‘Positive and negatives’ in transfer window system says Mills (From York Press)

‘Positive and negatives’ in transfer window system says Mills

10:56am Saturday 14th January 2012 in Diary By Steve Carroll, Sports reporter

Gary Mills

FEW things divide football fans more than the January transfer window.

Is it a vital chance to strengthen the squad ahead of a push for promotion or to aid the fight against relegation? Or is it a dramatised Sky-hyped way of fuelling interest during the cold and dark days of winter?

There is no doubt many supporters enjoy the anticipation that comes with a rush of new faces to a ground but, on the other side of the coin, clubs can be perceived to be in crisis if they neglect to invest during the pressure-filled 31 days.

Former Reading manager Steve Coppell is among many bosses who have called for the window to be scrapped, on the grounds that it breeds panic and that it brings on a “fire-sale mentality”and causes unrest in squads.

York boss Gary Mills moved quickly to strengthen his squad following the end of the Christmas and New Year festivities – signing up Scott Brown from Fleetwood and, earlier this week, capturing striker Matthew Blinkhorn from Sligo Rovers.

Liam Henderson went the other way, going back to Forest Green on loan, while, at present, a proposed deal for midfielder Andre Boucaud to move to Fleetwood appears to be dead in the water.

Mills hasn’t ruled out further forays into the market during the rest of the month and he sees both positives and negatives in the current transfer system.

“Yes and no,” he said when asked whether he supported the January window. “Sometimes it can be detrimental to certain players. For them, when the window isn’t open they can’t get work. That stops players from going to ply their trade and earn a living.

“On the other hand, we know why it is done this way. It’s what the reality is now. You have to use it sensibly. At the end of January, it is important I feel I have the right squad to go through to the end of the season. That’s massive for me.”

Key for Mills is the hard work that is done before the window opens. Avoiding the “panic”, the Minstermen manager wants to know his targets, and their availability, before January 1 comes around.

And he reckons the emergency loan system, which allows Conference clubs to request to sign a player up until March if the need arises, is being subverted by some outfits into effectively extending the windows.

“Supporters have their opinion of where they feel we should strengthen and where we should improve and I am glad they do,” Mills added. “Ultimately, I have to make the right decisions but I think it’s great. They sit in the pub with their mates and argue about where we could strengthen here and there.

“(When it comes to getting players) You talk about it outside the window and you set your targets if you can. It’s all done – even though you can’t go and get them. These days, though, you can take loans – emergency loans. I’ve never seen so many. Some take four or five players. That’s a lot of emergencies.

“A lot of people have their positives and negatives about the system. All that matters is the reality of it and that, as manager, I make the right decisions.”

THE York City youth team fundraising committee are hosting their third annual sporting dinner on Thursday, March 15, at the Park Inn Hotel in York.

Former Newcastle United and Coventry City striker Micky Quinn is the main guest speaker, with comedian Dom Thomas also appearing on the night.

The evening, which starts at 7pm, will be compered by Jerry Earl.

Last year’s dinner raised more than £5,000 to help with the continuation of the youth team.

Sponsored by The Max Design & Print Co and Six Five Nine Taxis, tickets cost £37.50 and include a three-course meal.

Anyone interested in snapping up a seat should phone Sarah Andrew on 07904 646670 or Phil Allan on 07791 538434 for further details.

Teenage Toffees

SCOTT BROWN might have spent his teenage years sharing dressing rooms and football pitches with Wayne Rooney but the new City midfielder has confessed he would not have picked out the future England and Manchester United star as somebody destined for greatness in their early days together.

Having played for the Toffees’ FA Youth Cup team, Rooney and Brown went their separate ways when the latter signed for Bristol City in the summer of 2003.

Rooney has exploded on to the Premier League scene the year before and was 12 months away from moving to Old Trafford. But, when asked about his former team-mate’s formative years, Brown said: “He was decent and just one of the lads to be fair.

“He obviously had an exceptional talent and he’s gone on to be one of the best players in the world. I played with him from under-13s right the way through to Everton’s U19s when we both played for them at a young age.

“He made that step up to the first team but I never got that chance. You couldn’t tell at 13 how big he was going to become but he obviously excelled himself in the FA Youth Cup and he was way ahead of everybody our age and stepped up to better things. I haven’t spoke to him for a while but that’s understandable isn’t it?”

Imps sign Tom

FORMER York youth team captain Tom Richardson has landed a professional contract at Lincoln City.

The 18-year-old was deemed surplus to requirements by Minstermen manager Gary Mills in May after he had run the rule over the highly rated teenager in a three-week training trial with the first team at the end of the season.

Richardson had made the first team bench under former boss Martin Foyle and, following his departure from Bootham Crescent, he had been turning out for Sheffield FC. Now he has joined the Imps until the end of the season and has immediately been loaned out to Blyth Spartans for a month.

Blair back on awards trail

DECEMBER Press Player of the Month winner Matty Blair is in pole position to win the award again for January.

Blair was our man of the match for his match-winning two-goal display during last weekend’s 2-0 win at Lincoln, earning three points towards the standings.

The former Kidderminster winger went on to collect the two bonus Player of the Month points on offer after polling the most man-of-the-match votes from visitors to our website.

Also rewarded for their efforts at Sincil Bank were Danny Pilkington (two points) and Dan Parslow (one) as our second and third-highest rated players respectively.

To be in with a chance of presenting the January Player of the Month winner with his prize at a City home match, vote for your man of the match from today’s FA Trophy clash at Salisbury.

The Press Player of the Year standings: Walker 28 points, Kerr 20, Blair 18, Meredith 15, Fyfield 14, Ingham 13, McLaughlin 13, Chambers 12, McGurk 10, Moké 9, Smith 8, Challinor 7, Oyebanjo 6, Boucaud 5, Parslow 5, Pilkington 2, Henderson 1, Reed 1.

January Press Player of the Month standings: Blair 5, Kerr 4, Parslow 4, Pilkington 2, Fyfield 1.

Goals: Walker 15, Blair 10, Chambers 8, McLaughlin 8, Reed 6, Challinor 3, Fyfield 2, Moké 2, Pilkington 2, Ashikodi 1, Boucaud 1, Henderson 1, McGurk 1, own goal 1, Smith 1.

Assists: Chambers 10, McLaughlin 9, Meredith 7, Blair 6, Moké 6, Walker 5, Kerr 4, Pilkington 4, Oyebanjo 2, Potts 2, Reed 2, Challinor 1, Henderson 1, McGurk 1, Parslow 1, Smith 1.

Bad boys: McGurk 8 yellow cards; Boucaud, Walker both 1 red, 3 yellow; Smith 5 yellow; Blair, Kerr both 4 yellow; Challinor, McLaughlin, Meredith, Parslow all 3 yellow; Fyfield, Moké, Oyebanjo, Reed all 2 yellow; Ashikodi, Chambers, Ingham all 1 yellow.