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Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2019 2:06 pm
by mikkyx
HarryCharltonsCat wrote:
Tue Sep 17, 2019 12:33 pm
tdk1 wrote:
Sun Sep 15, 2019 8:15 am
I fear the answer may be to risk a scratch team in the fa Cup and try to get some players fit over the next two weeks.
Absolutely not. The league season is over as far as play-offs are concerned
After eleven games last season, Blyth were on the same number of points as us and only above us by virtue of the fact they'd scored one more goal. They went on to make the playoffs.

Not that I'm expecting us to be top seven at the end of the season, mind you, but don't write things off too prematurely?

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2019 5:14 pm
by Darlo_Pete
If we could get 3 wins on the bounce then we'd be in the top half of the table. Given the unpredictability of this league, any side on it's day can win. I wouldn't write off our chances just yet of a making a run for the play-ofs.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:37 pm
by HarryCharltonsCat
We're not that Blyth team though. Just because it happened once for Armstrong doesn't make it a certainty it's going to happen again. And we don't have a Maguire. I think his importance to that team is seriously underplayed. We have a number of long term injuries, and players carrying knocks. Even when recovered, they will take a few games to get back up to speed. I think we'll be safely 11th-14th come end of the season, but can't see us making the play-offs. In my opinion, we have more chance of a cup run. Happy to be proved wrong, but play offs isn't the be all and end all for me, so in no way should we be resting players for the league, as suggested earlier.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:46 pm
by al_quaker
I agree - we aren't that Blyth team, the playoffs aren't the be all and end all, we probably will end up midtable, and we definitely shouldn't be resting players in a cup match for the league games. But considering we're 7 points off the playoffs and it's the middle of september, to say the league season is over as far as the playoffs are concerned seems a little over the top.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2019 1:22 pm
by bga
al_quaker wrote:
Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:46 pm
I agree - we aren't that Blyth team, the playoffs aren't the be all and end all, we probably will end up midtable, and we definitely shouldn't be resting players in a cup match for the league games. But considering we're 7 points off the playoffs and it's the middle of september, to say the league season is over as far as the playoffs are concerned seems a little over the top.
"Resting players"..... I think it is clear some players are playing whilst carrying knocks I would have no problem with these missing out on Saturday. Even so we should have enough to win with the right attitude and application.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2019 7:57 pm
by HarryCharltonsCat
We can't afford for them to miss out Saturday. I'd rather they missed out the following league game.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2019 8:17 pm
by bga
HarryCharltonsCat wrote:
Wed Sep 18, 2019 7:57 pm
We can't afford for them to miss out Saturday. I'd rather they missed out the following league game.
Don't understand your logic. We are only 5 points clear of Bradford PA who have better form than us over the last 5 games. You would rather we won a Cup game and lose a few more players who aggregate injuries when a rest would be better for them? I accept you can get injured at any time but why take a risk when staying in this league has to be our aim after our poor start caused by injuries in the first place?

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2019 8:49 pm
by 50 years
We cant afford not to have the money from a cup run, a good run would give AA budget to play with. Without that he will have to run with what we have. A must win game really, I would not take the chance by leaving first teamers out unless they are carrying knocks already.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2019 8:51 pm
by OnTheTerraces
Maybe he can bring in Burn, Bascombe, Holness, Donawa and Bell. Resting Laing, Wheatley, Hatfield, Thommo and Rivers?

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:46 am
by darlo2001uk
50 years wrote:
Wed Sep 18, 2019 8:49 pm
We cant afford not to have the money from a cup run, a good run would give AA budget to play with. Without that he will have to run with what we have. A must win game really, I would not take the chance by leaving first teamers out unless they are carrying knocks already.
We can't afford to get relegated either. Staying up should be our priority - and those of you who believe we will easily finish mid-table need to think again.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 9:12 am
by LoidLucan
I think the approach to Saturday's game is straightforward. It's an important match for a variety of reasons including monetary, generating interest and getting a win to help build confidence. You field your strongest side to give you the best chance of winning but don't take risks with players who are carrying injuries. I'm sure that's exactly how AA will approach it.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 9:50 am
by QUAKERMAN2
LoidLucan wrote:I think the approach to Saturday's game is straightforward. It's an important match for a variety of reasons including monetary, generating interest and getting a win to help build confidence. You field your strongest side to give you the best chance of winning but don't take risks with players who are carrying injuries. I'm sure that's exactly how AA will approach it.
Totally agree but wouldn't mind an update on our injuries regarding Laing, Liddle and O'Neill.May come out with Ray's interview tonight.

Sent from my moto g(6) play using Tapatalk


Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 10:20 am
by Ghost_Of_1883
HarryCharltonsCat wrote:
Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:37 pm
We're not that Blyth team though. Just because it happened once for Armstrong doesn't make it a certainty it's going to happen again. And we don't have a Maguire.
Blyth didn't have a Thompson or a Hatfield.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 10:33 am
by Ghost_Of_1883
50 years wrote:
Wed Sep 18, 2019 8:49 pm
We cant afford not to have the money from a cup run, a good run would give AA budget to play with.
Not necessarily.

It would depend on if the club was performing financially better or worse than projected at that time. For example is the commercial hitting target, are the gates hitting forecast?

On the face of it our crowds this season so far don't look too bad, but if you look at a match by match basis, Gateshead apart, crowds are lower this season compared to the same opposition and/or match date last season.

Last season after the early season rush and poor start, once we got towards the end of September crowds settled down to around 1,200 on a Saturday. It would not surprise me to see us struggling to hit 1,100 on a Saturday going forwards, and with regular sub 1,000 midweek gates. We're on a downward spiral for crowds. Which is a shame because although we've had on paper a poor start, the football at home has been infinitely better.

Anyway, should we get a few thousand from the cups, don't bet on it ending up in the budget.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 11:57 am
by dfclincolnshire
Do we have any more scheduled mid week games ?

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 12:11 pm
by D_F_C
Ghost_Of_1883 wrote:
Thu Sep 19, 2019 10:33 am
50 years wrote:
Wed Sep 18, 2019 8:49 pm
We cant afford not to have the money from a cup run, a good run would give AA budget to play with.
Not necessarily.

It would depend on if the club was performing financially better or worse than projected at that time. For example is the commercial hitting target, are the gates hitting forecast?

On the face of it our crowds this season so far don't look too bad, but if you look at a match by match basis, Gateshead apart, crowds are lower this season compared to the same opposition and/or match date last season.

Last season after the early season rush and poor start, once we got towards the end of September crowds settled down to around 1,200 on a Saturday. It would not surprise me to see us struggling to hit 1,100 on a Saturday going forwards, and with regular sub 1,000 midweek gates. We're on a downward spiral for crowds. Which is a shame because although we've had on paper a poor start, the football at home has been infinitely better.

Anyway, should we get a few thousand from the cups, don't bet on it ending up in the budget.
ONe thing that was brought to my attention on Saturday was the amount of advertising boards we've now sold. Seems like excellent work on that front from Mr Morley. Not just the ones around the pitch but also the back of the shed and the seated stand

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 12:25 pm
by HarryCharltonsCat
Ghost_Of_1883 wrote:
Thu Sep 19, 2019 10:20 am
HarryCharltonsCat wrote:
Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:37 pm
We're not that Blyth team though. Just because it happened once for Armstrong doesn't make it a certainty it's going to happen again. And we don't have a Maguire.
Blyth didn't have a Thompson or a Hatfield.
I'd argue that Maguire was more integral to that Blyth team finishing where they did. If they'd had Thommo and Hatfield, but no Maguire, I don't think they'd have done as well.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 12:26 pm
by HarryCharltonsCat
darlo2001uk wrote:
Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:46 am
50 years wrote:
Wed Sep 18, 2019 8:49 pm
We cant afford not to have the money from a cup run, a good run would give AA budget to play with. Without that he will have to run with what we have. A must win game really, I would not take the chance by leaving first teamers out unless they are carrying knocks already.
We can't afford to get relegated either. Staying up should be our priority - and those of you who believe we will easily finish mid-table need to think again.
What do you mean? We can still make the paly-offs ;)

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 12:29 pm
by HarryCharltonsCat
bga wrote:
Wed Sep 18, 2019 8:17 pm
HarryCharltonsCat wrote:
Wed Sep 18, 2019 7:57 pm
We can't afford for them to miss out Saturday. I'd rather they missed out the following league game.
Don't understand your logic. We are only 5 points clear of Bradford PA who have better form than us over the last 5 games. You would rather we won a Cup game and lose a few more players who aggregate injuries when a rest would be better for them? I accept you can get injured at any time but why take a risk when staying in this league has to be our aim after our poor start caused by injuries in the first place?
We've another 30 games to avoid relegation. This is our one chance at potentially making the club some decent revenue.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 12:58 pm
by banktopp
HarryCharltonsCat wrote:
Thu Sep 19, 2019 12:29 pm
bga wrote:
Wed Sep 18, 2019 8:17 pm
HarryCharltonsCat wrote:
Wed Sep 18, 2019 7:57 pm
We can't afford for them to miss out Saturday. I'd rather they missed out the following league game.
Don't understand your logic. We are only 5 points clear of Bradford PA who have better form than us over the last 5 games. You would rather we won a Cup game and lose a few more players who aggregate injuries when a rest would be better for them? I accept you can get injured at any time but why take a risk when staying in this league has to be our aim after our poor start caused by injuries in the first place?
We've another 30 games to avoid relegation. This is our one chance at potentially making the club some decent revenue.
It's going to be really tough to get relegated this season. Only two go down and Blyth guaranteed one of those places.
That leaves 21 clubs fighting for the other relegation spot, I don't fancy our chances.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2019 8:49 pm
by LoidLucan
Heaton's new club were completely taken apart at the back (in fact embarrassed) by Morpeth today and he was sent off after just over an hour. Heaton was also responsible for Spennymoor's last minute equaliser against Bradford PA last week when he was caught completely flat-footed and allowed Boyes to nip in behind him and score, a bit like what happened when he played for us against King's Lynn.

I don't know what's happened to the Heaton who shone for us previously but he now doesn't look the player he used to be for whatever reason and I'm not unhappy that he decided to bail out because he felt he wasn't starting enough even though he had said he was prepared to be patient. I think we have better options. It's not a short-term thing either as he couldn't get into the Kidderminster Harriers team when he was on loan last season and they opted not to try to sign him.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2019 12:44 am
by HarryCharltonsCat
He's gone. No need to trash him.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2019 6:48 am
by jjljks
Looks like AA was right to let him go.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2019 6:55 am
by divas
jjljks wrote:
Sun Sep 22, 2019 6:48 am
Looks like AA was right to let him go.
AA didn’t have a say in it given Heaton wasn’t under contract and orchestrated a move.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2019 7:07 am
by jjljks
AA did offer Heaton a chance to prove himself but never signed him.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2019 8:44 am
by Beano
divas wrote:
Sun Sep 22, 2019 6:55 am
jjljks wrote:
Sun Sep 22, 2019 6:48 am
Looks like AA was right to let him go.
AA didn’t have a say in it given Heaton wasn’t under contract and orchestrated a move.
This!!

As wonderful as Heaton was in his first spell, Laing and Galbraith were playing well when he arrived on a non-contract deal to prove himself.

AA explained that, at that moment in time, they had earned the jersey but his chance would come if he was patient as games were coming thick and fast and the squad would be rotated accordingly. It was then up to him to retain the jersey once he had his chance.

Heaton understood this and agreed with it but then changed his mind once Bradford Park Avenue found some cash down the back of their sofa and chose to leave with immediate effect as he was free to do as a non-contract player.

This was Heaton's choice alone. AA wanted Heaton to stay but wait for an opening.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2019 1:05 pm
by Darlofan97
Ghost_Of_1883 wrote:
Thu Sep 19, 2019 10:20 am
HarryCharltonsCat wrote:
Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:37 pm
We're not that Blyth team though. Just because it happened once for Armstrong doesn't make it a certainty it's going to happen again. And we don't have a Maguire.
Blyth didn't have a Thompson or a Hatfield.
We don’t have Jameson or Maguire.

Sounds obvious, but Blyth had a goalkeeper that is probably the best in the league at the moment and a centre-forward that could convert most chances others couldn’t.

Blyth also had Kieran Green who signed for York, and Dale out on the left. So not bad compared to Hatfield & Thompson.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2019 2:25 pm
by JE93
Darlofan97 wrote:
Sun Sep 22, 2019 1:05 pm
Ghost_Of_1883 wrote:
Thu Sep 19, 2019 10:20 am
HarryCharltonsCat wrote:
Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:37 pm
We're not that Blyth team though. Just because it happened once for Armstrong doesn't make it a certainty it's going to happen again. And we don't have a Maguire.
Blyth didn't have a Thompson or a Hatfield.
We don’t have Jameson or Maguire.

Sounds obvious, but Blyth had a goalkeeper that is probably the best in the league at the moment and a centre-forward that could convert most chances others couldn’t.

Blyth also had Kieran Green who signed for York, and Dale out on the left. So not bad compared to Hatfield & Thompson.
Agree with you on Jameson.

Maguire got 19 goals last season. Campbell is on track to get about the same. Would agree with you if you were talking about Taylor at Spenny as he's a different type of striker, but we need to turn off these random myths that Campbell isn't a striker and isn't giving us exactly what Maguire would have. That lad is doing well but for some reason half our fans seem not to back him.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2019 2:55 pm
by Beano
JE93 wrote:
Sun Sep 22, 2019 2:25 pm
Darlofan97 wrote:
Sun Sep 22, 2019 1:05 pm
Ghost_Of_1883 wrote:
Thu Sep 19, 2019 10:20 am
HarryCharltonsCat wrote:
Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:37 pm
We're not that Blyth team though. Just because it happened once for Armstrong doesn't make it a certainty it's going to happen again. And we don't have a Maguire.
Blyth didn't have a Thompson or a Hatfield.
We don’t have Jameson or Maguire.

Sounds obvious, but Blyth had a goalkeeper that is probably the best in the league at the moment and a centre-forward that could convert most chances others couldn’t.

Blyth also had Kieran Green who signed for York, and Dale out on the left. So not bad compared to Hatfield & Thompson.
Agree with you on Jameson.

Maguire got 19 goals last season. Campbell is on track to get about the same. Would agree with you if you were talking about Taylor at Spenny as he's a different type of striker, but we need to turn off these random myths that Campbell isn't a striker and isn't giving us exactly what Maguire would have. That lad is doing well but for some reason half our fans seem not to back him.
Because Campbell doesn't run around like a headless chicken. It'll be the same folk who said that Mark Beck wasn't a footballer.

Re: Josh Heaton

Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2019 3:22 pm
by loan_star
    Beano wrote:
    Sun Sep 22, 2019 2:55 pm

    Because Campbell doesn't run around like a headless chicken. It'll be the same folk who said that Mark Beck wasn't a footballer.
    :clap:
    Campbell can be infuriating at times but he is slowly regaining his confidence as an out and out striker. Considering he has hardly played there for two years he's not doing so bad with his goal return.