In Focus: Wycombe's Summer Signings

Football players these days don't tend to hang around at a club much longer than a Wycombe Wanderers finance director. That aside, we'll be hoping that our new charges stick and are in it for the long-haul, just like messrs Ryan, Brown, Cousins and Carroll were.

With the help of the fans of Aldershot Town, Brentford and Yeovil Town, we're running the rule over the new recruits and garnering opinion from those who have witnessed their performances first hand. Were they sad to see them leave or completely indifferent?

Brentford were the most accommodating lot once I'd been instructed to sign up for their message board. The Aldershot moderator invited me to join however it seems he/she can't be arsed to verify my membership and the comments from Aldershot and Yeovil are thusly the result of me scouring their forums.

So, we’ll start with the contingent from Brentford. Goalkeeper Nikki Bull played for the Bees and the general consensus was he is 'short as shit for a goalie' as one fan put it. I'm not entirely sure what you can read into that. Manchester City's Shay Given isn't too shabby for a relatively short goalkeeper.

Their thoughts on defender Danny Foster and striker Ben Strevens delved deeper than the previous gem although there was one useful reply to clarify opinion on Bull.

A Bees fan wrote: "Bull had an unlucky season. Having just displaced Lewis Price in goal in September, he suffered an injury that kept him out until April. By that time we had Szczesny, so Bull was never going to get a look in. He was called upon off the bench though at Southend in April and a couple of great saves meant we got a point when we were effectively playing with 9 men given the number of injuries we suffered in that game."

One poster had these opinions: (On Foster) "He isn't the greatest defender and certainly not ambitious in crossing the half-way line, but if you are looking for a steady, decent league two full-back - he'll be fine. (sic)

"I don't think we ever saw what we expected from Ben Strevens - he's quite a neat and tidy front-man but the one thing in his favour is that he doesn't stop working. And he scores his goals from inside the six-yard box, so you'll need to get balls in there for him!"

Should Wycombe win promotion and re-ignite the master plan of reaching the Championship, it will be interesting to see how many of the new contingent would be still be included given some Bees fans misgivings on our signing's supposed limitations further up the football pyramid.

As one Bees fan said: "I was very pleased that they all moved on, they are not bad players but also they are not what you need for where we hope to go. I would say that honest sums up Strevens and steady is good for Foster. I would suggest that Bull is short for bullshit but he's your average lower league keeper."

So, Strevens is going to need Kevin Betsy to dribble around the opposition team and then generously pass him the ball, good luck there Ben. Meanwhile Danny Foster will defend his territory bullishly without making too many inroads into the attacking half of the pitch. Bull might be another run of the mill goalkeeper.

Scott Shearer was a good shot-stopper however what we need is a commanding presence, something Bull can hopefully provide to a defence that for large swathes of last season was woefully disorganised.

Our friends in Hampshire, Aldershot Town, have a vociferous contingent who were none too pleased by the manner of defender Dave Winfield's departure.

Some feel that Winfield, who had allegedly agreed in principle to sign a new contract with the Shots upon his return from a holiday, has turned his back on his boyhood club, displaying a lack of class. Others are more forgiving. Politics aside, here's what they say about the lad.

One fan isn't too fussed he's left: "Waddock has just smooth talked him. Simple really. He will be on the bench for most of the season."

Another wished him all the best: "Those who have ever met, spoken to or spent time with Dave will all agree, I'm 100% sure, that the guy is a true gentleman, as polite as you could ever expect a footballer to be..and a true professional in terms of the way he approaches the game. If you believe the parting shot of a manager bitterly disappointed that he has lost a "potential future captain" and allow it to tarnish the view that you have of Dave, then so be it." (sic)

In signing a potential future captain and already having a former Shots captain in Adam Hinshelwood (subject to contract agreement), we should have a few leaders amongst the squad.

Yeovil Town fans didn't seem to say much about midfielder Kieran Murtagh other than that he will be a "quality player at this level". Likewise, Shots fans didn't appear to dwell too much on the departure of defender Andy Sandell. Either that or I’m just too lazy to dig deeper. Meh.