Striker search

[TheIncognitoKid]

Peasksy looks to be in the "market" for a new striker as Tom Liversedge is ruled out with a knee injury
http://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/spo ... -1-7148809

[Oundle Diamond #2]

Wild news. Time to see if we really want promotion...

[Dowlo]

Wild news. Time to see if we really want promotion...

I'm sure everyone who supports the club wants to see us get promoted eventually.
As silly as it sounds however, (we are currently 2nd in the league) is the club and squad ready for the next step up at this moment in time?

IF we were to get promoted this season there would need to be a lot of work to get the ground ready for the league above. Not only that the playing side would need a lot of changes to it across the whole pitch. I don't see staying in this league for another season or 2 being a too much of a concern. It allows the club to be in a better position of going up and staying up in the Southern/Northern Prem. The step up between this league and the Southern/Northern Prem is far greater than the step up from UCL to Southern Central Div 1.

Why rush our way up the leagues and then struggle to stay up. The term "it's a Marathon not a Sprint" springs to mind. Of course I'd like to see the club play at the highest level possible but that doesn't always mean a promotion every season until we reach the Conference/League 2. Which I think some people on here are expecting! *cough* Oundle Diamond *cough*.

It was vital to get out the UCL, but now we are in the Evo Stick Leagues I don't think we have to get to promoted each season. Hand on heart I think the clubs level will be Southern Prem or Conference North or South. I can't see us going higher than that in the next decade, at least not without a relocation to a new ground. So surely it's best to sit back enjoy the ride for the next few years and let the promotions happen when they happen. It wasn't so long ago we were without a club, no need to rush things!

[Pigman]

bravo !!! Totally agree !!

The only worry as I see it is some people feeling we're stagnating and may lose interest if we don't push on this season at least.

I believe our natural level to be Step 3/2 and realistically Step 3 is our ceiling while we don't have a ground of our own.

I would be delighted to see us as a Step 3 side flirting with the playoffs - but the fact is we'd never be able to go further while at the Dog and Duck, not unless we invested heavily in a ground that many of us view as a temporary home.

Do I feel the need to rush up the leagues - no, not now we're out of the Ucl. Would I take promotion if it comes up, too damn right I would!

It would require an overhaul of the squad, you're quite right about that, and that would cost more and take money away from our ground fund - it's a balancing act isn't it?

But dowlo, we don't always agree on stuff, but your views on this, as far as I am concerned, are bang on!!

[SouthRushdenJFC]

I agree with Dowlo and Piggers, you don't want to living in a house build on sand.

Enjoy the success, the promotions, the cup runs, there will be plenty of mediocrity to come.

Without a ground, or significant investment in the Dog and Duck, Step 3 is possible, Step 2 isn't.

[Mad Dog]

I'm in the middle on this. I do think that the target now is promotion because of position we are in, but not at all costs, although it would not be the end of the world. Peaksey has identified he wants to bring another striker, and tbh I would think whoever gets brought in will be within our budget.

The only drawback I see with staying at Step 4 in the immediate future is that we could end up with a lot of uncertainty each year as to whether we will be shifted North or South due to volatile nature of clubs applying for promotion/failing ground gratings/resigning from the league, causing fluctuations in league placement up until the following season. Whilst there is no guarantee that this wouldn't happen at Step 3 in the future, Step 3 seems to be a bit more stable in this regard.

[Brownie]

That`s 4 in a row now all agreeing, though to discard the possibility of Step 2 at the D&D I would not do yet but wait and see what happens to our dear friends up the A6 as by this May they might possibly be in a position to see how bad a ground will be accepted onto that level.
However to satisfy the ever increasing demands of OD2 I am prepared to leak the news that Leighton Baines has signed duel registration forms and comes straight into tomorrows squad as a temporary replacement.

[SouthRushdenJFC]

I am prepared to leak the news that Leighton Baines has signed duel registration forms and comes straight into tomorrows squad as a temporary replacement.

He hits a lovely dead ball, but 30 goal a season striker, unlikley

[Oundle Diamond #2]

Personally, I'd be disappointed to see us "settling" in this tinpot league. We have a huge opportunity to gain promotion from it and hopefully never have to endure these dire grounds and standards of football ever again in a league scenario supporting our beloved club.

I do, however completely understand after this season it's going to be a grind, as from here on in, we become a normal football club again, starting to operate at the level our infrastructure reflects. Personally, I can't wait for that, where the standard of football finally offers a little bit of value for money (I paid £5 for League 2 football from 2012-2015), as we come up against some respectable teams and football clubs.

We can debate it all we want, the signing we make up front to me will indicate what our strategy is. Whoever we sign, I won't moan, as we're having a fantastic season, but personally, I'll be hoping for a worldie who could not only do it at this level, but at the level we should be playing at next season.

[James Beil]

I know I can be guilty of being wildly optimistic on here, but perhaps one of the Academy boys such as Mr.Pinder could make a permanent step up and we can see if the club is capable of producing players ready for the first team? After all, that's what it's there for, and I imagine it would be a devil of a lot cheaper than forking out for a proven scorer. I honestly don't mind what leagues we spend the next five or ten years in, as long as we're building towards that shiny new stadium we all want for ourselves.

That said, I can understand why a lot of folks would be wary of putting the burden of regular first-team football at the sharp end of the league on a young chap who's barely old enough to shave.