Made his debut for Preston at the weekend, after he signed for them from Rochdale in January
https://twitter.com/pnefc/status/1104379853573378053
With Preston currently in second place in the Championship, by my reckoning no other uncapped player is playing regularly for a higher-placed team than Rafferty is. He's also a left-back, a position where we could definitely do with some cover - is it time to think about calling him up to the squad? Of course the next-best placed regularly-playing uncapped player is also plying his trade at left-back currently: Ryan Manning
Maybe he could be called up but with Stevens, Doherty and Clark able to play there it's jammed. One of the areas we seem to be OK. Mick will still play McClean though.
I never heard of him but he played the the other day for Preston and has played underage for us.
Folding my way into the big money!!!
Got a brief mention here alright - https://foot.ie/threads/241918-Joe-R...light=rafferty
Oops
Better merge this into that thread so
Filled in at left back today after the starter injured himself in warm up. My first time watching him closely for a full match. Thought he was quite good and solid, but he ended up getting caught wrong side on his marker and conceding a penalty (fortunately for him the Reading player missed the goal).
Definitely a guy we should look to integrate as fullback cover with the senior squad.
what position?
Preston fans seem very cold on Rafferty, see him as a weak point in the team.
Interestingly they look to be about to sign Greg Cunningham to replace him, now there is a player who could still offer us left back cover if he could just stay fit for a while.
Rafferty has been playing at left back but is naturally a right back and right footed. Personally I prefer him to Cunningham, who I’ve always thought of as a bit flat footed for a fullback (this is based on pretty limited viewing mind you).
Cunningham made his football debut as an 18 years old for Mancini at Manchester City so the guy is class and has always been, composed on the ball....
Ditto this, had some freak injuries and seemed to me, he is a bit overconfident as defender and that's is a flaw
would have him in the irish team though
You should probably name him in your squad then: https://foot.ie/threads/218111-Conno...=1#post2064490
Joe Rafferty (FB/WB, Preston NE) tends to go unnoticed in Irish soccer media. Lancashire Post today reporting that Sunderland want to take him on loan, but PNE want to keep him in their squad. Sixty-four appearances in total since he joined from Rochdale in Jan 2019.
I’ve always been impressed with him. His biggest challenge is that as a natural right fullback/wingback, he’s largely redundant for us. Looks capable at Championship level though — wouldn’t be too thrilled to see him drop to League 1 but get sense Sunderland pay better wages at times despite playing at a lower level which could factor into things.
Released after 68 appearances over two seasons for Portsmouth, Rafferty has signed for Rotherham, so he'll be staying in EFL 1 for 2024/5.
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