New CB

[selby]

  Draytonian, not giving him a chance to prove to the manager and people like you, and carry on with what we have got to the end of the season is likely to cost the club relegation and probably people to leave the club. We have been poor for a third of the season, how many repeats do you require before the penny drops,
  He was better than some defenders playing now when he was 17 yrs old, and if we are not careful we will lose him to play higher than we are at for nothing.
  With Bailey and Molyneux he is one of our few saleable assets at the moment.

[Ian Nimmo]

Currently Faulkner and Flint are probably ok at L2, but not yet upto L1 standard.
I think we have seen that it’s quite a high step between the two leagues, with the quality of players currently in L1.
We desperately need someone who is comfortable with L1 and may have the promise of playing within a championship squad within a couple of years.
McGrath & Grehan are struggling at this level, although thought Jay seemed to be ok in last could of matches, both need a real experienced guy with them, we are weak if they play together, so the same will apply if F&F come back into the club.
The way it’s going likely to be next season when we are in L2, although I suspect Flint is more respected by McCann.

[Ldr]

  Draytonian, not giving him a chance to prove to the manager and people like you, and carry on with what we have got to the end of the season is likely to cost the club relegation and probably people to leave the club. We have been poor for a third of the season, how many repeats do you require before the penny drops,
  He was better than some defenders playing now when he was 17 yrs old, and if we are not careful we will lose him to play higher than we are at for nothing.
  With Bailey and Molyneux he is one of our few saleable assets at the moment.

Beats me why you’re not an active manager in the football league, i mean you obviously think you know better than the hierarchy at DRFC

[selby]

  Yep , I have seen what we have got like you in our games and am not impressed, I have certainly seen more of him in action in the last three years than anyone at the club, in fact most have only watched him fleetingly and have seen more of him the last few weeks in the gym than on the playing field,
 I have also talked to a number of professional players, scouts., agents and in two cases other clubs managers and know their opinion which I have taken on board.
   I also know that he has been followed  this season by an independent statistician employed to follow his progress which has been huge, for information for other clubs. and over the years I have watched the Rovers since 1951 have seen the professionals at this club sign players I would not have touched with a barge pole to be honest.

[StocksArmy]

  Yep , I have seen what we have got like you in our games and am not impressed, I have certainly seen more of him in action in the last three years than anyone at the club, in fact most have only watched him fleetingly and have seen more of him the last few weeks in the gym than on the playing field,
 I have also talked to a number of professional players, scouts., agents and in two cases other clubs managers and know their opinion which I have taken on board.
   I also know that he has been followed  this season by an independent statistician employed to follow his progress which has been huge, for information for other clubs. and over the years I have watched the Rovers since 1951 have seen the professionals at this club sign players I would not have touched with a barge pole to be honest.

Without trying to be condescending just curious why you feel in the summer Bobby wasn’t offered a better deal at a better club and seemed to have to just settle for what we offered in the end?

[jmt23]

Unfortunately for Bobby it is just too much of a risk, at a time we now know we cannot afford. Jay had a season in league 2 and that is what Bobby should do, then step up to the DRFC first team  (hopefully in league 1)

Can you imagine the impact if it didn’t go well, and as we all know, a lot of the blame will be put on him - that’s unfair for a lad trying to grow a career.

If Bobby is doing as well as Selby says, he is doing exactly as he should be doing to get in Grants mind.

Either way Bobby is not the answer now, we need an on field coach, organiser and mouthpiece for Grant on the pitch - this would improve the defence no end, but ability with the ball and speed is also a must.
That ain’t gonna be easy or cheap to find.

[Metalmicky]

We could sign bobby Moore and some on here would criticise...

[Ldr]

We could sign bobby Moore and some on here would criticise...

Well yeah, why waste wages on a dead man…..

[StocksArmy]

Becoming increasingly likely it’s Neill Byrne. X is in meltdown over this one claiming he moves like a bus. Know nothing about him but also know we don’t need someone who is “just an organiser”

[jm291]

Jeeze that’s hugely underwhelming if so

[NickDRFC]

Becoming increasingly likely it’s Neill Byrne. X is in meltdown over this one claiming he moves like a bus. Know nothing about him but also know we don’t need someone who is “just an organiser”

Just looked him up and I hope not. 32 years old, only started playing in the football league 5 years ago and has only ever made an handful of appearances in League One. Not sure if he’s had injury issues but in and out of both the Bradford & Stockport teams in that period. Does fit the promoted twice criteria, though, and isn’t even making the squad at Bradford.

[5minstogo]

He's a League 2 Matty Pearson. Check his stats and you'd probably put Pearson ahead of him. Bradford say he's a liability in League 1.

[Smyth]

He's a League 2 Matty Pearson. Check his stats and you'd probably put Pearson ahead of him. Bradford say he's a liability in League 1.

What happens with Pearson now then? Didn't make the squad yesterday, another off out on loan?

[Chris Black come back]

Didn’t make the squad as we had no full back on the bench so Grehan who can allegedly do both was on the bench. Won’t always be like that.

[selby]

 Would a name change to O'Pearson help?

[Metalmicky]

We could sign bobby Moore and some on here would criticise...

Well yeah, why waste wages on a dead man…..

You must spend a lot of time on your own.... thinking up witty reposts...

[Ldr]

We could sign bobby Moore and some on here would criticise...

Well yeah, why waste wages on a dead man…..

You must spend a lot of time on your own.... thinking up witty reposts...

Why thank you MM

[Canadian Rover]

Byrne is a poor man's Pearson, Pearson is a poor man's Richard Wood. We need a real dominant CB that can still move.

[Metalmicky]

We could sign bobby Moore and some on here would criticise...

Well yeah, why waste wages on a dead man…..

You must spend a lot of time on your own.... thinking up witty reposts...

Why thank you MM

That's fine fella - I like to support the special amongst us....

[Ldr]

We could sign bobby Moore and some on here would criticise...

Well yeah, why waste wages on a dead man…..

You must spend a lot of time on your own.... thinking up witty reposts...

Why thank you MM

That's fine fella - I like to support the special amongst us....

I think you come across as pretty normal, all things considered

[Draytonian III]

  Draytonian, not giving him a chance to prove to the manager and people like you, and carry on with what we have got to the end of the season is likely to cost the club relegation and probably people to leave the club. We have been poor for a third of the season, how many repeats do you require before the penny drops,
  He was better than some defenders playing now when he was 17 yrs old, and if we are not careful we will lose him to play higher than we are at for nothing.
  With Bailey and Molyneux he is one of our few saleable assets at the moment.

By my research Bobby has made 32 league appearances in 4 season either for Harrogate or ourselves, I say appearances not games played as some of matches he will either been subbed off or come on for the last few minutes. By all due respect to the lad he seems to spend a lot of the unluckily injured which of course will not be he own fault, but clubs seem to try and distance themselves form injury prone players these days. We can all think back over the last day 25 years or so how many players we’ve “ carried “ for a couple of seasons.
 I genuinely hope I’m wrong but I just can’t see Bobby making the grade to a League One or above defender especially with his injuries, this is nothing personal against the lad but I just can’t see it happening

[Ldr]

  Draytonian, not giving him a chance to prove to the manager and people like you, and carry on with what we have got to the end of the season is likely to cost the club relegation and probably people to leave the club. We have been poor for a third of the season, how many repeats do you require before the penny drops,
  He was better than some defenders playing now when he was 17 yrs old, and if we are not careful we will lose him to play higher than we are at for nothing.
  With Bailey and Molyneux he is one of our few saleable assets at the moment.

By my research Bobby has made 32 league appearances in 4 season either for Harrogate or ourselves, I say appearances not games played as some of matches he will either been subbed off or come on for the last few minutes. By all due respect to the lad he seems to spend a lot of the unluckily injured which of course will not be he own fault, but clubs seem to try and distance themselves form injury prone players these days. We can all think back over the last day 25 years or so how many players we’ve “ carried “ for a couple of seasons.
 I genuinely hope I’m wrong but I just can’t see Bobby making the grade to a League One or above defender especially with his injuries, this is nothing personal against the lad but I just can’t see it happening

So 32 man of the match awards and 32 x scouts from the likes of Real Madrid fighting to tell a 79 year old how good he is?

[danumdon]

Talking about injury plagued players always remind me of Steve Brooker, injured for two years then scored a worldly just before his contract expired!

Id like to see BF brought back into the squad after his injury layoff, just the fact he has  pace would improve our defence no end, needs some games exposure, as things stand he's not inferior to our current centre half's and probably better!

[StocksArmy]

Play Faulkner, we get relegated. I would bet my life on it.

[ncRover]

Play Faulkner, we get relegated. I would bet my life on it.

I’d rather play Faulkner than Byrne.

[5minstogo]

I think playing Faulkner is a risk that Grant just can't take at the moment. I like him and think he could well play League football for quite a few years.

[RugbyRover]

Play McGrath, we get relegated. I would bet my life on it.

[RugbyRover]

With Faulkner.

Someone said something along the lines of..........

"when everything else has been eliminated, whatever's left, no matter how implausible, must be the solution!"

I think its fair to say all the other centerbacks have eliminated themselves?

He might not be the answer but I think he deserves a chance.

[StocksArmy]

With Faulkner.

Someone said something along the lines of..........

"when everything else has been eliminated, whatever's left, no matter how implausible, must be the solution!"

I think its fair to say all the other centerbacks have eliminated themselves?

He might not be the answer but I think he deserves a chance.

No “might” about it.

[grayx]

I think it was more a case of a game management issue from the management team rather than pointing fingers at the defence personally.

Totally agree.