Transfer News, Gossip & Speculation Transfer Thread - Summer 2025 Edition.

[Yorkshire Blue]

. Barnet secured automatic promotion this season and while their top scorer was Callum Stead with eighteen goals it was only one more than our leader, GSM.

Good post.

If we want to try and repeat Barnet’s success with Callum Stead he was signed aged 23 from NL North Brackley, where he’d just scored 13 goals the previous season. Brackley had signed him from fellow NL North side Kettering who had signed him as a replacement for Callum Powell from Southern League Premier Central Hitchin.

He was not what most fans would consider a proven goalscorer or from L1/L2 but instead he was an ascending player approaching his prime.

FWIW Barnet’s second top scorer with 12 league goals was a midfielder who was signed from NL Oldham. He scored just 1 goal for Oldham in 23/24 and 2 goals in 22/23.

 

[londonblue]

The game has changed and there now less and less twenty plus goals a season strikers. Despite the NL season being forty six games long only two players scored more than twenty goals (Pierce and Linney). Back in the day the likes of Roy Hollis would regularly score twenty or more goals a season but he was one of many in the Old Third Division South doing the same. However Roy never played in a side where the right back scored seventeen in a season. I repeat the game has changed and I believe it is entirely possible to have a successful season withiut any of the strikers registering double figures The present scarcity of prolific strikers also ensures that any player out there with that potential will likely be priced out of Southend's reach.

If a striker was to score twenty or more for us next season my guess would be he would be newcomer and it would be the first time he achieved this milestone. Of our current bunch Kendal might be an outside chance to improve so dramatically. However, should that happen he will soon be gone. We were unable to hold on to Sam Dolby who has never come close to being prolific. Barnet secured automatic promotion this season and while their top scorer was Callum Stead with eighteen goals it was only one more than our leader, GSM.

I am sure if a better player than either or both of Hopper and Bonne is available we will try and sign him. If such a player is not available I suspect that KM would see his present quartet of strikers as good enough to be part of a team chllenging for promotion. They say Football is a game of opinions but right now KM's opinion is the only one that matters.

Indeed. If 2-3 players all score 10-15 does that mean they've all failed?

 

[Thundersley Blue]

A lot of fuss about a 20 goal a season striker, good luck in finding one. There were only 4 between Leagues 1 , 2 and the National League. Charlie Kelman 21 for Orient, Michael Cheek 25 for Bromley plus Ollie Pearce 31 for York and Ryan Linney 23 for Altrincham. A 20 goal striker is not the be all and end all. When it mattered we found goals, 4 at Rochdale and 2 each against Forest Green and Oldham.

I am sure the Club are doing their best to find The Holy Grail.

 

[GNH]

Indeed. If 2-3 players all score 10-15 does that mean they've all failed?

Any team where mulitple players are scoring 10-15 goals will be a very good team.

This is what we should be striving for instead of the Holy Grail of a 20+ goal a season striker.

However, if you have 4 strikers sharing the game time then they all need to be hitting 10+ goals a season, that's not much to ask from a striker over the course of a league season.

You then expect the attacking midfielders to chip in with 8-10 goals a season. GSM massively over-achieved this season, Bridge was the opposite and the likes of LCP can have similar targets and has shown he is more than capable of doing this.

If the others players can create a solid unit that is difficult to break down as well as chip in with some goals of their own then all is well, i know that's a bit simplidstic but it's not rocket science.

We need to strengthen in the AM department as well as upgrading our forwards as I wouldn't fancy any of them to hit 10+ goals a season apart from perhaps Kendall.

The need to replace Golding/Goodliffe is as urgent for the defensive unit, but with so many under contract still then this is not going to be 'cheap' and possibly unrealistic under the financial prudence of COSU.

 

[londonblue]

Any team where mulitple players are scoring 10-15 goals will be a very good team.

This is what we should be striving for instead of the Holy Grail of a 20+ goal a season striker.

However, if you have 4 strikers sharing the game time then they all need to be hitting 10+ goals a season, that's not much to ask from a striker over the course of a league season.

You then expect the attacking midfielders to chip in with 8-10 goals a season. GSM massively over-achieved this season, Bridge was the opposite and the likes of LCP can have similar targets and has shown he is more than capable of doing this.

If the others players can create a solid unit that is difficult to break down as well as chip in with some goals of their own then all is well, i know that's a bit simplidstic but it's not rocket science.

We need to strengthen in the AM department and well as uprgadinh our forwards as a wouldn't fancy any of them to hit 10+ goals a season apart from perhaps Kendall.

The need to replace Golding/Goodliffe if as urgent for the defensive unit, but with so many under contract still then this is not going to be 'cheap' and possibly unrealistic under the financial prudence of COSU.

Pedant alert! If what we're striving for is 2-3 players that all contribute 10-15 goals, then that becomes our holy grail, not a 20+ goal a season striker!

(The rest I agree with!)

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

Good post.

If we want to try and repeat Barnet’s success with Callum Stead he was signed aged 23 from NL North Brackley, where he’d just scored 13 goals the previous season. Brackley had signed him from fellow NL North side Kettering who had signed him as a replacement for Callum Powell from Southern League Premier Central Hitchin.

He was not what most fans would consider a proven goalscorer or from L1/L2 but instead he was an ascending player approaching his prime.

FWIW Barnet’s second top scorer with 12 league goals was a midfielder who was signed from NL Oldham. He scored just 1 goal for Oldham in 23/24 and 2 goals in 22/23.

Spot on - and I'm assuming this is why the club are using a more scientific data driven approach (which looks at more than just the "goals scored" column) alongside the experienced eyes of our football department and scouting team. Next season's 20 goal striker may not have been last season's.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

If a striker was to score twenty or more for us next season my guess would be he would be newcomer and it would be the first time he achieved this milestone. Of our current bunch Kendal might be an outside chance to improve so dramatically. However, should that happen he will soon be gone. We were unable to hold on to Sam Dolby who has never come close to being prolific. Barnet secured automatic promotion this season and while their top scorer was Callum Stead with eighteen goals it was only one more than our leader, GSM.

I am sure if a better player than either or both of Hopper and Bonne is available we will try and sign him. If such a player is not available I suspect that KM would see his present quartet of strikers as good enough to be part of a team chllenging for promotion. They say Football is a game of opinions but right now KM's opinion is the only one that matters.

Whilst their top scorer only scored one more than ours, they scored a whopping 97 goals. 38 more than us.
So they scored a lot more and spread the goals out more around their team. So it didn't matter that their top scorer was only on eighteen.

 

[GNH]

Pedant alert! If what we're striving for is 2-3 players that all contribute 10-15 goals, then that become our holy grail, not a 20+ goal a season striker!

(The rest I agree with!)

Well the current arguements surround the need for a prolific 20+ goal a season striker, I am advocating from moving away from this to a new approach, as has been mentioned elsewhere by others.

That is moving away from the current Holy Grail of 20+ goals to a new dawn on the horizon!

 

[flangejackrabbit]

Aaron Blair and Temi Eweka both going to Eastleigh I’m led to believe.

Eweka will be a great signing for them in my opinion.

 

[RONMARTINOUT]

People need to remember the sustainability part and not lose sight of how close this club came to the end and why that happened. If this were 7 or 8 years ago, Ron probably wouldn’t have been able to throw £150k of the Wembley money at Luton fast enough. But I don’t think that’s us anymore. Some might be disappointed in who we end up signing, but I think the big underline is about finding value. I think we’re more about finding the next Gus, Golding, KAF, Cardwell, Pepple etc. these days rather than throwing money around. I’m all for it in fairness, as I never want us going back to those dark days.

I agree to a certain extent, but Id say probably GK CCB ST are the spine of the team and most important positions that need investment or you have no chance of success.

 

[Taters123]

Cardwell return anyone?

 

[RONMARTINOUT]

I think we should look at Charlie Carter from Dorking to play behind the striker in a 2. Gets goals and assists and is in his prime. Looks a step above NLS level imo

 

[SUFCGoals]

Good post.

If we want to try and repeat Barnet’s success with Callum Stead he was signed aged 23 from NL North Brackley, where he’d just scored 13 goals the previous season. Brackley had signed him from fellow NL North side Kettering who had signed him as a replacement for Callum Powell from Southern League Premier Central Hitchin.

He was not what most fans would consider a proven goalscorer or from L1/L2 but instead he was an ascending player approaching his prime.

FWIW Barnet’s second top scorer with 12 league goals was a midfielder who was signed from NL Oldham. He scored just 1 goal for Oldham in 23/24 and 2 goals in 22/23.

Tbf most of those goals Shelton scored were penalties.

 

[RONMARTINOUT]

I think we should look at Charlie Carter from Dorking to play behind the striker in a 2. Gets goals and assists and is in his prime. Looks a step above NLS level imo

I think Kendell & Carter would be brilliant together too, with Hopper & Bonne coming on later in the game. Sell Walker

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I agree to a certain extent, but Id say probably GK CCB ST are the spine of the team and most important positions that need investment or you have no chance of success.

Of these the most pressing is CCB.

We were a top 3 side with our current keeper and forward options over the second half of the season but we’ve since lost both Golding and Goodliffe and that leaves Crowther or Gubbins as our only options in the middle.

As much as everyone wants a new forward (and I want two new ones) the biggest hole in the squad right now is CCB.

 

[shrimperjon]

Whilst their top scorer only scored one more than ours, they scored a whopping 97 goals. 38 more than us.
So they scored a lot more and spread the goals out more around their team. So it didn't matter that their top scorer was only on eighteen.

This is an excellent stat. Towards the end of the season someone posted something on SM and on here i think that stated had we scored one more goal per game wed have something in the region of 38 more points. I.e a draw become a win a defeat might become a draw etc. What this team lacks isnt just goals from our forward line but the return from our midfield is pitiful. Mily, Morton, Coker, Husin, Kaf, Bridge (albeit LWB) and less so Leon is next to nothing. we need to improve in this area regardless of who else we sign up top. No way Gus will score 17 again so we must find goals from elsewhere including our CB

 

[duncan bulgaria]

We need pace going forward IMO proper winger who goes at the fullbacks all game and opens the game up
, I feel we are too slow in our build up play albeit nice and tidy
I’d like to see a goal scoring midfielder who runs beyond the back line again stretching teams and goes without saying a CB in the mould of Golding
A centre forward in the mould of oldhams lad, get them earlier , get lots of pre season friendlies against tough opposition and then let’s start the season in fine form rather than playing catch up.

 

[Thor1]

Lucas Bergstrom 22 Y/O Finnish keeper just been released by Chelsea. Only really had a couple of unproductive loans but has won at least 1 international cap. Might be within reach though I've not seen him play so he would be a bit of an unknown. Maybe worth a trial?

 

[essexshrimper]

We need pace going forward IMO proper winger who goes at the fullbacks all game and opens the game up
, I feel we are too slow in our build up play albeit nice and tidy
I’d like to see a goal scoring midfielder who runs beyond the back line again stretching teams and goes without saying a CB in the mould of Golding
A centre forward in the mould of oldhams lad, get them earlier , get lots of pre season friendlies against tough opposition and then let’s start the season in fine form rather than playing catch up.

Think London shrimper heard you

 

[Callumturner22]

Every year I do a list of targets I think we could go for and kawa was on it be interesting to see what happens between then both .