Harvey leaves

Unfortunate star forward recruitment with Harvey leaving after the Mills episode last season. Once again those 20 goal a season players are all tucked up with clubs by now so where will the goals come from? Brunt is not a 20 a goal a season player, his value is elsewhere in the team, so back to Stearn and the midfield. Again.

I hope people don’t compare the circumstances. Mills just wasn’t up to the level, Harvey clearly was and this job change is obviously out of the blue, otherwise we wouldn’t have signed him.

At least we’ve got used to not having him feature - he’s missed the last four. Still not ideal but at least he hadn’t scored a vast majority of our goals or anything. Stearn’s goalscoring ratio is actually pretty good, I’ll look through the records but for matches started it’s one of the best for those they’ve played a decent number.

Be interesting to see if Harvey joins a club closer to home. If he goes to the level below he would be very prolific.

The effect is the same of course, well into the season in terms of games played and missing a 20 goal a season striker who we thought we had signed. Mills inability and Harvey's understandable priorities do not make it any more palatable.

As Mark says overall it could have been worse. He has only scored one from open play and missed the last four games. It shows the dedication Watto has shown over so many seasons. Living and working in the far SW make it a hell of a commitment.
It does not change the fact we are not scoring enough goals and something has to be done. No doubt the loan system will have to come to our rescue again.

Fleetwood seems to be scoring a few for Swindon Supermarine these days!!

He’s gone back to Truro.

I guess this illustrates how much you have to consider for non-league footballers and travelling can have such an impact. I expect he’s decided that he’d make just as much, or more money by staying part-time, where he can play regularly and score aplenty. He had that short spell at Wrexham which maybe made him think his chances of going full-time are remote - unless he relocates he’s not got many choices. He’s Devon born and still lives there, probably settled and this is the best arrangement for him. No bitterness, a shame but at least we won’t face him this season. In the league, anyway...

Fleetwood’s a funny one. Scored a lot at that level the past couple of seasons but his record with Sutton was poor on that front before we signed him, and he only got one for us in a dozen or so games. He would probably argue he didn’t get enough opportunities.

It would be interesting to know what happened between Fleetwood and Gary Owers. He was very much our 'marquee' signing that season but really didn't get much of a chance. I think the writing was on the wall in that Potters Bar replay when we used three subs and left him on the bench. He went on to be Weymouth's leading scorer that season. Hopefully he won't come back to haunt us on Saturday!

If they fell out then it happened pretty quickly as his attitude was wrong on the pitch from his very first appearance.
Sometimes people realise straight away that they have made a mistake moving to a new job. They know it is wrong for them. Some knuckle down anyway some don't.

In the post Submarine interview on Harvey, JG said as a club they were very happy with the outcome....?

It happens. I would guess he was on one of the better wages so it’ll free up money for someone else.