Let's be clear...

[djcotez]

Maybe Harding is optomistic

I'd say... seeing as he has signed for Southampton.

I agree on HRK and Worley... young, quality and easily destined for championship level at least.

 

[fbm]

Just remember this last time last season we still had Gower, who was mulling over a Swansea offer, as well as Bailey, who actually started the season. Macca had been injured and was out for weeks and between now and the Posh game Gower departed and Charlton turned Bailey's head.

So we had 3 of our 4 midfield missing.

That hurt massively.

Barrett will be absolutely fine come Huddersfield. We can have Sankofa or Franno at right back - no-one out of position there - with Herd if necessary as left back (according to some on here he's the next best thing so how bad can that be?).

All we NEED - as opposed to want - is a commanding centre half. Worley and Saah are being looked at again tomorrow v Barnet.

We've added Sawyer to the squad and 99% of people think he's the next Steven Gerrard and should be the first name on the teamsheet, we have one of the most solid keepers in the league, a fully fit forward line now that most L1 teams would envy with the only downside being an injury to Scannell for a few weeks. To be fair, he isn't exactly our star player anyway and hasn't played much at all so we're not really going to miss him much.

We've retained 80% of the team that won three quarters of the games in the last half of the season and took us to within a sniff of the play offs.

Jesus, how bad is that, exactly?

Some people on here for Christ's sake lighten up and look forward to the new season.

As I said, it could be a hell of a lot worse.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

As I said, it could be a hell of a lot worse.

Agreed. I'm sure that we had predictions on here before the beginning of last season that our campaign was over before it had started.

Saah and/or Worley look decent potential additions. Sankofa & Francis are competing for the right back slot. Midfield and upfront look strong. We could do with some cover on the wing, especially with Scannell being injured and Betsy being, well, a bit mediocre... although Walker and/or Ritgers (again, if he signs up) could well slot into that role.

Really, other than left-back, which looks painfully thin, our squad will begin to look OK if we snap up the current triallists.

Matt

PS I still haven't given up on Stepanov - hope Tilly hasn't either...

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

A good point FBM with regards to being in the same situation as 4 years ago, and that the expectations of the fans have changed.

However, 4 years ago we had just started to recover from a huge slump that had started with Ronnie Whelan and continued through Alvin Martin, Alan Little, Dave Webb, Rob Newman and Steve Wignall.

The club had struggled and for its history, knocking around in midtable of division 4 was underachieving, however considering the state the club was in, and the size of the attendances (4000 on a good day), it was about all we could expect.

Then came the success, a championship winning side, promotion, Man Utd, Cardiff, play off's etc. This along with the stadium progessing, and good work off the pitch has helped the club to grow (more season tickets than the biggest crowds of 4 years ago).

The club is now a division 3 club that should be challenging for play-offs at least.

If you look at our attendances for the past 2 seasons, ignoring Notts Forest, Leicester and Leeds, we had the 3rd and then 4th best average attendances in League one for those seasons. With around 8000 each season.

To compare where we were 4 years ago is like comparing apples with pears. Not only has the expectation of the fans grown (OK maybe a little too much), the club has the infrastucture, fan base and revenue of a top 10 division 3 club at present.

The last 2 seasons we have finished in about the right spot for Southend United, and assuming something happens in the next 12 days, with a couple of loan players during the season I expect we will finish on par again this year.

However, with the current squad as it is, I would expect nothing more than a season of struggle, with possibly a bottom 6 finish, and that in the current climate is a big underachievement.

This is what people are moaning about at present, and I for one am worried. If at least one player is not brought in this week, then the alarm bells should really be starting to ring for everybody, and it could be the slippery slope that Newcastle have found.

How must our midfielders and forwards be feeling at the moment? Probably thinking that there is no point in bothering as whatever they do we are going to ship goals and lose. This is going to cause arguments, and fractions in the dressing room, and its very hard to recover once this sort of thing starts.

Lets all get praying that Tilly can pull a rabbit out of the hat (or 2) in the next week.

 

[fbm]

A good point FBM with regards to being in the same situation as 4 years ago, and that the expectations of the fans have changed.

However, 4 years ago we had just started to recover from a huge slump that had started with Ronnie Whelan and continued through Alvin Martin, Alan Little, Dave Webb, Rob Newman and Steve Wignall.

The club had struggled and for its history, knocking around in midtable of division 4 was underachieving, however considering the state the club was in, and the size of the attendances (4000 on a good day), it was about all we could expect.

Then came the success, a championship winning side, promotion, Man Utd, Cardiff, play off's etc. This along with the stadium progessing, and good work off the pitch has helped the club to grow (more season tickets than the biggest crowds of 4 years ago).

The club is now a division 3 club that should be challenging for play-offs at least.

If you look at our attendances for the past 2 seasons, ignoring Notts Forest, Leicester and Leeds, we had the 3rd and then 4th best average attendances in League one for those seasons. With around 8000 each season.

To compare where we were 4 years ago is like comparing apples with pears. Not only has the expectation of the fans grown (OK maybe a little too much), the club has the infrastucture, fan base and revenue of a top 10 division 3 club at present.
The last 2 seasons we have finished in about the right spot for Southend United, and assuming something happens in the next 12 days, with a couple of loan players during the season I expect we will finish on par again this year.

However, with the current squad as it is, I would expect nothing more than a season of struggle, with possibly a bottom 6 finish, and that in the current climate is a big underachievement.

This is what people are moaning about at present, and I for one am worried. If at least one player is not brought in this week, then the alarm bells should really be starting to ring for everybody, and it could be the slippery slope that Newcastle have found.

How must our midfielders and forwards be feeling at the moment? Probably thinking that there is no point in bothering as whatever they do we are going to ship goals and lose. This is going to cause arguments, and fractions in the dressing room, and its very hard to recover once this sort of thing starts.

Lets all get praying that Tilly can pull a rabbit out of the hat (or 2) in the next week.

And this is the point I'm making really... we have achieved this despite the situation being actually very similar to the one we were in 4 years ago.

Does anyone really, genuinely believe we will not make ANY additions to the squad and we will be stuck with this for the season? I know we'd all like players like Harding and Dervite but the reality is that we're not going to get them. They are not fans and I'm sure if any of us had the chance to do the same job for four times the wages we'd all jump at it. The players don't give two hoots whether the club can afford it or not as they are contracted at a wage which is legally enforceable if not paid. If the club folds, they'll find another. Big deal. We therefore have to stick with what we can afford and when it gets closer to the kick off and players haven't signed up to anyone yet they'll start to get a little more eager and stop playing one off against the other via their agent.

I wouldn't imagine the SUFC players and management are panicking at all. They all know how it works. It's just what happens.

Incidentally, there was a very good interview on Talksport yesterday afternoon with Barry Hearn who was talking about football in general and how clubs "cheat" by bringing players in they can't really afford. He said that the Newcastle situation practically epitomised all that was bad in the game and clubs needed to stop doing that in order to survive. Orient fans may not think he's that wonderful, but football is essentially a business and needs to be run as such. He is absolutely a superb businessman whereas Mike Ashley has now made every mistake in the book. He is paying £200K a week to keep Newcastle afloat and his own personal fortune is dwindling daily with Sports Direct <allegedly> on the verge of going into administration.

Ron is more Hearn than Ashley thank God and I think that as a result we will continue to have a club to support for the foreseeable future.

 

[BoyWonder2]

Bennett is going to Brentford. It was agreed a few weeks ago.

I don't know enough about Saah to say whether he'd be a good signing but at this stage any competent defender will do. We won this league with Che Wilson in the back line.

I don't think anything has been agreed between Bennett and Brentford, but he is training with them.

All I can find on the situation is Bennett has told Brentford he will be making his mind up come end of July. So, in theory, he could be the defender we are waiting to hear from.

 

[Pubey]

I don't think anything has been agreed between Bennett and Brentford, but he is training with them.

All I can find on the situation is Bennett has told Brentford he will be making his mind up come end of July. So, in theory, he could be the defender we are waiting to hear from.

indeed. As someone says on here every year, until I see a gurning photo on an OS with a pen and contract being signed... they haven't been signed!

There could be a very simple reason for Bennett not being a Brentford player yet, but I'd hope we've tried to snap him up

 

[BoyWonder2]

I imagine the reason why he hasn't signed for them yet was as he maybe waiting for a Championship side to come in for him, and Brentford have offered him their training facilities to keep fit.

I'm praying his a defender we could bring in, but I imagine he will pitch up at Brentford this week which would be a shame as he would be an ideal signing.

 

[Shrimper]

If we managed to snatch Bennett i would be ecstatic.

 

[Smiffy]

If we managed to snatch Bennett i would be ecstatic.

Everything I have read regarding Bennett says "Almost done deal" or "Just completing the formalities"

So, I think a move here is highly unlikely. Would love to **** Brentford off though...

 

[Beefy]

Bennett is getting severance pay from the PFA until the end of the month. That money is far more than he'll get at Brentford. He'll sign for them at the end of this week.

 

[fbm]

Bennett is getting severance pay from the PFA until the end of the month. That money is far more than he'll get at Brentford. He'll sign for them at the end of this week.

Could this be a reason we haven't signed someone as well?

 

[shaneyshrimper]

Well despite all the doom and gloom on here. I am still nervous about the season ahead. There are obviously gaps in places. To be honest if Clarke had stayed we would have still been looking to bolster the defence.

I switched my support from Arsenal after supporting them for over 10 years because I love the live game and could not bare any longer just to get a 1 game per season.

SUFC may never make it to the Prem but I would still be there every saturday to watch them even if we went down a league. Thats not to say I am not ambitious for the club and dont want to see them win.

You cant beat the felling when we score.

I was at Chelsea last year and all I kept thinking while looking around at the Chelsea fans is:- your only hear becuase you are famous and rich and i'm here because I love SUFC, win or lose

SUFC is more about the feeling you get on a Saturday and not just about any one palyer or season. Its about 6500 screaming Blues fans going nuts at 3.00pm when the whistle blows.

Heart, passion and loyalty is what makes us special

 

[BoyWonder2]

Bennett is getting severance pay from the PFA until the end of the month. That money is far more than he'll get at Brentford. He'll sign for them at the end of this week.

Where did you hear that from Beefy?

Does make you wonder if this is the case, I wonder how many other players are out there in the exact same situation.

 

[Smiffy]

Where did you hear that from Beefy?

Does make you wonder if this is the case, I wonder how many other players are out there in the exact same situation.

Says Here he gets a months pay? -

"Apparently Bennett gets a month’s severance pay after his contract expired on Tuesday, so perhaps that’s why he’s not signed yet. Or perhaps he’s still thinking about it. Or perhaps something else is going on. I do not know, but I will continue to speculate and get my hopes up"

 

[Beefy]

I got the severance story from a Brentford fan I know. He said it matter-of-fact style rather than being just something he'd heard and it does make sense seeing as he's been there for weeks now and went on their team-building trip to the States.

Basically, I think we can discount him from the list of possibilities.

 

[* ORM *]

It could be worse. Barrett could be fit for the opener

* Oh dear ! *

 

[Stats]

If we managed to snatch Bennett i would be ecstatic.

We're more likely to be after his brother Gordon Bennett.

 

[* ORM *]

I couldn't give two hoots about other clubs that may be struggling. I don't support other clubs. We have less than two weeks to get three defenders on the books and get them somewhere close to matchfit. I don't care where the blame lies. I remain optimistic but this is scandalous.

 

[fbm]

I couldn't give two hoots about other clubs that may be struggling. I don't support other clubs. We have less than two weeks to get three defenders on the books and get them somewhere close to matchfit. I don't care where the blame lies. I remain optimistic but this is scandalous.

Hardly scandalous mate... we are trialling Saah and Worley, who are as close to matchfit as the rest of the squad.

Would we all feel so much better if Tilly had already signed both players?

I've just been listening to Talksport and clubs like Hull and Stoke are struggling to get players in. Man City, even with all their billions, can't just pick anyone. Only Tevez has joined and they've been linked with every superstar player on the planet practically.

The trouble is that as fans we want to see who we are getting. I'm sure the management would as well because it's going to make their lives easier; surely no-one believes T&B actually DON'T want to sign anyone!

However it's just not that simple... clubs that have already made signings have had to pay top dollar (maybe even overpay) to secure the signatures or have just had the "right" player join at the right deal (like us with Sawyer).

We're not in the position to make expensive signings. We have to wait until players want to come. There have been enough gems over the last 5 years to give me confidence that we will get them again, even if we have to wait until the end of August to do it.