Summer 2023 Transfer Rumours

That's because we are tinpot. If we aren't prepared to relocate the whole club to Kent to sign our first choice players then quite frankly, we deserve all we get.

 

We have one of the highest budgets in League 2 and likely to do so once again - so we are financially competitive. We can offer a better stage to play football on in front on the largest and most passionate fan base in the division.

Mark Hughes is also a significant pull for some players and geographically we will be preferable to more northern based footballers, just like southern based players will state a potential preference for southern clubs.

We have also come off the back of a decent season where significant progress has been shown on the pitch. The nucleus of that very competitive side is in place and the divisions top scorer has re-signed, despite interest from the league above. That is a big statement of intent. We are a team moving in the right direction.

We will win the signatures of some and lose out on others. That is the nature of football, but I can bet we are very much competing for the best possible talent for League 2, along with Wrexham, Notts County, Gillingham, Salford and Stockport.

 

That is true, but the North East is a much harder sell, it is more isolated from the rest of England - albeit still a very beautiful part of the country.

As a location in general, Bradford should not be a hard sell. It is at the very heart of the UK with Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield within easy reach. Many affluent areas in a commutable distance. From that perspective, location shouldn't be too difficult - unless they are southern and determined to remain down south.

 

There's not a great deal of fact in there though, it's just opinion and conjecture.

I agree we can compete with the majority of league two teams though, my point was that we have no particular pull over them that would make the majority of players want to play here rather than a dozen other league two teams.

We are where we are and whilst it doesn't mean we shouldn't try to attract the best, we've got to accept that more than likely, there will be more attractive clubs than us in for those players, regardless of how many fans come through our turnstiles.

 

Stafford Heginbotham who was a great chairman and character always said that to persuade a player to join you’ve got to convince them of ambition as well as wage. Say to Stockton that although Burton are a league ahead of us now that in three years we’ll be looking down on them. Convince them that we’ve got a project that he would be one of many quality players in the next couple of years. So yes honestly,if we were ambitious we’d have a chance of signing him, honestly.

 

And if he says, you've reached the play offs just once in 6 years, it's just words. How do you convince him then?

It's easy to say we're moving forwards but when even our own clubs fans are doubtful, why would you expect anyone with no ties to the club to just blindly accept it?

 

If were gonna go for it, heck just tell em we're gonna be in the premier in 3 years.

 

Announce Modric.

 

League 1 bound mate

 

We were told 10 years and that was 6 year ago so another porky wouldn’t matter.

 

Oliver did the same last year...

 

Just telling you what Stafford said in the 80s and to be fair the club are moving forward just not quickly enough. Anyway looking forward to the next veteran signing or young kid on loan as none of the in the know crowd were correct with their done deal claims.

 

Fecking Burton.

 

The fact Burton have signed him suggest there wasn’t that much interest in him in league one

 

It shows there wasn’t interest in the top half of L2 either?

 

Apparently the rumour now its all done is that there was an offer from Bolton for similar money, the Burton offer has been sat for a while. Big sticking point was that Bolton wanted him to compete with their other options to start, where as at Burton with their squad he will start every game when fit.

I know sometimes things like money and location are thrown around like they are they only major factors in picking between deals on the table, some players just want to go and play as much as they can.

 

Josh Gordon gone to Burton as well, from Barrow.

 

That tells me Stockton isn't very ambitious or backs his ability if he has turned down a likely promotion chasing campaign at Bolton for mid table or relegation battle with Burton

 

We have x amount of crowds, huge stadium and generally supportive fans. Sandwiched in between Manchester and Leeds great cities, Harrogate and north York all commutable stunning areas to live.

perfect right? No it’s the most important thing we lack and that’s wages. We can not or won’t compete, it’s a relatively short career and I don’t begrudge anyone wanting to play in front of a man and a dog if it meant they got extra in their wage packets.

Until we truly compete we will constantly lose out on quality. Other clubs will pay it, market conditions dictate get on with it or stand still.

If the unspeakable happened and we fluke promotion to League 1 - god help us and the self sustainable model that all other league clubs are envious of “apparently”.

I am envious of Gillingham, Salford , Stockport, Wrexham as they are truly ambitious and will put money where their mouth is. We talk a great game but when push comes to shove we can’t compete

 

Never in a million years will I be envious of Salford