Q: Who is the only club in The Championship without a new signing so far?...

[oldham gull]

Not so sure really. Hughes could do well if he can find some fitness and form but he has hardly played a game over the last couple of years.
Sherwood is past it, and the other 2 are unproven at any level.

 

[London Irish]

It's amazing how many long and involved discussions about the state of club finances we have on NSC yet we still get clueless threads like this that expect us to be competing with the likes of Leeds in the transfer market.

Isn't is at obvious as "when are the fixtures out" and the availablity of GOSBTS ringtones that we have a very small budget for squad rebuilding and that, given this, we will only make very few signings, so the club have to think LONG AND HARD about making the right choices?

The main thing is that we appear to have protected our promotion squad from predatory raids (Big Chris apart but there has obviously been no outcry about that), and with a few key signings here and there sprinkled with a few canny loans, that means we can be competitive in the bottom 10 this season.

 

[Charlies Shinpad]

It's amazing how many long and involved discussions about the state of club finances we have on NSC yet we still get clueless threads like this that expect us to be competing with the likes of Leeds in the transfer market.

Isn't is at obvious as "when are the fixtures out" and the availablity of GOSBTS ringtones that we have a very small budget for squad rebuilding and that, given this, we will only make very few signings, so the club have to think LONG AND HARD about making the right choices?

The main thing is that we appear to have protected our promotion squad from predatory raids (Big Chris apart but there has obviously been no outcry about that), and with a few key signings here and there sprinkled with a few canny loans, that means we can be competitive in the bottom 10 this season.

Spot on mate!

I will take a season of shit and boring Football so long as we survive!!

 

[Turkey]

We still have Danny Cullip and Leon Knight.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Might just be a shrewd move by the club. If all the other clubs use up their player budgets (ahem) earlydoors, and pay what those players demand, won't that maybe leave the Albion in the enviable position of being able to look at the players that haven't been mopped up, and being able to say to those players 'look here's the terms on offer, do you want to play in 'The Championship' or do you want to be left kicking your heels at the the start of the season? Tho have to admit that might be crediting the club with more suss than they actually have. Dunno.

 

[timseagull]

It's amazing how many long and involved discussions about the state of club finances we have on NSC yet we still get clueless threads like this that expect us to be competing with the likes of Leeds in the transfer market.

I don't think Trig is clueless....he was only highlighting the obvious. We haven't signed anyone, whether they demand big money or not we have signed no NEW players! I quite agree with all this not being hasty but we must remember what happened last time we didn't sign anyone (Kitson)

 

[Trigger]

London Irish is welcome to his opinion of me, i've got mine of him but i wont mention it on the board although i will say one thing about him, he does tend to think the board is all about his opinions and no-one elses opinion matters, this board would be a very dull place if we were all to think the same...

The simple fact is we will NOT stay up with the current squad, teams that are going to be in the relegation fight like Crewe, Rotherham, Burnley & Gillingham have all added to their squads, we've entered the division with the poorest squad and we still have the poorest squad, we need to sign fresh faces soon to give them time to gel and get to know their team mates and adjust to our defensive style of play...

 

[The Large One]

London Irish is welcome to his opinion of me, i've got mine of him but i wont mention it on the board although i will say one thing about him, he does tend to think the board is all about his opinions and no-one elses opinion matters, this board would be a very dull place if we were all to think the same...

The simple fact is we will NOT stay up with the current squad, teams that are going to be in the relegation fight like Crewe, Rotherham, Burnley & Gillingham have all added to their squads, we've entered the division with the poorest squad and we still have the poorest squad, we need to sign fresh faces soon to give them time to gel and get to know their team mates and adjust to our defensive style of play...

Trigger, really. That sounds like quite a tantrum. 4 weeks until the start of the season, and you're already hovering around the panic button. Tush, tush.

 

[southstandandy]

Last season everyone was coming on to Harty's phone in saying 'of course we can afford to go up' as if it was a forgone conclusion. I wanted us to go up and had a fantastic weekend in Cardiff, but I also knew that there would be very little transfer activity as we have f**k all cash.

One thing is for sure and that's our squad will give everything to stay up and I personally agree with London Irish that I will accept another poor season in the first (or championship) and also don't expect not much more, as long as we try to prevent the club from going further into debt. The last financial year's losses in the First Division were extremely worrying to say the least.

Until we start playing at Falmer we will never realistically compete with most of the other clubs in the Championship - we just have to accept this until we are regularly playing infront of 20,000.

I am also still convinced that McGhee will find a couple of additions to give us a chance, plus we've got Blackwell, Rodger, and Chippy to come back in.

 

[The Laughing Bluebird]

Maybe it's a bit early for Trigger (or anyone else) to start panicking, but I can understand his concern.

The division looks like it will be a good bit stronger than it was two seasons ago. Albion's squad looks a good bit weaker than it did two seasons ago. And two seasons ago Albion got relegated.

 

[b.w.2.]

This is not panic... it is just a matter of being adequately prepared for the challenge ahead... we ARE missing out on players that our budget should be able to stretch to... yes, we shouldn't compare ourselves to Leeds or any of the other big boys in our league, but we should be able to compete with the Gillingham's of this world... and even they have made a signing... and their squad was stronger than our before they made that signing...

As things stand, we have signed no-one, we actually have a weaker squad than we exited div 2 with... this is utter madness... those who fail to plan, plan to fail, as MA used to say...

Not only that, MM has stated publicly that he needs to strengthen his squad as follows:

1 striker (this must be 2 now, given Big Chris' exit)
2 midfield (probably, 1 winger and 1 creative central midfielder)
1 central defender

His latest quote says he must sort out the striking positions first...

Sorry, but any intelligent person can see that MM just doesn't have time to fcuk about now... he needs to be chasing players to fill the gaps in all the positions HE previously identified as being areas where we have weaknesses...

We made an abolute pigs ear of our prepartions last time we were in div one / The Championship...

Making the same mistake again, and that is what we are in the process of doing, is absolutely fcuking unbelievable and unforgivable...

 

[Yorkie]

Most of us have seen Trigger post exactly the same posts for the last three seasons.

He always wants to know why we haven't signed new players

Someone mentioned wages of 15K a week, Trevor Benjamin is on 17K a week at Leicester - we cannot afford players like that.

I agree with London Irish.

I watched Rotherham and no matter who they have signed (any real quality show up in that list? Really?) and we could have beaten them hands down.

Most of these signings are merry go round players anyway.

Carlisle from QPR to Leeds? hardly quality.

We will survive. MM is concentrating on fitness, the players are having to compete for their places which will improve things and we are good enough for the bottom 10.

We have had a good seasons preparation which we didn't have 2 years ago.

We will get some good loans in and use the little cash we have, wisely.

We would have moaned if we hadn't gone up and now we are moaning because we have gone up.

Try enjoying the football for once.

 

[Trigger]

Well, if you're all happy to go down...

Personally i only want to see us have enough quality to finish 21st, we haven't got that now...

Edited: Because i can't spell!!!

 

[Yorkie]

We went down before because we had injuries, a keeper who fell over and a clueless manager. We had 12 defeats in a row.

You posted this post last season about this time. In August we got Leon.

 

[Kylies Stunt Arse]

Yorkie, as much as I admire your unbending optimism even you have to admit that it's slightly worrying that every other club in the division has made signings to attempt to strengthen their squads. Whether or not we rate the players involved is beside the point. Yes we know that MM is concentrating on fitness and making the players work for their places, but unless we sign more players that will be pointless as the first team vitually picks itself at the moment because there is no one else in the squad.

I know there is still time, and I know that this time last year we hadn't signed Leon, but surely part of good pre season preperation is getting the players you need and want in as soon as possible so they can train and gel with the rest of the squad.

 

[timseagull]

Most of us have seen Trigger post exactly the same posts for the last three seasons.


Try enjoying the football for once.

What is this? Pick on Trig. As I said earlier all he has done is highlight that we haven't signed any players.....and as big Chris has gone, Leon suspended on Mcphee injured we are (in terms of players) slightly worse off then this time last season come the big kick off.

We all enjoy [love] our football on here but if we are honest languishing at the bottom of Div 1 (or whatever it is called today) is not 'fun' when all we want is to see our team win and climb the table which it may not do against some of the richer clubs in this league.

MM has proved what he can do on a limited budget we are just getting a little concerned as we expect and want sooooo much!

If we sart the season with the players that got us there (and we love them and respect them all ) and we don't get stuffed every week and we're not bottom by Aug bank hol then I think myslef, Trig and any other doubters will be the first to admit we were panicking too soon!

 

[larus]

Last time in Div 1, we had Hinshelwood for manager. We gave away about 30% of the season because of him, and were then playing catch up.

BZ was here, but didn't want to be and played like it. Gave up trying and was injured a lot.

This year, we've got home-grown youngsters in the team, who WANT to play for the club, unlike Iwelumo. Also, there's other players knocking on the door to break into the team.

Yes, we are a bit weak in depth, but we haven't got the money to fund a big squad. I would rather bring in players slowly, and use the loan system better then we did last year. I mean, Henderson from Reading, what a complete waste.

Chill out everyone. We won't be playing free-flowing football, but I bet we compete a battle every game.

I think MM will be wary about getting in too many players too soon just for the sake a signing someone. The seasons 9 months long, no need to rush.

 

[Zebedee]

Does anyone remember how weak we were last season away from home? Only 5 wins as I recall. When I look at the sides that are in the Championship this season, I can't see where we are likely to get an away point from. We just need to make sure, therefore, that we win most of out home games. Here's hoping...

 

[b.w.2.]

I am not a pessimist, just a realist...

If we fail to strengthen the team, we are racing certainties to go down...

To be honest, MM knows we need to strengthen, and has gone on public record saying just that...

So, Trigger, myself, and many others on here are just aligning ourselves with the explicit views of our manager... and I trust MM's judgement over any of the rose-tinted spectacle-wearers on here...

BHA too slow as usual... very worrying / frustrating indeed...

 

[Zebedee]

I am not a pessimist, just a realist...

If we fail to strengthen the team, we are racing certainties to go down...

To be honest, MM knows we need to strengthen, and has gone on public record saying just that...

So, Trigger, myself, and many others on here are just aligning ourselves with the explicit views of our manager... and I trust MM's judgement over any of the rose-tinted spectacle-wearers on here...

BHA too slow as usual... very worrying / frustrating indeed...

I agree with these sentiments. Once again, the club has been very slow out of the block in terms of preparing for the new season. I just hope that McGhee pulls a few rabbits out of the hat...............and soon.