Elliot Benyon?

[Scott Brehaut]

Why hs the above post gone weird and included what I wrote as part of the quote? Strange!

For some reason the quote system went a bit weird and wasn't working properly (when I edited your post the first two times it reverted back to the "wrong way".)

All sorted now

[Dave]

Thats only newspaper speculation not allways true. However if the club has tried to re-sign him and the move has broken down it is most likey down to the good old financial bits, suspect it would have been a loan move and it is possible Southend wanted to bigger chunck of his wages paid, or even a big loan fee? Hate to think it is down to Benners own personal demands, like Zebroski football career, what football career?

If the player is in and around the first team and scoring then wage demands indeed can be high, out of work or 8th choice, take what your offered.

[Richinns]

Seems very much like Benyon (and anyone else for that matter!) will not be heading to Plainmoor today:

"Torquay United managing director Bill Phillips has told BBC South West's Brent Pilnick that it's "very unlikely" that there will be any transfer activity involving the Gulls today"

Seems the loan market (open until March) will be the only option open to us.

[Plymouth Gull]

Which is all I expected Rich.

[Jeff]

Not a surprise - we all know that the only iron in the fire is Richard Logan who can sign at any time as he's a free agent

[Plymouth Gull]

Just going to through another name out there - Ben Strevens. Released by Gills. Linked with a return to Dagenham but may be within our price-range for a 6 month deal?

[Richinns]

Just going to through another name out there - Ben Strevens. Released by Gills. Linked with a return to Dagenham but may be within our price-range for a 6 month deal?

have asked him on twitter. Worth a shot but very much doubt I will get any reply and I expect him to be heading elsewhere!

[Plymouth Gull]

He's gone back to Daggers. Not surprised really.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Which is all I expected Rich.

Same here Nick. I didn't expect us to sign anyone i was more hoping to get one or two in on loan though. I think on our day our squad isn't the worst in the world and given a good run could challenge for a play off spot but i think we need a few more bodies in to have any chance of reaching them. If we don't get a few loanees in then the season will probably fizzle out into mediocrity without really getting going but at least we will be safe. It all depends which way the board and Martin view the situation and what ambition they have for the remainder of the season.

[miltonkeynesgull]

Just seen a tweet from a Southend journo saying that "Benyon's deal was affected by Martin Ling's illness".

Seems as though we were definitely interested. Hopefully there's a chance of a short term deal happening when the loan window opens (when is that, anyone?), as I reckon it'd work well for all parties to have him back.

[Yellow4life]

It's normally the week after the transfer window closes I believe? So the 8th February...

[stevegull]

Cheltenham striker Jeff Goulding has got released. I don't know a lot about him but would he fit the bill for our missing forward?

[Jeff]

Cheltenham striker Jeff Goulding has got released. I don't know a lot about him but would he fit the bill for our missing forward?

I thought that - definitely a handy player who would fit the "big" role, but will be too expensive for us

[Dave]

Sorry Jeff got great respect for you as a forum poster and not meaning this to have a go at you, but come on we really have to get over this every god damn player "is he to expensive for us" Jeez, if on Janaury the 1st last year Aaron Downes name came up as a replacment how many of you hand on heart would have thought no way even if we could afford, but we could and he did sign for us.

Despite some of the pie in sky figures you often read on forums about players in league 2 are earning, very few indeed are on anything like £2k a week, he is out of work now and Torquay would not be a big move in terms of re-location, unless there is a club out there prepared to offer big money then have a word and see if he would come, you never know.

[Jeff]

Sorry Jeff got great respect for you as a forum poster and not meaning this to have a go at you, but come on we really have to get over this every god damn player "is he to expensive for us" Jeez, if on Janaury the 1st last year Aaron Downes name came up as a replacment how many of you hand on heart would have thought no way even if we could afford, but we could and he did sign for us.

Despite some of the pie in sky figures you often read on forums about players in league 2 are earning, very few indeed are on anything like £2k a week, he is out of work now and Torquay would not be a big move in terms of re-location, unless there is a club out there prepared to offer big money then have a word and see if he would come, you never know.

I know what you are saying, we should be able to afford players like this. But for me - and with the greatest respect to you too - this is the sort of rationale that I'd associated with the "Football Manager" view on how L2 actually works.

I've seen Jeff Goulding play for Fisher Athletic, Bournemouth and Cheltenham (scored the equaliser against us 2 years ago didn't he?) and he is definitely a capable player. Quite a big guy, definitely in the Rene mould but not quite as powerful. He's at the critical point of his career really where he needs regular football - but even if we had offered something to him it would likely be nothing more than a deal to the end of the season to warm the bench in case Rene gets injured or suspended.

A player like Goulding is likely to draw attention from teams like Newport or FGR - teams where he would be likely to start, not need to relocate and earn the same amount as he would with us.

We've made it plainly obvious that we're after backup for Rene, and Goulding almost seems to be too good to settle for that and wouldn't represent good value for money. The only sort of player who would accept the kind of deal we're offering is someone who really is in the last chance saloon, like Logan. Or to get some kid on loan who is heavily subsidised by his parent club. Its the economy of a lower L2 side unfortunately.

(Of course, I could end up being proved wrong!)