Any normal club in our position would now be safe. Havant who haven’t been winning one game in every four all season now need to win three in seven to overtake us if we get NO MORE points. Aldershot would need to win four and draw two of their last eight, whilst Maidstone would need to win from six of eight. But we are Chesterfield, so what happens next always has at least one foot in the random.
Any normal club in our position would already be casting an eye towards the next campaign. Who do we need to get rid of and who can we get rid of …….. and what kind of players do we need to bring in to make some impact in this very difficult league? Much of this season’s campaign has actually been dictated by players unwisely given unjustifiable contracts, who proved impossible to ditch. As ever I don’t know the full contractual position of our current set of players …….. but in SpireiteMatt I think I know a man who does.
I’ve often floated the names of non-league players who might make their mark, but it has to be admitted there are failures amongst the successes. Okay I recommended Sean Raggett when he was at Dover and he’s now at Norwich, Pinnock too from the same club has been one of Wimbledon’s few consistent players as they struggled this season despite Piggott’s goals (another non-leaguer), Okenabirhie’s done well-ish at Shrewsbury as has Ferrier at Walsall, but neither club has had a good season. And I thought Sonupe would star at Stevenage and he’s hardly got a game and Reise Allassani, supposedly the most skilled player in non-league, has not figured at Coventry and was sub on loan at Woking when scoring two on Saturday. Even Grant Smith from Boreham Wood has struggled to keep his place in goal for Lincoln and I’d have said he was a sure-fire success. So coming up with new successful signings isn’t a matter of shooting fish in a barrel! (Though the amount of stick I took on Bob’s for saying I thought Dennis was unlikely to succeed at Notts County or anywhere else does make me almost feel like going back on there just to mention that Grimsby, locked at 0-0 on Saturday, are now so impressed with him they thought he was worth just five minutes to break the deadlock …. Some players score goals almost at the expense of their own team. He can clearly play, but there’s sumut wrong somewhere.)
Next season I’d be looking at Amantchi and Boden up front and would like to sign at least one more real goalscorer. My current favourites are Thsimanga at Oxford City and Glen Taylor at Spennymoor and for a big man I’d rather have Rowan Liburd from Guiseley than our own Tom Denton (but then he might improve with a full pre-season). And maybe Rawson is turning back into a runner for us too. In midfield we have Carter and Rowley. We can ditch Weir and Weston, yes? Will Wedgbury be able to return? I thought he should have been a good signing. We need a touch of class …. and I’d be inclined to take Sonupe from Stevenage for free and as ever I’d try and sign Dover’s captain, who can play midfield, full back or centre back, Mitch Brundle. Joe Wheatley from Darlington would also be a useful, hard-working midfield option. At the back we need two keepers don’t we? Peterborough have been on the down ever since they dropped Aaron Chapman, but I suppose he’s out of our range. Huddart from Boreham Wood would be good. At centre back Will Evans has been a hero, we’ve got Maguire, I imagine Hollis is available and probably would sign too. I’d also try and keep Binnom-Williams, because, well he’s different. And I’d add Alex Brown from Buxton who alongside Sharman and Render would give us options at the back.
My big signing, and I imagine we’d have to put some money down, would be Matt Kosylo from Halifax. Definite outs? Weir, Dodds, Anyon, Shlal?, Barry, Weston, Reid, George Smith, Nelson, Fortune, Ugwu (unfortunately), Talbot (oh dear) for a start …
So what and who do you want to see? I reckon a sound defence is an obvious necessity, a midfield that can win the ball, retain it reasonably well and has a creative spark and a few goals in it has to be the aim and up front you need to cause the opposition constant trouble and be able to grab a few of the chances that creates. At the most basic level we have to keep goals conceded down and show we carry a goal threat from open play dontcha think? Reasons to be cheerful: three points at Havant. There might actually be a next season.
Any normal club in our position would already be casting an eye towards the next campaign. Who do we need to get rid of and who can we get rid of …….. and what kind of players do we need to bring in to make some impact in this very difficult league? Much of this season’s campaign has actually been dictated by players unwisely given unjustifiable contracts, who proved impossible to ditch. As ever I don’t know the full contractual position of our current set of players …….. but in SpireiteMatt I think I know a man who does.
I’ve often floated the names of non-league players who might make their mark, but it has to be admitted there are failures amongst the successes. Okay I recommended Sean Raggett when he was at Dover and he’s now at Norwich, Pinnock too from the same club has been one of Wimbledon’s few consistent players as they struggled this season despite Piggott’s goals (another non-leaguer), Okenabirhie’s done well-ish at Shrewsbury as has Ferrier at Walsall, but neither club has had a good season. And I thought Sonupe would star at Stevenage and he’s hardly got a game and Reise Allassani, supposedly the most skilled player in non-league, has not figured at Coventry and was sub on loan at Woking when scoring two on Saturday. Even Grant Smith from Boreham Wood has struggled to keep his place in goal for Lincoln and I’d have said he was a sure-fire success. So coming up with new successful signings isn’t a matter of shooting fish in a barrel! (Though the amount of stick I took on Bob’s for saying I thought Dennis was unlikely to succeed at Notts County or anywhere else does make me almost feel like going back on there just to mention that Grimsby, locked at 0-0 on Saturday, are now so impressed with him they thought he was worth just five minutes to break the deadlock …. Some players score goals almost at the expense of their own team. He can clearly play, but there’s sumut wrong somewhere.)
Next season I’d be looking at Amantchi and Boden up front and would like to sign at least one more real goalscorer. My current favourites are Thsimanga at Oxford City and Glen Taylor at Spennymoor and for a big man I’d rather have Rowan Liburd from Guiseley than our own Tom Denton (but then he might improve with a full pre-season). And maybe Rawson is turning back into a runner for us too. In midfield we have Carter and Rowley. We can ditch Weir and Weston, yes? Will Wedgbury be able to return? I thought he should have been a good signing. We need a touch of class …. and I’d be inclined to take Sonupe from Stevenage for free and as ever I’d try and sign Dover’s captain, who can play midfield, full back or centre back, Mitch Brundle. Joe Wheatley from Darlington would also be a useful, hard-working midfield option. At the back we need two keepers don’t we? Peterborough have been on the down ever since they dropped Aaron Chapman, but I suppose he’s out of our range. Huddart from Boreham Wood would be good. At centre back Will Evans has been a hero, we’ve got Maguire, I imagine Hollis is available and probably would sign too. I’d also try and keep Binnom-Williams, because, well he’s different. And I’d add Alex Brown from Buxton who alongside Sharman and Render would give us options at the back.
My big signing, and I imagine we’d have to put some money down, would be Matt Kosylo from Halifax. Definite outs? Weir, Dodds, Anyon, Shlal?, Barry, Weston, Reid, George Smith, Nelson, Fortune, Ugwu (unfortunately), Talbot (oh dear) for a start …
So what and who do you want to see? I reckon a sound defence is an obvious necessity, a midfield that can win the ball, retain it reasonably well and has a creative spark and a few goals in it has to be the aim and up front you need to cause the opposition constant trouble and be able to grab a few of the chances that creates. At the most basic level we have to keep goals conceded down and show we carry a goal threat from open play dontcha think? Reasons to be cheerful: three points at Havant. There might actually be a next season.