Transfer News and Gossip Transfer Rumours Thread 2024/25 - Time to Cook 👨‍🍳

[Linda Loan Shark]

You think if COSU could stretch the budget £100-200k that could make a huge difference if we were able to bring in Tshimanga and Moncur. Could be well worth it in the long run.

Thats what Ron used to do

 

[Shrimperjohn]

Clearly big budget constraints.
Recent history shows to get out of this league you have to spend a few quid. I appreciate the loyal players had to be rewarded well but the fact we cant/won't compete with others looking to do well should be a decent dose of expectation management. I'm all for wise financial running of the club but I fear lack of spending power will ultimately cost us.
I'm sure the whiteboard is being worked....however nothing over the line.

And this is our problem.. hindsight is a wonderful thing but even Ron must have realised that we should have moved heaven and earth to stay in the EFL.. Getting out of this league is just so difficult.. it took Wrexham circa 15 years and only then when their financial situation changed significantly….

 

[palexander]

Club turned down our offer

Wasn’t THAT close then was it? :(

 

[Lincoln Shrimp]

We need to move on. Was told at the weekend that Pedder was asking for too much and we were going to be held to ransom. We want players that want to play for the football club for the right reasons. He’s played 6 senior games and he is 22, had a bad hamstring injury back end of last season and tweaked it again pre season. As good as he looked in a few few pre season games maybe we’ve dodged a bullet here

Agreed Jon. Imagine how frustrated we would all have been if we'd signed him up on a decent wage, only for his hamstring to go on his debut. We'd all be screaming for a replacement to be signed using money we hadn't budgeted for.
Kev's not a fan of injury prone players and our contract offer to Pedder would have reflected the risk involved.

 

[Tampa Blue]

Kabongolo was released last year as he wanted too much money. It makes a pleasant change to be seeing a structured and sustainable approach being taken and also not pushing out the boat on unproven and injury prone players

 

[palexander]

It’s disappointing but definitely pleased if it is COSU/kev being sensible. As others have said, we’re literally in the position we are now because our last chairman spent money he didn’t have.

COSU have stated time and again their number 1 aim isn’t promotion or attractive football etc. first is sustainability and it’s going to mean situations happen like this and it is going to frustrate a lot of people I suspect.

Rather this than COSU get emotional and break their vow this early. I’d start to be a bit concerned about their long term plans!

Move onto the next achievable target.

 

[Callumturner22]

Club turned down our offer

Who was the striker .. as I guess we have moved on now

 

[JD]

Kabongolo was released last year as his dad was an interfering old git that wanted too much money. It makes a pleasant change to be seeing a structured and sustainable approach being taken and also not pushing out the boat on unproven and injury prone players

Corrected that for you

 

[Flinty]

It’s disappointing but definitely pleased if it is COSU/kev being sensible. As others have said, we’re literally in the position we are now because our last chairman spent money he didn’t have.

COSU have stated time and again their number 1 aim isn’t promotion or attractive football etc. first is sustainability and it’s going to mean situations happen like this and it is going to frustrate a lot of people I suspect.

Rather this than COSU get emotional and break their vow this early. I’d start to be a bit concerned about their long term plans!

Move onto the next achievable target.

At least on Saturday we achieved the unattractive football part !!

 

[Firestorm]

Corrected that for you

Any relation to Gary Hooper ?

 

[kentblues]

You think if COSU could stretch the budget £100-200k that could make a huge difference if we were able to bring in Tshimanga and Moncur. Could be well worth it in the long run.

This is the dilemma- on the other side you could spend more, not go up and you are just financially in a worse position - what is the balance? Hence I don’t criticise at all- but sustainable and this division are mutually exclusive..we have to get back in the EFL sooner rather than later.

Three years in this league rather than the EFL costs us over £4m in revenue although our playing budget would also grow. …

Finishing 2nd or 3rd also gives a real advantage in the play offs.

I’m glad I don’t have to make the decision and it’s not my money.

 

[GNH]

It’s disappointing but definitely pleased if it is COSU/kev being sensible. As others have said, we’re literally in the position we are now because our last chairman spent money he didn’t have.

COSU have stated time and again their number 1 aim isn’t promotion or attractive football etc. first is sustainability and it’s going to mean situations happen like this and it is going to frustrate a lot of people I suspect.

Rather this than COSU get emotional and break their vow this early. I’d start to be a bit concerned about their long term plans!

Move onto the next achievable target.

Therein lies the issue to resolve.

We are not going to be sustsainable in the NL, it's not possible.

There needs to be a 4/5 year plan for that in my view with 'accetptable' losses until that stage to allow us to have a real chance of getting out of this **** division.

Even then it's not a certainty so a difficult one to balance but an amount of 'speculate to accumulate' is inevitable.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Therein lies the issue to resolve.

We are not going to be sustsainable in the NL, it's not possible.

There needs to be a 4/5 year plan for that in my view with 'accetptable' losses until that stage to allow us to have a real chance of getting out of this **** division.

Even then it's not a certainty so a difficult one to balance but an amount of 'speculate to accumulate' is inevitable.

Our squad last season was playoff calibre - we barely missed it with a 10 point deduction and being hampered by an embargo.

If we make the playoffs we have a reasonable chance of getting out of this league.

If we’re in the running February/March that’s the time to stretch the budget to loan in a few Tshimanga/Moncur type players on higher wages to help try and get us over the line.

In the meantime if we want a higher budget we need to either

1) develop players to sell
2) have a cup run

 

[Tommy2holes]

It’s disappointing but definitely pleased if it is COSU/kev being sensible. As others have said, we’re literally in the position we are now because our last chairman spent money he didn’t have.

COSU have stated time and again their number 1 aim isn’t promotion or attractive football etc. first is sustainability and it’s going to mean situations happen like this and it is going to frustrate a lot of people I suspect.

Rather this than COSU get emotional and break their vow this early. I’d start to be a bit concerned about their long term plans!

Move onto the next achievable target.

Sustainability comes with increased gate receipts and matchday income.

How long will crowds hold up if your budget is at the bottom end of the table and the football is dire.

Point in case, oldham had big gates last year yet opened up with a crowd of 5500 as many didn't renew or show up.

This is my fear. There will always be hardcore of supporters but its an entertainment sport. If its not entertaining the causal 2k extra won't show and as a result will financially damage the clubs finances.

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

Sustainability comes with increased gate receipts and matchday income.

How long will crowds hold up if your budget is at the bottom end of the table and the football is dire.

Point in case, oldham had big gates last year yet opened up with a crowd of 5500 as many didn't renew or show up.

This is my fear. There will always be hardcore of supporters but its an entertainment sport. If its not entertaining the causal 2k extra won't show and as a result will financially damage the clubs finances.

Where has this narrative come from that our budget is bottom end of the table and the football is dire? Firstly, we have kept hold of Cardwell, Miley, Bridge, Gus and Kensdale. All of which signed new deals and would have all got good salaries, as we would have had to be competitive with other potential suitors.

Also, the football being dire? We've played one match. We entertained several times last season, and that was with a a squad of 13 at times. The football will improve from the first game and I'm sure we have a more than competitive budget. I guarantee we still have a top 7 budget.

 

[Tommy2holes]

Where has this narrative come from that our budget is bottom end of the table and the football is dire? Firstly, we have kept hold of Cardwell, Miley, Bridge, Gus and Kensdale. All of which signed new deals and would have all got good salaries, as we would have had to be competitive with other potential suitors.

Also, the football being dire? We've played one match. We entertained several times last season, and that was with a a squad of 13 at times. The football will improve from the first game and I'm sure we have a more than competitive budget. I guarantee we still have a top 7 budget.

I'm not sure we had a top 7 budget last year and apparently its been trimmed by 20%. That is a huge task for the management to get promotion.

I agree that we may well play better but york gave us a footballing lesson at times and had 66% possession.

We have Hartlepool, daggers, Barnet and Oldham soon. All tricky ties.

The one game which should be an easier fixture is Boston. Play like last Saturday and we will likely lose.

I just don't see the goals in this team right now.

I can see a lot of 1-0 scoreline being desperately held on to.

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

I'm not sure we had a top 7 budget last year and apparently its been trimmed by 20%. That is a huge task for the management to get promotion.

I agree that we may well play better but york gave us a footballing lesson at times and had 66% possession.

We have Hartlepool, daggers, Barnet and Oldham soon. All tricky ties.

The one game which should be an easier fixture is Boston. Play like last Saturday and we will likely lose.

I just don't see the goals in this team right now.

I can see a lot of 1-0 scoreline being desperately held on to.

I highly doubt we had a top 7 playing budget last year because we were only allowed to have a 16 man squad and had an embargo in place. We had players on non-contracts, who have now signed deals on better terms. There is no way our playing budget has reduced that much.

I think there is a difference between trimming the overall budget of the club by 20% (not wasting money in certain areas) than trimming the playing budget by 20%.

I agree that the fixtures are difficult, so let's see where we are at after they have been played. Even if we don't get a great return, it doesn't define our season. We were ten points behind everyone else last season and still nearly made the playoffs. I reiterate, time is needed by all.

 

[stewart]

Im not panicking ,but i have made my predictions well known here ,at best unless we get 2 attacking midfielders and another striker all i can see is a playoff place at best. Hopefully a cup run. If Cosu not happy with this then they will need to up the Anti a little , but the future oF SUFC is what matters most to me , that COSU need to understand at present supporters riding on a wave of optimism but if results and playing style is not attractive then that support will dwindle, Sometimes i look at the squad and think to myself perhaps an old fashioned 4-4-2 style would suit us,
EXMPLE : Colin, Wind, Taylor , Kensdale, Ralph
---------------- GSM Morton Cav Bridge
-------------------Cardwell Waldron.
just an example of a 442 formation we could go with not necassarily those players .Even a 4-2-3-1 formation. we have players for either. yes we still in need of 2 attacking midfielders and a striker minimum ,but if finances dont allow it then play a formation we have the players for . without the attacking midfielders do we really have the players for the formation we are playing..

 

[Snowy]

I also agree with the wage structure and approach Kev and COSU are taking. It would only take one player being over paid to potentially upset our performing players.
We have seen this in the past on more than one occasion.
Trust the process.

 

[Strykr]

Long tough season of dour 1-0's, sneak into the playoffs, then we'll loan 11 prem players for a month