It's a small sample size but all three signings are League Two players.
No fringe players dropping down from higher leagues in search of regular football. No non-league stars looking to better themselves. No past-it pros hanging on for one last pay day. All sideways moves from players in their mid-20s.
In contrast, Sturrock's first summer saw us try mainly for players who'd played at a higher level.
A deliberate ploy or coincidence? Is he after players who can cope with the rough and tough of division 4? Or are they just cheaper than players accustomed to a third division wage? Or is he just playing safe to build up the depth first with players he knows what he's getting and the gambles (the Mohsnis, the Leonards) will come later in pre-season?
The three signings we've made are all high floor, low ceiling type signings.
I'll be a little disappointed if we don't sign anyone from non-league this summer. There are some good players out there - Sean Clohessy is one of Sturrock's best signings (although that will have been Widdrington) and I think there are more players out there on way up, like Clohessy, Ryan Hall (Widdrington again?) or like Mark Bentley, Mark Gower, maybe even like Freddy Eastwood (when we signed him on the way up rather than on loan on the way down). Who was that utility player we had on trial from Welling(?) last year? I'd like us to get a couple of players in permanently like that - not necessarily him, but someone who'd overachieved in non-league to see if they could stand out in the fourth division as well.
Presumably we'll get some random French triallists in as Luggy has good contacts out there and there might be some gems in amongst them. They probably have even higher ceilings and lower floors than the non-league players.
Cresswell will be a Coughlan signing. Tomlin is a long term Sturrock target, don't know what the Straker connection is.
No fringe players dropping down from higher leagues in search of regular football. No non-league stars looking to better themselves. No past-it pros hanging on for one last pay day. All sideways moves from players in their mid-20s.
In contrast, Sturrock's first summer saw us try mainly for players who'd played at a higher level.
A deliberate ploy or coincidence? Is he after players who can cope with the rough and tough of division 4? Or are they just cheaper than players accustomed to a third division wage? Or is he just playing safe to build up the depth first with players he knows what he's getting and the gambles (the Mohsnis, the Leonards) will come later in pre-season?
The three signings we've made are all high floor, low ceiling type signings.
I'll be a little disappointed if we don't sign anyone from non-league this summer. There are some good players out there - Sean Clohessy is one of Sturrock's best signings (although that will have been Widdrington) and I think there are more players out there on way up, like Clohessy, Ryan Hall (Widdrington again?) or like Mark Bentley, Mark Gower, maybe even like Freddy Eastwood (when we signed him on the way up rather than on loan on the way down). Who was that utility player we had on trial from Welling(?) last year? I'd like us to get a couple of players in permanently like that - not necessarily him, but someone who'd overachieved in non-league to see if they could stand out in the fourth division as well.
Presumably we'll get some random French triallists in as Luggy has good contacts out there and there might be some gems in amongst them. They probably have even higher ceilings and lower floors than the non-league players.
Cresswell will be a Coughlan signing. Tomlin is a long term Sturrock target, don't know what the Straker connection is.