Why we should have total confidence in Peterborough United doing great business in transfer windows

​The instant approval of new players by supporters who have never seen the newbie in action is always amusing to behold.

The anger directed at clubs who haven’t made any signings even though there is still five weeks before the start of a new campaign always baffles me.

Social media is awash with experts who know everything about every player in the country.

But how many Posh fans had even heard of Abraham Odoh, Chris Conn-Clarke and George Nevitt before they signed on at London Road this summer?

I know I hadn’t, but then I hadn’t heard of Archie Collins or Hector Kyprianou either until they pitched up at Posh.

Signing players from Harrogate, Altrincham and Rochdale usually causes mere ripples of interest rather than waves of great expectations, but when Posh are the buyers the feelings should be different.

I would take less notice of the size of the selling club and be more interested in the clubs who also tried to sign the players. Not all of them will be made up by imaginative ‘journalists.’

In Conn-Clarke’s case that meant Ipswich and Portsmouth among others. Nevett was also reportedly of interest to Premier League Ipswich, as well as a handful of Championship clubs.

And yet they chose to come to Posh so credit to the club’s scouting team for finding these potential gems, but also applaud the manager for giving them first-team opportunities as Nevett and Conn-Clarke would probably have looked at the rapid progression of players like Ronnie Edwards and George Boyd, two other recruits from non-league, and picked London Road as their ideal destination.

Last season’s Posh team, by common consent one of the most entertaining and classy line-ups in the club’s history, included two players signed from Barnet, two from Exeter City, one from Colchester, one from Leyton Orient and two who were homegrown in the Academy.

That sort of record and reputation should ensure the conveyor belt keeps ticking over for years to come.

Quality over quantity should always be the priority. Former Posh boss Steve Evans has signed eight new players for Rotherham United already this summer.

There are some worthy players among them, but would you want any of them to be playing for Posh next season?

With the exception of Johnson Clarke-Harris, for sentimental reasons, my answer would be a resounding ‘no’.

Of course Posh need to find a couple of centre-backs and a left-back before the new season starts, but I would be amazed if they are not already lined up for a 7pm announcement in the coming days.

I have full confidence in the Posh scouting network and the negotiating skills of chairman Darragh MacAnthony and director of football Barry Fry.

I just wish Fry was ungagged and free to talk to me in transfer windows again. I miss the hype, the speculation and his sheer amusement, and disbelief, at some of the valuations of current Posh players.