Please Tilly sign someone !!!!!!!!

[DTS]

Why are those two decent players ?

Neither interest me yet because they sign for someone else they are rated.

As for not being able to get anyone to come to us , Bailey came, Walker would have , Barnard is.

Why overlook the positives and focus on the negatives only ?

Well Kirk has a proven record 32 in 134 with Hearts, 20 in 31 for Boston and 29 in 91 for Northampton - All at this level. If you would not be happy with 1 in 3 from a striker or can see any of our current crop getting 1 in 3 then please let me know.

Moses is a bit of an unusual one but having been Millwall youngest ever player played for Rangers and West Ham I think most people know there is a player in there waiting to get out. Might well have been worth a go on loan as he has genuine pace to burn.

 

[Jam_Man]

Everyone seems to be focussing on the last 23 days and that we have not made a signing. How about if we look back as far as the season we got promoted from league 2! I seem to remember comments from Tilson about us being lucky with injuries etc as we had such a small squad and that we needed more bodies to survive in League 1, then the same when we went to the Championship, and when we got relegated and went on an 18 match losing streak when we had Peter CLarke playing in midfield because guess what "we didn't have enough bodies".
Don't think this is a new problem and there must be a root cause, nobody wants to come here....but Tilson has been lauded as one of the bright and upcoming managers surely people would want to play for him.
I would guess it all comes down to cash and neither Ron or Tilly is prepared to be held to ransom by agents, would guess that is why Clarke and Morgan are not here now and beware folks Barnard hasn't signed yet, waiting for the .....another £30K has appeared post on the OS.

I believe we cannot get people in because we do not pay the dosh or that we pay it to a few but then we need to stock the rest of the squad with "cheapies alah McDonald, Hooper, and the new boy from Eastleigh.
Just a thought but not expecting anything between now and the 31st when we'll pick up some scraps that no one else wants
Anyway still have my ticket for Friday and will still be supporting the Blues!!

Its certainly hard to attract proven players to a club our size. Any decent available players get snapped up by the bigger clubs, thats a fact of life.

As you your comments about no one joining us:

Sodje
Clarke (Blackpool skipper)
Bailey (Barnet player of the year).
Goater
Hammell (SCottish premier league)
McCormack

Just a few examples of players who actually did want to come here.

 

[MK Shrimper]

I had to laugh when I read the local paper last night: Paul Ince is screaming that he can't sign a striker for MK Donkeys and the fans are getting on his back (despite being clear of League 2 by some margin).... Is this happening at every club throughout the land where there's no sugar daddy to throw money about?

 

[South Bank Hank]

I had to laugh when I read the local paper last night: Paul Ince is screaming that he can't sign a striker for MK Donkeys and the fans are getting on his back (despite being clear of League 2 by some margin).... Is this happening at every club throughout the land where there's no sugar daddy to throw money about?

I believe so MK.

In the parallel universe that is Colchester (it's like this world, but the people have webbed-feet and six toes), slack-jawed yokels are bemoaning their club's current failure to attract that elusive 20 goal a season wonder.

In other news, they're also complaining that relegation beckons, their current 54 year old striker cannot play for more than 20 minutes, and their shiny new stadium, despite holding less people than a terraced house in Moss Side, will still be half-empty.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

...the picture you paint about us this season is a tad over dramatic.

Of course we have a budget to stick to, no one could possibly think we don't, but it is simply incomprehensible that we cannot compete with 80% of teams in this league when it comes to transfer fees and wages.

If we were in that kind of dire straits, then why is RM spouting on about how we were going to spend £200,000 on James Walker, and then even more on an unnamed striker later on in the month? If we can afford to spend half a million squid on 2 players, then it is unrealistic to think that there is no room left in the wage budget - if there isn't, then RM should say so and stop leading everyone up the garden path!

We are not the same club that Tilly took over 4 years ago, we have grown and evolved over that time, and all of it thanks to him, RM and Brushy. We no longer survive on average gates of 3,500, we are now averaging nearer 8,000, after a season in the Championship where we averaged 10,000, and received additional TV revenue, and not to mention transfer fees well in excess of 1.5 million pound with the sales of Freddy and JCR.

This is not the same small town club as it was 4 years ago, having to scrap the bottom of the barrel hoping we might come across someone who could turn out to be a star - we have much more clout than that now, and it does become a little tiresome when some people continue to think we are still that bottom of the table League Two side we were back then - if we're talking about history, most recently we were a Championship side - no, but we got promoted too soon, no we were punching above our weight, we were a Championship side, and with a couple of decent acquisitions this month, I see no reason why we could not be one again next season - at the very least, fighting it out in the play offs later on this season.

I'm sorry, but this theme has continued ever since Tilly has been in charge, and whilst it paid dividends the first couple of seasons, or perhaps lady luck was shining down on our injury list, it isn't working now, like it didn't work last season.

We need fresh bodies in to bolster this squad, pure and simple, and if none arrive, then I don't think any of the usual 'reasons' will cut the mustard with the majority of fans.

Much of what you say has merit, and I certainly agree with you that there appears to be a lack of congruency between what RM says we have to spend, and what (according to our published accounts) is the current state of our finances.

Have people forgotten just how bad 1997-2005 was for this club financially? We sold off Roots Hall and B&L - our only two assets. We overspent disastrously under John Main - I think we racked up well over £1m of debt in one season alone under him, debt which has to be serviced (so it probably now stands at £2m). Have you forgotten the £100K we chucked to Peter Storrie for a laugh?

By most conservative estimates, we're still carrying about £4m of debt, with no assets to pay off those debts. The only thing, to my mind, which doesn't ring true is Ron's talk of splashing the cash (his own, presumably?) on players.

Yes, we've grown. Yes, we've turned into a club with, actually, a great deal of potential (which would have been impossible to imagine only 4 years ago after consecutive 17th placed finishes in League Two). But potential is all we have right now, not cold hard cash.

Perhaps I'm a bit cautious when it comes to the club's finances - but then having to work with the Shrimpers Trust by spending an hour on the phone to Colin Wagman persuading him not to allow the club to be wound up in the High Court kind of does that to you. Be under no illusion: as recently as 2001, our club was about to be put into administration (and perhaps liquidation). So you'll forgive me if I think you're advocating a boom & bust style spending spree.

So, given how appalling our finances were, surely you're not suggesting that one season in the Championship has in any way made up for eight years of financial ruin, however much you'd like us to be the Billy Big Boys of this division?

:confused:

If we can find the right player (namely, a good & experienced centre-half) at the right price, then let's get him. We've actually still got a good enough squad and a talented enough management team that the playoffs (in this very average division) are well within reach.

But if our management say that we can't find such a player - or that the players want too much money - then that's good enough for me. Our long-term stability, given the endemic fragility of our finances, demands that we don't overspend on players in this or any other transfer-window until FF is built.

Matt

 

[Jam_Man]

I had to laugh when I read the local paper last night: Paul Ince is screaming that he can't sign a striker for MK Donkeys and the fans are getting on his back (despite being clear of League 2 by some margin).... Is this happening at every club throughout the land where there's no sugar daddy to throw money about?

Pretty much.

Thats the problem, probably 70% of clubs need a 20 goal a season striker and most fans seem to think getting one for under 500k is realistic.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Don't forget the alleged £7.7m payable to Southend Council if the FF plans get approved too when speaking about potential debt MtS! :eek:

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Don't forget the alleged £7.7m payable to Southend Council if the FF plans get approved too when speaking about potential debt MtS! :eek:

Yet more debt which, ultimately, will have to be serviced.

:(

We do need to get back to the Championship soon, but it doesn't have to be this season if the only way we can do that is by gambling on our future stability.

Besides, if Swansea, Forest and Leeds go up this season (and get replaced by the Ewes, Scunny and Preston), League One doesn't look that bad next season, does it?

;)

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Besides, if Swansea, Forest and Leeds go up this season (and get replaced by the Ewes, Scunny and Preston), League One doesn't look that bad next season, does it?

Exactly, I fancy our chances a lot more of getting out of L1 if those clubs you mentioned replace the "big 3". Although you have to assume money will be thrown at MK Donuts if they go up as expected!

 

[Jam_Man]

Whichever way you choose to look at it, it's all semantics after all, have the first 23 days of this transfer window, Scammell aside, not been a waste then? I never once suggested that Tilly was not working hard to bring anyone in, but the simple truth is, for whatever reason, he has failed to do so. So yes, by definition, it's been a waste of time.

If we get to 1st February and havent signed anyone Ill agree with you.

If a signing or two appear in the next week that required 2 weeks of wheeling and dealing I assume youd agree that fortnight wasnt actually a waste of time.

You are judging the last 3 weeks without :

a) knowing whats going on in the background
b) knowing what the final outcome will be.

You may turn out to be right and it will be yet more frustration but why start kicking up a fuss now.

Its like complaining about a train being late when you are 3/4 of the way there when you dont even know if it will be. Just because yesterdays train was late doesnt mean todays will be.

I don't agree we were unlucky with Walker - As I said at the time, it seemed to me it was a hasty decision by RM to suddenly announce he was signing,

In one breath you are complaining we havent signed anyone in 23 days, then when they prematurely advise of a signing after supporters are screaming for one you slaughter them for that too....

As for Lee Barnard, I haven't seen ANYWHERE that he has signed for us, have you? As far as I am aware, it is all SZ hearsay, and a rather less than convincing article in the Echo.

DtS and others seem pretty confident now and we know you dont like the club reporting signings without doing all the appropriate checks...

 

[Richard_Cadette]

If we get to 1st February and havent signed anyone Ill agree with you.

If a signing or two appear in the next week that required 2 weeks of wheeling and dealing I assume youd agree that fortnight wasnt actually a waste of time.

You are judging the last 3 weeks without :

a) knowing whats going on in the background
b) knowing what the final outcome will be.

You may turn out to be right and it will be yet more frustration but why start kicking up a fuss now.

Its like complaining about a train being late when you are 3/4 of the way there when you dont even know if it will be. Just because yesterdays train was late doesnt mean todays will be.

I go back to one of my original points, in that 24 days have now passed without someone being brought in - that is a waste of 24 days, simple as that. The reason it is a waste is because we have played numerous games during that period, without the benefit of new players, which would have improved the squad.

I am not 'kicking up a fuss' as you put it, I am simply offering my take on things - If that differs to your point of view, then so be it.

We now have 6 days left until the end of the window, and as I said, we are getting to the point now where potential signings are going to be even more difficult, because the team selling the player to us will have less chance to recruit someone to replace him, should it be necessary. It is also more likely we will sign the wrong player because everyone at the club will be under pressure to be seen to be doing something.

I have not ruled out the prospect of us making a couple of signings, nowhere did I say that, but it's not like we haven't been here before is it?

In one breath you are complaining we havent signed anyone in 23 days, then when they prematurely advise of a signing after supporters are screaming for one you slaughter them for that too....

Yes, I am. It was extremely naive on our behalf to announce we had signed someone when we blatantly hadn't. Had they have put he is due to have a medical this week, and assuming he passes that, then he will be a Southend player, then fine, no one can argue. But to announce they have signed someone when they blatantly had not, is nothing less than an outright lie is it not? Presumably you are happy with that?

The fact is, me raising concerns about not signing anyone, and us prematurely announcing we had signed someone are two completely different issues, and you are wrong to link them together.

DtS and others seem pretty confident now and we know you dont like the club reporting signings without doing all the appropriate checks...

Correct, and I am not asking them to announce anything until it is signed, sealed and delivered, but the fact of the matter is, nowhere has it been announce officially he has signed for us yet, and so to base your argument on SZ hearsay is pretty dangerous. There have been a lot of threads over the years about we have signed this bloke, and my sisters, hairdresers dog walker said we have signed that bloke, and they have all amounted to nothing - it is presumptious, therefore, to assume that we have signed someone just because a few posters on here think we have.

Come on JM, you can do better comebacks than that can't you? :)

 

[Ricey]

7 days till the transfer deadline.

No strikers signed! I am slightly worried and bet we end up with a last minute buy which I really don't want.

 

[OldBlueLady]

I see Showunmi's turned down Leeds as he wants regular first team football. Might be worth some consideration.

 

[Jam_Man]

7 days till the transfer deadline.

No strikers signed! I am slightly worried and bet we end up with a last minute buy which I really don't want.

Apart from Barnard ?

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

^^ who has not been unveiled yet!

 

[Jam_Man]

So ?

He has signed, what does it matter if he hasnt been paraded yet.

 

[Jam_Man]

Come on JM, you can do better comebacks than that can't you? :)

Ok.

How about "Told you so"

:)