Retained list

[bomber]

The headless chicken quote always makes me smile! We said that about Mckirdy and he almost single handed got Swindon promoted. A one season wonder I suppose but did well for Swindon. Stone is nowhere near good enough we need two decent keepers as a start.  Plus we need some physical presence in the side we are to easily bullied .

[The French Connection]

I think it's likely 10 out would result in 7 in. Quality instead of quantity, and quality costs more.

[valefan16]

On 26/02/2023 at 08:01, philmpv said:

On 25/02/2023 at 23:17, valefan16 said:

I’m letting Covolan go and not trying to sign Stevens, we need to get a decent number one though finally and Stone is adequate as a back up.

Centre backs I’m not sure, Forrester and Cass should develop still, Smith is a key player and DJ has been decent, no idea on Derek to judge and was one for future. Do need to sign a big hairy arsed 6,3 head on a stick though to give us some aerial presence.

Give Woz another year, keep Sammy for his potential, letting Mal go sadly and want two left backs, maybe someone like Greg Leigh from Ipswich.

How do we establish whether they're hairy arsed? Will it be picked up during the medical? Or do we check for any Grindr profiles during the recruitment process?

I will leave that to the medical staff to figure out!

Essentially what I mean though is just a tall brute at the back, doesn't have to be technical just a head on a stick, a Leggey type that can do the ugly stuff. We have footballers like Cass, Forrester and Jones for instance who can do the technical stuff just need a physical presence similar to Smudge.

 

[mbycars]

On 24/02/2023 at 17:15, TJHValiant said:

If we cut the budget, serious questions have to be asked where the money has gone. I refuse to believe that the current squad is anywhere near extravagant for a league 1 club or us to sustain. We are having our biggest ever attendances since 1994 which means we managed to stay at Championship level on less until the year 2000. 

The previous year was decent too with the playoff Wembley money. 

Vale park has not had that much thrown at it. Stevenage for example in league 2 have built a whole new north stand and Portsmouth have spent millions on upgrading Fratton Park.

What did we get? Bags of sand for the pitch after Robbie Williams had pranced about on it, a upgraded hospitality suite a decade overdue and a promise to move home fans to the Hamil. Anything else has been window dressing. 

Great ownership doesn’t mean rich ownership throwing money about as Carol has shown, but you can’t run a football club without the hope of success at some point. 

I would think the club is finding the high energy costs and high inflation has taken care of much of the money we have generated. Add to that the money we have spent on infastructure and proposed pitch improvements mean money probably is tight.

[mbycars]

On 24/02/2023 at 16:36, valiant_593 said:

I heard the same about Wilson a few weeks ago (whenever Shrewsbury game was) but didn’t say out on here, from a very trusted source who used to work at vale for a number of years until recently. They heard he has a deal elsewhere already sorted. For me not a loss, fantastic player but just Dosent play enough to make it worth it. 

Maybe the rumours of him and Harrison having a spat is true and consequently Wilson has decided to leave.

[Walka003]

Maybe the rumours of him and Harrison having a spat is true and consequently Wilson has decided to leave.

It'll be a shame if he goes but if its a choice between Wilson staying and Harrison staying with maybe a Taylor coming in permenantly, I think it has to be the latter on this years showing. I'd love him to stay on though, when he's on the pitch he has to potential do things no one else in our team can do. Wages dependant hes earned his place in a league one squad.

[mbycars]

2 hours ago, Walka003 said:

4 hours ago, mbycars said:

Maybe the rumours of him and Harrison having a spat is true and consequently Wilson has decided to leave.

It'll be a shame if he goes but if its a choice between Wilson staying and Harrison staying with maybe a Taylor coming in permenantly, I think it has to be the latter on this years showing. I'd love him to stay on though, when he's on the pitch he has to potential do things no one else in our team can do. Wages dependant hes earned his place in a league one squad.

A fit Wilson is as good as anyone in this league. Sadly it is a rare occurance. Hopefully next season we can keep Harrison and Taylor and recruit a couple of forwards that can stay fit and provide enough competition to keep those two on their toes.

[1]

On 19/02/2023 at 10:39, Walka003 said:

Maybe a bit premature (oh matron) but with only 14 games left, I was wondering who we might look to keep and who we might look to release at the end of the season assuming we are safe. I've got no idea who's in or out of contract, so here's my list of players I'd like us to keep on:
 
Stone - young, steady enough and will learn off whoever we bring in as number one. Can't imagine he's on budget breaking wages so he's a useful option to keep around.
 
Cass - hasn't let us down much when he's been called upon and has his best years ahead of him, assume he is still in contract as he only signed this year.
 
Forrester - given a prolonged run, he will become our best defender, very good player.
 
Smith - really hope he signs on again, a vale legend.
 
Jones - has his detractors, but I'd 100% be keeping him on. We don't have a player who can distribute like him.
 
Woz - Mr 7/10. Despite his age no reason he should be released, one of our most consistent players this season.
 
Robinson - as with Cass, young, best years ahead of him etc.
 
Ojo - the best of our summer business, hopefully he signed 2 years and he's here for another year.
 
Garrity - he's getting better and better the more he plays at this level. A must keep.
 
Pett - I'd keep him, not necessarily a starter but a good option to have when we need to kill a game.
 
Tommy - got a 3 year deal so hopefully he gets a run in the team.
 
Harrison - hasn't scored in a long while but his aerial presence and general forward play have been brilliant. Hopefully he signed at least a 2 year deal in summer.
 
Willo - I'm in two minds here. On the one hand, when he plays and is on it, he's brilliant. On the other he's struggled with fitness. I get the feeling this could be a gibbo style negotiating, we want you but it's reduced due to fitness. Hopefully he sticks with us.
 
Plant - has done well on both his loan moves and for the youth team. Deserves a pro deal.
 
14 first team players, 13 if you don't include plant as he's unlikely to get a run out straight away. Would give us scope to bring in 7/8 players if we wanted too.
 
I went into this list thinking I was going to be ruthless and we'd have few players left, but I think there is something to be for continuity, especially if we encounter the same recruitment issues we have this year.
 
Interested to hear what everyone else would do, going to be a very interesting summer!
 

The only out of contract players I expect to be offered a deal will be Garrity and Smith, with Woz being the only sudo-controversy to miss out. 

[1]

21 minutes ago, mbycars said:

A fit Wilson is as good as anyone in this league. Sadly it is a rare occurance. Hopefully next season we can keep Harrison and Taylor and recruit a couple of forwards that can stay fit and provide enough competition to keep those two on their toes.

Taylor, Harrison, Wilson and Proctor I’d be happy with if Wilson and Proctor could actually play. Ironically the step up from L2 to L1 would have been fine for them. So replacing them with like for likes that have the same ability.

[werstayinup]

21 minutes ago, 1 said:

The only out of contract players I expect to be offered a deal will be Garrity and Smith, with Woz being the only sudo-controversy to miss out. 

I think Worrall will be offered something to maybe go alongside a coaching role as well

Wilson is a quality player but i have to be honest and say i aren't that bothered if he stays or goes

[Playa Amodores]

5 hours ago, mbycars said:

I would think the club is finding the high energy costs and high inflation has taken care of much of the money we have generated. Add to that the money we have spent on infastructure and proposed pitch improvements mean money probably is tight.

The EFL should realise clubs are struggling and either scrap the Papa Johns or put more money into it. The FA should increase prize money in the earlier rounds of the fa cup 

[TJHValiant]

7 hours ago, mbycars said:

I would think the club is finding the high energy costs and high inflation has taken care of much of the money we have generated. Add to that the money we have spent on infastructure and proposed pitch improvements mean money probably is tight.

You have a good point on that, with the added hope that of course this will affect other clubs equally or those with debt worse as the interest on any existing debt will only increase it. 

[Guitar Ray]

5 hours ago, mbycars said:

A fit Wilson is as good as anyone in this league. Sadly it is a rare occurance. Hopefully next season we can keep Harrison and Taylor and recruit a couple of forwards that can stay fit and provide enough competition to keep those two on their toes.

Note that Oxford will soon have a new manager, who, for all we know, may want to keep Taylor.

[Emile]

He's out of contract end of season - so that would just be another club competing to sign him against us. I think the DC factor and him being actual best friends with Ellis (according to Ellis himself) plays well into our hands

[darren1810]

Controversial one here as he seems to of made a good impression so far.

But at 33 in March is Taylor the sort of fit for next season we want ? 

Surely as an occasional starter / sub he'll be a good fit for us,  but he could easily do a Mullen and fill his boots for big bucks in the National League.

Though now Stockport and probably Wrexham will be in the EFL will that money be swimming around at that level.