Squad 2014/15

[The Cincinnati Kid]

Anyhoo, thought it handy to get an updated squad for everyone.
This is the wiki version.

Any editing needed?

Goalkeepers
1 Paul Jones GK...............Free 30 June 2017
22 Michael Poke GK..........Free 30 June 2016

Defenders
2 Adam Webster CB/RB.....Free 30 June 2015
3 Jack Whatmough CB......Free 30 June 2017
4 Danny East RB/DM.........Free 30 June 2015
5 Joe Devera CB/RB..........Free 30 June 2015
6 Ben Chorley (c) CB........Free 30 June 2015
15 Alex Wynter RB/CB.......Loan 30 June 2015
17 Nicky Shorey LB/CM.....Free 30 June 2015
34 Dan Butler LB..............Free 30 June 2015
Midfielders
7 Andy Barcham LW.........Free 30 June 2016
8 Jed Wallace CM/RW.......Free 30 June 2017
11 Ricky Holmes RW/SS.....Free 30 June 2015
13 Johnny Ertl DM............Free 30 June 2016
19 Wes Fogden RW/LW.....Free 30 June 2015
21 James Dunne CM..........Undisc. 30 June 2016
24 Nick Awford CM...........Trainee 30 June 2014
25 Nigel Atangana DM/CM...Undisc. 30 June 2016
26 Bradley Tarbuck RW......Free 30 June 2015
29 Danny Hollands CM.......Free 30 June 2016
30 Jack Maloney LW/RW....Trainee 30 June 2014
33 Ben Close CM...............Free 30 June 2015
Forwards
9 Ryan Taylor ST..............Free 30 June 2015
10 Tom Craddock ST.........Free 30 June 2015
14 Miles Storey ST............Loan 30 June 2015
18 Ryan Bird ST................Free 30 June 2015
20 Craig Westcarr ST/RW/LW.......Free 30 June 2016
23 Patrick Agyemang ST......Free 30 June 2015
35 David Connolly ST..........Free 30 June 2015

[Pompey Dave]

Small squad that considering you cannot really include Craddock and Fogden (injured for a while) and Connolly who is clearly not in the plans. There are also three very green youngsters in there too.

[This Time Next Year]

We're gonna win the league... We're gonna win the league...

Right there's my pre-season hype and optimism quota fulfilled for another year. Just wish the annual roller coaster would hurry up and leave the station!

[Pompey Dave]

Think we look good in most areas but wondering where the goals are going to come from. Cannot see a 20 goal a season player in there and you need that to win a league. Top half for me and might get in the play offs but not automatic for me.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

What I see is a decent sized squad, a good mix of youff and experience.
What worries me is the number of short term contracts and free transfers in.....virtually the whole squad!
Now I realise our late finances have severely damaged any forays into the transfer market but I just don't see the makings of a promotion team here. Too many short termers and players out of contract at seasons end. Some of these types of players can be a plus....yer playing for your future after all....but I think we are a tad deep in this catagory.

Here's an interesting article from the beeb on Torquay and where it all went wrong for them:
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27190925

Now fer sure, they had a lot of other issues but the section on recruitment in interesting none the less.
Anyhoo, I hope to be proved wrong, but for me, this looks like a building/consolidation year. No relegation worries but I'm not seeing a great core of lower league pros that other teams would want.
I think we shall see Mr. Awford sort out the men from the boys this season and offer longer term contracts to those that cut the mustard. It's next year for a promotion push imo.

[pompeygunner]

Think we look good in most areas but wondering where the goals are going to come from. Cannot see a 20 goal a season player in there and you need that to win a league. Top half for me and might get in the play offs but not automatic for me.

Agree with that PD. Taylor does an excellent job holding the ball up & bringing others into play but is hardly prolific. Maybe this lad from Swindon will come to the fore.

[Selsey Bill]

Think we look good in most areas but wondering where the goals are going to come from. Cannot see a 20 goal a season player in there and you need that to win a league. Top half for me and might get in the play offs but not automatic for me.

I beg to differ! Whilst Taylor will never be a 20 goal a season player, Westcarr certainly looks like he knows where the back of the net is, and Storey looks like he could score a few as well.

[Pompski!]

Have we got the cheapest squad in English football?

[The Cincinnati Kid]

Think we look good in most areas but wondering where the goals are going to come from. Cannot see a 20 goal a season player in there and you need that to win a league. Top half for me and might get in the play offs but not automatic for me.

I beg to differ! Whilst Taylor will never be a 20 goal a season player, Westcarr certainly looks like he knows where the back of the net is, and Storey looks like he could score a few as well.

SB, your eternal optimism is always refreshing but (stat (FACT) alert) Westcar has a 1 goal in 5 games career and Storey has 6 goals lifetime!
Numbers don't lie!

[Lost in Transportation]

Have we got the cheapest squad in English football?

No we paid around £24k for James Dunne which fulfilled Stevenage's tribunal fee to Exeter and we paid a cash fee to Havant & Waterlooville for Nigel Atangana. That's more than what some clubs in League 2 can afford.

SB, your eternal optimism is always refreshing but (stat (FACT) alert) Westcar has a 1 goal in 5 games career and Storey has 6 goals lifetime!
Numbers don't lie!

Return of the Stat...

I tend to agree with SB here as we'll score goals because of our pattern of play rather than having one outstanding goalscorer. I tend to think of players having levels and a few of the squad are decent League One standard including Westcarr. I think he'll get into double figures this season provided he maintains his standards. As for Storey, watching him at West Leigh Park you can see he has 'potential' and why he divided the Swindon fans. He's a similar size to Rory Allen but somewhat squarer in the shoulders. Bit quicker than Rory but less composure. There's something there but whether that translates into a consistent player? Still he has come down a level so again that might help.

[Pompey Penguin]

Looks about right if you take out the young players who are unlikely to play any meaningful games unless they take big steps forward. Maybe too many strikers, but as we saw last year it is an attritional league and we can expect a steady flow of injuries.

My only concern is that (yet again) it is not clear what would constitute our best team. I hope that this becomes apparent as we play a few games and players are able to develop partnerships. It will be interesting to see the teams AA picks in the first two games; one home, one away.

[Milkins]

Poke the goalkeeper...


That is a big squad - I hope the fringe players will have something to do every weekend.

[Milkins]

Have we got the cheapest squad in English football?

What, you mean like fake gold, tattoos, Lidl lurking and do anything for a free holiday in Magaluf?

[Miss Tickle's bottom]

Cannot see a 20 goal a season player in there and you need that to win a league.

Why are so many people obsessed with a 20-goals-a-season striker? There is no evidence whatsoever that Awford has any desire to play an out-and-out striker - Pompey's goals will be spread throughout the team. A bit like Chesterfield. Yes, Chesterfield, Champions of League Two last season. None of their players got anywhere near scoring twenty goals.

[Pompey Dave]

Chesterfield were pretty unusual in that they had 4 players who scored 9 or more goals last season and whilst I accept 20 goals a season is a bit of an exaggerated requirement you need players who can get into double figures.

Lets see how we get on but I think we are missing the goal scorers. I think Wallace was our top scorer with 7 last season.