6 hours ago, Burslem Academicals said:

So are the squad number rules for league 1 excluding U21 players (under 21 at the start of the season) max 22 players or is that outfield players excluding goalkeepers.....because if it includes goalkeepers we are already at 23 players so someone has to be unregistered or moved on say Ojo or if goalkeepers don't count then there is room for one more perhaps that Dutch trialist as back up for Stockley.

Mate, chill out!!!

52 minutes ago, JRC said:

With squads limited to 22 players you can only carry so many spares. There's also the cost element,  not just Carol's preparedness to fund the squad but also FFP regulations.  We've made a choice to overload on wingbacks (6 for 2 positions) and centreforwards (5 for 2 positions). There is never the perfect squad. At some point as fans and the manager will need to live with what we have. Players may leave but we did invest a lot in what the manager told us were league 1 players last season. Maybe some players will leave but they have the right to see out their contracts. There's little doubt our wage bill has increased significantly each of the last 2 seasons. We are probably at, or very close to, the limit on all 3 limits Moore is working to. Unless players choose to leave there's probably not much the manager has left. 

Im not sure but how does it work if we loan players out does that leave room for signings? I could definitely see shorrock and lomax going on loan, possibly paton too and Im still hoping we get an offer for ojo, frankly I'd cut my losses and let him go for free if anyone wants him.

I imagine Ojo & Paton will soon leave , possible hart on loan 

For Their own development I hope shorrock and plant get loan deals. Both are desperate for a run of games consistently 

I think it's a matter of time until we get a decent payday for Tolaj so I'm gonna enjoy him whiles he's here. If he can have a good start to the season they'll be a fair few scouts around 

 

One thing that dawned on me is that there is potentially a bit more money left in the budget. Unlike last year I wouldn't say we've made a single marquee signing. Humphries and Gabriel will be on a decent whack but not ridiculous . The rest won't be on much I wouldn't have thought. We've also not spent a transfer fee I don't think. I just wonder whether Moore has saved a bit back to get a marquee signing in. Considering we were told that the budget is competitive, it still feels like there should be quite a bit left.

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59 minutes ago, kevin_struggles said:

 and Im still hoping we get an offer for ojo, frankly I'd cut my losses and let him go for free if anyone wants him.

Wow that is optimistic - a fee for OJO . I think most would be thinking "let him go for free" first and then if any club decided to give us money then that would be the  bonus . I know what we did last season to gullible Cambridge Utd but there are not too many of that sort around and I cant see them falling for a flim flam sale again 

26 minutes ago, leedsvaliant said:

One thing that dawned on me is that there is potentially a bit more money left in the budget. Unlike last year I wouldn't say we've made a single marquee signing. Humphries and Gabriel will be on a decent whack but not ridiculous . The rest won't be on much I wouldn't have thought. We've also not spent a transfer fee I don't think. I just wonder whether Moore has saved a bit back to get a marquee signing in. Considering we were told that the budget is competitive, it still feels like there should be quite a bit left.

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We've also got more than a squad of 25 at the minute (inc. U21 and GK) -- I'd love another but would want to see some leave, otherwise we have a situation like last year of having some players being paid to do very little. 

We can have 22 players registered over the age of 21 (not including goalkeepers). So there is space for that I believe. 

Just now, pensioner said:

Wow that is optimistic - a fee for OJO . I think most would be thinking "let him go for free" first and then if any club decided to give us money then that would be the  bonus . I know what we did last season to gullible Cambridge Utd but there are not too many of that sort around and I cant see them falling for a flim flam sale again 

agree with that and I'd be thinking that if we could contribute to his wage to get him off the books that would be more likely

52 minutes ago, leedsvaliant said:

One thing that dawned on me is that there is potentially a bit more money left in the budget. Unlike last year I wouldn't say we've made a single marquee signing. Humphries and Gabriel will be on a decent whack but not ridiculous . The rest won't be on much I wouldn't have thought. We've also not spent a transfer fee I don't think. I just wonder whether Moore has saved a bit back to get a marquee signing in. Considering we were told that the budget is competitive, it still feels like there should be quite a bit left.

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I see where your coming from but I don’t think that’s the case.

The commitment on wages will be considerably more than last season on all new signings compared to those left.

Gabriel won’t be cheap, neither will Rico, plus wage increases of the existing players.

The only way I think we will make a bigger splash than 1 or 2 loan signings is if we sell an asset.

Edited July 2, 2025Jul 2 by MBE

26 minutes ago, pensioner said:

Wow that is optimistic - a fee for OJO . I think most would be thinking "let him go for free" first and then if any club decided to give us money then that would be the  bonus . I know what we did last season to gullible Cambridge Utd but there are not too many of that sort around and I cant see them falling for a flim flam sale again 

Best case is a club effectively takes on his contract.

1 hour ago, MBE said:

Best case is a club effectively takes on his contract.

Not sure that’s realistic though.

Simplistically I think we either pay him up front his wages for the remainder of his contract and let him go by mutual agreement or we pay him the same amount of money and he knuckles down as a squad member. Another club won’t take on his contract now he s entering the veteran stage he worth much less than a couple of seasons ago. 
 

UTV.

 

3 hours ago, JRC said:

With squads limited to 22 players you can only carry so many spares. There's also the cost element,  not just Carol's preparedness to fund the squad but also FFP regulations.  We've made a choice to overload on wingbacks (6 for 2 positions) and centreforwards (5 for 2 positions). There is never the perfect squad. At some point as fans and the manager will need to live with what we have. Players may leave but we did invest a lot in what the manager told us were league 1 players last season. Maybe some players will leave but they have the right to see out their contracts. There's little doubt our wage bill has increased significantly each of the last 2 seasons. We are probably at, or very close to, the limit on all 3 limits Moore is working to. Unless players choose to leave there's probably not much the manager has left. 

The 22 squad limit does not include U21 players so Walters, Plant and Shorrock don’t count in the 22. 

Jacko51.....it has been stated that it is not U21 at the start of the season but rather U21 on January 1st 2026 such that Plant will count as over 21 for this season....as such the club has 22 senior outfield players on the books today as it stands.

Christ! Who cares about U21 this and FIFA regulations that??? Last year we had a big squad and most played. 

We only really bombed out troublemakers (Ojo, Ripley) - Nathan Smith is different because of his family circumstances. 

The FACT is we have a real competitive, big squad, with some versatile players who can cover positions, and we've probably got another few signings up our sleeves yet.

Who really gives a toss about who is 21 in 6 months time??

If we sold Loft we can sell anyone

4 hours ago, Jacko51 said:

The 22 squad limit does not include U21 players so Walters, Plant and Shorrock don’t count in the 22. 

Plant does .... the other 2 don't.  He birthday is the wrong side of the cutoff point.