Oh so quiet.....

[Oakham Pilgrim]

Hype is true. Looking at other sites, it seems that every player signing for a club at our level is 'highly rated', they have 'fought off' many other offers (often from clubs at higher levels) and are delighted to get it 'over the line'. I'm not a cynic, of course. But it looks as if we are assembling a group of young players (with sensible experienced additions) who I hope will produce an attractive and energetic brand of football. That will do for me at the moment.

[Chicken legend]

The official website describes him as "highly rated", although looking through various tweets and replies to the news yesterday the only person I could see really raving about him was his mum.

Okay, I'm being a bit facetious - there were a few "some player!" type tweets, but we saw them last season for the absolute dross we brought in so I'm no longer getting excited about signings based off tweets alone!

It's going to be a really interesting pre-season because let's be honest, aside from a few of the NL stats gurus, none us have any clue how good these players actually are until we see them in the flesh and they get a few games under Cully under their belts. And I even include Bostwick in that, because stepping down to the NLN from the Football League doesn't automatically guarantee success.

I'm pretty optimistic though, the players coming in might be young but they're at the age where they're not completely naïve, have bags of energy and potential, and mixed with some experienced heads for a long old season I want to believe we're going to be an exciting outfit to watch.

(Just don't remind me of this when we're 5-0 down to Spenny first game of the season...)

You sure you was at the first game of the season? Think you’ll find it was Southport not Spennymoor🫣

[bostonwoody]

Think you’ll find it was Southport not Spennymoor🫣

That was last season. Have you not seen the fixture list for next season yet?

[Pete Brooksbank]

The official website describes him as "highly rated", although looking through various tweets and replies to the news yesterday the only person I could see really raving about him was his mum.

Okay, I'm being a bit facetious - there were a few "some player!" type tweets, but we saw them last season for the absolute dross we brought in so I'm no longer getting excited about signings based off tweets alone!

It's going to be a really interesting pre-season because let's be honest, aside from a few of the NL stats gurus, none us have any clue how good these players actually are until we see them in the flesh and they get a few games under Cully under their belts. And I even include Bostwick in that, because stepping down to the NLN from the Football League doesn't automatically guarantee success.

I'm pretty optimistic though, the players coming in might be young but they're at the age where they're not completely naïve, have bags of energy and potential, and mixed with some experienced heads for a long old season I want to believe we're going to be an exciting outfit to watch.

(Just don't remind me of this when we're 5-0 down to Spenny first game of the season...)

You sure you was at the first game of the season? Think you’ll find it was Southport not Spennymoor🫣

Yes, last season. The first game of the 2023/24 season hasn't happened yet!

[Pete Brooksbank]

Jordan Richards finally officially announced.

[Oakham Pilgrim]

I presume that's the end of midfield recruitment. I'm not sure what size of squad we're going for, but more at the back (fingers crossed for Pollock) and upfront must be expected.

[pieman pete]

Looks like the formation for next season is going to be 1 up top and 6 across the midfield 😂

[Mr Pilgrim]

Ben Pollock confirms on social media he won't be returning...

[Bodge]

Part of a defence that conceded more goals than 20 odd other teams in the league so no huge loss.

[Dipdodah]

Part of a defence that conceded more goals than 20 odd other teams in the league so no huge loss.

Yet he was player of the season.

[Nundy Junior]

Part of a defence that conceded more goals than 20 odd other teams in the league so no huge loss.

Yet he was player of the season.

Says a lot about how bad a season it was

[Lee Newell]

Part of a defence that conceded more goals than 20 odd other teams in the league so no huge loss.

The encouraging thing is that doesn't tell the whole story, conceded a lot of goals until Cameron Gregory arrived and since then the goals conceded were low. And he is staying for next season. Also helped that we did have a more consistent defense in front of him towards the end of the season able to name the same back 4 most weeks with Sephton arriving too and Sheils back from injury.

[Pete Brooksbank]

Not going to lose too much sleep over it tbh - Pollock won POTS almost by default by virtue of being an ever present in an otherwise chaotic season for player turnover! In any normal season he'd probably not have had a sniff. Solid player, sure, but not irreplaceable.

[Dipdodah]

Not going to lose too much sleep over it tbh - Pollock won POTS almost by default by virtue of being an ever present in an otherwise chaotic season for player turnover! In any normal season he'd probably not have had a sniff. Solid player, sure, but not irreplaceable.

Totally agree.

[Wyberton pilgrim]

I voted for him only because others were injured for a big part of the season and he was ever present .