Only 2 days left before we find out.

Is today deadline today?

So we should know in the next 24 hours where we stand with the remaining out of contract players?

Any indications, whispers on the grapevine?

21 minutes ago, TheSage said:

Is today deadline today?

So we should know in the next 24 hours where we stand with the remaining out of contract players?

Any indications, whispers on the grapevine?

All I'm getting Sage from the vibes in The Sentinel, 5 virtually definitely staying, Amoo hopefully, Smith is pure guesswork. 

5 minutes ago, darren1810 said:

All I'm getting Sage from the vibes in The Sentinel, 5 virtually definitely staying, Amoo hopefully, Smith is pure guesswork. 

Yeah I'm reading those vibes the same, my hope is that Amoo and Smith both stay, but my head says it might just be Amoo.

Fingers crossed!

I hope Smith shows the club some respect by verbally accepting or rejecting the offer. It drives me nuts when managers reveal they've just heard nothing from certain players. At least that way club and the player can move on.

9 minutes ago, JRC said:

I hope Smith shows the club some respect by verbally accepting or rejecting the offer. It drives me nuts when managers reveal they've just heard nothing from certain players. At least that way club and the player can move on.

I would hope they are in regular discussions given there should be a mutual respect... even if he doesn’t say yes or no outright, keeping us up to date on where his head is at and potential timings would benefit everyone hopefully.

From all the statements from Askey and Carol it feels like this is happening so fingers crossed.

16 minutes ago, Iron Curtain said:

I would hope they are in regular discussions given there should be a mutual respect... even if he doesn’t say yes or no outright, keeping us up to date on where his head is at and potential timings would benefit everyone hopefully.

From all the statements from Askey and Carol it feels like this is happening so fingers crossed.

I agree but at some point the club need to move forward with its planning. September start seems increasingly likely so we might need to sign a replacement early in July. 

1 hour ago, JRC said:

I agree but at some point the club need to move forward with its planning. September start seems increasingly likely so we might need to sign a replacement early in July. 

Yeah agree that it would be nice to be all sorted.

We do know however from last summer that Askey always thinks there is value in waiting for as long as possible to sign a player as they dont have as much negotiating power. It proves he is comfortable with waiting.

 If Smith doesnt sign (I hope he does) then we could be in a long wait for a replacement.

I have a feeling everyone but Smith will sign.  Looking at David Amoo career he tends to only do two seasons at a club so hopefully he will sign on . 

 

 

Looking positive on Amoo

https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/update-david-amoo-port-vale-4233346

7 hours ago, Iron Curtain said:

Yeah I'm reading those vibes the same....

Thanks for confirming that my vibes weren't imaginary.  It was all positive vibrations, until lunchtime, when workmen started to fix potholes in the road, which seriously messed up my karma. 🤔

David Amoo has verbally agreed his contract according to Baggers

So far all the news on the retained list has been really positive. If six out of seven have all agreed deals that gives us a really settled and balanced squad for next season. There's a ton of free agents so there's the possibility of a handful of quality additions to add to it too.

It doesn't look likely that Smith will stay but I don't think the club needs to panic over that. We're reasonably well stocked already with Legge, Brisley and Crookes as cover so we don't need to rush into a panicked replacement.

All in all, this has to be one of the best summers in terms of keeping the squad together, having some solid foundations for next season and not having to rely on bringing in a load of new faces ahead of the new season.

I was asking a mate when was it that Brisley got his place, think it was a Gibbons ban ?

Brisley was immense at Northampton where Smith was only substitute.

Clearly Smith is a cracking player but Brisley really stepped up to the mark after a dodgy start at Swindon. 

Brisley and Legge as a foundation to start with is decent and clearly Crookes is raw and hopefully will improve. 

Ideally Smith would put pen to paper but a reasonable recruit as a replacement would be good squad cover and fighting hopefully for a spot. 

Ps by reasonable I mean better quality than Kennedy who was a chancer that didn't work out

44 minutes ago, Jacob_123 said:

David Amoo has verbally agreed his contract according to Baggers

Bizarrely a bit of a boo boy figure at times. Goals and assists speak for themselves. Really happy that he is staying put. 

Good bit of business by Askey as it was almost a like for like swap for Hannant who was a workmanlike trier but nowhere near as good as Amoo .