Here we have a piece answering your questions. Thanks to everyone who submitted a question! I will be doing more of these as the season goes on, so keep your eyes peeled for chances to ask away.
First up, @LeeReyn46555467 and @Holly24L have asked Fitzwater and Wilson released from WBA should we look at signing them? and Is there any players we’re looking to sign? Simple answer to both is no, although no doubt Clarke has his eye on the players he would like to sign. At the moment, I think a lot of clubs will be waiting to see when the new season will officially start before jumping in to the transfer market. There have been some clubs that have made signings, but I can foresee a slower start than usual. At present, none of the rumours I have seen making the rounds have any substance to them. I have seen pages linking us with Fitz, but for me, both him and Wilson are from a time at the club that many want to move away from, both club and the players themselves. I also feel Fitzwater will want to be playing at a higher level than League 2. Wilson? He has two relegations from League 1 in two seasons. Obviously he is not the reason for both of those, but I didn’t see anything in his spell with us that makes me think we should be after him.
@erbagnallx asks – One position we need to look at strengthening the most for next season? That is a tough question, as I feel we need 4 or 5 players overall, all from different positions (budget dependant). For me, as it stands with the players we have currently, there is someone for every position, which is a brilliant and rare place for us to be in. I do feel that there is one position we need to strengthen slightly more than the others. We need another winger, who can play predominantly on the Right, but can switch over to the Left if needed. We all know McDonald is a class act, and from what we have seen so far of Nolan, I think we have a real talent on our hands. Both will need cover for if they pick up any knocks or injuries, and also to prevent fatigue and tiredness.
@joshrainer8 has asked – Out of all the players you have seen been released from other clubs which ones would you sign? There are three that spring to mind, although I have not really looked at those that have recently been released. I have said before that I feel we should be looking at a stronger, defensive minded CM, even with Sam Perry coming through the ranks. Gillingham have released Ousseynou Cisse, who was previously at MK Dons. It didn’t quite work at Gillingham for him, but his spell at MK Dons was very good. He also went out on loan at Leyton Orient in January, where he shone, and he could be exactly what we need, should he want to permanently drop into League 2. I always have been a big fan of Otis Khan. He was awesome for Yeovil a couple of years back, but has had a less successful spell at Mansfield, mainly due to him playing in several different positions, and coming off the bench. He can play as a CAM, but also out wide, and I feel he could really add something to the team. Finally, I think Harry McKirdy could add something to our team, however I feel it is in a position we wont be looking to strengthen. He scored 5, and assisted 4 in 28 games for Carlisle this season, which is not bad stats given the club he was at. There are question marks over his attitude, but I think he could be a good curveball.
@ruskyboy wants to know – Newly announced 1m+ social distancing should mean approx 4500 capacity if we didn’t have away fans, can you see us ready for this in September? The problem clubs face with fans and social distancing isn’t necessarily the number of fans in the stands. I also can see attendances rise when we first start playing again. A friend who works in ticketing and events has said that the issues facing them are getting everyone in and out of the venues whilst maintaining social distancing, and when looking at things like theatres and venues with live entertainment, you have to also consider people going in and out of the rows to get to seats, which when looked in a footballing sense, means you have to break the 1m rule to get into the middle. I have to say, I think it is too early to tell with everything constantly changing. Rewind a few weeks ago and we wouldn’t have said that we would have seen live football on our screens, or restaurants re-opening. There is still a long way to go until the new season, so I think that many of the restrictions in place will probably have been changed by then, and they will no doubt be adapted to try and get fans back at all sports. I will also tie in @jamiehorney89‘s question about friendlies. I feel that if football is due to return in September, that friendlies will no doubt be in August. I think that friendlies will either be reduced capacity (not that they sell many anyway) or behind closed doors, to allow cases and the covid threat a bit more time to reduce before larger crowds get back together.
@WfcDave has asked the question you all were wondering about – Have you ever seen a Chinese funeral? I have not! I am hoping that this isn’t an invite to one Dave. If I do end up attending one, you shall be there first person I tell!
@leighjharris asks a question that may be pretty controversial – Do mushrooms belong on a fry up? My answer is thus… Mushrooms do not belong on or with anything!
Our final question of the week goes to @LeeReyn46555467 – Out of the play off contenders in the national league who do you think will be joining Barrow to league two and who would you prefer to have away day trip to for me Notts county. Well, looking at those in the play-offs, I would probably say Barnet. Out of the teams that would be ‘new’ away days, I would say Harrogate, as I have been to Borehamwood before. But as someone who lives in London, Barnet would be a very convenient away day. Basically, anyone but Notts County…
There we have it. A very mixed bag of questions this week. Thanks again to all of those who contributed, and I look forward to seeing what you will thrown at me soon!
