Scunthorpe Utd: Iron fail to strengthen forward line
Scunthorpe United have failed in their attempts to recruit a new striker before today's loan deadline.
Iron manager Alan Knill had been on the hunt for an experienced front man to relieve the pressure on Chris Dagnall and Bobby Grant, who have scored only three goals between them in the past 15 games.
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Bobby Grant is the Iron's top scorer this season with eight goals in all competitions - but only two of those have come in the last 11 games.
Football League clubs have up until 5pm this afternoon to recruit loan signings for the last time before the transfer window re-opens in January.
But while several of their League One rivals have enjoyed success when it comes to new faces, Knill must continue to work with the squad currently at his disposal.
"We tried everywhere and I honestly mean everywhere," he said.
"But it was a case of the players we were after not being let out or they had gone somewhere else for unbelievable money.
"It's frustrating more than anything, but these things happen."We'll stick with what we've got and things can change quickly."
Knill was given the green light to try to strengthen his squad by the Iron board after Tuesday's FA Cup first round exit against AFC Wimbledon.
That was the sixth time in the last eight games Scunthorpe have failed to score and the United boss previously admitted his side are experiencing a 'painful' patch.
"Goals make such a difference," he continued this lunchtime.
"On Tuesday we had some opportunities, didn't take them and then you can feel the anxiety in the crowd.
"Sometimes that gets on to the pitch and we go a little bit more direct than we should do.
"As a manager you try to let everybody else be hysterical about things while you stay pretty normal.
"I've been here before and I'll probably be here again. It's what goes with football.
"It doesn't matter whether you're Sir Alex Ferguson or me, these things happen."
Knill confirmed midfielder Sam Togwell will miss Saturday's League One trip to Notts County through a one-match suspension.
The Iron skipper picked up his fifth yellow card of the campaign in midweek, opening the door to a return for on-loan Manchester United ace Oliver Norwood.
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by RobinJackson1
Saturday, November 26 2011, 5:12PM
“Reallyskint - the day after we took 9.000 to Wembley Burnley took 35,000 for their play off game.
As Burnley is a similar sized town to Scunthorpe you do the maths as to the percentage they took. Any more examples you may require just let me know.”
by oscarmoggy
Saturday, November 26 2011, 1:35PM
“9,000 may well be about 10% of Scunthorpes population but I bet a good 50% of those at Wembley came from Brigg/Barton/Winterton and surrounding villages. Thats where a high percentage of those attending GP come from. Majority of S****horpians heading towards GP on a Saturday are going to Tescos.”
by reallyskint
Saturday, November 26 2011, 1:12PM
“"9,000 to the League 1 play off final in 2009? That must surely be the lowest turn out ever for that division and shows the lack of interest."
9000 is roughly 10% of the population of Scunthorpe, please show me another team that took 10% of their TOWN`s population to a game?”
by stevemillson
Saturday, November 26 2011, 11:57AM
“Its all over. Get ready to visit Barnet, D&R, AFC Wombles (Oops, SUFC have and eventually lost to a mid-table Lge 2 outfit) etc.”
by RobinJackson1
Saturday, November 26 2011, 11:45AM
“PStoff once again living in the land of waving a magic wand and everything will be all right.
The folks of this town never have been interested in the club, even when we were in the second division from 1958 to 1964 we had the worst attendances in the division. Total apathy from the townsfolk and highlighted by the attendances quoted by Oscar below in our recent successful seasons. Wave as many magic wands as you like, you can't overcome apathy.
9,000 to the League 1 play off final in 2009? That must surely be the lowest turn out ever for that division and shows the lack of interest.”
by oscarmoggy
Friday, November 25 2011, 6:13PM
“hurtingfan - me thinks NillforKnill is maybe pulling your leg.”
by hurtingfan
Friday, November 25 2011, 5:25PM
“knillforknill what planet are you on,you obviously havent looked at the league table lately,last time i saw we was 3 points of the relagation zone,knill is a poor motivator and tactitian and mr warton is holding the club back because he doesnt want to put any money in the club so all your comment is utter bull s@@t!”
by PStoff
Friday, November 25 2011, 2:20PM
“Not Wharton directly but the people around him. He may not have the face or manner for advertising but the Media management down there spend too much time spewing bile out to the papers and on here fire fighting. Urine poor marketing strategies followed up by shoulder shrugging will get you nowhere.
Attract them there keep them there. Make it easy to buy a ticket and improve the matchday experience with proper enticements not bribes and chunky chips. The format down there hasn't changed in ages. Arousal, mascot, kickoff, whistle, raffle, crossbar, kickoff, whistle and get out.
Bin the bunny, get a Lion, better scoreboard linked to a camera. Stick a tardis in the town centre, Ashby, Skippingdale, put some posters up. All things that cost jack poo poo and would pay for themselves many times over.
Too late now. Hammond missed the boat entirely, Beeby started off with good intentions but has dropped into Hammond's ways. Any changes that are tried are third choice and not executed in a professional manner or maintained (Chunky Chips).
The fans forum meets every blue moon but apart from discussing dirty toilets it fails to come up with anything innovative that has a wow factor. All it has been used for so far is to release bad news (i.e. no new stand but if we stay up we will bolt seats in) when such news has never been conveyed to the public on here.
There is so much wrong, too much wrong, too much to put right with who us down there at the moment. There is no wish to do it (SW said as much last season) and that is the total disdain the club hold us the fans in.
Couple that with dross on the pitch and it is not hard to see where we are rightfully heading.”
by NilforKnill
Friday, November 25 2011, 2:08PM
“Too much negativity here.
We are a top 6 side for sure. We have a first rate manager and a supportive chairman backed up with a superb board of directors.”
by oscarmoggy
Friday, November 25 2011, 1:38PM
“Quality of performance does obviously have direct bearing on attendances, and I can accept that supporters have been staying away recently. The teams problem though is the supporters they don't have. If things are going ok they will attract 4,500 - 5,000 gates but thats the max they can hope for. The year we won League One, we were playing exciting and attractive football but only managed an average of 5,500. Our first season in the Championship,although it ended in relegation, we still played attractive football and gave most teams a good game but still only got an avereage gate of 6,500 (including 1,500-2,000 away fans).
Blame Wharton for whatever you want but those two seasons the team played attractive, entertaining football with 100% effort but our attendances were awful. Just once in twenty odd years has there been 9,000 at GP. My only explaination of this, is that most people in the area aren't interested in their local club. (No doubt, it's all down to Wharton).”