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| Joe Murphy |
The departures of Rob Jones, on a free to Sheffield Wednesday, was one that most fans were happy to see go through. The man himself would probably admit that he didn't live up to his club record signing price tag. Joe Murphy finally completed his free transfer to Coventry (replacing the Sunderland bound Kieran Westwood), in what was the worst kept secret in football, after being allowed to leave the club at the end of his contract, following five years of outstanding service for the Iron. David Mirfin was also allowed to leave for free, after making it clear his future was away from Glanford Park, eventually settling at Watford. Josh Wright left, after the club decided not to offer him a contract, for the fear of no-one else wanting the player and the club being stuck with him on the books. Somewhat of a luxury player at times, Wright seems more destined to be a new star of The Only Way is Essex along with his fame hungry family, the footballing future of Wright is in limbo, as so far no big offers seem to have come in to the player.
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| Jimmy Ryan |
The incoming signings haven't really been what most fans would have expected. Most fans would have expected at least one big money signing, but so far only free transfers plus a tribunal fee have been spent. Jimmy Ryan, a man who played himself into the last years League Two team of the Season, looks a good signing. At first view he looks like a small guy, who would be a similar player to tricky winger Mark Duffy. On seeing him on a few occasions in pre-season i can see he has a trick or two, a good long range shot on him and the eye for a defence splitting pass, but as well as that he's not afraid to get stuck in for a 50/50 challenge here and there, as a couple of Winterton Rangers players would certainly agree. I would be very surprised if he doesn't chip in with more than 10 goals in the coming season.
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| Andy Barcham |
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| Jordan Robertson |
The third signing is a bit of a shot in the dark. Jordan Robertson comes in after spending time in prison. A former Sheffield United team mate of Iron hero Billy Sharp, the young striker wants to prove a point after time away from the game. His pre saeson has seen him make a few good touches but a goal scoring insticnt seems to be lacking, maybe this will come the more matches he plays, at the minute he doesn't look like becoming the equal of goal scoring machine Sharpy. More of a target man role looks likely in his future for the Iron, shame he's not a clone of Steve Torpey.
One other thing that looks likely to drag on throughout the rest of the summer is the future of Michael O'Connor. A bid from Peterborough was rejected by the club, with the offer reportedly no more than the £225,000 the Iron paid to bring the Northern Irishman to the club from Crewe a couple of years ago. O'Connor looks the key to the Iron's plans for the season. Our midfiled has looked poor without him in it. Michael Collins has played alongside Sam Togwell for much of pre-season but hasn't looked close to filling the O'Connor shaped gap. A player that is out of contract at the end of the season, O'Connor probably sees that helping the Iron get out of League One at the first attempt would make him a better prospect for any potential suitors. One thing is for sure is if he leaves before the season starts the team will be a poorer one for his abscence.
So to the pre-season games. A thumping 7-0 win against Bottesford Town got fans hopes up. Followed up by an easy 3-1 win at Winterton Rangers fans were thinking of seeing a free flowing Iron team. Those hopes were brought down with a thud at FC Halifax Town. A team that is three leagues lower than the Iron made us lookmlike the non league team, with the lively Jamie Vardy constantly causing problems for a static Iron back line. The only high point of the game was the return to action of Garry Thompson. He scored a decent "goal" which was ruled out for a foul, it was good to see the powerful frontman back in the first team, he looked back to his old self, bullying defenders off the ball and getting stuck in. A not very convincing 1-0 win against Gainsborough Trinity gave addage to the old saying a win is a win. Our hopes of retaining the Lincolnshire Cup were dashed after losing on penalties to Lincoln City, following a lucky 1-1 draw.
The main theme of the season looks likely to be a struggle to score goals. Last seasons tally of 43 goals in 46 games is a damning statistic. The problem only looks likely to be settled with the signing of a proven goal scorer. A bid for Rotherham goal machine Adam Le Fondre was rebuffed by the Millers, with initial reports of a half a million pound price tag on the strikers head, now looks like being over £1million by some reports, a fee which Manager Alan Knill has said is well beyond the Irons reach. It seems like the team will hope to find a lower league gem, in the Gary Hooper mould, someone who has struggled for their own team but could be polished into a goal machine. A friendly against the Millers looks likely to show the Iron just what Mr Le Fondre can do, the only down side is that no-one else has ever took a punt on the front man, whether that is down to the player, or Rotherham pricing him out of a move, is unclear, but it must put a shaddow over him in some peoples eyes.
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| Chris Dagnall |
With a strike force consisting of Chris Dagnall, who has looked better than ever before in pre-season, Matt Godden, who has never looked like a goal scorer to me, Bobby Grant, who with all the goodwill in the world is probably never going to be prolific and Jordan Robertson, more of a target man than a goal scorer, a lot of goals will be expected from other areas of the team. One thing for sure is a lack of goals last season can't be allowed to turn into a lack of goals this season, or another season of struggle could well be on the cards. A man who can easily score 20 plus goals a season is still on the shopping list, the only problem is that player is on everyone else's list as well.
Up The Iron
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