New players?

Just thought that I might start one of, no doubt, many threads on this subject over the summer close season.

If Connell and Phillips are sold for cash, it should give us a minimum of £2 million to re-invest in the squad. The board say that they need to sell in order to buy and I can only see Connell and Phillips being worth enough to make it worthwhile.

Anyhow - two to put into the pot.

Rushian Hepburn-Murphy (Crawley Town) - plays as a forward and has caught my eye with several performances as seen in highlights this season. Plays best as a wide player who can score goals, which will work for us if Conor wants to play with wingers behind a target man. 26 years old, but with a great pedigree, having been capped for England at almost every imaginable level up to U20 and looks to be coming into his prime right now. Would cost, but Crawley are relegated, so £250k should do it.

Liam Walsh (Luton Town) - if we want a controlling midfield who is capable of bossing the game from in front of the back line (think Ray McHale), this guy has the ability to do it. He was outstandingly good in this position for Bristol City, Swansea City and Coventry City, but has only just recently got back into Luton's first team. The downside is that he has an unhealthy habit of getting red cards (three this season), but that's the combative holding midfielder we could do with. He only signed for Luton in 2024, so I guess that he has a year still to run on his contract, so would cost. It depends how much Luton value him and see him as important to the future and to the style of play he brings. Would be worth a punt and might be affordable, if Luton don't see him in their plans for League One, or the Championship next season.

Over to you, folks. Any decent defenders? Jack Shepherd and Kasper Lopata will be coming back and should be first team quality, but we still need to strength with players who a) have pace and b) are willing to put their bodies on the line to block and tackle for the team.

Target man striker as well. I will have a look.

 

Marc Leonard might be worth a look. We were rumoured to be in for him in the summer but he went to Birmingham and has only started 11 games in the league. I would expect them to strengthen in the summer but I suspect wages may be a problem.

A player that caught my eye during the season was Daniel Phillips at Stevenage. Another central midfielder and not afraid to get struck in. We could do with someone of his combativeness and physicality in the middle.

 

I posted some of these in another thread a few weeks ago. I've removed a few that I think were probably unrealistic and added a couple more.

George Abbott: 19 year old Centre Mid from Tottenham (likely on loan). Has spent this season at Notts County, played primarily as a holding midfielder, though likes to get hold of the ball and drive the team forward. He's scored 4 and assisted 5 from deep. Despite his age, he's adapted to the physicality of league 2 well by all accounts. County's fans seem to think he'll join a championship side on loan, though I recall Donny fans saying the same about Matty Craig this time last year.

Jamie McDonnell: 21 year old Centre mid from Forest. This is probably an either or with the aforementioned Abbott, as both are holding midfielders. Though McDonnell is a more likely option as I believe he's out of contract at Forest this summer. He's spent the season out on loan at Colchester and has been instrumental to them going on a long unbeaten run, which ended whilst he was suspended. He's certainly more of a midfield anchor compared to Abbott who is more box to box, though he can also play at centre half if required.

Taylor Allen: 24 year old Centre Half from Walsall. Has a year left on his deal at Walsall so would command a fee. Has gone from strength to strength in his 3 years with the Saddlers by all accounts. He's a left footer, so likely only to be an option if either Earl or Shepherd are moved on. Good in both boxes, he's scored 10 goals this season and assisted a further 7. He could be the perfect foil for one of Robbo's long throw ins. It's looking increasingly likely that Walsall could bottle promotion, so he could have some suitors.

Denver Hume: 26 year old wingback from Grimsby. Bit of a left field one (excuse the pun), as Hume has had a couple of cracks at league 1 with Sunderland and Pompey, though injuries have plagued him previously. He's nailed down a place at Grimsby this season, and been a revelation in the left wing back role, though can also play as a full back if needed to switch to a back 4. Has 12 assists to his name and is out of contract in the summer. Likes to run at players, and can play with both feet, meaning he can also cut in side if needed. He leads the assist chart and chances created chart in league 2.

Jay Henderson: 23 year old forward from Ross County. Primarily plays on the right wing, or wide in a front 3. He's spent the season on loan at Ayr Utd in the Scottish Champ, scoring 7 and assisting a further 10 in what has been his breakthrough season. Unsure how long he has left on his deal at County though, though the Scottish Leagues are usually good for a decent deal on a player.

Harrison Male: 24 year old goalkeeper from York. Another left field one. I watch Bunch of Amateurs on YouTube and Male was the goalkeeper for Dorking during their relegation from the National League, though it was clear he'd kept them in so many games and they could have been down a lot sooner without him. 12 months on, and he's kept 15 clean sheets in 33 appearances for York. He's a good shot stopper and commands his box well from corners. Might be a big step up for him, but I do think he's a capable keeper.

Terry Taylor: 23 year old midfielder from Charlton. Despite his age, Taylor is experienced at this level with Burton, Charlton and most recently on loan at Northampton. Another holding midfielder, he's been a revelation at Northampton and played every minute since signing there. He's had bad luck with injuries over the years, but appears to have played regularly this season. Charlton fans on their forum don't understand why he was suddenly out of favour as he'd been performing for them. Good at set plays by all accounts too. We were linked with him last summer, and is often the case, might go back in now his contract has a year less on it, particularly if Charlton go up.

Murphy Cooper: 23 year old Goalkeeper from QPR. I believe he's out of contract this summer. Kept 16 cleansheets this season on loan at Stevenage and had a good season at Swindon before suffering a hamstring injury the year before.

Rob Street: 23 year old centre forward from Lincoln. He's got quite a while left on his deal at Lincoln, but played less than an hour for them since signing last summer suggesting they're not keen. Scored 10 goals in half a season at Doncaster. Tall, strong, quick old fashioned number 9.

Ollie Pearce: 29 year old striker from York. Bit of a gamble as he's never played in the league, but has 30 national league goals this season, and 43 in the NLS the year before. The sort of signing Peterborough make. Hasn't scored fewer that 24 goals in the last 4 seasons.

Kusini Yengi: 26 year old striker from Portsmouth. Been a bit part player for Pompey who have survived the drop in the Championship, but netted 13 times when they won the league. Out of contract and seemingly unlikely to stay on. Their fans were raving about him at the start of last season, though an injury slowed his progress. Might not be the sort of player we require as their fans believe he's got tons of ability and can win a game out of nothing, but has a tendency to go missing.

Struggling to recommend many experienced players as I think wages may be an issue.

 

Stefan Bajic GK - free Bristol City
Gab Breeze GK - 200k-300k Carlisle
Jordan Gabriel RB - free Blackpool
Sean Roughan LB - free Lincoln
Paudie O'Connor CB - free Lincoln
Liam Bennett RB - free Cambridge
Ben House ST - free Lincoln
Ethan Chislett AM - free port vale
Jordan Thomas RW - 250k/400k Cheltenham
Joseph Olowu CB - free Donny
Alassana Jatta ST - Notts County
Sonny Bradley CB - free Derby county
Rob Street ST Lincoln 300k/400k
Ethon Archer LW/CAM - Cheltenham buy final year
Brad Young ST free
Brendan Wiredu CB Fleetwood buy final year
Daniel Jebbison ST Bournemouth loan
Junior Quitirna AM - Crawley buy final year
Malik Mothersille LW - Peterborough free

Trying to avoid some that have been already mentioned. Trying to stay as realistic as possible but a few ambitious ones there like Mothersille and Jebbison. Just from a little bit of research recently.

 

Liam Walsh will be serving a three match ban at the start of the season whoever he signs for. He got sent off against Coventry. The third sending off he's had this season. I would argue his attitude is poor and he'd end up costing us points in the long run.

The rest I can't argue with.

 

Any of the above players Will be nice but unfortunately they don’t feature on Sormaz’s laptop.

 

There’s going to be a lot of disappointment for some people

 

I still fear that we’ve been keeping Clem Rodrigues under wraps to avoid other clubs gazumping us and we’ll announce him on a 4 year deal come June 1st.

 

Old fashioned scouting would help. Especially under the current climate where an idiot is employed to look on a computer.
What a load of tosh that crap is!!!

 

Always liked Jamie Reid at Stevenage, yes he's 30 and still under contract but knows where the onion bag is, strong player and a real pain to play against be a perfect player for DKD to play off.

 

Isn't walsh the lad who got the reds literally minutes after coming on as a sub every time?

 

Some good options here, budget depending.

My big worry is we have a touch of the League One Manchester United about us - we take a promising player/career and make them worse. That needs fixing it we are to attract anyone worth having.

 

Kamari Doyle attacking midfielder to replace Phillips (season loan)

 

Wow! Really impressive response. I can't comment on some of these names, as I don't think that I have seen most of them play. Terry Taylor is a bizarre one, who is touted for great things, but must have had some kind of falling out at Charlton to be loaned to Northampton Town. Still being touted for great things. I had thought of Rob Street as a centre-forward, but I would think that, if he doesn't stay at Lincoln City, he will head for Doncaster Rovers, having been promoted with them. I saw him play a fair bit in League One, at which time he was a raw youngster on loan from Crystal Palace, I think. Definitely the right style of player for Conor's intended system. Yengi would be another good shout. I don't know why he has fallen from favour at Pompey.

Impressive research. Thank you. I will now have to look at some of these names in greater depth.

 

Jack Butland as a Keeper. Needs to come to a big Club.

 

Great suggestions.

Rob Street is an interesting one. He was at Cheltenham with Darrell Clarke and you would have thought if he was on our radar then he'd have come last season when Clarke was in charge and he was 'available'.

 

Good research...I'm impressed

 

McCann already said Street will only be there again on loan as can’t afford to buy him.

 

If I found 50 pence I don't think I'd bother buying Connell with it. Not that he's totally crap, but he's bang average and you can pick up those types of players for free.

 

And you can almost guarantee that not one name from above posts will be here next season