So, another young prospect arrived at the club yesterday. That's about half a dozen now I think? This is obviously the new method for recruiting that the Chairman and Manager have talked about previously, i.e. bringing multiple younger players in, in the hope that one or two will develop into good players, rather than 2 or 3 seasoned professionals as we have tended to do in the past.

This new business model could prove lucrative for the club and the Chairman but it remains to be seen whether it will be successful on the pitch. Personally I think its the right way to go and I hope it works out. The problem will be getting the balance right between youth and experience I suppose...

It also seems were suddenly beating other clubs to players again and with the latest one having no North East connections etc. They all suggest its because of Hignett which is obviously a part of it but are we also now able to offer better terms?

Early signs are good and as someone pointed out a few weeks back (Maybe Chip) - even were we were battling at top end of League 1 - we always had a fair few young lads kicking about the team from the reserves etc

In the last few years when ior clearly wanted to leave they just had no long term plans at all, every signing was short term, intending to create an impact over a very short period.

We were treat like a rented house with the tenancy up any day, instead of decorating they just put posters up n hoped no one would notice.

Like the look of the new forward planning owners.

keep it up.