• 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.

The Squad for 2018/19

Ian

Super White!
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Aldo
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Kingy
I think my beer money is safe !
 

Cowshed Kid

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5 Dec 2015
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882
Player
Bobby Hutchinson
There's something to be said for continuity, keeping a winning team together etc. We've done ok up to now.
But for me give Mullin a start at Cobblers.
If we'd brought Danny Rowe in at the last minute then yes, he would have to have played from the outset, big name signing and all that.
But Stockton? Yes, he's a former player returning pretty quickly but did he warrant getting a shirt from first game?
For me, no. If you want to come back to the fold then you have to prove yourself (again).
And it's unfair on Mullin to say he'd not pulled up any trees pre-season because all the players say pre-season form counts for nothing!
Can't help but remember all the poor games Stockton had, keeping Cookie out until Aldershot away shot him to stardom.
At Wembley against FGR, when we really needed him, he was lacking.
There's definitely a fans divide with him.
 

drwhoman

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30 Jun 2008
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2,658
I think the confidence thing is wearing a bit thin with Stockton. Admittedly some might be sub appearances but he has only scored 14 goals in 100 appearances for the club and 12 in 68 elsewhere including non-league loans. He is now 24. I hope he proves me wrong but his goal scoring record is simply not good enough although MM was prepared (forced?) to go back to him when other striking options did not materialise. BTW, Cook scored in the Carabao Cup the other night although Macc won on pens after they had equalised in injury time.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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John King
Can't help but remember all the poor games Stockton had, keeping Cookie out until Aldershot away shot him to stardom.
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I think that is very unfair on Stockton. He was good for three or four months at the end of the 2016-17 season, starting with his hat-trick against Barrow, and the Aldershot performance was the culmination of that good run of form.
 
Joined
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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John King
Admittedly some might be sub appearances but he has only scored 14 goals in 100 appearances for the club and 12 in 68 elsewhere including non-league loans.
Those statistics are perfectly respectable for a number two striker, whose job it is to assist a regular goalscorer. Jim Steel's would not have been much better and nor are Mullin's.

I would like to see Mullin given a run in the team but there are perfectly logical reasons for starting with Stockton. He complements Norwood better than Mullin because he comes deep for the ball rather than running in behind, and Mellon is choosing him because he offers something to our pattern of play, not because of sentiment.

I find the Stockton-bashing by a lot of our supporters pretty tiresome to be honest. Stockton is here for at least twelve months, so why not just back him ? We don't have a prolific goalscorer to partner Norwood, so whoever plays alongside him is basically going to be a workhorse and will attract criticism from certain supporters.
 

drwhoman

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30 Jun 2008
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As someone who grew up in the Manning/Dyson era I have a hankering for goalscoring duos, or trios if you include Charlie McDonnell. However, your comments are entirely fair RLC, particuarly as you are someone who goes to every game and has a better sense of the current team than me. I very much appreciate your match reports. This said, I think you would agree that we cannot rely completely on Norwood. Maybe others will start scoring soon including Cole. I hope so. I take your point that we have Cole for the season so let us just see how he goes.
 
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24 Jul 2017
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aldo
cole stockton needs the fans to lay off . needs a arm around his shoulder from the manager . and to get a goal or two . do think he needs to work a little harder could take note of what noors does never stops running bullies the defenders and is scoring goals . think mullin will be getting starts soon
 

Ian

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Aldo
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Kingy
He might make a good impact sub.
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
The window closes today for loans and non-contract players and I am assuming there will be no more surprises in or out. If so, I am pretty pleased in the end with Micky's business over the summer. He has done a good job with limited resources. I think we have a strong squad with some depth. We survived a period with five defenders injured, which was some achievement. Most of the players we lost have been replaced. We are proving even more difficult to score against than last season. With Cook, I would have been confident of reaching at least the play-offs, but it is rare for us to have two prolific scorers. At least we had two seasons of Cook/Norwood. I seem to remember Dyson/Manning and Clarke/Clayton only lasted one season before they moved on. As it is, if the likes of Stockton, Mullin, Jennings and even Ammadou can chip in with a few, then we might still have a memorable season.
 

drwhoman

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30 Jun 2008
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I agree with your last sentiment BBTC. Your comments inspired me to do a quick fact check on Manning and Dyson. Both signed in 62 and left in 66 although Manning had another short spell in 1972. Barry scored 106 goals in 183 games while John netted 77 in 147 games. Both had successful overall careers. Manning scored 141 goals in 367 games for 7 clubs. Very interesting history.
 

Boz

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30 Sep 2005
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Iain Hume
I can see one or two going out; Waring if anyone wants him, possibly Tollitt on loan, but would be surprised at anyone coming in. Just have to hope no irresistible bids for Norwood. The area where we are weakest in numbers is central midfield, where McCulloch and Gilmour are only with us until January.
Meanwhile scoring triallist Soukana doesn't appear to have got fixed upwith a club yet.
 
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24 Jul 2017
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aldo
Ben needs to go out and get some game time and confidence. He badly needs it you just don't know what's happening . Think if someone does come in it will be a short contract till January like cole last season did
 
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ian goodison
comment from the other forum from 22nd aug suggests Mcculloch could sign a contract to stay in jan really hope it happens
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
Ben needs to go out and get some game time and confidence. He badly needs it you just don't know what's happening . Think if someone does come in it will be a short contract till January like cole last season did
I think we might need him before January. I'd like to see him away for a month at a time to see how it goes. That means VNL, but that's OK.
 
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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John King
comment from the other forum from 22nd aug suggests Mcculloch could sign a contract to stay in jan really hope it happens
Great news if true, as he looks a quality player. Hopefully there is a possibility of getting Smith permanently as well.

Regarding Tollitt, I would rather he stayed here and continued his recovery. We don't have huge numbers in the squad and he has already made an impact as a substitute a couple of times this season.
 

Sparky

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8 Sep 2009
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Chris Greenacre
Massive move for Doidge going to the championship. Will be interesting how he does.
 
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