Harry Chapman

Not concerned at all with any comments from Shrewsbury fans saying needs legs around him, seen him many times for Rovers during their L1 promotion season I think it was and he was always eye catching getting fans off their seats. Always looking to take his man on confidently and was very good at it and looking to cut inside getting shots away. Had a couple of injuries which set him back a bit as Rovers progressed to the Championship and never managed to fully cement a place in the side after. Looks to be over them set backs now though. My many Rovers friends over here otherside of the hills can't believe we've landed him. As regards to being CVs replacement we've definitely done well, ability wise on the ball Chapman is very similar and easily as good, but where he edges clearly it is his final ball/decision making.

 

Above L2 level, he's made nearly three times the appearances that Vernham has.

Indeed he's made more first team starts in The Championship than Vernham did in L1.

Just stating this to give you some perspective - not to berate Vernham

 

You measure a team by the strength of its bench as well as the players on the field. I don't know much about our signings but have enough faith in Mark to feel we will have much more mobility on the field and strength from the bench. We have had "marquee signings" in the past that have just not gelled as a team. We are in division 4; a team of able players who play as a team will outperform more able players who perform as a fragmented unit. I am not despondent that we have signed players I know nothing about as Mark has forgotten more about football than I know. I am confident that he has not simply picked names out of a bag. For years now we have been lacking in pace all over the park and that certainly seems to be getting addressed especially if we have signed the lad from Hartlepool. I am certainly not going to make predictions about mid table finishes when I don't know much about how our players will perform as a team and even less about the signings other teams have made. I do feel however that more has been put into recruitment this time than in recent years. Bring it on.

 

True. Saw this tweet earlier which was quite informative from a stats perspective

 

LOL!! During the last week, probably due to the Smallwood rumours, we seem to have fans obsessed on how far away a player lives.

Some bright spark, in the T&A, suggested that a downside to the 31 year old Smallwood coming here, was the length of his Humberside journey. I couldn't resist pointing out that a 35 year old Gary Jones managed fine travelling from Liverpool (mind you he did make Stephen Darby drive - who of course wouldn't have dared to argue )

 

I think it looks a very very good signing. Even @Fordy117 hasn't slagged it off - so he must be good

 

Shrewsbury have spent more time of the last dozen years, in L1 than we have.

You're correct, we've no room to sneer.

 

This is true yet i've heard plenty of our fans talk Lincoln down as a poor move for Vernam even though Lincoln have been more successful than us over the last 5 years.

 

Lincoln have outclassed us a couple of times over the last two or three years

 

The only reason I question that move, is because it seems strange that Vernham - who appeared to have found another gear under Hughes, would risk that progress for an unproven manager at a club who seem to be in a worrying backward trend

 

Hometown club, cuts the commute and plays at a higher level. Why wouldn't he move?
If any of us got offered a job around the corner and saved a couple of hours a day in travelling time, we would take it for the better work/life balance.

 

I was obviously disappointed when CV left, but now the dust has settled despite many comments saying why would he choose Lincoln it's an absolute no brainer for him really, L1 football, more money no doubt and much closer to home, how many working people can turn down a new job with improvements like that?? Good luck to him, but signing Chapman has softened the blow allowing me to see a sensible reasoning on his decision.

 

Pretty much beat me to it

 

The pressure on Lincoln is from fans who will expect a playoff challenge when it's.one of the strongest league 1 line ups for a while. Some very good sides in there with far bigger budgets.

 

Work/life balance is also dictated by how much you enjoy the job and in footie the structure you are playing under is vital.

I think Vernham is a player that needs a specific type of management (i.e.not Adams) and he had it with Hughes - hence, I think he's made an error. But all the best to him.

 

You may be taken more seriously had you tried to spell his surname correctly.

 

I also agree IMO he's made an error and only time will tell, but the here and now benefits on offer from Lincoln were way too good for him to turn down in favour of a gamble that our recent history circus finally gets it together.

 

I heard from an ex teammate of his that he can be very good but it isn't often enough. Also that he needs to feel loved and told how good he is all the time. He also said his attitude was poor but that could have been because he hated his manager. I think that's a bit of a trait with wingers though. Let's hope Sparky can get the best out of him consistently and straighten him up.

 

For all the reasons mentioned here, this is why I feel the club has turned a corner. We have a plan for the coming season.
CV leaving has been replaced with what looks like a good player. You can’t knock CV for wanting to play at a higher level. Football is a short career.

 

The main difference seems to be that we are actually bringing in players that have been identified to fit the style of play and formations Hughes will be using, rather than just bringing in a load of players that are decent enough at this level, but with seemingly absolutely no thought going into how the sum of the parts will work together as a team.