Alfie May

[Sammy Chung was King]

He’s out injured for the whole of pre season. Some of the Cheltenham fans are of the opinion it’s to calm down interest in him. Sounds like they have the same problem as us , players getting injured pre season.
Scott Twine gone for four million, is he worth that?. Cheltenham fans saying five hundred grand is the asking price for Alfie.

 The club deny it but one fan says it’s common knowledge and comes from a source high up, that the club need the money, and that’s the amount required. Would have been nice to have a sell on fee.

[tyke1962]

He’s out injured for the whole of pre season. Some of the Cheltenham fans are of the opinion it’s to calm down interest in him. Sounds like they have the same problem as us , players getting injured pre season.
Scott Twine gone for four million, is he worth that?. Cheltenham fans saying five hundred grand is the asking price for Alfie.

 The club deny it but one fan says it’s common knowledge and comes from a source high up, that the club need the money, and that’s the amount required. Would have been nice to have a sell on fee.

According to our local rag The Barnsley Chronicle we are trying to bring him to Oakwell to link up once again with our new HC Michael Duff .

Problem is we haven't a pot to pyss in until we get some more of the big earners off the books and some fees collected .

I'd love to see us land Alfie who would be a cracking signing for us on the back of his goalscoring exploits last season at this level .

Fingers crossed .

[GazLaz]

He’d be a poor signing for Barnsley I know that.

[tyke1962]

He’d be a poor signing for Barnsley I know that.

Why's that then Gaz ? , genuine question .

[GazLaz]

He’d be a poor signing for Barnsley I know that.

Why's that then Gaz ? , genuine question .

He’s just not that good. He played in a team that created lots of very good chances for all their strikers last season and scored at an unsustainable rate. Certainly over performed.

[since-1969]

He’d be a poor signing for Barnsley I know that.

Yes he’d have to score all the effin goals this Season!!

[tyke1962]

He’d be a poor signing for Barnsley I know that.

Why's that then Gaz ? , genuine question .

He’s just not that good. He played in a team that created lots of very good chances for all their strikers last season and scored at an unsustainable rate. Certainly over performed.

Linking up again with a HC who clearly improved the lad and got absolutely everything out of him seems to offer a different view .

As bad as we were last season in the championship we've still got a better quality squad than Cheltenham and will probably have when the season kicks off .

That's not myself giving it the big un that's just the economics of football if you compare Cheltenham to ourselves at this level .

I take it as read nothing is guaranteed either by any means but historically we tend to be far more successful at this level than Cheltenham .

Which wasn't lost on Michael Duff either .

I personally see May as a player who would probably struggle in the championship every week but excel in league one at a club looking to win far more games than they lose .

[roversdude]

Alfie had definitely worked hard and improved his game too, also added free kicks to his skills. Sure he married a local (to Doncaster) lass so there would be the appeal of being closer to her family. Although The Cotswold’s is a lovely part of the country it’s not Yorkshire lol

[Goole Rover]

He’d be a poor signing for Barnsley I know that.

Why's that then Gaz ? , genuine question .

He’s just not that good. He played in a team that created lots of very good chances for all their strikers last season and scored at an unsustainable rate. Certainly over performed.

You make him sound like Marquis when he was with us. I hope Alfie does well whoever he’s with.

[scawsby steve]

He’d be a poor signing for Barnsley I know that.

Why's that then Gaz ? , genuine question .

He’s just not that good. He played in a team that created lots of very good chances for all their strikers last season and scored at an unsustainable rate. Certainly over performed.

You make him sound like Marquis when he was with us. I hope Alfie does well whoever he’s with.

Could you please explain that first sentence?

[sedwardsdrfc]

Some people don’t think Marquis was that good because he missed a few sitters. That’s what I think he’s getting at

[drfchound]

All strikers miss sitters from time to time, even the very best strikers.

[phil old leake]

When he was with us JM could miss loads for me his overall annoyance on the pitch was enough to allow others chances

He was by far more productive goal wise while with us than at any other time in his career.  Maybe we had the best of him and should move on

[MachoMadness]

JM wasn't the best finisher. He did miss some sitters. But most other strikers wouldn't be in a position to even have half those chances because they don't have the brain, energy, or commitment to get there.

Marquis made things happen for us. Boggles the mind that people overlook his goalscoring record and overall contribution because he got the arse on sometimes, and because he skied a few sitters.

[Goole Rover]

Some people don’t think Marquis was that good because he missed a few sitters. That’s what I think he’s getting at

Yes you’re correct. I was also referring to the excellent service that he received when here. Just to add to it I recall that Marquis was a liability in his own penalty area.

[Campsall rover]

I stood next to someone at Armthorpe yesterday and we got chatting about all things Rovers.
He told me he doesn’t rate Marquis and never has.
I said what about the 62 goals he scored in 3 consecutive seasons.
His reply was he was always moaning and if the ball didn’t come to his feet he had a tantrum. He also said Marquis would not play ball with Alfie May who he rated very highly.
He said Marquis was lazy, never tracked back and wasn’t a team player.
May worked hard and always tracked back.

Now I agree May worked hard but he played wide most of the time and that was his job.
Marquis played as our focal point up front so totally different but how can anyone  who watched Marquis week in week out say he was lazy is totally beyond me.
He worked his socks off for our team match after match.
Was a pain in the but to most defenders with his closing down and harrying defenders.
He hardly ever got subbed due to his fitness and value to the team for 90+mins

It just goes to show we all see different thing with footballers and teams.
One thing is the stats do show, while at DRFC Marquis was one of the best strikers the club has ever had.

The facts also show Alfie May was very average at DRFC.
Yes he has improved immensely at Cheltenham and was used as an out and out front man in a partnership up front. Different role to the one he had in 90% of his games at Rovers.
Good luck to him but he needs the right manager and team formation to play in if his success is going to continue imo.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Think it just shows that how you handle yourself on the pitch has almost as much bearing on fans perception of your ability than actual output. Marquis is a better player than May it's obvious to anyone who isn't biased (not knocking May he's a player i wish we never let go). Just shows as fans we have an emotional attachment to the players and team meaning these things carry more weight than they should.

Marquis now and again getting mardy at team mates puts people off him where as May running about gets the fans on side. Marquis would work just as hard if not harder for the team it's just more obvious May is running about because he's smaller imo.

Players do need it beating out of them when they moan/get frustrated and stop Andy Williams was terrible for this as well as Marquis but it doesn't make them bad players just an area for improvement.

[Jonathan]

I stood next to someone at Armthorpe yesterday and we got chatting about all things Rovers.
He told me he doesn’t rate Marquis and never has.
I said what about the 62 goals he scored in 3 consecutive seasons.
His reply was he was always moaning and if the ball didn’t come to his feet he had a tantrum. He also said Marquis would not play ball with Alfie May who he rated very highly.
He said Marquis was lazy, never tracked back and wasn’t a team player.
May worked hard and always tracked back.

Now I agree May worked hard but he played wide most of the time and that was his job.
Marquis played as our focal point up front so totally different but how can anyone  who watched Marquis week in week out say he was lazy is totally beyond me.
He worked his socks off for our team match after match.
Was a pain in the but to most defenders with his closing down and harrying defenders.
He hardly ever got subbed due to his fitness and value to the team for 90+mins

It just goes to show we all see different thing with footballers and teams.
One thing is the stats do show, while at DRFC Marquis was one of the best strikers the club has ever had.

The facts also show Alfie May was very average at DRFC.
Yes he has improved immensely at Cheltenham and was used as an out and out front man in a partnership up front. Different role to the one he had in 90% of his games at Rovers.
Good luck to him but he needs the right manager and team formation to play in if his success is going to continue imo.

I think I’d have been tempted to walk away from the conversation the moment he said he didn’t rate Marquis and never has. Then when he branded Marquis lazy I’d have looked to have him sectioned.

[ravenrover]

Just remember the goal he scored in the playoffs at Charlton started it all off around the half way line and went full pelt into their box to finish it off, yeah lazy, but let"s forget his penno in the shootout!

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Yes, it's hard to be too critical of a striker with his record. Many strikers throw a strop every now and then and yes, maybe Marquis at times soaked up alot of emotional energy from the team. Was it all about him to the detriment of others? He worked hard most of the time and demanded that of his team mates too.

Maybe a price worth paying. From what I understand, he wasn't always the most cooperative when asked to do some off field community work either but you can’t argue his goal return was right up there.

[drfchound]

Players are all very different.
I don’t mind players moaning or waving their arms about If things aren’t going right, it shows they care and demand better of themselves and others.
Roy Keane was probably the biggest moaner ever and he was ok wasn’t he.

[Campsall rover]

I stood next to someone at Armthorpe yesterday and we got chatting about all things Rovers.
He told me he doesn’t rate Marquis and never has.
I said what about the 62 goals he scored in 3 consecutive seasons.
His reply was he was always moaning and if the ball didn’t come to his feet he had a tantrum. He also said Marquis would not play ball with Alfie May who he rated very highly.
He said Marquis was lazy, never tracked back and wasn’t a team player.
May worked hard and always tracked back.

Now I agree May worked hard but he played wide most of the time and that was his job.
Marquis played as our focal point up front so totally different but how can anyone  who watched Marquis week in week out say he was lazy is totally beyond me.
He worked his socks off for our team match after match.
Was a pain in the but to most defenders with his closing down and harrying defenders.
He hardly ever got subbed due to his fitness and value to the team for 90+mins

It just goes to show we all see different thing with footballers and teams.
One thing is the stats do show, while at DRFC Marquis was one of the best strikers the club has ever had.

The facts also show Alfie May was very average at DRFC.
Yes he has improved immensely at Cheltenham and was used as an out and out front man in a partnership up front. Different role to the one he had in 90% of his games at Rovers.
Good luck to him but he needs the right manager and team formation to play in if his success is going to continue imo.

I think I’d have been tempted to walk away from the conversation the moment he said he didn’t rate Marquis and never has. Then when he branded Marquis lazy I’d have looked to have him sectioned.

Seemed a decent enough bloke. Just saw things very differently to me.

Jonathan there are a few on this site that have branded JM as lazy. Absolutely mind blowing.
If he was lazy what the heck were our strikers last season. Good grief.

He was one of the hardest working players we have had imo.

[DonnyOsmond]

He’d be a poor signing for Barnsley I know that.

Why's that then Gaz ? , genuine question .

He’s just not that good. He played in a team that created lots of very good chances for all their strikers last season and scored at an unsustainable rate. Certainly over performed.

You make him sound like Marquis when he was with us. I hope Alfie does well whoever he’s with.

It is similar tbf. They were both in attacking teams that created loads of chances for them, obviously they have to make decent runs too to be in positions to get off those shots but the only way a striker is scoring 15+ a season is in a team that creates hundreds of shots for them.

[selby]

  My gripe about Alfie was he needed more than one touch of the ball in the area and missed loads of sitters for us, quite a few set up by one John Marquis who was in an all together different class than Alfie while he was here.
  Hence one moving on for relatively big money at the time and our supporters thinking  we should have held out for more, and the other guy going to a much smaller club for a lot less.
 It leaves a question, do some of our supporters think that managers don't know what they are doing when they spend a lot of money. Selective memories are a marvelous thing.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Changing gears a bit. How long ago did these lads leave us now? We must have had more threads on them than players who actually play for us in the period since (i'm guilty i contribute to them all the time).

I think what it kind of shows our trajectory since they left. We've had no new hero's to fixate on. Hence we always look back to these lads because like it was last season not 3-4 years ago. Really hope some players turn up big time this season. Sick of talking about May and Marquis even though i can't help joining in!

[danumdon]

It always amazes me how two people can watch a game of football and get a totally different appreciation of what had actually happened. For us as a club that was they way we see players like JM and AM, two players who couldn't ne much more different if they tried but each had a talent which in one case was realised and in the other thrown away by a manager who was not as astute as he thought he was.

What we as a club could do with a strike force of these two just now does not bare thinking about.

I would love to have a striker like either of these two at the club now but their time has been and gone, we look forward to the next exciting strikers off the block because whoever you are ,you could not or should not have doubted the class and quality of a JM or AM.

[Sammy Chung was King]

Marquis is the better natural all round footballer. I wouldn’t say he’s lazy I would say he leaves a bit to the side at times. He’s a hard worker.
May gets the most out of himself by working hard. He isn’t a natural but has a great attitude.
You are guaranteed he will give his best every game. He wasn’t used well by us, Cheltenham have played him where he’s best, they got their rewards.

[danumdon]

Marquis is the better natural all round footballer. I wouldn’t say he’s lazy I would say he leaves a bit to the side at times. He’s a hard worker.
May gets the most out of himself by working hard. He isn’t a natural but has a great attitude.
You are guaranteed he will give his best every game. He wasn’t used well by us, Cheltenham have played him where he’s best, they got their rewards.

I must admit they way AM was treated by our then management was shocking, the fact he had come from none league and his age meant he needed a little more time to really get to the speed of the game, he was always going to be a good fit for somebody because of his natural ability and work rate but to be cast aside for premiership youngsters by a very set in his way manager was shocking, the lad was on peanuts and could of just as well been kept, as it turned out we could of made something of last season if we had still had him.

Short sighted and wasteful by a myopic management.

[Campsall rover]

Marquis is the better natural all round footballer. I wouldn’t say he’s lazy I would say he leaves a bit to the side at times. He’s a hard worker.
May gets the most out of himself by working hard. He isn’t a natural but has a great attitude.
You are guaranteed he will give his best every game. He wasn’t used well by us, Cheltenham have played him where he’s best, they got their rewards.

I must admit they way AM was treated by our then management was shocking, the fact he had come from none league and his age meant he needed a little more time to really get to the speed of the game, he was always going to be a good fit for somebody because of his natural ability and work rate but to be cast aside for premiership youngsters by a very set in his way manager was shocking, the lad was on peanuts and could of just as well been kept, as it turned out we could of made something of last season if we had still had him.

Short sighted and wasteful by a myopic management.

Hindsight eh. It’s a wonderful thing.
Because Alfie had a brilliant season with Cheltenham it is so easy now to say we dropped a clanger letting him go.
The fact is even with his brilliant attitude and hard work when he played with us he very very rarely produced an end product. How many assists did he provide and how many goals did he score in league games?
Yes he got a few in cup games I know but 4 of them were against Chorley who were 3 leagues below us or was it 4 at the time of that FA cup tie.

Admittedly Alfie wasn’t used in his best position but that was because we played 4-3-3 most of the time so with only 1 central striker he was played out wide.
At Cheltenham they played 4-4-2 mostly so Alfie played as a twin striker which suited his natural game.
The fact is Duff got him playing consistently week in week out and he flourished under his management.

Let’s be honest folks how many people thought he had it in him to score over 20 goals last season.
I think if we are all honest no one could have foreseen that outcome in League 1
National League maybe he might be a 1 in 3 goalscorer but to get 1 in 2 in League 1, well only BB could forsee that, but only because he has a crystal ball.

[Sammy Chung was King]

At the time we had a good side and I don’t think anybody was all that bothered when he left. He was restricted the impression he could produce. Last season it could be a one off. I don’t think he will score that many again but will get into double figures.