[Zigsuk]

Why do clubs have so many loan players these days? Is it a 21 century thy? I can?t recall us ever having loan players in our best sides of the last century. Cook?s previous squad had plenty as did Sheridan?s but even these had nowhere near what we have now.
I know it?s now part of modern football and we are stuck with bit, but I find it frustrating, as if they aren?t any good, which most aren?t as they wouldn?t be on loan or would be loaned to a higher level, it?s a waste of time, whilst if they are any good we are disappointed when they leave after a season or less as with Markanday.

[Goku]

Zigs if you don't mind me saying, it's like you took a break from football for 30 years and have got back into the sport recently

[jack bauer]

i think the loan system has changed from when i grew up watching football, generally back then you used to get players on a months loan to cover an injury, now very different, perhaps teh fact that the higher up clubs carry so many young players who are never going to get near the 1st team set up is partly do with it, perhaps the rulings on how many players we can have over a certain age is another, i don't know, it generally is a punt at times and some come off some don't. i think we have had a number this season and my theory is this and it is a theory for which i may be way off with...

last season we threw everything at it to get out of the NL and that may have included extending contracts of players to get everything out of them to make them feel part of the future, it left us with arguably too many players taking up squad places this season and little room for manouevre, we then filled some of the squad up with loans like metcalfe, araujo, tanton, even thompson, all of whom have had moments but none of whom have really been able to stamp their claim for a regular start for one reason or another. We've then seen Pepple, olakigbe come in and again have moments but nothing sustained. The succesful ones are for me sparkes and markandy, the latter being one in a million and he has been a massive loss. i get the feeling we won't be seeing quite so many loans next season, not something i assoicate with cook to be honest.

[Goku]

jack bauer, on 05 March 2025 - 11:13 AM, said:

i think the loan system has changed from when i grew up watching football, generally back then you used to get players on a months loan to cover an injury, now very different, perhaps teh fact that the higher up clubs carry so many young players who are never going to get near the 1st team set up is partly do with it, perhaps the rulings on how many players we can have over a certain age is another, i don't know, it generally is a punt at times and some come off some don't. i think we have had a number this season and my theory is this and it is a theory for which i may be way off with...

last season we threw everything at it to get out of the NL and that may have included extending contracts of players to get everything out of them to make them feel part of the future, it left us with arguably too many players taking up squad places this season and little room for manouevre, we then filled some of the squad up with loans like metcalfe, araujo, tanton, even thompson, all of whom have had moments but none of whom have really been able to stamp their claim for a regular start for one reason or another. We've then seen Pepple, olakigbe come in and again have moments but nothing sustained. The succesful ones are for me sparkes and markandy, the latter being one in a million and he has been a massive loss. i get the feeling we won't be seeing quite so many loans next season, not something i assoicate with cook to be honest.

I think you may well be bang on the money here.

[Zigsuk]

Goku, on 05 March 2025 - 11:07 AM, said:

Zigs if you don't mind me saying, it's like you took a break from football for 30 years and have got back into the sport recently

I am old and it isn?t just nostalgia. It was a better simpler game without VAR, too many games, transfer deadlines, tactical bluff, ?number 10 role? business and similar silly speak, statistical overkill, and this latest squad naming malarkey amongst many other complex and needless developments.

[Waller is my hero]

jack bauer, on 05 March 2025 - 11:13 AM, said:

i think the loan system has changed from when i grew up watching football, generally back then you used to get players on a months loan to cover an injury, now very different, perhaps teh fact that the higher up clubs carry so many young players who are never going to get near the 1st team set up is partly do with it, perhaps the rulings on how many players we can have over a certain age is another, i don't know, it generally is a punt at times and some come off some don't. i think we have had a number this season and my theory is this and it is a theory for which i may be way off with...

last season we threw everything at it to get out of the NL and that may have included extending contracts of players to get everything out of them to make them feel part of the future, it left us with arguably too many players taking up squad places this season and little room for manouevre, we then filled some of the squad up with loans like metcalfe, araujo, tanton, even thompson, all of whom have had moments but none of whom have really been able to stamp their claim for a regular start for one reason or another. We've then seen Pepple, olakigbe come in and again have moments but nothing sustained. The succesful ones are for me sparkes and markandy, the latter being one in a million and he has been a massive loss. i get the feeling we won't be seeing quite so many loans next season, not something i assoicate with cook to be honest.

100% correct in my view - years ago you'd get loan players with a view to signing etc...you can look at loan players we have had over the years, some outstanding ones which we should have signed (Clingan springs to mind) & players we did, like Liam Cooper - Nowadays, as you have said big clubs have huge development squads of all ages. These are loaned for their development & at benefit to the parent club...they play well & it's an opportunity for them to cash in..it's how the bigger clubs business models work.
You get a player on loan from bigger clubs, they are 18,19 years old....it's a risk & only a certain percentage make the grade from there

[Osborne again]

Zigsuk, on 05 March 2025 - 11:26 AM, said:

I am old and it isn?t just nostalgia. It was a better simpler game without VAR, too many games, transfer deadlines, tactical bluff, ?number 10 role? business and similar silly speak, statistical overkill, and this latest squad naming malarkey amongst many other complex and needless developments.

I'll agree with you on VAR, it's gone beyond its usefulness, but that's down to those behind it.
The 22 man squad needs bolstering with under 21s, either loan or otherwise, because, as we've seen with our own plague of injuries, we'd be stuffed.
As for the game itself, I remember playing 424, 442, and the sweeper system in the 60s through to the 80s, but it's the same game Sir Stanley Matthews played all those years ago. It's quicker, yes, the players are fitter, yes, but skills haven't really changed, apart from most players these days don't know how to use both feet.

[JonB]

Loan system has been changed as mentioned by the way big clubs just stockpile players. You see stories about big clubs now having a specific loan manager who handles the outs and checking in on them. Clubs like Chelsea having top side of 30 players out on loan and many will leave the club having never got near the first team. The big clubs sign the younger players, like Bowery going to Villa years ago, for fees that are not generally massive for them and work on the basis they will get a few coming through to the first team and if others get sold off to recoup some of the fee thats fine as well.

Due to this and then also the rule about U21s not counting towards the 22 men squad limit you see lower league clubs using these players to supplement their squad numbers.

You will also quite often see the loan market being used to circumnavigate finance rules, things like season long or even 2 season long loans that help each club financially as the parent club likely has the wage of the books for the time while the loaning club hasnt paid a fee etc. Remember Tshimanga initially went on loan as Peterborough didnt have the room in FFP to sign him. Just did the deal as a loan with obligation to buy so it was a permanent transfer in all but name.

This post has been edited by JonB: 05 March 2025 - 12:55 PM

[Valley Blues]

jack bauer, on 05 March 2025 - 11:13 AM, said:

i think the loan system has changed from when i grew up watching football, generally back then you used to get players on a months loan to cover an injury, now very different, perhaps teh fact that the higher up clubs carry so many young players who are never going to get near the 1st team set up is partly do with it, perhaps the rulings on how many players we can have over a certain age is another, i don't know, it generally is a punt at times and some come off some don't. i think we have had a number this season and my theory is this and it is a theory for which i may be way off with...

last season we threw everything at it to get out of the NL and that may have included extending contracts of players to get everything out of them to make them feel part of the future, it left us with arguably too many players taking up squad places this season and little room for manouevre, we then filled some of the squad up with loans like metcalfe, araujo, tanton, even thompson, all of whom have had moments but none of whom have really been able to stamp their claim for a regular start for one reason or another. We've then seen Pepple, olakigbe come in and again have moments but nothing sustained. The succesful ones are for me sparkes and markandy, the latter being one in a million and he has been a massive loss. i get the feeling we won't be seeing quite so many loans next season, not something i assoicate with cook to be honest.

I agree with pretty much everything with the exception of referring to Harvey Araujo as a loan player that was there to fill up the squad.

IMO he would have been a very important and effective player alongside Dunkley in the middle of the back four.

I think he was the perfect type of player to partner Dunkley and had shown more than enough of his qualities prior to his injury.

[Wooden Spoon]

Roy Macfarland made excellent use of the loan market in his time here.


We often had 3 or 4 first team players on loan from other clubs.


It?s not a new thing

[Scooby Doo]

Zigsuk, on 05 March 2025 - 11:03 AM, said:

Why do clubs have so many loan players these days? Is it a 21 century thy? I can?t recall us ever having loan players in our best sides of the last century. Cook?s previous squad had plenty as did Sheridan?s but even these had nowhere near what we have now.
I know it?s now part of modern football and we are stuck with bit, but I find it frustrating, as if they aren?t any good, which most aren?t as they wouldn?t be on loan or would be loaned to a higher level, it?s a waste of time, whilst if they are any good we are disappointed when they leave after a season or less as with Markanday.

The Football world as changed dramatically over past few years. There are far more sactions in play in the modern game.