New players

[the vicar]

Yes it does he was on loan now he is ours

[Jonathan]

Two? who's the other? or is that including Mason?

Yes, if my memory serves me correctly Mason has been confirmed.

[Alan Southstand]

I'm not suggesting we even attempt to go down the Mansfield route, Jon, far from it. But then, the manager did commit himself somewhat by saying he wanted to get the business done early. The higher you go up the pyramid, that is less likely to happen, purely because you need to secure the 'right' sort of player.

We now seem to be approaching another lull period where nothing much will happen.

I've been thinking about our numbers whilst there's nothing much doing and, I must admit, things don't seem quite right. We have released 5 initially, including 2 midfielders, and have put a further 5 on the transfer list, which includes another midfielder. Out of the presumed 5 we are bringing in, we are reportedly going to be signing 3 midfielders - Mason is the first. The 2nd is likely to be the lad from Sheff U and the 3rd reputed to be a young lad from the Premier League.

So, we'll have McCullough, Mason, Copps, Rowe plus 2 more loanees. Unless I've forgotten someone, We're going to be light on numbers in midfield. Yes, we have Beestin, etc, but they will be part of the Dev squad next season, surely. We need another one in there, hopefully Houghton.

With another CB on board, we will be ok in defence, and with the other possible loaned striker, we'll have cover up top, assuming John signs his extension.

It's obviously going to depend on the movement, or otherwise, of the 5 transfer listed players.

[Fur Calf]

Why all the fuss about getting an e.mail from the club on new players signed?  Who cares so long as we get details of the new players signed.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

It was the club who tried to make a fuss of it.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Free Press saying DF wants to firm up 3 additional signings this week, including a permanent centre half from a prem club, plus midfielder and striker.

[Jonathan]

Free Press saying DF wants to firm up 3 additional signings this week, including a permanent centre half from a prem club, plus midfielder and striker.

It's of a slight concern to me that we seem intent on relying significantly on the loan market. We've released and transfer listed a number of players. Whilst not all of them need directly replacing, it's important to build our own squad.

Whiteman will arrive on loan, and according to the article the other midfielder and striker will also be on loan. They may be good players, but they're positions in our squad that are in need of filling and bringing players in on loan only rolls the issue forward to another transfer window.

[Susan Abbott]

Free Press saying DF wants to firm up 3 additional signings this week, including a permanent centre half from a prem club, plus midfielder and striker.

It's of a slight concern to me that we seem intent on relying significantly on the loan market. We've released and transfer listed a number of players. Whilst not all of them need directly replacing, it's important to build our own squad.

Whiteman will arrive on loan, and according to the article the other midfielder and striker will also be on loan. They may be good players, but they're positions in our squad that are in need of filling and bringing players in on loan only rolls the issue forward to another transfer window.

It seems that this could be a better way financially , to loan better players than commit contracts to players who may not work out , as we need to be more competitive with  strength  in depth in the squad.

[RedJ]

And if they do work out (although unlikely in Whiteman's case I'd have thought) there could be provisions for a permanent deal in place in the loan arrangement for all we know.

[Alan Southstand]

It's worked ok in the case of Mason, and let's hope it could be the same for Houghton (fingers and toes crossed).

[roversdude]

Personally I think loans are a great way of assessing a player - try before you buy if you like
Loan players also are there to impress either their parent club manager and or the team they are playing for manager
Have to make sure they fit in also
Chance that parent club assists with wages too

[drfchound]

Dont all lower league clubs have five or six loan players most of the time.
It seems to have gone that way over the last few seasons.

[steve@dcfd]

To get the level of players to compete in league one will cost money whether permanent or loan. We will still be paying 5 transfer listed players until they leave. So loans are the best way to go intially if the 5 players manage to find other clubs we could use their wages to bring in maybe two or three better players.

[Alan Southstand]

It might be worth mentioning that it worked exceedingly well for Huddersfield last season!

[idler]

And Blackpool to get them into the PL.

[drfchound]

I think it would be difficult for most lower league teams to compete without loan players.

[Jonathan]

I'm not suggesting we do without loan players, I think it's a great way of adding a bit of exceptional quality or covering an injury.

What I wouldn't like (and I appreciate this is a personal preference) is to have the core of the team on loan. That's just my view. I hated the short termism and lack of identity of the infamous 'experiment.'

[drfchound]

I think most fans would have disliked that period johnathan.
However, in recent years we have had quite a few loan players in the team.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Loan players have served us well and gone on to sign permanently over the years. Sure, there's also been some duck eggs but better than signing duck eggs permanently from the off.

Well, I've never known it so quiet on the rumours front. We haven't got a clue have we who these new players might be have we?

[roversdude]

Hopefully business being conducted behind the scenes in the right way and not a case of "well I gave you the pen to look after"