Players signed up for next year:

Ripley

Smith

Yak

Debrah

Lowe

Jones

Clark

Plant

Funso

Garrity

Chislett

McDermott

Loft

Then there are the youth-teamers who aren't on professional terms yet.

There's a very reasonable core in there. Wingback and forwards are the key areas for development long-term. Might see a few U23 signings in those areas this month.

Edited January 7, 20242 yr by JoeB2

If and I don’t for one second think it’s accurate re Garrity as he is legitimately injured then £300k would be a huge insult for a midfielder with his goal tally and 18 months remaining. That would be the kind of deal I’d expect V2001 to cut. Barring release clauses which we don’t know might be in there I’d say set the asking price closer to a million and settle on around £6-700k plus some add-ons.

16 hours ago, Valiiant said:

 

Between this month and the summer we need to get rid of -

Jones

Cass

Lowe

Conlon

Loft

Obviously the loanees will go back down the line. Other than Arblaster all have been poor to average, including Devine.

How do you propose getting rid of Loft when he can’t play for another club this season??

13 minutes ago, Jacko51 said:

How do you propose getting rid of Loft when he can’t play for another club this season??

 

We give him to any takers in the summer. He's woeful. Even if we went down I would look to get rid.

7 minutes ago, Valiiant said:

 

We give him to any takers in the summer. He's woeful. Even if we went down I would look to get rid.

What if he improved, what if he popped up and scored a couple?

Just now, Dr Delgado said:

What if he improved, what if he popped up and scored a couple?

If he does I'll be the first to give him credit. But I just don't see that. His record for previous teams suggests he doesn't score goals and his record for us so far this season is more of the same. He's a really poor signing.

1 hour ago, JoeB2 said:

Players signed up for next year:

Ripley

Smith

Yak

Debrah

Lowe

Jones

Clark

Plant

Funso

Garrity

Chislett

McDermott

Loft

Then there are the youth-teamers who aren't on professional terms yet.

There's a very reasonable core in there. Wingback and forwards are the key areas for development long-term. Might see a few U23 signings in those areas this month.

Is it? 

It’s extremely weak. I would say only half of that list are good enough and one of those is injury prone. We’re crying out for a decent centre back as well. 

Edited January 7, 20242 yr by valiant_593

1 hour ago, Valiiant said:

 

We give him to any takers in the summer. He's woeful. Even if we went down I would look to get rid.

He’s under contract. 

For the first time ever I think it might be the right decision to allow Nathan Smith to leave. I wouldn’t be sad if he stayed because his effort and commitment in a Vale shirt is evident for all to see. I just think that the current style of play doesn’t suit his skill base. I think a parting of the ways may suit both parties. Smith would have something to offer as a competitive spoiling centre back at a club who play in a different way. I think we need a footballing centre back with a bit of pace to compliment our intended style of play. I never thought he would struggle to hold his place in the team but this has been the case of late.

14 minutes ago, valiant_593 said:

Is it? 

It’s extremely weak. I would say only half of that list are good enough and one of those is injury prone. We’re crying out for a decent centre back as well. 

I think we have different definitions of extremely weak.

Ripley, Debrah, Clark, Funso, Garrity, and Chislett will start for us next season. 6 good starters. 

Smith, Yak, Jones, and Plant would probably be squad players.

Lowe, Loft, McDermott we'd probably look to shift.

Having over half of your starting 11 secured for next season, all of whom I'd class as 'good' at this level, isn't bad in League 1. It means we don't need a rebuild. 

I certainly wouldn't class it as extremely weak.

Edited January 7, 20242 yr by JoeB2

3 hours ago, werstayinup said:

Dan Kemp at MK Dons? would cost though,i was thinking of him for if we had sold Garrity

Closer to Chislett than Garrity. Maybe Tommy Leigh, although he's not as physical as Garrity. Big ask to replace him. The closest I can think of is Jensen Weir; just recalled from Blackpool by Brighton due to lack of game time. 

15 minutes ago, JoeB2 said:

I think we have different definitions of extremely weak.

Ripley, Debrah, Clark, Funso, Garrity, and Chislett will start for us next season. 6 good starters. 

Smith, Yak, Jones, and Plant would probably be squad players.

Lowe, Loft, McDermott we'd probably look to shift.

Having over half of your starting 11 secured for next season, all of whom I'd class as 'good' at this level, isn't bad in League 1. It means we don't need a rebuild. 

I certainly wouldn't class it as extremely weak.

How many games will Clarke and Ojo play? Smith and plant are ok squad players. Yak and jones aren’t at this level. Jones never fit either. Agree on loft, smith and McDermott. 

Disagree with you overall squad needs a lot of improving in the summer 

1 hour ago, Jacko51 said:

He’s under contract. 

Never let that get in the way of a good moan 🤣🤣🤣

1 hour ago, JoeB2 said:

I think we have different definitions of extremely weak.

Ripley, Debrah, Clark, Funso, Garrity, and Chislett will start for us next season. 6 good starters. 

Smith, Yak, Jones, and Plant would probably be squad players.

Lowe, Loft, McDermott we'd probably look to shift.

Having over half of your starting 11 secured for next season, all of whom I'd class as 'good' at this level, isn't bad in League 1. It means we don't need a rebuild. 

I certainly wouldn't class it as extremely weak.

I think Lowe has being doing pretty well - he's probably playing more than I thought he would though!

Not a bad squad option, but I would like to bring a L1 CB version of him into the squad - someone that is actually a centre back, vocal, good organiser + that's played a lot in L1/Champ.

Appreciate there might be a few looking for that though!

Just think we're a bit naive/inexperienced at times (especially yesterday!).

1 hour ago, valeparklife said:

I think Lowe has being doing pretty well - he's probably playing more than I thought he would though!

Not a bad squad option, but I would like to bring a L1 CB version of him into the squad - someone that is actually a centre back, vocal, good organiser + that's played a lot in L1/Champ.

Appreciate there might be a few looking for that though!

Just think we're a bit naive/inexperienced at times (especially yesterday!).

I'm not convinced at all. A lot of the good things he does seems to be sliding tackles that come as a result of him not being quick enough. He wins nowhere near enough headers for our middle CB role.

An OK rotation option, by all accounts a great leader and reads the game brilliantly - but not someone I'd be bothered about if he dropped a level for regular gametime next year.