Sign someone

He said everyone has a blank slate, I don't think that necessarily means that he'll have a look at everyone before deciding to bring someone else in. Mladen's said more than once that we're trying to bring players in. I'd imagine that if we have offers for fringe players (Benson, Watters, Wolfe etc) they're likely to be off.

 

They aren’t 33yrs old.

 

33 isn't particulary old in football terms any more.Fitness and nutrition plays a massive part in a players DNA nowadays.

 

Looks to be on his way to Charlton for around a million.

Would have liked him here but not sure I would have paid a 7 figure fee for him. Good pick up for them though.

Adebisi who I really wanted is off to Posh too which is a great signing for them.

 

He will be 34 when the season starts. He played 25 league games last season for a team that got relegated. If he hadn't played for us in the past I don't think people would have been happy with the signing. Nostalgia is clouding judgement.

 

Peter Shirtcliff was 36 when we signed him and Neil Thompson was even older both were mainstays in our promotion season.
Theres only Jean on the board who was here the last time Marc was at Oakwell so I don't see any nostalgia involved.

 

Exactly. It’s a sighting that fans will get behind cos they played for us before like Hourihane. Had they not no one would want either signing.

 

Ah, that's a shame. But yeah, it does seem a lot for a striker who hasn't played above the 3rd tier, though I guess they've just reinvested what they've received for Alfie May. He's a good age to improve though.

 

26 years and 6 months.

 

Very good deal if it is structured with add ons etc. meaning they may not pay the full million

If it is just straight up a million fee that seems a lot for him. Good pick up for them though as you say

 

Sibley confirmed at Oxford now.

 

Of course the fans will get behind em. Same as they did with John Hendrie. Paul wilkinson. Neil Thompson. Jason Scotland. And many others who came to us in supposedly their twighlight years. And were great performers for us. In the 2nd tier all of em I've named may I add.
Paul Futcher. (imo one of the best CH's ever to play for us. I'd put him alongside Macca as the best.) was I believe 34 when we released him. Then became one of the most (if not the most) popular players to have ever played for Grimsby. (2nd tier after 1st season promotion) Till the age of 38. Played at wembley for Southport at the age of 41.(Admittedly conference team at the time)
As for playing for a relegated team. Many great players have.

 

As opposed to signing a 26 years old Jamie McCart who couldn't get into the Rotherham team that also got relegated?

 

Hourihane played 40+ games in a promotion winning side from our league last season. With 30 goals + assists in 80 games in the league in the past 2 years. He's very experienced and will no doubt have an impact on our other youngsters. Obviously he has a connection with the fans but I'd have signed him 100% even had he not.

The board just can't win in some people's eyes can they?

 

Not 25 at all. That was 22/23

23/24
Played in 14 games in league, 12 starts. came on as sub in 2. (+2 in cups) . Hardly to blame for relegation.
Some of those games that were lost (8 in total ) were against the top sides. Ipswich. Leicester. Southampton. Coventry and Boro. Being 5 of em. You could argue if he'd have played all season they may have stayed up.

This made me chuckle. Under Rooney at the time who said this is what he wanted to see from his team. As Robert's was sidelined by injury for a while. Then

In the end, a freak foot injury to Blues captain Dion Sanderson handed Roberts his chance and he performed adequately. He outshined Aiwu and provided two things that Rooney wanted to see from his centre-backs: communication and aerial dominance.
Roberts was the loudest voice at the back throughout. At one point in the first half Roberts could be heard screaming at Aiwu next to him: “Get up, get up, get the f*** up.”

Just what we need imo. Make him Captain.

 

The best players in this league are usually loanees. Look at Bolton the last couple of seasons. If we want promotion we need to be signing good loanees again like we used to with Trippier, Hammill, Kent, Fletcher, Brownhill, Barnes etc. Even last season our best player was arguably McAtee.