Around One - 10 September 2021 - Vital Lincoln City

This week on Around One, we focus on Charlton Athletic, Doncaster Rovers, Gillingham, Shrewsbury Town, Milton Keynes Dons, Wycombe Wanderers, and Sunderland.

Our spendthrift friends from Bolton have reached an agreement with non-secured creditors that avoids a 15-point penalty. Creditors? What creditors? Now, who can we sign with the money?

Charlton have signed two free agents this week, both with a Crystal Palace background. Former Palace defender Papa Souare (31) joins from French club Troyes on a one-year deal while ex-Charlton keeper Stephen Henderson (31) also joins on a one-year deal after leaving Palace in June. Charlton now have a summer transfer record of 7 Out / 13 In.

Doncaster’s miserable start to the season continued on Tuesday night in the Papa John’s Trophy game at home to Rotherham. Despite fielding a strong team including debuts for new signings Rodrigo Vilca, Jordy Hiwula and Joe Dodoo, Rovers were beaten 6-0.

On the subject of free agents, five players released by League One clubs in May have found new clubs this week: defender Danny Amos (21), ex-Doncaster to Port Vale; forward Joe Dodoo (26), ex-Wigan to Doncaster; midfielder Madger Gomes (24), ex-Doncaster to Crewe; midfielder Callum King-Harmes (19), ex-Bolton to Hednesford Town; and veteran midfielder Glenn Whelan (37), ex-Fleetwood to Bristol Rovers. Whelan is the fourth player released by Fleetwood to follow former manager Joey Barton to Bristol.

That leaves 30 players released by League One clubs in May who remain free agents. Wages may be the reason, but it is surprising that League Two and National League clubs have not snapped up some of these:

Goalkeepers (2): Duncan Turnbull (23), ex-Portsmouth; Keiren Westwood (36), ex-Sheffield Wednesday.

Defenders (11): Jack Bolton (19), ex-Accrington; Neal Eardley (32), ex-Burton; Stephen Hendrie (26), ex-Morecambe; Reece Hutchinson (21), ex-Burton; Billy Jones (34), ex-Rotherham; Conor McLaughlin (30), ex-Sunderland; Jamie Mascoll (24), ex-Bolton; Zehn Mohammed (21), ex-Accrington; Luke O’Neill (29), ex-AFC Wimbledon; John-Joe O’Toole (32), ex-Burton; Joe Wright (26), ex-Doncaster (recovering from long-term injury).

Midfielders (11): Alex Addai (27), ex-Cheltenham; Jarvis Cleal (19), ex-Plymouth; Chris Clements (31), ex-Cheltenham; Sonny Graham (19), ex-Bolton; Kadeem Harris (28), ex-Sheffield Wednesday; Emyr Huws (27), ex-Ipswich; Jason Lokilo (22), ex-Doncaster; Lewis Macleod (27), ex-Plymouth; Tristan Nydam (21), ex-Ipswich; Viv Solomon-Otabor (25), ex-Wigan; Allan Viral (19), ex-Ipswich.

Forwards (6): Kieran Agard (31), ex-MK Dons; Mike Fondop (27), ex-Burton; Andron Georgiou (21), ex-Wycombe; Rob Hall (27), ex-Oxford; Byron Moore (32), ex-Plymouth; Alfie Stanley (20), ex-Portsmouth.

Nominations for the League One Manager of the Month award for August went to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Burton), Lee Johnson (Sunderland), Leam Richardson (Wigan), and Gareth Ainsworth (Wycombe).

Misbehaviour has been high on the League One agenda this week. Gillingham and Shrewsbury have been charged by the FA with failing to control their players at the end of their game on 28 August, an incident that involved shrinking violet Paul Raynor at centre stage. Similarly MK Dons, fined a somewhat pointless £2,500 for failing to control their players during the League One punch-up against Accrington on the same day. To complete a petulant week, Wycombe midfielder Anis Mehmeti has been banned for three games for an off-the-ball incident against Sunderland.

Nominees for the League One Player of the Month award are Cole Stockton (Morecambe), James Henry (Oxford), Ryan Tunnicliffe (Portsmouth), and Bailey Peacock-Farrell (Sheffield Wednesday).

The saga of Sunderland’s contract wrangle with Denver Hume is finally over after the defender signed a two-year deal this week. It’s amazing what the closure of the transfer window can do.

Writer: Scotimp