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Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 14:30
by Jon Palmer
Confirmed: http://bit.ly/JanuarySigning2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 15:03
by Johnsons Red Army
Welcome back Billy!

Pleased with this signing for sure!

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 15:23
by Ihearye
Boo thought this was a perm signing and then I get to last line

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 15:51
by Fuller
Will he play up front or out wide I wonder ?

No word from Duffo on the loan and picture of the Chairman with Billy on the official site. Perhaps Mike has gone off to find another loanee ?

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 16:23
by little mo
Well happy with this. Welcome back Billy. :D

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 16:31
by Robin
I've got mixed feelings on this to be honest. Players who return to clubs rarely exceed expectation and since he's left us he's not impressed either at Northampton or Cambridge. On a more positive note I do feel Billy at the top of his game is what we need right now injecting some much needed pace alongside either Tyrone or Varney and you would hope this is on loan with a potential permanent deal in the summer if it suits all parties.

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 16:40
by Ralph
Excellent signing. Welcome home Billy!

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 16:52
by asl
I agree with Robin. Billy will never be a really prolific striker - but he always seemed to have a knack of arriving at the ball at just the right time. Used to work hard for the team, too. Him and Broom in the same team might be fast and fun.

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 16:56
by Si Robin
Fuller wrote:Will he play up front or out wide I wonder ?

No word from Duffo on the loan and picture of the Chairman with Billy on the official site. Perhaps Mike has gone off to find another loanee ?
It may be something to do with today being Duffo's birthday - training this morning then out with the family this afternoon. I have no evidence of this mind.

Billy is the perfect man to latch onto Barnett's knockdowns. He knows the club as well, so should slot right back in.

Welcome back Billy.

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 16:57
by horlickfanclub
Welcome back Billy.No motivation needed with him.

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 16:58
by Shade
I guess I'm probably the only Cheltenham fan who isn't over the moon to see Billy back. I mean, I like him and he scored his fair share of goals for us but I got so frustrated watching him run down blind alleys time after time, and he's hardly had a great time since he left (hence he finds himself back here despite leaving for greener pastures at the first opportunity).

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 17:51
by vickeryc
I'm very pleased about this. Billy is such a wholehearted player who will provide plenty of pace, chip in with a few goals, and hit the ground running. Good to see him back.

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 17:53
by Lord Elpuz
This is an interesting one. I have reservations like Robin and asl, because of his record since leaving Cheltenham - I didn’t want him to leave in the first place, because I didn’t think he was going to a better/bigger club, even though they were a league higher at the time. I now welcome Billy back, and hope that he can turn on the style and work rate that made him fans’ Player of the Year in his last year here at The Robins. But it is an interesting one ... methinks it may be a signal that Ryan Broom is going (to burton, probably) and that Billy is the replacement?

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 18:35
by Ladyrobin
Billy Boy is back.
Whooppee Doo.

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 18:46
by RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Lord Elpuz wrote:This is an interesting one. I have reservations like Robin and asl, because of his record since leaving Cheltenham - I didn’t want him to leave in the first place, because I didn’t think he was going to a better/bigger club, even though they were a league higher at the time. I now welcome Billy back, and hope that he can turn on the style and work rate that made him fans’ Player of the Year in his last year here at The Robins. But it is an interesting one ... methinks it may be a signal that Ryan Broom is going (to burton, probably) and that Billy is the replacement?
Could well be that this is part of puzzle piece moving and wheeler dealing. If Billy comes in on loan, and Broom gets sold for money, then player-wise we are pretty much the same but it means we have more money to strengthen the crisis areas (CB / CM).

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 18:49
by Nesty
I think we can assume that any new signings we make in the window will be loans. Currently we have 3 - Pring, Maddox and Waters. so, with the maximum number of loans set at 8 in the EFL we have 5 more slots available but to avoid the situation we had last season when we had loan players sat in the stand, I would bet money we only sign another 2 or 3 given the maximum allowed in a match day squad is 5. As RCS rightly says I would think we will be looking to cover the injury hit sections

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 19:28
by Cheltenhamshire10
Nesty wrote:I think we can assume that any new signings we make in the window will be loans. Currently we have 3 - Pring, Maddox and Waters. so, with the maximum number of loans set at 8 in the EFL we have 5 more slots available but to avoid the situation we had last season when we had loan players sat in the stand, I would bet money we only sign another 2 or 3 given the maximum allowed in a match day squad is 5. As RCS rightly says I would think we will be looking to cover the injury hit sections
As mentioned by others I think Barnett being a permanent signing was important to Duff to free up a loan slot. I'd expect minimum 2 more loans in.

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 19:49
by kiaora84
Great signing. Fits the style of how Duff wants to play. I know since leaving Cheltenham he hasn’t had a great time but he’s been played out of position. A complaint made by a lot of Northampton fans (RWB at times)

I don’t see him as a replacement for Broom at all. I see Billy playing in one of the forward positions off of Ty whilst Broom plays at RWB

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 21:31
by THECHOIRBOY
Agree. Based on how we have played in recent times he fits well. Either up front in a two or if we play 343 addai and waters either side of Barnett possibly.

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 12 Jan 2019, 09:54
by everyman
asl wrote:I agree with Robin. Billy will never be a really prolific striker - but he always seemed to have a knack of arriving at the ball at just the right time. Used to work hard for the team, too. Him and Broom in the same team might be fast and fun.
He does work hard but lots of his runs used to be across the pitch,i hope he can be more direct now and attack defenders.

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 12 Jan 2019, 10:11
by RegencyCheltenhamSpa
everyman wrote:
asl wrote:I agree with Robin. Billy will never be a really prolific striker - but he always seemed to have a knack of arriving at the ball at just the right time. Used to work hard for the team, too. Him and Broom in the same team might be fast and fun.
He does work hard but lots of his runs used to be across the pitch,i hope he can be more direct now and attack defenders.
Duff has been better at making sure our runs and passing are forward and have a person (rather than worthless sideways/backwards possession) so hopefully he can help Billy focus on being effective with the ball rather just having the ball, even if it means having the ball less. If all Billy does in a match is 2 runs into the box that is much more likely to lead to a positive result than if he does 20 runs across the pitch and none in the box.

Re: Second signing of January window

Posted: 12 Jan 2019, 13:33
by shevates
Robin wrote:I've got mixed feelings on this to be honest. Players who return to clubs rarely exceed expectation and since he's left us he's not impressed either at Northampton or Cambridge. On a more positive note I do feel Billy at the top of his game is what we need right now injecting some much needed pace alongside either Tyrone or Varney and you would hope this is on loan with a potential permanent deal in the summer if it suits all parties.
Totally with you on this one Robin, hes been poor since he left us BUT if on his return he finds the form he was in when first with us then it will be a more than a decent signing