Thetownend.com

Evening all,

with Charlie Austin signing a new two and a half year contract this week and speculation remaining about whether Paynter/McGovern will sign up, I thought I'd offer the following summary.

Lucas, Cuthbert, Douglas, Pericard, Greer, O'Brien and Jesionkowski are all contracted to Swindon until the end of the 2010/2011 season.

Charlie Austin is the only player contracted longer than this, until the end of the 2011/2012 (with Swindon having the option to extend it by a further year if they choose)

The following players contracts expire at the end of this season: McGovern, Easton, Timlin, Smith, Morrison, Amankwaah, Kennedy, Lescinel Jean-Francois, Paynter, Macklin, Thompson and Marshall.

Three players are on loan to Swindon until May 31st: Ward (Bolton), Sheehan (Leeds) and Ferry (Celtic).

I'd like to know what everybody thinks regarding who to keep and who to let go this summer?

If I had my way, I'd definitely offer new long-term deals to Paynter, McGovern, Amankwaah and Morrison as well as trying my best to get Sheehan, Ferry and Ward on permenant deals. I'd have to let go of Easton, Lescinel and Marshall. Difficult decisions would need to be made on Timlin, Smith and the youngsters (Macklin, Thompson and Kennedy).

So now it's over to you...

I think Lescinel deserves a new deal and I would keep Macklin & Timlin.

Erm, isn't it a bit hard to make such decisions given that we have no idea what division we will be playing in next season, and how many season tickets we're going to sell (thus leading to increases or cutbacks on the playing budget)?

FWIW I agree with the player's you've said we should keep and let go, but if we were to go up this season I think we'd need to find players significantly better than Timlin, Thompson and Kennedy. Whether that means letting those three go is another question.

The only reason I'd let him go is because I think Sheehan is a better left back. I think Lescinel has done very well considering this season,

id keep kennedy and macklin for atleast another year even if we went up.

easton and timlin will probably be let go.
sign up JPM BILLY P MANKY MORRISON

Offer long term deals to Paynter, McGovern, Amankwaah and Morrison.

Offer a year to Lescinel, Macklin, Kennedy, Thompson and Smith.

Get rid of Easton, Timlin and Marshall.

Offer Cuthbert and Douglas contract extensions

Offer long term deals to Paynter, McGovern, Amankwaah and Morrison.

Offer a year to Lescinel, Macklin, Kennedy, Thompson and Smith.

Get rid of Easton, Timlin and Marshall.

Offer Cuthbert and Douglas contract extensions

so good you said it twice  :D

Dave,

so long as 'long term' is a two year deal, I'd agree with that section, and the extensions, although in Cuthbert's case it would be to force a selling price up. I think we could do better than Kennedy and Thompson. Macklin would be a 'last chance', as we're not using him these days. Unless he can cover if Ward goes back next season.

Smith's deal would depend on their opinion of Jesionkowski (if that's spelt right).

We can replace Easton, Timlin and Marshall, as well as the loanees if we can't take them on permanently.

What contract is O'Brien on ?

i think its till the end of next season

Yeah, I'm classing long term as 2 years.

You have to remember Thompson, Kennedy and Macklin are still young and in my opinion worth keeping around just to see how they progress.

I'd get them out on loan so they can have games. Not at places like Supermarine and Salisbury but at least L2.

I'd go with everything Dave said, except I'm not sure about giving Smith an extension especially if we go up.

Marshall maybe has an outside chance for another year, difficult to know what he's like as he hasn't played. But the last time I saw him play there was a massive improvement on what he was like to begin with - depends whether Wilson has seen something or not.

I'd say we've got fuck all chance of getting Ward permanently, he's already come on leaps and bounds in a few games and it seems obvious he's got a bright future ahead of him and can make the step up to Bolton's 1st team. I reckon Ferry and Sheehan with both sign permanent deals in the summer, Ferry isn't up to Celtic SPL level at present and I doubt they will want to wait.

It quite likely celtic will have a new manager come the summer so Ferrys future will be completely up in the air.

I wouldn't offer JP anything more than a year with the option on playing x games to get another year, last season he was awful this season he is good , who is to say he will be good next season if he has a long term deal signed, I'd give him a deal with an incentive built in to do well.

I'd keep Lex and Wanky on 2 year deals, I think Lex is still young and can improve given time as a backup left back clear out Timlin, Easton, Kennedy, Marshall

Smith, Thompson & Macklin 1 year deal

Paynter & Morrison 2 year with the option of another year

Remember though players like JP & Paynter already have new deal offered to them - but they have not signed them yet so they may wait and see what division we are in to see if they can ask for more money

I'd wait to see what league we're in before handing out new contracts.

This.

Don't think we canwait that long, especially for the better players, who will have other teams sniffing around

I was thinking more of the fringe players and those in the 1st team that may not cut it in the CCC.
Obviously JD,JPM,Cuthbert,Paynter and possibly Greer need to be tied up whatever, but there are players who may be good for us in League 1, but not above.

Exactly

JPM performances are down to the coaching staff he seems alot happier than the first two years he was playing here and having fellow countrymen ferry, cuthbert and greer here could have helped aswell

Said on the radio that JPM, Amankwaah, and Phil Smith have been offered contracts. No details on the length though.

Thats good news, 3 players i would like to see stay at the club.

What about the Polish keeper? Guess there is no point in having him if we are going to keep Smith.

I thought that he was "one for the future"

Said on the phone in, we were going to loan him out to a scottish side but it fell through. Would imagine if Smith is staying they'll try and do the same again, and see if he's actually any kop, before either an extension or let him go next season.

Is Timlin going to be a high earner, seeing as he came from Fulham? He's not a bad player, but I can imagine he's quite poor value.

I think him, Easton and Marshall are likely to be leaving.

Probably too early to decide on the kids and Lesc is decent, but replaceable. I can't imagine he's expensive though.

Didn't I read somewhere that Wilson really rates Jesionkowski and reckons he is one to watch for the future?

I find it a bit odd that everyone finds it so hard to believe we might just want to have more than 2 keepers on our books!

Its not rocket science...if we get a keeper badly injured(ie Brez) you need a backup keeper...all squads worth its salt will have 3 decent keepers.

True, but for years we've usually always had just two keepers but I expect that was due to the wage budget!

I mean one year we had Matty fucking Bulman on the bench and he was gash.

JP indicating negotiations are going well

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/4992250.JP_wants_County_Ground_stay/

Sounds promising.

So who is now left out of contract come the end of the season?

I lost track of who has signed and who hasn't.

I'm pissed that LJF hasn't been offered a contract as he's done a decent enough job and played in a lot of games, especially those after the Haiti earthquake which must have been really hard on him but he came through it when we really needed him.

I thought he sign a 2 year deal last summer.

Unless you're American, I think you mean "pissed off". Or maybe that you're so frustrated by the LJF contract situation that it's driven you to drink :)

Like santasdead, though, I didn't think he was out of contract this summer anyway.

Yes he did sign one, so has another year after July, think Paynter is the only one left, and maybe Kennedy.

Is saying pissed instead of pissed off just an American thing then? I always say pissed and don't bother with off.

Pretty certain it was only a 1 year deal, this is what the Adver and most other sites say. Only mention I found of a 2 year deal was on Sky Sports which I'm not convinced by.

Yeah, pissed is an Americanism. But it doesn't much matter, just an excuse for a cheap gag. Not sure the Adver's any more reliable than SSN tbh, but on your main point, you're right, if he doesn't have at least another year, he's done enough (and shown enough room for potential growth) to have earned another year IMO. But it wouldn't drive me to drink worrying about it - I've got a family to do that!

fairly certain he's out of contract this summer, recall looking for contract details when i updated his wiki page and couldn't find anything other than a one year deal.

Jonny72,

in reference to the original list of out of contract players, the situation is as follows (i think!);

McGovern signed a 2 year deal, with an option to extend worked in
Easton
Timlin
Smith signed a 2 year deal
Morrison offered a deal, don't know if its fully signed yet?
Amankwaah signed a 2 year deal, with an option to extend worked in
Kennedy offered a deal, don't know if its fully signed yet?
Jean-Francois
Paynter offered a deal-rejected. Wilson waiting until May now
Macklin
Thompson
Marshall