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Sadsack that I am I had a quick search on YouTube and annoyingly in this day in age it seems Dykes doesn't have a recent 'highlights' video on the go however there are quite a few clips of his goals kicking about. My verdict based on the limited amount below is that he looks very Erwin-y.

I suppose it depends on whether Robinson really is planning on binning all our strikers tbh.

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Edited by capt_oats
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What’s your thoughts on Dykes? Seems a bit of traction to the rumour.


Will run for days, win the majority of headers and put himself about. Can’t remember him missing a game with an injury in his 2 and a half years here either.

As said, only 1 goal in 18 league appearances this season, but 2nd top of the assist table with 8 (albeit 4 in 1 game). Think he could probably do 1 more season with us, then should be ready for the move up to be honest.
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Will run for days, win the majority of headers and put himself about. Can’t remember him missing a game with an injury in his 2 and a half years here either.

As said, only 1 goal in 18 league appearances this season, but 2nd top of the assist table with 8 (albeit 4 in 1 game). Think he could probably do 1 more season with us, then should be ready for the move up to be honest.


Can say 8 but even in goals he isn’t assisting he’s playing a big part in them. Dunfermline away and Partick at home for instance.
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If we were in for Dykes - it would signal a wee change in the recruitment policy, no? An oft-heard complaint is that we only sign people from the bottom rungs of English football and ignore players that are in Scotland already. Who was the last First Division player we signed? (it was probably recent, but I can't think of who it would be...)

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3 minutes ago, Swello said:

If we were in for Dykes - it would signal a wee change in the recruitment policy, no? An oft-heard complaint is that we only sign people from the bottom rungs of English football and ignore players that are in Scotland already. Who was the last First Division player we signed? (it was probably recent, but I can't think of who it would be...)

Depends on how you're defining that...Alex Fisher was relegated with ICT but didn't play for them in the Championship? Rohan Ferguson and Liam Brown would be more accurate in terms of recruiting from lower leagues but were brought in for u20s/Reserves.

Craig Reid from Morton in 13/14 is probably the most recent example I guess.

Agree though I wondered if we might be refining the recruitment strategy a bit and whether we may be a bit more likely to look at "quality" loans too.

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I thought Dykes was excellent against us in August. Caused us tonnes of trouble and scored a screamer in the first half, although fell out of the game a bit as the game wore on. Certainly capable of a playing against teams at our level in a one off game 

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Will run for days, win the majority of headers and put himself about. Can’t remember him missing a game with an injury in his 2 and a half years here either.

As said, only 1 goal in 18 league appearances this season, but 2nd top of the assist table with 8 (albeit 4 in 1 game). Think he could probably do 1 more season with us, then should be ready for the move up to be honest.


Cheers mate. Sounds just like Robinson’s type of player.

A replacement for Ryan Bowman I think.
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3 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

There's yer Ryan Bowman signed for Exeter. Farewell big Herbalife...forever living rent free in the heads of Rangers fans.

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The Robinson quotes aren't exactly glowing:

“Ryan is a player who always gives you 100% every game,” ‘Well boss Stephen Robinson said.

“He is industrious and unselfish and has been throughout his time at Motherwell.

“However, with the current options we have in attack, it’s my view that we need to change it up for the second half of the season and that’s what we intend to do.”

Which kind of reads as "he runs about a lot but he couldn't score in a brothel".

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No doubting the big mans effort and commitment but he was a pretty limited player. He’ll be fondly remember for a few big goals and ehh ‘incidents’ but hopefully this is the first step in refreshing our forward line.

You never know, with that diddy Jayden Stockley apparently leaving Exeter for the Championship, I look forward to big Herbalife earning about £10k a week at Brentford or suchlike in a couple of years time.

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Just now, dezz said:

No doubting the big mans effort and commitment but he was a pretty limited player. He’ll be fondly remember for a few big goals and ehh ‘incidents’ but hopefully this is the first step in refreshing our forward line.

You never know, with that diddy Jayden Stockley apparently leaving Exeter for the Championship, I look forward to big Herbalife earning about £10k a week at Brentford or suchlike in a couple of years time.

If Bowman ends up in the Championship scoring goals every week then the theory of it being the most glorified diddy league in the world is completely spot on. 

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In fairness I think Robinson's comments are a fairly accurate reflection of Bowman's time with us.

The season he signed he couldn't get in the side ahead of Moult and McDonald. He was fine partnering Moult for a while but never really looked like he was going to be 'the new Moult'. There were obviously some pretty decent moments not least the semi final where he and Main battered Arnason and McKenna around Hampden but it feels like when Robinson's been talking about giving players 'chances' Bowman's one of those.

Given we kb'd an offer from Grimsby in the summer there are 3 windows where we seem to have hoped he'd 'kick on' but never really managed to establish himself. The fact we've been as blunt up front this season means there's no chance we could realistically have extended his deal again.

I noticed on the Exeter write up that we got a nominal 'undisclosed' fee, given we paid an 'undisclosed' fee to Gateshead for him I'd say we've just about broken even all in all.

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The Robinson quotes aren't exactly glowing:
“Ryan is a player who always gives you 100% every game,” ‘Well boss Stephen Robinson said.
“He is industrious and unselfish and has been throughout his time at Motherwell.
“However, with the current options we have in attack, it’s my view that we need to change it up for the second half of the season and that’s what we intend to do.”
Which kind of reads as "he runs about a lot but he couldn't score in a brothel".
The phrase "Damned by faint praise " springs to mind. I quite liked him in a way but agree that we need better so not particularly bothered he's away. Thanks and all the best Ryan.
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Bowman is the type of player where my instinct to like players that give 100% crashes into my preference for players that are actually good footballers.

We slag our league a lot but Bowman probably ended up 1 level higher than he should have been - something that is inevitable when you bring non-league players in I guess - a kind of football version of the Peter Principle.

I genuinely wish the guy all the best though - hope he does well at his new club.

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Most fans will always support players that give 100 % regardless of ability. I think Bowman falls into that category.

He may well kick on and find Exeter a good fit for him. My fear is if their fans expect him to replace Stockley who has scored 20+ goals already this season they will be sorely disappointed. 

All in all I wish him all the best but fully prepared to see who comes in as a replacement. Sadly I think Main also now falls into that bracket.  He started on fire and did look like a good replacement for Moult. But I would not be at all bothered if he also moved on as rumoured.  That leaves us with Johnson and Scott. So 2 strikers would be required. If Ross McCormack is one then great but he may well not be ready for when season starts up again. 

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It's not really been mentioned much but post-Accies Robinson dropped in a comment about shape in response to a question about Elliot Frear: "If I can get players in, wide players and forward players that I'm trying to get then it gives me options to go 433 or 442 as we did today."

If we're looking at playing a back 4 more regularly it means the Maguire loan makes even more sense as we've got Aldred, Dunne, Hartley, Mbulu and McHugh as options for two centre half spots. The emphasis on width and pace also suggests that he's realised that we need a less one dimensional approach up front which probably means that we're open to the likes of Main, Sammon and presumably Newell leaving.

Also, I missed this completely but asked about ATS he said: "I thought Aaron  Taylor was very good today, I thought "I've got the left back that I wanted" and then he goes off injured again. So it's frustrating. We have to get boys robust enough to play football on a regular basis.". I take it that explains the left back we've been linked with and presumably means ATS' tea's oot.

Edited by capt_oats
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