Re: New signing : Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:05 pm  

Richie Mathers has not played for nearly a year, so I would not expect too much from him. Probably on a decent wage too.

Re: New signing : Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:11 pm  

Disappointed... But I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and support him on the field. Atleast Marc Green is putting the money in rather than all this talk about scaling back and going part time.

Mathers does raise eyebrows but not for the right reasons but he doesnt have to be a world beater for the opening 23 rounds. He should have bag loads of experience to pass on to our young team.

On the bright side, with Adam Henry leaving last year, we have filled our quota of scape goat by signing Mathers so we already know who to focus our blame on

Re: New signing : Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:28 pm  

Its a strange signing; certainly more of a head-shaker than a head-turner, and although it doesn't weaken the team it does seem to be a waste of cap-money for a position we have lots of players covering already.

Maybe during his enforced hiatus he has become a world beating half-back?

Re: New signing : Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:31 pm  

Fr13daY wrote:

Its a strange signing; certainly more of a head-shaker than a head-turner, and although it doesn't weaken the team it does seem to be a waste of cap-money for a position we have lots of players covering already.

Maybe during his enforced hiatus he has become a world beating half-back?

Mathers was actually a halfback in his academy days before he moved to fullback.

[Bullseye]

Re: New signing : Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:33 pm  

Boohoo!

Re: New signing : Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:34 pm  

Now that I've calmed down a little (I got a little sucked in and carried away with all that fun speculation this morning), I'm giving this the benefit of the doubt. I really can't see the logic behind it when we have the likes of Oscar Thomas, James Clare etc. I can't see how exactly his addition has improved the squad and overall I'm underwhelmed.

But that's not his fault, and I'll be happy to hold my hands up and say I was wrong if he turns out to be a good move for us. See how he gets on I think.

I really do have to wonder what Ferres and Co are thinking sometimes though.

Re: New signing : Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:35 pm  

From the Recruitment 2016 Rumours & Signings.. thread Friday 14 August re: Oscar Thomas rumour by roger daly:

hindle xiii wrote:

Would Ben Hellewell count as home grown?

Just as long as it isn't Richard Mathers.

hindle xiii wrote:

So one of Oscar Thomas, William Barthau, Ben Hellewell, Ray Nasso or Richie Mathers then?

And that's in my descending order of who I'd want, although the gap between Hellewell and Nasso (and Mathers) isn't big enough.

That's how miffed I am, I went and found two quotes from the summer fearing this signing!

Re: New signing : Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:43 pm  

T&A says it is a one-year deal.

Re: New signing : Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:50 pm  

This wouldn't be a bad signing if it was just for squad depth, but I'm pretty sure Jimmy is going to play him week in week out regardless of form. Very disappointed with this signing.

Re: New signing : Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:58 pm  

Doesn't seem to have divided opinion. Everyone thinks he is t055.