Just signed after leaving Carlisle

Another signing who will get the last 20 odd minutes

this will be tagged as 'proof' we are strengthening---bit of cover wont hurt but unless we get someone who pushes Ferguson he will continue to coast.

I think deep down we all know Ferguson should have been released

Give the lad a chance eh…?

Asking a bit much from some, But i admire your enterprise.

Great signing. Wish him all the best

Serious question DF why do you feel he is a great signing I will be totally honest and admit I know nothing about the lad just interested.

Local lad, came through boro academy. Covers full back and centre back. Both Yeovil and Carlisle had him on loan before signing him or extending his loan. Must have something about him. Clearly not favoured at Carlisle he has ended his contract to find game time elsewhere. Great opportunity for him and us if it works out. For that reason I think it's a great signing. Whether he turns out to be a great player for us is another thing. Optimistic he will do well. Feel it in my water.

Played a lot of games in Lge 1 and helped Carlisle get promoted to Lge 1.(I Think)
Don,t think Williamson fancied him this season.

Appreciate your input DF

Cheers Gray

At last a left back to push Ferguson who imo is completely out of his depth. I have listened to track the amount of times he allows the opposition right winger to attack us. He has no self awareness whatsoever. It’s his job to get tight on their right winger and loads of time I see him stood in the centre half position just gazing. He is not like Parkes who is all over their forwards. His crossing is also up and down and he doesn’t get forward enough for me. Whether this guy is any better only time will tell. Show some passion Ferguson and get tight and get stuck in

Since Cleary has arrived it's obvious that he can operate very well as a left winger so for me the LB needs first and foremost to be a capable defender. Maybe this fella is the answer because defending has never been the strongest part of Fergys game.
Has Limbrick spotted the weakness?

I wouldn’t call him a great signing, because he has yet to prove it, but I’d apply the same thought to any signing despite their reputation …most of the players I admired over the years at Pools came with no background of note, which is why I give everyone a chance before deciding on their ability.
Don’t expect too much and don’t belittle new signings is my view, the result will soon show up …applies to owners and managers too….as we well know.

Players need minutes on the pitch, Lennie brought in players and gives them up to 30 minutes. If he had faith in them surely he would put them in from the start, he seen how they train. Folarin, Cleary & Robinson should be starting, simply because they cannot be any worse than what we have in those positions currently.

In terms of everything we need to look for at our level it is a great signing by the club. That's undeniable. Whether he turns out to be a great player for us is a different question. Why can't people just give credit where it is due? What do people want us to sign with our budget, a player from Newquay with no games under their belt who have come through the ranks at Wetherspoons?

If a blind man keeps throwing darts at the dart board, he'll eventually hit the bulls eye, and that sums up Pools recruitment policy.

This lad is 23, no one seems to no what his best position is, never scored a goal for Carlisle or Yeovil, who actually got relegated in 23/24 season, so at least he is used to losing. He couldn't get in a team who look National League bound, managed by a manager, who managed a team of battlers at Gateshead, yet Williamson seemingly doesn't rate him.
Looks to me like another like for like signing to me, another bums on seat signing just to appease the fans, who may now be looking to next season, and thinking of not renewing their season tickets, rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat.

Yeah, he might come good, but I know where I'd be putting my money. if I had to bet on it.

Not disagreeing, but I like to confirm they’re bad before binning them, you never know…. we might strike lucky one day.

A young left back who has never scored a goal? Well that's it then, sack to board!

best thing is him being a left back to replace a player most fans who would like to see the back of. if he cannot then he,s bloody shite.

Miley in with a view to taking over from Featherstone, Robinson with a view to replacing Ferguson. Looks like a plan for once.

Robinson is obviously rated higher than the left back Pools have just let go (Bondswell) so let's see how it goes.

I would never sign a left back who after 40 games had not scored a goal, but that's just me.

You clearly would, and that's just you.

All good left backs, of teams going places, I expect to chip in with 3 or 4 goals a season, from set pieces, free kicks or long range shots etc.

If he can't score for other clubs, what chance does he have of scoring for Pools?.

That's why I think he won't cut the mustard.

Also I forgot to mention, he's hardly played any football over the last 18 months or so, so can't see him going straight into the side, only at Pools would you sign so called good signings and not start them straightaway.

If he's hardly played football over the last 18 months that's maybe why he hasn't scored any goals.

I would never sign a left back who after 40 games had not scored a goal, but that's just me.

You clearly would, and that's just you.

All good left backs, of teams going places, I expect to chip in with 3 or 4 goals a season, from set pieces, free kicks or long range shots etc.

/quote]

Interesting theory. In the Dave Challinor promotion season our full backs scored 1 goal between them. Must have been the exception that proves the rule.

Rob McKinnon did alright for pools and according to Wikipedia scored 7 goals in 247 games! Did you not rate him?

Keith Nobbs and Micky Barron only scored 3 goals each in a total of over 600 games between them.

Left back, there's a clue there somewhere that the job just might be more about defending than scoring goals. I'd be looking at tackles made, blocks made, type of stats than how many goals has a right back scored.
If this lad is a better defender than Fergy then that's a starting point and a definite plus for the team.

It just happens the two I mention are right backs I agree I look at full backs as defenders and any goals are a bonus. Look throughout football and it is rare for full backs to score more than two goals if any in a season. (of course there will be odd exceptions)

Bench warmer or a replacement for Ferguson ?

If they never score a goal in their career but perform well in their defensive role I ‘d be happy. …nice bonus to have, butin that role not essential to score….but opinions will vary.

I would say it was. I would also say, if a full back is not going to chip in with any goals, then they have to compensate by being very good full backs. I'm sure if I could be arsed, I could find numerous examples of teams who went on to win titles and promotion, where the full backs have scored 4 and 5 goals. Of course Pools could provide lots of examples of when this hasn't happened, but then maybe thats why after 120 odd years in existence we've won nowt.

Very rare does a full back score more than 2/3 goals in a season. It wouldn’t surprise me that the vast majority of full backs reach 5/6 in their careers.

for me its a defensive roll end of. anything else is a bonus. nothing worse than a defender who cannot defend but does his best work in the opposition half. the reason i,m no fan of fergy or mark kitching earlier.

Fully respect Hordens views of what he expects from a left back and I agree with him not ‘being arsed’ to look at records because he would be here until Xmas to find more than an odd one who scored four goals regularly in a season.

actually workington had a full back who was their top scorer with 16 penaltys one season but only one goal from open play. think his name was tony geidmentis or something like that.

Didn't Phil Neal score regularly for Liverpool?

Ray Stewart for West Ham aswell. Mainly penalties though.

455 appearances 41 goals
For England 5 goals in 50 appearance.

I'd guess regular goal scoring full backs are a rarity.

62 goals in 345 appearances.
Only missed 10 out of 86 penalties in his career....that's some going!!!

As I said there are the odd ones and Stewart and Neal were way back in the 1970/80s. Let’s be honest with very rare exceptions Pools only sign free transfers or young acadamy players.

Correct Mr A re Geidmintis scored 37 goals in 296 apps. for workington in the sixties left for Watford,Northampton and Halifax but only scored one goal in over 120 apps.for those teams. Poor bloke had to retire owing to ill health aged 31 and sadly died when in early 40s. Just for your info Mr A

was actually in his company once when he was at halifax. shows how unfair life is as he was real decent bloke who bought a round unlike some who seem to be in the bogs when its their turn. not 100% sure but keith nobbs played for them around that time but not sure he was there that season.