An unknown with no league experience but seems to be rated highly. A bit like Rushworth was. If he’s half as good, he’ll do well. Also, if only on a one year contract at Stoke, there’s potential if he does well (and not too well) that we can sign him permanently next summer too.
Andy Williams and James-Taylor upfront.
Lets hope they are in tune with each other and start the season on song, otherwise, one of them might need a friend.
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He’ll do now for some money spent on a striker that’s ours.
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Thats the young hungry striker we wanted on loan. Now for the proven striker under 30 please.
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Sounds very promising. Good luck fella
This is the sort of signing I was expecting - not sure what else we can do?
Good luck to the guy - should be hungry to play which is what we want.
UP THE SADDLERS
Interview suggests that this has been planned for a short while, so not a desperation signing like some in the past.
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This quote from mike Flynn seems to imply that he is our backup striker rather than a first choice:
“He’s coming in with the right attitude to provide competition up front and out wide.”
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When did we last sign a proven striker under 30?
There is also the Douglas Quintet so we might get 5…
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Not saying the lad won’t do well , I sincerely hope he does , but I was expecting something more to be honest in as much as a proven striker , someone we would all say … right now I know why we’ve kept this signing quiet.
As soon as the … incoming incoming started I was expecting someone who’s contract had finished at the end of june and that’s why he is being announced now 
Welcome Douglas and good luck for our season ahead.
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It should be good, so good luck and no injuries. Or drops in form.
Agreed.
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Michael Ricketts in 2008? He was 29 on his return. Have I forgotten anyone obvious since then?
And he was a special case. Before him, we had Stuart Rimmer, Dale Banton (and look how that turned out,)
Most of our better striking players either came from overseas (Boli, Leitao), came through the ranks (Clarke, Kelly) or joined us without a proven record (Buckley, Lightbourne). Nobody had heard of either of the last two before they came.
James-Taylor looks a promising prospect to me.
By the way, we had a tall team last year but we will have even more height this season, Flynn knows the value of defending and taking advantage of dead ball situations. Miller was shorter than every defender he played against.
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Welcome James. I hope you do well for us . I agree with others that we still need another proven striker.
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I suppose I should point out again that Sam Parkin had a decent scoring record and was only 28 when we signed him, although as he looked 78 and played like he was 98 I’m not sure it furthers the argument one way or the other.
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I think the argument is that a so-called proven striker does not normally sign for a League 2 club. I have mentioned before that no Walsall player has scored 20 goals in a season since Lightbourne, which shows how unusual a feat it is.
Yes, it’s rare for us to sign players who are at, or at least close to, their peak. They tend to be be “rejects” from a bigger club, or promising young spunks from below us, or good players of a certain age, or they have injury problems or temperament problems.
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Decent signing IMO. From Flynn’s comments if he is going to be 1st choice he will need to earn it. See the usual moaners moaning for moaning sake. Give the kid a chance. There will be another striker signed and one with more experience I would imagine. Andy Williams should be someone he can learn loads off
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or ability problems
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