January signing number four

[Jon Palmer]

Midfielder on way: http://bit.ly/JanuarySigning4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Robin]

Assume this is a permanent signing. Looks like has some experience but still relatively young, I wonder why Exeter are letting him go?

[Jon Palmer]

Confirmed as a loan!

[Robin]

Thanks Jon, seems to be out of contract like Raglan and not likely to get a new one so this gives us the chance to look at each other without committing to a permanent deal whilst we could still get dragged back into the relegation scrap.

[Shade]

Still strange that he's played 25 games for them this season, so pretty much all of them, and they've let him go on loan. Assume Exeter have signed, or will be signing, someone they see as better. Glad we're not getting someone that's been sat on the bench all season, though.

[Malabus]

Good signing by M.Duff, experienced, at his prime and from a club doing well in L2.

[Shade]

Whereas I recognise the name from playing against Exeter, I know nothing about him as a player. From his stats I assume he's the defensive midfielder that we need as he's scored 2 league goals in 83 appearances.

[Si Robin]

Spoken to a couple of Exeter fans who say he's rubbish on the ball but fantastic at breaking up play.

[Robin]

Sort of player we need right now, got to give him a chance and presumably he's not too expensive either coming from Exeter.

[Shade]

He can't be that bad on the ball if he's played the best part of 85 starts in the last two-and-a-half seasons for a team that has got into the play-off final twice, surely. But then winning the ball and laying it off is all we need.

[Horteng]

Seems strange why he’s come here when he’s played 25 game for Exeter this season.

Why is he out of their plans all of a sudden?

[Si Robin]

Only posting what I've been told - I honestly don't recall seeing him play, so he's never stood out:

Heard this last week. Personally, and this isn’t sour grapes, I really don’t rate him.

He’s played as a CDM for us and while he’s decent at winning the ball and being a bit of a disruptor type player, he offers nothing else. He has the passing ability of a National League South player and his general composure and awareness is poor. If you play him with creative players he can do a job but he’s not really L2 level imo.

I guess we’d only let him go if we had a replacement lined up so could be someone coming in for us if Tillson goes.

Probably the worst footballer with the ball at his feet! Will break up play and no nonsense but apart from that is pretty meh. Will do well with you though!

I agree with Robin though, he sounds exactly the sort of player we need.

[Robin]

Love the comment from another fan that he is rubbish but will do well for us! Got to give the lad a run of games to prove himself, we don't have a long term commitment if he fails to impress and yet if he does we can likely sign him permanently so suits everyone.

[Si Robin]

That comment tickled me as well.

[Lord Elpuz]

It appears he dropped down the pecking order at Exeter and probably wasn’t in the manager’s plans. His contract is up at the end of this season so he has a point to prove and the prospect of a contract perhaps at Cheltenham if he does well - or as a minimum - puts himself in the shop window for other prospective clubs to offer him a deal for next season, so I expect him to really put a shift in for us. It’s interesting therefore what Duff was saying last weekend: “plates were spinning and movement is expected this week enabling some players to be released from clubs when they get the targets in that they want”. I suspect that meant Jordan Tillson was made available by Exeter as they will be signing a defensive midfielder who’d been on their radar.

[everyman]

Spoken to a couple of Exeter fans who say he's rubbish on the ball but fantastic at breaking up play.

Sounds like many ctfc.fans opinion of Atangana,he did ok.

[Shade]

Yeah, we see players play differently for different clubs depending on their role, the formation and the players they've got around them. Hopefully he'll turn out to be more Summerfield than Taylor.

[THECHOIRBOY]

Sometimes the ones we expect least from (judging by fans comments from other clubs) turn out to be the best signings....Flinders etc