York City sign Michael Rankine on loan (From York Press)

PhilTopping wrote:
I'm sorry I can't support this transfer. He was nowhere near good enough for us last time, he's actually got worse since then. The thought of Rankine in a 433 makes me shudder. And let nobody tell me "don't judge a player until he plays for City". I've seen this fella play 40+ times, I know his game back to front, and he's a very very poor choice.

rogue84 wrote:
i'd love to know which players people think we should be signing? perhaps we should rock up to Port Vale with a £1mil bid for Tom Pope? oh but wait...we have no money and we can only make loan signings due to the transfer window being shut. lets live in the real world. we've been saying for 6 months that we could do with a target man, and despite Ranks not being the best footballer on the planet, he is strong, physical, aggressive and he enjoyed playing for City in the time he was here. sometimes returning to a club can give you an extra 10-20% in effort (chris smith an ideal example from last season). i'd throw him straight in for tonights game and give the Gills defence a real battle. get Walker and Blair down each side and it could prove effective. it's not like we've got any other option at the minute is it!?

roobarb85 wrote:
This isn't being negative - it's being realistic. I hope it all works out - but I just can't see the logic in it.Yes a big unit up front - just this big unit ???? 1. Cliche but true - never go back to your old club: Smith and Bullock great examples of this. 2. MR wasn't great at scoring for us in the Conference - why would he be better now than then? 3. We've now got as a potential strike force two players who can't make the first team at Aldershot, who, last time I looked were one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league. 4. I don't understand all this 'we're skint' stuff. You mean worse off than Accrington/Morecambe /Barnet/Rochdale to name but 4 who have much lower gates and have had no Wembley/Cup runs in the last few years ? 5. You might say 'If not MR then who.? Well I don't have a list of squad members off hand, but really, there's noone at Leeds/Bradford/Scunn y/Donny/Hull etc that need a bit of first team game time? Yes I really hope it all works out and yes get there and cheer 'em on...but really I'm baffled.

Colin Pratt wrote:
Finally something different up front. A big problem for defenders which will hopefully free up Walker to do what he can do best. That Said, If Mills starts with the same personell as Wycome he needs his head looking at. Rankine and Walker have to start in a 4-4-2 tonight. But that just wont happen will it? Oh dear another night of misery in store no doubt. If the club did refunds on season tickets I'd happily bite their hand off, FACT.

rogue84 wrote:
roobarb85 i can see the reason for asking those questions, but in response... 1. Smith is an example of how it DID work, he was excellent last season in the final few months. 2. Ranks scored a goal every 4 games for us, not the best, but certainly not awful...and the key thing during his spell was that both Brodie and Reed (albeit just for 4 months) were prolific when playing alongside him....we must hope Walker will be as well. 3. Using Aldershot's record doesn't really mean too much as all teams play differently in terms of formation and creativity etc. 4. Accrington are a good example, but they have been a settled league side for many years, they have adapted to the rigours of the division. however, they are below us in the league, as are Barnet. Rochdale were in L1 last season i believe so had bigger gate-receipts coming in. Remember we basically didn't make any money from the trips to Wembley, see the financial figures. 5. If we went to a local club and brought in a striker with no first team/league experience, people wouldn't be happy with that either. p.s enjoying the fact that you've raised your opinions in this way, unlike some others who just charge in with the 'mills out' banner.

roobarb85 wrote:
This isn't being negative - it's being realistic. I hope it all works out - but I just can't see the logic in it.Yes a big unit up front - just this big unit ????

1. Cliche but true - never go back to your old club: Smith and Bullock great examples of this.
2. MR wasn't great at scoring for us in the Conference - why would he be better now than then?
3. We've now got as a potential strike force two players who can't make the first team at Aldershot, who, last time I looked were one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league.
4. I don't understand all this 'we're skint' stuff. You mean worse off than Accrington/Morecambe

/Barnet/Rochdale to name but 4 who have much lower gates and have had no Wembley/Cup runs in the last few years ?
5. You might say 'If not MR then who.? Well I don't have a list of squad members off hand, but really, there's noone at Leeds/Bradford/Scunn

y/Donny/Hull etc that need a bit of first team game time?

Yes I really hope it all works out and yes get there and cheer 'em on...but really I'm baffled.

Dortmun wrote:
Considering we have no money to spend on the tall strong premier league striker that a lot of people think we should get Rankine would appear a excellent choice. 1. He is tall. 2. He is strong. 3. He wins headers. 4. He can hold the ball. 5 He will keep defenders busy leaving space for others. 6 He knows the club well so should have no problems settling in.
On the down side he does not score a lot of goals, but if he has been brought back to play as I would hope in a 442 system as the main striker with walker playing off him I am sure he will create chances for Walker, Blair, Chambers etc. So all in all things look positive. IF WE PLAY 442.

Phil, Leeds wrote:
Fantastic signing, exactly what we need and you know what you'll get from Ranks. Let's all give him a massive welcome back tonight.

pip007 wrote:
I do have one question ... maybe someone can explain. How are we able to make signings after the transfer window has closed at the end of January?

The_Baron89 wrote:

pip007 wrote:
I do have one question ... maybe someone can explain. How are we able to make signings after the transfer window has closed at the end of January?

The window for loan deals has now opened. These players have been signed on loan until the end of the season.

The_Baron89 wrote:

pip007 wrote:
I do have one question ... maybe someone can explain. How are we able to make signings after the transfer window has closed at the end of January?

The window for loan deals has now opened. These players have been signed on loan until the end of the season.

Maltkiln wrote:

The_Baron89 wrote:

pip007 wrote:
I do have one question ... maybe someone can explain. How are we able to make signings after the transfer window has closed at the end of January?

The window for loan deals has now opened. These players have been signed on loan until the end of the season.

Rankine is until the end of the season ... the Burton midfielder is just for a month !

tomwillo1 wrote:
IM DELIGHTED TO HAVE HIM BACK! JUST WHAT WE HAVE BEEN MISSING ALL SEASON, STRONG, GOOD IN THE AIR, CONSTANT THREAT, WORKS HARD AND MAKES DEFENDERS THINK. PEOPLE USED TO SLAG HIM OFF BUT I ALWAYS RATED HIM, TOP SIGNING! PEOPLE NEED TO STOP BEEN NEGATIVE!!! ROLL ON TONIGHT! COME ON CITY!!!

Southern Exile wrote:
How about 4-4-2 with Blair and Chambers out wide and Ranks and Walker through the middle...?

alimount wrote:
This signing can only be seen as a positive.
Finally, Gary is admitting he was wrong. This could be the catalyst for him to try a Plan B.
He didn't want Ranks, now he does. The worm has changed, get behind the team tonight.

pip007 wrote:
Rankine and McDaid up front. Our own version of Heskey and Owen, Toshak and Keegan, and dare I say Walwyn and Byrne (OK, maybe not). Give Walker a rest, he's not delivering the goods.

arsene.about.york wrote:

tomwillo1 wrote:
IM DELIGHTED TO HAVE HIM BACK! JUST WHAT WE HAVE BEEN MISSING ALL SEASON, STRONG, GOOD IN THE AIR, CONSTANT THREAT, WORKS HARD AND MAKES DEFENDERS THINK. PEOPLE USED TO SLAG HIM OFF BUT I ALWAYS RATED HIM, TOP SIGNING! PEOPLE NEED TO STOP BEEN NEGATIVE!!! ROLL ON TONIGHT! COME ON CITY!!!

In that case, please explain to me why he can't get in the Aldershot team ? This is definitely a backward step, panic measure. We have re signed a player who, when he was here last time spent most of his time on his backside pleading with the ref for free kicks. Someone who, when offered a new contract at York turned it down and went off to sign for the mighty Aldershot and now when he can't get a game for them comes running back here. I can however see the logic in signing McGrath as he has a lot of experience and hopefully will add a bit of steel to our midfield. On tonight's match, if I were picking the team I would start with Rodman and McDaid in a 442 with Blair and Chambers given strict instructions to get forward and get some crosses in. However, now that Rankine is back you would assume he will play so he would take the place of McDaid.

duffy wrote:
Sadly just another sign of how badly this season has gone downhill. Rankine was not even an ever present for us in the conference and can't hit a barn door from five yards and has cant get a game for a team below us in the league.Yes he has a physical presence which we do need but as stated elsewhere Mills has signed one hell of a lot of players and we look no better. Rankin might make an early impression as he often does but its more and more just a case of hanging on now, its obvious any ambition has gone well and truly out the window.

bartsimmo wrote:

arsene.about.york wrote:

tomwillo1 wrote:
IM DELIGHTED TO HAVE HIM BACK! JUST WHAT WE HAVE BEEN MISSING ALL SEASON, STRONG, GOOD IN THE AIR, CONSTANT THREAT, WORKS HARD AND MAKES DEFENDERS THINK. PEOPLE USED TO SLAG HIM OFF BUT I ALWAYS RATED HIM, TOP SIGNING! PEOPLE NEED TO STOP BEEN NEGATIVE!!! ROLL ON TONIGHT! COME ON CITY!!!

In that case, please explain to me why he can't get in the Aldershot team ? This is definitely a backward step, panic measure. We have re signed a player who, when he was here last time spent most of his time on his backside pleading with the ref for free kicks. Someone who, when offered a new contract at York turned it down and went off to sign for the mighty Aldershot and now when he can't get a game for them comes running back here. I can however see the logic in signing McGrath as he has a lot of experience and hopefully will add a bit of steel to our midfield. On tonight's match, if I were picking the team I would start with Rodman and McDaid in a 442 with Blair and Chambers given strict instructions to get forward and get some crosses in. However, now that Rankine is back you would assume he will play so he would take the place of McDaid.

He cant get in the Aldershot team for the same reason Reed couldnt get in our team. The manager was blind or down right stupid.

Colin Pratt wrote:
Finally something different up front. A big problem for defenders which will hopefully free up Walker to do what he can do best. That Said, If Mills starts with the same personell as Wycome he needs his head looking at. Rankine and Walker have to start in a 4-4-2 tonight. But that just wont happen will it? Oh dear another night of misery in store no doubt. If the club did refunds on season tickets I'd happily bite their hand off, FACT.

duffy wrote:

bartsimmo wrote:

arsene.about.york wrote:

tomwillo1 wrote:
IM DELIGHTED TO HAVE HIM BACK! JUST WHAT WE HAVE BEEN MISSING ALL SEASON, STRONG, GOOD IN THE AIR, CONSTANT THREAT, WORKS HARD AND MAKES DEFENDERS THINK. PEOPLE USED TO SLAG HIM OFF BUT I ALWAYS RATED HIM, TOP SIGNING! PEOPLE NEED TO STOP BEEN NEGATIVE!!! ROLL ON TONIGHT! COME ON CITY!!!

In that case, please explain to me why he can't get in the Aldershot team ? This is definitely a backward step, panic measure. We have re signed a player who, when he was here last time spent most of his time on his backside pleading with the ref for free kicks. Someone who, when offered a new contract at York turned it down and went off to sign for the mighty Aldershot and now when he can't get a game for them comes running back here. I can however see the logic in signing McGrath as he has a lot of experience and hopefully will add a bit of steel to our midfield. On tonight's match, if I were picking the team I would start with Rodman and McDaid in a 442 with Blair and Chambers given strict instructions to get forward and get some crosses in. However, now that Rankine is back you would assume he will play so he would take the place of McDaid.

He cant get in the Aldershot team for the same reason Reed couldnt get in our team. The manager was blind or down right stupid.

And the reason he was not an ever present for us at none league level often coming off the bench, was that manager blind ?

Dortmun wrote:

duffy wrote:

bartsimmo wrote:

arsene.about.york wrote:

tomwillo1 wrote:
IM DELIGHTED TO HAVE HIM BACK! JUST WHAT WE HAVE BEEN MISSING ALL SEASON, STRONG, GOOD IN THE AIR, CONSTANT THREAT, WORKS HARD AND MAKES DEFENDERS THINK. PEOPLE USED TO SLAG HIM OFF BUT I ALWAYS RATED HIM, TOP SIGNING! PEOPLE NEED TO STOP BEEN NEGATIVE!!! ROLL ON TONIGHT! COME ON CITY!!!

In that case, please explain to me why he can't get in the Aldershot team ? This is definitely a backward step, panic measure. We have re signed a player who, when he was here last time spent most of his time on his backside pleading with the ref for free kicks. Someone who, when offered a new contract at York turned it down and went off to sign for the mighty Aldershot and now when he can't get a game for them comes running back here. I can however see the logic in signing McGrath as he has a lot of experience and hopefully will add a bit of steel to our midfield. On tonight's match, if I were picking the team I would start with Rodman and McDaid in a 442 with Blair and Chambers given strict instructions to get forward and get some crosses in. However, now that Rankine is back you would assume he will play so he would take the place of McDaid.

He cant get in the Aldershot team for the same reason Reed couldnt get in our team. The manager was blind or down right stupid.

And the reason he was not an ever present for us at none league level often coming off the bench, was that manager blind ?

Obviously he was and still is by some of the previous signings he has made in the past.

beeryjack5on wrote:

Dortmun wrote:

duffy wrote:

bartsimmo wrote:

arsene.about.york wrote:

tomwillo1 wrote:
IM DELIGHTED TO HAVE HIM BACK! JUST WHAT WE HAVE BEEN MISSING ALL SEASON, STRONG, GOOD IN THE AIR, CONSTANT THREAT, WORKS HARD AND MAKES DEFENDERS THINK. PEOPLE USED TO SLAG HIM OFF BUT I ALWAYS RATED HIM, TOP SIGNING! PEOPLE NEED TO STOP BEEN NEGATIVE!!! ROLL ON TONIGHT! COME ON CITY!!!

In that case, please explain to me why he can't get in the Aldershot team ? This is definitely a backward step, panic measure. We have re signed a player who, when he was here last time spent most of his time on his backside pleading with the ref for free kicks. Someone who, when offered a new contract at York turned it down and went off to sign for the mighty Aldershot and now when he can't get a game for them comes running back here. I can however see the logic in signing McGrath as he has a lot of experience and hopefully will add a bit of steel to our midfield. On tonight's match, if I were picking the team I would start with Rodman and McDaid in a 442 with Blair and Chambers given strict instructions to get forward and get some crosses in. However, now that Rankine is back you would assume he will play so he would take the place of McDaid.

He cant get in the Aldershot team for the same reason Reed couldnt get in our team. The manager was blind or down right stupid.

And the reason he was not an ever present for us at none league level often coming off the bench, was that manager blind ?

Obviously he was and still is by some of the previous signings he has made in the past.

Gentlemen,
the manager has just done what the majority of you on here seem to have been asking for some time now.. Yet - still lots of moaning... What can he do to please some of you? To listen to the confidently outspoken comment that fills this medium up, everytime we have a bad day, or make a signing that doesn't immediately deliver the goods, it would appear that we have a limitless and as yet untapped pool of managerial talent just waiting to step in and solve our worries.... What is it? can't you take the salary drop?
To echo the sentiments of many on here, now is the time we need to get behind the club, the team, the manager, the directors, and as supporters, lets try to pull together as one. It was a long painful stay in the conference - I think I'm too old for another one..

IMO GM and the board have both come on in leaps and bounds in their respective time here, and whilst nobody is happy with some of the poorer decisions that with the benefit of hindsight are now quite plain to see, clearly the lessons learned from mistakes tend to stick longer. It is not long since the fans main worry was that GM would be snapped up by some aspiring Championship club. I dare say that without some of those naive errors, he may have left some time ago.
It's just one club, that we all care about, lets just be united in our support...

openallhours wrote:
That was a far better performance and the Longhurst did us proud. McGrath looked good and Rankine was a breath of fresh air. We also looked a lot more solid and we certainly didn't miss Calamity Smith at the back. The downsides were Challinor and Chambers. Both very wasteful and let the side down. Also, Rodman!!! What's he about. A very good point but within the bigger picture, we've dropped another 2 points at home.

YO1 wrote:

openallhours wrote:
That was a far better performance and the Longhurst did us proud. McGrath looked good and Rankine was a breath of fresh air. We also looked a lot more solid and we certainly didn't miss Calamity Smith at the back. The downsides were Challinor and Chambers. Both very wasteful and let the side down. Also, Rodman!!! What's he about. A very good point but within the bigger picture, we've dropped another 2 points at home.

Were the pies lukewarm and the hot chocolate too expensive too? Why do you bother going, you never seem to enjoy it!