Signings

Open now for discussion of all things Darlo!

Moderators: mikkyx, uncovered

Darlogramps
Posts: 6025
Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2010 10:47 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by Darlogramps » Mon Apr 25, 2016 6:53 pm

loan_star wrote:
love it! wrote:Chandlers recent leaving interview for Gateshead shows that he has ambitions in football. He stated there there are big clubs in the north east who want to get to where Gateshead are. That can only be us surely.

Interesting to note that he had some full time opportunities as well which he is mulling over
There is no doubting Chandlers abilities but IF he is touting himself to the highest bidder, is it a player we want to bring in?
I did wonder on this too. By all accounts, Chandler hasn't exactly been tearing up the league for Gateshead. At times he's struggled for matches and has been in and out of the side, particularly this season.

And there are now a few more options for any players leaving a non-league club in our region.

Blyth will need a new midfielder after Stephen Turnbull's departure. Spennymoor have plenty of money (as much as they are keen to deny it), while South Shields are ambitious, have money and are his hometown club.

Would I be happy for us to sign him? Of course I would. But I agree with loan_star that it shouldn't be at any price.

Plus we're fairly well stocked for central midfielders. Scott's had a great season, Turnbull is just class, Nowakowski has experience at this level, while Portas has done enough to deserve a shot at this level.

Chandler would add to that and there's no doubting the ability he has. But it's not as if we're in desperate need of a central midfielder - whereas last season we were missing someone like Turnbull, who could add calmness and presence to the midfield.
Last edited by Darlogramps on Mon Apr 25, 2016 6:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
If ever you're bored or miserable:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlZohZoadGY

User avatar
loan_star
Posts: 7105
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:01 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by loan_star » Mon Apr 25, 2016 6:55 pm

As much as I like Chandler as a player I'd rather get Ramshaw if he was available.

Neil Johnson
Posts: 1260
Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2012 8:40 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by Neil Johnson » Mon Apr 25, 2016 6:58 pm

When reckoning who is coming in there may be some currently at Darlo who cant manage longer travel with their job commitments. This should be known to MG and that may be the deciding factor on which positions need strengthening.

I would keep the 5 current forwards, if they want to stay and strengthen elsewhere, hopefully improving the quantity and quality of passes to the strikers.

Having Chandler (of old), Turnbull & Portas available would be great insurance against fatigue, injuries, sickness and suspensions.

I also prefer keeping Jameson as No.1 even if Sam Russell is available, but would Sam be willing to join as cover as a No.2 keeper?

Darlo_Pete
Posts: 14080
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:13 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by Darlo_Pete » Mon Apr 25, 2016 7:19 pm

I don't think Russell would be an upgrade on Jameson. Given Jameson is only 23, his potential is significant, whereas Russell is not likely to improve.

User avatar
Robbie Painter
Posts: 2289
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:37 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by Robbie Painter » Mon Apr 25, 2016 7:46 pm

Neil Johnson wrote:When reckoning who is coming in there may be some currently at Darlo who cant manage longer travel with their job commitments.
The travel isn't further and there are two less away games.

User avatar
Robbie Painter
Posts: 2289
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:37 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by Robbie Painter » Mon Apr 25, 2016 7:52 pm

loan_star wrote:As much as I like Chandler as a player I'd rather get Ramshaw if he was available.
Really? Is he a better player than Portas?

I'm not sure squad players for Gateshead (Ramshaw) and Hartlepool (Fenwick) are really going to add much to the first team although the squad does need more strength in depth.

User avatar
loan_star
Posts: 7105
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:01 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by loan_star » Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:34 pm

Robbie Painter wrote:
loan_star wrote:As much as I like Chandler as a player I'd rather get Ramshaw if he was available.
Really? Is he a better player than Portas?

I'm not sure squad players for Gateshead (Ramshaw) and Hartlepool (Fenwick) are really going to add much to the first team although the squad does need more strength in depth.
I'm just going over the potential Ramshaw has rather than what Chandler can offer. Both decent players in my opinion. If either was to sign they would have to earn their place ahead of the likes of Portas.

Darlofan97
Posts: 5690
Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2010 1:44 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by Darlofan97 » Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:39 pm

From what I remember Fenwick is a tall and powerful centre-forward. I think that he scored against us for Durham City back in 2012. Fenwick's goal-scoring record in L2 is OK in a poor Hartlepool side. An ideal long-term replacement for Armstrong who is coming up 33 this summer. There were rumours of interest from Spennymoor mid-season so it'll be interesting to see if they follow that up again this summer.

It would be great to sign Chandler who I believe is Conference Premier standard, and I think some Gateshead fans think he's been harshly treated there in terms of not getting game-time. Understandably he has a lot to consider given the pro's & con's of staying professional, signing for Darlo or South Shields, or anywhere else!

jjljks
Posts: 3014
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2015 10:25 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by jjljks » Mon Apr 25, 2016 9:33 pm

Quite happy to leave the signings to MG who has proved to be a better judge than anyone else on this forum, but would like assurances that their eligibility to play & international registration is checked before ink is put to paper! Don't want to start the new league with a 12 pt penalty ;-)

QUAKERMAN2
Posts: 2826
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:43 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by QUAKERMAN2 » Mon Apr 25, 2016 9:58 pm

Whoever MG signs would have to be very, very good to replace any of our current set of players.Without doubt we need a bigger squad but IMO Portas and Turnbull will be as good as you get in the league we are going into and an additional striker would have to be pretty good to improve on Cartman, Armstrong, Hardy etc.but this is why MG is paid to make those decisions and he hasn't got it too wrong up to now.Scott Harrison could be another to add to the list of possibilities, played for our youth team a few years ago and has lost his place at Hartlepool, ideal cover for Browney and Burgess.

AndyPark
Posts: 12155
Joined: Sat Jul 25, 2009 3:08 pm
Team Supported: Darlington
Location: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by AndyPark » Mon Apr 25, 2016 10:02 pm

QUAKERMAN2 wrote:Whoever MG signs would have to be very, very good to replace any of our current set of players.Without doubt we need a bigger squad but IMO Portas and Turnbull will be as good as you get in the league we are going into and an additional striker would have to be pretty good to improve on Cartman, Armstrong, Hardy etc.but this is why MG is paid to make those decisions and he hasn't got it too wrong up to now.Scott Harrison could be another to add to the list of possibilities, played for our youth team a few years ago and has lost his place at Hartlepool, ideal cover for Browney and Burgess.
I'm sure Harrison has just suffered a biggish injury... Could be wrong.

dfcdfcdfc
Posts: 653
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 9:45 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by dfcdfcdfc » Mon Apr 25, 2016 10:30 pm

I think Chandler is nailed on. Obviously he has to be a bit circumspect in what he says publicly but I suspect he has been keen as mustard to join us.

As I remember it he never wanted to leave but he the administrator told him he had to go for the good of the club. In addition he has been back to watch us since we restarted in the NL.

Think people forget how good he was (obviously I can't attest to how good he is now). He was MoM in the Trophy final victory when he ran his socks off and I'm sure he was our player of the year on at least one occasion.

I for one will be delighted if he does sign - the only negative is probably he his height and MG doesn't seem to like too many small players in the team.

I also very much like the little I've seen of Rob Ramshaw but is he even available?

User avatar
Spyman
Posts: 12644
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:04 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by Spyman » Tue Apr 26, 2016 7:26 am

QUAKERMAN2 wrote:Whoever MG signs would have to be very, very good to replace any of our current set of players.Without doubt we need a bigger squad but IMO Portas and Turnbull will be as good as you get in the league we are going into and an additional striker would have to be pretty good to improve on Cartman, Armstrong, Hardy etc.but this is why MG is paid to make those decisions and he hasn't got it too wrong up to now.Scott Harrison could be another to add to the list of possibilities, played for our youth team a few years ago and has lost his place at Hartlepool, ideal cover for Browney and Burgess.
Scott Harrison was a class act from what I remember of him in that Conference season. Despite being thrown in at a young age in a terrible team, he looked quality.

He could also play up front from what I remember.
On Sunday April 29, 2012 at 10:25 pm, Darlo Cockney wrote:Sadly some people have nothing better to do that invent rumours.

We will be playing at the arena again next season - fact.

Quakerz - if you actually attended games and spoke to people you might actually find our facts, rather than spreading s*** on this board.

DC

joejaques
Posts: 3057
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2010 10:36 am
Team Supported: Darlington
Location: Milford Haven

Re: Signings

Post by joejaques » Tue Apr 26, 2016 10:09 am

jjljks wrote:Quite happy to leave the signings to MG who has proved to be a better judge than anyone else on this forum, )
This :roll:
Image

davey247
Posts: 66
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 8:02 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by davey247 » Tue Apr 26, 2016 12:19 pm

Something else to consider is the range of where we are capturing players from. The likes of Cartman, Gaskell & Hardy are far from local. MG I imagine will be looking much further a field than Gateshead and Hartlepool for individuals that will improve our squad.

windyforce4
Posts: 186
Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2012 11:59 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by windyforce4 » Tue Apr 26, 2016 12:33 pm

We also need to consider any out goings. I am sure with the season we have had some of our players will be on other clubs radar. Gray has aways said he would not stand in anyones way to progress. Good thing the players we currently have want to play for us so it would take an exeptiona offer for them to consider leaving.

davey247
Posts: 66
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 8:02 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by davey247 » Tue Apr 26, 2016 12:37 pm

windyforce4 wrote:We also need to consider any out goings. I am sure with the season we have had some of our players will be on other clubs radar. Gray has aways said he would not stand in anyones way to progress. Good thing the players we currently have want to play for us so it would take an exeptiona offer for them to consider leaving.

I might be wrong, but I can only think of Joe Tait & Ryu Williamson (youth team) as leaving for a higher level in this era. Both have come back down.

tezza
Posts: 1005
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 10:25 am
Team Supported: Darlington
Location: Darlington
Contact:

Re: Signings

Post by tezza » Tue Apr 26, 2016 1:21 pm

One thing I know for sure: On Saturday at the end of the game I made the mistake of congratulating Alan White on an amazing career .. I got a stony glare and a growled "I haven't finished yet" .... Legend

Neil_Heaneys_Pace
Posts: 379
Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2011 2:14 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by Neil_Heaneys_Pace » Tue Apr 26, 2016 3:21 pm

isnt this the mistake that most clubs make, signing older players from higher divisions on big wages.

Id prefer to poach younger players who are hungry for a crack at this league. As we have done the last few years. We have a decent amount of experience in the squad already.

HarryCharltonsCat
Posts: 1023
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:06 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by HarryCharltonsCat » Tue Apr 26, 2016 3:25 pm

Are Chandler, Wearmouth and Fenwick that old?

User avatar
Spyman
Posts: 12644
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:04 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by Spyman » Tue Apr 26, 2016 10:21 pm

HarryCharltonsCat wrote:Are Chandler, Wearmouth and Fenwick that old?
Chandler joined us on loan in about 2009 as probably an 18 year old? Same peer group as Dowson - so I'd guess he's mid-twenties. About the same as the core of our squad.

Not sure about the other two.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
On Sunday April 29, 2012 at 10:25 pm, Darlo Cockney wrote:Sadly some people have nothing better to do that invent rumours.

We will be playing at the arena again next season - fact.

Quakerz - if you actually attended games and spoke to people you might actually find our facts, rather than spreading s*** on this board.

DC

Darlo_Pete
Posts: 14080
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:13 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by Darlo_Pete » Wed Apr 27, 2016 5:50 am

So Chandler should have his best years ahead of him, he'll be a great signing if he comes to us.

User avatar
Darlobaz79
Posts: 1168
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 12:17 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by Darlobaz79 » Wed Apr 27, 2016 5:59 am

Spyman wrote:
HarryCharltonsCat wrote:Are Chandler, Wearmouth and Fenwick that old?
Chandler joined us on loan in about 2009 as probably an 18 year old? Same peer group as Dowson - so I'd guess he's mid-twenties. About the same as the core of our squad.

Not sure about the other two.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
He's 27

Neil Johnson
Posts: 1260
Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2012 8:40 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by Neil Johnson » Wed Apr 27, 2016 8:43 am

Great to be discussing potential signings, rather than departures.

We may have some players unhappy with extra travel, but it isn't much more than the last campaign and a bit bigger squad could help with work/family commitments.

User avatar
theoriginalfatcat
Posts: 6718
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:40 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Wed Apr 27, 2016 9:27 am

Neil Johnson wrote:Great to be discussing potential signings, rather than departures.

We may have some players unhappy with extra travel, but it isn't much more than the last campaign and a bit bigger squad could help with work/family commitments.
If any players are 'unhappy with extra travel' aren't they in the wrong job? And by 'job' I'm referring here to DFC.

Anyway - I'm led to believe that once you reach the 2nd tier of non league, then the work/football balance starts to tip over more towards football. As in less work/more football, and more money from football. Some teams (I think) in the National North are full time.
Profile pic ↗️
Feethams the Panda. 28 Jan 2012.
Now extinct!

mattspartan
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2016 1:00 pm
Team Supported: Blyth Spartans
Location: London

Re: Signings

Post by mattspartan » Wed Apr 27, 2016 9:43 am

Darlogramps wrote:Blyth will need a new midfielder after Stephen Turnbull's departure.
We're hopeful he'll be back next season, although I don't know if he'll be available all year. His job means he is at sea quite a bit (literally, not figuratively)- that is why he's not featured since January.

300Spartans
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2016 9:15 am
Team Supported: Blyth Spartans

Re: Signings

Post by 300Spartans » Wed Apr 27, 2016 11:22 am

I could be completely wrong, but I think we might have an option on Wearmouth's contract in our favour that we'll take up. But it wouldn't surprise me if he ended up at Darlington all the same.

Darlo_Pete
Posts: 14080
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:13 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by Darlo_Pete » Wed Apr 27, 2016 12:32 pm

300Spartans wrote:I could be completely wrong, but I think we might have an option on Wearmouth's contract in our favour that we'll take up. But it wouldn't surprise me if he ended up at Darlington all the same.
I heard that he was out of contract with you at the end of this season. Why did he not feature last night?

300Spartans
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2016 9:15 am
Team Supported: Blyth Spartans

Re: Signings

Post by 300Spartans » Wed Apr 27, 2016 12:54 pm

Darlo_Pete wrote:
300Spartans wrote:I could be completely wrong, but I think we might have an option on Wearmouth's contract in our favour that we'll take up. But it wouldn't surprise me if he ended up at Darlington all the same.
I heard that he was out of contract with you at the end of this season. Why did he not feature last night?
I know that's what your local newspaper said, but they may have missed out a little bit of extra detail. But I can't really comment on what people down at your end have heard, they might know better than me. As I said, I could be wrong, but we'd be silly to not have some sort of longer term security on a player we value enough to put on a contract to begin with. You put a player who will be in demand on a one year deal and all other clubs have to do is wait a matter of months and that contract has been pointless. We had this problem with Maguire and Halifax last year and I think we learned our lesson on that one when we got him back.

And I think he was injured, he suffered a knock at Matlock two Saturday's ago.

Darlo_Pete
Posts: 14080
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:13 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Signings

Post by Darlo_Pete » Sat Apr 30, 2016 12:30 pm

I reckon our interest in Chandler is waning a bit. Apparently Gray has talked to Chandler, but Chandler seemed open to talks to other clubs and I believe that Gray wants players to want to come to the club, rather than us chase after players.

Post Reply