Transfer News, Gossip & Speculation Transfer Rumours Thread 2024/2025.

[Jack_23]

i really don’t know how to feel about this one. Don’t wanna judge until we see him back in a blue shirt . But as recruitment goes it’s pretty underwhelming

 

[NZamba Legend]

Is the whiteboard just full of ex Shrimpers?

Not sure how I feel about this one. I suppose it’s a body through the door.

We haven’t had an ex shrimper for a while now have we?

 

[henry18]

What do people honestly think we can attract at the moment ? It’s mid season clubs are not going to let there top players go for a nominal fee (we know we won’t pay a lot) personally I would prefer Tom Hopper here than someone that’s scored 25 goals 3 levels below

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Without wishing to sound like I'm just moaning for the sake of moaning at the moment, this would be incredibly underwhelming. Have we learnt nothing about going back? It so rarely works out. Great for us first time but that was about 6 years ago! and I dont think he's been anything close to the same player since that injury. This slaps of desperation tbh.

Hopper relies heavily on chances being created for him as well so this will do absolutely nothing to address that issue. This will be another forward like Bonne if we dont get some creativity onboard.

 

[Colchester and proud!]

"Hopper has in total made 81 league and cup appearances for Colchester, scoring seven times"

Just what we don't need.

He has never been a big goalscorer, it is the chances he creates for others. Yes he hasn’t played many games this season due to other strikers (Tovide and Taylor) being better strikers. But he is not injury prone, playing 41 games last season and 39 the one before.

 

[Callumturner22]

He was great first time around for sure and was gutted when he left .. but if this is what our new recruitment set up could be I’m disappointed . surely there must be a younger striker from the league below would be worth taking a gamble on. Either way it an extra body through the door give him until end of season .

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

Remember how overjoyed most of us were with the signings of Bonne and Moncur. Normally the ones not expected to do much are the best signings for us. We desperately need some physical presence up top.

 

[Mad Cyril]

Phil Brown got heavily criticised for making these types of signings…

No he didn't.

He got criticised when they didn't work out for whatever reason. Several of our process scouted lower league gems have hardly set the world alight.

 

[leeblue]

We need exactly the kind of forward Hopper is, walker and kendall would benefit greatly from a decent hold up man. As would the rest of the team.

 

[Clarky176]

Hopper will replace the attributes of Cardwell much more than a younger up and coming striker. We need someone our quicker strikers like Walker and Kendall can play off. Years ago now but Hopper was excellent for us, we wouldn’t have been sucked into the relegation scrap with him still fit that’s for sure.

You don’t lose that class of touch, you tend to lose speed and pace, which he never had much of anyway so I don’t think it’s a big deal. If this is what we can do as a stop gap to something more permanent and long term in the summer, I’m all for it.

 

[Uncle_Rons_Teapot]

 

[Shrimperjohn]

Yes I was just going to come on here and say the same thing, he is probably one of the players who was told by Danny he wouldn’t be getting a new contract. He is such a hard worker who I know the Cowley’s rate highly, but sadly he doesn't score enough goals. I could see him being a player who wins the headers to enable players like Bonne to bang in the knockdowns.

Oh Lordy we are doomed !

 

[Colchester and proud!]

Remember how overjoyed most of us were with the signings of Bonne and Moncur. Normally the ones not expected to do much are the best signings for us. We desperately need some physical presence up top.

He will give you that physical presence because that is his best quality, your more lightweight players will thrive with him giving them the time and space to do their thing.

 

[londonblue]

If Bonne doesn’t find his shooting boots, I can’t see him getting another contract with us

I think you're probably right. I quite like Bonne and do feel quite frustrated on his behalf. His all-round play (to a layman like me at least) seems to be pretty good. He's very good at pulling defenders out of position, wins more than his fair share of headers and puts in a good ball from wide when he's able. But there's no denying it just doesn't seem to be happening for him in front of goal.

The one thing I would also say is that his movement is pretty good too. On Saturday I lost count of the number of times he was on the shoulder of the last man showing the midfield where he wanted the ball played, but they're either not confident or don't have the ability to play the pass he's asking for. I suspect it's more a confidence thing. I suppose it's also possible that they simply can't visualise what he's trying to do.

 

[Cricko]

He has never been a big goalscorer, it is the chances he creates for others. Yes he hasn’t played many games this season due to other strikers (Tovide and Taylor) being better strikers. But he is not injury prone, playing 41 games last season and 39 the one before.

I didn't say he was injury prone, This type of signing stinks of desperation when all we hear is we want hungry players, long term prospects that fit Kevs and the clubs ongoing culture etc etc for the future not old cast off's that cannot even get a place in your team.

It seems just like another stop gap in the whole process. We were told come January the White board had lots of prospects for us , now that seems to have been shoved down the toilet and it's lets get through to the Summer now and see how that pans out.

No disrespect to you.

 

[sufc4life21]

What do people honestly think we can attract at the moment ? It’s mid season clubs are not going to let there top players go for a nominal fee (we know we won’t pay a lot) personally I would prefer Tom Hopper here than someone that’s scored 25 goals 3 levels below

I agree it's difficult in January to sign the required level of players we would like. I'd rather go down the loan route and try go get young striker who wants game time to learn his trade as such. Not a striker who got history of injuries and hasn't exactly been prolific these last few years.

 

[Shrimper]

IF this is the best our scouting can do then it's worrying

 

[danbowen]

But only a few days ago you were saying we should just sign someone, you didn’t care who, just sign someone….

The sign anyone comment was a joke but even you have to admit getting moves over the line is frustrating and this is a very poor choice.

 

[shrimperjon]

This wouldn’t be a “process” signing obviously. It’s an emergency signing designed to bring some stability and experience on the pitch. Hopper will be there to help those around him

We have Bonne for this and Walker is hardly short of experience

 

[Jack_23]

Still think Walker can be that player that can score goals for us. Just needs that service from the players around him