Paul Simpson wastes no time in rebuilding the Town squad for next season by bringing in his first two players of the summer.
I have previously said I hoped we wouldn’t sign anyone at either end of the age scale – someone really young and inexperienced or someone old and past their best – and that is what we appear to have done.
From what I hear of the players we seem to have got decent players, but I’m afraid we have heard it all before with managers talking up new signings and they turn out to be rubbish.
Stephen Hindmarch, 18, has been described as an exciting forward, who has been chased by a number of Premiership clubs.
This sounds impressive and apparently Simpson knows him from his days at Carlisle, but I end up asking myself why did he leave and at 18 he is very inexperienced. Haven’t we got enough young, inexperienced players? And look what happened to Michael Barnes from Man Utd.
Paul Murray, 31, an experienced midfielder, from Gretna. He is another player who Simpson has worked with before and is someone who had offers to play at a higher level, but at 31, could he be past his best and is he going to be another Neil Sorvel or Stuart Drummond?
However, I am willing to give them time, just like the manager, and have every faith that Simpson knows what he is doing.
What do fans think of the new signings? What type of players would they like to see us buy?
18 Comments
if you put stephen hindmarch into the bbc sport search engine the only team he is connected to is barrow town.
At least Simmo’ knows Hindmarch well, clearly the kid has not impressed yet at Carlisle so he is taking a chance.
Paul Murray is a safer bet and isn’t so old at 31 is he ? Gretna had an awful season but he has played at a higher level for others so League 2 wont be beyond him. Next I hope for a central defender or two !
and paul murray seems very injury prone
I know it’s a tough game to find players that will fit into the current squad, but if Simpson could find 4-5 players around 28 years old with the right experience and the right spirit it should prove to take Town the right way next season. I would say one attacker, 2 midfield players and two defenders.
If anyone like to look up players, i can recommend soccerbase.com
Just give Paul Simpson a chance and leave off the critisism.
you cannot beat locally “grown” talent witness joe hart etc, i would rather have 2 years consolidation and young home grown talent rather than imported unknowns and geriatric has beens
ps welcome back the grecians, exeter city. we were relegated together and now hopefully we climb league 2 next season, but i think we can only expect consolidation next season, prove me wrong simmo, and for gawds sake keep us up!!
Ive put Stephen Hindmarsh into bbc sport, and it came up with two articals, one of which was him socring against Man utd youth team, in the youth fa cup…
Murraymay prove a great double with Mcintyre!
Another Stewart Drummond??
Yes please, the man was extreamly technically gifted, an excellent header of the ball, an acomplished passer, and a good tackler …
these are typical signings gary peters wouid have made blue square premier here we come!
according to soccerbase.com stephen hindmarch is 11 foot, 11 inches tall, if thats true he’s nearly twice the height of peter crouch…..
Devon Salopian, do you really think Simpson would be afforded two years of consolidation? If we’re still ‘consolidating’ next season, Simpson will probably find himself under pressure from the boo boys before Christmas.
One of the reasons Peters lost his job was because he assembled some good young players but didn’t have the right experienced players to bring them through.
Also most of his youngsters were proven in time to be not good enough. Young player + time does not automatically equate to good first team player.
enemess, i agree 2 years is a long time but you can not re build a squad in a short time, indeed if we are in 16th place or lower by mid october i shall be a boo boy. concolidating is somewhere in the top 15 and play offs is a bonus, promotion is a roy of the rovers dream, keep dreaming
Trust Simmo he does know what he is doing !
davey boy we are all hoping that, we may know more by the end of september!
Murray is a class act, watched him at the Celtic game this season, and he was of the best players on the pitch that day. He is an combatitive player hence a few injuries, but when he is on he will run the show in league 2.
“indeed if we are in 16th place or lower by mid october i shall be a boo boy.”
Rochdale were in 19th place in mid-October.
did anyone see the hindmarch goal against man utd?
it should have been goal of the season!