Signed, retained, departing

[Shep]

4 hours ago, The Crowing Cockerel said:

RED = definitely have more £ than us

ORANGE = take-overs/recent recruitment suggests have more £ than us

GREEN = Might have a comparable budget

----------------------------

AFC Totton    
Bath City
Chelmsford City
Chesham United
Chippenham Town 
Dagenham & Redbridge
Dorking Wanderers
Dover Athletic
Eastbourne Borough
Ebbsfleet United
Enfield Town
Farnborough
Hampton & Richmond Borough
Hemel Hempstead Town
Hornchurch
Horsham
Maidenhead United 
Maidstone United
Salisbury
Slough Town
Tonbridge Angels
Torquay United
Weston-super-Mare
Worthing

Thank you.  Very interesting. 

[Towningaround]

I’ll ask again….

What do people presume our top earners are on…..??

[Comet]

Heard Mo was on 500 a week in step 3 with us. So I’d say 6-700 for Thompson and Youngs  maybe few others on 500

[Comet]

On 11/06/2025 at 19:17, The Crowing Cockerel said:

Dillon - no chance.

Wyllie - he'll probably go out on loan to a National League side - can't see him dropping to NLS just yet.

Peake - might've shown enough to get a move to one of the 'bigger' NLS sides.

Mo - believe he's already committed to Worthing.

Kasimu - can't see him committing to another season of Gav Ball unless he has no other Step 2 options.

Looks like Sam Youngs might be leading the line again...!

 

4 minutes ago, Towningaround said:

I’ll ask again….

What do people presume our top earners are on…..??

 

4 hours ago, The Crowing Cockerel said:

RED = definitely have more £ than us

ORANGE = take-overs/recent recruitment suggests have more £ than us

GREEN = Might have a comparable budget

----------------------------

AFC Totton    
Bath City
Chelmsford City
Chesham United
Chippenham Town 
Dagenham & Redbridge
Dorking Wanderers
Dover Athletic
Eastbourne Borough
Ebbsfleet United
Enfield Town
Farnborough
Hampton & Richmond Borough
Hemel Hempstead Town
Hornchurch
Horsham
Maidenhead United 
Maidstone United
Salisbury
Slough Town
Tonbridge Angels
Torquay United
Weston-super-Mare
Worthing

[Comet]

So in short we are bottom 4 material. Tell us something we don't know! This is the highest level our football team has EVER been at. Great analysis Columbo! 

[Towningaround]

Based on what? Someone’s supposition?

[ETFC2001]

2 days, 2 signings.. not the prettiest names in non-league but we have to make do..

Donaldson - Many Vanarama games under his belt, looks a polished player who can play LB/midfield and CB? I think he’ll fit in nicely with Thompson etc. I imagine Chelmsford have decided to move on due to them moving into full time status.

Wood - 2 goals in 500 minutes last season, 5 goals in 2,700 in 22/23.. Purely off numbers, it’s not too exciting is it. I think he was alright for Cheshunt (Maybe that Ambers bloke can tell us a bit more) but it’s not looking like the type of striker we was all crying out for last season.

I think they’ll both be great depth pieces going into the new season, but I don’t think I’d like to see Wood starting MD1. Preseason is still ahead though so I’d like him to prove me wrong.

With budget talk, I don’t think our budget was that low compared to teams LAST season. We may have had around the 5th lowest budget in the league. I think that dynamic has changed considering the teams that have come up with Horsham having bigger gates sales then us, Totton, Dover having similar.. I would say we have around the 2nd-4th lowest budget in the league. Obviously there’s more money then the money on the gate, and I imagine we got a nice little paycheck due to staying up last season, but that’s just me doing the basic maths in my head.

Edited Thursday at 22:52 by ETFC2001

[The Crowing Cockerel]

10 hours ago, ETFC2001 said:

Wood - 2 goals in 500 minutes last season, 5 goals in 2,700 in 22/23.. Purely off numbers, it’s not too exciting is it. I think he was alright for Cheshunt (Maybe that Ambers bloke can tell us a bit more) but it’s not looking like the type of striker we was all crying out for last season.

At this stage I'd suggest Wood is probably an upgrade on Hutchinson and Kasimu (who may yet re-sign?). He was rated at Cheshunt and Hornchurch clearly saw enough in him to sign him mid-season. Whilst I'm not blown away by this signing I'm certainly cautiously optimistic. We could do with a replacement for Chukwu though. I guess we'll have to wait till 6pm.......!

[ETFC2001]

1 hour ago, The Crowing Cockerel said:

At this stage I'd suggest Wood is probably an upgrade on Hutchinson and Kasimu (who may yet re-sign?). He was rated at Cheshunt and Hornchurch clearly saw enough in him to sign him mid-season. Whilst I'm not blown away by this signing I'm certainly cautiously optimistic. We could do with a replacement for Chukwu though. I guess we'll have to wait till 6pm.......!

I’m inclined to agree, but I don’t know whether the upgrade is because he is actually a good striker, or  that’s because we saw such low quality striker play last season.

I’m a big believer of don’t judge a book by it’s cover so I will of course stay optimistic like I did with even Shakpoke!

[Towningaround]

Anyone who took longer than 3 minutes to work out that Shakpoke was lazy, not interested and entitled is revealing the level of their footballing IQ. 

Same as anyone who looked at the forwards we had and couldn’t work out that blaming them for their failure to score goals was like blaming the tyres on your car when you haven’t put oil into it for 3 years!

I quite liked Kaunda but it was clear as day that a) he had an attitude and wasn’t hanging around somewhere he thought he was better than and b) he couldn’t play as a lone central striker in a million years. So what did we do? We played him up front on his own at Maidstone away and the kid was a waste of space and we never saw him again. 

Kasimu is at best a winger but could possibly be used up front to use his pace if alongside an aerial powerhouse to run in behind off of. Only problem being is he literally crumbles in front of goal and lacks any real technical ability to look after the football or distribute it to link play. Hes a runner. End of.

Chucks was released from one of the only sides in the league that was worse than us. He was also released in December ahead of a player who scored his only goal of the season on the opening day (Taylor Crossdale) of the season against the worst side in the division! Which tells you how he was performing. 

Again I quite liked Chuks and his endeavor but he was never able to play up front alone because he can’t or more likely won’t run. He needed to play up front alongside someone who was mobile which is why the four games he had alongside Hutchinson saw us go unbeaten and pick up 8 points from 12, followed by wins v Welling and Chesham when paired with Kasimu. 

Those 14 points from 6 games was the reason we stayed up.

As for Hutchinson I simply cannot understand the level of abuse / criticism he’s dished out a) by some on here and b) some of our drug addled teenagers on social media or the lack of appreciation of the task he was faced with.

He scored more goals than any player other than Youngs and had more goal contributions than any player other than Youngs. He was 22 years old, in the main playing as a lone striker, FOUR years younger than superhero Wyles playing a league higher in a side struggling. (It remains to be seen if Wyles will ever score the goals Hutchinson has at the level he has!)

As with the others it was clear he was a player who thrived off running into space and better suited to playing alongside a strike partner and his better games came when paired with Ottaway and later with Chuks…how did we use him in the main? As a lone striker!

However……as with Chucks and Kasimu….Hutchinson was left out the side the game just after he’d got up and running and scored his first goal for us…and the same happened again just after he’d saved Gavin’s job at Tonbridge. 

What does that tell you about the manager and his ability to read the situation or a players mindset?

Like it or not, it doesn’t matter how good Tommy Wood is, or whether he’s an upgrade or not, his ability to succeed or fail will be dependent on what’s around him, how we set up, how much intent we have on winning games, how many chances we create and whether the manager has the ability to recognise his strengths and use them properly and recognise his weaknesses and compliment them by playing a way or with someone that hides or negates them. 

If he can’t do that, I predict Tommy Wood leaving before the end of November having grown tired of chasing lost causes, losing aerial duels from hopefully punts upfield and being taken off habitually in the 70th minute to make way for Youngs being chucked up front in desperation when we’re 1-0 down and we’ll start the same narrative of blaming the poor fella who relied on the other 10 more than any individual in the side. 

Cant wait for August……🙄🤦‍♂️🤣🤣

[ETFC2001]

On 12/06/2025 at 16:22, The Crowing Cockerel said:

RED = definitely have more £ than us

ORANGE = take-overs/recent recruitment suggests have more £ than us

GREEN = Might have a comparable budget

----------------------------

AFC Totton    
Bath City
Chelmsford City
Chesham United
Chippenham Town 
Dagenham & Redbridge
Dorking Wanderers
Dover Athletic
Eastbourne Borough
Ebbsfleet United
Enfield Town
Farnborough
Hampton & Richmond Borough
Hemel Hempstead Town
Hornchurch
Horsham
Maidenhead United 
Maidstone United
Salisbury
Slough Town
Tonbridge Angels
Torquay United
Weston-super-Mare
Worthing

Definitely more ££ then us.. 

https://x.com/afctotton/status/1933814345529458815?s=46

[Towningaround]

Prob what a lot of clubs thought when we took Adam Thompson…..

[ETFC2001]

2 hours ago, Towningaround said:

Anyone who took longer than 3 minutes to work out that Shakpoke was lazy, not interested and entitled is revealing the level of their footballing IQ. 

Same as anyone who looked at the forwards we had and couldn’t work out that blaming them for their failure to score goals was like blaming the tyres on your car when you haven’t put oil into it for 3 years!

I quite liked Kaunda but it was clear as day that a) he had an attitude and wasn’t hanging around somewhere he thought he was better than and b) he couldn’t play as a lone central striker in a million years. So what did we do? We played him up front on his own at Maidstone away and the kid was a waste of space and we never saw him again. 

Kasimu is at best a winger but could possibly be used up front to use his pace if alongside an aerial powerhouse to run in behind off of. Only problem being is he literally crumbles in front of goal and lacks any real technical ability to look after the football or distribute it to link play. Hes a runner. End of.

Chucks was released from one of the only sides in the league that was worse than us. He was also released in December ahead of a player who scored his only goal of the season on the opening day (Taylor Crossdale) of the season against the worst side in the division! Which tells you how he was performing. 

Again I quite liked Chuks and his endeavor but he was never able to play up front alone because he can’t or more likely won’t run. He needed to play up front alongside someone who was mobile which is why the four games he had alongside Hutchinson saw us go unbeaten and pick up 8 points from 12, followed by wins v Welling and Chesham when paired with Kasimu. 

Those 14 points from 6 games was the reason we stayed up.

As for Hutchinson I simply cannot understand the level of abuse / criticism he’s dished out a) by some on here and b) some of our drug addled teenagers on social media or the lack of appreciation of the task he was faced with.

He scored more goals than any player other than Youngs and had more goal contributions than any player other than Youngs. He was 22 years old, in the main playing as a lone striker, FOUR years younger than superhero Wyles playing a league higher in a side struggling. (It remains to be seen if Wyles will ever score the goals Hutchinson has at the level he has!)

As with the others it was clear he was a player who thrived off running into space and better suited to playing alongside a strike partner and his better games came when paired with Ottaway and later with Chuks…how did we use him in the main? As a lone striker!

However……as with Chucks and Kasimu….Hutchinson was left out the side the game just after he’d got up and running and scored his first goal for us…and the same happened again just after he’d saved Gavin’s job at Tonbridge. 

What does that tell you about the manager and his ability to read the situation or a players mindset?

Like it or not, it doesn’t matter how good Tommy Wood is, or whether he’s an upgrade or not, his ability to succeed or fail will be dependent on what’s around him, how we set up, how much intent we have on winning games, how many chances we create and whether the manager has the ability to recognise his strengths and use them properly and recognise his weaknesses and compliment them by playing a way or with someone that hides or negates them. 

If he can’t do that, I predict Tommy Wood leaving before the end of November having grown tired of chasing lost causes, losing aerial duels from hopefully punts upfield and being taken off habitually in the 70th minute to make way for Youngs being chucked up front in desperation when we’re 1-0 down and we’ll start the same narrative of blaming the poor fella who relied on the other 10 more than any individual in the side. 

Cant wait for August……🙄🤦‍♂️🤣🤣

Good post, just a few things that I personally share a different opinion on:

I don’t believe the idea of us having this attacking football where we can create 15 chances a game is happening anytime soon, not under Gavin at-least. Not only do we not have the personnel for that type of football, I think Gavin prides himself in defensive capabilities more then anything else, which isn’t a bad thing.

Gavin definitely made some weird choices last season, like you mention with Hutchinson or a lone Kaunda at Maidstone up top.. but I think he more then earned another season to try and improve 1. The goal difference and 2. Higher/close to 19th.

As for strikers, I don’t like seeing a lack of effort to try and win the ball back or when things aren’t going your way in a game, you don’t pout and throw your arms about like a child. I saw that way too much last season. Also, I believe the next strikers for us (Wood or whoever) need to show individual brilliance and shoot from 20 yards, I can only remember Folivi vs Truro and Sidwell vs Truro where our strikers have said f**k it and shot and it’s gone in! It’s good to test a keeper sometimes.

I don’t agree with people being idiots on online, and Hutchinson was a great servant to the club last season whether you liked him or not. 

[ETFC2001]

2 minutes ago, Towningaround said:

Prob what a lot of clubs thought when we took Adam Thompson…..

Think it’s slightly a bit different considering Thompson was coming off 2 long term injuries and hadn’t played football in 6 months

[Towningaround]

Yeah wouldn’t disagree with any of that to be fair 👍

I too would never expect a free flowing all out attack and had we done that we’d be in Step 3 right now. 

To a degree Gavin managed what he had and did the job that was required - somehow. I just think there was a little more movement he could’ve made to be an attacking outlet at times….and I think this coming season he’ll need to be better in that department.

Edited 2 hours ago by Towningaround

[ETFC2001]

52 minutes ago, Towningaround said:

Yeah wouldn’t disagree with any of that to be fair 👍

I too would never expect a free flowing all out attack and had we done that we’d be in Step 3 right now. 

To a degree Gavin managed what he had and did the job that was required - somehow. I just think there was a little more movement he could’ve made to be an attacking outlet at times….and I think this coming season he’ll need to be better in that department.

I definitely agree, and I believe in Gavin to be better, and he definitely needs to. I would say the league has got better by decent margin. I certainly believe it’ll come down to the last 3 or 4 matches of the season, if not a last day survival again. Some really good teams that have come up and down.