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Quite right, Rich, 22 players (2 in each position) is the staple of any professional club. I'd be absolutely distraught to find that we couldn't even muster that. We're poor, but we're nothing like that bloody poor.

Matt.

I would rather Knill used his budget to sign a core group of first team players and topped up the squad with loans when injuries and suspensions kick in, than spent the budget signing back up players who never get a game, such as Leadbitter, halpin etc who just eat up budget that could be used elsewhere to warm the bench and play in reserve games.

any idea on the length of the deals?

Benners has signed for two years

Along with a couple of players who are versatile and have the intelligence and ability to be able to play in more than one position !

Scott Brehaut wrote:Benners has signed for two years

good news! hopefully will be followed up with more signings! hope his knee issue is all sorted out and doesnt affect the medical!

Good stuff - finally!

Hopefully the ball is rolling now, onwards and upwards!!!

I am very satisfied with the signing of Dale Tonge. This is the first dedicated right back we have had for some time. Oastler first played in midfield and then it was decided his best position was right back by Warnock. Mansell played right back when his favored position was midfield. Ellis played a few times at right back also when he was really a central defender.
I like what is being said about Tonge regarding his play from defence to attack and something to prove. Similar was said about Downes regarding something to prove.
My biggest concern is our midfield and I hope we are able to sign someone big and strong. We have been so lightweight for ages in there.

Tonge looks a solid acquisition, decent size and build, gets forward and seems a decent player. Maybe not the best in the league but was involved in a team at Rotherham that every year were around the playoffs.

Benyon is just a workhorse, he has proven before he can get goals and he wasn't fit when he first come to us but slowly improved as the games come on. A good pre season with us and he should be getting 10-15 goals. But his work rate will create chances for other teams.

I remember a Bury fan coming on here saying AK has a way of playing and brings in unknown players but fits them into a system. This seems the case now. We are still missing the spine of our team but with AK saying benyon is a good deal and seemingly negotiations Tonge down it seems we are saving more and more money. Which can only be a good thing.

What we need is a hard man (see another thread). We haven't had one since The Pickler - and they usually work.

Just hope like Downes his injury problems are behind him. Have to be realistic we're Torquay and we are forced to take punts on players who might have 'baggage' with them of one kind or another, it's always a slightly higher risk signing players with proven bad injury records but like I said hopefully they've gone now and we've got ourselves a full back with a bit of pedigree for this level. It's a position we've had a lot of problems with in recent years so hopefully Tonge should be a good improvement on that.

Good news on Benyon, he plays his best football here and he's a good player for us. Agreed with Knill's assesment of him and he will be an important player this season.

ferrarilover wrote:Quite right, Rich, 22 players (2 in each position) is the staple of any professional club. I'd be absolutely distraught to find that we couldn't even muster that. We're poor, but we're nothing like that bloody poor.

Matt.

I could not disagree with you more. That may be the staple of rich Premier League clubs but not at our level.
Knil has it right, we have to concentrate on a core group of about 15 players of real quality supplemented with promising young talent.

Quality >>>>>>>>>>>> Quantity always. For too long we've had too many players that don't bring anything to the table. Sooner have 1 decent player than 3 average ones.

royalgull wrote:Quality >>>>>>>>>>>> Quantity always. For too long we've had too many players that don't bring anything to the table. Sooner have 1 decent player than 3 average ones.

Precisely, even with our big squad in Buckle's first year and 62 games played we still had players who hardly got a game.
I just don't understand why anyone would want a big squad of what would inevitably have to be Conference level players rather than a small squad including a few capable of League One.

Knill doesn't seem afraid to use the loan market either so should we have a big injury crisis or a problem position then AK would be looking at possible loan options straight away. 100% record for me on signings so far too, both Labadie and Chappell were better than what we had!