Dear BFC Board

Dougall

Dougall

Well-known member
If you sell Bowler to Blackburn in the next month, I think you can pretty much get ready for League One next season. It's been an abysmally prepared transfer window reflected in the number of players you've brought in (and I realise there were extenuating factors but you can't say that all your targets pre-Critchley were ditched as soon as Appleton arrived?), and I think we can all see from the friendly games that, despite finishing where we did, going in to another season with this squad without Bowler would be suicide.

Fair enough if you bring in players, find like for like replacements for people like Josh, but at the moment when we have such a weak squad and so little creativity, outlets or quality I would be massively disappointed if you decided to sell Bowler.
 
Dougall said:
If you sell Bowler to Blackburn in the next month, I think you can pretty much get ready for League One next season. It's been an abysmally prepared transfer window reflected in the number of players you've brought in (and I realise there were extenuating factors but you can't say that all your targets pre-Critchley were ditched as soon as Appleton arrived?), and I think we can all see from the friendly games that, despite finishing where we did, going in to another season with this squad without Bowler would be suicide.

Fair enough if you bring in players, find like for like replacements for people like Josh, but at the moment when we have such a weak squad and so little creativity, outlets or quality I would be massively disappointed if you decided to sell Bowler.
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Add to that the possibility of losing Gabriel to Burnley and replacing him with a league of Ireland replacement who we valued at £100,000 only last week.
 
Club can't turndown £3 million (if it is that) for a player with 1yr left on his contract and probably no interest in signing a new one. You just have to trust the board that they'll reinvest the money wisely and find a suitable replacement i.e Morgan Rogers. When talking about 'poor business' I think people forget that the season starts earlier this season, but the window is still open until September. Plenty of time to add further additions. The squad as it is right now will survive imo 👍
 
That's a bit of a hysterical reaction. Let's take a step back here. Nobody is denying that Bowler has talent. But for the first third of the season he was ineffective, and the team did OK. The middle third of the season he hit form. Then he tailed off again. He's had a run of about 15 games where he was consistently good. there's huge potential, but also huge room for improvement. You could same the same about Lavery. His first few games were fantastic, then he really dropped off. The really decent players preform consistently week in, week out, and that's why they get big money.
 
Josh is our only player who can make something happen out of nothing & to sell him would weaken our already limited chances of scoring goals. The £3m is purely a rumour and based on previous bids, is unlikely to be true.
This rumour, together with the Gabriel link to Burnley is not what we need right now. What we do need is to recruit some further quality (to our 2 loans) to ensure we win 3 points against Reading, who are tipped for relegation.
 
We’ve lost none of the squad which comfortably survived in the Championship last season.

We’ve made a few loans already and will likely make another 3/4 signings yet.

All our players are another year more experienced, wiser and for some better than last season.

Bowler wasn’t even in the starting XI at the beginning of last season. These dramatics are really a bit OTT.

If Bowler leaves we’ll do what we’ve always done and replace him. Even in the Oyston years we got over losing Wes, Barker and Gorkss and ended up being stronger for it - there’s no reason to believe we can’t do the same especially now when money is available to be reinvested.
 
BFC95 said:
Club can't turndown £3 million (if it is that) for a player with 1yr left on his contract and probably no interest in signing a new one. You just have to trust the board that they'll reinvest the money wisely and find a suitable replacement i.e Morgan Rogers. When talking about 'poor business' I think people forget that the season starts earlier this season, but the window is still open until September. Plenty of time to add further additions. The squad as it is right now will survive imo 👍
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I agree with you mate but as per usual some people just like to panic just for the fun of it like we’ve done all summer 😂
 
Our record transfer purchase is still £1.35m.

Figures like £3m are massive.
 
Selling Bowler and replacing him with a right-footed winger on loan wouldn't really do it for me, but equally losing him on a free next year would sting. The latter would sting Sadler and the board in the pocket as well, which may prove decisive. It's the price you pay for signing a good player to a short contract.
 
Grayth said:
Selling Bowler and replacing him with a right-footed winger on loan wouldn't really do it for me, but equally losing him on a free next year would sting. The latter would sting Sadler and the board in the pocket as well, which may prove decisive. It's the price you pay for signing a good player to a short contract.
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In fairness, MA had right footed Brennan Johnson playing RW in his Lincoln playoff final team and they didn't do too bad!
 
BH2211 said:
I agree with you mate but as per usual some people just like to panic just for the fun of it like we’ve one all summer 😂
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It's ironic how when opinions who differ from yours are seen as being a 'panic for fun' or to another 'a hysterical reaction' rather than an opposing opinion 🤣
Some of our supporters see more in Bowlers contribution than others and that's understandable. However, the clubs who have been linked with Josh have far stronger squads than we do, so their managers must rate him more than some of our own supporters 😏
 
BH2211 said:
I agree with you mate but as per usual some people just like to panic just for the fun of it like we’ve done all summer 😂
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I know right... but if people want to moan then that's their perogative, but it astounds me that after 2 seasons of great success and progress, people still doubt the board.

Thing is, we're not a massively rich club, we're not in a place to turn down offers of millions, and we're never going to spend millions. The club itself has always said the way it will be run is to bring in players for low fees from divisions below, make them better and sell them on for profit. Brentford the best example of it and its a great sustainable model to aspire to be, spend within your means, stay alive, and keep progressing via small steps! Success isn't achieved over night
 
BFC95 said:
In fairness, MA had right footed Brennan Johnson playing RW in his Lincoln playoff final team and they didn't do too bad!
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They did that day 😉

Yeah it's not a huge deal tbf. I just like having balance in the starting XI, particularly in the attacking positions - different threats etc. Ideally our better players would be our own as well. It all reminds me a bit of replacing Wes with Adam Hamill!

But as you imply, just get the right players and it won't matter much.
 
I think all this talk of him moving for £3m is way way off mark.
Contact up next season possible move to another championship club we would be lucky to see £1m.
Even Forest & Bournemouth, maybe even Fulham? wouldn't part with £3m last January so what makes people think he’d move for that figure now 7/8 months on?
 
If we get 3 m for him it’s a no brainer

I’d be more disappointed with the board if they went on to refuse that and he stayed unless he signs a new contract

Can’t see us selling him to Blackburn cheap after the spanking they gave us selling us Nuttall
 
We are always going to sell at the rumoured £3m, the sectret from fans pov is not only to reinvest in 3 players for about 700k ea, but not to sell important players for under, say £2m. That way you build a team and by definition when the team gets better, players look better and are of more resale value.

So Burnley can off big time.
 
Okay we did more than well last season, but if a we don't get some money in and freshen up the side with a few new signings it's gonna be long hard season. We won't be surprising teams and nicking points like we did last season, they'll have done some homework on us.
Bowler is great to watch and he makes you stand up when he gets the ball, It'll be a shame to see him go but good money for him is a no brainer.
 
He is a player who makes me sit up whenever he gets the ball, but £3 million now is definitely worth taking unless he’s going to sign a new contract and that hasn’t been mentioned
 
Bowler's an exciting player and on his day unplayable but and it's a big BUT if a club comes along and offers the right money then we would be foolish to keep him. Also, I think Championship sides learn quickly and he is very much a left-footed player playing on the right and defenders learn quickly to double up, show him the outside and he is a lot less effective.

Appleton will also have his own thoughts on how to set up the team and may be prepared to sacrifice Bowler to get two quality players more suited to his system.
 
Seainsea said:
Bowler's an exciting player and on his day unplayable but and it's a big BUT if a club comes along and offers the right money then we would be foolish to keep him. Also, I think Championship sides learn quickly and he is very much a left-footed player playing on the right and defenders learn quickly to double up, show him the outside and he is a lot less effective.

Appleton will also have his own thoughts on how to set up the team and may be prepared to sacrifice Bowler to get two quality players more suited to his system.
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I would guess MA was told at interviews that Bowler was likely to leave.
 
Lots of hearsay. What is the cost of relegation to the club? 3 mill? We have a 5 year plan to get in the prem. The gamble of losing your match winner when no players are coming in is suicide IMO. A player of bowlers quality would probably be worth 3 mill in wages anyway. Keep him.
 
Well, I'd be disappointed to lose him as he's exciting, but when we thought he was a cert to go, that 3 million if that's what we get, funds the next level of players.

However given not securing our transfer targets im less confident about it now.

But you might.....invest in a million pound winger to replace him, get a million pound midfielder, plus 2 500k signings.

Yes wages but you want wages to be covered out of other revenue.

But you could always adjust and get 1 player for 500k and save some of that for wages if it allowed us to get a higher calibre of player.

Or get a real expensive prem loan with it.

So I'm not really worried if he does go, as it should fund us for better quality in more areas.

But football isn't about money to fans and good exciting players are what we need.

But he was free, so if we keep selling players for more than we paid we'll improve bit by bit.
 
By End of August teams will have aspirations, of promotion or relegation worries from their actual league position. That is when Bowler will be at his most valuable especially if he starts performing as he did after the Jan window.
Having said that hope he is persuaded to sign a long contract with at least a 3 million release clause.
 
Ok so let’s get things into perspective. The achievement last season was great with not a huge amount of changes from the promotion season. It was clear from the last few games though that the team needed strengthening in some areas.

The expected arrival of a CM has taken a time but we now have Fiorini. Equally there were defensive lapses and the arrival of Williams will no doubt make us better in defence.

Maxwell and Grimshaw are competent. Williams and Marv should be effective backed up by Thorniley , Tharme and Keogh.

The midfield three has a pool of Connolly, Carey, Dougall, Anderson, Fiorini, Virtue, Apter and occasionally Stewart. Strong in many ways.

The full back issue is dire though. Sterling needs replacing and until Gabriel can learn to defend we are vulnerable. On the other side Garbutt and Husband are ok but age and injuries are making that a weakness too.

Up front we simply don’t seem to have a poacher. Lavery looked the real deal but has lost his mojo. Jerry did well in League 1 but never seemed to fit in anywhere last season. Gary goals is a useful weapon but will not hit double figures. Beesley remains an unknown quantity. Bowler provides the only questions that opposing defenders can’t answer.

CJ, Dale and Bez look to be surplus. Kirk was the only person capable of delivering a decent ball into the box from a set piece and he has gone.

Our season very much relies on what happens between now and the beginning of September in my view. It’s not all bad but it’s not all good either. Failure to address the squad failings and Appleton could be gone by Christmas. Sign the right players to compliment the good parts of the team and we could finish top half.
 
JJpool said:
Well, I'd be disappointed to lose him as he's exciting, but when we thought he was a cert to go, that 3 million if that's what we get, funds the next level of players.

However given not securing our transfer targets im less confident about it now.

But you might.....invest in a million pound winger to replace him, get a million pound midfielder, plus 2 500k signings.

Yes wages but you want wages to be covered out of other revenue.

But you could always adjust and get 1 player for 500k and save some of that for wages if it allowed us to get a higher calibre of player.

Or get a real expensive prem loan with it.

So I'm not really worried if he does go, as it should fund us for better quality in more areas.

But football isn't about money to fans and good exciting players are what we need.

But he was free, so if we keep selling players for more than we paid we'll improve bit by bit.
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I assume the supposedly increased budget for this season was set before Quitchley decided to leave so we have his compo on top of initial amount….other than wages on 2 loan players we have spent nothing…
 
Great player when on it, but his team mates really do look like they want him to pass a bit more.

3m? Thanks Josh, and goodbye. We are not in a position to turn down that kind of money.
 
You can sign 20 players if it makes you happy, but if they don’t have the desire, confidence and determination to succeed it means fuck all. We need driven motivated signings, not freeloaders. Take your time and get the right type of player. It will make all the difference.
 
Interesting responses and I wouldn't have expected everyone to agree with me however
1. We won't get £3 Million
2. There's no guarantee that money will be there to spend before the end of August (could be in instalments, appearances etc)
3. Guarantee that if he leaves at 5pm next Friday a few might change their stance

All I was saying was get the ducks in line before we even contemplate selling him - not that we shouldn't when and if the time is right.
 
Dougall said:
Interesting responses and I wouldn't have expected everyone to agree with me however
1. We won't get £3 Million
2. There's no guarantee that money will be there to spend before the end of August (could be in instalments, appearances etc)
3. Guarantee that if he leaves at 5pm next Friday a few might change their stance

All I was saying was get the ducks in line before we even contemplate selling him - not that we shouldn't when and if the time is right.
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What if the ducks have flown off to a bigger pond?
 
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