Lee Fowler

[CusworthRovers]

alcoholism, loose cannon, battling his demons, possible psychological issues........are we signing Lee or Arthur. If it's the latter, them allotment holders next to Cantley Park had best lock away their funds.

Come on Fowler, let's do it for Donny

[RedJ]

I can't understand why we haven't gone for a striker either, unless Hume's injury won't affect him long and Ball is gonna get a crack.

[albie]

Really surprised by this signing.

I have seen him several times, for Newport and Forest Green, and have to say he looked a bit short on quality in Conference football.

Still, if he has now put the drink behind him, maybe there is a new player underneath;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/f/forest_green_rovers/9128080.stm

[MachoMadness]

Best not tell him about Silver Street then.

[Northants Nomad]

I can't understand why we haven't gone for a striker either, unless Hume's injury won't affect him long and Ball is gonna get a crack.

Who says we haven't? I never understand why people ask things like "why have we signed a midfielder when a striker is a priority". Surely we sign in the order they become available. Or would people prefer that we say "right then Fowler, yes we need a midfielder and we want you, but you need to wait a couple of weeks because we need to sign a striker before we sign a midfielder"? Now, if it was being communicated that this is the only player we were going to sign, I'd understand the challenge, but as it's only 4th Jan, I can assume we are in the market for more players as and when they become available.

[Akinfenwa]

I'll be disappointed if this Fowler is the only midfielder (you know, our main area of weakness) that we bring in this month. He may turn out to fit in the team brilliantly but based on his past it's a long shot.

[RedJ]

I'll be disappointed if this Fowler is the only midfielder (you know, our main area of weakness) that we bring in this month. He may turn out to fit in the team brilliantly but based on his past it's a long shot.

This is my reasoning, EIW. I'm not saying absolutely hold out for a striker, I just can't understand why we've gone for someone like Fowler, when he may not even be as good as what we already have.

[roversontheup]

Fowler played for Wrexham when Deano was there.  He was a Welsh U21 player too so he may also know him from then.  If Dean thinks he will fit into our team, has the right attitude and will do the job for us then I am comfortable he is a good signing.
Who knows what other player/s are in the pipeline.
I trust Dean. He has been pretty astute so far.

[i_ateallthepies]

Until Saunders signs somebody who turns out to be a total pup you have to trust his judgement.  He's shown up to now a knack for finding players who can do a job for us, and this one he knows probably better than any of them.

[silent majority]

I can't understand why we haven't gone for a striker either, unless Hume's injury won't affect him long and Ball is gonna get a crack.

We were in for a striker, but our 1st choice has opted for elsewhere (I think).

[RedJ]

I can't understand why we haven't gone for a striker either, unless Hume's injury won't affect him long and Ball is gonna get a crack.

We were in for a striker, but our 1st choice has opted for elsewhere (I think).

Well that's encouraging (obviously not that he's gone somewhere else but that we're looking). Was he the one the fans have admired for a while?

[MachoMadness]

Disappointing that we've missed out in that case. I'm sure we have other irons in the fire regardless.

Can we assume this came about fairly quickly because SM posted only the other day that we weren't expecting any signings soon, and then today we sign Fowler. Dunno if it was deliberate misinformation or not, but either way it's reassuring to know work is being done even if it's not known to the public.

[Wellred]

Only the 4th January (4 DAYS INTO THE TRANSFER WINDOW) and half the posters on this thread are on suicide watch already.

[eastender]

I can't understand why we haven't gone for a striker either, unless Hume's injury won't affect him long and Ball is gonna get a crack.

We were in for a striker, but our 1st choice has opted for elsewhere (I think).

That will have Been McGoldrick then. 

[Akinfenwa]

I wonder if this striker opted for one of our promotion rivals instead.

[Filo]

I can't understand why we haven't gone for a striker either, unless Hume's injury won't affect him long and Ball is gonna get a crack.

We were in for a striker, but our 1st choice has opted for elsewhere (I think).

He`ll never get a look in, in front of Suarez, bad choice

[MachoMadness]

Only the 4th January (4 DAYS INTO THE TRANSFER WINDOW) and half the posters on this thread are on suicide watch already.

Hardly. A lot of people sceptical about a signing they've never heard of, as is to be expected, but not a single poster has even posted something remotely negative. In fact, most people seem to be taking the mindset that if Deano's signed him, he must have something about him despite his past.

Whining about whining is one thing, but whining about imaginary whining is something else entirely.

[RoversAlias]

Colour me unimpressed on first viewing. I'm surprised we've paid a fee for someone to give them a 6-month deal. Was there nobody better out there Dean?

Obviously I hope he proves me completely wrong starting on Saturday but we'll have to see.

Sounds like your knife will already be out for him at 3.05pm!
Just remember how long it took Doolan to settle in when Penney signed him. Again, similar situation; people were questioning the reason behind that signing.

Granted we need more of an immediate impact, but don't write a player off on his first appearance.

My knife is not out and believe me, he will get the warmest of receptions from me tomorrow and I'll be looking at him to show flashes of why he was once on the books of a Premier League club. I was just making some initial observations much like many have about him here already.

[Dutch Uncle]

We were in for a striker, but our 1st choice has opted for elsewhere (I think).

That will have Been McGoldrick then. 

Or McClean, McLeod or Pitman? 

[Rios]

Only the 4th January (4 DAYS INTO THE TRANSFER WINDOW) and half the posters on this thread are on suicide watch already.

Stop being such a drama queen.  Since when was asking questions a suicidal tendancy?  Positive or be damned, eh?

[DearneValleyRover]

We were in for a striker, but our 1st choice has opted for elsewhere (I think).

That will have Been McGoldrick then. 

Or McClean, McLeod or Pitman? 

He' s in their DU!

[silent majority]

Disappointing that we've missed out in that case. I'm sure we have other irons in the fire regardless.

Can we assume this came about fairly quickly because SM posted only the other day that we weren't expecting any signings soon, and then today we sign Fowler. Dunno if it was deliberate misinformation or not, but either way it's reassuring to know work is being done even if it's not known to the public.

Yes it was disappointing, another one that Deano has admired for a while, but I'm not naming him until all is confirmed, just to say he went to a Championship club.

However I think you are confusing me with someone else Macho, I never suggested transfers wouldn't be happening quickly, but I did see something similar from the Free Press guy by way of a tweet suggesting nothing would happen this week.

[bobbymax]

I wouldn't mind seeing how much it would cost to bring Jason Scotland here. He's right out of favour at Ipswich who now have seven strikers on their books. Would be perfect for us.

[MachoMadness]

Ah, fair enough SM, was just going off what you said in the Update from the Keepmoat thread but I obviously interpreted that it was coming direct from the club, which was wrong. My apologies in that case, didn't mean anything by it!

[RedArmy]

strange signing to me, but if he bags the winner to take us up he's done a good job.

[ravenrover]

We were in for a striker, but our 1st choice has opted for elsewhere (I think).

That will have Been McGoldrick then. 

Or McClean, McLeod or Pitman? 

He' s in their DU!

BA ..........humbug!

[silent majority]

Ah, fair enough SM, was just going off what you said in the Update from the Keepmoat thread but I obviously interpreted that it was coming direct from the club, which was wrong. My apologies in that case, didn't mean anything by it!

Confusing isn't it!! That was direct from the club on Wednesday of this week!! But in their defence they said a long way off not necessarily in terms of time, if you see what I mean.

[The Red Baron]

Until Saunders signs somebody who turns out to be a total pup you have to trust his judgement.  He's shown up to now a knack for finding players who can do a job for us, and this one he knows probably better than any of them.

Agreed.

[BillyStubbsTears]

He was supposed to be a Future Star 9 years back when he was playing for Huddersfield in our 03/04 Div 4 title-winning season.

If I recall correctly, Liverpool were sniffing round him.

When we played Huddersfield that season, bluebottles were sniffing round him, cos he were f**king shite. I remember being really worried about him before the games, then revelling in Green and Doolan bossing him (albeit that Jon Stead hammered us at their place).

This signing seems to have been a while in the making. There were rumours back in August. So Saunders clearly sees summat in him. And he's made only two sorts of decisions so far: Good ones and cheap wrong gambles. I'd be happy for Fowler to fit into either category.

[southwestexile]

agreed

the team is often better than the sum of its players