For all the talk of Adkins wanting to give youth a chance, we've ended up with a pretty full squad, with too many over 21s to register then all, and few opportunities for young players to get a game
Harsh
Morgan has played, Deji has played, Harness on the bench and we have other young players on the fringes. Davison and did well in the pizza cup if not in the league cup.
We need the experienced players to guide what is still a young squad. Famewo is 22, DJ not much more, Kirk is 23 or 24. Clare and Dobson aren't ancient either.
The likes of Deji and Clayden won't get many opportunities, now we've completed our squad. Harness may be our sub keeper, but if MacG gets injured, we'll bring someone in. How many games will the likes of Vennings, Dempsey and Ghandour get, players aged 20 or 21? Those other players you mentioned aren't our academy players
“One, there has got to be a pathway for the youngsters in the academy,” he said. “At every football club I’ve been at that has been a big priority and that will be the same here. We have got talented players and sometimes that pathway can be blocked.
I think what you’re missing here is that he said he wanted a pathway, not necessarily a stepping stone. With the exception of Elerewe, I’m not sure I’ve seen anything to suggest that others are ready yet. That may change as the season goes on but you can’t say that Adkins hasn’t talked up Morgan & Davison particularly and given them chances. I don’t think either have so far grasped those chances, but perhaps Josh will get confidence from the Crawley game.
For all the talk of Adkins wanting to give youth a chance, we've ended up with a pretty full squad, with too many over 21s to register then all, and few opportunities for young players to get a game
Harsh
Morgan has played, Deji has played, Harness on the bench and we have other young players on the fringes. Davison and did well in the pizza cup if not in the league cup.
We need the experienced players to guide what is still a young squad. Famewo is 22, DJ not much more, Kirk is 23 or 24. Clare and Dobson aren't ancient either.
Because they had to. They probably won't play that much now unless we get injuries.
I think Morgan will, he’s ahead of Clare and Dobson, and Arter will play ahead of Watson. Lee will play higher up. Main question is whether Adkins play Lee and Gilbey together once the latter is available.
Morgan is already an established member of the first team squad - he's played 78 games for us, which in the absence of JFC and Pearce is the most in the squad! - which is why I don't count him when talking about "bringing through" academy players anyway.
So that’s one free agent. That may be the last of our business until January but let’s assume we’re after another based on Cawley’s tweet…
It has to be a striker or a keeper doesn’t it? I’m focusing in on the former, given what Adkins said about the emergency loan system for goalkeepers.
Realistic options…
Connor Wickham (?) Kazaiah Sterling Nicky Ajose Jerome Sinclair Kieran Agard Calvin Andrew David Nugent Steve Davies Ishmael Miller Simon Cox Anthony Stokes Yaya Sanogo Oumar Niasse Maxime Biamou
I'm not sure if we find out the squad but it will be intriguing. Dempsey and JFC missing out seems obvious and leaves us with a full squad. If we are after another outfield player (agree it would be a striker) then it surely means Schwartz is the third and final player not to be named which would be very interesting. Personally I do think he'll be included and we won't be signing another outfield player.
Agreed, unless it's an under 21. I've said this before, but I do feel that our transfer business has left us a bit tied by the squad number rules, seeing that everyone we've brought in is over 21. Ronnie hasn't gone anywhere, surely we should try and get him fit in the next few months, seeing that we are paying him
And I'm intrigued what happens when JFC is fit. If we include him from January, then someone will have to come out.
I'm surprised we didn't sign someone aged 20/21 who didn't count towards the cap. Of course those players generally come at a premium and it's quite possible we tried.
I still think we'll be ok though. If you presume JFC and Dempsey miss out, we have: MacGillivray/Harness - emergency loan if needed Matthews/Gunter/Purrington/Souare Inniss/Famewo/Lavelle/Pearce Dobson/Watson/Arter/Clare/Morgan/Gilbey/Lee Kirk/DJ/CBT/Leko Stockley/Washington/Davison/Schwartz
We have reached the limit and with JFC hopefully returning in January, as you say someone will have to drop out. You'd expect it will be like for like with a CM dropping out otherwise we're overloaded in that position. But you also have Schwartz who could go and CBT is out of contract as it stands.
I think the balance is decent, even if not perfect. Players have to prove their worth and then it will be another balancing act, albeit on a smaller scale, come January.
It would be slightly bizarre to lose a winger or striker just to fit in another midfielder, when we already seem to have too many!
The rules do affect how you think. It amused me when people said that Morgan should be loaned out when he's the one player we don't want to loan out this season, because he counts as an under 21 AND a home produced player, thus ticking 2 EFL boxes
That person was Ronnie Moore...
I do make you right about the winger/striker, just saying CBT could go because he's due to leave (of course subject to change or we could replace him). Same with Schwartz, I hope we'd replace him but I don't think anybody would be surprised if he leaves the club in January. You would think it would be a CM to make way for JFC, lot of football to be played until then so we've got time to assess.
We were always going to get a left back on loan, we didn't because we got Lee instead. The reason we only have 4 loans is so we can get an emergency loan keeper, if we need one.
I have been told we had a premier league left back loan lined up but it depended on Ater signing or not.
No idea what the free transfer market is like for center mids but I think we went the right way?
Interesting that Lee was chosen over a LB. Im assuming if you know you would say, but any idea who we were in for mate?
No, no name, but Lee was signed because Morgan didn't deliver and Gilbey's sickness. As I understand it and happened within about 24 hours of the post match debrief.
The Arter deal was first approached in early August apparently. Which goes against my thoughts that they didn't budget to replace JFC.
Cheers, makes sense I guess however a bit unfair on Albie. It's not his position and never has been so was a gamble.
I don’t think signing Lee is unfair on Morgan because we clearly lacked an AM. Arter is the weird one because we signed Clare and Dobson on top of Morgan and Watson (with Vennings and Dempsey too).
Clare and Dobson were the squad replacements for Pratley and Shinnie.
I see qualities in both Clare and Dobson.
After all they were signed because they performed very well in this division for their loan teams last season.
Maybe they are not the best combination played together (especially with a struggling Morgan) ........ and other combinations of players will bring the best out of each of them? But not together.
We were always going to get a left back on loan, we didn't because we got Lee instead. The reason we only have 4 loans is so we can get an emergency loan keeper, if we need one.
I have been told we had a premier league left back loan lined up but it depended on Ater signing or not.
No idea what the free transfer market is like for center mids but I think we went the right way?
No disrespect intended but I don’t believe this. Lee was the second loan signing and Arter the third so we could easily still have signed the LB as the 4th loan signing. Leko came about late so not convinced we cancelled the loan of a LB for Leko. I believe we’d have gone for the LB and then maybe targeted an attacking player on a free if necessary. If the LB was dependant on Arter I struggle to see why we were happy with 3 loan signings on deadline day afternoon and still short a left back.
Maybe the management weren't happy though ..... you can be sure the players subsequently brought in weren't the only targets or even 1st choice.
Put yourself in Steve Gallen's shoes. I think most of us have little idea of the challenges and stress of trying to get signings over the line.
We were always going to get a left back on loan, we didn't because we got Lee instead. The reason we only have 4 loans is so we can get an emergency loan keeper, if we need one.
I have been told we had a premier league left back loan lined up but it depended on Ater signing or not.
No idea what the free transfer market is like for center mids but I think we went the right way?
No disrespect intended but I don’t believe this. Lee was the second loan signing and Arter the third so we could easily still have signed the LB as the 4th loan signing. Leko came about late so not convinced we cancelled the loan of a LB for Leko. I believe we’d have gone for the LB and then maybe targeted an attacking player on a free if necessary. If the LB was dependant on Arter I struggle to see why we were happy with 3 loan signings on deadline day afternoon and still short a left back.
Maybe the management weren't happy though ..... you can be sure the players subsequently brought in weren't the only targets or even 1st choice.
Put yourself in Steve Gallen's shoes. I think most of us have little idea of the challenges and stress of trying to get signings over the line.
Agreed. I'm led to believe Souare trained with the club for the first time before deadline day so I think that changed things which I absolutely feel was the right thing to do with.
I think Gallen and indeed all the Management team had an incredibly difficult task. Going into deadline day you could argue we needed a GK, LB, CB, CM and Striker. We got Lavelle, Arter and Leko, plus they explained the GK situation and now we have Souare. I'm not criticising but the only signing I'm slightly surprised about is Leko. With Washington, Lee and Claydon able to cover DJ, Kirk and CBT, I think we would have been signing an out of out striker. Like I said not criticising, I have no idea who that player could have been and I'm excited to see Leko. Just looking at the balance and the continued absence of Schwartz it would have been made more sense.
We were always going to get a left back on loan, we didn't because we got Lee instead. The reason we only have 4 loans is so we can get an emergency loan keeper, if we need one.
I have been told we had a premier league left back loan lined up but it depended on Ater signing or not.
No idea what the free transfer market is like for center mids but I think we went the right way?
Interesting that Lee was chosen over a LB. Im assuming if you know you would say, but any idea who we were in for mate?
No, no name, but Lee was signed because Morgan didn't deliver and Gilbey's sickness. As I understand it and happened within about 24 hours of the post match debrief.
The Arter deal was first approached in early August apparently. Which goes against my thoughts that they didn't budget to replace JFC.
Cheers, makes sense I guess however a bit unfair on Albie. It's not his position and never has been so was a gamble.
I don’t think signing Lee is unfair on Morgan because we clearly lacked an AM. Arter is the weird one because we signed Clare and Dobson on top of Morgan and Watson (with Vennings and Dempsey too).
Clare and Dobson were the squad replacements for Pratley and Shinnie.
I see qualities in both Clare and Dobson.
After all they were signed because they performed very well in this division for their loan teams last season.
Maybe they are not the best combination played together (especially with a struggling Morgan) ........ and other combinations of players will bring the best out of each of them? But not together.
I do as well. The Dobson, Clare, Morgan trio just didn't work. I think it would have worked better, but still not well enough, with Morgan and Clare swapping positions.
Arter, Lee and the returning Gilbey hopefully means we never see all 3 together again.
I still think Watson can contribute on a game by game basis but he can't play 3 games a week and he shouldn't have to now
For all the talk of Adkins wanting to give youth a chance, we've ended up with a pretty full squad, with too many over 21s to register then all, and few opportunities for young players to get a game
Harsh
Morgan has played, Deji has played, Harness on the bench and we have other young players on the fringes. Davison and did well in the pizza cup if not in the league cup.
We need the experienced players to guide what is still a young squad. Famewo is 22, DJ not much more, Kirk is 23 or 24. Clare and Dobson aren't ancient either.
Because they had to. They probably won't play that much now unless we get injuries.
I think Morgan will, he’s ahead of Clare and Dobson, and Arter will play ahead of Watson. Lee will play higher up. Main question is whether Adkins play Lee and Gilbey together once the latter is available.
Gilbey and Lee both played in the same Colchester team, Lee at 10 and Gilbey in 8 so not much of a conundrum for NA as both have played in the same starting 11 in the past.
I think Gilbey is seen as a more box to box midfielder than an all out number 10 so I don’t think there will be an issue as long as we have Arter/Watson sitting.
For all the talk of Adkins wanting to give youth a chance, we've ended up with a pretty full squad, with too many over 21s to register then all, and few opportunities for young players to get a game
Harsh
Morgan has played, Deji has played, Harness on the bench and we have other young players on the fringes. Davison and did well in the pizza cup if not in the league cup.
We need the experienced players to guide what is still a young squad. Famewo is 22, DJ not much more, Kirk is 23 or 24. Clare and Dobson aren't ancient either.
Because they had to. They probably won't play that much now unless we get injuries.
I think Morgan will, he’s ahead of Clare and Dobson, and Arter will play ahead of Watson. Lee will play higher up. Main question is whether Adkins play Lee and Gilbey together once the latter is available.
Morgan won't be first choice and potentially not even second choice in any of the 3 midfield positions.
DM - Arter, Watson, Dobson CM - Gilbey, then between Clare/Morgan AM - Lee, then potentially Leko?
So realistically Morgan won't play much unless we get a few injuries/suspensions.
For all the talk of Adkins wanting to give youth a chance, we've ended up with a pretty full squad, with too many over 21s to register then all, and few opportunities for young players to get a game
Harsh
Morgan has played, Deji has played, Harness on the bench and we have other young players on the fringes. Davison and did well in the pizza cup if not in the league cup.
We need the experienced players to guide what is still a young squad. Famewo is 22, DJ not much more, Kirk is 23 or 24. Clare and Dobson aren't ancient either.
Because they had to. They probably won't play that much now unless we get injuries.
I think Morgan will, he’s ahead of Clare and Dobson, and Arter will play ahead of Watson. Lee will play higher up. Main question is whether Adkins play Lee and Gilbey together once the latter is available.
Morgan won't be first choice and potentially not even second choice in any of the 3 midfield positions.
DM - Arter, Watson, Dobson CM - Gilbey, then between Clare/Morgan AM - Lee, then potentially Leko?
So realistically Morgan won't play much unless we get a few injuries/suspensions.
We do though, with Gilbey recovering from Covid Morgan will probably keep his place unless his form drops or Gilbey/Clare force their way into the team with good performances off the bench.
It’s a good problem to have, hopefully we find the right combination quickly and have a fairly settled first choice team. The danger of having so many options is constant changes like Bowyer did last season. Adkins came in, chose a formation and stuck with it aside from minor tweaks game by game.
Some very interesting interpretations. Much of my thinking aligns with Cafc43.
Ultimately I am not sure I see any huge change of strategic approach merely an adjustment arising from the checks and balances undertaken by every business every day.
There is planning and then there is contingency planning.
Focusing on two recent additions and remaining omissions I suspect Lee and Leko (at Birmingham), though clearly very different players, if available, were always seen as genuine options to offer an attacking/ creative threat once Aneke had elected to move to B’ham but I have no doubt we kicked the tyres on many others.
I am though puzzled by just where this idea of having to replacing like with like comes from? You go down the list of strikers we have used over the past 50yrs and tell me who were exactly alike. All players have different styles, strengths & weaknesses. The job is to play to those strengths, manage those weaknesses and constantly explore other options.
As it stands all of Stockley, Washington, Davison, Leko, Lee and Schwarz have all played Centre Forward. They may not be your idea of a Centre Forward but they all can in their different ways. Indeed if you designate Arter, Dobson, Watson and Morgan as competing for deeper midfield roles with Jaiyesimi, Kirk, Blackett Taylor, Clare and Gilbey you have the opportunity to be very creative in the final third to the point the Match Day debates will likely cause threads to explode.
In terms of core business Amos had been replaced with MacGillivray, Famewo is back, Dobson replaced Pratley, Clare replaced Shinnie, Matthews, Pearce, Watson, JFC all re-signed, Stockley was brought back, Kirk comes in for Millar leaving the remaining core priorities as securing the Aneke replacement, a left back and a goalkeeper.
The recent signings seem to reflect the ongoing game plan merely adjusted to deliver a pragmatic approach to the changed circumstances arising during the early season with the unforeseen impact of the squad being weakened by the potential of 3 protracted absences.
Indeed the Purrington injury plays into this debate but the protracted Gilbey illness, the continuing Schwartz struggles (no you don’t just get to throw people away), the continued uncertainty with Inniss together with Morgan struggling to perform to a level to consistently deputise for or replace JFC all presented as risks too far.
At which point the contingency planning kicks in where Tucker, Lavelle and Kerr were viewed as defensive options. Arter (in discussion for at least 3 weeks), Lowery, Dempsey offered midfield options while Grigg, Oliver, Nugent, Kedwell and Leko all presented attacking options.
You then set up a range of negotiating options and wait to see which club or player blinks first while keeping all channels open as to what other options might become available if and when market moves are made.
As a measure of financial and operational compromise the funding or loan options for the planned addition of a new left sided defender with the likes of Omole, Elongo and Bridge being looked at were, with an additional keeper, positioned as reduced priorities. i.e we could live with Gunter providing cover for both full back positions and Harness as the bench keeper until any free agent opportunities presented themselves.
I do wonder if the approach to the PL loan market may have been tweaked to include the preference of a future option to buy.
In any event Souare has now presented as that opportunity
Yes there were other options like Denver Hume (already turned down 3 contract offers from Sunderland), Brandon Mason who the last time I looked (early August) was recovering in hospital from hamstring surgery after being injured on trial at Portsmouth or Fryers who has now joined Stockport.
On the goalkeeping front Henderson does appear to have registered as a disappointment. Shame, I had a huge amount of respect for how he handled himself in the days of Luzon and Fraeye. Alnwick. Fielding or Westwood remain options.
Ultimately I suggest we have very much seen the compromise between corporate long term strategy and business operational need. Nothing exceptionally remarkable but basically a very solid game plan in tune with where the club has been for a very long time.
I can understand the disappointment of those who wanted us to « chase the market » competing for players at the top of their market value, (with some very much in the one season wonder category) but you only need one or two « Mavericks » playing in that game to make it horribly and unsustainably expensive.
The long term strategy for me extends to (excluding talented scholars like Elewere and Beadle not yet on full professionnel contracts) now having 50 professionals under contract.
Historians may well be able to reflect the last time that was the case, remembering at one time we did run an A team in the Metropolitan League.
44. Souare 45. Stockley 46. Vennings 47. Viggars 48. Washington 49. Watson 50. Williams
While such numbers can evolve across a full challenging season/ relegation campaign for the normal senior squad of 25 and U23 Squad of 18 we appear to be carrying a tranche of 8 U23+ development projects.
Dobson, Clare, Kirk, Famewo (option to buy) Leko (tried to buy), Blackett-Taylor, Lavelle, Jaiyesimi, all aged between 21 and 24 have all been acquired within the calendar year to add to our pipeline of academy graduates.
As I have commented before would it be my strategy? It has merit. At this time? No, but such is the beauty and challenge of this game. It doesn’t mean someone who chooses to pursue a different path is stupid, incompetent, useless or penny pinching.
It places a great deal of pressure across Roddy, Avory, Euell, Jackson and Adkins to deliver a different model. Have they all got what they want? Probably not but that is business life.
When you consider the business is now also supporting circa 20 women full time professionals some might like to reflect someone somewhere is investing in a very substantial monthly wage bill.
It may not be where you were expecting/ wanting the investment to be made but investment it is none the less.
Foundations are being built but there is much brickwork to be done on and off the field of play. Personally I find the approach refreshing and positive but as someone who spent most of his latter career building businesses I would.
For all the talk of Adkins wanting to give youth a chance, we've ended up with a pretty full squad, with too many over 21s to register then all, and few opportunities for young players to get a game
Harsh
Morgan has played, Deji has played, Harness on the bench and we have other young players on the fringes. Davison and did well in the pizza cup if not in the league cup.
We need the experienced players to guide what is still a young squad. Famewo is 22, DJ not much more, Kirk is 23 or 24. Clare and Dobson aren't ancient either.
Because they had to. They probably won't play that much now unless we get injuries.
I think Morgan will, he’s ahead of Clare and Dobson, and Arter will play ahead of Watson. Lee will play higher up. Main question is whether Adkins play Lee and Gilbey together once the latter is available.
Morgan won't be first choice and potentially not even second choice in any of the 3 midfield positions.
DM - Arter, Watson, Dobson CM - Gilbey, then between Clare/Morgan AM - Lee, then potentially Leko?
So realistically Morgan won't play much unless we get a few injuries/suspensions.
You can call Dobson a Pratley replacement, but the same could be said of Clare, as Pratley wasn't just a holding midfielder, he could do box to box as well
I wouldn't call Clare the Shinnie replacement, if anything his role as the creative passer and dead ball taker has been taken by Morgan.
Clare if anything is an alternative to Gilbey who was our box to box midfielder last season
Probably not best to use the quote function on those, apologies!
The edit function is your friend.
Excellent post as ever from Grapevine. Anyone who’s just waking up from a coma could save an enormous amount of time by reading it and ignoring everything else. 👍
Comments
Or where Clare just allowed that game to pass him by?
Even against Wigan I dont really recall Morgan costing us points for their two goals...?
I do make you right about the winger/striker, just saying CBT could go because he's due to leave (of course subject to change or we could replace him). Same with Schwartz, I hope we'd replace him but I don't think anybody would be surprised if he leaves the club in January. You would think it would be a CM to make way for JFC, lot of football to be played until then so we've got time to assess.
After all they were signed because they performed very well in this division for their loan teams last season.
Maybe they are not the best combination played together (especially with a struggling Morgan) ........ and other combinations of players will bring the best out of each of them? But not together.
Put yourself in Steve Gallen's shoes. I think most of us have little idea of the challenges and stress of trying to get signings over the line.
I think Gallen and indeed all the Management team had an incredibly difficult task. Going into deadline day you could argue we needed a GK, LB, CB, CM and Striker. We got Lavelle, Arter and Leko, plus they explained the GK situation and now we have Souare. I'm not criticising but the only signing I'm slightly surprised about is Leko. With Washington, Lee and Claydon able to cover DJ, Kirk and CBT, I think we would have been signing an out of out striker. Like I said not criticising, I have no idea who that player could have been and I'm excited to see Leko. Just looking at the balance and the continued absence of Schwartz it would have been made more sense.
Arter, Lee and the returning Gilbey hopefully means we never see all 3 together again.
I still think Watson can contribute on a game by game basis but he can't play 3 games a week and he shouldn't have to now
I think Gilbey is seen as a more box to box midfielder than an all out number 10 so I don’t think there will be an issue as long as we have Arter/Watson sitting.
DM - Arter, Watson, Dobson
CM - Gilbey, then between Clare/Morgan
AM - Lee, then potentially Leko?
So realistically Morgan won't play much unless we get a few injuries/suspensions.
It’s a good problem to have, hopefully we find the right combination quickly and have a fairly settled first choice team. The danger of having so many options is constant changes like Bowyer did last season. Adkins came in, chose a formation and stuck with it aside from minor tweaks game by game.
the whole squad will be needed
Ultimately I am not sure I see any huge change of strategic approach merely an adjustment arising from the checks and balances undertaken by every business every day.
There is planning and then there is contingency planning.
Focusing on two recent additions and remaining omissions I suspect Lee and Leko (at Birmingham), though clearly very different players, if available, were always seen as genuine options to offer an attacking/ creative threat once Aneke had elected to move to B’ham but I have no doubt we kicked the tyres on many others.
As it stands all of Stockley, Washington, Davison, Leko, Lee and Schwarz have all played Centre Forward. They may not be your idea of a Centre Forward but they all can in their different ways. Indeed if you designate Arter, Dobson, Watson and Morgan as competing for deeper midfield roles with Jaiyesimi, Kirk, Blackett Taylor, Clare and Gilbey you have the opportunity to be very creative in the final third to the point the Match Day debates will likely cause threads to explode.
In terms of core business Amos had been replaced with MacGillivray, Famewo is back, Dobson replaced Pratley, Clare replaced Shinnie, Matthews, Pearce, Watson, JFC all re-signed, Stockley was brought back, Kirk comes in for Millar leaving the remaining core priorities as securing the Aneke replacement, a left back and a goalkeeper.
The recent signings seem to reflect the ongoing game plan merely adjusted to deliver a pragmatic approach to the changed circumstances arising during the early season with the unforeseen impact of the squad being weakened by the potential of 3 protracted absences.
Indeed the Purrington injury plays into this debate but the protracted Gilbey illness, the continuing Schwartz struggles (no you don’t just get to throw people away), the continued uncertainty with Inniss together with Morgan struggling to perform to a level to consistently deputise for or replace JFC all presented as risks too far.
At which point the contingency planning kicks in where Tucker, Lavelle and Kerr were viewed as defensive options. Arter (in discussion for at least 3 weeks), Lowery, Dempsey offered midfield options while Grigg, Oliver, Nugent, Kedwell and Leko all presented attacking options.
You then set up a range of negotiating options and wait to see which club or player blinks first while keeping all channels open as to what other options might become available if and when market moves are made.
As a measure of financial and operational compromise the funding or loan options for the planned addition of a new left sided defender with the likes of Omole, Elongo and Bridge being looked at were, with an additional keeper, positioned as reduced priorities. i.e we could live with Gunter providing cover for both full back positions and Harness as the bench keeper until any free agent opportunities presented themselves.
I do wonder if the approach to the PL loan market may have been tweaked to include the preference of a future option to buy.
In any event Souare has now presented as that opportunity
Yes there were other options like Denver Hume (already turned down 3 contract offers from Sunderland), Brandon Mason who the last time I looked (early August) was recovering in hospital from hamstring surgery after being injured on trial at Portsmouth or Fryers who has now joined Stockport.
Ultimately I suggest we have very much seen the compromise between corporate long term strategy and business operational need. Nothing exceptionally remarkable but basically a very solid game plan in tune with where the club has been for a very long time.
I can understand the disappointment of those who wanted us to « chase the market » competing for players at the top of their market value, (with some very much in the one season wonder category) but you only need one or two « Mavericks » playing in that game to make it horribly and unsustainably expensive.
The long term strategy for me extends to (excluding talented scholars like Elewere and Beadle not yet on full professionnel contracts) now having 50 professionals under contract.
Historians may well be able to reflect the last time that was the case, remembering at one time we did run an A team in the Metropolitan League.
While such numbers can evolve across a full challenging season/ relegation campaign for the normal senior squad of 25 and U23 Squad of 18 we appear to be carrying a tranche of 8 U23+ development projects.
Dobson, Clare, Kirk, Famewo (option to buy) Leko (tried to buy), Blackett-Taylor, Lavelle, Jaiyesimi, all aged between 21 and 24 have all been acquired within the calendar year to add to our pipeline of academy graduates.
It places a great deal of pressure across Roddy, Avory, Euell, Jackson and Adkins to deliver a different model. Have they all got what they want? Probably not but that is business life.
When you consider the business is now also supporting circa 20 women full time professionals some might like to reflect someone somewhere is investing in a very substantial monthly wage bill.
It may not be where you were expecting/ wanting the investment to be made but investment it is none the less.
Foundations are being built but there is much brickwork to be done on and off the field of play. Personally I find the approach refreshing and positive but as someone who spent most of his latter career building businesses I would.
I wouldn't call Clare the Shinnie replacement, if anything his role as the creative passer and dead ball taker has been taken by Morgan.
Clare if anything is an alternative to Gilbey who was our box to box midfielder last season