Town boss Mick McCarthy has hailed the attacking quality of his trio of late transfer window signings, Leon Best, Jonny Williams and Tom Lawrence.

Best signed a one-year deal with an option for a further season having joined the Blues on trial last week.

The Republic of Ireland international, who has been handed the number nine shirt vacated by Daryl Murphy, left Rotherham at the end of 2015/16 having initially been offered a new deal by Neil Warnock, terms which were subsequently withdrawn by his successor as manager, Alan Stubbs.

Williams, who will wear 21 during his third spell with the Blues, and Lawrence, who is currently away with the Wales squad ahead of their opening World Cup qualifier against Moldova in Cardiff on Monday, have signed on season-long loans from Crystal Palace and Leicester respectively.

“I’m delighted with the players we have brought in,” McCarthy told the club site. “There is real attacking quality there. Leon has played in the Premier League and has been a top striker throughout his career.

“It seems that he has been around for ages but he is still only 29. He knows this league. He scored against us for Rotherham last season and caused us problems and he gives us a physical presence up front.

“I don’t need to say too much about Jonny, do I! We all know his qualities and what a top player he is. We saw that again in the summer on the world stage with his performances for Wales in the Euros.

“He is getting over his injury and we are looking at the first week or two in October for him to be playing games hopefully, and I know he can’t wait to get going.

“Tom is an ex-Man United kid who played against us when he was on loan at Yeovil. He was playing on the left and cutting in and we’ve kept an eye on him from there.

“He’s technically a very good player, good on the ball, good delivery and he can play in a number of positions, including up front.

“He and Jordan Rhodes tore us apart for Blackburn last season and I have been trying to get him in for a while.”

Photo: TWTD

jpring89 added 14:38 - Sep 1 Looking forward to seeing all of them especially Leon Best hopefully shutting a few of you up. Well done Mick i think you have done well this transfer window.
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grim09 added 14:40 - Sep 1 There is some quality there for sure and we know Mick will get the best out of them. However without an obvious Murphy replacement the style of play will have to adapt quicker than maybe was planned. Good signings though and with Mick saying he will wait to January to get another striker hopefully we will be in amongst it and a signing will provide the boost we need - which was exactly what was missed last January. Murphy back on loan in 6 months then?

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12th_Man added 14:40 - Sep 1 Really Mick sell our best stricker and get in Varney and Best not what I would call delighted
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TimmyH added 14:41 - Sep 1 MM on Tom Lawrence: 'He can play in a number of positions' - he'll need to here MM on Leon Best: Leon has played in the Premier league and has been a top striker throughout his career - the clue here is the word 'has'...but won't judge him any further until we see him play. Williams is the player with quality we know of whilst the majority of other signings have potential. Certainly less hoofball in the equation with these signings.

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Mr_Evans added 14:46 - Sep 1 Okay we've let our main striker go without a direct replacement however, wasn't it Burnley a couple of years ago win the league and no single player scored more than 12 or 13 goals. And let's be serious, Murph was never going to get us 15+ goals this term. I like that we no longer have the 'big man' up top - albeit Pitmam is very good in the air for his height, and win most headers against Preston. Anyway... Sears, Pitman and Best all have the quality to score 10-12 goals each. McGoldrick will, hopefully, be back Christmas time too. I think Best has something to prove and Pitmas really has an opportunity to show us what he can do when he plays week in week out. Had a few great seasons at Bournemouth. Ward has shown he can score, and we also have the likes of Williams, Lawrence, Bish and Bru who will all chip in. When you look at our midfield and attack you can see that it is now filled with quick and technically skillful players. I'm quite excited to see how this team will fot together over the next few months. I think this window has set us up for good, quick and 'on the floor' football.

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Mr_Evans added 14:48 - Sep 1 Apologies - predictive text.
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TimmyH added 14:51 - Sep 1 I wonder how long it will take McCarthy to find his best starting 11?...the 1st half of last season he was chopping and changing the midfield like there was no tomorrow.
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bedsitfc added 14:52 - Sep 1 well done MM and I suppose ME Seriously happy with the deals done yes could do with another striker but I don't think it's overly necessary unless we get injuries Murphy should have been sold when we were offered 8 mil by boro I wanted him sold then, I do like him but also knew he wouldn't be able to repeat his 27 goal season. Best is capable of scoring loads
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NorseBlue added 14:53 - Sep 1 Really exciting signings to go with Ward earlier in the window (and Conor Grant who I haven't seen yet). Of course, we're all disappointed Mick didn't manage to get a striker through the doors last night, but it gives Pitman, Sears and now Best the chance to show us fans what they can do. With the quality on both wings and in midfield with Williams (come October), Grant, Ward, Lawrence and Bishop to support the strike-force, it should be an exciting few months to Christmas. Let's see if Mick can continue to play the passing game he was developing in pre-season and follow it through - a necessity now we don't have that big presence up front with Murphy. COYB!

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iaintaylorx added 14:55 - Sep 1 Best transfer window in many years for a town fan, which included keeping Bart! A few extra singings in January and it'll be great, steady progress.
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RobbieBobson added 15:07 - Sep 1 There was a good article in the Green'un today spelling out the cost of the transfer window signings and whilst there was no 'headline grabbing' transfer fee, I do believe that ME is reinvesting the money received from the big man's sale, with a little to spare for January, if we need it. On paper, we now have an abundance of technical ability in midfield that we have been lacking in recent seasons and it should allow the team to give us what we all want, and that's more progressive, attractive football. I think the key question here (as per TimmyH's post) is how long it will take for the new boys to gel and for Mick to find his best 11. If the football improves, and the results come in, then fed-up fans will start to come back. Remember too that we have recently taken on Webster, Ward and Grant so in total we have 6 quality new players, 50% of which are now ours. I am feeling much more positive for the future. COYB!

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bedsitfc added 15:13 - Sep 1 Hate to put a damp squid in here but I have 1 concern We now have great ball playing players that should do well for us going forward but could we be leaving ourselves a bit floppy under pressure from a good attacking team? MM will have to work his magic!!!
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grubbyoik added 15:19 - Sep 1 Never thought I'd see the day under McCarthy where we would have so many flare players and wide men.. There is speed and ability all over the final third.. And with this the style of play will change and you might just find a player like Douglas will benefit from this.. He scored 8 goals for Brentwood as their attacking midfielder when they played ball to feet...
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grubbyoik added 15:23 - Sep 1 Brentford even!
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yun added 15:27 - Sep 1 Best is a one-in-four striker, just as Murphy was when he came to Town. Let's hope MM & TC can work their magic once again.
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brian_a_mul added 15:46 - Sep 1 Well done MM and ITFC Its another Transfer window where we have improved the squad!!
3

hector_clifford added 16:13 - Sep 1 I wonder if Mick has given Best the number 9 shirt to try and do what he did for Murphy. It must be good for confidence to have that on your back. A good move.
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santiagomudez added 16:41 - Sep 1 Leon Best scored 4 in 16 for Rotheram (including 1 against us). I don't really understand the hostility. Grant Ward was in that team as well who was well recieved there and done well for us, no reason Best cannot either. Plus he has come in on a short term deal to possibly be the 4th choice striker in a team playing 4-3-3. That why I'm not too worried we have not paid over the odds for a striker this window as I believe Pitman/Sears/Didz/Best deserve a shot at replacing Murph. No recent calls for a new RB which I feel is more of a priority.

3

jas0999 added 17:43 - Sep 1 Best hasn't performed in the last couple of years and has had injuries. Williams is injured and out for four to six weeks. Little early to celebrate these new signings. Two loAns and a free isn't overly impressive. We may have bid for other players, but clearly not enough. Anyone can submit below value offers and then say they bid. I remain disappointed we sold a prize asset and haven't replaced. Realise it's an unpopular view, but nonetheless it's my opinion.

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Seasider added 18:38 - Sep 1 Hasn't happened that often,but I totally agree with Mick,and now look forward to the season with hope.
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superbob added 19:02 - Sep 1 some good signings and we now have some very technical players in midfield / number 10. Shame the defence (I'm looking at you Luke Chambers!) can't pass the ball 10 yards to them!
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grubbyoik added 20:03 - Sep 1 RobbieBobson.. I didn't mean to mark you down.. I was scrolling..
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Keaneish added 07:06 - Sep 2 Bedsitfc - is that blind optimism with Leon Best? "Capable of scoring loads?" He hasn't done the whole of his career so what are you basing that on? I've been taking with a Derby and Brighton season ticket holder in the last few days and they both said Best was woeful for them...
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Surco72 added 08:02 - Sep 2 MM you cant sign every player that has given our back four a hard time or torn us apart as you would be signing players most weeks especially left wingers . Lawrence looked good against us because Chambo was so poor
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Razor added 08:37 - Sep 2 I think MM must be joking and just trying to fool the fans as usual. We have lost an international centre forward and replaced him with what and we have not spent a single penny of the money received. By January we will be playing catch up again. Sometimes in life you have to abandon your scruples and worries or else you will go nowhere,exactly where this club is going. It is because I love and support the club so much that this weeks dereliction of duty by those that run it hurts so much. I really hope I am proved wrong because I will always be there supporting them, but I do really believe we have missed out big time this week and it is so so frustrating and annoying.

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