It seemed as though there was really no money at all when John Pemberton was finally named as manager. The club shut down through lockdown. New ownership finally crossed the line, but they did it after such a protracted struggle that no one really expected any extra expenditure. But, after seeming relegation-bound with an unrefreshed squad, we have got rid of those in charge of the team who had given every appearance of having their financial hands tied, and replaced them with an exciting young manager. He brought with him his leading scorer at a cost, yet another expense we didn't realise we could cover.
Now we have found enough for a short-team deal for free agent Jak McCourt and a small (?) fee for Tom Whelan, who has apparently been doing well at Weymouth, but who didn't make the grade at Yeovil. James Rowe is making it clear he is looking to the future and that means every player is playing for his own future as well as that of the club. That's something every fan will applaud, but it does leave me, and perhaps you, wondering what is available for the development we intend, having appointed Lemon and Turnbull (who sound like shirt manufacturers).
You will doubtless be bored out of your minds reading lists of non-league players I've thought we could get for next to nothing over the last few years. Some come good like Ben Garrity of Warrington, who Blackpool finally offered a contract, but he was then loaned out and is now doing well at Oldham. Others, well it is a struggle, Alex Brown from first Sheffield FC then Buxton is now at Kings Lynn. He's in the team, but the defence is the worst in our section. On the other hand Sam Barratt and Matt Kosylo have almost single-handedly hauled their teams into the promotion race. There's an element of gamble involved. You can find a Levi Amantchi who looks like the future and ends up working his way down the pyramid. Our aim has to be to spend small and sell big. But sometimes the small spend will be all loss.
I've no idea what our true resources are, but we would hardly have made appointments if their budget was zero. As football prepares to find ways for its lower leagues to find ways back onto the pitch, my suggestion would be for us to nip in and bag a seriously good young player I've mentioned before - Kane Drummond from Rylands Warrington. It is no accident that they are challenging at the top of their league. He works hard, he scores goals, he's a wide man, who also makes goals. He's 18/19 and is the only player Rylands have ever contracted. In his last game he was brought down and still got up to score. He might not be ready for our first team, but surely we could afford a deal that involved loaning him back to continue developing in Warrington for this season. What could be better with two strikers than a clever, quick and brave young winger?
Personally I wouldn't have signed Jak back on ....... but he did have one or two good games in his last spell. Whelan interests me. How long since we had a public schoolboy in the team? He learnt to play at Millfield. What do you think? And do you think we have any money to develop a team - a proper team?
Now we have found enough for a short-team deal for free agent Jak McCourt and a small (?) fee for Tom Whelan, who has apparently been doing well at Weymouth, but who didn't make the grade at Yeovil. James Rowe is making it clear he is looking to the future and that means every player is playing for his own future as well as that of the club. That's something every fan will applaud, but it does leave me, and perhaps you, wondering what is available for the development we intend, having appointed Lemon and Turnbull (who sound like shirt manufacturers).
You will doubtless be bored out of your minds reading lists of non-league players I've thought we could get for next to nothing over the last few years. Some come good like Ben Garrity of Warrington, who Blackpool finally offered a contract, but he was then loaned out and is now doing well at Oldham. Others, well it is a struggle, Alex Brown from first Sheffield FC then Buxton is now at Kings Lynn. He's in the team, but the defence is the worst in our section. On the other hand Sam Barratt and Matt Kosylo have almost single-handedly hauled their teams into the promotion race. There's an element of gamble involved. You can find a Levi Amantchi who looks like the future and ends up working his way down the pyramid. Our aim has to be to spend small and sell big. But sometimes the small spend will be all loss.
I've no idea what our true resources are, but we would hardly have made appointments if their budget was zero. As football prepares to find ways for its lower leagues to find ways back onto the pitch, my suggestion would be for us to nip in and bag a seriously good young player I've mentioned before - Kane Drummond from Rylands Warrington. It is no accident that they are challenging at the top of their league. He works hard, he scores goals, he's a wide man, who also makes goals. He's 18/19 and is the only player Rylands have ever contracted. In his last game he was brought down and still got up to score. He might not be ready for our first team, but surely we could afford a deal that involved loaning him back to continue developing in Warrington for this season. What could be better with two strikers than a clever, quick and brave young winger?
Personally I wouldn't have signed Jak back on ....... but he did have one or two good games in his last spell. Whelan interests me. How long since we had a public schoolboy in the team? He learnt to play at Millfield. What do you think? And do you think we have any money to develop a team - a proper team?