County Fox

it has all gone quiet for some of the names being discussed weeks ago. Not just, on potentially joining us but basically no news on them joining other clubs. The two that I am thinking of are Will Smallbone and Archie Collins? I imagine they are just weighing options up from several clubs, or agents pushing for the best (biggest) deal.

Not against it, if he is a backup option. RM will know his character etc well. Interestingly, RM only ever used him as a backup in his time out Southampton, so I would expect the same will be the case here. https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/alex-mccarthy/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/95976/saison/2023

Dont get me wrong, I aint excited by this transfer and am hoping he is just a backup/rotation for a Main Striker we sign. But this list did remind me that if David McGoldrick can still do it in L1 level at 37/38 (15 League Goals), then surely Danny Ings can chip in with a few goals at this lower level

Agreed - although I do wonder if we will pay for one (main) striker, albeit not to the level of a Ballard - maybe around 2 million for someone like Wareham

Is that true though?? From what I could see, he mainly came off the bench for Sheff Utd (granted, that doesn't make this signing any more exciting!) https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/danny-ings/130181 Chatgpt puts it like this, using Sofascore stats

Let’s hope that he can have another season like this in League One

Agreed, but he has only started in about 25 of his 71 games. I just feel as a 2nd striker, available for maybe 400-500k, that he is worth a go when you look at his L2 season.I would want us to also sign a younger (main) striker. Millwall fans feel he is a player that works hard but they didn’t see/play him as a 9

29 in League 2, think he got about 40 the year before that in the National League. I would be ok with someone like this, so long as we sign someone else in case this didn't work

I was also surprised. I would take him if the price was reasonably low The guy definitely knows where the back of the net is though, albeit he is only proven at League 2 level and below. I would back him to get 15+ in League One but I would hope we would also purchase another 1-2 strikers on top.

Linked with Macauley Langstaff. His move to Millwall hasn’t worked out from a goals point of view but the Millwall fans still comment on his effort and none stop running. Could be a decent option in L1

Argh good old Clubcall. My old man (RIP), got me in trouble as a kid, getting me to call Clubcall on the home phone. He was a massive Leicester fan so desperate for news/footy gossip. But it was at a time when he had just broken up with my Mum and looking back, he was probably also asking me to call them (at whatever extortionate per minute price it was) to put one over on my Mum and her new fella (revenge)! . I do always remember my Mum having a fit when she saw a phonebil of over £150 and that was around 1993!!!!!

If we end up with RM, then I wouldn’t be surprised for him not to try and bring in Smallbone, someone he described as one of the best players in the Championship, during their promotion year (tbh, I don’t much about Smallbone and what he would be like at L1 level) https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/26161016.saints-academy-graduate-smallbone-reportedly-set-leave-club-free/

Yeah this will happen. It happened quite a bit with Enzo - and that was even when we were top of the league! , he hated his tactics being questioned. I can see it being the same with RM - but without us being top of the league

Against: - fear that the style of play is seen by some coaches (Pep) as somewhat outdated. Teams like Bournemouth have adapted/bettered it. -Disappointment from Anil that we haven’t gone for, say an assistant manager from someone like Bournemouth. - Fear fanbase will be against him from the off and he will be fighting a losing battle - Anil acknowledged that ANY manager we get, will likely find it difficult to hit the ground running in the first weeks of the season, given player turnover. - read out the Rangers fans opinions of him 😂 For: - Accepting that at least a decision is being made, relatively early. At least we are starting to ‘do something’ - They talked through his time at Swansea and MK Dons - Talked about him not being quite as bad as some make out - Read out the Southampton fans opinions of RM - Talked about how the Southampton players wanted him back after Will Still was sacked. - Will play/develop youngsters thats about what I remember

I thought the guys.at BTG raised some really good points last night, when they spoke about RM. It’s definitely worth a listen