valefan16

Apparently in relation to comparing someone to sloth of goonies who was abusing him according to one report. Bit petty that by the FA I have to say.

Jerry Yates has now been recalled by Rotherham... he was their second top scorer behind Doyle (and the Leagues second top scorer) so they've lost much of their goal threat (Nearly 35 goals gone from the first half of the season). Could be the right time to play them, think they've Anderson out injured too.

4288 please

Next week will probably decide how we approach deadline day I imagine, if we lose to the top 2 we could conceivably be ten points off or at least eight or nine you’d think (no shame in that as them two are streets ahead). If that happens then planning for next season makes more sense and focusing on who we want to stay and starting to look to summer transfer activity with better value for money. If we get four or six points and then sit in a good position to assault the play offs still then we may be more inclined to sign players now. In terms of Smith... it’s a poor situation but one that’s been allowed to happen from before the current ownership, losing a big youth asset for nothing in the summer would be a gutting outcome for the club and fans as we’ve invested in developing him, given him and chance and got nothing then to show for it... he should of been tied to something longer earlier knowing he turns 24 so we could have the option this summer to cash in if he rejected an improved deal... but it wasn’t done and by the time Carol and Kevin come in Smith holds the cards in that he can sit it out and see what comes in during Summer 2020... that’s now taken out of our hands sadly and we should do what we can to hold onto him if it is just a few hundred quid if he signs a two year deal we then have the position to sell next summer and make money on him. For Smith personally though he will do what is right for him and rightly so and can’t blame him. We all work to earn as much as we can and his career making a liveable wage in this field is likely 15-20 years. It is a lesson though that we need to consider with Gibbons, we hold some power here as we get a fee at his age so we can probably secure him. I had hoped we would see more in terms of Worrall (who has said he wants to stay and seemed like he wanted a new deal offered to secure him) and Legge ... big players and even Burgess surely who will be on a low wage should be offered and easily dealt with? No new deals this window would be concerning as we could lose them in the summer.

Taylor Loan extended officially now!

Tough game and being so soon after beating them they will know what to expect from us in letting Zakuani play it out and high press the rest. Do we go back to Pope as we are away and he was excellent against them at VP? Or stick with Cullen who played well yesterday? Is Monty fit? Few decisions to make and maybe a new face or two could add to the choices. If we can get 2-3 points from Swindon and Exeter that would be a decent return and keep us in touch. If we get more than 3 then i would start believing we could pull off the top 7! Got a feeling we might get something here, no idea why but just a gut feeling. Had it before we beat them in December.

For all the doom and gloom since Morecambe I’ve noticed we’ve actually picked up 10 points in our last 5 league games which is 2 a game and promotion form currently. Makes Tuesday all the more frustrating but it’s nice to be winning games and we played well today, had the chances to score 4 or 5 although they had a couple of good chances. Referee has sent 9 players off in 20 games... yet their lad survives that on Monty... it was far worse than Conlon against Walsall for example and looks even worse on the replay than it did at the game. It’s dangerous play and if he connects say with Montys shin like that he’s off let alone his head! Amoo was good today, Cullen shown more of what I expected when we signed him, his touch is outstanding if you watch him closely. Tough old set of games now that will dictate our fate, games that so far have favoured us but at least we finally have a full week to recover after four solid weeks of 2 games. Think the Cheltenham game just before Xmas was 9 games ago! Onwards and upwards.

He is still there!

Smith is crucial as he will be 24 when his runs out, at least if we lost Gibbons we would get a fee (that said usually the tribunal sets them at peanuts!) Considering Legge said he's been banging on the door a couple of times asking for a new deal the other day and Worrall suggesting he needs a new deal for security I am surprised neither has been done as yet.

Askey says its the first he knows about it!

No one yet and I really hope it stays that way, I saw the Smith rumours just after I saw this post. Birmingham have been charged again with failing FFP so would be suprised if they have bid.

You spoke to soon Why who have we flogged?

Against Man City I wouldn’t expect Smith (or Legge) to run around like men possessed as they are the two centre halves to meant to be in that box for the balls coming in! It’s your midfielders and full backs who are the ones who go out to force their players to make a pass.

Big lad but always looked poor when I’ve seen him against us!

Might be worth waiting until the summer and use the money to get better available, could save on transfer fee's and be put better to wages on players available to fend off other clubs. Next Year is a way away yet, I assume Bolton will be strong as they will have a new squad over the summer and be a huge pull for players, Salford if they don't go up will spend spend spend so probably batter most teams. Behind that probably a much of a muchness again.