• Nigel Adkins has been given the Tranmere job on a permanent basis signing until the end of the 25/26 season. Continue the discussion here.

Cole Stockton

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I see Cole has gone out on loan to Southport for three months. With the injury record of our other strikers Brabin is clearly not convinced by him and he could be in the last chance saloon now.
 

Ian

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Yes, I think this is probably his route out. Will be interesting to see how he gets on though.
 

Sparky

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I really hope he does well there but for all his attributes, I'm not sure he'll ever get enough goals. He's had chances with us in L1, L2 and national league and never established himself for a lengthy period.

Hopefully he'll fare better than the loan striker we sent them last season (George Donnelly!) and he'll come back with some goals against our rivals and some confidence.
 

Ian

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Yeah, I think confidence is a big part of his game. He needs to find a level where hell be scoring regularly. Not even sure if that is the national league :confused:
 

Boz

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It would be good if he could re-discover some form there, though given Phenix, who they've loaned from Barnsley looked fairly decent Tuesday night, wonder how many opportunities he'll actually get.

Don't really think Blissett is the answer though
 
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Like any striker, even an experienced one, Cole needs games. He was clearly rated by GB at the start of the season, but soon fell out of favour. Yes, I agree, he is probably in the last chance saloon. I am very sorry as for the first time I can remember we have not a single home-grown player in the first-team squad. However, I'm hopeful that two or three of the latest crop of youngsters will make it before long.
 
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Stockton is actually a decent finisher, but suffers from what happens to most strikers in a struggling team - he never gets many chances. I've noticed that even this season: Norwood, Mangan, even Blissett are always having to come deep to get the ball, rather than running on to a through ball and creating a chance. The one occasion we managed it last night resulted in a glorious through ball by Jenno, beautifully converted by Blissett. If we could find a way to create more chances like that (Blissett's run across their back line was perfect) then our forwards (like Stockton) would get more chances and score more goals (and not end up on loan at places like Southport).
 

Boz

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Like any striker, even an experienced one, Cole needs games. He was clearly rated by GB at the start of the season, but soon fell out of favour. Yes, I agree, he is probably in the last chance saloon. I am very sorry as for the first time I can remember we have not a single home-grown player in the first-team squad. However, I'm hopeful that two or three of the latest crop of youngsters will make it before long.
I agree this is disappointing. Brabin doesn't seem to rate our home-grown youngsters. Initially I thought it was down to his philosophy of a side needing players in the 25-30 age bracket with experience at this level to get promoted. However he signed Margetts and regularly plays Ihiekwe another youngster, albeit out of position.

Of those currently on our books, Evan Gumbs and Luke Pilling look most likely to make the grade. Jake Kirby is doing well on loan at Stockport, but difficult to see where he'd fit into the current line-up. Omatola and Ilesamni at youth level are decent prospects, given the chance.
 
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Stockton is actually a decent finisher, but suffers from what happens to most strikers in a struggling team - he never gets many chances. I've noticed that even this season: Norwood, Mangan, even Blissett are always having to come deep to get the ball, rather than running on to a through ball and creating a chance.

We are not actually a struggling team though if you look at the league table (although it might feel that way sometimes).

Mangan and Norwood have not been fully fit but have scored a couple of goals from only four or five games. Even in a team that is not firing on all cylinders, they are still in the right place at the right time when chances do come along.

I think Cole suffers from neither being a conventional target man, nor an eighteen yard box player. He spends a lot of time outside the box, but is not particularly effective with his back to goal and is weak in the air. His goalscoring record is reasonable, but not good enough to dislodge the two players I mentioned above.

I still think he has a confidence / attitude problem and does not impose himself enough in games and I can't really see him making it here long term.
 

Boz

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"Lastly quick mention on Cole Stockton. This lad is a player. Holds it up, can get in behind, and actually looks like a striker. Fantastic finish for his goal under pressure."

One Southport view of Cole from their forum, all seemed positive. I see Mike Phenix got sent off for them yesterday, hope this doesn't mean Stockton will be deployed as a lone striker.
 

Sparky

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A couple more goals for Cole tonight.

You'd think we'd be willing to let him go permanently now if we can find a buyer.
 
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Watched by an attendance of 827, actually one of the bigger crowds in the ludicrous Checkatrade Trophy this week. Hartlepool got 300 tonight, Grimsby 500 last night. Great to see that the fan boycott is working and the competition surely won't survive into a second season in its current format.

Regarding Cole, I think he has nine goals now this season. At the Q&A Mellon said we were monitoring his progress and did not rule out bringing him back in January. However, I just can't see it happening for him at Rovers and I think it is in his best interests to move on.
 

Boz

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Cole's best time at Rovers was under Rob Edwards, a manager who believed in him. I saw the interview he did for Morecambe at the start of this loan spell, where it was implicit that he was glad to be getting away from PP. He's certainly behind Cook, Norwood and Mangan in any strikers pecking order and realistically in his best interest to move on.

I doubt Morecambe could afford a fee for him though, so if someone else puts in a bid, presumably we'd sell. Though it would suit him better to stay with the Shrimps.
 

Ian

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I'm glad it seems to be working out for him and he's scoring goals as he's wasted quite a few years of his career at Rovers.
 
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Basically, he'll wind down his contract on loan to Morecambe, then sign for them on a free in June .
 
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Radio Lancashire have announced that Cole is coming back to us next month when his loan spell at Morecambe ends.

Personally, I lost patience with Cole months ago and thought he was definitely on his way out of the club. However, with Cook out and a new manager in charge, could he finally start to realise some of his early promise at PP ? Watching the interview he gave in the summer when he went to Morecambe it sounded like he had no intention of playing for us again, so it will be interesting to see how this pans out. He seems to have had a reasonable time with the Shrimps and if he is motivated he would give us a more physical option up front.
 
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