G Guest wrote: May 26th, 2022, 2:30 pm Worth a try but I would caution against expecting too much from WPL players. There is a vast gulf between the standard of the WPL and the fully professional game. Rhys Griffiths scored 271 goals in 343 games in the Welsh league but made little impression with Plymouth Argyle and a brief spell with County.

It's a jump definitely, but the gap was so much wider when Griffiths was playing. It's closed massively since then.

Really? Why do WPL teams nearly always lose any match they play in Europe and have done for decades. The gap was closer when Bangor City played Napoli in 1962 than it is now. Welsh clubs used to lose to a better class of opposition than they do nowadays.

I’d love to see it come off for him in League 2 but the odds have to be stacked against it. He’s also 24 years old so it’s taken some time for his potential to be recognised.

Kevinmoorefellover wrote: May 26th, 2022, 10:18 pm I’d love to see it come off for him in League 2 but the odds have to be stacked against it. He’s also 24 years old so it’s taken some time for his potential to be recognised.

He was a student from 18-22 in Cardiff University so that may have hampered his progress as a footballer.He has had two full seasons at Bala where he has progressed to the Wales non league side.He never played as a striker for MU so,his goal scoring record was pretty impressive with the Archers and still young enough to give pro football a go.

Percy plunkett wrote: May 26th, 2022, 11:44 pm

Kevinmoorefellover wrote: May 26th, 2022, 10:18 pm I’d love to see it come off for him in League 2 but the odds have to be stacked against it. He’s also 24 years old so it’s taken some time for his potential to be recognised.

He was a student from 18-22 in Cardiff University so that may have hampered his progress as a footballer.He has had two full seasons at Bala where he has progressed to the Wales non league side.He never played as a striker for MU so,his goal scoring record was pretty impressive with the Archers and still young enough to give pro football a go.

Both of you are right. Goal scoring is pretty much the only skill you can't coach from nowhere. By that you can coach a natural goal scorer to be better but if you are not a natural goal scorer you can't become a goalscorer. Bit like a fast bowler in cricket. You can coach line and length, you can coach spin and swing, but if you haven't got raw pace you just haven't got it

There is another point. The higher up the pyramid you go, the better the defences you face. A player may score a shed load in the the Championship but not in the Premier League. Applies throughout. Christian Jolley being a perfect example. Wonderful at Conference level but just not quite there when we made League 2. But until you play at a higher level you just don't know.
The odds are stacked against him. Also I'm wary of Youtube videos. I was a very mediocre goalkeeper but I'm sure if a video had been made of my ten finest saves then I'd look like a cross between Gordon Banks and someone even better. But........

On what I saw I think I'd take a chance on Will Evans. He just seems to have that knack of appearing from nowhere.

Kevinmoorefellover wrote:-

I’d love to see it come off for him in League 2 but the odds have to be stacked against it. He’s also 24 years old so it’s taken some time for his potential to be recognised.

Me too. There's always a chance - Jamie Vardy was 25 when he played his first EFL match

Just signed. Welcome Will.

That is three players now who may have great potential Evans, Waite and Farky (although to date not a fan) if one of them come off it is a risk well worth taking and an interesting test of the JR scouting process in the case of the first two. Think we need a bit of experience around them, the risk is that this will come from loan players who will also be an unknown quantity could be very interesting and the signings have a lot more potential than what we have been used to.

wattsville_boy wrote: May 27th, 2022, 3:01 pm Just signed. Welcome Will.

Sounds a good signing

Welcome Will

G Guest wrote: May 26th, 2022, 8:17 pm Really? Why do WPL teams nearly always lose any match they play in Europe and have done for decades. The gap was closer when Bangor City played Napoli in 1962 than it is now. Welsh clubs used to lose to a better class of opposition than they do nowadays.

Football is completely different now than in the 60s. European results have slowly improved over recent years. Connah's Quay knocked out Kilmarnock. TNS took a Viktoria Plzen team, that had played in the Champions League groups a season before, to penalties. Wouldn't be surprised to see them in the Conference League groups in the next couple of seasons.

The Welsh Semi-Pro side, made up of Cymru Premier players, battered the English equivalent, of National League players, a month or so back - with Evans playing for Wales. Anyone who watches the league regularly will tell you the standard has massively improved since Rhys Griffiths was playing over 10 years ago.

Two Sam Bowen’s and now two Will Evans have played for us.Anyone remember him,played briefly in the promotion year in 2013.

The beauty of this game is the sheer unknown. Punts on Conor Washington and Christian Jolley were relatively successful while the goal scoring phenomenon that was Tom Meecham when he played for us couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo! Having said that, I do have a good feeling about Will Evans.

Percy plunkett wrote: May 27th, 2022, 7:47 pm Two Sam Bowen’s and now two Will Evans have played for us.Anyone remember him,played briefly in the promotion year in 2013.

He featured for Boreham Wood in a televised FA Cup match this season. Shaun Jeffers was in the same match playing for St Albans.

It's a welcome change from journeymen.

County19081967 wrote: May 27th, 2022, 8:09 pm The beauty of this game is the sheer unknown. Punts on Conor Washington and Christian Jolley were relatively successful while the goal scoring phenomenon that was Tom Meecham when he played for us couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo! Having said that, I do have a good feeling about Will Evans.

It’s coming up for 10 years since we signed Conor Washington so it’s time to discover another gem recruited from non-league football. Hopefully, Will Evans is our man.

However, I would argue that we didn’t take a punt on Christian Jolley. He had been promoted to the football league with AFC Wimbledon prior to joining us and, if I recall correctly, was their player of the season in their promotion season.