pudgy wrote: ↑Thu Mar 10, 2022 6:03 pm
The team have been feeble since the start of the season, obvious to most that, among a number of deficiencies, it lacked a quality striker, but this wasn't remedied until early December, with the signing of Jake Hutchinson. Through December we then won four games in a row, and seemed to have turned a corner, but then results tailed off again. To date, in the league, we've won exactly 7 games, drawn another 7, and lost 17, which is pretty pathetic. There is a serious lack of players in the squad with the skill and experience to compete successfully at this level, despite the excellent level of support the team receives.
Is this down to poor management, or a lack of funds? Are we aware of Mark's budget, how does it compare to previous seasons, and to our competitors?
One positive ive held onto this season was our last team to get relegated was worse.....All 65 of them wasnt it? The side changed every week and that just did not work at all.
While the side are not getting results the games I have seen this year I can not fault there effort for one moment.
Agree with your points about a striker and whatever happens that needs to be a big priority for the Summer.
There’s still time to get out of this but we MUST bring in a couple of been there done it experienced players to achieve this.
Well worth the expense as we will lose a lot more income if we do go down!
Perhaps someone can enlighten me to if I am right or wrong . Do we not have a forward on loan from kettering? ...conlon
He has been here a number of weeks but had very little playing time , why is that?
Saturday we made changes at 2-1 down , we took off a forward and bought on a midfielder and a straight swap in midfield was the other change , yet again conlon Stayed on the bench , am I the only one that finds this strange when we are chasing goals?
Trey Charles played right wing for us. I saw Liam Brooks play about a year after he left for Hendon playing in midfield. Otherwise fantastic points as ever Jackie, and it's amazing your political career still hasn't taken off.
Piltdown wrote: ↑Thu Mar 10, 2022 8:50 pm
Perhaps someone can enlighten me to if I am right or wrong . Do we not have a forward on loan from kettering? ...conlon
He has been here a number of weeks but had very little playing time , why is that?
Saturday we made changes at 2-1 down , we took off a forward and bought on a midfielder and a straight swap in midfield was the other change , yet again conlon Stayed on the bench , am I the only one that finds this strange when we are chasing goals?
It’s like the playing budget Piltdown. The manager’s saving the striker for a rainy day.
Seriously, when you look back and see the wasted talent this manager has left rotting on the bench over the years, in particular strikers, it’s hardly surprising. Trey Charles and Liam Brooks spring to mind, who both then went onto other clubs and fulfilled their true playing potential.
Any manager who has an ounce of self respect would know when its time to go.
Well,well
Quelle surprise.
And who would replace him?
Much as I liked Trey, and his contribution to the winner at Leatherhead will never be forgotten, I will remember him as someone who did well coming off the bench but didn't do so well when starting games.
I genuinely have to disagree Jackie when you say he went elsewhere and fulfilled his true playing potential. Since leaving Hitchin he has played for 7 other clubs and it is only now, playing at Kempston Rovers in the division below us, that he is making his mark as a striker. His stats can be seen here:
Liam has certainly done well at Biggleswade and Hendon, but 8 goals in 67 appearances for Hitchin suggest he wasn't exactly rotting on the bench, but didn't set Top Field on fire with his strike rate as a youngster. Naturally some players do better with some clubs than with others, but good to see him doing well now.
You beat me to it RST.
At 28, Trey is no longer a player waiting to fulfil his potential - sadly his best days were at Hitchin (& then he got an agent and it all went wrong). He couldn't even get much of a game at a shocking Braintree team and lasted there less time than Lucas.
Apart from Will, Kane, MJ and Matt have any other players turned out regularly at a higher level? Noah Chesmain maybe? Kavan Cotter had a few games at NLS level but not many.
So in fact players like Lucas, Jonny Mc, Connor Vincent, Robbie Burns, Alasan had their best days at Hitchin with Burkey. Feel free to add to the list.
I recall one case pre pandemic where Hitchin were beaten to signing a striker by a NLS club (ahem) but it wasn't about cash I think - a striker now vying with Callum Stead for a place in an NLN side.
For the moment, to pick up Steve's point, it is about getting a couple of experienced players. But I will make the point again about where Hitchin might get players like that - will experienced London / SE-based players want to travel to and play in an ugly Midlands league? Does the scouting / contacts network cover the area they play in?
Ever since 'Peter' Delme Radcliffe revived Hitchin Cricket Club in 1864, and the cricketers went on to form the football club a year later, change has happened to our club and will go on happening. Daily. And be careful what you wish for. Hitchin's introduction of professionalism in 1898, led to spiralling debt which resulted in the collapse of the first club. Just saying. Don't go Burkey.
