Trialists 2019

Am I the only person that smiles when they see the name Duffus ?

Is a comical name but he looks like he'd be a useful addition to the squad he's strong in the tackle and has a good passing range. Well worth taking a chance on.

pacirv wrote: Is a comical name but he looks like he'd be a useful addition to the squad he's strong in the tackle and has a good passing range. Well worth taking a chance on.

Is he left or right full back

He's right footed.

His Cardiff U23 write up says his most natural position is as an "attacking midfielder" so obviously quite versatile.

Thoughts on the trialists tonight...

Storey - I actually thought he was the best of the bunch, and certainly worth a longer look. Held the ball up really well, very rarely lost it and it stuck to him even on some difficult passes. Ran the channel a couple of times too. Certainly potential there.

Reeves - I'm not sure. Movement was good, and he played a lovely pass to Hope, but his touch was off a couple of times and he wasnt hugely involved. In a disrupted team in the 2nd half though, so will need another look.

Buckley-Ricketts - very average. You can see there is something there but he didn't show it. He did only have Branthwaite behind him in the 1st half that didn't attack once, so that wont have helped.

Duffus - get rid tomorrow. Nowhere near good enough for L2.

I know what you mean about Storey, but its all link up and shifting the ball on, i don’t think he’ll get more than 5 goals a season.

If we’re going to play 4-3-3 then the 9 needs to be capable of scoring goals. I’m not sure he is.

crunchblue wrote: I know what you mean about Storey, but its all link up and shifting the ball on, i don’t think he’ll get more than 5 goals a season.

If we’re going to play 4-3-3 then the 9 needs to be capable of scoring goals. I’m not sure he is.

As a striking option, not necessarily a starter.

He did show he can hold the ball up & retain possession. May be useful as an option to bring on when we’re wanting to see out tight games.

He can play on the wing too, so got a bit of versatility.

I'd be wary of signing Storey. His career to date follows the same pattern at every club, people see some potential there, sign him and he flops. His goalscoring record is very poor indeed other than one loan spell at Inverness. 4 goals in 64 appearances for his last club Partick.

Got a feeling though we are going to sign him and let Reeves go.

Story moves on, one in from villa

CCU wrote: Would’ve been disappointed if Storey had been our main striker, no loss...

Agreed. Reminded me a bit of Craig Curran on Tuesday night, really good first touch and was good with his back to goal, but didn’t look much of a goal threat and his record backs that up.

CCU wrote: Would’ve been disappointed if Storey had been our main striker, no loss...

I don’t think he was going to get us up to great heights.

Think he left the (high) building.

Peter Crouch has retired,he's as good as 2 Storeys.

ParcelPete wrote: Peter Crouch has retired,he's as good as 2 Storeys.

Didn't even know that he had retired - surely the lure of a 600th league appearance could have swayed him....

I’d say Reeves getting a deal is unlikely, unless he plays really well and scores a couple at Chester on Tuesday.

It's a step up for Reeves that's for sure but he scored a lot of goals last season might just need a bit of time to adjust and get up to speed no harm in giving him another week or so ...

Duffus seemed far more assured today (albeit against lower opposition obviously), used the ball better, and positionally was more sound. Might just be a matter of he'll settle into the role the more he plays.

Reeves was poor, barely got involved on Tuesday, and was even less involved today. He's banged nearly 40 goals in the league above Penrith but was getting pushed off the ball and losing duels a lot in the 1st half. Unless he's playing like Ronaldo in training, I cannot see him getting a contract.

Buckley-Ricketts, one of the most frustrating players I have ever watched. You can tell he's got it. He's got pace, trickery, off the videos on YouTube of him training this week he's scored a couple of worldies. But the two games he's been incredibly reserved. You wouldn't know he was trying to get a contract, just easy passes sideways, no real running the opposition back line, I expected him to be raw, but I expected him to be a direct runner and getting to the by line, he's not done it once.

Brunt, poor and anonymous most of the game, but he's only just met the players yesterday, so will give him time.

I kept saying to my lad at the Hibernian game that there is something there with Buckley-Ricketts but we have to look for his final ball and finishing - whipped a couple in but we didn't have the quality on show to capitalise.

Just watched the first half of Penrith on ifollow.

Duffus - looked ok but really hard to judge as the opposition was so poor. Hardly had to do any defending. Decent use of the ball but was under no pressure.

Brunt - shite. Poor passing, poor touches, caught flat footed when receiving passes. Basic stuff really poor. Not sure he’s got the physical attributes to play midfield in League 2, especially as an 8 as pressley described him. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt because he only arrived yesterday, but not a good start against opposition he should be taking the piss against. Huge improvements needed. I’m looking forward to seeing if there’s improvement on Tuesday night after a couple more training sessions with the team.

Buckley-Ricketts - I know what ppl mean when they say he frustrates, but there is something there. I don’t think Peterbrough would gave him a 3yr deal if there wasn’t a player there. Scored a goal and would have another if Elliott Reeves had a brain cell to use to look up and lay it on a plate for an easy goal. Hasn’t done enough yet to sign him but probably worth a longer look. Needs to be more direct and look to take people on more.

Reeves - Lost. The lad looks totally lost. Watching him I don’t know how he scored so many goals, he doesn’t even get into positions to have a chance of scoring. Is it the same player I read about? I was asking myself. Against opposition like Penrith I expected him to look good. Doesn’t seem to have much of a football brain either. He might get the Chester game to impress but I highly doubt he’ll earn a contract.

Right sided defender? Elliot and the 16 year old not enough? Does this mean Duffus isn't signing? Or Duffus will play attacking right midfield? Nothing against bringing players in on trial but I can't get excited about this. When iredale, elliot and mellish came in early doors they looked well prepared. Taking 18 year olds on trial with a view to a loan and picking up a player when he will be 3rd choice probably smacks of desperation.

Wouldn't be bothered about signing any of the trialists from what I've seen so far.

Certainly no harm in bringing players in but it is the one area we have enough players. Be better if he was a striker where we have literally no one

What is our record like in recent years for signing any trialists?

Zoko stands out as a successful one and we had Bugno for a bit. Anyone else?

It adds a little bit of interest in pre season training for us but by and large it's a reasonably fruitless exercise bringing these players in most of the time.

sirjimmyglass wrote: What is our record like in recent years for signing any trialists?

Zoko stands out as a successful one and we had Bugno for a bit. Anyone else?

It adds a little bit of interest in pre season training for us but by and large it's a reasonably fruitless exercise bringing these players in most of the time.

Simon Davy

We're crying out for attacking players and we bring in another defender what's that about.

I believe young Josh Galloway played at Penrith (and scored) seen him play a couple of times for the Youth team and I think he looks a really decent player, personally I would us rather bring on our own talent rather than give some kid from Villa the game time. If it was a reasonably experienced player, then yes, but not a kid.

Exactly, the young lads have been no worse than the trialists.

If some kid from Villa is nearly as good as some kid from Villa we had last season I'd be more than happy.

Agreed, but if they are no better than we have here then whats the point??

You don't know that they're not better until you see them play. My problem is why do we have a long line of defenders and no strikers coming in. There'll be a wave of players available for loan in the middle and end of next month when the windows close but it's going to be touch and go leaving it until then.

Touch and go? Theres some cant be far off touching cloth already

bluebry wrote:

sirjimmyglass wrote: What is our record like in recent years for signing any trialists?

Zoko stands out as a successful one and we had Bugno for a bit. Anyone else?

It adds a little bit of interest in pre season training for us but by and large it's a reasonably fruitless exercise bringing these players in most of the time.

Simon Davy

I'd hardly call Simon Davey 'recent' Bry, he arrived in 1992 - 27 years ago.
If all we can muster up from trials are Davey 27 years ago, Zoko and Bugno, then I'd suggest that trialling players is by and large, a considerable waste of time.

Successful trialists Carl Hawley , Stephane Pounewatchy , Simon Davey

musher441 wrote:

bluebry wrote:

sirjimmyglass wrote: What is our record like in recent years for signing any trialists?

Zoko stands out as a successful one and we had Bugno for a bit. Anyone else?

It adds a little bit of interest in pre season training for us but by and large it's a reasonably fruitless exercise bringing these players in most of the time.

Simon Davy

I'd hardly call Simon Davey 'recent' Bry, he arrived in 1992 - 27 years ago.
If all we can muster up from trials are Davey 27 years ago, Zoko and Bugno, then I'd suggest that trialling players is by and large, a considerable waste of time.

I think you're most likely right, but perhaps from the club's side there's an element of swelling numbers a bit to try help with 11 v 11 games etc at this point in the training regime. There's no real harm in doing it, it can hardly cost the club much at all, but there's always a lot of intrigue in the players we get who almost all don't turn into anything.

Suppose we once had Grant Holt on trial.

digger wrote: Successful trialists Carl Hawley , Stephane Pounewatchy , Simon Davey

Again, as previously said with Davey, not what you could call recent.
Hawley 2004 - 15 years ago.
Pounewatchy - 1996 -23 years ago.

There’s probably loads of players were given a trial before they actually signed.

Steven Rigg on two occasions as well.

digger wrote: Successful trialists Carl Hawley , Stephane Pounewatchy , Simon Davey

Pounewatchey was never on trial. He played a friendly under a false name and signed for the club afterwards.

Was Adam Collin a trialist or did we just sign him straight away from Workington?

crunchblue wrote: Was Adam Collin a trialist or did we just sign him straight away from Workington?

Dodgy ground that one, I think we shafted them in some way or another....

That Hayden's spent a lot of his time at Stourbridge so he must be decent.

I don't want to be nasty or out but we seem to be shopping in the bargain basement by the look of some of these trialists. I don't think even Morecambe would touch any of them!

Lakelandterrier wrote:

digger wrote: Successful trialists Carl Hawley , Stephane Pounewatchy , Simon Davey

Pounewatchey was never on trial. He played a friendly under a false name and signed for the club afterwards.

Stefan Whately was the name he played under

I'll be very impressed if any one can tell me who the friendly was against. I remember it well.

nobbyblue wrote: I'll be very impressed if any one can tell me who the friendly was against. I remember it well.

Was it St Johnstone?