S-Clarke

If you can't attract the championship level palyers (which we've been struggling to do tbf)...then the next best move is to sign the best players at this level...who also have a chance to improve and play at an even higher level. Raynes is v good btw. Remember seeing an article on him a year or 2 ago as one of the lower leagues ''best prospects''.

Agreed. Pard's has said he's going to bring in older heads as well - but i think it's good that' we're still looking to get gems like this. Hope it comes off.

Liked the look of him last year. Watched him during their ''Paint Trophy'' win last season against Scunphorpe, he was outstanding and scored the winner iirc A tricky, pacey kind of striker - could do a job for us and it's good that we're looking down the leagues for good up and coming players.

Nick, where did he say it would mean the manager is failing? It's true what he said - it would highlight our current weaknesses. we've got a good base of a team - but with 1 or 2 injuries we're screwed. AP has confirmed that. If we win - great, but it doesn't mean that we still don't need to strengthen! I have all the confidence in AP and the fact we will buy the right players - but at the mo, we're a little short.

As i've said - he's a fringe/reserve player for Exeter who only got 2 goals last season in league 2 (+he's 27) - why the hell would we want him???? Bizzare move if true.

Why would we want him...? He could turn out to be a good squad player...but the fact is that he's a reserve/fringe player at Exeter? Odd if true.

It also says Colchester and Yeovil games are sold out too - so just a website glitch.

That site is genius.

I think they're actually planning for lower league football..... - http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/frattonlatest/Bopp-set-for-Blues-deal.5533153.jp He couldn't get a regular game at crewe (who were relegated from L1...)...i'd have even been slightly underwhelmed if we'd signed him. but i guess this is the level they have to work at now.

Of course we're bloody weaker - we're a league lower. People seem to be forgetting that.

We will sign more players, Pard's has said that. He hasn't had long though, whatever you say. He's had to come in and assess the squad, looking at what is missing - search for and appoint his backroom staff. Also, taking into account the state of our scouting system, it's entirely possible that Pard's has had to undertake alot of scouting on new players too. It's not like FM - oh he's got good stats, I'll sign him. You've got to take in everything that the player has to offer (what are his strengths/weaknesses/would he improve us?) - this is 99% of the time a scouts job. (But we don't have any, according to Pards) His hands aren't tied as such - but it's a bloody tricky situation to come into and start buying instantly.

My guess is that they wanted to delay it as long as possible, whilst looking for alternatives - then when BT came in with their plan of putting SLH into admin and not the club...RL went along with the ''football club is not in admin – so won’t receive deduction’’ line. - so he probably felt it wouldn't matter when we went into admin – as he was ‘’sure’’ the club would not be affected. It was a huge gamble though - and only Lowe would be stupid enough to take on the FL.

They went into administration last season before the ''cut off point'' - so they had their 10 points deducted last season, rather than this. No one knows why Lowe put us in administration after the cut off point, that's another debate in it's self - but that's why we get it this season. Same with stockport too - they got hit last season and finished midtable.

Ok, so we've not spent any money yet. Big deal. Have the clubs who HAVE spent £££££ managed to pick up better players than Harding or Murty? IMO - no.

It'll be interesting to see where he plays james, if Murty has filled that RB slot. Personally I'd play him in RM...and stick Lallana as a supporting striker.

Completely agree with that - really would make so much more sense. As has been said...the club can suffer for years and years to come, yet the directors and board members who got the club into the mess can swan off into another high payed job. Stinks tbh.

Possibly a combination of work permit and terms i would think. He's a good player, but i wouldn't want us to pay completely silly money. I can imagine he was on a pretty decent wage at brum tbh.

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~1745764,00.html I like what he has to say (Again) - he's very honest in what he has to say. Interesting line about Jaidi too... fingers crossed...

watch out....nugents about...

Darren Byfield has just signed for Oldham on a free. Think he was mentioned earlier in the thread. Thought he could have been decent for us - is proven at this level.

He's not small. Similar kind of height to Bale.

Sounds like a match made in heaven.

I wouldn't say he will be competing with Lallana for a CM position :confused: He will play as a left winger/attacking full back. A very talented young player though, i believe he was scouted by Man Utd about 3-4 years ago - he just took a little longer to develop and was overshadowed by Bale bursting onto the scene in my ways.

According to JP he could play there. - but in reality he can't. To play CB you need to be able to put in a challenge and head the ball, and no disrespect to Morgan....but he's not very good at that side of the game!

Thomas is fit by the sounds of it - so panic over (For now.....) Gives us another week to sort a defender out at least. I'd go out and get 2 CB's tbh - forget Olly for this year.