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Wilson

Posted by Jimbo User icon on May 16, 2026, 15:58:21

Recent references to Wilson's transfer dealings as "fantastic" are preposterous. In the three seasons up to Summer 2025 County signed circa 75 different players - probably a candidate for the Guinness Book of Records. Where are most of these players now? - certainly not at County and it does not take a mathematical genius to realize that the vast majority of these signings were abject failures. This scattergun approach to player acquisition seems to work on the premise that " if we sign 10 players one of them might just be of use to us. "

To quote just a couple of examples(out of many) the near-£1M Mothersille has been catastrophic and the less said about the Second Coming of Oloafe the better - I've seen faster elephants.

Really Wilson's player recruitment has been shambolic and hugely wasteful financially. What this has produced is a team generally consisting, with a few exceptions, of journeymen lower league players and it is to the eternal credit of Challinor that his considerable management and coaching skills have made them a competitive side - although even he could not prevent 13 league defeats.

Re: Wilson

Posted by Browny User icon on May 17, 2026, 19:33:56, in reply to "Wilson"

While taking nowt away from Chally's contrbutions, surely the infinitely greatest catalyst for the great recent improvement with regards to ALL things Stockport County is Mark Stott's generousity, enthusiasism and business management acumen. You understand that is whose judgement you are actually insulting, rather than SW or other County fans?

Re: Wilson

Posted by Unbelievable Geoff User icon on May 17, 2026, 23:05:13, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

Mark Stott is a County God. He spends his money well which is not an easy feat and is a stark contrast to the previous owners who seemed to spend very little, but cluelessly. One last-minute penalty save and goal by Spennymoor does not a tactical guru or footballing-business genius make.

Simon Wilson did very well initially but the higher we get the less we stand out from the rest as an attractive club and the harder it is to attract talent. I like the idea of reducing the budget to one that is sustainable to Stotty’s pocket but we should expect more players to fit in and increase in value than have done the last two years. No one is perfect at recruitment and it would be remiss not to mention Pe-ter Thomp-son County’s number 9 who cost £400k and returned 5 goals and a thank you card with a £5 luncheon voucher in it when we sent him back. Meanwhile our best ever owner is putting land aside in our borough for genuinely affordable housing (we will have to wait) and our best ever manager who may or may not have agreed or taken part in our recruitment has us 90 mins away from the Championship with his top-scoring centre forward playing at centre back. No one else could do what he has done, and he doesn’t even moan.

What a time to be a County fan. I love it.

Re: Wilson

Posted by dosser jacket User icon on May 18, 2026, 7:46:04, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

Ben Burgess £500k that didn't work out either

Re: Wilson

Posted by Nik User icon on May 18, 2026, 5:21:11, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

Couple of points on that:

- I think you're underselling the achievement in winning NLN and turning the club's fortunes around, which is what made the club attractive to Stott in the first place. The club were on the rise again before Stott came in and that was largely down to Jim.

- Since Stott has come in, we haven't always spent well on players and have spent some decent transfer fees on players that haven't worked out. It happens in football so it's right to acknowledge that it's not all been money well spent.

Not-intelligent-enough, smart-arse pedant

Re: Wilson

Posted by Matty ov Rio User icon on May 18, 2026, 22:41:07, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

Valid points

Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
Mark Twain

Re: Wilson

Posted by mreckless User icon on May 16, 2026, 22:07:21, in reply to "Wilson"

Attention seeker

Re: Wilson

Posted by rreckless User icon on May 16, 2026, 20:04:29, in reply to "Wilson"

Few issues. Wilson recommended not spending that much on Mothersille, but Stott decided he wanted to.

2nd not a single person complained when Tanto re-signed.

3rd. The position in L1 we've finished twice as a result of recruitment over the last few years

4th. He didn't just do transfers, as pointed out below

5th. Without Wilson, there is no Stott. Stott is on record as saying without Wilson he wouldn't have bought us.

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Re: Wilson

Posted by Andy User icon on May 16, 2026, 18:36:57, in reply to "Wilson"

Re: Wilson

Posted by kevintheking User icon on May 16, 2026, 18:00:54, in reply to "Wilson"

Re: Wilson

Posted by dosser jacket User icon on May 16, 2026, 17:01:29, in reply to "Wilson"

There's only one Jimbo.

And it sure isn't you.

SW did much more than sign players.

His players are poor are they? Finished 3rd twice.

Re: Wilson

Posted by DownUnderHatter User icon on May 17, 2026, 9:47:32, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

Maybe it is? 🤣

Re: Wilson

Posted by dosser jacket User icon on May 17, 2026, 13:20:53, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

Re: Wilson

Posted by Nik User icon on May 17, 2026, 10:11:18, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

Now wouldn't that be something...🤔

Not-intelligent-enough, smart-arse pedant

Re: Wilson

Posted by Jimbo User icon on May 16, 2026, 17:38:30, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

It isn't you either - I've read more than enough of your inarticulate ramblings.

Really all of the play-off teams are mediocre - County in third finished 14 points behind the runners-up. Challinor is savvy enough to know that a massive clear-out will be needed if they're promoted.

I note you didn't comment on the 75 signings in 3 seasons - takes some explaining doesn't it? Also rather too many of them were crocks which probably explains why their clubs were glad to offload them to County.

You state that Wilson did more than sign players. What, specifically?

All the credit should go to Challinor. County are well rid of Wilson.

Re: Wilson

Posted by dosser jacket User icon on May 16, 2026, 18:12:22, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

Secured Carrington.

Reinstated the Academy teams.

Brought in the Players Appearance Caps (which no other club have)

Brought in the History book of our Club which is given to each player that arrives at our club.

75:in three seasons? A good job he did to cover the injuries we've suffered over that time.

About my so called ramblings. This seems the first time you've been on this board.

Great debut for you slagging off SW.

Mr Stott as stated he wouldn't have bought our club if Simon didn't come on board.

So you would prefer the previous owners to still be in charge then

Re: Wilson

Posted by Jimbo User icon on May 17, 2026, 17:59:33, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

Before I comment on your list of Wilson's "achievements" I have to react to the hilarious news that he is joining the basket-case Sheffield Wednesday. They deserve each other - it will be a case of the pointless joining the pointless. Even the UK Eurovision entry got more points than Wednesday.

Your list of Wilson's achievements is pretty desperate, i.e.

1. Players' caps and history books - these are trivialities not achievements.
2. Academy - Wilson was at County for nearly 6 years. How many players have filtered into the first team from the academy?
3. Carrington - this was up for sale/rent to anyone who had enough cash and Stott had it. This was a transaction not an achievement.

I note that you mock County's previous owners. Stott was not better than them - just richer. Actually I felt that they did rather a decent job in stabilising the club after it reached its lowest ebb. To their credit they brought back the superb Jim Gannon as manager and for 6.5 years he improved the league position every season despite working on a zero budget.

Wilson's first masterstroke was to brutally cast Jim aside and replace him with the hapless Rusk - a decision that I feel cost County promotion that season.

Not only did Wilson and Stott cast Jim aside, they disgracefully made him persona non grata at Edgeley - woe betide anyone who dared mention his name.

Yes, I am making my "debut" on this board but I have watched County at nearly 90 grounds so I believe I am entitled to express my opinions.

Re: Wilson

Posted by Unbelievable Geoff User icon on May 18, 2026, 9:44:05, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

Hi Jimbo. Some breaking news from 16 days ago:
Sheffield Wednesday avoid 15-point deduction after successful takeover.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/48654483/sheffield-wednesday-avoid-15-point-deduction-successful-takeover-arise-capital-partners

Re: Wilson

Posted by Jimbo User icon on May 18, 2026, 11:32:18, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

Yes, they've avoided a further 15 point deduction which would have applied next season. The fact remains that they finished with zero points this season and that total(!) will not change.

Re: Wilson

Posted by rreckless User icon on May 18, 2026, 13:17:21, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

But they now are free to spend their new owners money and will start next season on zero points. Don't think for a second that they won't be right up there next season.

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Re: Wilson

Posted by DownUnderHatter User icon on May 18, 2026, 13:45:36, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

Serious competition if things don't go to plan on Sunday.

Re: Wilson

Posted by Browny User icon on May 17, 2026, 19:54:33, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

All is clear. You hate SW and dismiss MS as only a rich guy because they let the real Jimbo go. I love Jim myself, but as perceptive as he was I would bet the house that Jim understood why. Admire your loyalty but things change, they just do.

Re: Wilson

Posted by dosser jacket User icon on May 17, 2026, 19:06:35, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

Of course you entitled to your opinions, so am I and the rest of those that post on here.

Didn't the hapless Rusk go 21 games unbeaten. Might be wrong.

I didn't mock the previous owners, I merly asked if you preffered them over Mr Stott.

You really believe that Sheff Wed are a basket case of a club?

Re: Wilson

Posted by Nik User icon on May 17, 2026, 18:56:48, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

Just to pick you up on something amongst that post; the club have invited Jim back to events on several occasions and he has declined.

Jim's 'persona non grata' status was very much self-imposed, although he did very recently attend the Mansfield game at EP.

Not-intelligent-enough, smart-arse pedant

Re: Wilson

Posted by 90's Hatter $<iframe src='https://members3.boardhost.com/marionsboard/info/user=90\'s+Hatter' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;' tabindex=0>$ on May 16, 2026, 17:30:41, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

Wilson has been fantastic and his transfer dealings has bought unbelievable success for the club . He’s helped to rebuild this club and put in place a footballing academy that will be a conveyer belt of talent. It’s Sheffield Wednesdays gain and our loss am afraid but we move on quickly . This club has the most exciting part of our incredible rise ahead of it.

Exciting times ahead!

Re: Wilson

Posted by Lunesdale Hatter User icon on May 17, 2026, 7:03:30, in reply to "Re: Wilson"

over this period we have gone from NLN to league 1 with several players currently on the books who are able to cope with League 1 and play Championship standard....75 players seems quite reasonable.

I don't have a comparison available but I am sure wrexham (with a not dissimilar assent) have either been the same or higher.

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