Ex-Player Thread Owen Dale

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Owen Dale 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Signed: 1st February 2024

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SirAndyOfCrosby said:
Nothing screams 'impending relegation' more than the out of context desperation of resurrecting a thread for a player who hasn't appeared for us since 2024.

Depressing.
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My thoughts entirely, when I saw this thread pop up I assumed he had injured himself again at Plymouth, not that some people want us to take another punt on him.

Find it bizarre that fans can't see we need to build a squad of young footballers on an upward trajectory, especially ones who we think could make the step up to the Championship, not players we know can't.

Find me 10 more McDonnell type signings, the likes of Greg Leigh and Owen Dale belong elsewhere.
 
I had almost come to terms with us potentially plying our trade in L1 next season. Then I clicked on this thread, debating the merits of us playing Owen Dale on the wing next season. Or is the intention that we want a bog standard, middle of the road L1 squad so that we can enjoy winning a few more games here and there in front of 7k fans?
 
Carpy said:
My thoughts entirely, when I saw this thread pop up I assumed he had injured himself again at Plymouth, not that some people want us to take another punt on him.

Find it bizarre that fans can't see we need to build a squad of young footballers on an upward trajectory, especially ones who we think could make the step up to the Championship, not players we know can't.

Find me 10 more McDonnell type signings, the likes of Greg Leigh and Owen Dale belong elsewhere.
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Agree entirely (apart from about Greg Leigh, who we should be building our squad around in perpetuity :))
 
Oh my.
It’s a discussion forum. And some people will have different opinions to others. And I think he was good when he was here and have heard from Plymouth fans who are mightily impressed with him of late. Some Oxford fans will disagree. And others just look at stats.
Crikey. Some people.
 
Being boiled said:
So the fact that he played an integral part in getting us promoted doesn’t carry any weight? Or that he’s performing really well for Plymouth (according to a number of their fans) who are really close to the play offs? Have you forgotten how important he was to us in our promotion season?
Given how so many of our supporters are expressing reservations that our current lot may get a rude awakening in league one next season, I’d say that he would be a rather sensible addition to a league one squad as he seems to be already performing pretty well in that league. And has a history of doing so. Certainly does a little more than just ‘waving his arms around’.
Which is more than can be said for Romeny. Woo. Dembele. And a few other wingers.
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I tried to check this bit on bold and there's a thred on their forum here. At best they are lukewarm to the prospect of signing him with the consensus being he works hard but lacks end product and he wouldn't be too hard to replace which was pretty much my opinion on him from when we were in League One. He did a decent enough job for us when we came up but realistically our attacking threat was carried almost entirely by Murphy, if we didn't have him on the other side we wouldn't have been promoted and perhaps Dale's lack of goals and assists (looks like three goals and five assists in over 60 games at that level since he signed for us plus nothing in his few Champiosnhip appearances) would be scrutinised a bit more.

If Mills is still around then he's nowhere near that level and Emakhu's last couple of appearances have shown much more than he did. I wouldn't want to be spending a lot on a 27 year old winger who definitely can't cut it in the Championship as that should be our goal if we go down, which isn't yet a given. He's not as up and down as a lot of wingers because his game is based as much around work rate as anything else but he's a pretty bang average League One winger and if we go up again then we're likely left with his wages on the books still or paying some of them for a League One team to take him on loan which is a situation we've found ourselves in much too often over the last couple of years. There will be much better out there I'm sure.
 
I recommend some of you head out and what some live footie matches if you believe he is the answer to our problems .
Some of you are just wierd and have really strange thoughts .
 
Being boiled said:
Oh my.
It’s a discussion forum. And some people will have different opinions to others. And I think he was good when he was here and have heard from Plymouth fans who are mightily impressed with him of late. Some Oxford fans will disagree. And others just look at stats.
Crikey. Some people.
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I think discussions and debate are being had, I wouldn't take it personally that people are strongly disagreeing with your post.
 
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Being boiled said:
Oh my.
It’s a discussion forum. And some people will have different opinions to others. And I think he was good when he was here and have heard from Plymouth fans who are mightily impressed with him of late. Some Oxford fans will disagree. And others just look at stats.
Crikey. Some people.
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My dear old fish, go boil your head.
 
Thanks for the memories Owen but it’s time to move on OUFC is not a charity anymore we want certain players that are young, hungry and want to succeed. Money has been pouring away with an oversized squad we have to streamline in every department, value for money is my thinking . I don’t believe in fairy tales or Father Christmas so I’m sad to say that league 1 beckons only a miracle can save us but we can live in hope I guess !
 
Yes Mr Digby, couldn't agree more.

I saw this nice quote from the Coventry owner:

"People spend money very badly at times, I would say what we do is we look for value."
 
It’s because many fans have a losers mentality. You’ve got people on here saying they are glad we are back in league one winning the odd game or two. Likewise they would be glad to have back players who are proven losers. No wonder other teams think we are a small club.
 
Do people really expect us to suddenly sign a squad full of high prospect Currie and McDonnell players? You don't get promoted from League One with a side that is full of players prepared for Championship action the next season, because there just aren't that many of them that aren't either already at that level, or aren't at other big clubs trying the same thing. Building a squad to handle a return to the 2nd flight is one thing, but you need to get out of it first, and you'll need to balance the limited exciting prospects with players proven at getting the job done.

If we have one of these players on our books already (I've not checked his contract stat) then why not at least consider him, as opposed to just casting him aside because he won't cut it in the Championship?

I'm not saying he starts each week, but let's not throw the baby out with the bath water just because he can't cut it in the 2nd tier.
 
Emilio said:
Do people really expect us to suddenly sign a squad full of high prospect Currie and McDonnell players? You don't get promoted from League One with a side that is full of players prepared for Championship action the next season, because there just aren't that many of them that aren't either already at that level, or aren't at other big clubs trying the same thing. Building a squad to handle a return to the 2nd flight is one thing, but you need to get out of it first, and you'll need to balance the limited exciting prospects with players proven at getting the job done.

If we have one of these players on our books already (I've not checked his contract stat) then why not at least consider him, as opposed to just casting him aside because he won't cut it in the Championship?

I'm not saying he starts each week, but let's not throw the baby out with the bath water just because he can't cut it in the 2nd tier.
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tenor.gif
 
Isle of Wight Yellow said:
Do you seriously not think that the likes of MPH, Emakhu and Placheta would be effective in League One? Do you think Dale would have torn it up in the Championship?
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Emakhu will be our first-choice left winger in League One, IF we are there. I think that’s pretty obvious and I think he will be pretty damn good.
 
SirAndyOfCrosby said:
Nothing screams 'impending relegation' more than the out of context desperation of resurrecting a thread for a player who hasn't appeared for us since 2024.

Depressing.
Click to expand...
I agree. We should be looking forward and going for better players than those we've already pretty much discarded.

I don't see any benefit in players like Owen, Leigh, Sibley, Kioso, Negru, Goodwin, Bradshaw or O'Donkor returning to our squad next season, as they're players that were deemed not good enough for us at championship level, and who haven't exactly been doing anything of any note with their loan clubs either.

Also, if I were one of the players that were deemed surplus to requirements when we were a championship club, but were now being recalled to the squad now we're back in league one, I'd find it very difficult to not return with a bit of a chip on my shoulder, and a lack of interest to be honest, and we don't need any of that kind of player in the squad next season.

It's best if everyone parts ways in the summer, and we start afresh, and rebuild with new faces.
 
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Mad Dog said:
if I were one of the players that were deemed surplus to requirements when we were a championship club, but were now being recalled to the squad now we're back in league one, I'd find it very difficult to not return with a bit of a chip on my shoulder, and a lack of interest to be honest
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Weren’t people saying that Spurs should keep Lankshear if they go down? Isn’t that the same situation?
 
Trevor L said:
Yes Mr Digby, couldn't agree more.

I saw this nice quote from the Coventry owner:

"People spend money very badly at times, I would say what we do is we look for value."
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I looked for value by refusing to pay him £22 for a ticket for my seven year old.
 
Mad Dog said:
they're players that were deemed not good enough for us at championship level
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Irrelevant if we're in League One though.

Btw, I'm not advocating that we retain those players you mentioned (except Gregly, obviously), just that we get players that can get us out of the division we'll most likely be in (upwards, preferably). Look at Leicester: that have a squad of Premier League players and it got them relegated
 
I th
Mad Dog said:
I agree. We should be looking forward and going for better players than those we've already pretty much discarded.

I don't see any benefit in players like Owen, Leigh, Sibley, Kioso, Negru, Goodwin, Bradshaw or O'Donkor returning to our squad next season, as they're players that were deemed not good enough for us at championship level, and who haven't exactly been doing anything of any note with their loan clubs either.

Also, if I were one of the players that were deemed surplus to requirements when we were a championship club, but were now being recalled to the squad now we're back in league one, I'd find it very difficult to not return with a bit of a chip on my shoulder, and a lack of interest to be honest, and we don't need any of that kind of player in the squad next season.

It's best if everyone parts ways in the summer, and we start afresh, and rebuild with new faces.
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I think this is the relevant point: 'they haven't exactly been doing anything of any note with their loan clubs'. I haven't read a lot of glowing reviews of them and indeed Sibley has been relegated with Rotherham. I believe Kioso has done OK but we're not exactly short of right backs, even if Spencer leaves.
 
Isle of Wight Yellow said:
Weren’t people saying that Spurs should keep Lankshear if they go down? Isn’t that the same situation?
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Not really, because Lankshear was a kid being sent out on loan to the league below to develop, with a view to always being kept by Spurs, so if they were to get relegated, he would actually be ready to step up to the first team at Championship level next season.

In our situation, all of the players we've deemed not good enough were established first team players for other clubs before they joined us, or when they were in league one with us, with the exception of O'Donkor, who has been given countless chances to impress, both at the club and out on loan, and it's pretty obvious he's just not good enough.

All of the players I've mentioned would be lucky to make the bench at a league one club with serious ambitions of promotion next season, and if we end up with those guys back in our match day squads next season, then it's safe to say we've continued on our backwards trajectory.
 
werthersoriginal said:
I th

I think this is the relevant point: 'they haven't exactly been doing anything of any note with their loan clubs'. I haven't read a lot of glowing reviews of them and indeed Sibley has been relegated with Rotherham. I believe Kioso has done OK but we're not exactly short of right backs, even if Spencer leaves.
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Sibley has been at Bradford since January. Has only played in four matches. Injured his ankle in February.
Bradford in playoff places.
 
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