Ryan Bowman - SIGNED

[brucie]

I might be pessimistic but it has to be remembered that we are playing in the Conference - its clearly inferior to league 2 whatever anyone says.
I don't know why we would want McDonald - wasn't good enough when he was here before.
Bowman might be fantasy perhaps but he is hardly going to announce that he is to sign on facebook. CH says he is about to sign a forward so who knows perhaps it is Bowman. I am always loathe to say signings are good when I don't know too much about the players in question - but I would suggest that he could be another promising signing perhaps.
Certainly if we after Cureton as well, and CH has three midfielders to look at there doesn't appear to be any place for the likes of HAwley - it also seems to look that we do have a decent budget contrary to what is being suggested.

[Fonda]

It's not 'clearly weaker ' - but it does have some weaker teams (part-timers), which should ensure a relegation scrap is unlikely.

The amount of clubs that after promotion from this division, perform well in the League above would suggest the difference in quality (generally) isn't great. This is supported by the amount of clubs that after relegation from League 2, struggle in this league too.

If we enter this season with a significant percentage of the team that got relegated last season, we'll struggle again.

[Kit_robin]

It's not 'clearly weaker ' - but it does have some weaker teams (part-timers), which should ensure a relegation scrap is unlikely.

The amount of clubs that after promotion from this division, perform well in the League above would suggest the difference in quality (generally) isn't great. This is supported by the amount of clubs that after relegation from League 2, struggle in this league too.

If we enter this season with a significant percentage of the team that got relegated last season, we'll struggle again.

Don't particularly agree with this.

I think it's true that the top teams are of a similar (but still lesser) quality than League 2, say top 6-8, but the rest are on a spectrum between reasonably poor and terrible (compared to the football league). The drop off between 10th in conference and 10th in conference north/South is severe too. Many reasons for this, but mainly money (as you quite correctly highlight with your part-time comment).

Teams that come up do sometimes do well as you say. Part of that is down to the smaller gap in quality for the top conference teams, but also has a lot to do with momentum and a little extra promotion money sloshing around for a year(I am ignoring moneybags Crawley and fleet wood). Look at the teams that have come up recently and it's not all plain sailing-oxford, dagenham morecambe average league 2, accringtonWimbledon relegation battle, alders hot, Hereford, barnet, Torquay, Macclesfield all returned there, Exeter straight up now struggling etc etc. you only have to look at the number of successful conference players who don't make it in league 2 to tell you there is a definite jump in quality - we had our own examples in Sills, Todd etc.

Also to look at relegated teams struggling isn't the whole story, a lot of teams relegated in the last ten years have had major financial issues which knock on into following seasons. Aldershot, Stockport, Darlington, Hereford, Wrexham, Grimsby, Macclesfield (this list could go on) all got relegated because they were in a mess. Most of them continued to struggle because they were still in a mess. Grimsby were one of the few teams to sort themselves out and they made the playoffs. I would expect alders hot to be stronger next year now the owner has put more money in. When we were relegated in 2007 we were a mess- we were sorted by the start of the season and promotion push ensued.

Even if we start the season with a few of these transfer listed players, we still have a squad which is capable of mounting a play off push - if we sign a striker that is.

[Richinns]

Confirmed by York press:
http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/sport/yorkci ... _/?ref=mac

[gullintwoplaces]

This is really good news. I assumed it was just a rumour, but now appears true. Well done CH, some decent signings this summer.

[Gazzableedsgull]

I'm glad I posted this now, it's always a risk posting on here, especially if the rumours turns out to be just that. So I'm relieved it looks as though it's true. Happy Days

[Magpiegull]

Confirmed on OS - free transfer on 2 yr deal

[taunton_gull]

Confirmed - http://www.torquayunited.com/news/artic ... 14964.aspx

Kudos to CH, another decent player on board. Considering the circumstances around having transfer listed high earners at the club I think he is doing pretty well so far.

[DJ Gull]

Finaly. Been waiting for confimation all day. Hopefully with a few more additions our team will start to take shape.

[Scott Brehaut]

Not bad for a manager with, apparently, very few contacts.

No games are ever won on paper though, but signs are there that we are going to make a good go of getting promotion.

[PhilGull]

Who said Hargreaves has very few contacts, from what I hear he is well known and well liked by a lot of people throughout the game.

And very good news on this signing as with all the others so far. No journeyman yet, just a few (on paper) quality signings. And all without any money to spend! Well done CH and well done to the board

[PlainmoorRoar]

see he scored a few pens this season too!

What we would have given for that last season!

[Behind-the-Gulls]

Sounds like a decent signing- some quality midfielders and full-backs now please.

[Colorado Gull]

Sounds like a good signing. Good work Chris Hargreaves.

[Dave_Pougher]

On the face of it a good signing but but have to say I maybe slightly concerned about his temperament and CH should have maybe taken more time to think and look at this,,,,,,,,,

I base this on factual information,,,,,,,,,,,


Ryan Bowman,,,, think about it,,,,,,.

Anagram of WOMAN BARNY ,,,,

Welcome to our club Ryan.