Yeah, he talks about how he sees the majority of international signings that would fit our profile would only be using us as a stepping stone and that by shopping in the markets we currently do the players will see it more as an opportunity that they will be grateful for and are likely to show more loyalty.
Riddler interview.
Was your first season Nobby Stiles promotion season with the bizarre Wrexham Peterborough nil nil draw that sent us up? Dai Davies having an absolute worldly in nets for Wrexham who I think were already champions. I remember us at home to Peterborough just before this and some little bald bloke called Alan Slough got them a one nil win and thought it was all over. Always been an issue for me has this. Start watching the team, get promoted in the first season, think it's always like this and then endure some right shite times for years after.
I think we beat Derby of the First Division in the FA Cup third round 3 nil at home that year too. Southampton beat us in the 4th Round. Alan Ball scored and gave the Director's Box plenty after the way they'd treated his dad. Ironically I think mr Mrs Grandad was a Director at the time!!
Thracia
Club Owner, or wingback, depending on your view
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The FTF/Riddler podcast is a genuine must-listen. 👍
Crock o'shite from Ridsdale and PNE.
Every player worth his salt - and with ambition - will see us as a stepping stone, irrespective of his nationality. That's just the natural order of things.
PNE are here >>>>>> bigger clubs are here.
Yeah, my 1st season.
My Grandad took me on when he could in 78/79, usually the midweek matches with the odd Saturday game. Got our STs in 1981.
West Stand Paddock?
I think the cup matches were the first year back in division 2 and I remember Ball doing similar when he came back with Stoke as manager.
The League Cup matches against West Brom were great a couple of years later when they were one of the best sides in the country, although maybe that run contributed towards our relegation.
West Stand above the Crazy Corner. We also sat centrally, too.
Once I started going on without my Grandad (15) around 1984, I would still have my West Stand ST but would jump down into the CC for some games with the ability to climb back up into my seat if need be.
Then from around 85 - 90, I worked match day for the club selling programmes. 5p for each one sold plus free entry anywhere in the ground. Even sat on the bench once to watch a game for a few minutes as I walked around the touchline. Happy days!
Pretty sure some bloke circled the ground with some sort of tray selling Wagon Wheels. Thems were t'days
That he did with packets of crisps, packets of chewing gum (6 chews) and his giant urn containing the boiling water for the brews!
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Not a crock of shit. 😉 Anyway, what devilish motive is behind the “real” reason, in your eyes? What big secret are TH and PR supposed to be hiding?
Obviously there’s truth in this isolated statement- but there was much richer context in the interview. People (maybe not originally you) are being too simplistic choosing that example. There were other reasons given as well. Not least that scouting abroad has difficulties. Not easy to watch games live. Not easy to deeply understand the standard of the league in which the target player is playing.
And be fair. PNE really is just a random stepping-stone Championship club to a European player - IMO more “random” than most.
PR clearly indicated that it wasn’t any one factor (like the loyalty one) that meant that we tend not to focus on non-GB&I players. It was a combination that made it a strategic risk that we choose not to take.
Which is, of course, utter bollocks.
@Regardless
Lets see what loyalty the "Big 4" show, if you are correct, then all 4 will sign new contracts.
Yeah, reet! 🙄
Lets see what loyalty the "Big 4" show, if you are correct, then all 4 will sign new contracts.
Yeah, reet! 🙄
northendmanc
Analytical annoyance
I though PR’s answer was brutally honest about why we don’t sign European talent, though he didn’t put it this bluntly:
1) We don’t invest in enough scouting to understand the quality of European leagues
2) So if we see a player scoring goals we have no idea if we are taking a punt we’re willing to make
3) Therefore we’ll stick with the tried and tested approach of League 2/Scottish/Irish players
On the face of it, this makes sense. You don’t want to recruit someone scoring freely in the Belgian 4th tier only to find out it’s the equivalent of the North West Counties first division... You have to wonder whether it’s worth investing in scouting some European leagues though, surely it can’t cost more than £50k for one person to scout games in Belgium/Netherlands/Germany/France etc...
1) We don’t invest in enough scouting to understand the quality of European leagues
2) So if we see a player scoring goals we have no idea if we are taking a punt we’re willing to make
3) Therefore we’ll stick with the tried and tested approach of League 2/Scottish/Irish players
On the face of it, this makes sense. You don’t want to recruit someone scoring freely in the Belgian 4th tier only to find out it’s the equivalent of the North West Counties first division... You have to wonder whether it’s worth investing in scouting some European leagues though, surely it can’t cost more than £50k for one person to scout games in Belgium/Netherlands/Germany/France etc...
so why have we spent over £3.1m in agents fees these past 3 seasons since AN has been in charge, good value for TH's money?
Is this a thing? Might renew after all 🤣
I'm not entirely sure that Alex is the one that agrees to those fees Billy
PR has obviously agreed these fee's, money well spent? For over £3m in 3 years we seem to be going backwards, this surely doesn't and credibility to PR's recruitment policy.