We have little more than 12 hours left of the current transfer window, and right now, it’s been two in (Joe Taylor, Jack Moylan) and eight out (Shodipo, Kendall, Worsfold-Gregg, Brown, Adelakun, Cann, Gallagher and Smith).
Okay, I know there are loan recalls and the like, but in terms of numbers, that’s a deficit of six – the largest deficit of any window in recent times. In fact, only last year did we get our first deficit since returning from the National League, and that was two players.
What else has happened since we came back from the doldrums and into the Football League? It is interesting to see how our business has evolved and the patterns that underpin the changes we’ve experienced as a club.
With that in mind, and no news to report as yet today, here is an analysis of our six winter windows since coming back from the National League. Please bear in mind I am only including full-time pros, so for instance, in 2021/22, Bobby Deane joined Lincoln United but did not have a pro contract, whereas Hayden Cann, who went to Ashby Avenue at the same time, did.
Transfer Window 2017/18
Seven in, one out
Ins Lee Frecklington, James Wilson, Tom Pett (DD) Danny Rowe (L), Jordan Williams (L), Scott Wharton (L, DD), Ryan Allsop (L, DD)
Outs Callum Howe (DD)
Total appearances for permanent players – 141, (14 goals) Frecklington 51 (7), Pett 64 (5) Wilson 26, (2)
Total appearances for loan players – 62 (4 goals) Williams 11, Allsop 20, Wharton 15 (2), Rowe 16 (2)
Total appearances & goals in window – 201 (18 goals)
Players sold – None
L = Loan Transfer
DD = Deadline Day Deal
The first question I want to ask when we look at a window is, what do we need? This window, it will shock you to know, was one in which we needed a striker. We’d missed out on Ollie Hawkins, and Simeon Akinola had fallen through in the summer. It was widely believed we’d be getting a striker to help push us towards the play-offs. We didn’t. Instead, we strengthen at the back, as Sean Ragget’s loan ended, with Scott Wharton and James Wilson coming in. Freck returned to fanfare, and Tom Pett crept through the door as well.
Ryan Allsop was a decent loan, and both he and Freck played a huge part in our EFL Trophy semi-final win against Chelsea U21s. Whilst Scott Wharton was a decent player, he only really covered for James Wilson, who was injured in March. It’s fair to say Jordan Williams was a bit of a flop as well, whilst Danny Rowe added a couple of goals but struggled with injury.
In terms of sales and future prospects, it wasn’t a good window. We still ended up short on strikers, with Ollie Palmer, Matt Rhead, and Matt Green all playing against Coventry late on in the season, and possibly a lack of options costing us against Exeter City in the play-offs.
Average Permanent Player Return: 47 appearances, 5 goals
Average Loan Player Return: 16 appearances, 1 goal
Signing of the Window
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