Fans Aching For New Faces! TRANSFER RANT!

Slade: Has he got an idea?

Grimsby Town fans are coming concerned about the lack of experienced players at the club. The squad currently is very thin and weak, and the players signed to cover for the exited bunch seem very in-experienced and lacking a lot of football experience.

Town's first signing was Gary Cohen, the young striker used to be a member of the Watford squad before he moved to Scarborough who were managed by Russell Slade at the time. The so-called promissing striker is on a 1 year loan deal from Gretna of the Scottish 2nd Division, last season only brought non league football for Cohen, who was the top scorer for Unibond Premier Division side Workington Town, where he spent a whole season on loan.

The next signing was 19 year old Jermaine Palmer from Stoke City. The youngster only made 1 apperance at the Britania Stadium but did spend time on loan with Vikingur in the Icelandic top league. Despite this Palmer has only had 6 minutes of professional football behind him in this country, and despite impressing on trial, Town fans seem quite nervous about him in the squad next season.

Last week saw the arrival of Terry Barwick from Scunthorpe United. The midfielder told by some fans as promissing and a bright spark for the future, and a cart horse lucky to find a new pro club by others, has worried Town fans. The ambition can easily be questioned here if Barwick is a first team regular next term. With Jason Crowe, Thomas Pinault, Terry Fleming and possibly Stacy Coldicott exiting the club, a Scunthorpe reserve would be a wrong choice to replace such experience.

Boudling: Affordable, eager and free, why the hell not?

It is very unlikely that Slade has seen Barwick in action, as the player only made an apperance in an LDV Trophy match last season against Hereford United. The signing of Nottingham Forest youngster John Lukic is more relaxing, the talented goalkeeper and son of former Leeds keeper(with the same name) has signed as the sub keeper for next season, but with pressure to find a new goalkeeper and Sunderland's Michael Ingham and blunder king Anthony Williams both turning down the club, is it possible Slade can attract a new shot stopper.

The fans realise that Slade is trying having missed out on Sam Aiston, Jim Goodwin, Michael Ingham and the re-signing of Terrell Forbes and Jason Crowe, however it seems that Slade is signing "rubbish" as compensation for the loss of a bigger player. One day we lose out on Jim Goodwin a respectable Stockport midfielder, with bags of experience and U21 Ireland caps, and the next day out the blue we add a Scunthorpe reserve to the squad on a 2 year deal.

We are all worried whether or not we are going to start the season off with a

Menno Willems: Wants a contract, not getting one...why?

strong and thick enough side to even compete in this league, let alone live up to the expectations of the supporters, and the rest of the league, being recognised as a fallen club who have sunk depths to this standard of football. Players such as Michael Boulding, Gary Croft, Kevin Pressman, Gary Taylor-Fletcher and many more are all free agents and affordable.

Boulding a Grimsby legend apparently approached the club after being released by Barnsley, why not snap him up, he is a freescoring striker who can gurantee at least over 10 goals a season. Gary Croft an ageing former product of the Grimsby youths, always expressed an intrest in returning and I am sure at this stage in his career would be affordable. Kevin Pressman a former Premiership top shot stopper, having played for 3 clubs last season, I am sure he has accepted he will no longer play in the top few leagues in the country, and will quite possibly take a pay cut to ensure himself a 1 year contract and first team football somewhere. Former Lincoln striker Gary Taylor-Fletcher was on less money at Sincil Bank than half of our squad at Grimsby last season, and after proving he can do a job in this league, he has found himself clubless. Why hasn't Slade enquired about him, or if he has why not at least inform the fans so at least we know that we are making progress on last season.

Also it looks as if Slade has turned away former Mariner Menno Willems. The dutchman was eager to return to play at Blundell Park, but we have been told no more.

CURRENT SQUAD ASSESMENTS!

GOALKEEPERS
John Lukic-Was a youth at Forest, promissing but never made a first team start.
Rob Murray-Just stepped up to the first team, only played for youth team.

DEFENDERS
John McDermott-Spent 18 years with Grimsby and is full of experience.
Simon Ramsden-Has 2 full years of experience with us and Notts County, has proved himself.
Tony Crane-Ever present former Owls defender, very reliable and experienced.
Justin Whittle-Veteran former Stoke+Hull defender with bags of talent.
Rob Jones-Slightly in-experienced but netherless decent player.
Glen Downey-Very in-experienced, played 1 game last season.

MIDFIELDERS
Nick Heggarty-No experience what so ever, never played and is very young.
Terry Barwick-In-experienced player given silly 2 year deal by Slade.

FORWARDS
Michael Reddy-Fairly experienced but only completed his first FULL season with a club.
Andy Parkinson-Tranmere Rovers legend is a decent player and reliable.
Martin Gritton-Was a proven goalscorer with Torquay, experienced and well travelled.
Gary Cohen-Only non league games behind him, no experience as a pro footballer.
Jermaine Palmer-Only played 6 minutes in England and played 7 games in the Icelandic Premiership, not at all experienced.