2019/20
Hit – Tayo Edun / Anthony Scully
Miss – Tyreece John-Jules
Window Rating – 7/10
This was a big window for City – Appleton’s first and a chance to have a major clear out. He did just that; 11 players came in and seven left. Seven of our new signings were permanent transfers, with one (Charlie Andrews) not making an appearance but remaining on the coaching staff to this day. We signed Tayo Edun and Anthony Scully, and it is hard to separate them in terms of success. Both contributed to our play-off final appearance a season later, and between them, if all the add-ons are hit, they’ll have netted the club a seven-figure sum. That puts them ahead of Tom Hopper, who arrived in the same window and has since become club captain.
To be fair, you might not have spotted Tayo as a big signing at the time; he was sent off against Gillingham and spent the last part of the season vying with Max Melbourne for the left-back slot. Remember, the season was also cut short, so the new faces only got a month or so before it all wound up.
The early curtailment is why it seems harsh picking a loan player as a miss. In truth, none of the loads shone – TJ Eyoma didn’t get a kick, Conor Coventry looked lightweight and a bit lost, and despite a goal on his debut, John-Jules never looked like replacing Tyler Walker, which was the intention. I’ve gone for John-Jules because he had a couple of stinkers, missed a great opportunity against Southend in one of the season’s low points, and then got injured, ending his stay early. Had he been a success, we might have been in a better position to attract a top attacker a few months later.
Oh, wait, we did, Brennan Johnson…