15 hours ago, 1 said:

Sang, Smith, Chislett, Debrah, Lowe, Jones, Hart, Heneghan, Harper, Ojo, Plant in my head all need releasing / loaning out.

Rico 2 years, John 2 years, Clark 1 year (can’t have too many on the payroll who can’t be trusted with injuries. Garrity and Byers will already miss 1/3 each at least.)

It’s a business and we need to be serious about staying up. We’re going to be a small fish in a big pond, so every bit of the squad budget needs to be used on players who are either of L1 calibre, or have a realistic possibility of making the step up and developing. Taking players who have failed at that level up with us, now older and further down the pecking order, makes no sense. 

I want Smith, Sang etc. to stay as much as the next fan, but we’ll just bounce up and down if the squad doesn’t move forward. We have limited flexibility and we have to use it. 

However, it’s not a sad ending. Their last memory with us would be sealing promotion and righting a horrible wrong last time out in League 1. They’ll have teams banging down the door to sign them up; a promotion winning defence that lost 10 league games, which they regularly featured in. They’ll walk into another contract and probably demand 2/3 years.

I can see Darren offering Debrah and maybe at a push Sang something, but the others I’d be amazed at, and if I had to bet I’d say he’ll move them all on somehow.

Nathan has had an excellent season, once he fought his way back into contention.

And James Plant was picking up rave reviews at Yeovil until injury ended his season - I would definitely like to see how he shows for Vale in the coming season, the lad has real potential.

15 hours ago, ValeForever. said:

Has anybody else heard the rumour that Carol has received an offer that is too good to ignore, to buy the club?

Please tell more.

6 hours ago, SS Vale said:

I’m off till August . Have a good summer , Vale fans. UTV !

Our EFL1 2025-26 pre-season starts at the beginning of July on the pitch.

And has already started here.

Bet you are back sooner ... 🙂

59 minutes ago, Brian Johnson said:

Bristol Rovers retained list

Footballing Operation Review Concluded | Bristol Rovers FC

WWW.BRISTOLROVERS.CO.UK

 

I could see Moore sniffing around Romaine Sawyers as a cheap CM option, had him at West Brom. 

He is also ex-Stoke...

8 minutes ago, Alan Vit said:

Nathan has had an excellent season, once he fought his way back into contention.

And James Plant was picking up rave reviews at Yeovil until injury ended his season - I would definitely like to see how he shows for Vale in the coming season, the lad has real potential.

It’s a push to ask plant to play a part in league 1 when he struggled in league 2. Needs another loan move, personally I think he’s quite a limited player 

23 hours ago, Doha said:

Taylor Allen - Smallsall - 24 - 10 goals and 7 assists from CB (!!!) - 1yr left

Smallsall forum - 

 

Quote

Think he’ll be sold if we fail to get promoted. Heard a rumour on Saturday from somebody who isn’t one to spread idle gossip that Burton had sent some scouts to watch him a few times recently.

Quote

Taylor Allen turning out to be one of the best free signings the club has ever made

Quote

I know ultimately it’s down to the individual player but if Trivela are serious about Walsall Football Club then Taylor Allen is the type of player they should do everything possible to not only keep but build for the future with and around him.

 

Carol, in one swoop you could make this season even funnier...

5 minutes ago, Granville said:

I could see Moore sniffing around Romaine Sawyers as a cheap CM option, had him at West Brom. 

He is also ex-Stoke...

I had completely forgotten until I looked it up that he also made one appearance for us back in 2011.

But I can't see Darren looking at him for EFL1.

29 minutes ago, Granville said:

I could see Moore sniffing around Romaine Sawyers as a cheap CM option, had him at West Brom. 

He is also ex-Stoke...

He also played for us under gannon 

The first of Darren's big shopping lists has been released: 

https://www.htafc.com/news/2025/may/05/2024-25-retained-list-confirmed/

 

Josh Koroma would be lovely. 

Ossama Ashley - Salford (out of contract)

- Midfielder
- Plays in Manchester (near)
- 93% duels won
- 95% aerial duels won
- 5"10 

I wonder if DM will get his business done early this summer window like last season,he seems to like doing that

1 hour ago, Brian Johnson said:

If Notts County do not go up, maybe we could look at a loan deal for George Abbott

Not a bad shout that tbf BJ,he has been their best player it seems and drives on from midfield plus we have a nice link up with spurs as well after how we were with Devine and they might want Abbott to play at the next level up now

1 hour ago, werstayinup said:

Not a bad shout that tbf BJ,he has been their best player it seems and drives on from midfield plus we have a nice link up with spurs as well after how we were with Devine and they might want Abbott to play at the next level up now

We were having a very similar conversation about him on Saturday.  We were talking about his trajectory could be similar to that of Fin Azaz (Newport to Plymouth/L2 to L1 etc) if Notts don’t go up. Would potentially be a good replacement for Chiz - especially if we can hold onto him for a whole season.

Edited May 5, 20251 yr by Trumpingtonvale

Our last two visits to league 1 have been relatively short lived so hoping we are going in with our eyes fully open this time. I have every faith in the owners to do all they can to give us a good chance. 
I am hoping that we can ruffle a few feathers when the big clubs come to the Vale, have a bit of a go back at them and see where it takes us. Some pace in the side is very important to that. 

5 minutes ago, Richie D. said:

Our last two visits to league 1 have been relatively short lived so hoping we are going in with our eyes fully open this time. I have every faith in the owners to do all they can to give us a good chance. 
I am hoping that we can ruffle a few feathers when the big clubs come to the Vale, have a bit of a go back at them and see where it takes us. Some pace in the side is very important to that. 

That's all we want see, a team having a go in front of home fans.

Too often in our recent history the likes of Bolton, Pompey ,Sheff Wed have rolled into town and we've paid them way way too much respect and were beaten before we'd started. 

Hopefully our home form will be a solid foundation next season.