Great player? He is 28 and never played any higher then league 2. What am I missing?
Rickie Lambert was 27 and had been playing in League One when he went to Southampton. He was a Premier League striker with an England cap by the end. I suspect what you're missing is information about the player.
But that is literally a one off. When we played Bristol Rovers in League One you could see Lambert was a class above. Also, for as quickly as he shone, he faded. He had one very good year in the Premier League, made it to the World Cup, rightly but also due to lack of striking options. But his year and Liverpool, and this year with West Brom have been nondescript.
What about Grant Holt with Norwich as he destroyed League One... He signed the summer before they won the Division, came from Shrewsbury in League Two and was... You guessed it; 28-years old
Okay, a two-off!
And yes, before anyone says it, Jamie Vardy.
I don't think I'm going to like the football we play next year, just as I didn't always enjoy the football we played under Powell.
This is a good game.
I note that one of the first names on the successful overachieving Bournemouth team sheet this season is a bloke called Simon Francis. Clearly he is not the player of the same name who played for us for a while but was denounced by many on this forum as one of the worst players ever to wear our shirt.
he was one of the worst ever players to wear our shirt. It was obviously wrong place, wrong time, wrong club for him and we saw the very worst of him. He's done well since leaving us, and fair play to him, but that doesn't distract from the fact he was shite for us.
Sorry Large. If you accept that this is indeed the same Simon Francis (and I admit it can be hard to accept that) then what it means is that for whatever reason he was a footballer who performed badly for us. Patently he was not a bad footballer. Of course it can be difficult to put in a performance when you've got a baying mob of fans telling you you are shit.
Here is a cold hard fact. Simon Francis is now an established Premier League footballer. Chris Solly is not. I doubt that 5 years ago a single person on this forum would have predicted such an outcome.
That's semantic really. In our experience he was sutely one of the worst full backs who have ever played for us. I'm genuinely delighted he's gone on to improve his game and find his place at Bournemouth, but his performance in that Preston game will stay with me as long as Mike Small's at Millwall has.
Great player? He is 28 and never played any higher then league 2. What am I missing?
Rickie Lambert was 27 and had been playing in League One when he went to Southampton. He was a Premier League striker with an England cap by the end. I suspect what you're missing is information about the player.
But that is literally a one off. When we played Bristol Rovers in League One you could see Lambert was a class above. Also, for as quickly as he shone, he faded. He had one very good year in the Premier League, made it to the World Cup, rightly but also due to lack of striking options. But his year and Liverpool, and this year with West Brom have been nondescript.
What about Grant Holt with Norwich as he destroyed League One... He signed the summer before they won the Division, came from Shrewsbury in League Two and was... You guessed it; 28-years old
Seems like CW will be taking the same approach SCP did. Buy up all the best of the lower leagues, put them all together and there you have a solid team. Add a couple of quality players like SCP did such as Kerms and we may just make it back to the Champ.
Then RD tells him he doesn't know what he's doing . Then it all goes tits up - again.
Its kinda my concern. Wilder and RD agree a contract which allows Wilder autonomy and then RD ignores it and gives Wilder the option of "Highway or my way!"
However encouraging Wilder's possible/probable appointment might be, the deal needs to include the long awaited announcement that Squirrel Face has moved on to higher things in the Squirrelfix empire (her only way pout without losing face*). I remember the words of @Airman Brown in another thread, that they'll throw everything at getting out of L1 & then it'll be back to same old.
* pout was a typo, but I'll leave it in - smiler didn't get where she is today without the odd pout or two
My Northampton, probably biased friend, reckons Holmes should have got L2 player of the year. He reckons Roofe only got it because of his Cup exploits. There again I said my friend is biaised and aren't we all!
Saw Ricky Holmes on a C2C train to Southend, 5 or so years ago when he was at Barnet. He was chatting on the phone to one of his team mates I guess because they were talking about training and how it differed with the step up of level. Think they were managed by Martin Allen at the time (one of his many spells), can remember him mentioning some stuff about Martin's character too. Seemed quite a level headed bloke who just loved playing football.
Saw Ricky Holmes on a C2C train to Southend, 5 or so years ago when he was at Barnet. He was chatting on the phone to one of his team mates I guess because they were talking about training and how it differed with the step up of level. Think they were managed by Martin Allen at the time (one of his many spells), can remember him mentioning some stuff about Martin's character too. Seemed quite a level headed bloke who just loved playing football.
You got all that by eavesdropping a phone call ? Are you related to my wife ? ;0)
Saw Ricky Holmes on a C2C train to Southend, 5 or so years ago when he was at Barnet. He was chatting on the phone to one of his team mates I guess because they were talking about training and how it differed with the step up of level. Think they were managed by Martin Allen at the time (one of his many spells), can remember him mentioning some stuff about Martin's character too. Seemed quite a level headed bloke who just loved playing football.
You got all that by eavesdropping a phone call ? Are you related to my wife ? ;0)
I know, surprised myself too. To be fair, With the mention of football league, I stopped what I was doing and listened for most of the journey. Anything other than football I probably would have had a nap.
Hi guys, a Northampton Town fan here. Don't do any of that "in peace" rubbish. Re Ricky Holmes, he has been an excellent player for us this season with nearly every one of his goals being outstanding. No tap ins for him. Ricky was narrowly beaten to the League Two player of the Season by Kemar Roofe due to his lack of games. Because of injury, he only started playing regularly from December. He is very skillful and effortlessly leaves players in his wake. He won the goal of the season at Northampton with a stunner against Orient which I will post below. Check out also his last minute winner away at Stevenage and another gem away at Luton. Hopefully Chris Wilder will see sense and continue to do an excellent job at Northampton. If he does go to CAFC I sincerely hope he is allowed to do a good job for you. It appears that CW relishes a challenge. He joined us from Oxford in January 2014 when they were pretty much top and we were 7 points adrift at the bottom. He kept us in the league with a last game of the season win...against Oxford! He has performed miracles at Northampton Town especially considering that we were 5 days away from going out of business in November 2015. Good luck to you and let's see how things develop.
Some goal that Cobbler!!! No wonder it won goal of the season.
Why did CW leave Oxford? Seems a strange one and he does seem the type of bloke that will say it as it was.
Do come on when we are due to play you. It is always good to hear what is going on and predictions before that match. If CW does come here it will certainly add an edge.
I do like the look of that Ricky Holmes, can play striker or wide right. If JBG goes we will need someone to fill that void. I'd also like to see John-Joe O'Toole come in to take a spot in the midfield, he has had an excellent season for them apparently and it's a position we have needed to sort for ages considering Jacko getting worse, Kashi probably leaving and same with Cousins. Lastly their goalie, can't remember his name but I think he got in the team of the season for the champ/league divisions. Can't see us getting all of them obviously but from what I've heard/seen I'd be happy with all three and there is nothing wrong with going for players who were or are a league or few leagues below.
On a side note the Cobblers seem like a good bunch, had a read on their forums and they are very realistic and humble crowd. All the best for them next season even if we do end up raiding them.
I thought John-Joe O'Toole was very good last time we were in league 1 while he was at Colchester. He then got quite a serious injury in a game against us and dropped down to league 2. Maybe he's just starting to get back to his best again, in which case he'd be a very good league 1 player again.
Comments
What a player!
#elephantmemory
* pout was a typo, but I'll leave it in - smiler didn't get where she is today without the odd pout or two
He reckons Roofe only got it because of his Cup exploits. There again I said my friend is biaised and aren't we all!
#longgame
Why did CW leave Oxford? Seems a strange one and he does seem the type of bloke that will say it as it was.
Do come on when we are due to play you. It is always good to hear what is going on and predictions before that match. If CW does come here it will certainly add an edge.
Shows up some of our current shot shy midfielders.
On a side note the Cobblers seem like a good bunch, had a read on their forums and they are very realistic and humble crowd. All the best for them next season even if we do end up raiding them.