From right side attack in a 4-3-3 to Inside-Right for us won't be a difficult transition

His return appeals the more you think about it - entertainment with the skill level (a left foot to rival Jodi's) + loads of goals & assists

Guess who's back...

We need to be careful with Cal, but I am delighted he's back. I just hope that we don't over use him, as we did rely on him Iike a get out of jail free card when he was last here. Not denying his talent, but I want to ensure we avoid injuries that become set backs.

Some fans already complain we have a injury prone squad, but with care and proper cover, Cal could be such an influential part of establishing ourselves in League One.

Welcome home Callum, I’m really excited at seeing him play again.

Great to have him back now. He must be buzzing to go up 2 levels, but he earned it.

Might boost season tickets even more - most fans want to see skill, and Cal certainly provides that.

Hope the next 2 years are as healthy as the last two at Scunny. If so, he'll realise himself as an top EFL player

Edited May 29May 29 by theAnticlough

?What a day this is turning out to be. We were expecting Cal but to have two quality signings in a matter of a couple of hours is showing Notts's intent.

We are going to get a better rounded version of Cal on his return. Has well as being a great winger, he is now an accomplished attacking midfielder.

Could he emulate Ruben & Dan? It's a big ask, but Cal can score loads of goals too. It's going to be exciting times at the Lane once the new season gets underway.

He's been a virtual ever present the last couple of seasons @Chris , so I don't think we need to wrap him in cotton wool.

It's very clear that he's far too good for the National League, so he deserves his chance. However, this is a big step up for him, so I hope we aren't putting all our eggs in the Roberts basket. I think he'll do well.

Also, it's great that we're getting the summer signings in early! It would be a big advantage to start pre-season with more or less a full squad.

Good point, last pre-season was a bit of a shambles. Bonding on a foreign trip is all very well but when you've made 11 signings and have a new coaching team, maybe not so clever. Will be interesting to see what sort of pre-season they go for this year. Feeling even more optimistic anyway, don;t normally bother with pre-season but can't wait now.

19 minutes ago, StarkMallard said:

Also, it's great that we're getting the summer signings in early! It would be a big advantage to start pre-season with more or less a full squad.

Delighted to see Cal back. He’s proved his fitness and resilience at Aberdeen & now Scunny. Absolute class act, cultured footballer, easily good enough for L1.

He is more robust and tougher than Jones, capable of playing as an attacking midfielder - what’s not to like. He was cut above before, a game changing player who scores goals out of nothing.

This is a quality signing, make no mistake about that.

5 hours ago, StarkMallard said:

He's been a virtual ever present the last couple of seasons @Chris , so I don't think we need to wrap him in cotton wool.

That's not the point, the cocern about injuries for any player is something we have to ensure we can cope from but of Cal is to play as a wing back his past injuries only increases when we already have concerns about Jodi (amongst others). This doesn't mean any player requires cotton wool, it just means we need to be smart and protect them to the best of our ability.

Roberts re-joins us with a much stronger squad, so I doubt we will be dependant on him or as a means to drag results through but any player can suffer setbacks, and when you have a squad that has a fair amount of serious injuries you do need to valuate it when building a squad. Two seasons ago, our season was derailed with the loss of Matt Palmer, previous to that certain injuries hindered us and it wasn't that long ago fans feared Roberts wouldn't be able to continue playing due to a nasty injury.

I was gutted to see him leave, but I felt it was the right time to cash in. I hope he picks up from last season, and slots straight back into the squad. Yet, I do have real concerns about potential injuries, which is why I feel disappointed Keanan Bennetts is leaving because I felt he was growing. Roberts and Bennetts would primarily cover the wide areas for me, what with Jodi and Nick Tsaroulla.

Callum Roberts is one of those players that can get you out of your seat and that’s not something I can do easily these days, he’s a very exciting addition in my opinion and he’ll soon become a firm fans favourite.

Massive chance for him to leave a legacy as an accomplished EFL footballer. He will be highly motivated.

(It's interesting how records look. If you see Notts County on profiles post-retirement you see a L1 club not NL)

Cal's talents deserve to be showcased at this higher level. I'm sure we all wish him luck. If he stays injury-free his talents will shine through and he'll be a great success for us.

I hope he can have a big impact for us next season, there's no doubting his talent we've all witnessed it first hand just got hope he can make the step up to League 1.

I think signing him early is a good thing though, he'll have lots of time to prepare properly for the season ahead. I can remember a comment from Lee Ndlovu where he mentioned how the training was a lot more physically draining for him since he joined us. We clearly have an intensity and fitness that is a lot higher than your average National League sides. I think a good pre-season will give him the best chance of succeeding here again.

Cal Roberts is a brilliant signing. It is great to see him back, and I am keen to see how he settles in after his last spell. He is a gifted player who should trouble most League One sides. He adds real strength and quality to Martin Paterson’s team.

With any player you have to think about injuries, and Roberts is very similar to Jodi in that sense.

When the head coach and the club have spent time saying our wingers do not get enough protection and are kicked out of games, it makes the concern even more serious. Old injuries can shorten a career. Roberts should be in his prime now, and I agree with Chris that we need to protect players like him. We have had a lot of injuries this season, some very serious. Lewis Macari is a big one. Matty Platt, Rod McDonald, Lucas Ness and several others have all had problems that we hope do not return.

It is a worry, but players like Roberts and Jones have a real desire to win and that drives them on. Notts just needs to avoid risking them when they have small knocks, and with the right squad we should be able to rotate and avoid bigger issues. Welcome back, Roberts. The one and only Geordie Messi.

I am sure he will do well in his return but is a jump from the National league to league 1 a little too much?