Michael Duff after the 3-0 defeat by Birmingham City

[Jon Palmer]

https://bit.ly/DuffPostBlues" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Fuller]

Duffo mentions “offers in.”
Does that mean we’ve offered to :-
a) take up and coming players on loan?
b) take contracted players on frees who are possibly now surplus to requirements ?
c) sign contracted players with a (small) fee paid?
d) sign a player whose without a club?
Whatever I hope a few start to drop soon. After a great ‘20/21 season I thought we’d have had a few decent signings in by now.

[Robin]

I presume it's offers in for loans and permanents (with a fee involved but likely dependent upon that club signing a player first). My guess is we may be looking at league two players (or even top conference players) as clear we cannot offer top league one wages but can offer good league two wages for permanents. Then young loanees to make up the squad.

[Robin]

Looking at the remaining out of contract players there are not many, a few notable names that could be options:
1) Sam Baldock (knows this league and been released by Reading). Aged 32 so hopefully has a couple of season left at this level.
2) Kieran Agard. Released by MK Dons and been hit by injures but again proven at this level, perhaps a bit too similar to Alfie May however.
3) Leon Clarke. Released by Shrewsbury, from Wolverhampton so fairly local however known to have that infamous attitude problem.

The rest are mostly released league two players who have been dropping down the ladder or getting on. Certainly not many realistic options out there which don't command a fee. I did wonder whether we'd consider taking a punt on Scott Quigley from Barrow after the way he played here but he's just joined Stockport for a reported £30k fee.

[Robin]

I had a look at attacking midfielders and again it's very sparse, only realistic option I could find is Dan Crowley (aged 23) just been released by Birmingham. Jamie Paterson who just left Bristol City but I'd guess he'll go to one of the big league one sides or possibly a Luton/Coventry type side.

[Robin]

Would love to hear if others can find options but it's looking like we've missed the boat in the transfer market now need to take big gambles.

[Robin]

Thinking about this some more if we are going to pay a fee here are some more potential options:
1) Ryan Broom. We know Posh don't want him but do we want to spend money already due to us for a player who couldn't even get a regular spot at Burton last season?
2) Tom Nicholls. Could Crawley turn down a fee?
3) Jamile Matt. Sort of player we need and local but I suspect FGR would want six figures and doubt we could afford that.
4) Kabongo Tshimanga. A number of clubs are being linked with this guy but it's a big jump up in standard however probably someone well within our budget and would be available for a small five figure fee.

So again not too many options come to mind. One other left fied option could be Kayden Jackson at Ipswich, likely on top league one wages but if we could pay a good chunk it could work as he's not in their plans and nobody appears to be willing to pay the fee.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Would love to hear if others can find options but it's looking like we've missed the boat in the transfer market now need to take big gambles.

Not sure any posters on here will know as much as Duff and his scouting team. I suspect most of our signings will not be any option you, I or anyone else comes up with.

[Robin]

Certainly true for loans and signings for a fee RCS but there are plenty of means to look at the out of contract players and the list is not too long at this point.

[Robin]

One other name which feels too ambitious but may not be totally impossible is Kyle Vassell, released by Rotherham and was on loan at Fleetwood for part of last season. Very proven at this level and still only 28.

[bigdavejambo]

may gamble and try and pluck a few gems from non-league a bit like GJ did with Eisa

[everyman]

I had a look at attacking midfielders and again it's very sparse, only realistic option I could find is Dan Crowley (aged 23) just been released by Birmingham. Jamie Paterson who just left Bristol City but I'd guess he'll go to one of the big league one sides or possibly a Luton/Coventry type side.

I liked Crowley saw him when at Arsenal when he was rated one of the best young mid`s in europe,he played at seasons for Oxford and i seem to remember he scored 2 goals and was very annoyed not to get a hat-trick.I wonder why his career has stalled so alarmingly ?

[everyman]

I`m beginning to worry that Duff will be forced to consider leaving if he can`t sign the players needed,a chef can`t create a decent meal when he only has beans in the kitchen ? ( i don`t mean has-beens)

[Robin]

I`m beginning to worry that Duff will be forced to consider leaving if he can`t sign the players needed,a chef can`t create a decent meal when he only has beans in the kitchen ? ( i don`t mean has-beens)

He must be frustrated but I don't see him resigning. I suspect more realistically he sees this season out and possibly leaves when his contract expires if the board don't find the way to back him financially.

[Nesty]

due to lockdowns and clubs losing money hand over fist there is not much money floating around ! - by and large there has bean very little activity at all levels of football

[andgarod]

so is this all about the reason Wilcox left
Is the board backing Duff or is the raiway business hitting the buffers

I expect 4 loans and 1 permanent

[HamTown]

due to lockdowns and clubs losing money hand over fist there is not much money floating around ! - by and large there has bean very little activity at all levels of football

You'd hope from our POV that some of these players (or their agents) will reduce their demands with the financial climate the way it is

Be interesting to know how much a "league one" wage is and how much our budget is a first team player

[Robin]

due to lockdowns and clubs losing money hand over fist there is not much money floating around ! - by and large there has bean very little activity at all levels of football

Check out the league one transfer thread there has been a lot of activity including several clubs paying fees. We probably benefited last season as we were one of the few clubs who didn't need to cut our budget but this season it appears clubs are back spending again.

[Robin]

due to lockdowns and clubs losing money hand over fist there is not much money floating around ! - by and large there has bean very little activity at all levels of football

You'd hope from our POV that some of these players (or their agents) will reduce their demands with the financial climate the way it is

Be interesting to know how much a "league one" wage is and how much our budget is a first team player

There is no reliable information on this but I found this article from May this year: https://www.888sport.com/blog/football/ ... one-salary" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Essentially the average league two player is earning around £1000 a week, top earners around £2000 a week (presumably these are the wages we can offer now). It implies for league one it's roughly double that (top earners on around £4700 a week) and the gulf to the Championship is evening bigger (so presumably some clubs like Sheff Wed, Sunderand and Ipswich will have players on way more than that). However clubs like Lincoln and Rochdale were paying wages in line with league two and as we know one of those sides made the play offs, we won't mention where the other ended up.

[Robin]

so is this all about the reason Wilcox left
Is the board backing Duff or is the raiway business hitting the buffers

I expect 4 loans and 1 permanent

Loans will likely end up being Premiership kids of the odd Championship fringe youngster who occasionally makes the bench. We need a couple with league one experience, remember when Keith Downing signed Brooker, Keogh and Russell and how our form dramatically improved? That's what we need in my view.

[Shade]

And we all know that a proper team can be a lot better than a load of highly paid individuals. I still don't see anything to be getting too worried about yet and I'd urge everyone to remain calm I'm sure MD is no more stressed or frustrated right now than at least 70-80% of football league managers (the managers who have a say in things, rather than those who have a "first team coach", anyway) trying to get what they want in ASAP.

[HamTown]

Thanks Robin that was enlightening!

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

due to lockdowns and clubs losing money hand over fist there is not much money floating around ! - by and large there has bean very little activity at all levels of football

You'd hope from our POV that some of these players (or their agents) will reduce their demands with the financial climate the way it is

Be interesting to know how much a "league one" wage is and how much our budget is a first team player

Duff said in one of his recent interviews on the matter that it is always the case that as you get towards the end of the summer transfer window players and agents start dropping their demands.

Fans just need to be patient.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

so is this all about the reason Wilcox left
Is the board backing Duff or is the raiway business hitting the buffers

I expect 4 loans and 1 permanent

Loans will likely end up being Premiership kids of the odd Championship fringe youngster who occasionally makes the bench. We need a couple with league one experience, remember when Keith Downing signed Brooker, Keogh and Russell and how our form dramatically improved? That's what we need in my view.

Remember they were signed during the season when they were coming back from injury or not getting game time. At this stage of pre-season they will be fighting for a place at their current clubs. If they do not feature for their team during August then they may be looking to move.

[Robin]

due to lockdowns and clubs losing money hand over fist there is not much money floating around ! - by and large there has bean very little activity at all levels of football

You'd hope from our POV that some of these players (or their agents) will reduce their demands with the financial climate the way it is

Be interesting to know how much a "league one" wage is and how much our budget is a first team player

Duff said in one of his recent interviews on the matter that it is always the case that as you get towards the end of the summer transfer window players and agents start dropping their demands.

Fans just need to be patient.

Look at the out of contract players there are not many left RCS. They can drop demands but how many would we realistically want?

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

No idea mate. I am not going to look at the list, it’s pointless at the end of the day. I trust Duff to get the best we can afford and round pegs for round holes. I probably won’t have heard of half the players on the list, let alone studied their performance and physical data. I couldn’t give an informed or justified opinion so will just wait and see who Duff and his team sign and look forward to seeing them play.

[Robin]

Looking at the remaining out of contract players there are not many, a few notable names that could be options:
1) Sam Baldock (knows this league and been released by Reading). Aged 32 so hopefully has a couple of season left at this level.
2) Kieran Agard. Released by MK Dons and been hit by injures but again proven at this level, perhaps a bit too similar to Alfie May however.
3) Leon Clarke. Released by Shrewsbury, from Wolverhampton so fairly local however known to have that infamous attitude problem.

The rest are mostly released league two players who have been dropping down the ladder or getting on. Certainly not many realistic options out there which don't command a fee. I did wonder whether we'd consider taking a punt on Scott Quigley from Barrow after the way he played here but he's just joined Stockport for a reported £30k fee.

Sam Baldock and Sone Aluko on trial at Derby who are in dire financial straights. Kieran Agard also appeared for Hartlepool in pre-season friendlies Either way the list of free transfers makes grim reading right now.