I think we have more than 13 first team players, but hey, I'm only counting.

We have 19 players in the squad as it stands.....

They include Abimbola, Ngwa, Connor, Cross and Dyche....none of whom can be considered first team players really can they? Add Nolan into the mix and you can sort of see why he thinks we have 13 "first team players"

Ok, I will. Maybe, we already have Horsfall's replacement? Ryan Nolan - great pedigree IF he can get over his injury problems during this pre-season. Max Dyche, could be about to come of age this season.

Nolan is a big "if".....not sure what went on at Kidderminster but he was an unused sub for one game and started another lasting 64 minutes before being replaced......that was it from March to May. Agree he has the pedigree, but doesn't strike me as a player who could play 40 odd games at centre-back next season.
 
Dyche is an interesting one..... good player, composed and tidy..... question with him is whether Brady sticks him in there or keeps him back for another season..... made his debut and played well in the game against Crewe 18 months ago, played in the next game (4-0 loss at Oxford) and that was it for the season. Last season he made one appearance, again not disappointing in the win over Leyton Orient.....and that was that. Does he just become "ready" after barely getting a look in? Its a big step for a 19 year old.......like you say though, he may come of age given the chance!

Question for you and others though....... we've obviously still got Guthrie...... do we go out and bring in Turnbull or Pierre (just examples) on permanent deals, or Magloire/A.N. Other on a season long loan, or do we blood Mr Dyche?

Do they call you Mr Doom & Gloom?

The four signings so far look alright, so give them a chance and you could be surprised...there again, maybe you'll remain the same 

No, never been called that....and yes the signings so far look alright.....I even said that in a post further up this thread.

Cast another line.......

A frustrating loss.

Always had a mistake in him though.

I’m sure there is better out there.

There probably are......we've just got to find them, be able to afford them, and hope that the likes of Stockport don't go after them too!!

Stockport? I would have thought he was better than that.

Its just a job at the end of the day...... they are paying him more money, he's closer to his home and his family......Stockports offer was on the table, our offers were on the table, he is out of contract with us in three days.

I predict that Stockport will win promotion to League 1 this coming season, and he's been offered a three year deal.... two of which may be at a higher level than now.

Nothing to do with "him being better than that"...... it seems it was either us or them and he's made his choice!

[https://the72.co.uk/2022/05/23/afc-wimbledon-release-corie-andrews-with-swindon-town-and-newport-county-lurking/]

Still, got to be a better option than Kabamba right?

Decent age with numerous clubs looking at him apparently...

https://the72.co.uk/2022/05/23/afc-wimbledon-release-corie-andrews-with-swindon-town-and-newport-county-lurking/

I'm sure someone thought Kabamba was a decent option at the time!! In fact Kabamba was probably "more proven" than Andrews having scored almost 100 goals at different levels.

Certainly though Andrews is a decent age, at 24 can hopefully improve, and yes he certainly has his suitors it appears.

Northampton Town look to complete the signing of striker Corie Andrews following his release from AFC Wimbledon, looks to be a two year deal #afcw #ntfc #cobblers https://twitter.com/TransferCentre9/status/1541461693464821760/photo/1

Didn't actually play a game for AFCW. Started out at Palace for whom he never played either, loan spells at Margate and Kinstonian before joining Whyteleaf and Kingstonian on a permanent basis (5 goals in 9 games)  then joining up with the Wombles. Loan spells at Aldershot (9 goals in 19 starts) and most recently Colchester (3 starts and 8 sub appearances since joining in the January window, scoring one goal) before being released by AFC.

Two year deal for a player with three league starts?

Cornell must have the world's greatest agent- not even a decent league 2 keeper in my opinion.


Regarding Crawley and Stockport-from what I have read-does not look like the most thought out of approaches -a bit like Salford who recruit championship strikers on 5k a week when they get about 3 fans going to an away game.

This season looks like its going to be a tough one that being said.

Crawley and Stockport are completely different animals!

One is a club who were in the Championship as recently as 2002, were beset by financial issues, slid all the way down to the Conference North by 2013, have since bounced back with promotion to the National League and now the EFL, played in front of 10000 capacity crowds on numerous occasions last season, took over 2000 fans away from home to a few games too......the other is Crawley Town!

What Stockport have done is galvanised the support, in a similar way to what Luton did after their issues, what Lincoln did after dipping into the non-league and what Grimsby are doing after the same fate befell them. Everything that Crawley do going forward is "manufactured", in the same way as it is at Salford, and you can probably add the likes of Fleetwood and Harrogate to that.

‘Concrete’ Rod McDonald has signed a deal with Crewe.

Former Cobblers loanee Michael Smith rejected a new deal with Rotherham for whom he scored over 60 goals in four seasons in favour of joining Sheffield Wednesday for the 22/23 season.

they could have moved that round of fixtures to wednesday 30th november

The point was they didn't want clashes with ANY World Cup Fixtures..... that's why there are no league midweek fixtures in November and December, whereas normally there are two "matchdays"

Every night from 21st November until 6th December inclusive there is a 1900 game.

Stupid starting the season so early and for no reason at all as far as I can make out. It's not like we have a 6 week world cup break

The reason thats being given is that the EFL have scrapped two rounds of midweek fixtures which normally take place in the period when the World Cup is on this year. Traditionally midweek games attract lower gates and they didn't want to see gates further depressed by the 1900 (GMT) game in the WC.

Probably just as well they did really......Wales v England is a 1900 kickoff on Tuesday 29th November for example.

So  to compensate for the loss of matchdays we have an earlier start to the season and an additional midweek round in the new year.

How much is it geez?

Yeah please tell!

So far I've got....

OUT: Roberts, Harriman, Pollock, Rose, Nelson, Ashley-Seal, Mills, Flanagan, Kabamba (9) + five loanees (Lubala, Zimba, Kanu, Magloire, Eppiah)
IN: Burge, Fox, Haynes, Hylton (4)

Undecided and out of contract next week: Horsfall.

I'm struggling to see how, at this moment in time, we are spending more on the squad than we were last season. It's a decent start though....granted.

Some amazing predictions that I saw on Facebook came true..... Grimsby away first trip of the season, Mansfield away on Boxing Day......!!

Not too happy about AFC Wimbledon being on a Tuesday night, and Good Friday will see us make the long haul to Newport. Tranmere away last game of the season could be a biggie....... at least we'll get a decent amount of tickets.

Colchester United at home in five weeks time to kick things off.

He certainly can't be any worse than Mills!

There is that……!!

Couple of former loanees on the move....

Callum Morton has left West Brom to make a permanent switch to Fleetwood signing a three year deal, and Ryan Edmondson has left Leeds United for League 2 side Carlisle United after a season long loan at Port Vale.

Other moves in the last week, Hiram Boateng has left MK Dons for Mansfield, Sam Foley has swapped Tranmere for Barrow and not strictly Cobblers related but Freddie Woodman has moved from Newcastle to Preston.

Great business so far especially when you consider the swaps:

Fox for Lewis
Haynes for Mills
Hylton for Rose
Burge for Roberts

On paper, all look like potential upgrades ( or in the case of GK, equals... but could argue that all would have taken Burge over Roberts this time last year).

Agreed that we need another CB, RB, CM, and a couple of wingers/forwards for a solid foundation.  

Don’t know much about Haynes, but on a player vs player basis they do indeed seem to be upgrades (Roberts did well for us but Burge has a more consistent successful history)

Well done all involved

[No, only the land already mentioned (Athletics track footprint) is covered as that's the only land that WNC have given notice of their intention to sell. The rest of the ACV covered land will remain covered by the ACV!]

Interesting reading, again it's a lot of we've done this but can't tell you yet, which has plagued the development of the East Stand and wider area from the outset.

Two questions...

1. If the Trust purchase the ACV will they own the entire footprint the Stadium and Athletics track sits on?

No, only the land already mentioned (Athletics track footprint) is covered as that's the only land that WNC have given notice of their intention to sell. The rest of the ACV covered land will remain covered by the ACV!

2. Any proceeds from this will go to the Trust, will the football club as it stands see any benefit from what you propose or is this the first step towards The Trust buying and running the football club?
Perhaps the wording was wrong in one part of the statement...the proceeds will go into the newly created infrastructure partnership and will be used to fund improvements to the infrastructure....not as a step to buying and running the club. 

Apologies if the above come across as silly questions but there's been so much talk around the development, I've lost track of what's what.

Not a surprise to us all....but confirmation that Roberts has rejected the clubs offer of a new contract.

https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/football/goalkeeper-roberts-set-for-middlesbrough-switch-after-turning-down-cobblers-offer-3738182

So if The Trust are successful in buying the land, you'd need to foster some sort of working relationship with the very people you don't really like and vice versa as the feeling appears to be mutual for anything to actually happen?

It would surely have to get above the "we don't like you so we are not speaking to you" level on both sides if it was for the good of the Football Club wouldn't it? If it didn't and one party did not come to play ball then that party should quite rightly feel the wrath of the supporters.

I like him already!

Me too.....especially if the boot was thrown studs first!!