This whole pre-season feels utterly flat. There is little to be excited about and the silence from the club is deafening.
Club Media
What happened? It seemed like our media team were right at the front of our progression under the brothers and offering fans many insights into the inner goings on in the club in addition to keeping us informed of developments.
Now, we have silence. No dates even mentioned for the club home shirt. The away kit was released by UoN before the club. The Alfreton friendly was barely mentioned up to the game. The cold press releases for departing players are baffling. An end of season message from the owners announced - then ignored since. Has the department been reduced in terms of manpower?
The clubs' media department and fan engagement has declined terribly.
Recruitment
Hardly inspiring, is it? Sell the clubs best attacking midfielder - no replacement. Sell the best keeper in the league - no replacement. Let the best player in the league go because you don't want to pay his wages - no replacement.
The players we have signed, whilst seeming solid-enough, aren't filling anybody with confidence. True, we've not seen them play any competitive football - so we can't judge absolutely. However, they do not replace what we've lost in terms of quality. The current squad is objectively weaker than the one that started last season - and significantly at that. We're a couple of weeks away from our first game and we haven't got a goalkeeper on the books, bar some kid released from over the river.
Then there's the injuries. We have to be a complete outlier in signing players that are currently crocked or have a history of long-term problems. Surely this costs the club financially, as the budget is spent on players that barely kick a ball.
Have we seen this many trialists since the brothers acquired the club? Not since their first season after 'little Al' left us in a pickle. It doesn't point to a team with a data driven recruitment model - it points to a team scrambling around for players.
Are we struggling to attract players? What is a factor in that - budget, head coach, head of recruitment?
CEO and Head of Recruitment
Gone are the days of Jason Turner (RIP) and his excellent communication and transparency with fans. Replaced with - who knows. Montague was lampooned by some of us fans at times, but he seems light years ahead of this new chap who comes with a dodgy reputation - and is so far living up to it.
Then there's weird goings on with Peterborough cancelling friendlies only to then play MK Franchise on the same day we were supposed to play them. Odd behind closed doors friendlies that we are not informed about.
Manager
I'm willing to give anybody a chance. Clearly Paterson impressed in the interviews or which ever metric they are applying. However, it was hardly an inspiring appointment given other options available. This isn't enough to be a downer on its own, we've appointed managers before who were not inspiring at the time - Luke Williams being one - but combined with the rest of the clouds gathering over the club, the manager appointment feels like a contributing factor.
There is a general malaise affecting the club right now - or at least it appears so from the outside. I fear for the coming season if something doesn't change quickly.
COYP
3
Got to agree there, I thought the same the first time I heard it.
@Robbie, I thought it was John Lennon. 😂 Why didn't his son have more success?
@Chris Julian has issued many recordings since 1984. Some of his singles, such as "Too Late for Goodbyes", have reached the top position in various charts. As of January 2025, Lennon has released thirty-five singles and seven studio albums. His first Album was by far the most successful which included the successful single Too Late For Goodbyes.