Clarets set for big squad

Last updated : 20 May 2005 By Tony Scholes

Sheffield United's Nick Montgomery - one of the many players set to sign for us according to rumour
Bournemouth’s Wade Elliott and Garreth O’Connor agreed deals on Monday to take the number of professionals to eleven but if rumours are to believed the squad should very soon be more than double that.

According to some sources we have already signed midfielders Kenny Lunt from Crewe, Sheffield United’s Nick Montgomery, Jordan Stewart of Leicester and a third Bournemouth player in John Spicer.

To add to that defenders Wayne Thomas from Stoke, Birmingham’s Martin Taylor are on their way along with Gary Cahill who will be re-joining us on loan whilst we haven’t missed the forwards where Ade Akinbiyi will have a choice of partners next season including Swindon’s Sam Parkin, Steve Howard from Luton, Martin Devaney and Chris Greenacre from Steve’s old clubs Cheltenham and Stoke as well as former Claret Gareth Taylor who apparently is on his way back from relegated Forest.

That would give us a squad of 23 players so throw a couple of Germans in and we are going to have one of the biggest squads in the country.

I somehow don’t imagine all of those players will be anywhere near Turf Moor when we kick off next season although there is every chance that some of them will be. And Steve Cotterill was telling us that we might have a smaller squad next season.