🖊📝 Sensible Transfers - Central Midfield - Darlington FC 🖊📝. Following the contract renewals of Tom Platt & Will Hatfield, I’ve taken a look at the centre midfielders available to DFC this summer to further strengthen the engine room for 25/26. 👉👉👉

Will Hatfield’s timing of his runs in to the box + ball-striking is top quality. The way which he has adapted his game from an all-action box-to-box midfielder to a goalscoring midfielder is hugely impressive. Career-best goals return incoming from the 25/26 season for him.

Gateshead created an xG of 0.09 at home to Southend in their opening fixture on Saturday.

RT @pranav_m28: Curtis Jones - Ball Playing Rating. -Plays a lot more forward passes per defensive action, increasing his tendency. -Alarmi….

Pass completion is one of the most over-rated metrics when the player in question never risks the ball. Anybody with eyes watching realises that the most effective 6 was wearing a Crystal Palace shirt today in Adam Wharton.

Scott signed 49 days ago. The FA Handbook says International Clearance should be granted within 30 days, if not provisional clearance can be issued. Not entirely sure what has gone wrong here but digging out the FA in public is not a great look with this in place.

Not good enough.

Finally a technical upgrade that can recycle the ball. Stanton is both-footed + can receive the ball deep. Not the biggest so will need partnering with Forbes or Platt in the pivot. Question marks over how he will adapt to men’s football but performances for NUFC 21’s encouraging.

Squad is now stacked with full-backs. Can only assume this moves Barrow LCB & pushes Forbes in to the number 6. Still a requirement for a technical 6/8 to come in & strengthen what we have then I think we will be done, unless that elusive left-footed winger becomes available.

This Altrincham hate-watch next season

Auditors also note the club’s reliance on Raj Singh’s continued financial support in order to continue operating.

The club is also still paying back former owners, Sage Investments Ltd, to the tune of £110k per annum. This amount could change depending on on-field performance of the club.

Hartlepool fans will also be delighted to know that Singh charged the club £180k in “management fees” via his company, Prestige Care Group Holdings Ltd.

As of 31 July 2024, the club also had £4.6m of debt, including £1.6m owed to companies owned by Raj Singh & £1.2m owed to Sport England.

Hartlepool United made a £1.2m loss in 23/24 as they finished 12th in the National League. Cash in the bank also reduced from £621k in 2023, to £187k in 2024.

This is becoming more & more worrying. Especially when Platt is the only specialist 6 we have.

This tweet took me back to 2014. These two are still going at a good level.

So so predictable. A loan until January is the best we could hope for. Gives us time to replace Jameson effectively at the very least in the medium term.

RT @GatesheadFC: We're delighted to confirm the signing of Pete Jameson as player-coach! 🫡🧤. Welcome to Gateshead, Pete! 🙌. Jameson will jo….

Do not underestimate the pull these two have when attracting North-East talent. Both are highly respected in the local scene & can both point to successful track records of player development. A key duo when competing against full-time NE clubs in the market. Top recruiters.

Another impressive addition by Steve Watson. Look at those numbers.