Schu me the way to Amarillo - Summer 2025 Transfer Thread

[The_Gun]

I really hope Conway gets a chance and he has done about as well as he can. But there's also no way we're going into the season with our only specialist a still unproven if promising kid.

We basically want Jack Iredale. Primarily a LB but versatile. Good egg. Can push Max but not smother him.

Unproven until given a chance. Now look if Schumacher thinks he’s not up to it then fine. But in which case we should have released him in the summer.

For me if he’s here he should get first go at left back. Otherwise basically you have no pathway as a younger player here. He’s done the loan the level below and excelled. What more can he do?

As for Iredale yep a player like that is ideal. We again never replaced him and he’s a better player I think than we have had since.

Why would we have released him when we had the extension option? At the very worst we should now at least be able to get a decentish fee for him.

[BWFC_Insane]

I really hope Conway gets a chance and he has done about as well as he can. But there's also no way we're going into the season with our only specialist a still unproven if promising kid.

We basically want Jack Iredale. Primarily a LB but versatile. Good egg. Can push Max but not smother him.

Unproven until given a chance. Now look if Schumacher thinks he’s not up to it then fine. But in which case we should have released him in the summer.

For me if he’s here he should get first go at left back. Otherwise basically you have no pathway as a younger player here. He’s done the loan the level below and excelled. What more can he do?

As for Iredale yep a player like that is ideal. We again never replaced him and he’s a better player I think than we have had since.

Why would we have released him when we had the extension option? At the very worst we should now at least be able to get a decentish fee for him.

Why would you extend the contract of a player you don’t think is good enough? They aren’t going to attract much of a fee.

It’s a business if young players are here they need to be here with a view to them making the first team grade. That may be via different paths but Conway surely is at the now or never stage.

I don’t get why fans are so worried about playing our younger players. We’ve endured absolute unproven dross on big fees - players who have barely played this level. Why can’t Conway get a chance. He could be far better than signings we might make and let’s be honest we paid a considerable fee for Schon who is bobbins or has been thus far and has little experience. Conway should get a go imo.

[Worthy4England]

I have no idea whether he's good, bad or indifferent, so it's a bit tricky to be honest. I know some folks watch the B / U21's of whatever, but I'm sure, like most managers, Schumacher will determine whether he thinks him playing is a slam dunk or an arse out of his keks risk...

[Prufrock]

As young lads who've been out on loan he's done as well as you can but it's another step. What if he's shite? Johnstone at LB until Jan. Write another year off. I hope we're planning for a "he could make it" make room. But obviously we're going to sign someone else who can actually play in what remains one of the only XI players we'll be putting out just in case.

[jmjhb]

As young lads who've been out on loan he's done as well as you can but it's another step. What if he's shite? Johnstone at LB until Jan. Write another year off. I hope we're planning for a "he could make it" make room. But obviously we're going to sign someone else who can actually play in what remains one of the only XI players we'll be putting out just in case.

Maybe it's just me but I wouldn't put a CB who struggled for the most part last year at LB because he's left-footed. Square pegs in round holes.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

There’s a lot of tealeaf-reading around a Schumacher comment (club YouTube video published tonight) that Inwood is one of four centre-backs. Folk surmising he sees Johnno or Taylor as LB. I’m too tired and sad to listen. But it could be that we now focus money into a(nother) striker rather than waiting/hoping for Kenny.

[Frank Drebin]

There’s a lot of tealeaf-reading around a Schumacher comment (club YouTube video published tonight) that Inwood is one of four centre-backs. Folk surmising he sees Johnno or Taylor as LB. I’m too tired and sad to listen. But it could be that we now focus money into a(nother) striker rather than waiting/hoping for Kenny.

Toal has covered FB before, so it might be Toal, JDC as RB’s. Taylor, Inwood, Forester, Forino as CB’s. Then Conway, Johnstone as LB’s.
Maybe he’s seen enough of Conway already to think he can do a job for us or like you say, a number 9 now takes priority, especially after Dalby has got himself injured.

[BWFC_Insane]

There’s a lot of tealeaf-reading around a Schumacher comment (club YouTube video published tonight) that Inwood is one of four centre-backs. Folk surmising he sees Johnno or Taylor as LB. I’m too tired and sad to listen. But it could be that we now focus money into a(nother) striker rather than waiting/hoping for Kenny.

Toal has covered FB before, so it might be Toal, JDC as RB’s. Taylor, Inwood, Forester, Forino as CB’s. Then Conway, Johnstone as LB’s.
Maybe he’s seen enough of Conway already to think he can do a job for us or like you say, a number 9 now takes priority, especially after Dalby has got himself injured.

He’s not counting Forrester since his injury is the reason Inwood is considered ‘one of four’.

[Bertie Wooster]

With Forrester being injured (again !), I suspect SS was thinking Toal, Forino, Taylor & probably Inwood as his 4 CB's - what that says about Johnston who knows - I do think that he sees Taylor as a CB, at least I hope so.

[BWFC_Insane]

With Forrester being injured (again !), I suspect SS was thinking Toal, Forino, Taylor & probably Inwood as his 4 CB's - what that says about Johnston who knows - I do think that he sees Taylor as a CB, at least I hope so.

Could Johnston be on the way out?

[Bertie Wooster]

With Forrester being injured (again !), I suspect SS was thinking Toal, Forino, Taylor & probably Inwood as his 4 CB's - what that says about Johnston who knows - I do think that he sees Taylor as a CB, at least I hope so.

Could Johnston be on the way out?

Hopefully !

[Wrighty92]

Just a sidenote on Conway, I think its fair to say if we had signed a 21 year old left back who had played pretty much every game of the season in League 2 and won the POTY for his club and paid a decent fee for him, everyone would be very excited about him ans expecting him to be a regular... just because we already owned him doesnt mean he needs to prove even more, he's clearly at a good enough level to play high end league 2, maybe even league 1 football and constantly developing due to his young age. We also don't know his ceiling either, it may be that hes even better than league 1 level and just hasn't had the chance to show it yet. Fingers crossed we have an absolute gem who either becomes are regular LB and smashes it then carries on with us in the championship or alternatively if we fail to progress, may even bring in a good fee.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Just a sidenote on Conway, I think its fair to say if we had signed a 21 year old left back who had played pretty much every game of the season in League 2 and won the POTY for his club and paid a decent fee for him, everyone would be very excited about him ans expecting him to be a regular... just because we already owned him doesnt mean he needs to prove even more, he's clearly at a good enough level to play high end league 2, maybe even league 1 football and constantly developing due to his young age. We also don't know his ceiling either, it may be that hes even better than league 1 level and just hasn't had the chance to show it yet. Fingers crossed we have an absolute gem who either becomes are regular LB and smashes it then carries on with us in the championship or alternatively if we fail to progress, may even bring in a good fee.

Agreed on all that. BWFC ain't the only club where fans frequently give homegrowners a rougher deal than incomers, but it's certainly something that's been happening throughout the 40 years I've been matchgoing.

What perhaps counts against Conway in terms of the people whose opinions matter more than ours - the coaches - is that he's played more as wingback than fullback. Doesn't mean he can't do it, though.

[Worthy4England]

Just a sidenote on Conway, I think its fair to say if we had signed a 21 year old left back who had played pretty much every game of the season in League 2 and won the POTY for his club and paid a decent fee for him, everyone would be very excited about him ans expecting him to be a regular... just because we already owned him doesnt mean he needs to prove even more, he's clearly at a good enough level to play high end league 2, maybe even league 1 football and constantly developing due to his young age. We also don't know his ceiling either, it may be that hes even better than league 1 level and just hasn't had the chance to show it yet. Fingers crossed we have an absolute gem who either becomes are regular LB and smashes it then carries on with us in the championship or alternatively if we fail to progress, may even bring in a good fee.

Agreed on all that. BWFC ain't the only club where fans frequently give homegrowners a rougher deal than incomers, but it's certainly something that's been happening throughout the 40 years I've been matchgoing.

What perhaps counts against Conway in terms of the people whose opinions matter more than ours - the coaches - is that he's played more as wingback than fullback. Doesn't mean he can't do it, though.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the coaches will be aware of what we have, where we might be missing and what we can do to bridge between the two. How many folks that are saying Conway should be in (or not), have seen him play more than maybe 5 full games? I mean I've seen bugger all of the other signings too, so when they get a "looks like a good fit," it's because they're broadly the right shape for a gap that I thought existed (or a proper name! It's as decent a measure as most I've seen). Maybe there's a clips reel and folks can discern a bit - who knows?

Point is, most folks? (Guess by me), were reasonably happy with Collins and McAtee joining up with Dion, but the reality wasn't very good, the team spirit seemed to dissipate, so what seemed like at least reasonable signings blew into wet wipes and dust, looking disjointed and unable to play as a team, costing the decision makers their jobs.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... pain-trip/

Marc Iles reveals/confirms that both Lolos and Nlundulu have been excluded from the trip to Marbella and told to find clubs.

Also notes that Wanderers have brought "a number of younger players... with Sam Inwood, Max Conway, Daeshon Lawrence and David Abimbola all looking to impress."

Oh and that Schuey has called Charlie Warren the “surprise package” of the trip.

[Bijou Bob]

Elsewhere, I see that utter **** Cosgrove is playing in an Untouchables 11 match for an out of contract side at Worksop Town tonight. Couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke.......apart from Johnny Evans obviously.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Elsewhere, I see that utter **** Cosgrove is playing in an Untouchables 11 match for an out of contract side at Worksop Town tonight. Couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke.......apart from Johnny Evans obviously.

Or looked at another way: a currently unemployed, third-tier-tested target man with previous experience of goals and promotion under our current gaffer, looking for work in a position we are crucially understaffed in...

In all seriousness, it would take some swallowing, and I'd hope we have better targets, but at some point beggars can't be choosers...


In other news, some talk that Joe Rankin-Costello is leaving Blackburn. Stockport-born six-footer, 26 this month, been with Blackburn since age 14. Predominantly a right-back but has also played on the left and in midfield.

[truewhite15]

I'd welcome Rankin-Costello. Good experience, very versatile.

And would add to our increasing ranks of double-barrelled surnames and three-letter signifiers. JRC, TSL, JDC, JOT, ACD, CMG... technically also CFJ (Chris Forino-Joseph) and SSA (Sonny Sharples-Ahmed), though they're both known by their first surname alone...

[BWFC_Insane]

Rankin Costello would be great but I feel maybe out of our wage budget?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Rankin Costello would be great but I feel maybe out of our wage budget?

Possibly, but he's never left the club (barring switching from Yernited aged 14) so he's never had the new-job pay-bump. Doesn't mean he's still within our range, like.

And of course with any of these "how about...?" names (eg Luke Leahy) - it depends whether someone's sudden availability vaults them to the top of the process recently described in detail by Schumacher: he asks for a player with certain attributes, Harkin/Dickinson find three options, Schuey ranks them and they work down the list. I would hope we're flexible (and knowledgeable) enough to look outside the computer printouts when we hear of a newly available option.