Signings - how ready are you for the season 2017-18?

[PaulHaddock]

something about him eating angel delight or similar.

 

[Si Robin]

We're clearly not ready for the season, what with having no right back in place having trialled 4 this summer and letting a perfectly decent one go and only having 3 forwards, 2 of whom struggled last season and the other was playing in the Isthmian League. So here's our squad:

GK
Jon Flatt - on loan from Wolves
Rhys Lovett
Lewis Clayton - Youth teamer

Defenders
Jamie Grimes
Jordon Forster
Will Boyle
Jordan Cranston
Daniel O'Shaughnessy
Aaron Downes
Matt Bower

Midfielders
Kyle Storer
Kevin Dawson
Harry Pell
Nigel Atangana
Carl Winchester
Jerrell Sellars (who I thought was a forward, but nevermind)
Josh Thomas

Forwards
Danny Wright
Dan Holman
Mohammed Eisa

Fear us!!!

Further to this, we have now accepted a 6 figure fee for Harry Pell from Blackpool. The club have stated that the whole fee would be put back into the playing budget, but that was also said of the Billy Waters fee and we're yet to see that come to fruition.

 

[SVH]

I fancy Cheltenham for the drop if Pell leaves.

 

[Si Robin]

You sound like most Cheltenham fans, Pell's good but he's no World beater. He'll get found out in League 1.

I'd snap your hand off for anything over £100k.

 

[SVH]

But take him and Waters out your team last year and surely you would have gone down?

No idea who you've signed but that's two very good players.

 

[Luke Imp]

I've never rated Harry Pell. Admittedly, not seen a massive amount of him but he just came across as a 6'+ guy with limited technical ability who liked kicking everyone and just being a pain in the arse.

Mind you, I didn't rate Marlon Pack and look what happened to him!

 

[PaulHaddock]

He only ever turns up against us.

 

[Posh Harry]

He only ever turns up against us.

Which is ironic as he was completely shite when he played for us. He will buy lots of free kicks and penalties though as he is fantastic at throwing himself to the ground with no one anywhere near him.

 

[valefan16]

After a busy few days we are almost complete apart from maybe an attacking central midfielder.

Goalkeepers

Rob Lainton - 1st choice
Sam Hornby
Ryan Boot
Joe Slinn

Right Backs
Lawrie Wilson
Adam Yates (1 month loan at Macc Town)

Centre Halves
Nathan Smith
Anthony Kay (Club Captain)
Joe Davis
Gavin Gunning (also can cover left back)

Left Backs
Tyler Denton (on season loan from Leeds United)
Kjell Knops (likely to be out for season injured)
Graham Kelly

Wingers
Christian Montano
Marcus Harness (on loan from Burton Albion)
Ben Whitfield (on loan from AFC Bournemouth)

Central midfield
Danny Pugh
Michael Tonge
Anthony De Freitas (can play on the flank)
Michael Brown
Billy Reeves

Forwards
Tom Pope
Tyrone Barnett
Rekeil Pyke (on loan from Huddersfield)
Dan Turner (can play wing)
Anton Forrester

Few youths that can be added but not likely to feature much.

Targets are to complete the central midfield if anything happens to ADF or Reeves we are very short on cover for the ageing Tonge and Pugh. Callum Guy is hopefully due to return on loan from Derby once fit and would be a massive boost if it happens. Remie Streete has been hanging around the place lately and could resign after leaving earlier in the summer potentially although have plenty of centre halves.

Overall after being very worried up to mid July most Valiants are much happier with the squad now. We've been shrewd and although one of the biggest clubs in league two this season are having to be tighter with the budget since relegation (unless Hugill goes from PNE for big money and that 20% sell on comes to Brown to spend!)

We've got some experienced heads mixed with some decently rated young loanees and a few of our own home grown talent that after years of producing little is starting to give us some real prospects. Nathan Smith if not sold this season should be one of the stand out players at this level after a phenomenal personal debut FL season last year. Dan Turner is another we have high hopes for and he broke his goal scoring duck at Crawley on Saturday.

We won't be pretty to watch as Crawley found out but are set up to be physical and organised under Brown, Chris Morgan and Ned Kelly.

An attacking midfielder is key though to give us chance of challenging and getting the redemption we want. Plenty of goals could come from the centre halves with both Smith and Kay being regular scorers, Pope was lethal at this level in our promotion season with 33 but is four years older so don't expect him to match that!

Hopefully we can sneak under the radar against the big spenders with our organised streetwise approach... hopefully.