Iwan Roberts

[mikefleet]

Sorry if this has already been done, but he may be on his way to Stonebridge Road before Wednesday's transfer window shuts.

Liam spoke to him after he left Gillingham last week about coming here. great signing if we get him. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

[Jimmy]

I reckon he'll be really pleased you chose to broadcast that information on here.

 

Well done.

[Bloodnock]

I take it that Daish is going the extra mile to get us the Striker we need as deadline day approaches, as I have stated a number of times before, we really should have been prepared to put our hands in our pockets to get as good a quality striker as we could,I accept that this is not easy as so many players have an inflated sense of their worth, and their clubs don't help, I just hope if Daish is succesfull at so late a stage, it doesn't prove to be a make do signing if you see what I mean.

[Slartibartfast]

The club did announce a whip round for a new player on Saturday (a bit late for the transfer window but what the hell)

 

When I trotted along to the FT hut to join the massive queue of happy fans waiting to hand their money over I assumed we were going to sign Michael Owen (cue howls of derision 'not another shortarse', 'we need someone over 6ft 3in' etc etc) but now that the wee fella has signed for Newcastle I would sooner we move heaven and earth to sign Luke McShane than spend a fortune on some ageing never quite was been.

[Richard C]

Agree. I think im the only one at the moment that thinks the 3 we have up front ( 4 inc Moore ) are the best strikeforce we have had in the Conference?!

 

McShane matches the best of Pullen and Wilko and combines them into one great keeper. We simply must retain him!

[FleetFanatic]

I agree. Iwan Roberts isn't what we need, at the age of 37.

[John Pearce]

Iwan Roberts, at 37, may not be everyone's first choice.

 

In my view he could well be a welcome addition to the squad and a very welcome addition to a strike force that looks both light-weight and vulnerable to injury (remember both Omoyinmi and Macdonald are somewhat injury prone).

 

He has scored in excess of 230 goals and made over 800 appearances in the Football League. His experience could well be very useful, particularly to some of the younger players in the squad.

 

That said, it does have the feel of a 'last-minute' panic signing?

 

What about signing Roberts and extending the loan of Luke McShane until the end of the season?

[mikefleet]

Iwan would be a good signing, i saw him last year at Gillingham and defenders in that league couldnt handle him so think what defenders 3 leagues lower would do. He knows how and when to win freekicks and he is the missing giant up front for The Fleet.

[Slartibartfast]

Didn't Norwich let Roberts go after he was out injured for almost a whole season two or three years ago?

 

Obviously it is impossible to predict which players will get injured but I would have thought that a 37 year old is likely to get injured more often and have a longer recovery time than either Manny or Charlie.

 

If he was prepared to sign on a pay as you play deal he might be worthwhile as long as his pay didn't cause problems with the rest of the squad.

[mikefleet]

norwich let him go because he wasnt good for the premiership

[FleetFanatic]

Then again, neither were Norwich.

[Robbo]

What's wrong with having players on your books in the last years of their careers? Look what Teddy sherringham's doing for West Ham this season, look what the likes of Bob Taylor, Mark Stein etc. have done for other conference clubs in past years.

[John Pearce]

Quote:

Robbo said:
What's wrong with having players on your books in the last years of their careers? Look what Teddy sherringham's doing for West Ham this season, look what the likes of Bob Taylor, Mark Stein etc. have done for other conference clubs in past years.

Very good point, well made!

[Jimmy]

On the other side of the coin I give you Steve Davis, Neil Redfearn and John Durnin.

[David Holden]

Wasn't Neil Redfearn Scarboro's leading goalscorer last season?

[Jimmy]

Don't know, or really care but he spent most of it injured or just standing on halfway moaning at the ref/eating.

 

Signing really old players has always concerned me and will continue to do so.

 

Garry Abbott anyone?

[FleetFanatic]

Quote:

Robbo said:
What's wrong with having players on your books in the last years of their careers? Look what Teddy sherringham's doing for West Ham this season, look what the likes of Bob Taylor, Mark Stein etc. have done for other conference clubs in past years.

Iwan Roberts isn't Teddy Sheringham or Mark Stein though.
Bizarre, that in the past when I've said we should sign some older players with league experience I've been shot down for wanting to sign 'has-beens', yet now I have the opposite view on this one I'm wrong again? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

On the subject of West Ham.....

French striker Youssef Sofiane has had his West Ham contract terminated by mutual consent, the club has announced. The 21-year-old joined from Auxerre during the summer of 2002 but struggled to make an impact on the first team, only playing twice for the Hammers.In his time at West Ham, he had loans at Lille, Notts County and Roda JC. Despite playing in pre-season matches, he was not given a squad number this season and is now free to find a new club before the transfer window shuts.

Youth gets promotion - look at Barnet.

[Robbo]

Yes but it's harder to find quality youth players than it is plucking an ex-league player down for a few years before he starts claiming his pension.

[Slartibartfast]

Quote:

Robbo said:
Yes but it's harder to find quality youth players than it is plucking an ex-league player down for a few years before he starts claiming his pension.

It is much harder for us because we have never heard of the youth players whereas we have all heard of the ex league players but the club employs people whose job it is to unearth the talent.

If you can find a quality youth player you have someone who
A) Is keen to play and make a name for himself
Works cheap
C) Should be better next season than this
D) Is an asset which may be sold profitably by the club

If you sign an a 37 year old you have someone who
A) Is looking at retirement
Is used to earning bigger wages and expects more
C) Will be worse next season than this
D) If injured is an expensive liability that cannot be unloaded by the club.

Every side needs a mixture of youth and experience but with McCarthy, Bowry and Jacko in the side I don't see that we have a big problem in that area.

[jc]

Quote:

mikefleet said:
norwich let him go because he wasnt good for the premiership

Additionally, Cambridge had the opportunity to sign him on a longer-term basis after his loan spell there last season, but opted not to do so.

P.S. Well done to Slarti for another fine post.