Thoughts For The Season.

#ANewEra – The term couldn’t be better suited to what lies ahead for the next 12 months as a town fan. As a 21 year old, ready to hit 22, I cannot really claim about any glory days as a fan. The near misses in the play-offs against the Hammers in 2004 and 2005 were arguably the better times over the last 16 years I’ve followed town, with the play-offs in May 2015 being sandwiched between the stagnation that myself and many of our fans have had to endure in this forever increasingly difficult league.

I don’t want to touch too much on Paul Hurst’s predecessor, but this summer transfer window and the shake-up are just what the club needed. The signings of Edwards and Harrison for a combined fee of £1.45m is a breath of fresh air. Hungry lower league players ready to make a step up, and both of whom have already caught the eye, rather than the expected loans and freebies that we were so used to just filling a round hole as a square peg.

I read Hurst’s interview with Stuart Watson earlier and (yes I’m going to say it again) it was another breath of fresh air. No nonsense, says it exactly how it is, but all within the best interest of fans, players and his staff. He talked about his family and his upbringing and how its all implemented his career and how he does what he does now. Did we get that with the previous man in charge? Maybe a little bit to being with.

Expectations are still yet to be set by town fans, however once again everyone and their dog has written us off to go down. The same being said for Hurst’s previous side Shrewsbury last season, and look what happened? Do I expect an immediate transition? No, but I do expect to see things fit into place over the course of the season. Realistically, I can’t see us advancing any further than last seasons dead centre finish of 12th, but I am renowned for being a pessimist. My heart will go with a top 10 finish, but my head is saying around the 15th mark. This season will be the foundation for the next couple of years I hope and give or take in 12 months time I may have the confidence to throw ourselves in the mix for a top 6 finish.

Hurst has everyone behind him, and after venting my frustration at Mr Evans last August for raising the Season Ticket Prices, I put my money where my mouth was a purchased my first Season Ticket in 8 years for this upcoming season, although the departure of McCarthy was a huge pull factor. Like I astarted this piece, #ANewEra is here at Portman Road, and although it may not be an immediate transformation, I for one am looking forward to it.

Follow on twitter - @_Kieranbleaz

Transfer Deadline Day, Jan 2017

Another deadline day is here and as we nearer the end (it’s nearing 3pm as I write this), there is little evidence the biggest gap in the team is going to be filled. A proven striker/goalscorer who will take the place of Daryl Murphy who departed Town for Newcastle 6 months ago. Of course this window hasn’t been without signings, and we did get a striker - Kieffer Moore. Now no disrespect to the guy, he is hopefully one who in time become a great player for us, but he doesn’t bring experience at this level which we desperately need in a league that is getting tougher and tougher to compete in.

Other signings include Steven Taylor on a short term deal until summer, same goes for Jordan Spence and the most exciting signing - Danny Rowe. He is on a long term deal and should provide some much needed flair when Tom Lawrence goes back to Leicester at the end of the season. We also have the loan signing of Toumani Diagouraga from Leeds until the end of the season. I think this alone sees the end of the Skuglas partnership, and Douglas looking likely to actually leave the club. 

But still we wait for a striker replacement. And whilst we wait patiently for that, we hear the rumblings that captain Luke Chambers is currently in talks with his former club Nottingham Forest. As most Town fans know, he has the option of a further year on his current contract but that is up to the man at the top to trigger.. and he has not. We may well have seen Chambers for the last time, but there’s nothing concrete as yet.

For now we all wait, hold our breathes for some kind of official information from the club on what to expect for the rest of the day. Oh, and we play Derby tonight which I’m pretty sure more people have forgotten about. The atmosphere may well be toxic if things go badly over the next few hours.