And there we have it

[CS85]

The quality we have been waiting for. Two conference players and a player who made one appearance in a Shyte Mansfield team.
Going down.

[Robin]

I think this has been on the wall some time, it's clear we are going for lower quality on cheaper wages (I was criticised for saying this but now here is the evidence). That said though we need to reserve judgement, Vaughan may be promising and these lads may be fine if they are eased into the team like Sido was. The only thing that I am worried about at this very moment is the horror of CBB being our first choice left back!

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

At least you know not to bother turning up then CS85.

I look forward to seeing the youth and new signings stepping up and gelling together to do the best they can.

Be great to see a team greater than the sum of it's parts again.

[Robin]

That's the spirit RCS! CS85 is a die hard CTFC supporter the day fans like him walk away then we are in real trouble.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Die hard? Judging by him writing off our signings and saying we are down I would say more like die easy.

A die hard would go to the first game eager to see new players and encourage them to grow in confidence and do the red and white proud.

[Robin]

I'm sure I and the other contributors on here that know him will vouch that he follows the club everywhere home and away against all odds. If he says we will go down then I would value his opinion.

[taxidave]

The quality we have been waiting for. Two conference players and a player who made one appearance in a Shyte Mansfield team. Going down.

And that was as an 89 minute sub in Mansfield's 8-1 FA cup win over St Albans, so 1 minute of first team action last season.

[Robin]

On face value these two signings must surely be as squad fillers/cover mustn't they?

[Nesty]

The quality we have been waiting for. Two conference players and a player who made one appearance in a Shyte Mansfield team.
Going down.

Remind me how many conference players got us into, and kept us in the football league.
Players like Banks, Grayson, Walker (R), Milton, Freeman, Victory...... Need I go on?

[Robin]

But those were the top players in the conference back then Nesty, not a player who was relegated out of the conference. I am all for giving this lad a chance but let's keep things in perspective either way.

[asl]

We had an entire squad of Conference players the year we got promoted to the football league, Nesty...

[51/84]

lets just say hope we are holding out for the bigger names to drop their prices
Are these bench fillers or 1st team starters
Interesting 1 yr contracts so they all go when Yates goes
I will reserve judgement on the players until I see them and how they are deployed

We do have to remember that Yates has been generally good in recruitment. Also he is following instructions more with less

We also only need 2 other teams to be worse than us
As long as these players try and we have a plan then I will support them
I have seen teams relegated and promoted so its nothing new
I would just like to remind the board of the demise of Hereford and to a lesser extent Torquay

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

I'm sure I and the other contributors on here that know him will vouch that he follows the club everywhere home and away against all odds. If he says we will go down then I would value his opinion.

It is impossible to have an opinion on our team as they have not played a game together yet.

[Robin]

What a bizarre statement RCS...

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Not at all.

Answer this question:

Has our team looked like relegation candidates or promotion candidates in games you have seen so far? Or is it impossible to tell?

[taxidave]

What a bizarre statement RCS...

Robin haven't you realised yet that he only makes these remarks to wind you up in the hope that you will respond and he can then add even more posts to his name.
Before I could even write and post this message he has been on again, what is the written equivalent to verbal diarrhoea ?

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

If you think post count is of any concern you have a very simple mind Dave.

If someone says we 'are down' before seeing a new side play of course I will respond to suggest otherwise.

[Si Robin]

I think RCS makes a good point.

[London Exile]

On face value these two signings must surely be as squad fillers/cover mustn't they?

I was of the same thinking robin.
Not sure if the signing of Black means we are still looking at Joe Jacobsen or if he's signalled that he's off elsewhere.

[Robin]

I think RCS makes a good point.

[51/84]

On face value these two signings must surely be as squad fillers/cover mustn't they?

I was of the same thinking robin.
Not sure if the signing of Black means we are still looking at Joe Jacobsen or if he's signalled that he's off elsewhere.

Jacobsen would mean we have 4 LBs Black Bowen CBB and then Jacobsen

[taxidave]

I think RCS makes a good point.

About what ?
The post count on here is only of concern to one person.
If it was to do with the comment "We are down" then on the basis that no one has seen the team play yet I do not understand how anyone can suggest otherwise and that we are going to stay up.

[CS85]

Home and away every season for 17 seasons(although fewer now as I have a young family) and I'm just telling it as it is.its very easy to be positive about it 250 miles away up in Newcastle because you don't watch the shite week in week out.
Just as you have you're rose tinted opinion I have mine.
Are you seriously suggesting these players excite you!?.
There's a fair few posters on here who hardly bloody go with these very silly posts with the positive out look I'm sure it's all rosie from your arm chairs.

[Si Robin]

I think RCS makes a good point.

About what ?
The post count on here is only of concern to one person.
If it was to do with the comment "We are down" then on the basis that no one has seen the team play yet I do not understand how anyone can suggest otherwise and that we are going to stay up.

I don't see how anyone can suggest either way about whether we will be going up, being mid-table or going down, which I believe is the point RCS is making.

Having never seen these players play together before, it is impossible for anyone to categorically say either way.

FWIW CS85, I'm in my 21st year supporting the club, have done over 50% of the Football League grounds with Cheltenham and been a season ticket holder for the last 10 years (excluding 10/11 due to my son being born), my eldest has been to all but a few Saturday home games over the past 3 seasons and I brought my youngest to his first game last season. Please explain how I'm having a rose-tinted opinion from my armchair?

[CS85]

I'm not on about you Si. The majority of you're posts are thought out and sensible,should the team play Shyte you say so or the other way round you give praise. Me Geordie is a different story.

[CheltRobin]

I have to admit, I hadn't heard of any of these players, but no matter, they are here and as they have been signed this early, I would say they have been signed as 1st choice players ( I hope so in the case of Black).

Lets get behind them shall we?

[Robin]

CheltRobin I really don't understand this "let's get behind them" stuff, we've signed two uninspiring players people are debating the pro's, con's and implications. What do you think we should write "Wow what great signings, I always dreamed of us taking players from Tamworth" and "Black is a great signing having shown it these last three season with regular football at massive clubs like Mansfield"? I know that's taking it to the extreme but I genuinely don't see what you want to achieve.

[confused.com]

The quality we have been waiting for. Two conference players and a player who made one appearance in a Shyte Mansfield team. Going down.

And that was as an 89 minute sub in Mansfield's 8-1 FA cup win over St Albans, so 1 minute of first team action last season.

Robin, do you honestly, even in your brighter sunlit moments, think that most would give a $hit what or who vouched for who. Here we go (and I am sure unlike myself, all those folk are experts in conference players). However, I hope that is the case, because it would be a pi$$ poor supporter who writes off team members without even seeing them kick a ball for the team.
all you glorified keyboard warriors, really should stick to FIFA Manager, were you can buy ronaldo every weekend. Unlike Peter Robinson, I wouldn't trust any of you to go to the shops let alone advise on a player.
Really are the saddest, most boring, most repetitive, contrite bunch of people I have ever come across. I for one wouldn't be sad to see the like not turn up again.
BTW, the offer to buy my season ticket and donate to charity still stands.

WELCOME to ALL joining the good ship CTFC, looking forward how you perform in our team and not assumptions as to how you might have played in another team

[Robin]

Why don't you go and tell CS85 what you think to his face, he's there home and away and well known. Like many he has invested thousands followng the team up and down the country and quite rightly deserves to give his opinion which I fully respect.

[CheltRobin]

Robin - What do I want the team to achieve? Promotion of course! Can we do it with the squad we will have? We certainly wont be amongst the favs to do so, but that hasn't stopped us before. As I said, I know nothing about these players, so I can't say how good or bad they might be for Chelt- neither can any of us on here. Ok, so they aren't the marquee signings of L2 - so what?!? For the most part, player recruitment is something that Yates has been decent at as Chelt and I see no reason why these players can't play as a team to get us at least back into a comfortable top-half finish this coming season.

I guess im just a "glass half full" type of guy.

[thetonga]

You have to remember that Mansfield play 3 at the back so hardly surprising that he didn't get much game time. I'll judge him when I see him but I am optimistic he will be a good signing.

In fairness very few signings have really excited me as I didn't know who Russ Penn, Luke Summerfield or Marlon Pack were when they signed.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Home and away every season for 17 seasons(although fewer now as I have a young family) and I'm just telling it as it is.its very easy to be positive about it 250 miles away up in Newcastle because you don't watch the shite week in week out.
Just as you have you're rose tinted opinion I have mine.
Are you seriously suggesting these players excite you!?.
There's a fair few posters on here who hardly bloody go with these very silly posts with the positive out look I'm sure it's all rosie from your arm chairs.

No they do not excite me. Nor do they depress me. I am totally indifferent and must wait for the season to start to see how they do. Only then will I be negative or positive.

No rose tinting from me but no doom and gloom either. Imagine 'rose tinter' is white and 'moaner' is black. Then ask yourself 'is everything always a case of black or white?' If the answer is no then consider my view grey currently. I cannot possibly be negative or positive until I see how our squad performs relative to the twenty three other teams.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

CheltRobin I really don't understand this "let's get behind them" stuff, we've signed two uninspiring players people are debating the pro's, con's and implications. What do you think we should write "Wow what great signings, I always dreamed of us taking players from Tamworth" and "Black is a great signing having shown it these last three season with regular football at massive clubs like Mansfield"? I know that's taking it to the extreme but I genuinely don't see what you want to achieve.

Pro: we have new players and closer to a full squad

Con: players are an unknown quantity and untested quality

Implication: uncertainty how season will pan out. Players may not be good enough but may also kick on well. We will have to wait and see and support the team.

As for your example statements, they are obviously OTT and no one in their right mind would say it. They are just as extreme as saying "we are down" before our squad is even complete.

There is no need to say either. Uninspiring maybe but none of us have a clue how the team will come together and perform - so all we need to do is wait to see them play before assessing how good day are.

[CheltRobin]

Summed it up perfectly RCS - A wait and see game is what it wil be.

[Flux]

These players come to us with a point to prove. People are already questioning if they are even good enough for us so they now have to prove it to those fans before they have kicked a ball.

Id rather have players that are out to prove former managers and now some of our fans wrong than players coming here thinking they are the big I AM and not putting in a shift all the time