Defender Pierce Mitchell is to be offered the opportunity to earn a permanent contract at Bristol Rovers. Mitchell, 18, was released by Bristol City at the end of last season after coming to the end of a two-year scholarship. He immediately impressed for Rovers when played out of position in a development game against Swindon Town at the start of April. The right-back or right-sided central defender has been training at Rovers day-to-day Cribbs Causeway headquarters ever since, and was involved in the physical assessment tests on the final day before the players were released for their summer break. Once the players have returned for pre-season training on June 30, Mitchell will be one of six or seven trialists manager Darrell Clarke will cast his eye over as he attempts to fill the one or two places likely to be left in his new-look squad. Clarke is looking to add at least ten players to his squad, but could be forced to add more dependent on how the futures of some of his existing players pan out. Taken from the Post.
We have 5 new scholars of our own that has signed their 1st pro deals. On top of that we have Santos, Clarke and Lockyer with us who are young and could be classed as inexperienced too. Now we are offering another youngster a trial to earn his 1st pro deal. Too many youths unless we off load a few out on loan. I hope the other trialists are not youths as well! The press thinks we will get at least 10 new signings. If we are having 7 trialist who will start their trial when they return for pre season on 30th June. Looks like not many will sign between now and then!
Same old Rovers - dragging their feet when it comes to signings in the closed season. When will we learn? Especially given the importance of getting our team rebuilding right first time after 1, not having anough players to fill the subs bench last August, and 2, having a totally unbalanced squad for the whole of 2013-14. We need to start tying down experienced players who will do a job for us in the Conference - as other clubs get on with signings, we will have to choose from an ever diminishing pot. Get on with it Clarke and Higgs!!!
Doesn't see the point IMO we need more experience I'm not saying the kids no good but their has 2 a limit on these younger players I think its going 2 b a long summer
Let's not pass judgement on him yet. Nothing is etched in stone. He will get another chance to impress when the assessments for trialists start when the team are due to return at the end of June.
im not passing judgement on him but judgement on too many youngsters with lack of 1st team experience
Amen to that. I still don't have confidence that the powers that be have quite grasped the gravity of the situation. We are a non league club thanks to their incompetence.... now ****ing do something about it ffs
Agreed time for relaxing and building lists has gone. We need to move quickly as other teams are stealing a march on us. Look at Eastleigh attracting Constable! See all Mcghee had to do to get him was get us relegated rather than offer £250,000. But seriously teams are already building their squads and all we have managed it to sign youngsters with no experience so unless within the next two weeks we see the club being active in securing players I will fear the worse for next season.
if we got 6 or 7 trialists coming to us, i doubt they will be experienced players. they will want to have a club asap not wait until 30th of june then have a trial which they may not even get selected. i think all 6 or 7 trialists may be youths.
