Release Lists

[Davidimp]

What a prat! Ta for the info Judge Dredd.
Could end up here as we now need a goalscorer having let Tomlinson go.

 

[Luke Imp]

I'd have Miller here in a shot.

Seemed a cross between Jamie Taylor and Ben Tomlinson.

 

[Gibber_McGee]

Andy Bishop has been released by us. He was apparently our highest earner so it'll be interesting to see who Mills brings in with the wedge saved from letting him, Keates, Durrell and Ashton go. They would all have been amongst our highest paid players.

 

[Gladders]

Town boss Paul Hurst met with his players throughout today and told them whether or not they would be in his plans for next season.

Players Released
Caine Winfarrah
Paul Walker
Ellis Humble
Nick Draper
Ross Hannah
Patrick McLaughlin
Paul Bignot
Hamish Watson

Returning to their respective clubs after loan
Danny Parslow
Jordan Chapel
Ollie Palmer

Players offered terms
Shaun Pearson
Jack Mackreth
Lenell John Lewis
Carl Magnay
Jon Paul Pittman
Nathan Arnold
Scott Brown
Craig Clay
Gregor Robertson
Craig Disley
Josh Gowling
Toto Nsiala

Players currently under contract
James McKeown
Josh Sunter
Callum Bastock
Josh Venney

The manager is yet to speak to Christian Jolley

 

[Gladders]

No surprises in there, good to see we have offered a contract to Arnold and Gowling, hopefully they sign up.

 

[FishyMackem]

No real surprises as Frealaf said. It will be good if Arnold signs. I've not been too convinced by Gowling but he can prove me wrong if he signs and plays well next season.

 

[Master D]

Is McLaughlin still any good? Mills might be interested if we can't get Fowler.

What a fall from grace for Ross Hannah though, I remember the fuss surrounding his permanent transfer to Grimsby.

 

[Gladders]

Is McLaughlin still any good? Mills might be interested if we can't get Fowler.

What a fall from grace for Ross Hannah though, I remember the fuss surrounding his permanent transfer to Grimsby.

Not really done anything for us except when on loan. There is a goalscorer in there somewhere but he spends far too much time offside. He is more of a poacher and not strong enough on the ball, but if he can get in the right positions and get the ball to his feet he can score.

As for Paddy not really seen much of him, reckon if he was in a midfield three he would do well again like for York, but he never really fit in our system, don't think good enough to be in a central midfield of 2, and not a winger, but in a 3 it obviously worked for York.

 

[DarkSithLord]

No real surprises as Frealaf said. It will be good if Arnold signs. I've not been too convinced by Gowling but he can prove me wrong if he signs and plays well next season.

Gowling was a rock at our place. MOTM.

 

[pontoonlew]

Not a single surprise but a disappointment with Hannah & McLaughlin.

I've no doubt they are both perfectly capable players but have not fitted into the system, Hannah especially. When he, Neilson and Cook were allowed to play freely up top for 2-3 months it's the best we've been since coming down here IMO. We were absolutely frightening at times. In hindsight Hannah should've come on, on Sunday and not JPP.

But I like what we've got at the minute, the team spirit and attitude is superb and if we keep every single player who's been offered a deal, we'll not have a great deal of work to do in the summer.

 

[Davidimp]

Only 5 goals for Hannah this season so maybe you see why he's been released, or has been played out of position like we had a habit of doing with Tomlinson?

 

[Gladders]

Only 5 goals for Hannah this season so maybe you see why he's been released, or has been played out of position like we had a habit of doing with Tomlinson?

No he's just not played much and when he has its been from the bench. That said I think he only managed 13 last season despite playing most of it. He can score, unfortunately to win this league you need someone who is going to score nearer 30, when was the last time the champions didn't have 20+ goal striker? (Tubbs, Vardy, Green, Gray, Akinde)

When LJL is our highest scorer you know where our problems lie, hopefully we keep the core of the squad together but we still need that goalscorer and Hurst hasn't managed to find one since Hearn got injured, he really needs to find one this summer

 

[pontoonlew]

Don't get me wrong i'm not upset or disagree that he's been released, it's a shame that it could've been so much different. He's just never recovered from the change in the side when he came back. We were bloody diabolical that second half of the season, everyone was and he just couldn't seem to get a goal. Had we carried on playing well, there's no doubt his confidence would've grown and he'd probably still be the top striker at the club.

His very best asset is his finishing, but he lost his way with that after obviously losing his confidence.

 

[Clarkey_GTFC]

Think Hannah will go to another club in this division and do pretty well, wouldn't be surprised to see him bag around 15 goals for a team like Halifax. Wish him all the best, will never forget his goal against Wrexham sending us top of the league. Good player, just doesn't fit into our system around LJL. We need someone who can pick up the pieces and take the ball off his feet, Hannah prefers to run off his man's shoulder and try to beat the offside trap (and fail).

McLaughlin is a decent player as well, always looked pretty good on the ball to me, again just doesn't fit in our system. Wrexham might not be a bad shout, Mills will know how to get the best out of him.

Overall there are no real surprises regarding our released list, if there was to be any surprise to me it would be all 3 of Pittman, Clay and Robertson being offered deals as I think all of them could probably be better replaced but it's definitely not a bad move as Hurst will want to keep the squad as close together as possible. We've been one decent striker away from being a #1 side all season so if we can look to keep the exact same squad and add that striker then we should definitely be doing it.

In regards to who is going to sign or not, I'm going to be optimistic and say I actually think all of them will except Pearson who I predict will go on to better things. He deserved that chance years ago, he's given enough to this club.

 

[Son of Cod]

Yeah offering Pittman a deal is a bit of a surprise for me. Not because of his penalty miss, but because he is often out injured and I don't think he is that good. Robertson I can see why. He's a solid Hurst like full back, which is what we need if we're going down the 442 route again.

Can see why Hannah has gone, as he hasn't been as good as he could have been. Having said that, he's the most natural finisher at the club and he works his arse into the ground when he plays. I've always liked him but he blows hot and cold so not really a surprise, however disappointing that things didn't work out better.

I think Gowling will be class next season if he signs. If Pearson signs, not only will I be delighted, I think that a Gowling/Pearson partnership could force Toto onto the bench. Losing Magnay would be a bitter blow, but I read a rumour a couple of L1 clubs are sniffing around. However, not sure if I believe that.

Agreed on McLaughlin, too. Definitely a square peg in a round hole. Will be interesting to see if he is replaced with an out and out wide man or if Hurst tries to bring in another player that'll he'll look to as a versatile midfield option.

Arnold and Mackreth are both great wingers on their day, but am I alone in feeling they need to be more consistent? Mackreth especially had a slow start to the season. Although, in their defence (and going purely off Mariners World, radio coverage and the BT Sports scraps we get), I do think we tend to drive the ball through the middle of the park a bit too much instead of getting it out wide.

 

[BeesKnees]

I'm a bit surprised Grimsby only offering one year deals so they now have almost no contracted players, there is bound to be teams sniffing around and trying to tempt them away. Would've thought they would have gone for contracts with options for the club to extend.

We had 5 players already under contract but also 6 players who we could let go or take the option to extend for another year if we wanted to. I think out of the whole squad we are waiting on 3-4 players who have been offered new contracts.

 

[Gladders]

As I said above we have been stung with long contracts for too long, that I think its better we are only offering one year contracts, we are in the conference and don't have the finances to offer longer contracts, it eats into the budget especially if you have to pay them off. better to spend all the money on decent players for one year contracts than on lesser players for longer or worse paying them off. Same with contract extensions, I've no doubt Bignot would have been released last season if he didn't have an option to extend, instead we have been stuck with him all season mostly sitting in the stand.

From what I have seen Gowling is much better than Toto, and if we can keep that back 6 and sign another versitile full back then we will have one of the best defences in the league again and won't need to worry about it.

I prefer Clay to Brown but would have preferred one of the other to be replaced with better, but that said since Christmas we have done very well with this squad so if they stick together and we sign that goalscorer we will do well (as long as they don't suffer a play-off headache).

Agree on the wingers, but then when have we had a consistant winger since we have been down here? they are hard to find, Coulson maybe?

 

[BeesKnees]

Nope still don't get it. Give a one year contract with option for the club to extend ( not the player ) then you can still get rid at the end of the year if they don't work out. No need to pay them off.

 

[Urban]

Cowler and MacDonald released by us after failing to agree new terms. Not really fussed about losing either if in honest.

Can I please hope that we're at least sniffing around Pearson please?

 

[pontoonlew]

Nope still don't get it. Give a one year contract with option for the club to extend ( not the player ) then you can still get rid at the end of the year if they don't work out. No need to pay them off.

There's a reason they barely exist these days.

It's because a player would be fucking mental to accept that, it makes no sense whatsoever. You have a great season and L1 side want you but only if you're free, they want to pay you double the money. Your club turns round and triggers a clause, no pay rise and no career rise.

A contract like that only makes sense for the club. These 1 year deals aren't perfect but it's saved our arses plenty of times in the past 2-3 years and I can't remember losing a brilliant player to it yet. This squad attitude is brilliant as well, I won't be surprised to see that alone tempt almost all of them for an extra year.

 

[George Reilly's Hairpiece]

There's a reason they barely exist these days.

It's because a player would be fucking mental to accept that, it makes no sense whatsoever. You have a great season and L1 side want you but only if you're free, they want to pay you double the money. Your club turns round and triggers a clause, no pay rise and no career rise.
.

Almost all of our contracts have these options built in.

 

[Son of Cod]

Yeah but you paid a 200k fee for each of them.

 

[Eastleigh Fan]

Pretty much every contract these days has something built in to protect the player. It's why clubs try to go with the 1 year deal with an option, as BeesKnees rightly points out, it gives the club an element of control & allows them to let players go without any pay offs, if they decide they no longer want the player for the additional (optional) year.
In truth, there aren't really many players from this level who are plucked by clubs from above are there? maybe 5 or 6 across all teams per season, certainly less than 10 per season go upwards (without promotion with their own clubs). So for the other 500+ football players operating at this level, most of them know they have zero chance of playing the level above, and are usually more than happy to sign 1 year deals with an option, as it also suits them, giving them the hope that the club will hold onto them for the additional season...I suspect only around 50 of the 500 really harbor the thought that they will get spotted and picked up by a league club, and at least 30 of that 50 are probably deluded...

 

[The_Boss]

Pretty much every contract these days has something built in to protect the player. It's why clubs try to go with the 1 year deal with an option, as BeesKnees rightly points out, it gives the club an element of control & allows them to let players go without any pay offs, if they decide they no longer want the player for the additional (optional) year.
In truth, there aren't really many players from this level who are plucked by clubs from above are there? maybe 5 or 6 across all teams per season, certainly less than 10 per season go upwards (without promotion with their own clubs). So for the other 500+ football players operating at this level, most of them know they have zero chance of playing the level above, and are usually more than happy to sign 1 year deals with an option, as it also suits them, giving them the hope that the club will hold onto them for the additional season...I suspect only around 50 of the 500 really harbor the thought that they will get spotted and picked up by a league club, and at least 30 of that 50 are probably deluded...

Or they get sold a vision. You seem to have forgotten the power of a vision.

 

[Urban]

Pretty much every contract these days has something built in to protect the player. It's why clubs try to go with the 1 year deal with an option, as BeesKnees rightly points out, it gives the club an element of control & allows them to let players go without any pay offs, if they decide they no longer want the player for the additional (optional) year.
In truth, there aren't really many players from this level who are plucked by clubs from above are there? maybe 5 or 6 across all teams per season, certainly less than 10 per season go upwards (without promotion with their own clubs). So for the other 500+ football players operating at this level, most of them know they have zero chance of playing the level above, and are usually more than happy to sign 1 year deals with an option, as it also suits them, giving them the hope that the club will hold onto them for the additional season...I suspect only around 50 of the 500 really harbor the thought that they will get spotted and picked up by a league club, and at least 30 of that 50 are probably deluded...

How many of them are paid 60% more than Constable though?

 

[BeesKnees]

There's a reason they barely exist these days.
It's because a player would be fucking mental to accept that, it makes no sense whatsoever. You have a great season and L1 side want you but only if you're free, they want to pay you double the money. Your club turns round and triggers a clause, no pay rise and no career rise.
A contract like that only makes sense for the club. These 1 year deals aren't perfect but it's saved our arses plenty of times in the past 2-3 years and I can't remember losing a brilliant player to it yet. This squad attitude is brilliant as well, I won't be surprised to see that alone tempt almost all of them for an extra year.

Sounds to me like your club is missing a trick.
As GRH says pretty much all our contracts are this. Six players this year have had their extension triggered by the club. Andy Yiadom, Bondz N’Gala, Curtis Weston, Luke Gambin, Luisma Villa and Elliott Johnson all had the clause in their contract triggered this season. We have players who haven't accepted\been offered this deal like Sam Togwell but certainly most do.

 

[Eastleigh Fan]

The Vision yes, but fans of other clubs constantly comparing & raising the wages of Constable as a debate, is pointless.
You don't even know what goes on at your own club (Urban) so its pointless you trying to muddle your head with the goings on at other clubs is it...

 

[Luke Imp]

Not quite happened for McLaughlin, has it? Wouldn't be surprised to see Mills take him for a year at Wrexham.

 

[Southern Shayman]

Pretty much every contract these days has something built in to protect the player. It's why clubs try to go with the 1 year deal with an option, as BeesKnees rightly points out, it gives the club an element of control & allows them to let players go without any pay offs, if they decide they no longer want the player for the additional (optional) year.
In truth, there aren't really many players from this level who are plucked by clubs from above are there? maybe 5 or 6 across all teams per season, certainly less than 10 per season go upwards (without promotion with their own clubs). So for the other 500+ football players operating at this level, most of them know they have zero chance of playing the level above, and are usually more than happy to sign 1 year deals with an option, as it also suits them, giving them the hope that the club will hold onto them for the additional season...I suspect only around 50 of the 500 really harbor the thought that they will get spotted and picked up by a league club, and at least 30 of that 50 are probably deluded...

It's a minimum of 10 per season. Two went from Halifax alone last season.

 

[Eastleigh Fan]

Yip, sounds about right.