The Squad 2022-23

[Sparky]

Signing about to be announced

That snippet on Twitter of him signing the camera seems to start with a B ?!?

 

[Charlton1975]

Ethan Bristow

 

[Boz]

Left-back. Doesn’t seem to have much first team experience, Macdonald replacement or one for the future?

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Left-back. Doesn’t seem to have much first team experience, Macdonald replacement or one for the future?

Unlike Hockinghull he has league experience, having played a few games last season in the Championship. He sounds a real prospect. James Vaughan is working hard to find these youngsters. He sounds less of a gamble and I expect him to start most games next season. He hasn’t come to sit on the bench.

 

[Sparky]

At six foot two he’s a tall left back. Wonder if he can play CB too. As Boz suggests maybe McDonald has said his goodbyes

 

[Charlton1975]

Another 2 year contract for a young prospect. This is a fantastic and refreshing change to previous recruitment of over 30's.

You would think that this does mean that McDonald wont be staying on, unless either will be adopted in a different role next season.

 

[bigmart]

We will need somebody else who can play left back whether it Macdonald or sumbody else

 

[Sparky]

“Turning down offers from a top Premier League club and Championship side, Ethan preferred the opportunity to develop his career at TRFC”

If this is true then he may well be expecting to be getting first team football although as Micky always says “they are all here to play first team football”

 

[Ian]

Fair play to the lad. He obviously wants to play.

 

[bigmart]

“Turning down offers from a top Premier League club and Championship side, Ethan preferred the opportunity to develop his career at TRFC”

If this is true then he may well be expecting to be getting first team football although as Micky always says “they are all here to play first team football”

I think it may depend if MacDonald stays or not.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

As time goes on, you might think Macdonald will be leaving, although he still hasn’t signed for another club.

I am wondering if Micky’s new Plan A might be based on three at the back with two wing backs. That would facilitate a more attacking, pressing approach, leading to more goals. We now have the big, young, fast centre-backs for this. Bristow could play at the back and Macdonald or another at left wing back.

 

[Ian]

Why do we think MacDonald is leaving?

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Why do we think MacDonald is leaving?

Yet to sign a contract and he has other offers.

Bristow is apparently very talented, so he may have been brought in as first choice left back.

 

[ALDO MUSSY]

hi all been a long day, wow we are going from the oldest squad of players to one of the youngest all very promising can,t wait to see the lads play

 

[bigmart]

Why do we think MacDonald is leaving?

He wants to play league 1, whether he does ornot should find out fairly soon I would think as can't be far off a return to training

 

[bigmart]

Neil Maher wo were linked with on some transfer sites has left Halifax to jon Grimsby, maybe we will sign the other Halifax defender we've been linked with.

 

[bigmart]

Tom Bradbury the other centre half from Halifax we were linked with is going to Cheltenham

 

[O4anotherplayoff]

Liam Rosenior is to be appointed Blackpool manager so that strange rumour can be put to bed

A late twist


Wonder if budget was part of why Critchley left too.

I can’t believe Micky’s in the frame, though, or ever has been.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

It seems that Michael Appleton has been interviewed and is the other main contender.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I was thinking about how last summer's recruitment was going compared with this year's at the same stage. Looking back, it's little wonder we failed to make the play-offs.

Micky only rejoined at the end of May. At that time, we had only four players under contract and had not made any new signings. In contrast by the end of May 2022, we had nine players from 2021/22 (including two extended contracts) plus Hockinghull.

Looking at the whole of the 2021 transfer window, we signed 16 additional "first-team" players, who arrived in dribs and drabs over the summer. Many missed the start of pre-season, while a few arrived after the season had started. Of those sixteen, only half went on to start more than 10 league games. In retrospect, that squad was going nowhere and arguably Micky did a great job by getting his players to compete for so long. Arguably, they overachieved.

Fast forward to mid-June 2022 and we are now up to 13 players. I expect the ten we already know (including Lewis) and the three new young players to all be competing for places in the matchday squads. Already, it looks a better squad than last season. In the next few weeks, we are likely to see a few more senior players sign up, together with a handful of loanees, who tend to join us much later.

I hope I won't be eating my words long before next May, but I expect us to start the season strongly and I think we will be in with a real chance of promotion.