Miller signs for Stevenage?

[Christies Child]

If the local paper down in that part of the country is to be believed. it looks as though Shaun Miller has signed for Stevenage following a trial v Nottingham Forrest and a later trial with us v Blackpool.

IF TRUE then it's yet another blow for Jimbo to cope with BUT let's hope that it is purely paper talk and that Jimbo can persuade him to stay 'up North' and sign for us....assuming that Jimbo sees him as the centre forward he freely admits we need.



http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/P ... story.html

I for one hope that the newspaper story is a load of bull.....as by the sounds of it, he would fit in well with our squad and could rediscover his goal scoring prowess under the guidance of Jim and Ken.

Shaun scored in that never to be forgotten come back v Crewe and was in the line up for Sheffield United when we last played them in the Cup.

[parceldave]

I thought you posted somewhere else Neil that his goal scoring record of late was non-existent , so we havn't missed much , have we.

[Caged Lion]

Simple... we need somebody who CAN score goals, not somebody who MIGHT score goals.

Plenty of eager MIGHT score goals in lower leagues. Lads who have already failed aren't such a great target IMO but what the hell? I am just a fan and think that what we need is a 'striker' with a proven track record. Bring back Arnold Timmins

[nobbyshrimp]

And Aaron's playing partner (striker) with the Shrews also out of favour and told to find a new club just like Aaron was - Scott Vernon

[Shrimpy]

I think it's more a case of bad journalism from the Stevenage press, could be wrong but I think they've just got a bit ahead of themselves and assumed he's signed when he was only on trial.

[Christies Child]

I think it's more a case of bad journalism from the Stevenage press, could be wrong but I think they've just got a bit ahead of themselves and assumed he's signed when he was only on trial.

Let's hope that it is a case of bad journalism.

I'd really like to put one over on that lot from Stevenage.

[bill ding]

Not on here CC


http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/Footba ... /Stevenage

[BoroRedShrimp]

Hopefully he will be playing against Liverpool but if not many other strikers out there. Would not mind Max Clayton on loan from Bolton depending if he is in Neil Lennon's first team plans. He did well with Miller & Dugdale at Crewe. Could be a Crewe reunion.

[Posh]

We'll never know why Podge was released (wanting more money?) but I can't help but think that Shaun Miller on his record over the last three seasons wouldn't be any significant improvement and frankly a bit of a gamble. Eight goals in the last three years isn't much of a return, although I don't know how many assists in that.

Team Apps (Goals)
2006–2012 Crewe Alexandra 163 (39)
2006–2007 Witton Albion (loan) 3 (1)
2012–2014 Sheffield United 28 (4)
2014 Shrewsbury Town (loan) 8 (3)
2014–2015 Coventry City 12 (1)
2014–2015 Crawley Town (loan) 5 (0)
2015 York City (loan) 6 (0)

[John L]

We'll never know why Podge was released (wanting more money?) but I can't help but think that Shaun Miller on his record over the last three seasons wouldn't be any significant improvement and frankly a bit of a gamble. Eight goals in the last three years isn't much of a return, although I don't know how many assists in that.

Team Apps (Goals)
2006–2012 Crewe Alexandra 163 (39)
2006–2007 Witton Albion (loan) 3 (1)
2012–2014 Sheffield United 28 (4)
2014 Shrewsbury Town (loan) 8 (3)
2014–2015 Coventry City 12 (1)
2014–2015 Crawley Town (loan) 5 (0)
2015 York City (loan) 6 (0)

He was out with a cruciate injury between Boxing Day 2012 and October 2013.

[SupermarketShrimp]

According to Stevenage its a different shaun miller from memory

[Posh]

We'll never know why Podge was released (wanting more money?) but I can't help but think that Shaun Miller on his record over the last three seasons wouldn't be any significant improvement and frankly a bit of a gamble. Eight goals in the last three years isn't much of a return, although I don't know how many assists in that.

Team Apps (Goals)
2006–2012 Crewe Alexandra 163 (39)
2006–2007 Witton Albion (loan) 3 (1)
2012–2014 Sheffield United 28 (4)
2014 Shrewsbury Town (loan) 8 (3)
2014–2015 Coventry City 12 (1)
2014–2015 Crawley Town (loan) 5 (0)
2015 York City (loan) 6 (0)

He was out with a cruciate injury between Boxing Day 2012 and October 2013.

I realise that and how many players have we seen that have not been the same after a serious injury, such as Chris Shuker?

A good friend who supports York City describes him as '..distinctly mediocre. No real pace, often injured and falls to pieces when given a chance. Nice pedigree though'.

He could stay injury free, rediscover his form and score a hatful or he could pick up from the last three seasons, have little confidence, suffer injuries and score nothing while on a two-year deal. It is a Balotelli-esque gamble in my view, but who else is out there?

[Shrimpy]

but who else is out there?

This is pretty much how I see it too. At this stage of the pre-season we're left scrapping about in the bargain bin for players who for one reason or another haven't been picked up by other clubs.

If Jack had been sold to Blackpool a month earlier we may have had a chance of being in for players like Andy Mangan, Billy Kee, Scott Boden, Bobby Grant, Wes Fletcher and others. As it is they had already got signed up elsewhere.

Jim was obviously working on the basis of Jack being here for the season, had he known that he was to be sold to Blackpool it may have resulted in Podge sticking around too.

[Lloydie]

Sounds like we should just offer him a deal to Christmas then. Nothing to lose on either side then, then in January might be strikers available on loan from higher up the pyramid?

[Christies Child]

but who else is out there?

This is pretty much how I see it too. At this stage of the pre-season we're left scrapping about in the bargain bin for players who for one reason or another haven't been picked up by other clubs.

If Jack had been sold to Blackpool a month earlier we may have had a chance of being in for players like Andy Mangan, Billy Kee, Scott Boden, Bobby Grant, Wes Fletcher and others. As it is they had already got signed up elsewhere.

Jim was obviously working on the basis of Jack being here for the season, had he known that he was to be sold to Blackpool it may have resulted in Podge sticking around too.

But why?

For me the reason gets back to the inability of our Board to secure a deal for the Ground Sponsorship. Surely when the original budget given to Jim was based on the fact that monies would come in for the Sponsorship. His reduction must be based on the fact that this and possibly other expected money hasn't come about. As a result Jim now finds himself in this ridiculous position of having to recruit not his first choice striker, not even possibly his second choice but maybe his third, fourth or even fifth choice and all because of the clubs lack of a ground sponsor?

We've known for a good number of months that Globe had vanished so was there an urgency to get somebody else on board? It would appear not, or are the club asking too much to frighten potential sponsors off?

An update on this matter would I'm sure be most welcome.....

[Freez]

That's quite a leap??
The budget may be based on that premise, but it may not.
It could be based on attendances last season? It could be worse case scenario no cup run money? It could be lower away followings being in the North and the division being predominantly southern based?
We have cut our cloth, now we must stick to it?

I think more the point is that we expected to have Jack, and we haven't, so a replacement is needed, but there are no real bargains to be had at this time.
As for Millers, he isn't an out and out goal scorer with this record, however Crawley and York hardly set either of their divisions alight last season so playing as a stop gap for them hardly condemns him as crap and past it.
He has been training and doing Ok, he did pretty well against Blackpool with his 25 minutes, not quick but has good touch and awareness from that cameo!
Shall we wait and see??

[The Marksman]

There's always the option of the loan market if we can't find anyone suitable available for free. I'm not worried.

[Shrimpy]

That's quite a leap??
The budget may be based on that premise, but it may not.
It could be based on attendances last season? It could be worse case scenario no cup run money? It could be lower away followings being in the North and the division being predominantly southern based?
We have cut our cloth, now we must stick to it?

I think more the point is that we expected to have Jack, and we haven't, so a replacement is needed, but there are no real bargains to be had at this time.
As for Millers, he isn't an out and out goal scorer with this record, however Crawley and York hardly set either of their divisions alight last season so playing as a stop gap for them hardly condemns him as crap and past it.
He has been training and doing Ok, he did pretty well against Blackpool with his 25 minutes, not quick but has good touch and awareness from that cameo!
Shall we wait and see??

Putting on my rose tinted spectacles here, Miller once scored 19 goals in a League 2 season, his career after that has been mainly spent at League 1 level. Could well be that the step up was simply too much for him. I know he had a short loan spell at York last year in our division but you can't read too much into that in my opinion.

Bring him in to a settled environment, let Jim put his arm around him and he may do alright.

[Shrimpy]

Jim now finds himself in this ridiculous position of having to recruit not his first choice striker, not even possibly his second choice but maybe his third, fourth or even fifth choice and all because of the clubs lack of a ground sponsor?

That has absolutely nothing to do with it at all!

The fact is Jim thought he was going to be going into the season with Redshaw and Mullin as his striking options, therefore there was no need for us to be pursuing the likes of Andy Mangan, Billy Kee, Scott Boden, Bobby Grant, Wes Fletcher and there was also no need for us to retain Podge.

Those plans were then thrown into disarray with Redshaw unexpectedly joining Blackpool. Jim then has to start looking for a striker and he's missed the boat so to speak with lots of credible targets for us already signed up at other clubs. Even AJ Leitch-Smith joined Port Vale, presumably because he had been on trial there long before Blackpool had even bid for Jack. Had Jack gone a month earlier maybe we could have persuaded Leitch-Smith to trial with us instead and he would now be a Morecambe player?

The difficulties we now face in replacing Redshaw have absolutely nothing to do with the budget and ground sponsorship although Arestidou leaving and Jim's inability to bring in an additional striker to compliment Mullin & Redshaw / Redshaws replacement would appear to be.

[KenH]

Is it really "unexpected" that Jack has gone though? I would have thought it was a highly likely scenario given the previous interest shown in him as confirmed by Jim in interviews etc. Moreso by him backing out at the last minute from moving to Peterborough last Summer. Surely Jim had a "plan B" in case Jack was sold?

[marky No.1]

Quote from M.D., which says otherwise IMO

“We will be spending slightly less on players than we did last year.

“Last season we had exceptional issues that came up with injuries and goalkeepers.

“There’s plenty of elements that go into it building the playing budget though and things that we’ll look to happen.

“One of those is the stadium sponsorship which we felt was going to happen last year and it didn’t.

“It’s a double whammy. One you haven’t brought the money in through the stadium sponsorship and secondly you’ve got injury issues so your playing budget from last year gets shot out of the water very, very quickly.

“We’ve been talking to people about the sponsorship but there’s nothing guaranteed to happen this year yet therefore it can’t be in there."


“Rather than doing too much blue sky thinking we set it where we are and if anything happens to the benefit of it, like a cup run, then you can look at doing other things."

http://www.thevisitor.co.uk/sport/morec ... -1-7332512

[Shrimpy]

Is it really "unexpected" that Jack has gone though? I would have thought it was a highly likely scenario given the previous interest shown in him as confirmed by Jim in interviews etc. Moreso by him backing out at the last minute from moving to Peterborough last Summer. Surely Jim had a "plan B" in case Jack was sold?

You can't plan for a season though on the basis of what might happen when you're as cash strapped as us. In theory we could have gone and signed Scott Davies just incase Barry didn't recover, keep Mark Hughes in case Edwards got sold and brought in another striker incase Redshaw went.

Then we could have found ourselves in a situation where Barry was fine and Edwards and Redshaw didn't leave. We would then be massively over budget, who is going to foot the bill for that?

[Christies Child]

Jim now finds himself in this ridiculous position of having to recruit not his first choice striker, not even possibly his second choice but maybe his third, fourth or even fifth choice and all because of the clubs lack of a ground sponsor?

That has absolutely nothing to do with it at all!

The fact is Jim thought he was going to be going into the season with Redshaw and Mullin as his striking options, therefore there was no need for us to be pursuing the likes of Andy Mangan, Billy Kee, Scott Boden, Bobby Grant, Wes Fletcher and there was also no need for us to retain Podge.

Those plans were then thrown into disarray with Redshaw unexpectedly joining Blackpool. Jim then has to start looking for a striker and he's missed the boat so to speak with lots of credible targets for us already signed up at other clubs. Even AJ Leitch-Smith joined Port Vale, presumably because he had been on trial there long before Blackpool had even bid for Jack. Had Jack gone a month earlier maybe we could have persuaded Leitch-Smith to trial with us instead and he would now be a Morecambe player?

The difficulties we now face in replacing Redshaw have absolutely nothing to do with the budget and ground sponsorship although Arestidou leaving and Jim's inability to bring in an additional striker to compliment Mullin & Redshaw / Redshaws replacement would appear to be.

Jim was already looking for an additional striker to replace Amond long before Jack went to Blackpool. His original budget was reduced prior to Jack's departure so his ability to bring in that striker was reduced considerably. With Jack's departure (and that of Amond) Jim has now to get whoever he can. So not first or second choice as he has said on numerous occasions. My point is that IF we had secured a new sponsor (and I assume that the budget was based on that ) then money that was already in the initial budget would have still been there for the new striker that Jim was after long before Jack's departure.

[Shrimpy]

Jim now finds himself in this ridiculous position of having to recruit not his first choice striker, not even possibly his second choice but maybe his third, fourth or even fifth choice and all because of the clubs lack of a ground sponsor?

That has absolutely nothing to do with it at all!

The fact is Jim thought he was going to be going into the season with Redshaw and Mullin as his striking options, therefore there was no need for us to be pursuing the likes of Andy Mangan, Billy Kee, Scott Boden, Bobby Grant, Wes Fletcher and there was also no need for us to retain Podge.

Those plans were then thrown into disarray with Redshaw unexpectedly joining Blackpool. Jim then has to start looking for a striker and he's missed the boat so to speak with lots of credible targets for us already signed up at other clubs. Even AJ Leitch-Smith joined Port Vale, presumably because he had been on trial there long before Blackpool had even bid for Jack. Had Jack gone a month earlier maybe we could have persuaded Leitch-Smith to trial with us instead and he would now be a Morecambe player?

The difficulties we now face in replacing Redshaw have absolutely nothing to do with the budget and ground sponsorship although Arestidou leaving and Jim's inability to bring in an additional striker to compliment Mullin & Redshaw / Redshaws replacement would appear to be.

Jim was already looking for an additional striker to replace Amond long before Jack went to Blackpool. His original budget was reduced prior to Jack's departure so his ability to bring in that striker was reduced considerably. With Jack's departure (and that of Amond) Jim has now to get whoever he can. So not first or second choice as he has said on numerous occasions. My point is that IF we had secured a new sponsor (and I assume that the budget was based on that ) then money that was already in the initial budget would have still been there for the new striker that Jim was after long before Jack's departure.

Yes, I covered all that in my post!

Even if Jim had been able to bring in another striker before Jacks departure we would still be in exactly the same position as we are in now in terms of trying to bring in a replacement for Jack.

[Christies Child]

Not sure if you agree or disagree that the loss of a stadium sponsor (and possibly other investment) was a direct result of Jim's budget being reduced which then had repercussions in Jim's hunt for a striker to replace initially Amond and now Jack although we all assume that a limited amount of money from Jack's sale has been made available to recruit somebody suitable.