Cole Stockton

I’d seen Devante Cole enough to know that signing him on a 3 year contract was a crazy decision.
Stockton scored 20 plus goals in a struggling L1 side last season. He’s a physical presence and can finish. He has to be worth a punt on a 2 year deal if the price is right.

 

At this level both Mark Stallard and Michael Boulding. You could add Barry Conlon to that list but he was a target man.

 

Christ, we had some blinders!

 

I am not saying we should go get him immediately and that he is worth every penny of a 200/250k fee for example but given our lack of goal threat, at a fee like that we should at least be having a look IMO as he certainly seems a better option on paper than what we already have.

Probably loads of better options, but many of the ones people would consider loads better would be too expensive.

Stockton would be better than not signing another striker, even if he did flop, at least we had a go. I would prefer us to try and show some intent to improve rather than sign no one as they are too risky etc. Of course we have limits on what we can spend financially which we must adhere to. This is why at 600k which they want for him it is too much of a risk and a total no go for me, but for a lower fee it would be worth a go to at least try and improve us. As I said before though, he would not be my number 1 first choice.

 

He also used to play with norwood upfront for tranmere so the link up play might already be there

 

Would rather we just give Iseka a chance now. We have given enough chances to some players who haven’t shown anything. Iseka might just be able to create or finish something himself he’s the only one who’s a little different in that he’s got some skill on him.

 

I agree, think he'd be great at L1 level if he could be bothered. The fact he's nowhere to be seen tells me we're looking to offload him because he doesn't want to be here.
He'll possibly leave on loan late in the window.

 

I saw where they were wanting 6-700k type of money for him.
And that's why he's still there.

 

Not the player we need, in my opinion. Especially at the price quoted.

 

There isn't a consensus that signing Norwood was a good idea,especially on his performances,fitness, so far.

 

Some interesting comments here. The people that really count are the club officials who then decide on the signings.

i wonder how many times they watch a player play before they sign them vs how much they look at stats. Granted they can view clips but i mean watch them play live.

if we judged on the opinion from us fans then we would sign everyone and no-one.

 

Agreed.
Norwood was a punt that hasn't exactly worked out (early doors) but there was minimal cost.
1/4 of a mill is a risk I am not sure we should be taking.

 

I am not clamouring for us to get him, we just need a striker and Stockton is better than no signing.

We all can agree we need at least one new striker in but we don't appear to be close on anyone at the moment. Be nice to get someone in soonish. Ideally someone with a background at this level. Every signing a club makes is a punt as there is no way of knowing how a player will do for a new club. We just have to hope those in charge make the right call. That is where being a fan is frustrating sometimes as fans see players moving/linked to other clubs that we think could/would improve our team but yet we get no one.

I am sure Duff is the right manager for us, just needs the board to sort him out a squad that he can move us forward with.

 

I would say a better consensus than playing cole and aitchison upfront who might get 10 goals combined all season, cole getting all 10

 

I think there's more chance of getting a coal barge to Stockton Upon Tees.

 

I have said for a lower fee we should be having a look at least, not buying him, just having a look. If Duff doesn't want him then fine, I trust him and his opinion and that is good enough for me. I also said I want to see us show intent and get someone rather than no one, again saying Stockton in this example is better than no new signing. You may disagree with that point but in my opinion, us getting Cole Stockton in this case is better than not having anyone in given this season only 1 goal we have scored has come from a striker and we need more options.

We have still got time to get stuff done I agree, and there is no need to panic just yet. But with that being said, I am a little concerned over the lack of movement in recent weeks. By no means at panic stations as the window is still open, but we started the window well with 5/6 coming in fairly early but had nothing since despite the clear need for additions and a long time has passed since big players have left. Duff said he wanted replacements for all those who have left but so far we have only replaced one of those as Norwood has come in to replace Woodrow for example.

We will have to reserve full judgement until the window closes as we cannot call the window a failure until it has finished. But so far they are letting him down as he doesn't have a completed squad and based on the last interview he gave, we are not close to seeing that change.

 

If it’s a choice of taking a £250k-£400k (wouldn’t go higher than that) punt on a Stockton or an Ike Ugbo-like loan signing (as in an untested young striker with no experience) then I choose Stockton every day of the week. When in Rome as they say.

We need someone familiar to this league and that can score at this level not a newcomer that has no experience whatsoever. We already have that in Marsh and Aitchison and if we’re wanting to develop them 2 and others they need someone to show them how it’s done and to learn about other aspects of playing upfront. We obviously already have Norwood around for that, but so far he’s been abysmal and looks severely unfit. It also wouldn’t hurt to have at least 2 strikers with decent records at this level either.

If we could get a George Hirst (a young striker with at least some experience and can score goals) on loan I’d go for him over a punt on Stockton, but that sort of player wants to play in the Championship or at least for one of the so called ‘massive’ sides in this league and there’s where their parent clubs would prefer to send them to.