George Thomson: a good signing?

Must confess I hadn't heard of him, but he scored 20 goals for the Red Rebels last season as, as he says, an attacking midfielder, so that sounds quite exciting. Only 25 years old so should be at his peak. Means we are going to have a pretty well staffed midfield, especially when Kerry comes back. But a goal scoring midfielder we have desperately needed so I am feeling a bit more re-assured about our goal scoring options next season.

He was voted out player of the year by the fans, scored 20 goals whilst being played out of position, good on the ball and isn't scared to have a crack, he'll do very well for you, probably come to watch him myself a few times.

Gutted he's leaving but if you're only 25 and are offered another chance of full time football he'd be mad not to, best of luck to him.

Seems like a very promising signing apparently against competition from other clubs. Like others though I'd still like to see an out and out striker in due course.

Paul - as you know I share your admiration for Graeme Armstrong but unfortunately why would he want to leave newly promoted Spennymoor where he is a key striker alongside the very impressive Glen Taylor?

Excellent signing seen him a few times and a few of his goals on YouTube, people I have spoken to reckon he should be playing at least one or even two leagues higher. Scored 20 goals for Kings Lynn before Christmas playing in No 10 role - they really rate him. Probably best signing so far excited to see him next season.

I can only dream about Armstrong A1 drifter, but I'm sure you are right. Some mention of Jay Rollins of Boston not re-signing for them and wanting full time football. Could he be for us? Any good?

It's another good signing for us and we needed a goal goal-scoring midfielder. We need to start seeing some defender signings soon but I'm enjoying the 1 announcement a day

I like the fact too that he has a great 'old fashioned' footballers name. You can imagine him playing inside left (anyone remember that?), for, say, Sunderland in the 1950's!

Armstrong is a very good player, and was for us in both 14/15 & 15/16 in the Evo-Stik, but I don't think he is the player he once was (34 in June). Also, he wouldn't go full-time due to his Newcastle-based teaching job.

I'm sure you are right, Darlofan, about Armstrong and travelling. I seem to think this is what led him to move away from playing further for Town a few seasons back. Would be interested if you have any views on his strike partner Glen Taylor who I thought was excellent against Stourbridge in the playoff final at the Brewery Field recently. He scored something like 19 goals for the season - just a few more than Armstrong.

If my memory is still working Armstrong had a terrific work rate and was the best penalty taker I've ever seen. Liam Hardy was the one who got the penalties. Armstrong was not the most natural of scorers but scored about 19 /20 goals per season for us with about 10 of those goals being penalties.

I don't think he ever missed a penalty while playing for us and was completely reliable from the spot. However, as far as I can recall, shortly after he moved from Town to go to Blyth Spartans he missed the first penalty he took for them. Someone may correct me but I think that's right.

A1 Drifter, Glen Taylor is strong, hard-working and technically a very good centre forward. Probably needs to add more goals to his game (19 in 46 last season) but is the ideal replacement for Armstrong (i.e a target man type).

I feel like Spennymoor need to add a goalscorer to their side, Dowson & Fisher were released by us in the league below the NLN (well Fisher actually the NPL D1N).

Thanks for your comments Darlofan - confirms what I thought, very positively, about Taylor. See you next season when we play Darlington and the Moors.