3 players in 2 days - a strong looking squad now.

[Locky_McLockface]

I would presume that our next signing will be a right back, and I would like to see some cover for both full back positions. Other than that, I think we are fairly well sorted.

[LiT other account]

Only one centre forward in Tubbs. Bit short there.

[pomp 'n circumstance]

Are we right to feel confident - or is this another false dawn? I seem to remember another instant of euphoria last season when we were installed as Division 4 favourites. At face value, Paul Cook seems to know what he wants, but at this point in time, the verdict should the Scottish verdict of non proven.

Is this a better team? Most of us haven't seen any of the new intake! I'd be interested to hear more comment before nailing my colours to the mast - promotion to Div 3 is anything but a certainty!

[Mickemo]

Are we right to feel confident - or is this another false dawn? I seem to remember another instant of euphoria last season when we were installed as Division 4 favourites. At face value, Paul Cook seems to know what he wants, but at this point in time, the verdict should the Scottish verdict of non proven.

Is this a better team? Most of us haven't seen any of the new intake! I'd be interested to hear more comment before nailing my colours to the mast - promotion to Div 3 is anything but a certainty!

Said like a true Pompey fan PnC....I'm inclined to agree that promotion isn't a certainty.

Lets see the how the new players gel with the existing players to form a TEAM

I actually like the way Paul Cook speaks, I like the calibre of players he is bringing in so am more confident this coming term than for any other the prior 3

PUP !!

[Selsey Bill]

Are we right to feel confident - or is this another false dawn? I seem to remember another instant of euphoria last season when we were installed as Division 4 favourites. At face value, Paul Cook seems to know what he wants, but at this point in time, the verdict should the Scottish verdict of non proven.

Is this a better team? Most of us haven't seen any of the new intake! I'd be interested to hear more comment before nailing my colours to the mast - promotion to Div 3 is anything but a certainty!

I'm probably not the best person to listen to with regards to such matters as my Pompey glass is always more than half full, and invariably tinted blue, but I haven't felt this way at the start of a season since we signed Paul Merson. I felt so strongly then that we would do well that I put £20 on us to win the league at 20/1. Unfortunately, this time round you'll be lucky to get 4/1.

[Portchester PFC]

Are we right to feel confident - or is this another false dawn? I seem to remember another instant of euphoria last season when we were installed as Division 4 favourites. At face value, Paul Cook seems to know what he wants, but at this point in time, the verdict should the Scottish verdict of non proven.

Is this a better team? Most of us haven't seen any of the new intake! I'd be interested to hear more comment before nailing my colours to the mast - promotion to Div 3 is anything but a certainty!

I think so, and i certainly am. I was feeling th esame last year but i think that had a certain amount of denial with it ! I and i think like many others thought that AA was the man to do th ejob but deep down knew he wasn't. I think PC has gone about his business in a very professional manner and with a drive and positivity that I have not seen down there for ages, the good thing is that he also seems to have brought the board into his way of thinking.

As you say, we won't know much about them until we see them as there are a lot of unknowns to us, what i can say is that it must say a great deal for PC, the set up and his confidence if we are attracting players from a league above with seeming ease, out of the seven he has brought in only two are from our leauge and one of them got promoted as champions.

I had put off renewing my seaon ticket whilst AA was still about but after seeing the way PC has conducted himself i have renewed yet again, i am quietly confident that we will not see a season like last year, lets face it, it could only get very marginally worse....PUP

[Locky_McLockface]

Are we right to feel confident - or is this another false dawn? I seem to remember another instant of euphoria last season when we were installed as Division 4 favourites. At face value, Paul Cook seems to know what he wants, but at this point in time, the verdict should the Scottish verdict of non proven.

Is this a better team? Most of us haven't seen any of the new intake! I'd be interested to hear more comment before nailing my colours to the mast - promotion to Div 3 is anything but a certainty!

I think that we should be taking the once bitten, twice shy approach - or should that be twice bitten, thrice shy? We were certainly very confident this time last year, Andy Awford had proved he had the managerial expertise (as far as we could see) with that unbeaten run-in - why would he not be able to do the same over the course of a season, with players that he had selected? In that run-in, Danny Hollands had been outstanding. We had signed Craig Westcarr who had just completed a season where he'd scored shedloads of goals in League 1. How could it be anything other than an unstoppable march to promotion? And in fairness, it started off pretty good. And then it just went totally pear-shaped.

So, much as it pains me to say it, Pomp has a point.

The difference this season is that we are paying proper money for a lot of those players (not just the pittance we paid to H&W for Nige), and they are all dropping down a division, including those who are freebies, so it's not just everone else's cast-offs. And of course, we have a manager who has been around the block two or three times. So, it is different this season, but will it be sufficiently different - that's the $6M question.

I feel so sorry for Andy Awford. An absolutely top bloke, with Pompey etched into his heart. Just not the experience.

[pompeygunner]

Are we right to feel confident - or is this another false dawn? I seem to remember another instant of euphoria last season when we were installed as Division 4 favourites. At face value, Paul Cook seems to know what he wants, but at this point in time, the verdict should the Scottish verdict of non proven.

Is this a better team? Most of us haven't seen any of the new intake! I'd be interested to hear more comment before nailing my colours to the mast - promotion to Div 3 is anything but a certainty!

I think that we should be taking the once bitten, twice shy approach - or should that be twice bitten, thrice shy? We were certainly very confident this time last year, Andy Awford had proved he had the managerial expertise (as far as we could see) with that unbeaten run-in - why would he not be able to do the same over the course of a season, with players that he had selected? In that run-in, Danny Hollands had been outstanding. We had signed Craig Westcarr who had just completed a season where he'd scored shedloads of goals in League 1. How could it be anything other than an unstoppable march to promotion? And in fairness, it started off pretty good. And then it just went totally pear-shaped.

So, much as it pains me to say it, Pomp has a point.

The difference this season is that we are paying proper money for a lot of those players (not just the pittance we paid to H&W for Nige), and they are all dropping down a division, including those who are freebies, so it's not just everone else's cast-offs. And of course, we have a manager who has been around the block two or three times. So, it is different this season, but will it be sufficiently different - that's the $6M question.

I feel so sorry for Andy Awford. An absolutely top bloke, with Pompey etched into his heart. Just not the experience.

Something happened between May & August in Awfs mindset, whatever it was it was totally the wrong idea & the warning signs were there after the oxford away game where we were so fortunate.
Awfs really was the architect of his own downfall.

[Lost in Transportation]

The difference this season is that we are paying proper money for a lot of those players (not just the pittance we paid to H&W for Nige)

A five-figure sum for Nigel Atangana and James Dunne last season, a five figure sum for Gary Roberts and Kai Naismith this season (Christian Burgess fee not yet leaked into public discourse). The development fee paid for Naismith is comparable to Nigel's arrival from the Hawks. Roberts £60k fee is larger than the £25k spent to get Dunne but "proper money"? Not convinced by that. Equally I doubt that the money paid to Peterborough for Burgess does more than cover their contractual obligations with the player.

The difference between this summer and last was that Pompey were still operating under Football League restrictions because the historic football creditors debt. The big thing with Pompey and many teams in Leagues One and Two is that we're proper wage payers and we have the scope to release clubs/players from current contracts in our budget. Otherwise we're still quite a normal club for this level in having scour the released/out-of-contract lists.

There is potential in the recruitment made but not many have had seasons of consistency like Roberts. Bennett has had one consistent season for Doncaster (last season) and similarly with Naismith and Accrington (but in 2013-14). McGurk is a flashy in and out player. Stevens had had one full season in the league. Barton has lots of quality on the ball but struggled to establish himself in three years at Coventry. Burgess has had one and a half seasons as a regular defender before being bombed out at Peterborough.

What you can see in that recruitment is a philosophy for playing the game. I would like to see who else we recruit as there are gaps as such only Tubbs being an out and out centre forward (Chaplin's size and experience counts against him being the 1 in a 4-2-3-1 pattern) and at right-back before getting excited. Equally I think it will take a little time for the squad to settle down and gain consistency especially given the pattern of play and the histories of the players. It might take two years to get promoted with Cook but I'm expecting a more exciting ride.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

Well I hope y'all will approach this season with a bit more realism than last when apparently, biggest crowd = Promotion.
Mr. Cook seems to be one of those chaps that likes to instill a fitness and work ethic in the team.....that may take a little time as from my limited perspective we are starting that process from a place where we had none at all. Also....MIA are 2 key elements. Depth at RB and LB.

[Pompey Gary]

For the first time since Steve Cotterill (5 long years ago) Pompey have actually managed to appoint a manager who has had a proven track record of success over a number of years. That's good ground alone for an increase in optimism. I don't think promotion is ever guaranteed but I'd be inclined to be pretty positive about the 2015/16 season.

[blitzoid]

Any one know anywhere there are good odds on us getting promotion? Gonna stick a tenner on.

[Weybridge]

Any one know anywhere there are good odds on us getting promotion? Gonna stick a tenner on.

I looked a couple of days ago. Couldn't find anywhere that wasn't odds on.

Paddy Power 10/11, Bill Hill 5/6 etc etc.