HARRYHADDOCK Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 Hi, Grimsby Town fan here again. Just wondering how Richard Tait and Craig Clay got on for you last season and will they be part of your squad for next season, as I know how many teams seem to have to rebuild their squad each season. It just so happens that I am up in The Highlands for a few days at the start of November, which just so happens to co-incide with your visit to Ross County, so I'll be popping along to that for my football fix that weekend. I take it I'll be okay just to turn up on the day and pay on the turnstile, rather than needing to get a ticket. Good luck for next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 Hi, Grimsby Town fan here again. Just wondering how Richard Tait and Craig Clay got on for you last season and will they be part of your squad for next season, as I know how many teams seem to have to rebuild their squad each season. It just so happens that I am up in The Highlands for a few days at the start of November, which just so happens to co-incide with your visit to Ross County, so I'll be popping along to that for my football fix that weekend. I take it I'll be okay just to turn up on the day and pay on the turnstile, rather than needing to get a ticket. Good luck for next season. Tait's been good. Perhaps a little suspect defensively and his positioning could do with improvement, but he's been a very decent full-back for us when available and has chipped in with a few assists. Clay is a bit more divisive I think. I've read and heard from fans who think he's decent enough, others who want him binned as soon as possible. I find myself somewhere in the middle - I think he's a "do a job" player, the kind of midfielder I wouldn't be too unhappy with in and around the squad to fill a gap if required. That said, I think with the calibre of midfielders we have now (McHugh, Bigirimana) as well as our own capable youngsters (Campbell in particular), I'd probably be looking to shift him on this summer. As for the Ross County game, turning up on the day will be fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSmith Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 Personally I believe Tait has been a great addition. For quite a few consecutive seasons we have lacked a natural right back so immediately he looked impressive. He also created quite a few goals for us in the first half of the season with his crossing which was excellent. He does need a bit of work defensively but overall, he's been a very good signing. Clay splits opinion, however I'd say most view him negatively. I thought he looked pretty solid at the start of last season however he always seemed to have a bit of a fitness problem where he could never last a full 90 or even an hour at the same intensity. All in all I think he'd be a good squad player to fill in when needed but I wouldn't be surprised to see him move on and don't blame anyone who wants to see him go either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted June 30, 2017 Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 Can't really argue with either of the posts above. Tait's been good overall IMO, he's got excellent delivery with either foot and can get up and down the park but has been given a few roastings when he's had to play against some of the better wingers in the league. In general though I'm a fan. Clay, as others have said is pretty divisive. In honesty I don't think when we signed him we'd have envisaged him playing anywhere near as much as he ended up having to. Carl McHugh missed the first half of the season with a delayed concussion and we'd already lost Stephen Pearson just before Clay arrived. To me he always seemed someone who'd been brought in, as Jay says, to "do a job" around the squad and fill in now and again rather than someone to play week in, week out which is what he ended up having to do. He's a tidy enough player but I think it's been quite a step up for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HARRYHADDOCK Posted June 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2017 Seems very similar to their time here then. Tait was excellent and just about all Mariners fans were upset when he moved on but could well understand why and was wished well. Clay was released by us though and not offered a new contract following our promotion back to The Football League. Many fans agreed with the decision that he probably wasn't good enough for league football, so it was a bit of a surprise when he signed a contract with you. In his time here he was very inconsitant and split the views of fans just like he seems to have done there. Looking forward to seeing a few of you in Dingwall in November. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingu Posted July 1, 2017 Report Share Posted July 1, 2017 HARRY - I think we are being a bit polite about Clay - he's rotten. Personally I am not that sold on Tait either really, he's OK and not much more. Would rather have Tom Hateley. A big step up for both. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supermarv Posted July 1, 2017 Report Share Posted July 1, 2017 HARRY - I think we are being a bit polite about Clay - he's rotten. Personally I am not that sold on Tait either really, he's OK and not much more. Would rather have Tom Hateley. A big step up for both. That's unfair on Tait, he has been pretty solid and chipped in with a few goals and assists, probably does need some work defensively but he was playing well and got a bad injury and has been out for months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stv Posted July 1, 2017 Report Share Posted July 1, 2017 Tait gives 110% each game i like watching him . Clay is not good enough im afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmostFrazzled Posted July 1, 2017 Report Share Posted July 1, 2017 Tait is excellent. When he missed the second half of the season we lost a massive part of our attack. Yes, he is a bit suspect, but in fairness the games he's been ripped to bits were against Sinclair & Hayes who are two of the best wingers in the league. So far everyone's been polite about Clay. I'm willing to put it out there that he's absolutely shit. A total waste of a jersey. Can't pass or tackle. His only positive part was a shot that was sailing into the Moray Firth before a freak gust of wind caught it. Towards the end of the season his speciality became running into the box and just falling over mainly resulting in getting booked. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbcmfc Posted July 1, 2017 Report Share Posted July 1, 2017 HARRY - I think we are being a bit polite about Clay - he's rotten. Personally I am not that sold on Tait either really, he's OK and not much more. Would rather have Tom Hateley. A big step up for both. Tom hardly who created 5 goals from 700 set pieces would definitely be an upgrade on the guy who was one of our top players for assists in his only (1/2 really) season. Tait has the makings of a cult hero. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busta Nut Posted July 2, 2017 Report Share Posted July 2, 2017 I like Tait but he's rotten defensively Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted July 2, 2017 Report Share Posted July 2, 2017 I like Tait but he's rotten defensively Seems to be the modern way. Full backs often more likely to play like wing-backs than defenders. Can't say I'm a big fan of that approach, but I'm constantly reminded I'm old and know nothing about this game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ONeils40yarder Posted July 3, 2017 Report Share Posted July 3, 2017 Its a modern day fact of football that full-backs are generally better offensively than defensively. You just need to look at Calum Paterson or Andy Robertson to see thats the case, both players that played further up the park in their younger days before thriving at full-back, but both are suspect defensively. Tait is a good full-back for our level, though he maybe needs to rein in the forward runs every now and again as he can leave himself a bit too exposed. Clay is, as others have suggested, playing at a level that is above his abilities. Never seems to be involved much, either defensively or offensively, which is usually a good indicator of a player (particularly a midfielder), who is out his depth. Don't get me wrong, he tries hard and is fairly neat and tidy in possession, but I have the feeling that he won't be involved much at all this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted July 3, 2017 Report Share Posted July 3, 2017 I agree that Clay is playing above his level. Tait is more complex. Offensively, he is good although lacks pace. A great crosser of the ball. Overall he has an excellent attitude and is quick to recover. However his positional awareness in defence is lacking and he can give attackers a but too much leeway. At our level we've seen better but much worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelvinBragg Posted July 3, 2017 Report Share Posted July 3, 2017 Clay is, as others have suggested, playing at a level that is above his abilities. Never seems to be involved much, either defensively or offensively, which is usually a good indicator of a player (particularly a midfielder), who is out his depth. Don't get me wrong, he tries hard and is fairly neat and tidy in possession, but I have the feeling that he won't be involved much at all this season.Neat and tidy in possession. Fair assessment of his best asset. Don't recall Clay giving the ball away too often but it's easy to do that if you don't try and play the killer ball and just shift the ball 10 yards to the side. Quite good at retaining the ball under pressure as well. Must confess, I don't dislike Clay as a player despite the knowledge he's not good enough to be starting every week. Always gives 100%, never hides and seems a good character who fits in well. If we didn't have Campbell coming through, you could make a case (and with Lasley's retirement you possibly still can) for having him on the bench as a cheap backup option. But the signing of Rose and the emergence of Campbell and Gordon will probably see him not even make the bench. Wouldn't slate the guy though. Always gives his all, just that his all probably isn't enough at this level. Always feel if a player gives his best and it's not good enough, then the manager is to blame for picking him. Would only dislike a player if they have ability but don't give it their all... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmostFrazzled Posted July 4, 2017 Report Share Posted July 4, 2017 Neat and tidy in possession. Fair assessment of his best asset. Don't recall Clay giving the ball away too often but it's easy to do that if you don't try and play the killer ball and just shift the ball 10 yards to the side. Quite good at retaining the ball under pressure as well. Must confess, I don't dislike Clay as a player despite the knowledge he's not good enough to be starting every week. Always gives 100%, never hides and seems a good character who fits in well. If we didn't have Campbell coming through, you could make a case (and with Lasley's retirement you possibly still can) for having him on the bench as a cheap backup option. But the signing of Rose and the emergence of Campbell and Gordon will probably see him not even make the bench. Wouldn't slate the guy though. Always gives his all, just that his all probably isn't enough at this level. Always feel if a player gives his best and it's not good enough, then the manager is to blame for picking him. Would only dislike a player if they have ability but don't give it their all... We'll agree to disagree, because I have genuinely not been that hacked off at anyone in a Motherwell jersey in years. I can forgive Zak Jules because his issue was clearly that he has absolutely no footballing ability. Clay hides from games, and when he does get the ball he plays a 5 yard pass sideways or backwards. He's also chronically unfit as after 50 minutes he's clearly breathing out his arsehole. And, as I said before, in that last home game against Kilmarnock when he ran into the box and blatantly dived I absolutely lost the nut at him. If we can arrange a giant cannon to fire Clay & Blyth into the nearest large body of water that would be great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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