Thetownend.com

As you all know there's loads of players out of contract in the summer, who would you get rid of?

I would get rid of P.Smith, Aljofree, Casal, Marshall, Pook, Nalis, J.Smith, Sturrock, Corr, Mcgovern, Easton, Peacock, Paynter, Brezovan.

I am 50/50 on Timlin, Kanyuka & Ifil.

The only playes worth keeping are Morrison, Cox, Vincent, Amankwaah, Mcnamee, Kennedy, Greer if possible.

Obviously Cox will go but i believe that a mass cull is definitely required.

And i would get rid of the coaches Byrne, Williams & Granville too.

Haha fuck me. Out of them leaving i'd agree with the two smiths, casal, marshall, pook sturrock and peacock.

It's quicker to type who I'd keep:

Cox
Ifil
Paynter
Timlin
Morrisson
Vincent
J Smith
The young guns

The rest can go

 In case anyone has forgot then the squad

1    Phil Smith    Goalkeeper            - Get Shot
2    Jack Smith    Defender               - keep
3    Jamie Vincent    Defender               - don't care
4    Michael Timlin    Defender               - don't care
5    Jerel Ifil    Defender                       -keep
6    Hasney Aljofree    Defender       - get shot if we get greer
8    Craig Easton    Midfielder              - Would give 1 year to
9    Barry Corr    Striker                   - Get shot
10    Jon-Paul McGovern    Midfielder       -would give 1 year to
11    Anthony McNamee    Midfielder      - keep
12    Peter Brezovan    Goalkeeper    - don't care
13    Mark Scott    Goalkeeper            - not seen play
14    Patrick Kanyuka    Defender       - get shot
15    Kevin Amankwaah    Defender       - Give 1 year to
16    Kasali Casal    Midfielder              - get shot
17    Lilian Nalis    Midfielder             - get shot if natural causes don't do the job
18    Mark Marshall    Midfielder            - get shot 
19    Michael Pook    Midfielder            - get shot to Supermarine
20    Billy Paynter    Striker                - offer 1 year to but try and get another man in
21    Blair Sturrock    Striker                - get shot 
22    Hamdi Razak    Striker                - never seen play
23    Ben Joyce    Striker                - don't care
24    Chris Allen    Midfielder            - don't care
25    Sean Morrison    Defender            - keep
26    Lescinel Jean-Francois    Defender   - never seen play
30    Callum Kennedy    Defender   - keep
31    Simon Cox    Striker   - keep but he'll leave
32    Lee Peacock    Striker   - get shot
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33    Gordon Greer (on loan from Dncstr )    Defender 
34    Owain Tudur Jones (on loan from Swansea )    
7    Hal Robson-Kanu (on loan from Reading )    Midfielder 

 Anybody out of contract should go...rewarding failure is unacceptable.

Keep Cox(he wont stay though), Awankman, Greer(if we can sign him), Morrison and Macnamee.

The rest are no loss, I may keep Vincent or Ifil but neither are really good enough for a possible promotion push...if we stay up that is.....Paynter is a possible but isnt mobile enough, even though he had a good game against MKDongs, hes not consistent enough.

Keep Brez. Get a new keeper coach.

get rid of all the players, Wilson, Byrne, Williams, Granville, Mackey, Fitton, Wray and everyone else.

I'd keep Dave in the Ticket Office, but otherwise yes.

Phil Smith- Decent backup, keep if he's cheap and doesn't mind being backup.
Jack Smith- See Smith, Phil
Jamie Vincent- Keep, with an eye on moving into coaching perhaps.
Michael Timlin- Keep, will do well with the right man alongside him
Jerel Ifil- Keep, see Timlin, Michael
Hasney Aljofree- I'm suspecting he's on a fair whack, I'd get rid if he is as I'd rather have Greer. Must lose the captaincy at least.
Craig Easton- Keep unless there's an injury behind his spectacular loss of form
Barry Corr- Keep on a pay as you play if he'll accept
Jon-Paul McGovern- Give it another year unless he's on shedloads (Which I wouldn't be suprised by- he was a Best signing no?)
Anthony McNamee- Keep as I think he'll do well in a better team.
Peter Brezovan- Not too bothered either way, get rid if we can get better
Mark Scott- Can't imagine he'll stay
Patrick Kanyuka- Get rid
Kevin Amankwaah- Keep
Kasali Casal- Shoot. Or failing that, sack.
Lilian Nalis- Get shot
Mark Marshall- Get shot, feel a bit harsh on him but won't make it
Michael Pook- Get shot
Billy Paynter- Keep, ideally not first choice but good enough as a squad player
Blair Sturrock- Get shot
Hamdi Razak- Undecided but leaning towards getting shot
Ben Joyce- Give another year, ideally on loan in the Conference
Chris Allen- A player I really hope makes it, but I don't think he will
Sean Morrison- Keep
Lescinel Jean-Francois- Seen once so a bit early but doesn't look promising
Callum Kennedy- Keep, another one I'd like to see get a loan move
Simon Cox- What everyone else said, try to keep but unlikely
Lee Peacock- Get rid

Gordon Greer- Sign him up, if he'll come
Owain Tudur Jones- Too early to judge   
Hal Robson-Kanu- Wouldn't mind signing him if Reading don't want a fee but I wouldn't pay much.
   

I've kept most, for those who can't be arsed to read that. I think with the addition of four or five players we'll have an alright squad.

I'm inclined to agree.

My opinion is most of them need to go, they don't deserve a new contract, the majority of them have been crap all season and getting rid of most of the squad would be in our best interests regardless of what division we are in.

Phil Smith    Goalkeeper            - Get Shot
2    Jack Smith    Defender               - Get Shot
3    Jamie Vincent    Defender               - Keep, 1 year
4    Michael Timlin    Defender               - Get Shot
5    Jerel Ifil    Defender                       - Get Shot
6    Hasney Aljofree    Defender       - Get Shot
8    Craig Easton    Midfielder              - 1 year
9    Barry Corr    Striker                   - Per game contract
10    Jon-Paul McGovern    Midfielder       - 1year
11    Anthony McNamee    Midfielder      - 2-year
12    Peter Brezovan    Goalkeeper    - Get Shot
13    Mark Scott    Goalkeeper            - 1 year (cover for whomever)
14    Patrick Kanyuka    Defender       - 1 year
15    Kevin Amankwaah    Defender       - 2 year
16    Kasali Casal    Midfielder              - I thought he was a defender, Cheltenham probably agree he isn't one, still has 1 year, loan out to Supermarine
17    Lilian Nalis    Midfielder             - Get shot and provide a Zimmer frame
18    Mark Marshall    Midfielder            - I year
19    Michael Pook    Midfielder            - Get shot to Weymouth
20    Billy Paynter    Striker                - 2 year
21    Blair Sturrock    Striker                - Get shot
22    Hamdi Razak    Striker                - 1 year because he's a entertaining
23    Ben Joyce    Striker                - Get shot
24    Chris Allen    Midfielder            - Get shot
25    Sean Morrison    Defender            - He''s on 1 year already
26    Lescinel Jean-Francois    Defender   - 1 year to keep Razak company
30    Callum Kennedy    Defender   - 1-year already
31    Simon Cox    Striker   - 3 years,
32    Lee Peacock    Striker   - See above for Nalis
---------
33    Gordon Greer (on loan from Dncstr )   
34    Owain Tudur Jones (on loan from Swansea )   
7    Hal Robson-Kanu (on loan from Reading )    Midfielder 

It's easier if I go with the stay:

Cox (won't happen)
McNamee
Amankwaah
Morrison
Kennedy

probably some youths but I know nothing about them

I have no qualms with everyone else leaving this summer.  Sad.  I know massive culls tend to not work in football but we have a diseased squad now and pruning won't kill it off.  You'd need to do it quickly and get in replacements sharpish so that no lingering around occurs, then all summer can spent building a team up.

I think we will ship most of the players out but I do worry about who we will bring in next season. I cant see players turning down other clubs to come and play for Danny Wilsons Swindon Town.

I hope I am wrong but I think we'll have a weaker squad next season.

we could do, but we may get a "team" out of it.  I find it hard to see how our team fits together half the time lately.

Probably because the team changes what seems like every week.

Be interesting to see how often we've put out the same team this season.

like others it's easier if i list the ones i'd keep.
vincent
greer
morrison
cox
paynter

the rest are all easily replaceable with like for like playes in the lower leagues.

I wouldn't worry, it's the clubs that are going to be in the driving seat next season, it's going to be a tough time for professional footballers as it is for everyone else. 

Id keep Paynter, Cox, Timlin, Vincent, Brez, Allen, Morrison, Kanyuka. Hopefully Greer will sign, but if he has any sense he wont!

Not bothered would be, Easton, Corr, Amankwaah, Marshall,

Granville and Williams HAVE TO GO!

Suprised so many want to keep McNamee. How many games has he played? Hes been fit almost all season, ANOTHER PASSENGER! Gutted JPM has another year, he will probably be good next year because hes playing for a contract.

Some really shit pros in that list.

NO MORE HEROES ANYMORE!

The only ones I'd keep are Cox, Greer, Morrsion, Kennedy and Vincent. the rest can fuck off including Ifill who I have stuck up for in the past. Bottlers and 1 good one in 10 is shit.
As someone else said I would be looking to move Vincent into a coaching role, hopeflly at the expense of everyone other than Wilson.

We can't get rid of too many players not matter how shit they are. How long will it take them to 'gel'. If we go down, I cannot bear more than one season in that division. How long would it take for that excuse to appear?

FWIW if we do go down then I'd sack Wilson...we need a complete overhaul.

The man speakes the truth.

well they aint gelled this year.good players will fit in.look at greer and kanu as examples.

He's hardly been given a fair crack at the whip to be fair though, Reg. Let's see what Wilson can do in the summer, when given the chance to bring in his own players.
He'll be a success here. Fact.

If we go down keep Brez J Smith Ifil Greer Morrison Kennedy MacNamee Easton Timlin Marshall Cox Paynter
If we stay up keep the above with the exception of Paynter and Marshall

he's already brought in 5 and we're no better

Keep:

Jamie Vincent
Michael Timlin
Jerel Ifil
Hasney Aljofree - I think Hasney at left back with Greer and Ifil/Morrison at centre back and a stronger right back to what we already have, has the potential to be quite a good backline. If he's on shit loads however, get shot.
Jon-Paul McGovern - Hasn't he got another year left? Otherwise, get rid...
Anthony McNamee
Kevin Amankwaah - He's shown that under the right management, he can be a quality player. I'd rather he played right wing, but he's an option at right back.
Billy Paynter
Sean Morrison
Callum Kennedy - He's got the potential to become a very good player
Simon Cox - He'll probably leave...
Lee Peacock - Versatile and hard working, so i'd keep. For the first half of the season he was one of our better players imo. His legs went after December, mind.
---------
Gordon Greer - Sign him up!  
Hal Robson-Kanu - Season long loan

Halfway through a season he's brought these players in. Two of them had never played football in England before, so they'll need time to gel. With his own team, we'll see vast improvements.

I'm prepared to wait until the end of the season, but if we do go down then Wilson will be responsible, he will have failed and shouldn't be kept at the club.

Suprised so many want to keep McNamee. How many games has he played? Hes been fit almost all season, ANOTHER PASSENGER!
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Want to ikeep him because anything good usually involves him-our one true creative player

I dont think any team can afford him. Hes just too much of a luxury.

And he cant play a full 90 minutes.

The ones I would keep and probably prepared to stay, so Cox does not come into it.

Morrison
Kennedy
McNamee
Timlin

Greer and Kanu if we can.

The rest of the players can piss off along with the backroom staff. I would keep faith with Wilson the results have not improved but the way we have played especially defensively has since his arrival.

Think it was always likely that we would go down. A lot of poor results under Malpas were predicted at the beginning of the year, as we were relegation favourites in many impartial peoples eyes.
Bringing in Wilson was a longer term move. He's not had a history in turning things around quickly, but has done 'ok' in second seasons.

The new owners have sent a consistent message saying that they wanted to make the club more business like. They have spent and organised off the field and have appeared to take a stand w/r/t player costs. Am sure that we haven't been able to attract decent players because of financial reasons rather than anything else. Now, at this time, even if they wanted to, I suspect that they would be loathed to change their approach as I'm sure that their businesses will not have the disposable income that they once had.

So what about the future? Would it be better to scrape through this year and look for a mid table finish next year, or would the club make more money if it were relegated and the team were challenging for promotion/playoffs next year with a smaller player budget? (L2 isnot overly strong and there are a lot of players who could do a good job at that level so its a buyers market)

Heart says hang on to L1 status, but head says relegation may be a good thing.

NMH

I think the assumption that if we go down next season will be easy is entirely fallacious. In 06/07 we just squeaked up, it should be remembered by Div 4 standard's money was thrown at the thing.

Fitton said at the outset money wont be thrown at this project, so for me it will mean a much reduced playing budget, and the use of more kids.

As previously stated this situation feels more like our first relegation to Div 4 in the 80's rather than two years ago.

Then we'd regularly field 10 players who'd come from the youth team and Jimmy Quinn who'd come from non league...there were only 6 players used who'd come from other clubs.

Of course the advantage of this is now is no dealing with agents.

Not saying that next year in L2 would be easy. What I was trying to say was that it may be easier to attract players that fit our budget (and non agent policy) in L2, since there appears to be a surplus of players desperate for a contract.

We should be able to more easily off load many of the players we currently have and create a team capable of bringing more success on the pitch at L2 level than we would be able to if we did the same in a struggling L1 team. A couple of older heads blended with young kids may be the interim solution to the long term answer.

Obviously, success on the pitch could increase attendances, which in turn may facilitate investment. From all the reports I've read and the highlights I've seen, we are a long way from any sort of success on the pitch and have the prospect of those around us looking to improve in the off season.

Harping back to the 80s, I would love to see us rebuild and grow in a similar manner. Maybe the promotion under Sturrock did us no favours? Another year of consolidation maybe would have served us better in the long term? If only we could get back to the mid 80s Div 4 team that were scared to lose and kept going until the last minute and beyond in search of a goal. It wasn't always pretty, but you were shocked if we didn't get something out of a game!   

Anyway, opinions are like arseholes - everyone has one.

NMH

Only the other day i was thinking how this was all reminding me of 1982.I don't think there's any
likelihood of Fitton opening up the purse strings in the summer.Does anyone really think the money
we get for Coxy will be reinvested into the team? I certainly don't.

There was a real buzz about the club with the appointment of Wise and Poyet back in may 2006.
If we are relegated,i can't see this returning and i think we'll be cutting our cloth to fit in with L2.

Wilson said only the other day with regards to contracts, that we'd have to see where we are before
offering any,as some players maybe suitable for L2.I'd expect the majority to go,but i'd guess some
might be made offers? We would need to be challenging for promotion otherwise the fans would become
very restless,very quickly.

Footnote for Mr Fitton.Although we've got some promising youngsters,from the checks i've made
nobody at the current top of L2 has gone down the path of a team based upon them.Rochdale have
a few but not homegrown,mainly signed from Stockport,Bury and Tranmere.You have to have a core
base of experienced players with a few younger players to blend in,at the bottom level.

To be honest I can see aggro at the Peterborough game, just like there was at Newport in 1982.

The board have consistantly failed to get to grips with the pace at which the football world revolves. Theyve never realised that one bad managerial appointment can and probably will get you relegated.

I can see the point Reg is making. But I think sacking Wilson would be a mistake. I cant see anyone better wanting the job! Weve failed to be objective with the squad. Weve ended up with players in the first team like J Smith and Pook who got us relegated last time.

Basically whatever happens this summer the board have to show that they can be ruthless and will not accept failure. I like Wilson and hope we dont sack him, but if they want a clean sweep then I wouldnt be against that either.

And never forget we wil have a capped budget to work with in L2, a percentage of turnover I believe.  That is a FL rule.