Stickied League 1 Transfer Rumours/Confirmed Transfers 2024/25

[GeneralLee]

Oxford fans, what can we expect from MA in the transfer market? January is always a difficult time but is he one who tends to us loans as squad fillers or key players? Looks like he signed younger players with you lot.

His first transfer window I think MApp quickly recognised that his signings were ill-thought out. We lacked quality and bombed out most of his signings within six months. In his defence, we didn't exactly have much time to plan!

We had George Long, Carlton Morris, Junior Brown and co. They just weren't good enough and thus our recruitment strategy was implemented shortly after - There was a clear blueprint. You always sensed you were in good hands and that they always knew what they doing 6-12 months ahead of time.

Beyond the first transfer window, transfers were very deliberate and well thought out transfers. Beyond the first window, we made some very shrewd signings. Beyond a couple, each has gone on to have an excellent career at Premier League, Championship or in Kemar Roofe (Anderlecht) and Jonjoe Kenny (Schalke). Considering we were in League Two, whilst we had the occasional blip, that's a hell of a successful recruitment drive!

 

[Marked Ox]

Not a new signing as such but fantastic news that James Henry has just signed a new 2 yeal with a further 1 year option. Very happy with this.

 

[Luke Imp]

Cheers. We don't have a recruitment structure or team per se because DC/NC did it all. We only got a couple of scouts on board at the beginning of last season and I suspect one of those will follow them.

It's one area that we don't have a proper structure for and when I was reading around about Appleton and Oxford, one of the things that seemed very strong was recruitment and the structure he put in place (I think it's still used?). We were very deliberate in our signings under DC as well so there are definitely parallels there.

He's already made noises about wanting to lower the average age of the squad (the first XI itself is actually quite a young one because DC started to lower the squad age before he left). We also only currently have two who are definitely under contract next season. Three others have undisclosed contract lengths so we have a maximum of five. In that respect, it *might* make Appleton's job in terms of recruitment a little easier come the summer.

 

[Marked Ox]

We still have a similar recruitment team structure although a lot of the staff have changed*. Those that moved on have gone to higher league clubs such as Leeds. The use of it was neglected under Pep Clotet and at the start of Karl Robinson's tenure but it is fully in use again thankfully. We have since expanded the recruitment side for the Academy under Karl Robinson and Tiger (as part of the development of the Training Ground, Academy and getting it to a Cat 2 status). The 1st team scouting has changed slightly with the opposition scouting now carried out by Garry Parker and he coaches/organises the "opposition" tactically in training before a game.

I suspect MApp will be build the infrastructure off the pitch then if you have nothing like that as that is one of his legacies at ours if your owners allow him the leeway and resources. If you don't have a sufficient Sport Science set up either, then this will be built as well if allowed. With us, he did have the backing of our owner, Darryl Eales and Chief Executive Mark Ashton (now at Bristol City) from the start although based on rumours the backing waned towards the end of MApp's spell with us.

I would suspect a good clearout at the end of the season as well based on your contract situation.

*We tend to train up and promote from within, following the same approach of a development path for staff that we are trying to do for youth players from the Academy.

 

[Luke Imp]

Sports science will be once of Cowleys legacies. They both have degrees in sport science so they were able to rule the roost with that one (although our Board don't have any footballing expertise so they've never interfered with anything on the footballing side).

We're still a bit behind everyone else in terms of the Academy because all though we kept it running on skeleton staff in the NL after the EFL funding loss, anyone half decent we couldn't keep whereas in the last year we've been aggressively recruiting to build it back up again and I suspect we're still a year or two away at least before we see the fruits of that, if any.

That said, he's already given Ellis Chapman a chance who only 18 and has been with the first team since he was 15/16.

 

[Marked Ox]

Sports science will be once of Cowleys legacies. They both have degrees in sport science so they were able to rule the roost with that one (although our Board don't have any footballing expertise so they've never interfered with anything on the footballing side).

We're still a bit behind everyone else in terms of the Academy because all though we kept it running on skeleton staff in the NL after the EFL funding loss, anyone half decent we couldn't keep whereas in the last year we've been aggressively recruiting to build it back up again and I suspect we're still a year or two away at least before we see the fruits of that, if any.

That said, he's already given Ellis Chapman a chance who only 18 and has been with the first team since he was 15/16.

I suspect it will be a bit longer for your Academy to really bear fruit as we are possibly seeing the bearing of fruit in the last 2 years or so (apart from a few coming through) after really starting rebuilding in 2010, from a similar base as you. And that has taken some serious investment especially in the last few years.

In our 1st team squad we have Jack Stevens (our back up keeper who signed his 1st pro contract in 2014), Sam Long (who came through in 12/13), Shandon Baptiste (who looks an excellent prospect who is close to being a 1st team regular) and Malachi Napa (rotten luck with injuries and illness) who both signed their 1st pro deals in May 2017. We also have Josh Ruffels and Matty Taylor but whilst both were in our Academy, or signed as a 1st year pro, developed elsewhere or by going via non-league.

Last season we started an U23 team which has been refined this season with it mostly being populated with 1st year pros from last season's Youth team and the previous Youth team. This includes a quite a few who have already played/been involved in the Abomination Trophy last season and this season. Whilst Nico Jones played twice (1 start and 1 sub appearance) in the League last season and is the closest to the 1st team of the u23s at present being 4th choice 1st team centre back.

We've also had 2 scholars in the 1st team squad this season, Fabio Sole (a 2nd year Scholar) and Tyler Goodrham (a 1st year Scholar). So there are a lot of potentially very good players now but obviously there is a long way to go.

Not to forget we also sold Callum O'Dowda to Bristol City for good money who MApp developed well in the 1st team.

 

[Fedora Dale]

A signing rather than a transfer - Luke Matheson, officially until now a first year scholar despite being a first team squad member for nearly a year, has signed a 3 year pro deal.

 

[mase]

A signing rather than a transfer - Luke Matheson, officially until now a first year scholar despite being a first team squad member for nearly a year, has signed a 3 year pro deal.

Means you can command a decent fee once he leaves - good business.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

We’ve signed Harrison Myring after a lengthy trial

 

[Fedora Dale]

Means you can command a decent fee once he leaves - good business.

Hopefully. Obi Wan Bissaka cost Man Utd 45 million - and while he looked a decent defender the other month in the Moose Cup tie, he lacked young Luke's force in attack...

(In other words, probably Norwich in a couple of years, for an undisclosed fee plus add-ons.)

 

[Loyal Dale]

Hopefully. Obi Wan Bissaka cost Man Utd 45 million - and while he looked a decent defender the other month in the Moose Cup tie, he lacked young Luke's force in attack...

(In other words, probably Norwich in a couple of years, for an undisclosed fee plus add-ons.)

It's fantastic that Luke has signed for us, and all parties should take credit for getting him to do so, but sadly, our recent record on selling players for small undisclosed fee's is poor. we have sold several really promising players for undisclosed fee's recently; way lower than should be the case. and to rub salt in the wounds, the club then tell the fans that the deals represent a wonderful bit of business by the club. Reality is; it's the same person negotiating the sale and then blowing smoke up his own arse.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

We’ve now signed Rakish Bingham

 

[SoutheySWFC]

We’ve now signed Rakish Bingham

Announce CHAMPIONS

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Announce CHAMPIONS

Ha

 

[Fedora Dale]

We’ve now signed Rakish Bingham

Lord Lucan, with a twirly moustache, or some fella who played for Hartlepool..

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Lord Lucan, with a twirly moustache, or some fella who played for Hartlepool..

I’ll let you know if he turns up

 

[DearneValleyRover]

I’ll let you know if he turns up

He did but not long enough to make a judgement

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Not a new signing but an absolute great piece of news for us, Ben Whiteman has signed a contract extension until 2023

 

[Marked Ox]

We've made a 'significant' offer to make Chris Cadden's loan permanent from Columbus Crew.

 

[Marked Ox]

We've signed Jordan Archer on a 1 month deal due to Simon Eastwood's injury who could be out for 6/8 weeks according to somebody who generally knows their stuff on our forum.

 

[Luke Imp]

We've signed Zack Elbouzedi from Waterford over in Ireland for a small compensation fee from January 1st.

Right winger by the looks of it and absolutely rapid. No surprise Appleton's first signing is at the top end of the pitch.

 

[GeneralLee]

We've signed Zack Elbouzedi from Waterford over in Ireland for a small compensation fee from January 1st.

Right winger by the looks of it and absolutely rapid. No surprise Appleton's first signing is at the top end of the pitch.

That's very much a MApp signing! Can be hit and miss, however as seen with the signing of Gavin Whyte (sold to Cardiff in the summer), there's some great talent in those leagues... Although we also signed Patrick Hoban under MApp and look how that turned out...

 

[joethegill]

We've turned down a bid from an unnamed Championship club for centre back Jack Tucker. Need to get him signed up on a long-term deal, the boy is going to be excellent.

EDIT *He's now signed a new deal which will run 'a few years'*

 

[Luke Imp]

That's very much a MApp signing! Can be hit and miss, however as seen with the signing of Gavin Whyte (sold to Cardiff in the summer), there's some great talent in those leagues... Although we also signed Patrick Hoban under MApp and look how that turned out...

Sounds like that's the line he'll be going down more and more.

Got a few irons in the fire apparently but I doubt we'll do too much permanent business this window and look to switch the loans up instead.

Need to move two or three on, though if we can.

 

[Luke Imp]

MA's hoping for some news on another couple of players in the next day or two, so we could have 3 in as the transfer window re-opens and was suggesting he'd want another couple after that.

Need to balance that with outgoings but I think we'll see the loans of Hesketh, Connolly and Melbourne ended so I don't think balancing things will be too much of an issue.

 

[Davidimp]

MA's hoping for some news on another couple of players in the next day or two, so we could have 3 in as the transfer window re-opens and was suggesting he'd want another couple after that.

Need to balance that with outgoings but I think we'll see the loans of Hesketh, Connolly and Melbourne ended so I don't think balancing things will be too much of an issue.

Signings made by the Cowleys long after they lost interest, Hesketh has been hugely disappointing, we needed a striker and he was brought in.
Connolly looked ok in central defence but a bit lost in midfield especially in the Oxford hammering.
Melbourne only started in the leasing cup matches.

 

[Chris FGR]

January window set to open. Big question is..........










........will Akinola finally sign for Lincoln?

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Elliot Lee available to a good home next month.

So far he has been linked with Pompey, Fleetwood and Peterborough apparently but could see him pitching up at Gillingham. His brother is there and close to home for him which I think he likes.

 

[GFC4EVA]

Elliot Lee available to a good home next month.

So far he has been linked with Pompey, Fleetwood and Peterborough apparently but could see him pitching up at Gillingham. His brother is there and close to home for him which I think he likes.

Would take elliott Lee here, but its a striker we need over anything else

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Looks as though little Alfie May is off to Cheltenham and we may have a striker signed already but not overly sure who.