Snog, Marry, Avoid: Summer 2023 Transfer Window

[GhostoftheBok]

The Bond may cover some player stuff but will mainly be used for capital projects. They outlined this in the offer.

The money to enhance our playing budget in the main is thanks to NL! Though obviously its all relative - without the bond and the improvements that can bring to the pitch, academy and training facilities (and sports science staff) NL's money wouldn't stretch as far (if at all) for the squad improvement.

I doubt its going to be massive and I hope we are true to our word and don't risk stability (I don't think we will) but there was a view second half of the season that we were close but needed a push if we really want to compete for promotion apparently and sounds like that has resulted in action.

It's all the same pot.

If I have 50k in the bank and my house floods I can afford to fix my house, but hey I really wanted that new car. So I go to my mate and say, "My house needs fixing, can you lend me some money? I might not pay you back, but if I do I'll give you some extra."

Is my mate really paying for my vital home repairs, or is he buying me a car?

The reality is the fans are funding a promotion gamble. If it pays off then the owners assets go up by probably tens of millions and the fans get 8.5% returns. If the gamble doesn't pay off, the fans are the ones who stand all the risk on those funds.

[The_Gun]

Wigan are in all sorts of bother. Potentially some bargains to be had there.

Even the Pies players have my sympathy as a club for their predicament. Far too soon to be forgetting our own not too distant tightrope walk with financial disaster. "There but for the Grace of God go we.." etc. Hope they recover.....

I’m not hoping they go out of business, but if they have to drop down the divisions like we did then so be it. They’ve been operating a completely unsustainable business model.

Ultimately if there’s an opportunity for us to acquire good players at low prices then we have to take it.

[BWFC_Insane]

The Bond may cover some player stuff but will mainly be used for capital projects. They outlined this in the offer.

The money to enhance our playing budget in the main is thanks to NL! Though obviously its all relative - without the bond and the improvements that can bring to the pitch, academy and training facilities (and sports science staff) NL's money wouldn't stretch as far (if at all) for the squad improvement.

I doubt its going to be massive and I hope we are true to our word and don't risk stability (I don't think we will) but there was a view second half of the season that we were close but needed a push if we really want to compete for promotion apparently and sounds like that has resulted in action.

It's all the same pot.

If I have 50k in the bank and my house floods I can afford to fix my house, but hey I really wanted that new car. So I go to my mate and say, "My house needs fixing, can you lend me some money? I might not pay you back, but if I do I'll give you some extra."

Is my mate really paying for my vital home repairs, or is he buying me a car?

The reality is the fans are funding a promotion gamble. If it pays off then the owners assets go up by probably tens of millions and the fans get 8.5% returns. If the gamble doesn't pay off, the fans are the ones who stand all the risk on those funds.

Also a 10% promotion bonus.

I agree but it’s happening at many clubs these days.

[GhostoftheBok]

Also a 10% promotion bonus.

I agree but it’s happening at many clubs these days.

Yeah, it is. Gambling with other people's money knocks me sick, to be honest; but hey I love a transfer and it's not my money so I'll crack on and hold my nose.

All this "Auntie Shazza" stuff should now stop, though. This is now officially a standard investor leech project with a good face guy (or gal, in our case). The fans have just put in over £2m and will get a fraction of the returns the owners will if full repayment happens. The fact they've dressed it up in other clothes just makes them untrustworthy - that's the bit that actually bothers me. If they'd come out and said, "Hey, look, we can't both fix stuff and buy the players we'd like to for a promotion/survival gamble" people would have had an informed choice.

If anyone believes this transfer investment was happening if The Bond raised ten grand instead of millions then I have a bridge I'd like to sell you.

"You give me £100 and I'll put it on a 10-to-1 horse. If we win I'll give you £150 back." Thanks, Auntie Shazza.

[GhostoftheBok]

Anyway, that's me done with that topic.

Who are we buying?

[BWFC_Insane]

Also a 10% promotion bonus.

I agree but it’s happening at many clubs these days.

Yeah, it is. Gambling with other people's money knocks me sick, to be honest; but hey I love a transfer and it's not my money so I'll crack on and hold my nose.

All this "Auntie Shazza" stuff should now stop, though. This is now officially a standard investor leech project with a good face guy (or gal, in our case). The fans have just put in over £2m and will get a fraction of the returns the owners will if full repayment happens. The fact they've dressed it up in other clothes just makes them untrustworthy - that's the bit that actually bothers me. If they'd come out and said, "Hey, look, we can't both fix stuff and buy the players we'd like to for a promotion/survival gamble" people would have had an informed choice.

If anyone believes this transfer investment was happening if The Bond raised ten grand instead of millions then I have a bridge I'd like to sell you.

"You give me £100 and I'll put it on a 10-to-1 horse. If we win I'll give you £150 back." Thanks, Auntie Shazza.

Maybe but FV came in and were very clear they were no Eddie Davies. They’ve covered something like £10m in losses thus far. And seemingly will cover more. But at some point they need to find alternative routes…they don’t have £200M to chuck in ala ED then write off and one assumes that the investment NL can produce via his Swiss business is limited at least temporally.

[GhostoftheBok]

Maybe but FV came in and were very clear they were no Eddie Davies. They’ve covered something like £10m in losses thus far. And seemingly will cover more. But at some point they need to find alternative routes…they don’t have £200M to chuck in ala ED then write off and one assumes that the investment NL can produce via his Swiss business is limited at least temporally.

I have no issue with FV. They're an investment group here to make money. That's absolutely fine, as them making money is dependent on the club doing well. I think they've been dishonest here, but I expect that from investment groups in general and in football especially with the lack of proper regs over how you describe instruments (as you were, matron).

We could go into it more, but in the end it doesn't matter. The state of play is we now have (what sounds like being) a couple of million more than expected to try and get out of this tarpit of a division.

Hopefully we spend it well and all those fans get their money back with interest.

[GhostoftheBok]

On the plus side, can I have an Owen Moxon for midfield now? I feel like I've been really good this season.

I promise to still play with the Kyle Dempsey they got me last time.

[Worthy4England]

On the plus side, can I have an Owen Moxon for midfield now? I feel like I've been really good this season.

I promise to still play with the Kyle Dempsey they got me last time.

It's like my children's Santa's list when they we're little. Are you sure your big present is 1 Owen Moxon???

[GhostoftheBok]

It's like my children's Santa's list when they we're little. Are you sure your big present is 1 Owen Moxon???

My last big present was a Victor Adeboyejo and you said it didn't work properly, so do I not get two big presents this time?

There's a Kane Wilson going cheap, but I think it might be broken.

[Worthy4England]

It's like my children's Santa's list when they we're little. Are you sure your big present is 1 Owen Moxon???

My last big present was a Victor Adeboyejo and you said it didn't work properly, so do I not get two big presents this time?

There's a Kane Wilson going cheap, but I think it might be broken.

You need to look after your things, young Ghost. The Victor was fine when it was delivered and you took it out of the box.

[GhostoftheBok]

You need to look after your things, young Ghost. The Victor was fine when it was delivered and you took it out of the box.

You're just too old to understand compatibility.

All my other stuff is Apple, but you got me a Lemon.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Are you sure your big present is 1 Owen Moxon???

There's only one...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Update of sorts on Josh Key and Archie Collins, two other toys Ghost saw in the shop window.

[Exeter boss Gary] Caldwell says he is happy to wait a few more weeks for Kevin McDonald, Jonathan Grounds, Josh Key and Archie Collins to agree to their contract offers. Their deals end this summer and the Exeter manager would like them to stay at St James Park.

"They need to make sure it's right for themselves and their families, so we're willing to give them that time," he said. "But come early June if they haven't made that call to me then we will be pushing them because we obviously have to start looking elsewhere if it's not going to happen.

"We have our targets, we have the profile of player we need in each position, so we have to be very patient and should they not happen straight away we have to be in a position where we wait and make sure we get the right players rather than just signing 20-odd players on day one that aren't the right fit for this football club."

Background refresher:

You'd think Archie Collins and Josh Key would be on the list of people we'd spoken to.

Still haven't signed extensions... but they'd still cost.

https://www.devonlive.com/sport/footbal ... ey-8438041

"City would be entitled to compensation if they were to move on elsewhere. Key has been strongly rumoured to be joining Championship side Swansea City, captained by former Grecians youngster Matt Grimes. The chances of Collins staying though are understood to be much higher, with sources saying it about 50/50 he would sign the contract offered to him."

Explainer: Key is a RB/RWB. Collins can play 8, 10, wing or even up top, although he's 5ft9. Both are 23 and south-westerners (Torquay and Taunton), so it'd be a big wrench to leave - but that's what footballers face, and they're the right age to do it.

Both are worth the money. We may yet keep Sheehan, but Josh has shown that a player of his 'type' can be very useful for us in certain games and Collins is in that mould - though perhaps a bit more forward-thinking.

Josh Key, Remeao Hutton, Junior Tchamadeu...all options.

[sonicthewhite]

Wigan are in all sorts of bother. Potentially some bargains to be had there.

Even the Pies players have my sympathy as a club for their predicament. Far too soon to be forgetting our own not too distant tightrope walk with financial disaster. "There but for the Grace of God go we.." etc. Hope they recover.....

I’m not hoping they go out of business, but if they have to drop down the divisions like we did then so be it. They’ve been operating a completely unsustainable business model.

Ultimately if there’s an opportunity for us to acquire good players at low prices then we have to take it.

Agreed but ABM. Anyone But McClean!

[GhostoftheBok]

Update of sorts on Josh Key and Archie Collins, two other toys Ghost saw in the shop window.

[Exeter boss Gary] Caldwell says he is happy to wait a few more weeks for Kevin McDonald, Jonathan Grounds, Josh Key and Archie Collins to agree to their contract offers. Their deals end this summer and the Exeter manager would like them to stay at St James Park.

"They need to make sure it's right for themselves and their families, so we're willing to give them that time," he said. "But come early June if they haven't made that call to me then we will be pushing them because we obviously have to start looking elsewhere if it's not going to happen.

"We have our targets, we have the profile of player we need in each position, so we have to be very patient and should they not happen straight away we have to be in a position where we wait and make sure we get the right players rather than just signing 20-odd players on day one that aren't the right fit for this football club."

Not sure I would now add Collins into the midfield we have, with Sheehan looking like staying. That said, Evatt might. The kid is good, so if we were interested I'd not be upset.

Key could...wait for it...unlock our potential down the right. Stop booing.

Very much in the Bradley sort of mould with lots of running. Can stand a defender up and beat them, but has issues in his game. For me the main one is he's very one-footed (ala Morley). I think he's the closest to a direct Bradley replacement in the market right now, but it may be that that's not what Evatt wants. Lovely touch (with his right), pace, eye for goal...plenty to like.

This is Key's third season of being consistently good for Exeter and he's never had a major injury (that I'm aware of - I could Google it, but I like to live on the edge). He has to be in the conversation. Equally, Collins has been very good and almost always available for 4 years now. Two very, very experienced players for their ages.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

This is Key's third season of being consistently good for Exeter and he's never had a major injury (that I'm aware of - I could Google it, but I like to live on the edge). He has to be in the conversation. Equally, Collins has been very good and almost always available for 4 years now. Two very, very experienced players for their ages.

Indeed, I noticed that when doing a quick "remind me again who <checks notes> is" Google. Key has 148 games, 129 in the league. Collins has 220, inc 194 in the league. Not bad at all for 23-year-olds.

[GhostoftheBok]

Indeed, I noticed that when doing a quick "remind me again who <checks notes> is" Google. Key has 148 games, 129 in the league. Collins has 220, inc 194 in the league. Not bad at all for 23-year-olds.

Honestly, you have to salute Exeter for how well they are run (and managed). Their talent ID is superb, they have great youth coaching and they give players a chance.

I really don't know what Evat's plan is in midfield as things stand. I also don't know what level of player we are going to chase with this new "influx of cash" stuff going on. Regardless, those two lads can probably play Championship football with the right coaching and on frees (compo would be required, I assume) they'll be good additions for anyone in League One. I think they *should* leave Exeter and see how high they can push themselves, if they don't kick on next season they'll probably never know what they could have been.

Gary will think he can have Exeter in the play-offs next season and will try and sell them both on that, but Key at the very least will have offers to sit on a bench in the Championship. Bolton might be enough of a draw to get him with the promise of first team football, but I don't think Exeter can keep him. Collins is most likely to have League One offers and no higher at this stage, so maybe he'll stay. He's really coming together as a player though, so I could be wrong and a Championship side may take a risk on him.

If Key does get a Champo gig he can thank Kev Nicholson, who has done amazing work on the defensive side of his game.

[GhostoftheBok]

Lots of new deals for B Team players. Including 2 years with another year option for the captain. Well done to him.

https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2023/may/b- ... ined-list/

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Lots of new deals for B Team players. Including 2 years with another year option for the captain. Well done to him.

https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2023/may/b- ... ined-list/

Indeed. I'll update the Contract Expiry thread in due course.

Interesting to see Connor Stanley continue the "Paul Wheatcroft drift".