Blues boss Paul Hurst says even owner Marcus Evans was surprised by the changes made to the squad over the summer with 12 players having come in, while Martyn Waghorn, Adam Webster and Joe Garner were among last season's regulars to depart, the likes of David McGoldrick and Luke Hyam having moved on at the end of last season.

New loanees Jordan Graham, Jon Walters and Matthew Pennington came in last week ahead of Friday’s loan deadline, while Tristan Nydam (St Johnstone), Luke Woolfenden (Swindon), Ben Morris (Forest Green) and Josh Emmanuel (Shrewsbury) moved out on loan to gain experience with Chris Smith (Aldershot), Pat Webber (Braintree) and Aaron Drinan (Sutton) all already on loan.

“We can concentrate on the squad we have going forward now until January,” Hurst told the club site.

“I can remember talking to Marcus and saying what I was hoping to do and I think he was quite shocked and was thinking, ‘that is for another time’.

“It’s about me wanting to put my stamp on things I guess and we have done more than what he first thought.

“Whenever there has been a possibility we have looked at it and it has been a busy time. Certainly outgoing, it has provided the most opportunities for players to go out on loan that I’ve been involved with and I think Marcus felt the same and we took advantage of that where we felt it was right.”

Hurst could yet make one further addition to his squad with former West Ham central defender James Collins having joined the squad for training yesterday, as TWTD revealed.

According to some reports today, another of the Welshman’s previous clubs, Aston Villa, could also show interest in the free agent.

Photo: TWTD

Bluearmy_81 added 17:13 - Sep 5 Surprised by how much sales surplus he managed to pocket this time...
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Wickets added 17:27 - Sep 5 I will be surprised if we can afford Collins with Villa interested !
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blueboy1981 added 17:28 - Sep 5 .......... let's hope you both know what you're doing..... !! The only way is UP - has to be the belief.
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blueboy1981 added 17:31 - Sep 5 ....... we advertise who we are interested in - then drag our feet in getting a deal over the line. Scrooge surfaces all to often at critical times .... !! - and will continue to under Evans.
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dannye added 17:38 - Sep 5 I have it on good authority that Evans was far from convinced regarding the number of league 1 players brought in and particularly some of the latter ones ( probably why it took a while to bring Nolan and nsala in). However Hurst has been given the benefit of the doubt and I hope that we stick by him. I am actually impressed by those two players and despite a shocking performance in 1st half against Norwich it got better. I am still in pro Hurst camp and think when we get the first win it could snowball. I hope my first sentence doesn't mean the owner is able to say I told you so in 3m time!

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runningout added 17:54 - Sep 5 I think a player like Collins is a must. That's why it won't happen, eliminating any chance of promotion
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Wickets added 18:02 - Sep 5 i'm right in the give Hurst a chance camp and hope everything gonna be ok but promotion runningout !!
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carsey added 18:09 - Sep 5 Whatever happens no one can accuse Evans of not letting the manager manage. Personally I wish he had stepped in over Waghorn and said we aren't selling him but he didn't so it's now up to Hurst to show he knows what he's doing.
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Bergholtblue added 18:13 - Sep 5 @ runningout Promotion? I'll be thankful if we just stay up !!!
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Skip73 added 18:14 - Sep 5 Anybody talking about promotion needs their head testing!
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therein61 added 18:26 - Sep 5 We have a new manager(much needed!! after 5 1/2 wasted years) who is putting his own stamp on the club he is an honest man who wants the fans onside(not foul mouth them at every interview) to take the club forward he has his ideas and will stand or fall by them in what is a(big!!) transitional change at Portman Road, we as fans should get behind him and give it our all as are the players who have worked like hell in every game(Exeter excluded I thought Mick was back) I personally think this guy will come good he has recognised the mistakes he has made(no arrogance makes a refreshing change!!) but id determined to get it right

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AYACCA added 18:52 - Sep 5 Let's be honest, there is a real possibility of going down. I think we have changed too much too quick and still trying to find our feet. we have unproven players and manager at this level and we really don't know if they can all step up. Let's hope they do Asap
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Carl2588 added 19:19 - Sep 5 Collins would be a great addition however I can never see Marcus Evans footing the wage bill for him.
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Swn98 added 19:28 - Sep 5 therein61 Give it a rest we will see how good the changes have been come December. Foul mouthed absolute rubbish unless your a snowflake.
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runningout added 19:32 - Sep 5 Pointless being around if you don't aim high, then higher. That's the way I roll. Realise club has new faces, but if they work well as one there's no other teams to be bothered about
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afcfee added 19:32 - Sep 5 Can't wait for next transfer Windows still a few bits of dead wood to shift
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Lathers added 20:01 - Sep 5 Shame we couldn't have integrated 4/5 new players in to the old squad (minus dead wood). Didn't need to sell Waghorn and that money hasn't been reinvested. Selling our best players, replace with unproven lower league talent and hope to be better? Next season... EAT, SLEEP AND REPEAT. Not a sustainable model. I don't blame Hurst who is doing it the only way he knows, but atm Evans must be loving the balance sheet. If we want Collins on a short term deal and lose him over wages then we may as well pack up and go home.

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Dissboyitfc added 20:04 - Sep 5 Thing is blueboy1981 I don't think we really know happened there in all honesty. But listening to what hurst had to say about transfer prices I think Hurst probably told Evans what to pay. Hurst felt Jackson was worth the 1.65 mil and Evans stumped up for that. Me personally I would rather he was playing more of our own players (youngsters). I feel there has been too many signings!

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dirtydingusmagee added 20:07 - Sep 5 well Hurst has nailed his colour's to the mast, .Big gamble to make the changes he has in first weeks of his reign. He obviously believes he can pull it off, i have my doubts, but time will tell ,hope my doubts prove to be wrong , .We need some results to convince me still.
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dirtydingusmagee added 20:09 - Sep 5 whats happened to Milne ? no pearls of wisdom from him these days ?
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terryf added 20:22 - Sep 5 The likes of Waghorn, Garner, Webster and McGoldrick all wanted to go. Therfore what's the point of saying we should have held on to Waghorn when he's on probably on £50K plus per week at Derby. This season is a transitional one and I think given time we will have a decent Team. A lot of changes I agree but I think Hurst has quickly realised that a few old heads and leaders in the mix will help the younger players. Shame we didn't get Tilt in as I liked the look of him. Who knows maybe January something will happen there.

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GFH added 20:58 - Sep 5 I like Paul Hurst and his attitude and I sincerely hope it all works out. What concerns me is the amount of loan players we are bringing in, we've been down that route before 5 years ago until Mick came in and sorted it out. Young loan players wanting to impress is fine but older ones in my opinion use it as an opportunity to pick up a pay cheque and be a little bit closer to the end of their career. I wonder if at all Paul is now regretting the sale of Waggy and Garner, I personally would have liked to see them stay a little longer.

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herfie added 21:31 - Sep 5 By no means wishing to be negative, and desperately wanting PH to succeed, I find some of his comments a tad concerning. I wonder whether wanting - understandably - to put his own stamp on the squad, and imposing the style of football he wants to play, he hasn't underestimated the toughness of the C'ship, and the challenge of winning games, and gaining points, whilst trying to manage a major revolution. ME might feel the same - hence bringing in a bit more experience. In truth we're now embarked on a journey where the final destination is unknown; it will become clearer as the games go by, and start to show whether PH's drastic change of direction is going to work. Personally, holding our own and retaining C'ship status will be a sound outcome.

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bobble added 22:26 - Sep 5 the big quick changes have probably cost us at least 6pts but we will get better, lets hope those 6 pts are not important..
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Dog added 23:01 - Sep 5 Afcfee - agree with you on the dead wood. Nolan out of his depth. Roberts rubbish. Graham - we thought he could do better but he couldn't. A lot of fans bang on about skuse and chambers being rubbish but in this team of misfits they will look like the star players. Hurst is an eejit. The football on sunday was hoofball. No youngsters anywhere near the team and full of loan players. This is not what we signed up for. Hull away is a massive game which we have to win.

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