New Players?

[Myles Francis]

Tubbs has been linked but only on fan sites, with us seemingly in competition with Rotherham and Crawley

OM reported that we were interested in Tubbs, I've also read (not sure if it was OM) he's turning down Rotherham because he wants to keep his family in the south, so it's between us and Crawley, OM did say we could probably only have him on loan.

Bournemouth paid £850k for Tubbs just 18 months ago and he has two years left on a contract I've heard is in the region of £5k/week.

Tubbs hasn't shone at Bournemouth so is unlikely to attract much attention from anywhere higher than L1. This means that Bournemouth are going to have to take a hit if they are going to sell as nobody is going to pay anywhere near what they did. Similarly, Tubbs would have to take a hit on his wages. It seems to me that Bournemouth's best bet is to put him out on loan, probably with them contributing 50% or so of his wages. Better for them to be paying £2.5k a month and giving him the chance to regain his form and become a saleable asset again, than pay £5k a month for him to warm the bench.

[GodalmingYellow]

Tubbs has been linked but only on fan sites, with us seemingly in competition with Rotherham and Crawley

OM reported that we were interested in Tubbs, I've also read (not sure if it was OM) he's turning down Rotherham because he wants to keep his family in the south, so it's between us and Crawley, OM did say we could probably only have him on loan.

Bournemouth paid £850k for Tubbs just 18 months ago and he has two years left on a contract I've heard is in the region of £5k/week.

Tubbs hasn't shone at Bournemouth so is unlikely to attract much attention from anywhere higher than L1. This means that Bournemouth are going to have to take a hit if they are going to sell as nobody is going to pay anywhere near what they did. Similarly, Tubbs would have to take a hit on his wages. It seems to me that Bournemouth's best bet is to put him out on loan, probably with them contributing 50% or so of his wages. Better for them to be paying £2.5k a month and giving him the chance to regain his form and become a saleable asset again, than pay £5k a month for him to warm the bench.

I would tend to agree, except that Bournemouth are, I understand, on a tight budget, so I wonder if they would seriously want a player costing them £2.5k per week for no play.

They massively overpaid for Tubbs in my view and will have to take a hit or keep him and hope he impresses enough for selection. Tubbs doesn't have to take a pay cut as he can just hang on to his contract. I guess it depends on how much he wants to play first team football. Would be a good signing for us, but I don't think it will happen.

[joepoolman]

My source on the Bhasra story is supposed to be a good one but hasn't been 100% reliable in the past, I'm taking it with a pinch of salt, and don't want to appear to be reporting it as fact.

[GodalmingYellow]

Not a new player, but the official site has announced that Andy Whing has signed an even longer extension than the one year option that the club took up. New contract is for further 2 years with 1 year further option for the club to extend again.

Good news!

[Roo]

We seem to be linked to, or indeed have signed, a lot of fullback/midfielder types. Perhaps those people who were singing 'All We Want Is A Team Of Andy Whings' last season should be careful what they wish for!

[theox]

Oxford Mail now reporting we have signed Danny Rose.

[GodalmingYellow]

Danny Rose?

I hope he has become a little less lightweight since his first spell. Great passing and movement IIRC, but hopeless in the tackle and in the air.

David Hunt has also signed from Crawley. Good signing this. Decent right back.

[slappy]

I'm pleased we've signed Hunt. Good track record from higher league clubs, probably signed for Crawley for a good wage. Only left because he wasn't getting game time.

[OUFC4eva]

When Aldershot drew with us at Grenoble Road in December Rose was easily the
best midfielder on the pitch and was picking passes for fun.
I think he has matured and filled out a bit.
He plays it simple, has a good left foot and keeps the game ticking over which you need to do.

[OUFC4eva]

I'm pleased we've signed Hunt. Good track record from higher league clubs, probably signed for Crawley for a good wage. Only left because he wasn't getting game time.

Agree David Hunt is a decent capture. Good experienced defender who can attack and deliver quality.

[slappy]

The other thing I like about Hunt is he seems a decent man off the pitch. OK he's got the footballer's Herbalife obsession, but his blog
http://lifeofanotherleague.blogspot.co.uk/
is a good read, and his trip to watch Barcelona shows he is a proper football fan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... 4q5SD-hHSU

Danny Rose has just had twins, so that should keep him calm and steady.

[Radley Rambler]

The other thing I like about Hunt is he seems a decent man off the pitch. OK he's got the footballer's Herbalife obsession, but his blog
http://lifeofanotherleague.blogspot.co.uk/
is a good read, and his trip to watch Barcelona shows he is a proper football fan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... 4q5SD-hHSU

Danny Rose has just had twins, so that should keep him calm and steady.

Will his body recover in time for the new season?

[slappy]

I follow a few lower league footballers on twitter, and David Hunt and Danny Rose are two of them.
Marvin Morgan has been released, but would his 'fashion' business be seen as too distracting?
I'm wondering whether that was a factor in why Batt was released (his Alexander DuBel business).

[Paul Cooper]

I agree that Hunt seems to be a good capture. One of his strengths I believe is putting in a really decent cross which was not one of Batt's strengths most of the time.

Danny Rose? I am really undecided on this. I missed the Aldershot game but heard that he was the best player on the pitch. Fleetwood paid a fair amount of money for him and he clearly did very well at Newport.

I am assuming that he has filled out since his Oxford days (he was 19 then?), and Rose clearly had a lot of skill and vision. So hopefully if he is a 'stronger' level and can deal with League 2 from that angle, he could be a decent signing as well.

Somebody suggested that Hunt seemed a good guy. One of my memories about Danny Rose is that he seemed to embrace the club and the community work that the club did, so maybe a couple of decent people as well as players?

[Old Abingdonian]

Am I the only on who can detect Wilder's obsession? It's clearly monosyllables. We could easily have the first eight names on the teamsheet next season comprising eight syllables:
Clarke - Hunt - Raynes - Wright - Meads - Whing - Rose - Rigg
Does this make the signing of Howe or Tubbs any more likely?