Match Thread - Sheffield United (H) - 6 Aug 2016. 15:00.

[Prufrock]

More bettors have backed Port Vale for promotion than us

Yeah but, have you met the people of Burslem?

Well, I certainly know that their most famous fan had impulse-control issues.

But I do find it at least slightly intriguing that more folks are backing them than us. Hopefully they're wrong, by the binary law of Bernie Slaven.

Well, he was no Angel.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Parky's pre-match presser, per Twitter.

It's taken a while but I'm pleased to get Lewis Buxton in. He's an experienced player and will add a lot to the squad.

Squad-building has taken longer than we anticipated. There are certain restrictions, but slowly but surely we're getting there.

We’re still restricted by the embargo but I think there will be more movement and we will be able to bring in more new faces.

I'm excited. Everyone is ready for action and what a great game to start with. We're really looking forward to it.

We will be very thorough in our preparations for every game. It's a busy start and we'll utilise our full squad.

It's a work in progress. We have to find a way to perform, utilising the players we have at the moment.

We've decided to reassess what happens with the remaining trialists and players going out on loan until after the first game.

The lads who were here last year are determined to put right what went wrong last year and to rebuild a relationship with the fans.

I came in with an open mind. The lads' attitude in training has been excellent and that is all I could ask for.

It's a long season ahead. We won't get carried away either way. We just want to see the team playing with commitment and heart.

We're a work in progress in many ways but we are making that progress and I am pleased with all the players we have brought in.

The squad does still need re-shaping. Tomorrow is not the be-all and end-all. It is about continuing to make progress.

I'm enjoying it. It's great to be integrating the first team and the academy at Lostock.

It's important to integrate the young players with the first team and I'll think we'll reap the benefits of that going forward.

It's great for us to get to know the younger players and hopefully a few of them will challenge for a first team place this year.

The Chairman and board are working hard to make sure the foundations are in place to put us in a strong position going forward.

[LeverEnd]

Sounds like he's not going to play most of the new signings to me.

[thebish]

Sounds like he's not going to play most of the new signings to me.

just to recap.. who ARE our new signings?

Beevis and Buxhead.. proctor... taylor... errrr... oh - yes - Wheater!

[Riviman]

Sounds like he's not going to play most of the new signings to me.

just to recap.. who ARE our new signings?

Beevis and Buxhead.. proctor... taylor... errrr... oh - yes - Wheater!

And Howard (keeper) and Buxton

[Riviman]

Well Newell won't be on the bench, he's joined Fylde
http://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/article/2016 ... 28334.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[thebish]

Well Newell won't be on the bench, he's joined Fylde
http://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/article/2016 ... 28334.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

hang on... not far above this post Parky was quoted as saying: "We've decided to reassess what happens with the remaining trialists and players going out on loan until after the first game."

[BWFC_Insane]

Sounds like he's not going to play most of the new signings to me.

Does it? Must be missing something...

[jetsetwilly]

A few weeks ago, I started to get that excited feeling about the new season. I have to say, that this morning, I feel really down. Wheater staying is a real wake up call of where we are at. We couldn't find any central defenders so had to go cap in hand to one of those failures who we should have been booting out of the door.

Most of those we have signed have all got a track record of mediocrity at best. The thought of Madine up front makes me very worried that we are more likely to be bottom 3 than top 3. We have failed to get rid of the players we had to get rid of.

Come on boys, start off with a win and give us some hope

[bobo the clown]

I am still of the view that, even if they're overpaid, a squad with Pratley, Spearing, Mavis, Amos, Wheaten, Clough and the rest, fit (hopefully) and with a manager who knows what he's doing should be OK at this level. More than OK in fact.

[BWFC_Insane]

I am still of the view that, even if they're overpaid, a squad with Pratley, Spearing, Mavis, Amos, Wheaten, Clough and the rest, fit (hopefully) and with a manager who knows what he's doing should be OK at this level. More than OK in fact.

People are just cautious based on past experience.

The whole 'we've signed mediocre players' thing makes me laugh though. We have. But we are in a below average division. And we have no money. Not sure what the expectation was there.

[thebish]

I am still of the view that, even if they're overpaid, a squad with Pratley, Spearing, Mavis, Amos, Wheaten, Clough and the rest, fit (hopefully) and with a manager who knows what he's doing should be OK at this level. More than OK in fact.

indeed - abso-fecking-lutely!

[jetsetwilly]

Overpaid players could either mean they are better than their peers (but isn't that what people have said for the past 3 years). I see it as destroying squad harmony. I don't expect world class signings, but when I read how great we will be this season with Proctor as our new striker it causes me the same worries I had when we signed, and pinned our hopes on Madine. In the past few years, we have not had a player who can put the ball in the net. We still don't, hence why I think we will struggle.

And now I just find out that there are no trains to the Macron until October!!! Away games only for me until then!!!!

[officer_dibble]

Todays the day...come on you f-cking white men, don't let us down (for a change)!

[Norpig]

Thought I would come on to see what everyones thoughts were before the new season expecting cautious optimism. Should have known better on this site all a set of doom mongers!

I think we have made signings although mediocre compared to signings in the past but they are players like the manager who knows how to play in this league. He seems to be able to get the best out of players going off other clubs PP has been and we should at least be more organised!

I am cautiously optimistic we can at least get a draw today if not a win (I reserve the right to complain if it all goes wrong)

COME ON YOU WHITES!!!!

[LeverEnd]

Sounds like he's not going to play most of the new signings to me.

Does it? Must be missing something...

Just the bit about assessing after the squad after the first game and the lads from.last season making amends. I'm just panic fannying . Ignore me.

[TKIZ!]

I'm in the optimistic camp. Always have been. Getting ready for the journey to the MacReeBurnBokDenRon. Having to negotiate the Buxton train as I can't be arsed with a bunch of Sheff Utd fans on the other one.

COYWM!!!!!

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

2-1 to Shef Utd. It'll be dull, dire but not diabolical. Progress

[malcd1]

I am hopeful for a better season than the last but I'm still concerned who is going to score the goals. We don't have a lot of creativity or a prolific goal scorer at the moment. It seems to me that we are pinning all our hopes on Mavis, Taylor and Clough.

I am one of the few who think we play better with Mark Davies in the team than without him. Not that he couldn't or shouldn't do more but I would rather have in the team than sat on the bench or fecked off to someone else.

I'm not sure this is the right division for Clough to shine. It will be more physical that the Championship and I don't think he will receive much protection from the referees. I know he is a good player but is he going to bullied out of too many games?

The big difference from last season is that we have a manager who knows this division. Defensively we looked better organised against Preston than we had since the Allardyce or even Megson days. Will that be enough for most fans? I hope so.

Anyway, onwards and upwards. COYWM!!

[BWFC_Insane]

Agree with the above that goals are the issue. Once again I can't see many hitting double figures and that's an issue given we don't seem to share goals round much either.

Hope I'm wrong but I think lack of goals is what will cost us this time. Still if we are better organised that can take you a long way.