https://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/2021/july/ed-francis-signing-200721/

 

Holding Midfielder. Young (21). Left-footed. Not 5 foot 2. Takes set-pieces. 20 games in L2 (albeit out of position). 

He features in most games since signing for Harrogate, largely at LB. He's number 22:
 

 

Intrigued by this signing. On paper looks good however I am still haunted by Will Patching.. ???? however I do have faith in Doyle & IB to get the best out of this kid..

I'm quite happy with this signing. Our midfield lacked legs and youth; something we've now rectified. I know highlights aren't everything, but he looks like a mobile player, decent in the air and with a good left boot to spray passes. Also was taking set pieces for Harrogate - which looked dangerous. Add into that versatility  - can play LB/CB, it's a good signing for me (obviously without seeing him play).

 

 

i think francis will play in front of vincent if they both start.

looks to be a very sensible signing, hopefully he has pace and something about him that gets the best out of getting notts forward.

6 minutes ago, liampie said:

i think francis will play in front of vincent if they both start.

 

You want to play Vincent behind a holding midfielder? He'll be on Rawlinson's toes! 

Sounds promising and like his long term plan in his interview to captain the club and win titles sounds like a leader at 21 and just what the club need young players hungry for success to mix with top players at this level as for me that’s how you get out of this league

1 hour ago, Super_Danny_Allsopp said:

You want to play Vincent behind a holding midfielder? He'll be on Rawlinson's toes! 

vincent is a holding midfielder, he has been described similar to what doyle has been for us. francis on the other hand looks to be a player that prefers to hold the ball in the oppositions half, allowing him to play a more central role.

It's a promising signing, he seems to have done well in League Two.

This has no guarantee that he will be able to match the physicalness of National League football, and he could be more of a backup/rotational player. Either way, I am happy with the signing and I think he should settle in well. I'm ignoring the hype of Manchester City/England, we had that with Will Patching, and he never got much time. Fingers crossed Ed, is more hungry and keen to play actual football.

If he fights and performs well in order to be selected, it could prove to be quite the coup for us.

5 minutes ago, Chris said:

It's a promising signing, he seems to have done well in League Two.

This has no guarantee that he will be able to match the physicalness of National League football, and he could be more of a backup/rotational player. Either way, I am happy with the signing and I think he should settle in well. I'm ignoring the hype of Manchester City/England, we had that with Will Patching, and he never got much time. Fingers crossed Ed, is more hungry and keen to play actual football.

If he fights and performs well in order to be selected, it could prove to be quite the coup for us.

In his interview online he mentions wanting to play 40 odd games a season as his next step and Notts offered him that so I don’t see him being back up if he performs well. He also seems keen and hungry mentioning captaining the club to titles in the future, I also think the coaching team we have in place now will get the best out of young players overall seems a positive move for us.

30 minutes ago, liampie said:

vincent is a holding midfielder, he has been described similar to what doyle has been for us. francis on the other hand looks to be a player that prefers to hold the ball in the oppositions half, allowing him to play a more central role.

"Frank can play either as a holding midfielder or as a number eight"

"New signing Ed Francis says he can’t wait to show people what he can do in his preferred holding midfield role at Meadow Lane....The main thing about my next move was getting 30-40 games a season in a holding midfield role"

@Super_Danny_Allsopp he could still play higher on the pitch, people say a holding midfielder is a defensive position but its just a midfielder that has the main ability to retain the ball and use it. i cant see him starting over vincent and i dont think he will play as a cm. we will have to wait and see.

He seems like a decent player

5 hours ago, Super_Danny_Allsopp said:

Holding Midfielder. Young (21). Left-footed. Not 5 foot 2. Takes set-pieces. 20 games in L2 (albeit out of position). 

Not out of position, he started as a left back but wants to play in midfield now.

It looks a good signing, especially with Michael Doyle working closely with him.

Delighted but I do feel IB needs to sign another experienced CM.

We have the defensive side covered, just need to add the legs and creativity now.

I do understand the slight concern given the Will Patching signing, but he was younger, we were his first move away from City and he didn't fit KN style or system. Looking back you can see why it didn't work out.

Francis is a bit older, has moved abroad and played in L2 last season with Harrogate. And he's suits how IB wants to play. Doyle’s role is a big one to fill, but from what I've read about him he should be capable of taking over. 

By all accounts he’s a good player (a bit like Miller) but just not that suited to how Harrogate wanted to play, hence he didn’t always play in midfield for them.

This is a bit about why Francis wasn’t offered a new deal at Harrogate:

On Francis, who impressed in both his natural position in the centre of the park as well as in an auxiliary left-back role, Weaver added: "It was certainly another difficult call.

"We were actually discussing a longer deal with Ed earlier on in the season, but he put a pause on those talks because it was at a time when he had just come out of the team, which was understandable.

"When we've looked at it again, we just felt that Josh [Falkingham], Lloyd [Kerry] and Thommo [George Thomson] were the players who have excelled in the middle of the park this term.

"I think Ed is best suited to a 4-3-3 or when we played the midfield diamond and obviously we usually tend to go with the 4-4-2 system.”

Edited July 20, 20213 yr by menzinho

Promising signing, I am liking the mixture of youthfulness and experience. It should be the right balance.

Ed Francis does look a promising addition, on paper he looks to have a bit more about him than Will Patching did. Francis has experience of playing and seems to want to start, Patching looked content to warm the bench.

I always feel recruiting a few unknowns or younger players, that does have some form experience is always beneficial to have around the squad. What I like the most about this signing, is how Ed Francis wants to commit himself to the club and grow into his position.

This combined with Michael Doyle watching over him, it ticks all the boxes.

It's time the club tried harder to develop younger players.

Sensible signing for Notts, the more new signings buy into the beliefs of promotion the others already here will want to do one better.

Signing a player who could've easily signed for a League One or Two team, it easily feels like somewhat of a coup for the club. It's the type of signing the club could sell season tickets with, as it shows intent.

It will be interesting to see how a left back adapts to playing as a defensive midfielder, working alongside Michael Doyle will be useful to the lad but I can see Frank Vincent starting ahead of him.

I would say it looks to be a promising signing, I think he's capable of playing 30 games but I see him as more of one for the future.

He's clearly had a good football education, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. All the stuff about his England youth appearances sounds impressive, but so many players with a back story like that just end up drifting into the local leagues or out of the game altogether. Patching is one example but there are plenty more. However, Francis has more senior experience and I expect that our recruitment team have done their homework on him. Looking forward to seeing him in action.