But the comings and going’s leave us with a much weaker team than the one that ended last season as poor as it was.

I honestly feel recruitment wise we are looking at a relegation team or at least one struggling in the bottom half, certainly it’s hard to keep a straight face when Grayson hints at promotion and playoffs with the team we have, poor players still under contract, good ones released or telling us to thanks but no thanks and recruitment that seems either unproven at this level or clearly injury prone based on past few seasons.

Add to that it seems likely the goalkeeper position is going to be Smith again, and the midfield is on track to be the most one paced in our history and it’s hard to see anything to get excited about.

As I say I hope I’m wrong but feel like it’s taking the piss or extreme naivety to put us anywhere near top half..

You ain't wrong

He isent.

Agree 100%.

With the loss of Mancini, Mani and more than likely Joe Grey I think we’re looking down the barrel of an awful season.

I’d take just not getting relegated before we’ve even started.

It was going to be like this from the off.
When the fans are kept in the dark with just about everything, you have to start wondering about the outcome.

It's ridiculous to assume we are looking at a bottom half finish as it stands. I'll wait and see how pre season pans out and who else we sign. The signings so far look pretty decent, not overly convinced by Brad Walker, but if he's fit he's a very good player at this level and I'm assuming he'll be playing the featherstone role.
Simon Grayson has been round the arcades, he's not daft, I'm sure he can build a team that can compete.
I can't be boshed to get into the grimfest this early in preseason, the fact Sheron signed up for two years says a lot more to me than Mani fucking off (again) for a bigger pay packet.

Agree with some of it but to me the signings look no better than they were in previous years and we all know what happened (or did not). The difference with Mani and Sheron is that Mani was much more likely to have head turning options. A very calm and balanced post though Mr Lemonade.

Agree. And anyway I'm not going to judge players I haven't really seen play till I've watched them several times in a Pools shirt. Walker is the odd one out for me too. I wasn't that much of a fan of his the first time around apart from his breakthrough season, and his injury record since then is really off-putting.

Pre-season games aren't any sort of a guide either. Pools looked in great fettle up at South Shields last July, but by 10-12 games into the real season we were really struggling.

I reckon.
Gray fields FC. 2
Larrys Lambs FC 3 on Tuesday night.

We have lost mani, mancini madine and probably grey, brought in a lad that's hardly played in midfield an ageing forward on a downward spiral and a lad from the conference north, if this is not concerning to some even if its July then no wonder raj singh can pull the wool over the eyes of some. Nailed on bottom half unless miracle of miracles happen. The squad is far weaker than last season in fact its embarrassingly weak.

But yeah let's watch a few games before the penny drops.

Of course the squad is weaker at the moment nobody is denying that. I don't doubt that everyone is worried about the way the season is going to go at present, but it is about 5 weeks still to the start of the season so things hopefully will improve and soon.
Mourning the loss of Maxine then criticising the recruitment of Johnson is a strange one though?
Predictions count for nothing, it's league and cup results that count though so all we can do is wait and watch when the season starts.

Nailed on relegation and/or administration. Cheers Raj.

Mid table again, but unlike last season, probably in the relegation mix somewhere along the line, before eventually pulling clear

so we lost them so what. all part of a bang average mid table national league side where the only high spot was rias cleary at the back end of it. its not those names who will be missed its the thoughts many have of the team being even poorer thats the worry at the moment.

Talking to Francis at the moment.

From last season we have Miley, Parkes & Sheron who I would describe as key players who can contribute to us achieving a play off spot.

Adam Campbell has talent, but was underwhelming last season - if he rediscovers his form then he would be the 4th key player, but its a big IF so lets discount him for now.

Jay Benn can be considered a key player, whilst at Solihull in 23/24 season he played 27 National league games and was one of the best RBs in the division (according to statistics and analysis) both defensively and offensively. For Bradford last season he played 12 games and was effective going forward but not so great defensively. Therefore at the National League level, he can be considered a key player especially as he is 23 and still developing.

Reiss Mcnally can be considered a key player. He has been ever present for Kidderminster Harriers the past two seasons, including really coming into his own last season - he was one of their best players and played literally every game. Another young player, only 24 who Kidderminster fans touted for the EFL before he signed for us.

Brad Walker, due to injury problems can not be considered a key player. If he can stay injury free then of course he could be excellent at this level, but its a big IF.

Danny Johnson can be considered a key player. He is a proven goal scorer who fell out of favour with the Walsall manager last season. The system must be right for him to thrive, he is an old fashioned number 9 who is deadly in the box. If we can get balls into him whilst he is between the goal posts, he will score goals for fun at this level. Easier said than done.

Therefore we have 6 key players, 3 who were retained and 3 who are new signings. This is no where near enough and we completely lack any creativity. The loss of Grey, Mani, Madine and Cleary have taken the majority of goals away from the team.

We need to be signing players like Jermaine Francis & Harry Chapman to provide that spark that Danny Johnson will need to be effective, we also need another striker as Johnson isn't someone who thrives when isolated. There is a lot of work still to do, in the areas of the pitch that are typically most difficult to address.

feel things have got so bad with anybody remotely interested in pools even signing luke armstrong back would hardly get them back onside. like a marriage once fucked thats it and pools need a fans guidance officer to help the fans through all the crap.

Pools didn't 'lose' Mancini and Madine - they were released. You said yourself on the Mancini thread only 4 days ago: "Unfortunately either mancini is crocked constantly or feigning injury no good to us that."

Any chance you could let us know in advance which days black is black and which days black is white?

Very true…

Is that Kevin Francis formally of the parish of Stockport? He must be pushing 60- bet he's still a big awkward get at 6ft 8!

We totally outclassed them on their patch Good Friday 91 where Honour made him KF look very ordinary.
And thats when we knew Promotion was on.
Happy Days for sure.

He is no good to us but then why bring in a lad who has played on average 14 games a season for 5 years. Why get rid of mancini if your bringing someone else in of similar ilk and a lot less flair? Clueless

I know what I'd black and white the first team is utter shite and it will be way worse than last season.

Pools have got 14 players at the minute. It's odd on they'll add another 6-8 before the season starts, including loan players. Might be a good idea to see how the squad finishes up before writing them off completely? Just a thought.