Your New Signings

[swindon1879]

Swindon fan here.

Just thought I'd give you a heads up on your new signings:

Ben Gladwin - I guarantee he'll be one of the oddest footballers you've ever seen.

Positives: He has the build of a centre-half, but his feet are fantastic; looks slow and languorous on first impression, but glides past players as if they weren't there. If he can isolate a player, he'll beat them 90% of the time. He has a great cross, and if he can cut inside, an absolute bullet of a shot that hits the target more often than not. His rate of progression since signing from non-league has been remarkable.

Negatives: Not great in the tackle or in the air, despite his size, and fitness must improve (he'll be outstanding one half, then start puffing and disappear in the next). His best performances have come from left wing, and I think his first season you'll chiefly use him off the bench.

Massimo Luongo

Positives: Much closer to the finished article. Decent passer, technically gifted on the ball, good in the tackle, and strong for his size (rarely gets pushed off the ball). Though he's quiet and unassuming off the field, when he's on song on it, he can dominate and dictate a game. His best attribute by far is his ability to punch holes through the opposition midfield; sometimes he looks like he could walk through a team at will.

Negatives: Can go missing, and has very much been playing within himself since returning from the Asian Cup. Never showed any attitude issues before, but been extremely disappointing for us second half of the year, especially having seen what he was capable of in the first. Will no doubt return to form now he's got his move, and will be a first-teamer for you for sure.

I think, overall, it's a good move for all parties: for us (think it's a record fee), for the players (jumping straight to the Premiership might have been too big a leap), and for you (you have two very exciting young players).

Best of luck next season,

STFC1879

[West Acton]

Cheers STFC

[JJB]

Nice one. I have read a lot of decent things about these new players from Swindon fans, they all wish them well.
Good club and decent fans.

[maidstone_hoop]

Swindon fan here.

Just thought I'd give you a heads up on your new signings:

Ben Gladwin - I guarantee he'll be one of the oddest footballers you've ever seen.

Positives: He has the build of a centre-half, but his feet are fantastic; looks slow and languorous on first impression, but glides past players as if they weren't there. If he can isolate a player, he'll beat them 90% of the time. He has a great cross, and if he can cut inside, an absolute bullet of a shot that hits the target more often than not. His rate of progression since signing from non-league has been remarkable.

Negatives: Not great in the tackle or in the air, despite his size, and fitness must improve (he'll be outstanding one half, then start puffing and disappear in the next). His best performances have come from left wing, and I think his first season you'll chiefly use him off the bench.

Massimo Luongo

Positives: Much closer to the finished article. Decent passer, technically gifted on the ball, good in the tackle, and strong for his size (rarely gets pushed off the ball). Though he's quiet and unassuming off the field, when he's on song on it, he can dominate and dictate a game. His best attribute by far is his ability to punch holes through the opposition midfield; sometimes he looks like he could walk through a team at will.

Negatives: Can go missing, and has very much been playing within himself since returning from the Asian Cup. Never showed any attitude issues before, but been extremely disappointing for us second half of the year, especially having seen what he was capable of in the first. Will no doubt return to form now he's got his move, and will be a first-teamer for you for sure.

I think, overall, it's a good move for all parties: for us (think it's a record fee), for the players (jumping straight to the Premiership might have been too big a leap), and for you (you have two very exciting young players).

Best of luck next season,

STFC1879

for that Swindon.

From what you say it looks like we have got two players with a lot of potential but not quite the finished article. I think as QPR fans these are the exact type of signing we been looking for.
We just got to try and not put to much pressure on these guys straight away.

Do you think the money you got from us will be reinvested or with losing 2 or 3 players how do you think you will fare next year? Good luck though fella.

[ArcticHoop]

Thanks for the information STFC1879. I hope they'll be success and good luck to Swindon next season

[12321]

Thanks for that, nice write-up, hope things go well for you next season.
Intrigued by the line " Ben Gladwin - I guarantee he'll be one if the oddest footballers you've ever seen".

Odd in what way?

[lymehoop]

a damn nice pint too, Arkles

[californiahoop]

Thanks for that, nice write-up, hope things go well for you next season.
Intrigued by the line " Ben Gladwin - I guarantee he'll be one if the oddest footballers you've ever seen".

Odd in what way?

I thought the same looking at him, I heard he has played LW,LB and CB, he doesn't look like a skilful player but obviously is!

[swindon1879]

for that Swindon.
Do you think the money you got from us will be reinvested or with losing 2 or 3 players how do you think you will fare next year? Good luck though fella.

Some of it will be reinvested on young players from non-league or unwanted youth players from Premier League clubs, and some will be used to balance the books. This is essentially our model at the moment - bring in young players with potential, give them experience/ polish them up, then sell them on up the divisions. Makes it difficult to build a proper team, but keeps us stable off the field at least, after many years flirting with administration. It also makes it hard to predict how we'll fare next year, as the team will be so different. The last time we lost in a play-off final, we got relegated next season! Hopefully lessons have been learnt from that though.

[West London is Rss]

Swindon fan here.

Just thought I'd give you a heads up on your new signings:

Ben Gladwin - I guarantee he'll be one of the oddest footballers you've ever seen.

Positives: He has the build of a centre-half, but his feet are fantastic; looks slow and languorous on first impression, but glides past players as if they weren't there. If he can isolate a player, he'll beat them 90% of the time. He has a great cross, and if he can cut inside, an absolute bullet of a shot that hits the target more often than not. His rate of progression since signing from non-league has been remarkable.

Negatives: Not great in the tackle or in the air, despite his size, and fitness must improve (he'll be outstanding one half, then start puffing and disappear in the next). His best performances have come from left wing, and I think his first season you'll chiefly use him off the bench.

Massimo Luongo

Positives: Much closer to the finished article. Decent passer, technically gifted on the ball, good in the tackle, and strong for his size (rarely gets pushed off the ball). Though he's quiet and unassuming off the field, when he's on song on it, he can dominate and dictate a game. His best attribute by far is his ability to punch holes through the opposition midfield; sometimes he looks like he could walk through a team at will.

Negatives: Can go missing, and has very much been playing within himself since returning from the Asian Cup. Never showed any attitude issues before, but been extremely disappointing for us second half of the year, especially having seen what he was capable of in the first. Will no doubt return to form now he's got his move, and will be a first-teamer for you for sure.

I think, overall, it's a good move for all parties: for us (think it's a record fee), for the players (jumping straight to the Premiership might have been too big a leap), and for you (you have two very exciting young players).

Best of luck next season,

STFC1879

[qprted]

well

well both thsse players wont get an automatic because they are competing with two ten million pound players in sandro and leroy fer who are a
brazilian full international and a dutch full international

but any injuries will mean thse guys may well have to jump in and do the buisness

likke most swindon fans we share a hatred of oxford i was there in 1968 where we were shocked by there fanatical attacks on us in there home end
which we were trying to take without realising what they had in there locker

so go in peace friendly robin

AND REMEMBER QPRTED USED TO LIKE WATCHING THOSE OLD STEAM TRAINS
IF YOU EVER COME TO OUR PLACE USE YOUR BRAINS
ITS VERY DANGEROUS WALKING DOWN THE UXBRIDGE ROAD MUCH SAFER WALKING PAST THE WESTFIELD
ITS ALL DONE BY MIRRORS OF COURSE AND ITS ALL THOSE DRUNK DRIVERS CRASHING THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD
THEY BECOME PROJECTILES AND ULTIMATELY MISILES
SO COME PAST THE SPRINGBOK AND EVERYTHING WILL BE ALL SMILES

[Jimmy Floyd Rabbit]

Good read, cheers.

Always good to hear opposition's views on a player.

[Artful]

Some of it will be reinvested on young players from non-league or unwanted youth players from Premier League clubs, and some will be used to balance the books. This is essentially our model at the moment - bring in young players with potential, give them experience/ polish them up, then sell them on up the divisions. Makes it difficult to build a proper team, but keeps us stable off the field at least, after many years flirting with administration. It also makes it hard to predict how we'll fare next year, as the team will be so different. The last time we lost in a play-off final, we got relegated next season! Hopefully lessons have been learnt from that though.

Always had a soft spot for STFC since I was relocated by my parents to Wiltshire in 1969. Live at present 10mins from County Ground, I just migrate every home game to Loftus Road. All the best to STFC next season, it would be nice from a local level to see you stabilise.

[Ginger Ninja]

Cheers fella.

[swindon1879]

Thanks for that, nice write-up, hope things go well for you next season.
Intrigued by the line " Ben Gladwin - I guarantee he'll be one if the oddest footballers you've ever seen".

Odd in what way?

He's sort of a Frankenstein's monster, who looks like he's been made up of the parts of lots of other players that shouldn't go together:

-Physique of a centre-half, and can spray a ball around from deep like Glen Hoddle; yet plays best as a winger.
-Tall and strong; yet wins next to nothing in the air and hardly makes a tackle.
-Incredibly languid style, moves like a container ship at times; but will breeze past players with a step-over and a touch as if they weren't there, and probably the most skilful player in our team.
-Consistently superb one half, giving the opposition fullback nightmares; then completely anonymous the next.
-Has the air of a luxury player; but probably made more crucial contributions in the run-in than anyone else in our team.

Basically he's very difficult to categorise, as he's such a mass of contradictions and odd combinations of attributes.

Definitely a player that will excite fans when he gets on the ball, as you never quite know what he's going to do, though will also frustrate at times, and will need plenty of patience. His rise has been so sudden, it's difficult to predict how his future will pan out, though I wish him all the best.