EFL Extra: Championship clubs splash the cash

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1:19Hello and welcome to the Game Football Podcast from The Times. This is our EFL Extra show. Every two weeks you've got me, Tom Clark, and the former Football League defender, Gregor Robertson, bringing you our views on the latest action and news in the Championship, League One and League Two. On today's show, we'll wrap up some of the big spending in the Championship at the end of the transfer window and take a look back at the action on the pitch before the international break kicked in. Gregor, we're absolutely flying along in the Football League, four games gone in the Championship and six in the two leagues below.

1:53But before we get into the action, let's talk transfers. Now, we knew they would spend big, but Wrexham ending the window with a flourish, signing Coventry midfielder Ben Sheaf and Blackburn's defender Dom Hyam. Both big signings at the championship level. They also brought in Manchester City defender Issa Kabore on a season-long loan. That means if my maths is right, and it's never been a strong suit of mine, so do correct me on this one, but I'm pretty sure that makes 13 players added to the squad that came up from League One with a total outlay of around£30 million. Right up there in terms of one of the biggest spenders in the league.

2:31In terms of the money they've spent, they're only third behind Ipswich and Southampton who obviously came down from the Premier League and they recouped no money from sales which means that their net spend of£29.2 million is what many people are reporting is the biggest of any club in the league. It's quite a statement, Gregor. We knew it would come, didn't we? And I wonder whether their difficult start to the season, they picked up a win against Millwall on the 30th of August, but maybe that tricky start to the season that saw them lose some games quite closely, maybe push the owners into spending a little bit more money and making some slightly bigger signings than perhaps they were intending in the first place.

3:10What do you reckon? That's certainly the look. Their transfer window and spending gathered momentum as the window progressed. So, you know, for example, he's saying Josh Windass on a free, which was a smart pickup from Refuel Wednesday. Ryan Hardy, who did well last season for Plymouth Argyle up front. And then by later on, they're signing Nathan Broadhead. You know, Kiefer Moore, like big players of kind of greater stature and also much more expensive. Hugely, hugely ambitious. And yeah, as you say, it just kind of matches what we kind of expected. but it took a little while to pick up as I say someone like Callum Doyle there's also players that you think I'm not necessarily sure he would have been attracted to joining Wrexham, Wrexham are clearly the Hollywood story there's a whole other side, a whole other aspect and sort of narrative to join in that football club and obviously they're going to be paying very good money now but still, someone like Callum Doyle has had some loans at the biggest teams in the chat, some of the biggest teams outside the Premier League, he comes from Manchester City he's got a huge, you know huge reputation, left-footed, young English defender.

4:18He plumped for Wrexham and Sheffield United were sniffing around as well. So it does tell you something about the attraction of joining Wrexham now, which is remarkable after where they were four years ago. And in terms of the signings like Sheaf and Haim as well, they're not like superstar signings in some respects. You're talking about Hollywood, but they're very, very solid signings, aren't they? and I wonder whether that speaks as well to some of those games you know they were leading against Southampton concede late goals West Brom they lost 3-2 whether it's just that acknowledgement that as solid as they were in League One and you know this Phil Parkinson success has been built on them being very solid and you know finding ways to win games that actually they've realised oh we need to go again and add the same type of player but at a higher level what do you reckon to that?

5:05Yeah no absolutely there's no superstars among them even though Kiefer Moore is like an international for Wales Lewis O 'Brien earned a big move to Forest, played in the MLS played for other championship clubs as I say Callum Doyle is a really big prospect, Broadhead is probably the closest he get but he didn't really he was injured for a good part of Ipswich's season in the Premier League, he did really well in the season they were promoted and it was a lot of money for a player of his age with his injury records but he's not a superstar, there's no superstar and Connor Cody is another one with a huge a big kind of reputation and a successful career England International not so long ago but he's not a superstar that's not the approach that Rexima has been taking, it's not really in keeping with the whole story that either the owners are trying to tell from the off about a former mining town in Wales and trying to pick it up and bring it into brighter days through the football club or the kind of story that Phil Parkinson has been as kind of as told as well since he joined the club which is about being really hard to play against and nasty and direct and in your face and all those things and it doesn't look like it's going to change that much if you looked at if you look at Kiefer Moore's goal from the weekend for example against Millwall like it was one of the bravest headers you will ever see he's got smashed by the goalkeeper like stuck his nose out of joint in the process but they're going to fire balls on Dickie Vermeer's head all season long.

6:42And I think there'll be more goals like that. Yeah, especially if, as you say, that gets them the result, which it has done in the past. Just some other stats on the spending. As I say there, Ipswich and Southampton both spending around£45 million, but both teams recouping a lot of money with sales. Ipswich bringing in£77 million of sales and Southampton bringing in£123.5 million of sales, which is absolutely remarkable. I've got to say, some of the money going around these championship clubs is huge. Norwich in fourth behind Wrexham when it comes to money spent with around£25 million and then Birmingham, Sheffield United and Swansea all below them with£10 to£8 million spent.

7:23We're going to talk about some of those clubs in a second in terms of performances on the pitch but Gregor, any other transfer-related spending or sales that caught your eye as the window closed? Ipswich, that was eye-catching. There's no doubt about that. they broke the championship record with the signing of a 19 year old Danish forward from Norgisland for 17.5 million St Casey McIntyre for 12 million from Leicester Marcelino Nunes from Norwich controversially for 10 million they went pretty big at the end too because they're winless, it's not been the season we anticipated so far for them and then Southampton made two really really good sign-ins at the championship level before the window closed in terms of Tom Fellows from West Brom 10 million again that's a lot of money but he is one of the best players in the league and Fendizaz for 12 million from Middlesbrough who is also one of the most creative and racks up great numbers in terms of assists and chance creation every single season other one that I was really impressed by was Patrick Roberts from Sunderland to Birmingham on deadline day that was a really good pick up he's never quite hit it he's been at big clubs who have been Premier League clubs and just not quite managed to and Sunderland as we know spent over like 150 million quid since they've been promoted it's like Rexham on the next level it's like everyone who gets you there there's no loyalty in football they're on to the next level the chop and change is absolutely ruthless isn't it Birmingham actually haven't been quite as ruthless as we might have thought but they have made some good signings and Roberts was certainly one of them.

9:02So, yeah, also a big part of this kind of conversation now, I think we could come on to that with Middlesbrough, is the players who didn't move on. Yes. Middlesbrough in particular, keeping a hold of Aidan Hackney could change the season. Yeah, absolutely. Well, let's talk about Middlesbrough. That's the perfect link there, Gregor. I was going to use Finna Zaz because I was speaking to a Middlesbrough fan who works on the Times floor and he was saying, don't even mind if Finna Zaz has left. I was going hang on a minute me and Gregor were talking about Finnaz as one of the best players in the league last season but it's all fine for Millsbury they don't care if he's left because as you say Gregor they've kept Hayden Hackney and they are top of the league four wins from four making us and our season preview predictions looking a bit stupid already a long way to go of course Millsbury fans but it's been a great start for Rob Edwards Brilliant I mean it's the best start to a season since 1994 when Brian Robson was the manager and that ended in promotion to the Premier League so it has been a brilliant start they're the only you know only 100 % record in the league and as I say the last kind of week has been quite tumultuous for them there was interest I believe and reports said from West Ham and Everton and Hayden Hackney Ipswich made a bid earlier in the window and he turned that down but keeping Hackney Hackney's the one who makes them tick like Finnaz as I said racks up great numbers every season but Hackney has kind of blossomed into one of the most talented players in the league there was interest from FC Porto last I think it was in January he's a Premier League player so I think they'll get one more season out of him unless they make it to the Premier League themselves and also signing Sverre Naipan from Manchester City who I think we mentioned in the last pod 18 year old with a huge reputation it'd be really intriguing to see how quickly he can get kind of into the team and acclimatise to the division you wonder whether that's kind of why they're alright with the Azaz taking money for the Azaz thing thinking we've not got money for Hackney maybe balance the books a little bit let's put our faith in this wonder kid there's a lot of pressure on him at the championship level isn't it no I mean it certainly will have played a part another really good smart saying I think was Smart Target from Newcastle who's been a brilliant player at the level and has a lot of Premier League games under his belt he got an assist in the 1-0 win at the weekend so yeah I wouldn't get carried away with Midlifton yet personally I think like if you look at the underlying numbers they're like 16th on the XG table in the league they're like they're not racking up loads and loads of chances it's not like Michael Carrick's team although that clearly didn't work either you know the data lied for you know for a long while under Michael Carrick they were always one of the most dominant you know most kind of progressive and biggest chance creating teams in the division but it didn't work ultimately this is an effective team with the best defence in the league so far Swansea's been really good too but so far they've conceded one goal in four games and that was an 85th minute Josh Sargent goal when they were 2-0 up already against Norwich so this has been built on defence.

12:17Interesting too just finally you know Tommy Conway someone as well I think I said in the last show he scored a couple of goals I wouldn't back him to be scoring the goals that to take them up he's had a good start but they've also signed spent 6.5 millions, that's a lot of money for Middlesbrough on David Strelick a 24 year old striker from Slovan Bratislava so I think they're acknowledging that signing, they need more firepower they need a bit more at the top end of the pitch but hugely positive start for Rob Edwards considering probably the bit of doubt that followed his arrival after the way his time at Luton ended and following Michael Carrick who promised so much and kind of failed to deliver and that's been the story of Middlesbrough's seasons for quite a long time now.

13:08Yeah, Conway definitely keeping that picture of Gregor Robertson above his locker on the dark board in the changing rooms yeah, with the dark board I am going to show you I can take Middlesbrough to promotion. West Brom and Stoke in second and third just behind Middlesbrough keeping their decent starts to the season going. We mentioned them on the last show a couple of weeks ago. So let's look at the teams in fourth and fifth. Leicester City with nine points currently in fourth. And Coventry, Greg, are you talking about Middlesbrough not scoring a lot of goals? Coventry have got all the bloody goals.

13:3814 so far in four games. They've also conceded six. It's been an absolutely bonkers start to the season for Frank Lampard's side. Yeah, I mean, insane. 14 goals from 7.7 XG. I mean a lot of that was to do with the 7-1 win against QPR a couple of weeks back which was some goals from 1.27 xG that's like almost unheard of and if you watched the goals back from that game you could see why they were some absolute beauties like Victor Torp has been scoring some worldies this season already but you look at their firepower and we did see this at the start of the season Hadji Wright, Ellis Sims Thomas Asante, Mason Clark Mark Sakamoto, Jack Rudoni and Victor Torpy's got four goals already into the mix there from midfield.

14:25They've got so much firepower, so much pace and dynamism going forward. Maybe a bit light in midfield given that they've lost Schaaf as we said. They've been a huge player for them for a number of years now. But they probably should have beaten Oxford for the weekend. It's been a really positive start for Frank Lampard and Coventry. and a hugely positive moment in their history with the completion of their purchase of the stadium, the Rika Arena because this saga has been two decades long. It's involved them being uprooted from their home twice, excelled at Northampton and Birmingham, tenants to Wasp Rugby, tenants to Mike Ashley's Fraser Group most recently and it's just been a massive weight around their neck for so, so long.

15:20So that moment was announced and they won 7-1 on the day that everyone kind of flocked to the stadium to celebrate the fact that it was theirs. And it shouldn't underplay that. Even the players actually, in the way they celebrated the goals, referenced a goal scored by, and a celebration by Kloss Jorgensen. the first goal scored at the stadium 20 years ago, which was like a bouncy skip. And you kind of watch that, you know, what's going on here? So they all celebrated in the same way as Klaus Jorgensen did when that first happened. So you can clearly see it even means something to them. And sort of, you know, all the things we talk about, about how much it is important to generate revenue through your stadium and stuff, all these things have been something that Coventry haven't been able to rely upon.

16:11so not only do they have a stable, reliable owner they have their own home again it's a massive, massive moment for them and the positivity as well and those kind of jokey celebrations hint at a real togetherness in the group doesn't it as well which I'm presumably it's full credit to Frank Lampard for that we've talked on this show about his ability to bring the kind of positive vibes to the team and things do you see because I mean I've had my doubts I thought last season it was a bit of a maybe flash in a pan bit of a charge bit about momentum towards the playoffs. Do you see them as competing up there?

16:45I mean, we're going to talk about Leicester in a second, who obviously came down from the Premier League and have had a very solid start. Do you see Coventry being able to be up there? You've talked about their attacking talents and the potential that they've got. Do you see them be able to stick up there? My gut instinct is yes. I think that a lot of this will rely upon how the parachute payment clubs kind of acclimatise and basically whether they're going to be 1-2-3 or not. I think it does come down to that Coventry are one of the best of the rest in the league now and as I say their firepower is extraordinary and keeping hold of Van Uick as well was big there was a lot of interest in him same Bobby Thomas and that's two of their most important defenders Grimes as well was a huge signing for them in January and kind of makes them tick so despite the loss of Sheaf that kind of as I say they're a bit light on numbers there but they still have Grimed and Torp there who are two really good players at the level I think so I think they're one of the best of the rest of the teams who are not relegated from the Premier League and if you're one of those teams then you're going to have a chance and as I say it could depend on whether Leicester have a points deduction whether they can they're going to be as dominant as some of the other teams who've been relegated in recent years.

18:12Only time will tell, but I think Ongi are going to be right up there. Yeah, and Leicester, of course, picking up a big win, a bit of a statement win, I would say, for all the people like myself who believe Birmingham were going to come up to the championship and blow everyone away. Leicester picking up a win last Friday, 2-0 at home against Birmingham. Greg, you touched on them there, obviously mentioning that potential points deduction. What have you made to their start to the season so far? Nine from four. Not a bad start. Yeah, I mean, it was a shaky start. They scored a late winner against Jeffy Wednesday, who were in crisis on opening day.

18:47Lost 2-1 against Preston after that in their second game. And when you look a couple of weeks down the line now and they've beaten Charlton and a really good win against Birmingham, as you say, you can look back and think, that's maybe fair enough. Marti Sifuentes joined Leicester on July 15th. I think that's 36 days before the start of the season didn't have many pre-season games, didn't have longer the players I think they shipped out 11 senior professionals and they've not really signed many so I think that's kind of understandable but now you're starting to see the shape of a team that is undoubtedly good enough to compete at the top end of the table Abdul Fatou has been on fire, his goal to kick off for the opener against Birmingham was an absolute beauty, so sharp and then Jeremy Monga who turned 16 like a month or two ago is just an absolute star he's extraordinary the way he came on he comes on and he just influences the game, he scored against Preston came on in this one he's so sharp, it's extraordinary set up the second against Birmingham he's going to have a major say in their season and they've got a lot of talent in the wingers basically Mavididi, Fatou, Monga skipping Sumari in midfield I think it's a bit thin on the ground because of their financial troubles but that team, as we said at the start is good enough to compete so yeah, a big improvement in the last couple of weeks for Leicester Absolutely positive signs for Leicester going forward as I say mentioned Coventry as well Bristol City completing those playoff places in 6th then behind them Swansea, Portsmouth Preston and Birmingham all on 7 points.

20:40If you've got views on a team in the top half of the championship table do get in touch with me before the next EFL show tom.clock at thetime.co.uk Gregor we finish part 1 with the team at the bottom of the championship the only team without a point Ruben Sellers, Sheffield United we've mentioned them on the last show that it had been a difficult start and it's continued for them on the pitch. Two 1-0 defeats since we last spoke, one against Millsborough, the other against Millwall. We talked about some of the teams making signings near the end of the deadline. Sheffield United looking to remedy this terrible start with a lot of experience, the likes of Danny Ings being brought into the team.

21:19Will it be enough? We've said already, you said at the start of the season, Ruben Sellers is a bit of an odd fit for a club like Sheffield United, a club that came so, so, so agonisingly close to promotion last season. It's been a terrible start. As I say, they've made signings. It's a big couple of weeks, this international break, isn't it, for him to try and turn it around? Sure is, yeah. I mean, their worst start outside the top flight since 1995, one goal in four games. When you look at the team on paper, that's nowhere near good enough. They're ranked fourth in the division for you know in sheer possession but 22nd in the league for shots on target like they're just they've tried to obviously Ruben Sales has tried to pivot to a very different style of play and that's what made them an ill fit it's not just you know because he's Ruben Sales it's because what he's followed and the squad he inherited and how much it was built around Chris Wilder then Paul Heckenbottom then Chris Wilder again like it's being a clear profile of player and that's kind of largely British and sort of experience of the domestic game and the championship and you know very much in your face, industrious a lot of things that made him successful and he's tried to change a lot in a short space of time so he does deserve time and as you say they have signed 13 players now in the transfer window and some of them look like they should be promising Jaffa Tanganga you know started started his career at Spurs done really well at Millwall Che Agbeni who if he can stay fit is a good Louis Barry Taith Chong Ben Godfrey like he's he he was obviously Everton went to Atlanta Ben me and Danny Ings I'm slightly less you know there are a few there's a couple you do wonder whether the championship is now even more like the Premier League you know you've just talked about the 16 year old at Leicester and things I'm thinking are we are we is signing Ben Mee and Danny Ings a bit like championship 2015 not 2025 do you know what I mean like you kind of sign these players give the experience and think oh well they're so good for this level they'll blow everyone away and you're like I don't work like that in the championship anymore yeah I mean that's that's that's the kind of uh that's instinctively what you feel and like there's a bit of reeks of desperation actually I mean I'm not sure they would have signed those players if they hadn't been in the predicament they are and they didn't have to move out a few players to maybe change the atmosphere and there's also another aspect to this which is a handful of recruits that reek of the kind of data led data influence vision that a part of their ownership have for Sheffield United's future like players from Bulgaria like Portugal's kind of lower leagues Sweden and none of them are making an impact and it don't look like they're going to either so there's a bit of friction there as well it's just remarkable how you know, there was a takeover, that felt like a really positive moment after the calamity of Prince Abdullah Chris Welder such a connection to the club, so close to the Premier League and it's completely fallen apart in the space of a few weeks, a few months but I would say still after that turnover and given the context of what he inherited and how much he was brought in to be that change, Ruben Sayles deserves a bit more time.

24:57Well, you can see if he will get it. He's certainly under pressure. Loads of interesting talking points already in the Championship. Only four games gone. We're going to take a quick break. When we'll be back, we'll talk about League One and League Two. Greg, I found you a little quiz question, just to keep you on your toes. Which side have dropped more points from winning positions than any other in League One this season. You have a think about it, and we'll be back after the break.

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27:08Unfortunately, for the first time maybe in the history of the game podcast, Gregor Robinson did not have the answer. Which side have dropped more points from winning positions than any in League One this season? According to Opta, the answer is Stockport County. They are currently sat in eighth in League One. We'll be discussing two teams, either side of them in the table. But just before we crack on, a quick reminder for you. We were delighted to discover a few weeks ago that the game had been nominated for a British Podcast Award in the sport category. But there is also a Listener's Choice Award too, which is voted for by you.

27:44So if you'd like to cast your vote for me, Gregor and the team, go to the British Podcast Awards website and click on the Listener's Choice tab and give us your vote by September the 8th. Oh, and yeah, Mum, if you are listening, make sure you can only vote once. So you need to get Sandra, Josie, Caroline and all the girls involved too. Now, back to the show, Gregor as well. make sure you tell your mate to get your mum involved we need to get all the votes we possibly can you're going to be there in your nice suit we need to make sure you've got something to bring home with you to add to all those many trophies that you won during your playing career and Gregor I mentioned Stockport there let's talk they were a side that I said and tipped to be near the top of the league one table at the start of the season a team that I wasn't fully convinced about I said I wasn't sure that they were going to immediately hit the ground running was Cardiff City shows what I know currently top of League 1 with 5 wins from 6 games just ahead of Stevenage who we mentioned on last time's show but it's a great start for Cardiff Remarkable, I mean a start that no one, not even Cardiff City fans could have envisaged Thanks, that makes me feel a little bit better about my stupid chat They were in a mess they've been in a mess for a long time they still feel that well Vincent Tan's the owner there's a chance they'll return to that mess but in Brian Barry Murphy they have a manager whose imprint on the team has been instant and pretty remarkable completely dominant in every single game they've played they've not conceded a goal for nine hours and they've got their teams made up basically of academy graduates it's extraordinary so yeah I mean they've signed two players they've signed Nathan Trott in goal who has been really good actually from Copenhagen started at West Ham and then just before the window closed he signed a big side Gabriel Osho from Oxair but he's a lot of listeners might know him from his time at Luton good defender played for Barry Murphy during a loan to Rochdale when he was younger so I think that was a big part of the kind of attraction returning to work with him but otherwise yeah like they lost 11 senior pros over the summer they're back 4 for almost the entire season consisted of 3 players who have come through their academy Reuben Colwell in midfield is just pulling the strings and looks like an absolute star, so classy such brilliant movement and touch and kind of guile, all those things definitely a player who shouldn't be playing in League 1 so a really really really positive start and he's also been kind of impressive in the ways that the few kind of senior pros he has kept around like Chris Willock he's been able to keep them sort of invested and integrated in the team so yeah it's been an outstanding start for Cardiff and actually given their sort of the way how dominant they look and particularly at home and the atmosphere this building it looks like it looks like they'll be the team to stop the season.

31:02Yeah, could well be a runaway train already. Stevenage and Bradford, two teams we mentioned on the last show, still continuing their excellent starts to the season. In second and third in League One, Barnsley, Doncaster and Huddersfield completing the playoff picture currently as we stand. Now Cardiff, as we mentioned already, one of their big standout performances of the season came just before the international break with a 4-0 win against Plymouth. Now Plymouth are a side we have already mentioned on the show but their woes have continued with Tom Cleverley at the helm. You know, currently in the relegation places Greg, this is as much as we necessarily weren't expecting Cardiff to start the season in this manner.

31:42We didn't have high, high hopes for Plymouth but we didn't expect them to be down there, did we? No, I mean the overhaul was pretty huge. I think it's 15 signings by the end of the window closing might be corrected one up or down on that because there was another couple on deadline day one of the more recent was Laurent Tola from Port Vale cost a 1.2 million been really good for Port Vale really impressive strikers that are quite bullish but yeah one win so far and Tom Cleverley already had the sort of backing of the board which was I think shortly after our last show and it's not got any better since then so it's been yeah it's just pretty extraordinary when you think about it that the two teams this was you look at this fixture at the start of the season and you think it should be between two teams one one of whom will probably be challenging for a promotion and the other given everything that's gone on a bit less certain and it's completely flipped on its head and one of them signed 15 players and one signed two they've both got new managers like clearly Cardiff City had a really really kind of fruitful academy me to call upon and that's been a big part probably a big reason why Brian Barry Murphy was hired because of his background with Manchester City's elite development squad but still like it just shows you in football you can't make that's why predictions are for mugs because you know it's not all about signings, it's not all about money and investment, it's about good coaching and sometimes you know young talent coming through as well predictions are for mugs I might get you that on a coffee mug actually just because of you how much you hate predictions maybe there's a little Christmas present in there for you somewhere I'll try and make a note of that for future shows to come as I say Plymouth currently in 21st Wycombe Portvale and Peterborough currently below them in the league one table they'll all be yeah I mean you did I'll give you this you did say Peterborough in the season preview you said I don't I don't see it every year Peter Brewer are like up there they make some signings they've got young players they managed to pinch players from League Two you said you didn't see it but this is a stinker of a stuff yeah I mean yeah the thing the reason why the reason it made me doubt them in the summer was that it's rare that they lose so many players like of their their players of value in once in one summer you know it's usually kind of a bit more staggered and also they lost some of them on free transfer so there wasn't even that money to sort of reinvest like just to recap Manuel Fernandes to Rangers Kwame Poku to QPR Malik Mothersiel to Anteo Eden to Stalkport Ricky J.

34:26Jones to St. Pauli in Germany Heter Kipriano to Watford like these were some big big players and yes Peterborough for so long have been masters of plucking players from non-league and you know academies and giving them a platform, this kind of unit caught up with them. They weren't able to sort of keep that wheel spinning, that wheel turning as fast as they lost those players. So it looks like it's going to be a really hard season for them. Yeah, a very difficult start for Peterborough and a couple of other sides in League One. We'll see if they can turn it around. Let's move in to League Two.

35:06One side who've had an absolutely brilliant start and Gregor, I'm bringing this up just so that I can say that I don't look like a complete idiot when it comes to football predictions because the only decent shout that I made in the preview show was that Gillingham would be contenders in League 2 currently sitting top of the table Gareth Ainsworth's side it's been a very effective and efficient start which is exactly what you would expect from this manager at this level Yeah, I mean, I've loved a 1-0 they beat Chesterfield 4-1 in a huge result a couple of weeks ago with 28 % of the ball the weekend's win against Oldham I watched the extended highlights and they were pummeled, like their goal was pummeled and Oldham couldn't make the breakthrough Sam Vokes comes off the bench at 8 minutes after he does so bangs on a header from a corner in the 71st minute 1-0 again so yeah three clean sheets in half their games but you know they've not had huge firepower, there have been a lot of low margin victories but that's what a lot of Wickham's I'm saying this because you kind of forecast and think probably they're not going to you know keep this going forever but a lot of Wickham's wins were like that a lot of their football was on those fine margins and they've also had statement wins as I said against Chesterfield and Crewe who are second and fourth in the league and two of the best footballing teams in the division it would appear so far so yeah Gareth Ainsworth the wild thing is kind of is doing his thing again and like if he does so it's it's been it's no mean feat because a lot of managers have tried since the since the takeover the US takeover a few years back and the investment that's been ploughed into the team you know they've rifled through managers with lots of different profiles and Gareth Ainsworth so far looks like he's been the first to be able to get them a consistent a consistent tune out of them Yeah I mean you talk there about stats and things and obviously that's incredibly important in the modern game we've obviously have access to all these statistics and things and fans refer to them on a big basis but when it comes to the start of the season we've talked about a big big you know spectrum of clubs here with lots of different situations some that have signed nobody some that have signed 15 players some that have started terribly some that have started brilliantly.

37:33as a former player at this stage of the season it is still very early isn't it you know I'm saying that we're six games in we're learning this etc etc but it is still very early so if you've got results and if you're getting results like that with 28 % possession or finding a way to win surely that is almost as important if not more important than it all clicking because surely that comes a little bit later doesn't it in terms of playing style and relationships on the pitch that's going to take a bit of time so if you're getting the points confidence and winning games that's more important at this stage of the season of course of course and yeah like I mean often it depends on who as you say it's half a dozen games it depends who you've had in the start they have had faced Walsall who were last season's beaten playoff finalists despite their kind of late collapse and are still going to be a strong team and as I say they've beaten Chesterfield and Cruz so they've not had an easy start either but getting that confidence I mean you think back to Portsmouth last season and how ridiculously hard their start to the season was and how it did have an impact on them in the first half of the season in the second half of the season they were transformed they managed to ride that out and face some more winnable opponents and then they got some more confidence and then they had a really positive end to the season so undoubtedly getting the points on the board is the most important thing but with Gareth Ainsworth it's like it's the the thing it's the only thing there's not like overarching philosophy there's none of that kind of stuff none of that talk everything is about being a team being a unit being like strong part of a really strong team spirit and playing effective football and so far it looks like that's working for Gillingham Yeah absolutely a couple of other teams with lots of points on the board that have made good starts Chesterfield in second followed by Bromley Crew Alexandra Gregor another one of your former clubs doing well as you predicted at the start of the season Swindon Town and Walsall and then MK Dons completing the promotion places in League 2 Gregor we'll leave it there for now loads more still to discuss and as I say always if you've got views on a team that maybe we've not mentioned or you disagree with something that we have said on the show do get in touch with me tom.clark at thetimes.co.uk just before we wrap it up a big shout out to fans of Truro City in the National League this coming weekend.

40:04One win from six so far after promotion to the top division of non-league this weekend. They travel all the way to Carlisle, a round trip of nearly 900 miles and 14 hours. Michael Grant, our Scottish football correspondent, has spoken to fans and written a lovely piece which you can read on the Times website later this week, so make sure you check it out. Truro fans will be cheering you on all the way. Gregor, thank you very much for joining me. As always, thank you too for listening. Please do make sure you go and vote on the British Podcast Awards website for the game podcast in the listener's choice category.

40:38And if you're off to a game this weekend, enjoy. We'll be back with more EFL analysis very soon. We'll see you then.

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