[Hibbo98]

 Brookie, on 24 June 2025 - 10:35 AM, said:

For me there was nothing in Pepple’s time with us that suggested he could improve

Mad take IMO. He’d be an excellent option to have

[hilly81]

Hibbo98, on 24 June 2025 - 10:45 AM, said:

Mad take IMO. He’d be an excellent option to have

Agree entirely. He's a long way from the finished article but there is plenty there to work with. To suggest that a 22 year old lad cannot improve is just idiotic.

[Snowflake McBedwetter]

Pepple has lots of room to improve.

And if he can he'll be an excellent addition. Adds an entirely different dimension to our strikeforce.

[Blue5]

 hilly81, on 24 June 2025 - 10:58 AM, said:

Agree entirely. He's a long way from the finished article but there is plenty there to work with. To suggest that a 22 year old lad cannot improve is just idiotic.

Agreed.

As I said a few days ago, one of our biggest weaknesses is not having a player as good as Will Grigg to call on when he's not available for selection or to simply share the workload throughout the season.

Currently, Bim's not that player. If we have ambitions of automatic promotion, we need another forward who can play the lone striker role as good as Griggy. There's no half measures.

[JonB]

Blue5, on 24 June 2025 - 11:29 AM, said:

Agreed.

As I said a few days ago, one of our biggest weaknesses is not having a player as good as Will Grigg to call on when he's not available for selection or to simply share the workload throughout the season.

Currently, Bim's not that player. If we have ambitions of automatic promotion, we need another forward who can play the lone striker role as good as Griggy. There's no half measures.

Not many sides in League 2 are going to be able to carry two strikers of Griggs quality on the books also complicated by our usual way of playing with 1 striker so they both wouldnt play week in week out. I suspect the plan was to have Madden be the other option up front but that didnt work out as well as hoped probably mainly because of injury. It was also compounded by us letting Quigley go with the intention i think to have a loan striker in back in the summer window but the replacement, i suspect, fell through and left us short.

Also with the requirement to meet the squad numbers rules things have to be shuffled somewhat with loan players likely making up the majority of the U21 players we have including up front. There is also the option that i think they see Gunnar Elliot being involved more this season as well.

From what i saw of Pepple last season i wouldnt be upset if he ended up back here, he did well i think and was a handful at times for defenders. He gave a different option being capable of running powerfully with the ball plus able to battle with centre backs. He would take a squad place up with his age which may go against him. I cant see us chucking a load of cash at another tried and tested forward unless Madden goes out.

[danblue]

 hardgums, on 24 June 2025 - 10:17 AM, said:

I'd still like to see us secure Pepple's services

Yes

[prolurker]

All gone abit quiet on incoming and outgoings...

[JonB]

prolurker, on 24 June 2025 - 11:51 AM, said:

All gone abit quiet on incoming and outgoings...

Probably to be slightly expected. Likely now into looking at free agents in training etc as much as other signings.

This post has been edited by JonB: Yesterday, 12:09 PM

[Exharboroughspireite]

JonB, on 24 June 2025 - 12:08 PM, said:

Probably to be slightly expected. Likely now into looking at free agents in training etc as much as other signings.

i can see us dipping into the loan market for a couple of cheaper options.

[sewey89]

prolurker, on 24 June 2025 - 11:51 AM, said:

All gone abit quiet on incoming and outgoings...

Well, to be fair, we were strongly linked with 4 and we signed them all (bar Sparkes, but got Lewis) last week.

I'd say of the 'weaker' links we've had to players, you've got Bim Pepple, Lee Bonis, David McGoldrick, Enda Stevens and Gus Scott-Morriss. I've no idea if we're actually in for any of them.

[Jud]

 Snowflake McBedwetter, on 24 June 2025 - 11:03 AM, said:

Pepple has lots of room to improve.

And if he can he'll be an excellent addition. Adds an entirely different dimension to our strikeforce.

I do like it when we agree on sommat! Pepple is all about strength and tenacity. If his finishing improves (and you'd imagine it would in a squad which included Will Grigg) he'd be a good acquisition.

[JonB]

Exharboroughspireite, on 24 June 2025 - 12:24 PM, said:

i can see us dipping into the loan market for a couple of cheaper options.

Agree, much like last year i can see the squad being bolstered by U21 loanees possibly including Metcalfe coming back. With us signing Hemmings that means we can have 5 outfield loans as well, last season having Thompson meant we only had the option of 4 outfield loan players.

[DIFH]

 Brookie, on 24 June 2025 - 10:35 AM, said:

For me there was nothing in Pepple’s time with us that suggested he could improve

Sorry be he did give us a stronger option with speed at times.

[Blue5]

JonB, on 24 June 2025 - 11:41 AM, said:

Not many sides in League 2 are going to be able to carry two strikers of Griggs quality on the books also complicated by our usual way of playing with 1 striker so they both wouldnt play week in week out. I suspect the plan was to have Madden be the other option up front but that didnt work out as well as hoped probably mainly because of injury. It was also compounded by us letting Quigley go with the intention i think to have a loan striker in back in the summer window but the replacement, i suspect, fell through and left us short.

Also with the requirement to meet the squad numbers rules things have to be shuffled somewhat with loan players likely making up the majority of the U21 players we have including up front. There is also the option that i think they see Gunnar Elliot being involved more this season as well.

From what i saw of Pepple last season i wouldnt be upset if he ended up back here, he did well i think and was a handful at times for defenders. He gave a different option being capable of running powerfully with the ball plus able to battle with centre backs. He would take a squad place up with his age which may go against him. I cant see us chucking a load of cash at another tried and tested forward unless Madden goes out.

It’s not an easy subject.

We know how important he is to us and we’ve seen how we struggle without him. We are probably the envy of most division 2 teams to have someone of his quality and to add another striker of similar ability would be a luxury, and an expensive one at that. However, we know from our own experience that promotions don’t come cheap.

I’d be surprised if we are not in the market for a proven goalscorer who can play the lone striker role for the reasons outlined.

This post has been edited by Blue5: Yesterday, 01:11 PM

[lindave]

What's happening with Coco.

[JonB]

lindave, on 24 June 2025 - 02:50 PM, said:

What's happening with Coco.

He's contracted as it stands and will be back training. Nothing of any note relating to him leaving as it stands.

[60s 70s Spireite]

lindave, on 24 June 2025 - 02:50 PM, said:

What's happening with Coco.

His first contract was renewed at our option.
Presumably the new one was also?

This post has been edited by 60s 70s Spireite: Yesterday, 03:08 PM

[JonB]

60s 70s Spireite, on 24 June 2025 - 03:05 PM, said:

When he signed in 2023 the club’s statement said:
The 28-year-old, who played under Paul Cook at Wigan Athletic, has signed an 18-month contract. The club has an option to extend the deal at the end of the agreement.

So if we exercised the option, not him, presumably he will be our player next season.

from the released list news :-
Contract option triggered: Ryan Colclough, Vontae Daley-Campbell, Lewis Gordon, Jamie Grimes, Liam Jessop & Ashton Rinaldo.

[60s 70s Spireite]

JonB, on 24 June 2025 - 03:07 PM, said:

from the released list news :-
Contract option triggered: Ryan Colclough, Vontae Daley-Campbell, Lewis Gordon, Jamie Grimes, Liam Jessop & Ashton Rinaldo.

Point being was the option exercisable by the player or the club?
Some on here suggest it may be Coco who exercised the option this time around, but history says it was likely us.

[lindave]

Thanks for your comments lads, one of my daughters would be gutted if he went.