A big tall commanding centre half, we were out jumped for most of the headers v Torquay

A tall centre forward ( Bennet would do nicely )

A tall keeper who commands his box and catches crosses, corners etc.

IMO.

I’d be very happy if we could nab the Torquay keeper!

Too late!!!

He has signed for Port Vale

We don’t want big and tall. We want to play on the deck. Big and tall saw torquay stay in the vanarama. The only way they could score was a Jammy goal in injury time. I thought he did well enough to be our third choice keeper but he’s gone to port vale. Does anyone find themselves doing the Covolan rhumba on the way to the fridge or is it just me?

[quote="Double Figures"]We don’t want big and tall. We want to play on the deck. Big and tall saw torquay stay in the vanarama.
but bennett didn,t do too bad though when we had him. not saying we should sign him but someone similar can take the weight off the others giving them more space. its handy on corners also to have a big goalscoring forward player up there.

Yeah I think we need a mix. The big thing for me is making sure we have pace as well.

Bennett is a must, excellent player totally underrated by Stockport.

Definitely need another keeper, although the way James ended the campaign I'd be happy bringing him back if borer let us have him back for a year. He looked to have all the technical attributes to be an excellent keeper and made some excellent takes against Stockport. I suspect in our position we won't have a massive amount to spend so beggers can't be choosers.

I think the reality is we might be nicking a few players from the national league instead of signing established league players.

As for commanding centre half, I thought Johnson fitted that bill perfectly, big strong lad with pace. Although I agree we could do with a Gary Strodder rev 2 if one exists.

However, with just six weeks to go before the new campaign, assembling a side will be the primary focus.

"It has to sink in unfortunately," Challinor told BBC Radio Tees.

"We are already activating plans, we've got to get turned around quickly, because the stark reality is we're a Football League team with five contracted players and another 20 to find."

doubt any league team have ever been in this situation ever before. there is also a limit on loan players in the EFL you can pick for a game. then there will be a time limit due to that so called window thing which we,ll have to abide with. its a really mammoth task thats involved on top of any agents trying to turn players heads who were with us last season. if he manages to cobble together a really competitive side for the crawley game it will have to be seen as one of the best things thats happened not just at pools but anywhere in the football world. if we do fail next season a lot can be placed at the door of the national league that have caused this.

1. hot pies
2. hot sausage rolls
3. hot bovril

my fear is, as being said above we nick a few standout national league players who want to make the jump but just end up with a very good national league team and not one that can compete at this level. All i am hoping for this season is that we stay up and dont go straight back down. In DC we trust i am sure he has a few ideas of who we need / want.

[quote="Eiphos_3"]my fear is, as being said above we nick a few standout national league players who want to make the jump but just end up with a very good national league team and not one that can compete at this level.
think most good national league players are as good as those near the foot of division 2 and most could do a job. doubt anyone expects pools to be among the play off contenders next season and it will be more about a season of keeping as far away from the relegation places as possible. just hope the vast majority of fans will be realistic with our signings and where we will be in the league.

I am intending betting Pools for promotion again. Obviously a lot will depend on the size and quality of the squad but I am confident that Challinor and Sweeney will bust a gut to create a challenge for promotion. Raj is appearing more and more to be up for taking the club forward and the Town Council seem to have plans to get involved.
All the signs are promising and the people involved seem to be together. There is an air of quiet confidence backed by a fair dose of determination.
Yes it might all go tits up but my glass is over half full at the moment.

There's sense in both those comments, but good coaching and a strong team identity and work ethic counts for a lot in League 2 and much as the NL.

Dave Challinor plans to announce his retained list today and if Pools can hang on to the likes of Oates, Armstrong, Sterry and Johnson all to the good. They are all capable of rising to the challenge and continuing to improve - as are the likes of Shelton, Grey and Odusina who are already signed up to play next season.

Challinor has shown with his signings to date that he's generally a good judge of players and I'm confident that with a decent budget he'll be able to add quality to the squad. The quick turn around into the new season isn't in Pools favour, but as long as we can more or less hold our own in August/September I can only see Pools getting stronger as the season goes on.

Richie Bennett has just agreed to cancel his contract at Stockport and is now a free agent. I wonder where he might be going ?

Making good progress on the retained/recruitment front will help in selling more season tickets.

Will he announce it today ?

DC on Bennett;

"Without speaking out of turn, people have asked about us doing Richie on a permanent, Richie is on more than double what any of our players earn,” Challinor told The Mail prior to Pools’ play-off success."

Well it's a bit late in the day to announce the retained list now

bennett will obviously have to reduce his expectations no matter who he signs for. too choices, sign for less money or get a job outside football. he can hardly be classed as an up and coming young player. if i was him i,d jump at a decent pools offer. he did well at the vic and cannot see him getting another league club to offer him anything.

And as I suspected, the retained list never came. It's also a bit concerning we only have one friendly penciled in, at Gateshead who will hardly be a tough test. Challinor himself has said Bennett is on more than what our players are, which doesn't bode too wel.

I have faith in Challinor that if he stays we can build a good squad, I say if, as the entire nation is linking him to Wrexham again it seems. I love how each linked job makes less and less sense by the end of the year he'll be getting linked with the likes of Chelsea and Tottenham! Not one club in britain has more fake news stories than Pools, from Jack Blackford going to Rangers, from Martin Jesper supposedly destroying club flags. Itd be somewhat funny if it wasnt cringeworthy.

challinor moving to wrexham makes as much sense than danny adams dropping a division from promoted morecambe to bradford city. thats if you ignore the extra money they get or may get. even with a bad season i doubt adams or challinor would be sacked but the compo they,d receive from the new clubs if it does not work out makes a decision to move good financial decision.