interesting that this discussion has bobbed back up again the day we pay off Comley – the guy who sat fast despite Evatt trying to get rid of him for nearly a year now.

Not entirely sure what family emergency would require Sarce to play for a club very slightly nearer his home. If it's a family emergency about money, that makes absolutely no sense when you then say he's definitely on less money than here. He was transferred, he wasn't sacked and didn't leave by "mutual consent", either of which would have required us to pay up some of our contractual obligations. You don't have to be transferred. Ask Brandon.

It's fine. He wasn't wanted here, and rather than hang about to January he decided to leave. He signed a contract with a non-league club which will take him to the age of 32. I personally think he could have got several better offers, better in terms of league position, but as I've said he has a bit of a history of leaving clubs without tearful farewell parties – Shrewsbury, Plymouth, Bolton. I wish him all the best (except this weekend) but when it's time to go, it's time to go.

If he wasn’t wanted here why was he captain and first choice pick? I’ve read some nonsense but that is Boris Johnson level of narrative twisting.

Oh come on man, you're humiliating yourself now, clinging to tinier and tinier straws. Getting abusive too, I note. Always a good look.

Obviously something changed. Clearly, I mean he wasn't wanted at the point at which he left the club – and presumably from a little while before that, perhaps when he de-prammed the toys at not being able to play against his old club.

Or do you think Evatt was clinging on to his ankles, sobbing and begging him to stay? Because if so that's quite a different story to the one you've been trying to spin for a fortnight.

Presumably and perhaps. Given he was captain and first choice we can assume it wasn’t a pre determined thing to release him in October. So something happened. Since neither club nor player seem to want to elaborate on that all we can conclude is that there was likely fault on both sides here. But a spat and a falling out or a gradual discontentment is not the same as the club making a decision said player isn’t wanted in the here and now. Comley wasn’t wanted. Sarce very much was until whatever incident or incidents occurred. It leaves us in the short term weaker of that there is no doubt.