Firstly, have you done the #bringthedonshome thing yet? If not, why not?
The date for submissions has been put back to the 2nd February, according to LBM, although that’s more to do with the sheer size and complexity of the project than anything more sinister.
I would hope that the BTDH campaign now starts getting more pro-active with this extra two weeks, because the grand total of two emails and some spamming on social media somehow doesn’t seem enough.
There wasn’t much activity from it around the Liverpool game, which surprised (and disappointed) me, although we now have two home games in that extended period, so that’s the time to re-engage people.
Even in this interneted-up world, face-to-face still works, and I bet there are a lot of matchgoers who still haven’t quite registered that this is going on…
Anyway, for those concentrating on matters on the field, we have a new signing. Or rather, an old one – welcome (back) to David Connolly.
Yes, that DC.
On the surface of it, it seems a bit of a panic-buy. He’s 37, he got frozen out at Pompey (to the point where he was considered persona non grata), and he was in the Matt Tubbs mould.
It’s fair to say the reaction amongst supporters on social media has been a little, well, lukewarm. Quite negative, in some places. Somehow, all the promises and hints that we’ll be looking to replace our former striker have been proven to be bollocks.
Except it isn’t. NA was quick – very quick – to point out that DC isn’t going to be the only striker popping in. It sounds like one of those signings where he was suddenly available, affordable, and made sense to offer him a short deal.
He’s 37, but does that matter quite so much these days? By all accounts, he’s not a crock, and NA himself said how impressed he was about his fitness.
Dannie Bulman is 35 yet you wouldn’t think it. Adam Barrett is the same age, and it’s a bit of a bummer that he’s back at his local club.
DC might be two years ahead of them on his birth certificate, but footballers are much better conditioned these days, which is why you’re seeing the likes of Kevin Phillips retiring at 40/41 rather than 32/33 that they used to.
Connolly is clearly intelligent to know how to make the use of his skills, you don’t play at that high a level without losing your touch, and as we know skill can go a long way in League Two.
No, he shouldn’t be a direct replacement for Tubbs, but as far as transfers go he’s actually quite low risk. And perhaps even better for us, he’s been doing coaching which the likes of Azeez and Oakley need.
If we get a few months out of him, then great. We’re not going to get promoted, and I don’t think it was ever that realistic this season anyway. If we don’t, well, there’s always the other striker…
In writing this, I delved into the SW19 archives and found out that when WFC first got him, it wasn’t exactly straightforward. It’s a shame that his time with WFC was overshadowed by you-know-what off the field, as I always thought he was one of the most under-celebrated strikers we ever had.
Needless to say, there are of course the calls to reunite him with Neil Shipperley, although these days he even makes Akinfenwa look anorexic.
One thing is guaranteed though, we’re bound to dig up that chant again. You know, “Shipperley, Connolly, Shipperley, Connolly…”. And I apologise for putting that tune in your head for the rest of the day.
(needless to say, some of the more rebellious of us also used to sign “Agyemang, Neilson” as well. Well, once we did – Tranmere away, I reckon it was).
Actually, this has just jogged my memory from about 14 years ago – there were signs in THAT 2001/02 season that when this chant was aired, a few people started doing Backstreet Boys-esque dance moves with their arms.
Yes, really.
Some of those individuals are now married with kids, although I would imagine one or two since confirmed the suspicions of their parents. All I will say is, it’s 2015 and you are not requested to think you’re in a Gap commercial when the first chant starts tomorrow…