Deane Smalley signs

[Swissbloke]

http://www.oufc.co.uk/page/News/0,,1034 ... 63,00.html

[Mooro]

Seems quite a popular chap - Oldham offered him a deal (which may just have been to grab some compensation), but a couple of newspaper reports in Chesterfield suggested they were going to try for him as well, especially if former OUFC youth player &amp leading scorer Craig Davies moves on as expected....

[Swissbloke]

Chesterfield players are &quotdismayed&quot on Twitter lots of &quotMan WTF&quot or &quotDidn't expect him not to sign for us, Oxford must be splashing the cash&quot


Funny

[bspittles]

When was tyhe last time we paid a fee for a player? None recent spring to mind.

[slappy]

When was the last time we paid a fee for a player? None recent spring to mind.

Craddock? Figures of £75K (or 50K to 100K) were bandied around.

[deanwindass]

I think we paid a compensation-type fee for Potter. Other than that, and Craddock, Beano was probably our most substantial of recent years with Creighton, Clist and Tonkin costing nominal fees.

[Yellow-Robbo]

I'm really happy about this signing...

Beano, Deano, JP and Craddock - Four Strikers that all were in double figures last season. Lets hope they all do it again!

What do you guys think we need now? Obviously a GK... then i'd go for a MASSIVE Centre Back and two experienced but not too old Centre Midfielders - especially if we stick with our 4-3-3 approach.

I'm still a bit confused with Heslop and Hall - can't work out if I like them or not. Hence why I think two Centre Midfielders might be a good thing.

I've got a really good feeling about next season already!

Yellows!

[Tabbernackle]

I've had a bit of a dig at our manager from time to time,but this signing makes me eat my words! In Wilder we trust.

[OUFanatic]

Ok i confess that i dont know too much about him if truth be told.

So thats Smalley, Capaldi, Whing, James and Pittman so far and its not even the end of May.

Midson,Deering, Clist etc are going or have gone, i wonder who else is on their way?


I wonder how many of these will be regular first teamers when the January transfer window opens? I askthis because as we all know Wilder's transfer and loan policy is at best a success rate of about 40%

[BigCrompy]

Ok i confess that i dont know too much about him if truth be told.

So thats Smalley, Capaldi, Whing, James and Pittman so far and its not even the end of May.

Midson,Deering, Clist etc are going or have gone, i wonder who else is on their way?


I wonder how many of these will be regular first teamers when the January transfer window opens? I askthis because as we all know Wilder's transfer and loan policy is at best a success rate of about 40%

Does this make him any worse than MOST managers, I wonder? I'm assuming it's a remark designed as an honest criticism, and to be honest I'm undecided what I think about Wilder's transfer record.

I don't think that I'm opposed in principle to the relatively mighty turnover of players per se, (although I would draw the line at Barry Fry circa 1993-5).

I suppose the ultimate would be that the first 11 signings he made would all have improved the team to champions and beyond, in which case no further signings would ever have been necessary. But injuries have and will come along, and poor form will cripple the best-laid plans. So it is inevitable there will be a certain amount of improvement always attempted. Do other managers build a champion team in their first season? If indeed the hit rate is 40%, I'm thinking only Jim Smith (the first time) amongst Oxford managers ever did better.

The greatest failing would be persistence with what is clearly substandard and whilst there have been poor signings (loan or otherwise), most have been in turn moved on and not been played with impunity in the manner of a Smudger Smith or a Martin Gray.

I think in sum I'm actually quite excited when new signings come along my main objection is that I'm not sure Wilder prioritises positions enough or has quite the right balance to the squad. Four centre-forwards is quite enough IMHO at least one and preferably two further senior centre-backs should follow and definitely two midfielders (someone please remind me if we ended up signing the Doncaster lads or if they went back?)

[theox]

Always nice to get a mention but were we still after him?!

http://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/sport/ ... _1_2729220

[Baboo]

Always nice to get a mention but were we still after him?!

http://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/sport/ ... _1_2729220

Nah, we'll get someone better than him as our 5th striker.

[JoeyBeauchamp]

Impressive signing. Their strikers are as good as anyone in the division. No wonder they're clear favourites to go up.

[slappy]

Impressive signing. Their strikers are as good as anyone in the division. No wonder they're clear favourites to go up.

Is that the worst website picture of a player ever? Looks like one of those pixellated newspaper photos to protect people's identities.

I find it strange that a 19 goal per season player isn't looking to a League 1 side, but then again if Crawley are paying top of L2/ middle league 1 wages then why not?

Scott Davies a youngster from Reading joins them too.

Steve Evans :&quotI know he had a few options to further his career but he knows a few of the lads here and that has helped. I believe he spoke to a couple of them and after that he made it very clear he only wanted to sign for one club. &quot

I know our signings always say they are impressed with the set up and the ground and the fans, but what attracts people to Crawley (apart from the cash)?

[Sideshow Rob]

&quotI know our signings always say they are impressed with the set up and the ground and the fans, but what attracts people to Crawley (apart from the cash)?&quot

The manager's charm?