The Squad List (currently serving 2021-22)

[Bob's Orange]

Presume the released list wont be long

Giametteis dad was on facebook group saying the club rung his son and told him he was being released.
At least do it to their faces ffs

I presume the release list WILL be long!

That bit about the club releasing players by text or phone isn't new is it? I'm sure there has been a criticism of that before. If true, yet another black mark for the club. Especially when it wasn't that long ago that the kid that Man City released killed himself. Football clubs really need to look after these people better.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

Who is left at the club to tell them?

[Frigby Daser]

I presume the release list WILL be long!

That bit about the club releasing players by text or phone isn't new is it? I'm sure there has been a criticism of that before. If true, yet another black mark for the club. Especially when it wasn't that long ago that the kid that Man City released killed himself. Football clubs really need to look after these people better.

There are a lot of things about running a football club that are hard. There are a lot of things that mean a lot, and should be easy. Treating your playing staff (and other staff) with a bit of courtesy and respect, especially those that have been at the club for years like youth teamers, should not be difficult.

Those running the club (at the top, not the likes of Danny Lee and the others that clearly care) manage to do everything - absolutely everything - badly.

[Bob's Orange]

There are a lot of things about running a football club that are hard. There are a lot of things that mean a lot, and should be easy. Treating your playing staff (and other staff) with a bit of courtesy and respect, especially those that have been at the club for years like youth teamers, should not be difficult.

Those running the club (at the top, not the likes of Danny Lee and the others that clearly care) manage to do everything - absolutely everything - badly.

Spot on FD. I don't think it should be that much of a hardship for club staff to have proper face to face meetings with players, that, as you say, have been at the club for years and for many will be an absolute body blow.

[pauld]

Seems especially harsh when they didn't even play him in the last couple of games to at least have a look at him.

[Bob's Orange]

Seems especially harsh when they didn't even play him in the last couple of games to at least have a look at him.

I assume they had obviously already made up their minds that none of the yoofs, aside from Parsons is going to be offered a deal? As you say once we have been relegated surely the last few games were the ideal time to throw them in.

[Nemo]

Giametti seems to have been let go judging from his dad being less than chuffed with the club's conduct on Twitter. Gotta feel for the youngsters this season with no real chance to impress anyone, but it's par for the course for our use of the academy.

Interesting thing there is it confirms that *someone* is making decisions about new contracts (Jewell?) and that we might get a retained list at some point.

[Matchworn Shirts]

Swindon Town today announced their retained list:
Retained:
Taylor Curran (contracted until 2051)
Taylor Currans' dog (contracted until 2051)

Released:
Everyone else

[theakston2k]

Giametti seems to have been let go judging from his dad being less than chuffed with the club's conduct on Twitter. Gotta feel for the youngsters this season with no real chance to impress anyone, but it's par for the course for our use of the academy.

Interesting thing there is it confirms that *someone* is making decisions about new contracts (Jewell?) and that we might get a retained list at some point.

I’d say it’s more par for the course in terms of the lack of quality our academy produces. After the decent ones are poached before they are old enough for first team football the ones that are left just tend to be nowhere near first team level. You can count on hand the successes from the academy in the last couple of decades; Jutkiewicz, Bodin, Thompson Brothers, Twine.

The rest have been nowhere near the standard required and that’s why they don’t get used, they all end up in the second tier of non-league at best which shows we aren’t making mistakes not to use them.

[pauld]

I’d say it’s more par for the course in terms of the lack of quality our academy produces. After the decent ones are poached before they are old enough for first team football the ones that are left just tend to be nowhere near first team level. You can count on hand the successes from the academy in the last couple of decades; Jutkiewicz, Bodin, Thompson Brothers, Twine.

The rest have been nowhere near the standard required and that’s why they don’t get used, they all end up in the second tier of non-league at best which shows we aren’t making mistakes not to use them.

It's a chicken and egg argument to some extent: 1st and 2nd year pro are crucial years, if the players aren't getting game time in that period, it's a real hindrance to their development. This is where Wellens had a point about us not having an U23s to let the players who weren't quite ready for the first team get a bit longer to develop.

[theakston2k]

It's a chicken and egg argument to some extent: 1st and 2nd year pro are crucial years, if the players aren't getting game time in that period, it's a real hindrance to their development. This is where Wellens had a point about us not having an U23s to let the players who weren't quite ready for the first team get a bit longer to develop.

We seem to even struggle to find decent loans for our youngsters though so it does still point to an issue in terms of them being of the required standard.

[pauld]

We seem to even struggle to find decent loans for our youngsters though so it does still point to an issue in terms of them being of the required standard.

But as you note yourself, the Academy is producing decent youngsters, it's just that they tend to get sold before they reach the first team. So maybe the problem isn't that the Academy produces "a lack of quality" as how those Academy products are used.

[theakston2k]

But as you note yourself, the Academy is producing decent youngsters, it's just that they tend to get sold before they reach the first team. So maybe the problem isn't that the Academy produces "a lack of quality" as how those Academy products are used.

But we have little to no choice in this as it’s a piece of piss to poach youngsters under the new system as we have such a lowly academy status.  The net result is that anyone decent is gone before they are 15 or 16 and that the vast majority of academy products we have left aren’t of a sufficient standard for league football.

It’s another reason we need our own purpose built training facility so that we can elevate our academy status to the extent where better players want to be part of it and stay within it.

[DiV]

Obviously there is no point flogging a dead horse - if a player isn’t up to standard then chances are they will never be.

However, let’s take a look at Scott Twine who is now being peddled as an Academy success story.
A year ago, 95% of our fan base wouldnt have been bothered had he gone. He didn’t look up to standard in L2 as a centre forward.
He goes on loan to Newport and again the large majority of the fan base are meh (and that debate was done to death at the start of the season)
An extra 6 months development, 6 months of regular first team football and a tweak in position and we are desperate for him to come back here (won’t deny that our gash midfield exaggerated this desire)

Now he’s probably off to a Championship club.

Now, for arguments sake if we’d released Twine last season - would he have gone on to prove us wrong? Or would he have ended up in Melksham reserves?....and could any of our other youngsters have a similar career trajectory with a few more years development time and/or regular first team football?

[Cowley38]

Obviously there is no point flogging a dead horse - if a player isn’t up to standard then chances are they will never be.

However, let’s take a look at Scott Twine who is now being peddled as an Academy success story.
A year ago, 95% of our fan base wouldnt have been bothered had he gone. He didn’t look up to standard in L2 as a centre forward.
He goes on loan to Newport and again the large majority of the fan base are meh (and that debate was done to death at the start of the season)
An extra 6 months development, 6 months of regular first team football and a tweak in position and we are desperate for him to come back here (won’t deny that our gash midfield exaggerated this desire)

Now he’s probably off to a Championship club.

Now, for arguments sake if we’d released Twine last season - would he have gone on to prove us wrong? Or would he have ended up in Melksham reserves?....and could any of our other youngsters have a similar career trajectory with a few more years development time and/or regular first team football?

Twine has a decision to make...

IF he gets offers to sign for a Championshio side he is likely only going to be a squad player with the occasional spot on the bench- he is not good enough yet to start in the Championship....

Or he goes to a too half League 1 side where he will make the occasional start probably spend 99% on the bench

Or he stays here and has another year or so development time from where he could be ready for the step up.....