Do enjoy seeing these kind of comments. So many expect us to spend nothing and go back to L1.
It’s most likely from the extra TV and gate money the club is/will get from moving from L1 to the Championship being channeled to strengthening the squad. Given Nathan delivered last season and the owners will have seen and experienced the claims about the potential the club has weren’t bullshit they’ve decided to back him. It wouldn’t surprise me if one or two had spoken to Bowyer at Wembley and heard, or read comments from fans, that his promotion season was wasted for want of a bit more backing in the transfer market. They will also see the results of their fellow countrymen backing Birmingham and Wrexham in the transfer market and now that if you go all in it can pay off.
Do enjoy seeing these kind of comments. So many expect us to spend nothing and go back to L1.
It’s most likely from the extra TV and gate money the club is/will get from moving from L1 to the Championship being channeled to strengthening the squad. Given Nathan delivered last season and the owners will have seen and experienced the claims about the potential the club has weren’t bullshit they’ve decided to back him. It wouldn’t surprise me if one or two had spoken to Bowyer at Wembley and heard, or read comments from fans, that his promotion season was wasted for want of a bit more backing in the transfer market. They will also see the results of their fellow countrymen backing Birmingham and Wrexham in the transfer market and now that if you go all in it can pay off.
The increase might cover the fees, but there will also be a significant increase in the wage bill from signings, likely promotion wage increases for current players and a few new contracts too.
I was told back in early June by a well connected family member that the owners wanted to have a proper go at it and didn't want to just make up the numbers , well that seems to have been borne out so far!
Grimsby away. Mike turns round towards us to collect the ball and take a goal kick. Load of us with hands on our hearts start doing the Stars & Stripes (Der der derrrr der der der) and he bursts into laughter 😂
Do enjoy seeing these kind of comments. So many expect us to spend nothing and go back to L1.
It’s most likely from the extra TV and gate money the club is/will get from moving from L1 to the Championship being channeled to strengthening the squad. Given Nathan delivered last season and the owners will have seen and experienced the claims about the potential the club has weren’t bullshit they’ve decided to back him. It wouldn’t surprise me if one or two had spoken to Bowyer at Wembley and heard, or read comments from fans, that his promotion season was wasted for want of a bit more backing in the transfer market. They will also see the results of their fellow countrymen backing Birmingham and Wrexham in the transfer market and now that if you go all in it can pay off.
I shared what I heard from a highly regular first teamer straight after Wembley who my lad and I have a good relationship with as we have sponsored his kit. He is a top top bloke.
To repeat his words the US owners met the whole squad at Sparrows Lane on the Thursday prior to the final and committed to them that if they get promoted they would invest to ensure that we were competitive in the Championship. He said they confirmed that they would unlikely be spending fees at the same level as Birmingham or Wrexham but would be investing to help us try to maintain Champ/continue to grow.
None of this spending is a surprise to me as a result as player X had no reason to lie about it. If we spent £8-10m on a player then I would have been shocked but not these levels. I personally expected around £8m fees and a massive hike in wages, so over the moon so far and if Knibbs comes in too (for a fee) just wow…!
We’ve generally signed proven league 1 top end performers with potential to step up and experience from Luton - I think it’s a sound strategy and if nothing else we will be very strong in league 1 to bounce back should the worst happen this season - it’s progress whatever way you look at it compared to the last 10 - 15 years - I think we will stay up and sone if we can get the next 2 or 3 rumoured players through the door
Kelman seems underrated. He's an excellent, tidy technical player. I recall saying the same earlier in the season but he had only scored something like 5 in 24, before he caught fire and scored a lot more. I'd have taken him before the goals, tbh. He has a lot to offer and I don't think he's just a sniffer dog.
That being said, I'm curious to see NJ going for someone like him rather than another, more physical forward.
Was talking to someone this morning in Bluewater concerning the little niggles that have hit our pre season plans .. he said it’s all to do with being 3 weeks behind and a shorter pre season , perhaps the players had to be pushed harder a little bit sooner then normally would happen , which makes sense
Which also sits in with the amount of signings in positions that have, what we would assume are nailed on certainties to start. Two more signings, which we all expect to happen, and I haven't a clue what the starting eleven would be.
Kelman seems underrated. He's an excellent, tidy technical player. I recall saying the same earlier in the season but he had only scored something like 5 in 24, before he caught fire and scored a lot more. I'd have taken him before the goals, tbh. He has a lot to offer and I don't think he's just a sniffer dog.
That being said, I'm curious to see NJ going for someone like him rather than another, more physical forward.
To me it looks like the plan is:
Godden and Kelman as our main goal threats up front. Casey has similar poaching instincts, someone in the u21 thread spoke to his dad and it sounds like he could go on loan, which could do him good.
TC and Tanto as our channel runners, backed up by Dixon.
Leaburn and Mbick as our physical strikers when we want to add height. Tanto’s known for his strength too. An experienced target man looks like a possible gap, but as we want to press high and with energy I get why we might not want a slower older player for that role.
Kelman seems underrated. He's an excellent, tidy technical player. I recall saying the same earlier in the season but he had only scored something like 5 in 24, before he caught fire and scored a lot more. I'd have taken him before the goals, tbh. He has a lot to offer and I don't think he's just a sniffer dog.
That being said, I'm curious to see NJ going for someone like him rather than another, more physical forward.
Yep agree with this he's got something about him tidy and comes alive around the box and inside it, puts to bed all those who were certain Jones wants this and that big lump etc and that we was wasn't getting a striker like kelman..
I hope we are offering Kelman a prison sentence type contract, 5 years with an optional year please.
I am extremely confident he will hit the ground running at this club. I had a similar confidence in Lyle, May and Ricky Holmes, I am far more confident about Kelman, even though it's in a higher league.
I think Jones will love working with him, I think he will love the belief shown in him with a big fee after feeling like a bit of a nomad under QPR, and I know it is a bit cliché, but I believe he will be a player who just gets it/us
Absolutely buzzing. I truly don't believe we could have signed someone better for what we need, the value, and the potential.
I’m not sure we’d have paid 3m for Kelman, at least not as a basic fee. He’s into the final year of his contract. If it’s close to 3m I’m sure it’ll include a number of clauses. If the clauses are hit then it means he’s been a success and the 3m was worth it but 3m upfront, no.
All of the bigger fees will be structured that way I think, particularly Apter and Tanto. Kaminski and JRC will be closer to a fixed fee but paid in instalments. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Burke deal has some kind of appearance clause to negate the injury risk
It does feel that the owners have changed their strategy significantly since promotion, so I'm not surprised that other fans will be surprised. Last season we had a competitive L1 squad, but hardly pushed the boat out. In January when other clubs were making major signings, we if anything trimmed the squad.
Yes we have more income in the Championship, but the increase in our playing budget, when you consider the transfers and wages, is way more than that.
I wonder if the cracking atmosphere and "feel good" vibe around the club at the end of last season flicked a switch.
Comments
To repeat his words the US owners met the whole squad at Sparrows Lane on the Thursday prior to the final and committed to them that if they get promoted they would invest to ensure that we were competitive in the Championship. He said they confirmed that they would unlikely be spending fees at the same level as Birmingham or Wrexham but would be investing to help us try to maintain Champ/continue to grow.
Big thanks to the owners for the backing!
That being said, I'm curious to see NJ going for someone like him rather than another, more physical forward.
Godden and Kelman as our main goal threats up front. Casey has similar poaching instincts, someone in the u21 thread spoke to his dad and it sounds like he could go on loan, which could
do him good.
TC and Tanto as our channel runners, backed up by Dixon.
Leaburn and Mbick as our physical strikers when we want to add height. Tanto’s known for his strength too. An experienced target man looks like a possible gap, but as we want to press high and with energy I get why we might not want a slower older player for that role.
Thankfully
I am extremely confident he will hit the ground running at this club. I had a similar confidence in Lyle, May and Ricky Holmes, I am far more confident about Kelman, even though it's in a higher league.
I think Jones will love working with him, I think he will love the belief shown in him with a big fee after feeling like a bit of a nomad under QPR, and I know it is a bit cliché, but I believe he will be a player who just gets it/us
Absolutely buzzing. I truly don't believe we could have signed someone better for what we need, the value, and the potential.
I enjoyed watching the video. Mainly because I knew they weren’t getting promoted
Yes we have more income in the Championship, but the increase in our playing budget, when you consider the transfers and wages, is way more than that.
I wonder if the cracking atmosphere and "feel good" vibe around the club at the end of last season flicked a switch.
Lacing Kelman’s boots for him
Would surely be quite a lot to pay for someone with only a year left on his contract who's never done anything above league one level.