Players who could seriously help us not a promotion challenge?

We will have a competitive budget this season based on excellent season ticket sales and commercial activity, but we now need to go a step further. I think of Bolton and Derby who were both financial basket cases but are now strong league one sides. It is time to push the boat out a little and get some real quality in, midfield players who score a lot more than 1or 2 goals a season that the likes of Gilliead, Smallwood Clayton score, strikers with pace and quality.If it means Hughes and Sparks having a meeting with Stefan Rupp to invest in quality then it’s something they need to do. The fans have backed the club as have commercial business, it’s time to get better than free transfers from Hartlepool and Walsall, veterans and young kids with little or no experience on loan.

 

Fully agree, I'm just merely pointing out that using goals and assists as a metric for deep midfielders is pointless.

I suppose it depends on how Hughes want to shape up next season. Our lads this year in an attacking sense have virtually been water carriers, I cant remember our midfielders ever starting attacks with smart play. Our way of playing seems to be pass it along half way, try stretch a defence and when one of the full backs or a winger comes short for the ball, try ball it down the channels and into Cook, rather than down the middle play. If that's the goal again, Hughes might not see the point in a more leggy midfielder and stick with the types he has. I think if we play the back 3/5 which he flirted with a few times, one or more box to box type midfielders are certainly needed as the 3 we tried in Clayton, Gilly & Smallwood just dont have the mobility.

 

I'm sure you're right but my point is that we should be looking to improve in every area including defence. As several people have pointed out if you take out Cook's incredible season we're a very poor side.

 

Bolton Derby and Ipswich are strong sides now because their DEBT was canned! Are you suggesting we go through Admin AGAIN ? No of course not, but that’s the outcome if splurging somebody else’s money at a “ Promotion chase” . It can pay off , of course…Thereagain it won’t?

 

@wetherbywhaler said it would take 5 years to recover from Edin. We are at that point.

 

There is a difference between going into heavy debt like Rahic left us or more famously Geoffrey Richmond and a steady increase in the budget similar to what David Baldwin got Rhodes and Lawn to do in 2012/13. We are going to be forever in this league if we carry on with the sort of signings we saw in January. A small investment of £300K from Rupp could make a huge difference to the quality of player required. I agree on sustainability but sometimes you have to make a small leap. You talk of Bolton and co having debt cancelled, it didn’t do us much good in 2004.

 

£300K is two very good players, at this level, on £3k a week each.

 

Even £300K doesn't make a huge dent in a squads levelling up fund in L2 anymore. Between Feb 1st 2022 and Jan 31st 2023, Stockport spent £237K on agent fees alone to assemble the remaining pieces of a national league winning squad and then add on it in L2. First time we've been at this level and not been in the top 3 for spending on agents since we dropped back down to this level, we were the 6th highest spenders at £77K for the year.

 

Whatever happened this season will probably be immaterial next season if we lose Andy Cook. Without his fantastic season I'm not that convinced by this squad as it stands as an attacking outfit. With Hughes favouring 4-2-3-1 and with two very defensive minded players also being favoured, we don't have the creative outlet in the '10' role. And for all apparent strong squad stuff I kept hearing about in the end we had one option in the 10 role, one option upfront and no one to take up the left side mantle after Wright left.
I'm hoping for some good recruitment in this summer cos that squad to me is just bang average.

 

Precisely my point Grumps. It never ends well!

 

Have the rest of the team not created chances for Cook?

I remember we were doomed when Waddle left for Sunderland. There was no way we could recover from Andrew Davies going to Ross County.

Surprisingly, we just cracked on.

 

Couldn't agree more. People seem to have rose-coloured specs on when looking at our squad. In my opinion we don't have much to build on at all. Our recruitment last year was also pretty poor, bizarre in some cases and very wasteful financially. We can only hope for better but I'm not holding my breath.
And that's before we consider the likely approach of our manager.

 

Yes it was Dave , as I said to Grumpy, it rarely ends up well. It’s a gamble that Rupp may not be prepared to take.? Something we all acknowledge, unless there is a buyer in the wings, that we may not see.

I do find it odd that an “ investor “ hasn’t appeared over the horizon, because the potential is clear for all to see? I think the main problem , as has been alluded to previously, is a lack of tangible assets, ie we don’t own the ground, nor training facilities , and the land VP sits on is pretty worthless , if we did. Why is that the case…..we over borrowed twice and it became the chicken and the egg legacy.

A conundrum!

 

Why is it called doom to have an opinion on the squad? If Cook goes there's always a chance for someone to step up to the plate. But if I'm basing our chances next season on what we.have now I think we'd be lucky to finish in the playoffs. I'm not despondent if any of them go, not one player bar the keeper that I think isn't replaceable, I'm looking forward to seeing who we bring in. To be honest the only ones I'd definitely keep with this squad are Lewis, Stubbs, Crichlow if available, Cook, Banks if available and a fit Jamie Walker. Like to see a bit more of East to see if he's any good but the rest I would care if they didn't play for us again. Not that they are bad individually I've just seen better in their positions in league 2.

 

I'm stating that it seemed the end of the world when Waddle & Davies left but we recovered well.
We seem 'doomed'.

You can have what opinion you like about the squad.

 

What would forums be if we just said,' Ah wel what will be will be'. Like those that go on football forums but then say trust in the manager. What's point debating.

 

I just don't think the world would end if Cook left. That's my opinion.

You are also entitled to your opinion.