(Potential) Starting XI’s

[Casey]

Got to agree with E10rifle. The best way to think about it is...

That moment when you laugh at the opposition player as his cross from the byline goes way over the top of the in rushing forward and out for a throw or the centre half inexplicably passes the ball to your forward in the box.

They happen a lot less.

The step up/down from league1 & 2 is bigger but the step up is definitely there.

Casey

Edit: That doesn't mean a Well drilled team cannot do well. It means it's a little tougher.

 

[Boz]

Craig Eastmond, Harry Beautyman and Rob Milsom have plenty of league experience among the 3 of them. There’s a few others in our squad who’ve played at league level before.
Our squads biggest strength may be its unity. We’ve not had many changes in personnel in the last few years, and the team sprit is very strong, as it’ll need to be in what could be a very tough season.

You need changes. Lots of changes. You’ll probably not notice it straight away because the standard of football is generally shite, but the extra quality in the opposition is there.

Unity and continuity can take you a fair way towards survival at least. Rovers won promotion to L1 with the core of the team that had got us back into the FL, though we did make some additions during the course of the season, with relative veteran Dave Perkins being particularly influential in getting a grip of the midfield.

 

[JaredSUFC]

Unity and continuity can take you a fair way towards survival at least. Rovers won promotion to L1 with the core of the team that had got us back into the FL, though we did make some additions during the course of the season, with relative veteran Dave Perkins being particularly influential in getting a grip of the midfield.

Our first and only aim this season I guess is survival.

 

[Indian Dan]

Our current likely line up

Unknown
Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown
Unknown Unknown
Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown

The formation is infinitely changeable and the subs will be like for like

 

[shoddycollins]

Our first and only aim this season I guess is survival.

A team that did well in the NL and kept it's players will usually (well, always but eventually someone won't) survives, but not in much comfort and after a year here you'll probably be wanting to ship out a number of players who were excellent in the NL but not up to L2, bring in L2 experienced players and make sure your time in L2 isn't just a constant struggle to survive.

 

[TheDon]

Our current likely line up

Unknown
Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown
Unknown Unknown
Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown

The formation is infinitely changeable and the subs will be like for like

You left out Fuckknows Dan

 

[Greenacres]

You left out Fuckknows Dan

And triallists...which should be those currently running the club, in a Court of Law!

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Not a new signing exactly, but it looks like Bobby Burns is back in training with us. Northern Ireland u21 left back who we signed last summer but loaned out to Glentoran before a ball was kicked. Broke his leg early in his loan spell and nobody really knew what the situation was. Could be another good option if he's included in the final squad (of course, we've never seen him play so he might be shite).

 

[shoddycollins]

Not a new signing exactly, but it looks like Bobby Burns is back in training with us. Northern Ireland u21 left back who we signed last summer but loaned out to Glentoran before a ball was kicked. Broke his leg early in his loan spell and nobody really knew what the situation was. Could be another good option if he's included in the final squad (of course, we've never seen him play so he might be shite).

And we thought that the SPL was tinpot based on the number of players who we release who then rock up at middling SPL clubs, Northern Irish football is on another level given that Glentoran are one of the big two clubs.

 

[chipmunx]

And we thought that the SPL was tinpot based on the number of players who we release who then rock up at middling SPL clubs, Northern Irish football is on another level given that Glentoran are one of the big two clubs.

We signed him from Hearts in the SPL though.

 

[shoddycollins]

We signed him from Hearts in the SPL though.

Did you match his release clause?

 

[chipmunx]

Did you match his release clause?

no idea - but he did have a year left on his Hearts contract before joining us....

 

[Chris FGR]

Our current likely line up

Unknown
Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown
Unknown Unknown
Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown

The formation is infinitely changeable and the subs will be like for like

Good old fashioned 4-2-4, like Sir Alex used at Utd in the 90's. Should be a good watch even if you'll be a team of unknowns.

 

[shoddycollins]

no idea - but he did have a year left on his Hearts contract before joining us....

You probably tapped him up and Hearts were forced to let him go.

 

[Chris FGR]

A club like Hearts can't do much when someone like Barrow come in for one of their top players, you can't stand in someone's way if they get a chance to step up a level like that.

 

[BarraMatt]

Strange Scottish football below the top three sides in the SPL. Motherwell and teams like that seem to go all out to sign "decent" National League players.

 

[Chief Rocka]

Strange Scottish football below the top three sides in the SPL. Motherwell and teams like that seem to go all out to sign "decent" National League players.

They're a very strange bunch, it's their brand to snap up the bang average National League strikers, Kilmarnock actually paid us money for Nicke Kabamba, a striker with 5 goals to his name, we were all amazed.

 

[AdamStag]

As the season is still a month off i haven’t given it any thought

 

[BarraMatt]

They're a very strange bunch, it's their brand to snap up the bang average National League strikers, Kilmarnock actually paid us money for Nicke Kabamba, a striker with 5 goals to his name, we were all amazed.

I think we got a fee from Rangers for our second choice keeper Andy Firth a couple of seasons ago in one of the most bizarre transfers ever, something to do with Gerrard knowing him from the Liverpool youth setup. He has since sat on the bench and sang some songs after old firm matches, and was recently rewarded with a new contract.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Jordan White and Sam Cosgrove playing top flight Scottish football says it all. Shite.

 

[F!RTHY]

No: 10 missing, which basically tells us what we already know - another striker incoming.

2021/22 SQUAD NUMBERS:

1. Richard O’Donnell
2. Oscar Threlkeld
3. Liam Ridehalgh
4. Paudie O’Connor
5. Niall Canavan
6. Yann Songo’o
7. Abo Eisa
8. Callum Cooke
9. Andy Cook
11. Alex Gilliead
13. Sam Hornby
14. Matthew Foulds
15. Charles Vernam
16. Fiacre Kelleher
17. Gareth Evans
18. Elliot Watt
19. Lee Angol
21. Reece Staunton
22. Levi Sutton
23. Oliver Crankshaw
24. Finn Cousin-Dawson
25. Jorge Sikora
26. Kian Scales

 

[Gatekeeper]

No: 10 missing, which basically tells us what we already know - another striker incoming.

2021/22 SQUAD NUMBERS:

1. Richard O’Donnell
2. Oscar Threlkeld
3. Liam Ridehalgh
4. Paudie O’Connor
5. Niall Canavan
6. Yann Songo’o
7. Abo Eisa
8. Callum Cooke
9. Andy Cook
11. Alex Gilliead
13. Sam Hornby
14. Matthew Foulds
15. Charles Vernam
16. Fiacre Kelleher
17. Gareth Evans
18. Elliot Watt
19. Lee Angol
21. Reece Staunton
22. Levi Sutton
23. Oliver Crankshaw
24. Finn Cousin-Dawson
25. Jorge Sikora
26. Kian Scales

I thought 20 was the maximum squad for L2?

 

[Gatekeeper]

Our first and only aim this season I guess is survival.

That’s what we said last seaso!

 

[Sestonpoolie]

Strange Scottish football below the top three sides in the SPL. Motherwell and teams like that seem to go all out to sign "decent" National League players.

The season we were relegated,Motherwell signed three of the players.
They we’re virtually ever present for Motherwell,who qualified for Europe.
The standard of football up there must be utterly shyte.

 

[Boz]

I thought 20 was the maximum squad for L2?

Nobody’s quite sure. There was to be another PFA legal challenge, then some suggestion of a compromise 22 and U21s not counting?

 

[Monkey Tennis]

U21s never counted last season, and I suspect a good few of those Bradford players are just kids anyway.

Can't see squad sizes being reduced, given that other competitions are increasing squad sizes to cope with Covid (like Euro 2020).

 

[shoddycollins]

U21s never counted last season, and I suspect a good few of those Bradford players are just kids anyway.

Can't see squad sizes being reduced, given that other competitions are increasing squad sizes to cope with Covid (like Euro 2020).

But surely everyone knows that the clubs in L1,2 and the NL are guilty of hoarding young talents who will then stagnate playing league football when they should be playing for Liverpool and Chelsea U23s where they will be more likely to develop into England internationals.

 

[SaddlerJonny]

Our 11 updated:

GK: Rose
RB: White (Mills, Coogan)
CB: Taylor (Leak, Foulkes)
CB: Monthe (Sadler)
LB:

CDM: Perry (Kinsella, Willis)
CDM: Labadie (Bates)

RM: Kiernan
CAM: Holden (Earing, Osadebe)
LM:

ST: WIlkinson

Need another striker and a left back at least. We could play any of those players in CAM out wide, with Osadebe on the left and Holden on the right - but Holden is our best player and would be a little wasted being pushed out wide right. Still don't know what formation we will be playing but I imagine with the players we have signed it will be some sort of midfield heavy back 4 - maybe with 3 attacking midfielders instead of traditional wingers as we have a lot of those kinds of players right now.

 

[Chris FGR]

Our 11 updated

GK Thomas
RB Bernard
CB Godwin-Malife
CB Moore-Taylor
LB Cargill

CM Stevenson
CM Adams
CM Hendry

LW Cadden
ST Matt
RW Aitchison

Subs: McGee, Wilson, Sweeney, Diallo, Edwards, Young, March

Elliott Whitehouse is still recovering from a knee op, not sure if he’ll be fit for the start of the season.

Based on Rob Edwards first pre-season interview he said that we want to play a high press which makes you think Lewis Thomas might start in goal as he’s more of a sweeper keeper and we might go with a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 as opposed to 3-5-2. Jack Aitchison is pretty versatile so could play wide in a front 3 coming inside on his left foot with Nicky Cadden as an out and out winger instead of wing back. Dom Bernard better suited to a back 4 then Kane Wilson imo.

 

[TheDon]

Squad announced. Downsborough,. Thomas, Trollope, Butler, Burrows, Harland, Heath, Smith, Smart, Noble, Rogers.