Pre-season 2025

[The_Gun]

Hibs want £7.90 to stream tomorrow’s friendly. Absolute bastards.

It's a testimonial, so if most/all is going to the player/charity, then I guess it's not too outrageous. But, if it's going to Hibs then fk 'em!

Ah, fair point. Still, I’m not overly keen on lining the pockets of some Hibs player.

Conditions look atrocious up there. I guess it will still go ahead, but not really ideal.

[TonyDomingos]

Hibs want £7.90 to stream tomorrow’s friendly. Absolute bastards.

It's a testimonial, so if most/all is going to the player/charity, then I guess it's not too outrageous. But, if it's going to Hibs then fk 'em!

Ah, fair point. Still, I’m not overly keen on lining the pockets of some Hibs player.

Conditions look atrocious up there. I guess it will still go ahead, but not really ideal.

Hopefully, it goes ahead as over 1,000 of our lot have made the journey.

[Riviman]

It'll be interesting to see if Thommo is involved this afternoon.

[BWFC_Insane]

It'll be interesting to see if Thommo is involved this afternoon.

I don’t think he is.

[The_Gun]

It'll be interesting to see if Thommo is involved this afternoon.

If he’s involved then I’d say it’s very likely he’s turned the move down (again).

[HMX]

Think he’ll be gone

[Worthy4England]

If he isn't playing, wonder where the armband will land...Didn't it go to Forino, tail end of last season?

[KeyserSoze]

Iles on the live blog:

12:27pm
I'll obviously get an update from Steven Schumacher after the game - but his move to Wrexham does appear very close.

12:26pm
Just watched the players walk in from the corner of the ground. No George Thomason.

[jmjhb]

Yeah, there was no chance of him appearing today.

[TonyDomingos]

Screenshot_20250719-130239.png (1003.79 KiB) Viewed 106 times

[Tails07]

No Thomason. Warren also absent. Morley & Simons at 6. McAtee 10, new lads on the wings and big David Abimbola up top.

Bar the #9, is this the closest to Schumachers likely 11 come Stockport

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

If he isn't playing, wonder where the armband will land...Didn't it go to Forino, tail end of last season?

It did not, according to Transfermrkt – at least at kick-off (it's sometimes hard to tell who gets tossed the armband if the skipper's subbed).

Thomason was starting captain for 13 league games under Schumacher. For the other five...
Feb 8 Crawley - Toal (Sheehan started)
Feb 15 Shrewsbury - Toal (Sheehan was on bench)
But then Toal got injured...
Feb 22 ORIENT - Sheehan
Mar 1 Wrexham - Sheehan
Apr 25 BRISTOL ROVERS - Sheehan

However, neither Toal nor Sheehan start today. Iles says Johnston is skipper.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

If he isn't playing, wonder where the armband will land...Didn't it go to Forino, tail end of last season?

It did not, according to Transfermrkt – at least at kick-off (it's sometimes hard to tell who gets tossed the armband if the skipper's subbed).

Thomason was starting captain for 13 league games under Schumacher. For the other five...
Feb 8 Crawley - Toal (Sheehan started)
Feb 15 Shrewsbury - Toal (Sheehan was on bench)
But then Toal got injured...
Feb 22 ORIENT - Sheehan
Mar 1 Wrexham - Sheehan
Apr 25 BRISTOL ROVERS - Sheehan

However, neither Toal nor Sheehan start today. Iles says Johnston is skipper.

[Worthy4England]

If he isn't playing, wonder where the armband will land...Didn't it go to Forino, tail end of last season?

It did not, according to Transfermrkt – at least at kick-off (it's sometimes hard to tell who gets tossed the armband if the skipper's subbed).

Thomason was starting captain for 13 league games under Schumacher. For the other five...
Feb 8 Crawley - Toal (Sheehan started)
Feb 15 Shrewsbury - Toal (Sheehan was on bench)
But then Toal got injured...
Feb 22 ORIENT - Sheehan
Mar 1 Wrexham - Sheehan
Apr 25 BRISTOL ROVERS - Sheehan

However, neither Toal nor Sheehan start today. Iles says Johnston is skipper.

I had in mind it was chucked across during subs.

[Bertie Wooster]

No Thomason. Warren also absent. Morley & Simons at 6. McAtee 10, new lads on the wings and big David Abimbola up top.

Bar the #9, is this the closest to Schumachers likely 11 come Stockport

If it is IMO its quite weak. The lack of striker options is alarming with 2 weeks to go.

[BWFC_Insane]

Maybe it’s the time of year but am starting to get concerned with the squad.

Nothing fit up front and midfield suddenly feels too lightweight. I’d not count Sheehan as anything worth much for a league one promotion campaign. And we are therefore entirely reliant on Simons being fit. That’s not a good place.

If we want to have a shot at the top 6 we are a very good physical and mobile midfield player and a striker (at least short) and as Iles says time is starting to tick.

I don’t think we need big hitters or fancy names but I do think now these roles need filling with players experienced in this league that we buy off teams who don’t want to let them out - otherwise I do worry we’ve lost too much experience. European frees are interesting I guess but I think we are at a point where I’d worry about the team now having lost Thomason if we are relying on untested players.

Certainly there is a need to get a move on. We are lacking things in the spine of the team and you cannot go into a season in that state unless you are satisfied to not be contenders. I hope they have plans in place but for me replacing Thomason with a real midfield scrapper is absolutely not optional. It’s an absolute must and they have to be a really really good player.

Edit: and as Bertie says we also have a real leaders gap something we are now even lighter on than last season and somehow was one of our weakest areas. That’s quite concerning.

[Bertie Wooster]

Iles reporting George Johnston as captain - I really hope not as I don't think he's even close to being captain material, IMO he shouldn't even be in the team.

[TonyDomingos]

Maybe it’s the time of year but am starting to get concerned with the squad.

Nothing fit up front and midfield suddenly feels too lightweight. I’d not count Sheehan as anything worth much for a league one promotion campaign. And we are therefore entirely reliant on Simons being fit. That’s not a good place.

If we want to have a shot at the top 6 we are a very good physical and mobile midfield player and a striker (at least short) and as Iles says time is starting to tick.

I don’t think we need big hitters or fancy names but I do think now these roles need filling with players experienced in this league that we buy off teams who don’t want to let them out - otherwise I do worry we’ve lost too much experience. European frees are interesting I guess but I think we are at a point where I’d worry about the team now having lost Thomason if we are relying on untested players.

Certainly there is a need to get a move on. We are lacking things in the spine of the team and you cannot go into a season in that state unless you are satisfied to not be contenders. I hope they have plans in place but for me replacing Thomason with a real midfield scrapper is absolutely not optional. It’s an absolute must and they have to be a really really good player.

Edit: and as Bertie says we also have a real leaders gap something we are now even lighter on than last season and somehow was one of our weakest areas. That’s quite concerning.

Iles says he is"quietly confident" we'll have a new striker in before the season starts.

[jmjhb]

There's loads of stuff going on. Stop worrying!

[Bertie Wooster]

Iles says he is"quietly confident" we'll have a new striker in before the season starts.

The devil will be in the detail i.e. an unknown striker who has scored 2 in 40 or a quality proven striker who is at the same level as Dalby or even better.