Gary's January Transfer Window

[Sexton Blake]

Have Bristol Rovers got any money then?

I'm always struck by how big a club they seem to think they are, yet they've rarely played in a higher division than us.

Not true I am afraid in fact it is the opposite way around.

During the last Century they spent a number of seasons in the old Division 2 (2nd Tier football) and on the occasions when they dropped down to the Third Division we were more often than not playing in the Fourth Division the level below.

 

[Cowshed Grecian]

I hope everyone on here is right about Collins Bristol Rovers link, some on here are almost laughing at it as if he wouldn’t go to them. Surely he’s sat there at the moment considering his options, he’s just watched MJ go out the door..Dieng off apparently, Nombe not around much longer and Jevani going at the end of the season. He’s a Bridgewater lad so a local club for him too who knows, perhaps he even has Rovers links in his family. If they are going to pay him more than we will, plus Barton might not be as delusional as people think in his constant talk of getting their club up to the championship. They are making strides up the table even this season, looking in from the outside why in the hell wouldn’t he consider going to them?

 

[SEA Grecian]

Beginning to think ( maybe to hard) that we can’t afford to be in league 1. Rumour mill saying none of out of contract players going to re sign. Got to be finance. The biggest crowds at the park over a season I can remember and still a budget to small to keep the players Makes you think

It's nothing new, though. The gap between rich and less rich clubs may have grown over recent years but our best players have always moved on for more money and the opportunity to test themselves at a higher level. And it's also not a surprise that players who have won a promotion catch the eye of other clubs and that promotion-winning teams get broken up; it happened to us in 1990 and again in 2010 and 2011.

 

[SEA Grecian]

Honestly every transfer window the misery on here is the same, everyone's going we're not getting anyone in, yet it has seemed to work out okay for the last couple of years.

So far we've lost Matt Jay, a shame, but not getting in the side ATM, and brought in an apparently highly-rated Prem player, no reason for elation or despair as of yet..

Exactly. Recruitment was always going to be key to how successful Gary Caldwell is as City manager so it might just be worth waiting to see who he signs before we start panicking.

 

[SEA Grecian]

We cant sustain L1 football just on increased crowds especially when the commercial operation isn't performing to the levels it should be. The Watkins money has now largely dried up and Joel Randell's will soon. Therefore, unless we generate at least one significant transfer every couple of years we are forced to rely on buying players. polishing them up and selling them on for smaller fees to try and bridge the financial hole. I dont see a substantial transfer for another couple of seasons and then only if Harry Lee or Sonny Cox develop at a fast rate of knots. Chieck doesn't to me look like a big time player and that only leaves Kite and both those two may be in the same position as Archie and Key in leaving at the expiry of their current deals. We have to discover a few gems out there, keep our crowds as high as possible and hope someone from the Academy makes it. Not all teams in L1 each season will be ex Premier league outfits we just need to get through the next couple of seasons and continue to gradually rebuild. The good news is that much of the infrastructure spending has been done

Why not? We apparently have the 17th or 18th biggest budget in League 1 and the club have publicly stated that average crowds of six thousand should be enough to sustain League 1 football. Ultimately it's not the number of ex-Premiership teams that's the issue - as long as there continue to be 4 or 5 ex-non league clubs we have a chance to be competitive and be able to, at the least, stay in the division.

As for transfers, if Sam Nombe can stay fit, I would expect him to go for at least a million in the summer.

 

[StudentGrecian]

Have Bristol Rovers got any money then?

I'm always struck by how big a club they seem to think they are, yet they've rarely played in a higher division than us.

They are backed by a man worth £550 million. Doesn’t seem to have ever blown the budget like some owners though, think he ploughed a load of money into a new training ground and trying to find a new site for a stadium. Either way, they have more pulling power in terms of budgets than us, but I can’t see Archie going there.

 

[tom_ecfc]

A potential clue into what is going on is the squad on Sat vs FGR. You normally get missing players as requested by the bidding club to prevent injury. Time will tell…

 

[tavyred]

This thread is way too panicky for a club in our current situation on and off the pitch.

 

[Grecianpasty]

If the bid for Collins is true, and it matches the potential compensation package, than I wouldn't accept any less than 100k more than that. He's too important to our team for him to leave at this point. He would also be able to leverage offers in a much better position if his contract where to expire. Although from a personal stand point, if he where to be offered double the wages at rovers and Is a home bird, it's a move too difficult to turn down.

 

[SEA Grecian]

This thread is way too panicky for a club in our current situation on and off the pitch.

Agreed, even if things go wrong on the pitch we will still be in probably the strongest position we've ever been off the pitch, both in terms of finance and infrastructure.