Comings and goings

[Sparky]

A busy day at Prenton Park today!

Jennings - signs for a minimum of 6 months. Despite a couple of recent gaffs he has done well so pleased with that.

Rory Donnolly - on loan until the end of the season from Swansea. Sounds a good prospect and good to have a potential goal scorer in the side

Madjo / Woodards - both released. Didnt see enough of Majdo to form a view but I really liked Woodards. Unfortunately for him he is injured too often so we move on

Transfer listed:

Baggie - a shame given his early season form but Micky clearly doesnt fancy him
Rowe - not a total surprise. Has done well in patches but too lightweight for me
Richards - another player who did well at times under RE but not a favourite of Micky
Donnelly - useless. Clearly out of his depth
Boland - not seen enough of him.

Hopefully this will all mean a smaller squad but one with more quality.

 

[Ian]

Yeah, at last some news! Great to see Jennings signing on and will complete the rest of the season and hopefully more as long as we don't drop. He's just what we need in that defensive midfielder role.

Swansea lad sounds like he can score goals and can't be any worse than what we have in reserve.
Madjo didn't look all that great and like you say Woodards is too injury prone.

No big surprises from those transfer listed:

Baggie - too small and lightweight at this level, also too inconsistent.
Rowe - agree, too lightweight.
Richards - not a big fan. OK at times but clearly not good enough if the club are looking to move forward
Donnelly - useless. Clearly out of his depth (agreed!)
Boland - not seen enough of him. (agreed!)

 

[GroundsmansFork]

Reading what Micky Adams says he is giving them a slim chance still. Basically, if you want to stay - prove it to me then. Hard to see any of them doing it but you never know.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Nothing much to add to the comments above really. I think we saw all of these moves coming some time ago.

I do feel sympathy with Woodards who is a quality player whose career seems to effectively be over due to persistent injuries. Both Baggie and Rowe have ability, but if you struggle with the defensive side of the game at this level you will often be overlooked.

 

[Boz]

The departures and transfer listed players have all been flagged up for some time and there aren't any major surprises. Whether they're all wise only time will tell. I do feel we need to get a Baggie replacement in, someone with width and pace. It's a shame about Woodards, who looked a decent central defender, when fit. Suppose we're stuck with Holness until the end of this season at least now.

Glad that Jennings has signed on for the rest of the season. Rory Donnelly, looks a bit scrawny on the photo, given how Micky bangs on about the need for physically big lads. Hope he can do the business, but have some reservations. He can't be worse than his namesake.

 

[bigmart]

Very good news that Jennings is staying, Donnelly im unsure of as know little about him.

As for the 5 listed I think we will struggle to get many of them off the books in this window as none of them have done anything at all really, Madjo was a waste of time and Woodards looked useful briefly but rarely fit so had to go.

 

[Colin K]

Rory Donnelly, looks a bit scrawny on the photo, given how Micky bangs on about the need for physically big lads. Hope he can do the business, but have some reservations. He can't be worse than his namesake.

I remember thinking the same about Jake Cassidy, but he surprised me with his strength and aerial ability and bagged the goals that we much needed. Hopefully the new lad will also be stronger than what he looks, and it isn't just a case that we signed him because he is on the books of a Premier League club! That said, it is a little strange that although he signed for Coventry on loan last season he did not feature and returned 1 month into the 5 month loan due to "non footballing reasons", and although he ruled himself out of contention to play for N Ireland U21, he later went and made an appearance for them... Lets hope he is not a diva!

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Rory is a bit of a gamble. He was prolific in the Irish League but hasn't even started a league game in England. As well as the problems at Coventry, he's been injured recently, so he should be really keen to make up for lost time. I suppose if he has personal problems, is injury prone or just can't score, Micky could send him back and we'd look to loan someone else. It says a lot that he's the best Micky can get. At any level, good strikers are like gold dust. That explains why some clubs have been so keen to sign Ched Evans.

 

[Boz]

Donacien has been recalled by Villa. Bit puzzled as I thought we'd agreed a loan extension. Micky still hoping to get him back. He does have the pace and crossing ability to fill the wing-back role well, a bit nervy sometimes, but would be quite happy if he returned.

MA said post-match that two players lined up for Monday. One is being reported as Billy Paynter, striker currently at Carlisle. While he's done ok in his time, notably at Doncaster, hasn't been firing this season. A wide player and defensive cover seem priorities now.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Sorry to hear about Donacien, who'd be in my team any day. Hope he returns. Agree re priorities but we also need cover for Jennings. If we get Paynter, he should add experience and a bit of quality. Hope Holness injury is not serious but I'd be happy to see Gumbs given another chance.

 

[Boz]

Sorry to hear about Donacien, who'd be in my team any day. Hope he returns. Agree re priorities but we also need cover for Jennings. If we get Paynter, he should add experience and a bit of quality. Hope Holness injury is not serious but I'd be happy to see Gumbs given another chance.

I've no problem Gumbs getting a chance, but with Holness injured (and it was bad enough to need a stretcher rather than walk off unaided), Donacien gone and Thompson due to go in a fortnight, even including Evan that only leaves us with four defenders by the end of January.

Agree about needing back-up for Jennings. Ben Jago was on the bench yesterday, but I think he's more of an attacking midfielder. Rob Edwards rated Mitchell Duggan enough to give him some game-time, pre-season, but he's not got anywhere near the first team since.

 

[Ian]

I'm not sure it's a good idea to be looking towards too many youthful players at this stage of the season. We really need some experienced heads out there. Should be interesting to see who Micky had lined up.

 

[Higgy]

Agree - experience essential, although nice to have Gumbs coming through and he has demonstrated he can cope in an emergency. Good signing strategy will hopefully prevent such emergencies so long as we don't get too jinxed with injuries. This on ground for defenders at the moment so hopefully some moves in the pipeline. What is the news of Hill?

 

[Boz]

It seems nobody signed today.
Experience is only of use if the players are fit enough and up for it. Madjo being an example of a signing who failed on both counts.
Hill not expected back until March.

 

[frenchrover]

Rob Taylor,29 year old left-sided midfielder, previously at Port Vale (under Micky) and laterly at Mansfield, joins SWA on a 6 month contract today with a performance related option of a further year. Hard one to call this, he has scored from midfield fairly regularly but has had his fair share of injuries and more importantly why are Mansfield, in the mire like us, allowing him to go. Strange signing on the face of it but in Micky we trust.

 

[frenchrover]

More on the Taylor move:

Winger sold to Tranmere for undisclosed fee.

Winger Rob Taylor has this morning agreed a move to Sky Bet League Two rivals Tranmere Rovers for an undisclosed fee.

The 29-year-old, who made 21 appearances since joining us from Port Vale last summer on a free transfer, expressed a desire to leave the club and has been granted a move.

Manager Adam Murray said: “Rob came to us last week and expressed a desire to move on to another football club. There were certain circumstances which played a factor in that; one was regarding the travelling time it was taking Rob to get into the club.

"He wanted to be closer to home and his wife has just gone on maternity leave. Tranmere have offered him next year [in the length of contract signed] and a better financial package.

"Once I knew that Rob's 'head had been turned' and he had his eyes on somewhere else, it was a decision we had to come to with Tranmere."

He added: "When a player isn't 100% focussed on our football club, we won't get 110% committment out there on the grass and this transfer was best for all parties."
Speaking at this morning’s news conference, Murray revealed that he has a replacement for Taylor lined up already and expects the transfer to be completed shortly.

 

[Sparky]

Nice to see us actually pay money for a player rather than a freebie although I doubt it was much. A signing that probably makes sense. He is versatile, Micky knows him well, and he has good experience at this level and should be at his peak at 29. Plus plenty of games this season so should be match fit.

Ridehalgh has plenty of injury problems and with Hill out this makes sense as we wont have to play Holmes at LB which is good given Donacien has gone back.

 

[Tartantranmere64]

And another one joins...
http://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/news/article/lee-molyneux-joins-tranmere-2201146.aspx

Revolving doors at Prenton park must be spinning! Happy the two new lads are 'ours' rather than loanees, though this lad's been round a few clubs!

Oh oh.. and this from Wiki:
"In January 2011, Molyneux was sentenced to three years imprisonment for a violent assault committed while binge drinking; he served 17 months."

 

[Sparky]

Well Micky said he wanted more of a physical presence!! On a serious note its good to see another player with a fair bit of experience and versatility. Plus he has done well previously with accrington.

You wonder if him and Taylor have been brought in with some chances of our listed players leaving. Maybe edwards with take Baggie or Richards to Cheltenham. Rowe linked with Chester. Credit to palios too for putting his hands in his pockets

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Taylor seems to have been highly rated by the Mansfield fans and looks a good signing. As well as another left foot, he gives us the natural width that the squad is completely lacking.

I am less enamoured by the Molyneux signing due to his extra-curricular activities, but there we are. He does at least have a decent reputation as a footballer.