Squad numbers announced

It's been a busy today, I don't normally make four posts in one day, but the new squad numbers have been announced. You can see the full 27 player list here on the Offal.

For those of us that get excited by these things there are a few interesting omissions. Firstly there's no number 1. I wouldn't read too much into that, Antti likes number 29 for some reason and that's why he's not taken it. I think there is still a chance we might sign a "proper" back up 'keeper before the end of August and maybe he'll get the shirt. I figure there will be a few 'keepers who've seen bigger signings come in during the window and will be prepared to warm our bench as first choice back-up.

There are no numbers allocated to Gabriel Zakuani, Simon Elliott or Ahmed Elrich. Now both Elliott and Elrich are long term injuries so Sanchez has not yet had the chance to run the rule over them. When he does I doubt he'll be that impressed and with both players out of contract in June 2008 I would expect them to be let go when their contracts end. Zakuani is a more interesting case. We spent £1m bringing him in from Orient and he's got another three years on his contract. With the signing of Leijer and the continued improvement of Elliot Omozusi though I can't see a place for Zak in our current set up. The likelihood is that if we don't sell him we'll let him go our on loan again, either way I feel a bit sorry for the guy who must have been over the moon when Coleman signed him a little over a year ago.