Stickied Confirmed Signings 2023/24

[I Blame Paul Mayo]

One who we were rumoured to be in for. Good centre half at this level.

 

[dan_wrexhamafc]

Riley was class with us and I was hoping he'd make his way back here and as a bonus his misses is very attractive

 

[heedarmy]

Rodman has somehow ended up at Newport, good player on his day but far too inconsistent

 

[pontoonlew]

Newport are going down this season if they carry on with these standards of signings.

 

[Brooksy]

Newport are going down this season if they carry on with these standards of signings.

I am not going to argue with you there. Reduced budget, reduced expectations. I am fairly sure that we will be continuing with these standards of signing. I'm already pinning my hopes on the January transfer window after the team has 'failed to gel'.

 

[The_Boss]

I am not going to argue with you there. Reduced budget, reduced expectations. I am fairly sure that we will be continuing with these standards of signing. I'm already pinning my hopes on the January transfer window after the team has 'failed to gel'.

Rhys Taylor and Scott Barrow are two pretty decent signings IMO. Shop isn't too bad either. Not promotion chasing by any stretch, but it's not like your signing total dross.

 

[MTFC_07]

Rhys Taylor and Scott Barrow are two pretty decent signings IMO. Shop isn't too bad either. Not promotion chasing by any stretch, but it's not like your signing total dross.

Rhys Taylor will be class in League Two. Scott Barrow and John Lewis are just decent conference players in my opinion, not League 2 standard.

 

[SamScfc]

I really like Wrexham as a club and I hope that they do well this season, but is it just me who think that for a club that has pulled in over 2,000 ST sales, that their signings so far have been very average? In my opinion, Moke, Newton, Fyfield, Vidal and Belford are all very average Conference players.
Saying that, I think with some of the players they already have, they should still be challenging the top five.

How many times have you seen Newton play? He's one of the best left backs in the league!

 

[MTFC_07]

How many times have you seen Newton play? He's one of the best left backs in the league!

Probably 10-15 times, I used to watch Stockport with my mate a fair bit when Macc weren't playing, and I've seen him several times when Macc have played Lincoln. I conceded that I was wrong to call him average because of his attacking threat, but I still maintain that whenever I've seen him, he's not been very good at defending, (which although it is the less exciting side of a wing back) is still a fairly crucial part!

 

[Heedtastic]

Glad he's gone. Our biggest earner and only did it 1 in 5 games, talented, but an utter pea heart.

 

[Master D]

Riley is a brilliant signing for Tranmere, with these sort of players they will be a playoff side. His missus obviously fancies a bit of the Liverpool scene now.

 

[SamScfc]

Probably 10-15 times, I used to watch Stockport with my mate a fair bit when Macc weren't playing, and I've seen him several times when Macc have played Lincoln. I conceded that I was wrong to call him average because of his attacking threat, but I still maintain that whenever I've seen him, he's not been very good at defending, (which although it is the less exciting side of a wing back) is still a fairly crucial part!

Fair enough. He's brilliant going forward but he's very slow which doesn't help him defensively.

 

[Son of Cod]

Am I right in thinking that Riley didn't have such a great time in League Two with Mansfield, though? Not uncommon for players to have gone up with teams into League Two or gotten transfers into League Two only to return as shadows of their former Conference selves.

Not sure on Tranmere, myself. Don't think Norwood is the coup that everyone is making out. I fancy Cheltenham more than Tranmere out of the two relegated sides.

 

[WH_Stag]

All these wrexham fans praising Riley may as well keep quiet.... they've not seen him recently and my god what has happened to him. In the conference back then he was quality, a good defensive player with pace that could carry the ball out.... Now well.. He's a bit of a poser who makes far too many mistakes, literally every game, always looks unsteady, Cant defend, can't keep up with a pacey striker, can't play the ball, Far far too inconsistent (he did sometimes have alright games) He's just a shell of what he once was. But i think with sutton he will be able to make an alright partnership in the conference, definitely not as good as they were together before but ok.

 

[WH_Stag]

Am I right in thinking that Riley didn't have such a great time in League Two with Mansfield, though? Not uncommon for players to have gone up with teams into League Two or gotten transfers into League Two only to return as shadows of their former Conference selves.

Not sure on Tranmere, myself. Don't think Norwood is the coup that everyone is making out. I fancy Cheltenham more than Tranmere out of the two relegated sides.

Cheltenham wont do anything special... they were truly an awful footballing side and its an insult that they were in the league last season and teams like grimsby weren't.

 

[1884 Belmont]

Cheltenham wont do anything special... they were truly an awful footballing side and its an insult that they were in the league last season and teams like grimsby weren't.

We were pretty awful too, to be fair. Anyone below 14th last season in L2 should be trying to forget last season ASAP.

 

[Chris FGR]

Not sure on Tranmere, myself. Don't think Norwood is the coup that everyone is making out. I fancy Cheltenham more than Tranmere out of the two relegated sides.

Norwood has consistently managed at least 1 in 3 over the last few seasons, from a wide role, and is our record scorer in the Conference. Quite possibly the best winger in the division, and that's not even his preferred position. He's also had a spell as England C captain.

If he's managed properly and played through the middle he's more then capable of getting 25-30 goals at this level. He needs to be well managed though.

 

[MTFC_07]

Am I right in thinking that Riley didn't have such a great time in League Two with Mansfield, though? Not uncommon for players to have gone up with teams into League Two or gotten transfers into League Two only to return as shadows of their former Conference selves.

Not sure on Tranmere, myself. Don't think Norwood is the coup that everyone is making out. I fancy Cheltenham more than Tranmere out of the two relegated sides.

I don't think either of them will do as well as Bristol Rovers did, although I think Tranmere have made several decent signings and should be play offs. Not sure on Cheltenham although I can see them going the way of many relegated teams and finishing just outside the play offs. I hope Cheltenham aren't pinning their hopes up front on Amari Morgan Smith - he was dreadful for us, how he got a move to Oldham I will never know.
I still think it will be Grimsby or Eastleigh running away with it.

 

[Son of Cod]

Norwood has consistently managed at least 1 in 3 over the last few seasons, from a wide role, and is our record scorer in the Conference. Quite possibly the best winger in the division, and that's not even his preferred role.

If he's managed properly and played through the middle he's more then capable of getting 25-30 goals at this level. He needs to be well managed though.

Every season you could pick around 10 wingers who are arguably the best in the division, though. We had three of them last season. Norwood does indeed have a decent record for a wide player and he's a solid signing, but he's also a bit of a liability. Hasn't got the best attitude from what I've seen of him and read about him and can be a bit of a passenger at times on the pitch. Guaranteed to be pushing double figures in terms of yellow cards too, which is kind of ridiculous for a winger. Decent enough signing, but I wouldn't swap Arnold or Mackreth for him.

I don't think either of them will do as well as Bristol Rovers did, although I think Tranmere have made several decent signings and should be play offs. Not sure on Cheltenham although I can see them going the way of many relegated teams and finishing just outside the play offs. I hope Cheltenham aren't pinning their hopes up front on Amari Morgan Smith - he was dreadful for us, how he got a move to Oldham I will never know.
I still think it will be Grimsby or Eastleigh running away with it.

Oh yeah, I would bet good money on neither being as good as Brizzle. The fact that they came down with one of the best defences in League Two was a freak occurrence anyway. Combine that with a manager who took to the division like a duck to water and you're looking at something that only happens once every 20-25 years.

 

[FGRJC]

Every season you could pick around 10 wingers who are arguably the best in the division, though. We had three of them last season. Norwood does indeed have a decent record for a wide player and he's a solid signing, but he's also a bit of a liability. Hasn't got the best attitude from what I've seen of him and read about him and can be a bit of a passenger at times on the pitch. Guaranteed to be pushing double figures in terms of yellow cards too, which is kind of ridiculous for a winger. Decent enough signing, but I wouldn't swap Arnold or Mackreth for him.
.

It's all about Norwood not about the team, parkin came in and was the star player and Norwood didn't like it, just stropped like a child who couldn't get his own way. Good player for us but only when he wanted to be. Good servant but glad to see the back of him

 

[Greenacres]

Interesting stat about Norwood, getting 1 in 3 over the last few seasons, that could equally apply to good performances as goals. There is little doubt that he wanted to play as a forward, which I believe is his best position, but the manager persisted with him in a wide role. I can't comment about his attitude any more than to say that at times he looked like he wished he was somewhere else, though I'm not sure if he had the Wirrell in his mind. If Tranmere can find his right position, and get him back to where he was when he arrived with us, then they may have a very good player on their hands.

 

[Chris FGR]

It's all about Norwood not about the team, parkin came in and was the star player and Norwood didn't like it, just stropped like a child who couldn't get his own way.

Nors didn't have a problem with Parkin, he just didn't like not being consistently picked or valued, having to play under what I've heard (from good sources) is a very poor man-manager in Ady Pennock.

He'll be outstanding if Brabin manages him properly. His discipline does need to improve though, he's virtually guaranteed to get double figures in the yellow card count, and is also prone to the odd red here and there when the red mist descends. In total he was sent off something like 6 or 7 times during his spell with us, which isn't great for a forward. That could also be fixed by a good man-manager imo.

 

[Conker]

Re Martin Riley,
He was brilliant for Mansfield and Wrexham in the conference and is without a doubt a good signing for this level. He was rubbish for us last season but the whole team was ridiculously shite. I actually think he's good enough for a mid-level L2 squad despite last season, although you not see many Stags fans agreeing with me.

 

[BrabinSWA]

In all fairness we still need to sign at least 4 of our first 11 for the coming season so it's very hard to judge how we'll do.

What I will say is that so far we've signed players who have all had experience of being at the right end of this table in the past.

Of the lads who we've retained, we've got a captain who a few years ago was a mainstay of a L1 team, a left back who was playing in the championship a few years ago, both with plenty of years left in them. We've also got lads who were getting games in L1 with us the season before last who were grossly mismanaged and their progression was stunted playing in a team low of confidence. If Brabin can pick these lads up and gel them with the new lads then we'll take some beating.

 

[Si Robin]

Martin Riley is the worst defender I've seen wear a Cheltenham shirt. Absolutely delighted when he was released after his year with us.

That was 4 years ago though, so can't comment on him since.

Cheltenham wont do anything special... they were truly an awful footballing side and its an insult that they were in the league last season and teams like grimsby weren't.

Ummm...we were shite, but the reason we were in the Football League was because before last season we weren't shite for at least 15 years, including the year Grimsby were relegated (although that was our worst season in the Football League before 14/15).

 

[DarkSithLord]

NonLeaguePaper ‏@NonLeaguePaper 8m8 minutes ago
Hendon's Charlie Goode, who was capped in the England C win in Ireland, has moved into the Football League with Scunthorpe United

 

[SteveCTFC]

Cheltenham wont do anything special... they were truly an awful footballing side and its an insult that they were in the league last season and teams like grimsby weren't.

The state of that quote, from a Mansfield fan of all things.

 

[DarkSithLord]

The state of that quote, from a Mansfield fan of all things.

Another Cheltenham fan. Welcome

 

[WH_Stag]

The state of that quote, from a Mansfield fan of all things.

Yes we had a terrible season but its been coming since we got promoted, the last decade at the club has been terrible because of ownership but things are slowly starting to get back to how they were when we were a side achieving promotion and getting to playoff finals. We were far better than you lot, and thats dealing with bigger changes and a smaller budget, you were an embarrassment to the league the way you played at times, a few of your loan signing were good and thats about it. (and i would know because i went to watch quite a few times as i live in cheltenham) so good bye and have fun being back where you belong

 

[Si Robin]

Oh dear....