Players come, players go. I know that but I find it hard to say goodbye to players, especially ones like Clayton Donaldson. There may be better strikers than him but none work harder. I’ll remember the effort he put in, often with a defender hanging on to him. I’ll remember how many supporter groups judged him to be the player of the 2014-15 season. I’m glad I was able to meet him at the awards event in April; I thought he seemed to be a genuinely nice man. I hope he does well and the Sheffield United fans give him a good welcome.
Saying hello to a whole raft of new players is almost as hard as saying goodbye to the ones that leave. The unfortunate Carl Jenkinson was injured too soon to leave much of an impression. But I have seen enough of David Stockdale, Marc Roberts, Cheikh Ndoye, Isaac Vassell, Cohen Bramall and Sam Gallagher to feel I almost know who they are. However, I’ll probably get everyone confused if Jeremie Boga, Harlee Dean, Jason Lowe, Jota, Maxime Colin and Liam Walsh are all introduced to the team at once. I’m not sure I can cope with that much change. I hope the players are better at adapting than I am.
I’ve been working on my cheat sheet to take to games but haven’t finished it as Liam Walsh doesn’t seem to have a squad number yet. This is what I have so far.
? | Liam WALSH | Midfielder | Eligible to play for both England and Italy. On loan from Everton, 31/8/2017 |
2 | Emilio NSUE | Defender | Equatorial Guinea international, from Middlesbrough on 18/1/2017 |
3 | Jonathan GROUNDS | Defender | Summer signing 2014. From Oldham Athletic. |
4 | Marc ROBERTS | Defender | Signed from Barnsley on 1/7/2017. |
5 | Maxime COLIN | Defender | French, signed from Brentford 31/8/2017 |
8 | Craig GARDNER | Midfielder | On loan from WBA, in January 2017. Signed in summer of 2017. |
10 | Lukas Jutkiewicz | Forward | On loan from Burnley 31/8/2016, permanent transfer in January 2017. |
11 | Isaac VASSELL | Forward | Signed from Luton Town, 14/8/2017 |
12 | Harlee DEAN | Defender | Signed from Brentford 30/8/2017 |
13 | David STOCKDALE | Goalkeeper | Free transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion on 1/7/2017 |
14 | Che ADAMS | Forward | Signed from Sheffield United in August 2016. |
15 | Cohen BRAMALL | Defender | Came on 21/8/2017 on season-long loan from Arsenal |
17 | Cheikh NDOYE | Midfielder | Senegalese International, signed from Angers on 14/7/2017 |
18 | Sam GALLAGHER | Forward | Came on 21/8/2017 on season-long loan from Southampton |
19 | Jacques MAGHOMA | Midfielder | Congolese, signed in June 2015, from Sheffield Wednesday. |
20 | Jeremie BOGA | Midfielder | Came on 28/8/2017 on season-long loan from Chelsea |
21 | Jason LOWE | Midfielder | Signed on 31/8/2017, free agent – left Blackburn following their relegation. |
22 | Carl JENKINSON | Defender | Came on 21/8/2017 on season-long loan from Arsenal |
23 | David COTTERILL | Midfielder | Wales International, signed before 2014/15 season. |
25 | Josh DACRES-COGLEY | Defender | From Academy, given First Team squad number July 2016. |
26 | David DAVIS | Midfielder | Signed 11/8/2014 from Wolverhampton Wanderers |
27 | JOTA | Midfielder | Spanish, from Brentford 31/8/2017. Name: José Ignacio Peleteiro Ramallo |
28 | Michael MORRISON | Defender | Initially signed as loan player but signed contract in January 2015 window. |
29 | Tomasz KUSZCZAK | Goalkeeper | Polish international, signed July 2015, played for Hertha Berlin, West Brom, Man U and Brighton and Hove Albion |
30 | Corey O’KEEFFE | Midfielder | Irish, from Academy, debut as late sub at Newcastle on 10/12/2016. Contract extended to 2020 in August 2017. |
40 | Paul ROBINSON | Defender | Signed September 2012. |
44 | Nicolai BROCK-MADSEN | Forward | Danish International, signed from Randers FC in August 2015. Was out on loan for 2016/2017 season |
45 | Wes HARDING | Defender | From Academy, given squad number in August 2017 |
50 | Stephen GLEESON | Midfielder | Irish, summer signing 2014, from MK Dons. |