Movements

[JollypotterSAFC]

Rumours coming from the inner circle of the northern league that a number of players have been touted to NL clubs, always going to happen I'm afraid with new signings coming in.

jack walker/ jonny Davis who is a fellow sunderland lad
Jordan Robinson
Ian ward & Nathan fisher seem to be the other 2 I've been told..

Two big signings coming in with more to follow is imagine, jonny will get snapped up straight away, good engine on him and retains possession well,

With joe tait certain to leave looks like grays freeing up the budget for others to come in.

[darlo reborn]

Can`t beat some good rumours when there is no football to watch
heard some new players possibly this week ????

[JollypotterSAFC]

Don't shoot the messenger but apparantly these are 100% true

[lo36789]

jack walker/ jonny Davis who is a fellow sunderland lad
Jordan Robinson
Ian ward & Nathan fisher seem to be the other 2 I've been told..

Jack Walker, Ian Ward & Nathan Fisher don't surprise me. I think a RB will be towards the top of the 'to buy' list and we are quite well stocked with strikers with Purewal, Dowson and Armstrong.

Davis and Robinson on the otherhand - I just hope that these NL clubs can stump up the fee. These are two first teamers and they both play in the position where we are clearly short on numbers (CM).

5 players out and 2 in would leave us with 15 players. I'd like to think we will have at least the capability of filling a subs bench next year.

[m62exile]

Out of the list you mention, I'd be most surprised about Robinson - but let's see.


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[Robbie Painter]

Didn't we give contracts to Walker & Ward just before the end of the season?

If Gray is now looking to move them on what does this say about his judgement?

[JollypotterSAFC]

All have done well at times last season I believe

Walker is comfortable on the ball but against rambottom looked weak IMO

Centre midfield certainly needed improving but in portas it seems we've got a cracker

Robinsons is quality when fit and is a ball playing player, jonny with his height may struggle against the biggar teams but you can't doubt his ability

Forwards are well stocked , fisher hasnt lit up the league but did well on occasions, ward is a handful look at ossett town last year.

Looking at armstrong we've got a proven goalscorer from higher level , few May thought amar would go?

[cherryred]

Walker was a stop gap after Harrison left but not the answer for me, I also prefer Hunter at RB as mentioned on another thread.
Davis and Robinson are more than worthy squad players and should be kept, However at least 1 more centre mid is required after the Portras signing.
Armstrong on paper looks a great signing and it probably is a choice of which other of the strikers play with him. Dowson works hard and can score a few at this level, Ward gives us something different and has proven he can score, Fisher does play better off a target man but does need to step up while Purewel doesn't have the strength or fight in him for this level for me.

[Ingleby]

Don't want go sound too harsh but Walker isn't good enough as first choice right back. Can see Brown starting at RB unless we sign someone else to play there.

[m62exile]

Whoever comes in and goes out I would be keen that we keep to the budget, we have many priorities to fund in the coming months. I'd expect we'd have to be pretty nimble and to Robbie's point above - if new signings become unexpectedly available, as they seem to have been, then we'll need continue to look at ways of creating some space in the budget to accommodate.

If the move to BM comes with the desired increase in revenue then brilliant - let's look again, but I'm happy to just get there first in one piece.


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[JPearson97]

As already pointed out Walker was a stop gap after Harrison left although I'd have no qualms about him being first choice right-back next season. Athletic, tall, good technical ability albeit lacking on the physical side, but he proved he was good enough in the games he played last season.

Hunter again, mentions of him returning to right-back but much, much more effective at centre-back. Shaky start at the start of last season although that was more down to the lack of protection that he had in-front of him. Centre-back suits him down to the ground and I believe he mentioned in an interview mid-way through last season that centre-back was always his primary position and he was just occasionally positioned right-back for Shildon to deal with pacy wingers?

Not too surprised at Davis in all honesty, seems to have struggled physically this season whereas in the Northern League it didn't seem too much of a problem, or was that just down to who he was playing with? Unfortunately Edwards had the capability of making his midfield partner look poor through having the positional sense of a fish out of water. Either way without sounding too harsh I think that we could find better like we have done with Portas and we have better at our disposal. Wouldn't be too surprised to see Galbraith moved back to centre-mid and Scott at left-back to give us a bit more balance but we will see.

Very surprised about Jordan Robinson, thought he was the catalyst of our major up-turn in form. At the start of the season Leon Scott mentioned that he was more of a centre-mid than a centre-back with his technical ability and he is spot on. Tall, physical, good positional sense and possessed a very good range of passing which kept things ticking over. I think the amount of MOTM's he received after moving into midfield told its own story so I'd be disappointed if he left.

With Ward, very quick out of the blocks and offered us something different but somewhat tailed off towards the back end of the season. Fisher again is a funny one, bagged 8 goals in 29 appearances of which only 11 were starts, I thought with last season under his belt and partnered alongside Armstrong/Purewal/Ward he'd really kick on next season but I don't think we can really be in a position where we can carry 5 forwards as good as they all are.

Be interesting to see the names of those rumoured to come in.

[AIDO]

An interesting and long overdue thread. I agree with most of what has been discussed here. I would add however, that in my opinion, the trend of Darlo's good and then major hiccup in form coincided with Steven Harrison's return and then departure (again) initially in place of Bruno Pilatos at right back. He really did give us some experienced footballing movement going forward from that position that was both creative and eye catching and brought others into the game. We ultimately played a lot of successful football at these times. Obviously he is not coming back for a third time (unfortunately) but this is the calibre of player we need really. Walker was good, but never quite showed the same quality and certainly lacked the experience.

Be interesting to see how it pans out!

[Bogratsteve]

Would like to see MG stick with Walker over the summer and bring him on as I can see so much potential but not sure if we can afford to wait, Scott in LB doesn't do it for me but I could live with it.

Fisher Stays for me as I think there is a lot more to come this season but that all depends on how the midfield shape up to feed him.

[super_les_mcjannet]

A nice rumours thread, always a joy in the summer months.

Tait didn't make the Presentation night.
Fisher was straight out the door asap after the presentation night.
Ward has tweeted "Footballs a funny old game" - So make up anything that fits with that.

On a serious note, probably some truth in the original posters rumours but was certainly an interesting first post and are they a Sunderland fan?

Be interesting to see who Gateshead release this summer and a shame Blyth seem to have locked down their main players.

Will Mitchell sign for us.
Will Galbraith move into midfield.
Scott was walking fine at the presentation night but will he be fit for the start of the season.

[Bogratsteve]

A nice rumours thread, always a joy in the summer months.

Tait didn't make the Presentation night.
Fisher was straight out the door asap after the presentation night.
Ward has tweeted "Footballs a funny old game" - So make up anything that fits with that.

On a serious note, probably some truth in the original posters rumours but was certainly an interesting first post and are they a Sunderland fan?

Hmmm that's enough to feed the conspiracy theorists for weeks lol

[D_F_C]

I think all who are mentioned are decent players, but if we really really want to kick on then we need a bit better.

The only surprise for me would be Jordan Robinson. I think he's a very handy player. Can cover a lot of positions and improved on the ball.

Walker's lack of physical presence was a concern and although he looked a good footballer, I don't feel 100% comfortable with him, especially against the big teams.

We can't contain 5 strikers...who is the worse. Would be between Fisher and Ward for me.

Defo need a first choice RB and CM.

I heard we were looking at a young guy at Stockton

[super_les_mcjannet]

Hmmm that's enough to feed the conspiracy theorists for weeks lol

Here is a bit more.

Hopson tweeted "So many choices" a couple of days ago.
Davis possibly signed a new contract before season ended.
Martin Gray is never off his phone.

I do think we need to look at where we go in both full back positions, Central midfield, and right winger but most would say the same.

[DarloDean]

I actually hope the one about Walker isn't true what so ever, from what i've seen in limited time, he's been a canny RB and has served the purpose well, looked nervous couple games, but handled it well.

Ian Ward is a surprise, but not a total shock. Good player, excellent few games, but then simmered down. Great lad who obviously love the fans.

Fisher, not sure about, he didn't do it for me this season, so I can't even have a say on him.


If these are just rumours, as they seem to be at the moment, no point in elaborating much more on it

[MikeinBlack2]

If Fisher is going I'd expect it would be to free up some wage money as I assume he is one of the top earners? I thought he was improving all the time and that this season we'd see him bag quite a few goals, however this isn't the only time Martin Gray has surprised us in the transfer market is it?

[quakermass]

The key for next season is to bring in players who have a natural position ....and to play them in that position. We totally lost our shape towards the end of last season, in particular with Gray insisting on starting with Gary Brown, be it full back, midfield or centre half. Gary Brown is a solid centre half and nothing else. Personally I'd like to see Brown partner Hunter in the middle. I'm not losing sleep as a result of losing Tait, as although he was vocal he was also relatively poor against some of the more attacking sides we faced. The 2 lads Gray has brought in so far seem just what we need, and no doubt there'll be quite a bit more movement these coming weeks,especially with Gray being known for getting his signings done quickly, once the seasons finished. IMO if the rumours at the start of this thread are true then MG is making the right decisions. Purewal may be fortunate if he's kept on as he looked very poor second half of the season. Up the Quakers!

[lo36789]

Don't get the feeling towards Purewal. I reckon if he does leave he will end up at Whitby. He won't be going back to the Northern League.

[AIDO]

Purewal may be fortunate if he's kept on as he looked very poor second half of the season. Up the Quakers!

.... thats a bit harsh .... ..... he was also commended by the Evostik League for his performances this season .... He is clearly one of this leagues better players that we have to try and keep .... Surely to God ....

[Robbie Painter]

Amar Purewal is criminally under appreciated by some Darlo fans.

Consistent, scores goals, holds ball up very well. When he doesn't play we look a considerably worse team. He is one of just 3 or 4 key players at the club for me.

We obviously need to improve central midfield but also our distribution from the back, Gary Brown playing regularly at CB will help immeasurably with that. Hopefully Gray will allow the team to play with a bit more freedom than he did in the second half of the season too.

[m62exile]

Amar Purewal is criminally under appreciated by some Darlo fans.

Consistent, scores goals, holds ball up very well. When he doesn't play we look a considerably worse team. He is one of just 3 or 4 key players at the club for me.

We obviously need to improve central midfield but also our distribution from the back, Gary Brown playing regularly at CB will help immeasurably with that. Hopefully Gray will allow the team to play with a bit more freedom than he did in the second half of the season too.

Amar is a marmite player though, for every fan we have who doesn't get him there are other - yourself included Robbie - who have dug in on an opinion the other way. It doesn't make good message board debate but the truth is somewhere in the middle. He is quick, wins a good share of the ball and works extremely hard, but is also not a natural finisher, and is terribly one footed.






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[JPearson97]

As for Purewal, more like a poor run of goalscoring form spanning around 10 games than half a season, and even then he was putting in big performances. Seem to remember him going on a similar run of form in the Northern League before delivering in the remaining two games, in fact his scoring pattern looked a bit like this;

Northern League:

Appearances: 44
Goals: 24

34 appearances - 20 goals.
8 appearances - 1 goal.
2 appearances - 3 goals.

Evo-Stik D1N:

Appearances: 36
Goals: 19

24 appearances - 16 goals.
10 appearances - 0 goals.
2 appearances - 3 goals.

Shockingly consistent, but the conclusion? Well despite going through an obligatory dry patch every season he boasts a goalscoring record that's better than a goal every two games. And that's on top of what he already adds to the team.

91 competitive league goals in the past 4 seasons at just 24, probably be 100 by now if he didn't wear those thermals.

[Ingleby]

I'm not a Purewal fan, but he's ahead of Fisher no doubt.
People say Fisher hasn't had a fare chance yet, well he's had a lot longer than some others that were shipped on who were arguably much more successful.

[JollypotterSAFC]

Has fisher had his chance? Maybe not, maybe there was too much hype about fisher, I want him to stay.

Did ward get his chance, IMO maybe should of started the semis instead of amar, looked more threatening when he came on.

Amar works hard and like you say is a marmite player, but it's tough in this league and sometimes the physicality isn't there.

Would jonny of played if he wasn't injured and gave us more
Creativity? IMO he would of and maybe would have prevented ramsbottom
Breaking on us all the time, remember the earlier games he played in the season he was a consistent performer and chipped in with one or two goals,

This season I think well see a lot more bursts of energy from midfield from tom and hopefully get brown playing where he's best at.

[lo36789]

I'm not a Purewal fan, but he's ahead of Fisher no doubt.
People say Fisher hasn't had a fare chance yet, well he's had a lot longer than some others that were shipped on who were arguably much more successful.

Are you referring to Shaun Reay?

[JPearson97]

I'm not a Purewal fan, but he's ahead of Fisher no doubt.
People say Fisher hasn't had a fare chance yet, well he's had a lot longer than some others that were shipped on who were arguably much more successful.

Are you referring to Shaun Reay?

It'll be Andrew Johnson.

[lo36789]

It'll be Andrew Johnson.

oh really...never heard that from Ingleby before...