Does anyone remember our first season back in this division

Or at least our squad. Made up of academy or 'lower league' players:



Experienced championship players:
Nick Colgan, journeyman goalkeeper
Colin Healy, made 8 sub appearances
Leon Knight, journyman striker, played most of his career upto then in the championship
David Lucas
Ronnie Wallwork, played twice, before getting stabbed in a nightclub bust up.

"Lower league tripe"
Michael Coulson
Martin Devaney, signed from Watford but had spent ALL of his playing career at league 2 Cheltenham
Bobby Hassell, signed from league 2 Mansfield
Paul Hayes, signed from league 2 winners S****horpe
Brian Howard, player of the year, signed from league 1 Swindon
Dwayne Mattis
Grant McCann
Michael McIndoe, signed from league 1 Donny, had played a handful of games for Derby in the championship
Paul Reid, spent most of his career playing in the lower leagues with Preston, Carlisle and Northampton
Marc Richards, his championship experience consisted of one appearance for Crewe, played for a host of lower league and even non league before signing for us.
Tommy Wright, Had played the majority of his career in league 1, with a handful of sub appearances for Leicester being his only championship experience.
Sam Togwell, signed from Palace where he'd played once, spent the majority of his career on loan to Port Vale.

Academy Players
Rob Atkinson
Neil Austin
Simon Heslop
Antony Kay
Luke Potter
Dale Tonge
Robbie Williams
Nicky Wroe

Premier league players
Adam Eckersley, young fullback from Man Utd
Ritchie Jones, Young midfielder loaned from Man Utd
Vito Mannone, young goalkeeper loaned from Arsenal
Danny Nardiello, signed from Man Utd where he'd played 3 times in the league cup, had also played 3 games for league 2 Swansea
Kyel Reid, young midfielder from West Ham
Lewin Nyatanga, loaned from premier league whipping boys Derby

Unknown Gambles
Istvan Ferenczi
Peter Rajczi


We did our job that season too.

 

In my opinion there is a vast difference between a player who has been promoted to the championship from the league below and therefore earned his chance by proving his ability and gaining promotion and one who has been plucked from a side in league two.

I'm not writing anyone off but I think that a player who has earned promotion is on the up and that is a very different animal to one who was sat around in the lower leagues.

 

Good well thought out post.This is the way that we will always have to go but all the lower league ones may not work out.
Pity everyone cannot appreciate this and get behind them.

 

That isn't what I mean. What I mean is that there is a difference between the two kinds of player. One has got momentum on his side and (in my opinion) is more likely to adapt to the step up in level while the other hasn't.

I reckon there are 4 categories of lower league signings.

1. Players who gain promotion with their team and move up a league that way.

2. Players who are outstanding at lower league level and get noticed by higher league teams.

3. Relatively young players who don't really appear to show anything extraordinary but still get chosen by a higher league team and given a chance, usually due to budget constraints.

4. Older players who have proven that lower leagues is where they should be playing but are still signed by a higher league team because it's all they can afford.


I'm not saying that category 1 is better than 2, merely that the situation is different. Our problem is that we seem to be trying to sign players from categories 3 and 4. Lower league players who we are only signing because due to our boards terrible 'efforts' at increasing the fan base and earning as much revenue as possible are all we can afford.

 

Good post,basically its not the players or where they are from ,its the Manager and how he manages

 

Exactly and in my opinion Keith's done a good job despite having his hands tied behind his back in terms of spending power so to speak.

 

the Hungarians came in the second season back, i'm sure.

 

Nope definatly first, I looked down the full squad list from that season. 2nd season was when we signed about 16 players all from different countries.

 

checked and you are indeed correct

 

In my opinion he hasn't ,in any other season without a team going into Admin we would have been relegated.There are obvious reasons for a dip in form in the New year but it doesn't excuse the appalling run of results and where we ended up. Keith needs to buck his ideas up.

 

Definitely first season back, they were amongst Davey's first signings.

 

Aye, he needs to start playing the same 11 where possible and stop fookin around with players positions. We may get a result or two that way i reckon!