New Signings

Avun Jephcott and Tim McCann 2 (cheers to linfieldfc.com)

Well, we've got our back-up left-back and one of the strikers that we so need, and it's a little bit of umm, a little bit of aah.

Tim McCann '2' (there was another more famous before him, both at Glentoran incidentally) is a decent left-back who the Glentoran fans seem to rate. He wasn't offered a contract by Coyle at the end of last season, went to Sligo Rovers and left them once their season ended. I remember him scoring one of the goals when the Glens duffed us in the Irish Cup last season. If you'd asked me six months ago, I'd gladly have taken him as our no. 1 left-back, but Pat McShane has been revitalised this year so he will be good back-up.

Avun Jephcott is more of an unknown quantity. He spent 4 years at Coventry City, and has been at Ards since the start of the season, scoring only 3 times. Ards fans seem to question his commitment and work-rate, though he is said to be very skilful. He has only been signed till the end of the season, and unless Thompson moves up in the world or Fergie gets injured, Avun has no chance of a look-in against 2 strikers who are playing out of their skins at the moment.

DJ says that's it for the transfer window signings, and I'm a bit disappointed. There are two top-drawer strikers available in Gary Hamilton and Kevin McHugh. Both would have significantly strengthened our team. I only hope DJ's got a trick up his sleeve and is going to bring one of them in at the end of the season when Peter Thompson is likely to move across the water. But I doubt it.

...On the other hand, DJ's summer signings were spot-on (admittedly, we have been lucky with (lack of) injuries). Oran Kearney, despite not being a left-winger and a propensity to waste chances and give the ball away cheaply, is a fine athletic midfielder, and Chris Kingsberry has skill and pace to burn. Maybe it is time to trust the DJ, after the Andy Crawford and Fitzroy fiascos though, I'll wait and see.