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Post by strettonbrewer on Apr 27, 2024 21:59:34 GMT
Crocombe - Keep. No question Blackman - Release - looked dodgy at times and probably on a fair whack too.
Brayford - Keep. Player/coach role? Delap - Keep - I think he'll have a role to play next year. Impressed at bristol away. Possible loan depending on incomings Hamer - Keep. But room to improve defensively. Hughes Keep but think he'll be off (mansfield under clough by all accounts) Tamen - Keep. Guy looks a unit and with a good pre season could have a role. Again maybe a short term loan depending on incomings Sweeney - Keep. Captain material Moon - Keep. Nowhere near his best but deployed at wing back for some reason Caprice - See ya Nsiala - Keep. Quite liked him and could have a big role with a good pre season
Powell - Again likely to join clough at Mansfield Oshilaja - See ya Helm - Keep but needs to improve. Shows glimpses Gilligan - tough one. Just runs but does little. Probably time to move on Lakin - seems a man reborn at Sutton. Give him a go pre season Harper - Lots of potential but needs consistency. Keep Chauke - Who? Carayol - bit part player but I think money should be reinvested into more quality. Release
Stockton - Keep. Can be very effective and needs a manager that'll get best out of him Gordon - not pulled any trees up at Walsall. Sell Walker Sell - can get better out there. Kamwa - Keep. Great threat off the bench and looked dangerous Bennett - Meh. Keep but if an unlikely offer comes in then consider it Scott - Loan. Don't see a lot of potential myself but give him half a season somewhere Hewlett - Prestec pulled their sponsorship because he's probably being shown the door. Waste of wages for 2 years
Loan Seddon - can get better than him. Send back Hackford - do I need to say anything? Adebomi - showed promise but often struggled. Return to club Hudlin - Lol Hugill - Other than derby away proved very ineffective. Will never go higher than league 1 again. Return to club Bola - Oxford at home ruined him letting that ball bounce. Return to club.
I make that potentially 17/18 out of the door with loans returning and players out of contract.
Would you do anything different?
Huge summer ahead!
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Post by Fred Andrews on Apr 27, 2024 23:41:35 GMT
It's hard to put up an exact list given we're not 100% sure of the contract situations of some of the squad, but I'll go with my best shot at it (we need a big clear out this summer, again.)
Manager:
- Martin Paterson - (SACK)
Goalkeepers:
- Max Crocombe - (Contract until 2025) - A solid and reliable Number One keeper for this level. (KEEP) - Jamal Blackman - (Contract unknown) - Will be on big wages, unsure of contract length (has both 2024 and 2025 listings), hasn't done enough when given the chance. (RELEASE/MOVE ON)
Defenders:
- John Brayford - (Out of contract) - Worth one last contract, although now 36, has enough in the tank to be an asset for next season, even if as a rotation option/possible coaching role. (KEEP) - Tom Hamer - (Contract until 2025) - An injury hit season, but a solid right back and defensive option for us, can still improve though. (KEEP) - Ryan Sweeney - (Contract until 2025) - A solid big unit at the back, performed admirably over a tough season, a future captain in the making. (KEEP) - Sam Hughes - (Out of contract) - An injury hit campaign, but on paper our best defender at the club, personally I think he'll move on. (TRY TO KEEP/EXPECT TO LEAVE) - Jasper Moon - (Contract until 2026) - Another defender who has suffered through injury this season, has had a 50/50 season, but is still young with potential to improve. (KEEP) - Jake Caprice - (Contract unknown) - Very poor this season, defensively woeful and completely out of favour in the second part of the campaign. (RELEASE/MOVE ON) - Toto Nsiala - (Out of contract) - 50/50 on him, I'm leaning towards release, has experience at this level, but I think we need better next season. (RELEASE) - Finn Delap - (Contract until 2025) - Has performed well out on loan and is continuing to develop, likely loan out again next season at a higher level. (KEEP) - William Tamen - (Contract unknown/2025?) - Like Delap, appears to have potential, a big lad with good physical attributes. (KEEP)
Midfielders:
- Deji Oshilaja - (Out of contract) - Poor this season, and got worse as it went on, just not good enough in midfield at this level, and we've been terrible in midfield this season. (RELEASE) - Rekeem Harper - (Contract until 2025) - Slowly improved as the season went on, but overall hasn't been great, alas in a poor midfield. Clearly a player in there somewhere. (KEEP) - Mark Helm - (Out of contract) - Contract situation isn't clear cut/he might have an option on it, I think he needs to improve quite a bit, but worth offering a new deal. (KEEP) - Joe Powell - (Out of contract) - One of our more talented players, but has been criminally wasted this season in a defensive role, personally I'd expect him to move on. (TRY TO KEEP/EXPECT TO LEAVE) - Kegs Chauke - (Out of contract 2025) - Barely featured/been injured. See how he looks in pre-season and go from there, a real unknown. (??) - Ciaran Gilligan - (Out of contract) - Now 22, it's time for him to move on now for regular football, I think this season was his last chance saloon, and has barely featured again. (RELEASE) - Charlie Lakin - (Out of contract) - Never given a fair run here, has done great out on loan with Sutton, but expect him to move on for pastures new. (RELEASE)
Wingers/Attackers:
- Mason Bennett - (Contract until 2025) - An up and down season, I think next season will define the rest of his career, last chance saloon for him at this level. (KEEP) - Bobby Kamwa - (Out of contract) - Hasn't improved enough to warrant a new deal, occasional flashes, but not up to this level of football. (RELEASE) - Mustapha Carayol - (Out of contract) - Has always put a shift in, despite our lack of wing play, time to move on but will go with no ill will. (RELEASE) - Josh Gordon - (Contract until 2025) - Looked lost during his early season spell with us, League Two appears to be his level. (SELL/MOVE ON). - Cole Stockton (Contract until 2025) - A move that couldn't have gone more wrong for all involved. I expect him to move on, possibly back up north/Barrow. (SELL/MOVE ON) - Josh Walker - (Contract unknown/2025?) - A big money flop thus far, does he get one more chance to prove his fee? Unlikely. Contract situation may decide that. (RELEASE/SELL) - Dylan Scott - (Out of contract) - Has scored goals for fun in youth sides, and been given a couple of first team chances. Worth another year and a loan out at a higher level. (KEEP) - Tom Hewlett - (Out of contract) - Seemingly kept around for sponsorship reasons, now approaching 23, I think it's time he moved on. (RELEASE)
- Loanees: (Wouldn't keep any).
- Steven Seddon - A very 50/50 season. Offers something going forwards but lacking defensively. We need better on the left hand side of defence, wouldn't be shocked if he was offered something though. - Tolaji Bola - He's 25 and has 51 career appearances. I think that speaks volumes. Like Seddon better going forwards, but not particularly good at either. - Kyle Hudlin - I suspect he'll be back in non-league sooner rather than later. - Joe Hugill - Showed early promise, but went downhill as time went on, not helped by our ever worsening style of play. - Ade Ola-Adebomi - A big lad that may in time improve, but far too raw for this level of football at this point. - Antwoine Hackford - Barely featured.
Review:
If the above happened, and we managed to keep Hughes and Powell, it would leave us with a squad of 14 players. So despite a big clear-out, we'd still have core of players to work with and improve upon over the summer. Plus it would give us a bit more room for manoeuvre in the transfer market over the summer for a manager/new manager to bring in the players he wants. Rather than being stuck with too many of the old regime. Even if you take Powell and Hughes out of the reckoning, it's still a good core to go forwards with.
We'd be left with:
Goalkeeper: (Crocombe), Defence: (Brayford), (Hamer), (Sweeney), (Hughes), (Moon), (Delap), (Tamen), Midfield: (Harper), (Powell), (Helm), (Chauke), Attackers: (Bennett), (Scott).
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Post by everard on Apr 28, 2024 8:13:10 GMT
A successful team is 80% dependent on recruitment, which is why we've struggled for the last 3 years.
I think someone described our squad as awful. I'd say, they're not. Absolute terms aren't so appropriate...they're just not League One standard... The key to today's football imo is PACE - especially your forwards but midfield, wing backs even your centre backs if their going to have any chance of catching fast breaking opposition forwards. Players with pace who can control the ball and move it and themselves at pace. How many break-away goals did we score by getting behind their back line? A cross from the wing with supporting players at the front post, back post and in/round the box? There for the tap-in? Who in our squad has pace? Bennett perhaps... but he's got other problems it seems with injuries and stupid/wreckless tackles...
Whos been/is responsible for recruitment at the club now? Who's had that role since Nigel left us when, in his time, I believe his brother Simon had a key role? Who's watching the non-league games, lower League games the Scottish leagues week in, week out, spotting the upcoming talent?
Do we have a recruitment target list prepared NOW? If we're to recruit a decent squad for next season surely it should be in place now.. at the end of this season... Or do we all go on holiday and see who's still available who wants to come back to us in June/July...? Or wait till September, so we can pick up some surplus Championship players and kids?
I'd keep Max Crocombe...
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Post by bobgauden on Apr 28, 2024 10:56:14 GMT
Can honestly say I’m not too bothered about keeping any more than probably Crocombe, Hughes and Sweeney as sad as it sounds. We need a complete overhaul to inject more athleticism and passing into our team. Luckily we have so many out of contract players. Keeping the majority of this squad will likely cause a struggle again.
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Post by mikeyboy on Apr 28, 2024 11:23:48 GMT
Crocombe - Keep. No question Blackman - Release - looked dodgy at times and probably on a fair whack too. Brayford - Keep. Player/coach role? Delap - Keep - I think he'll have a role to play next year. Impressed at bristol away. Possible loan depending on incomings Hamer - Keep. But room to improve defensively. Hughes Keep but think he'll be off (mansfield under clough by all accounts) Tamen - Keep. Guy looks a unit and with a good pre season could have a role. Again maybe a short term loan depending on incomings Sweeney - Keep. Captain material Moon - Keep. Nowhere near his best but deployed at wing back for some reason Caprice - See ya Nsiala - Keep. Quite liked him and could have a big role with a good pre season Powell - Again likely to join clough at Mansfield Oshilaja - See ya Helm - Keep but needs to improve. Shows glimpses Gilligan - tough one. Just runs but does little. Probably time to move on Lakin - seems a man reborn at Sutton. Give him a go pre season Harper - Lots of potential but needs consistency. Keep Chauke - Who? Carayol - bit part player but I think money should be reinvested into more quality. Release Stockton - Keep. Can be very effective and needs a manager that'll get best out of him Gordon - not pulled any trees up at Walsall. Sell Walker Sell - can get better out there. Kamwa - Keep. Great threat off the bench and looked dangerous Bennett - Meh. Keep but if an unlikely offer comes in then consider it Scott - Loan. Don't see a lot of potential myself but give him half a season somewhere Hewlett - Prestec pulled their sponsorship because he's probably being shown the door. Waste of wages for 2 years Loan Seddon - can get better than him. Send back Hackford - do I need to say anything? Adebomi - showed promise but often struggled. Return to club Hudlin - Lol Hugill - Other than derby away proved very ineffective. Will never go higher than league 1 again. Return to club Bola - Oxford at home ruined him letting that ball bounce. Return to club. I make that potentially 17/18 out of the door with loans returning and players out of contract. Would you do anything different? Huge summer ahead! Walker - sell. Gordon - sell. Who on earth would buy?
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Post by Fred Andrews on Apr 28, 2024 11:26:30 GMT
I do have a gut feeling that we'll get the retained list at some point in the next month or so, and it will be much of the same all over again, players offered new deals that shouldn't be etc... (we are in negotiations with Deji (you just bloody watch)...)
For example, you watch us offer Gilligan a new contract again, and him end up playing 10 games next season. Now I'm not against the lad, but he has had three seasons now of barely playing, he's now 22, despite obviously being a good little footballer, he clearly needs a fresh start to kickstart his footballing career, OR a loan out somewhere next season for regular football so we can assess him properly.
Kamwa, he tries, but he isn't good enough for League One football, it's as simple as that, Carayol, approaching 35, effective in bursts yes, but worth a new contract? No.
A few have said that it's frustrating that we need another big clear-out again, but we really do unfortunately. Managerial issues aside, there is clearly a reason why we nearly got relegated, that being a number of the players not being up to the standard required, keep too many around again, and you can expect a repeat next season.
Keep too many of the lads around from this season (a very poor season, with many of them underperforming), and not only will we struggle again, but it weakens our hand financially and limits what we can do. Let's free up some wages now that we've got the chance to. We've wasted far too much money over the last few seasons. I know we need squad players/backup players), but that is where the loan market can come into play.
Keep a solid core of Crocombe, Hamer, Moon, Sweeney, Hughes, Powell, Bennett etc, and build upon that.
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Post by mikeyboy on Apr 28, 2024 11:26:46 GMT
A successful team is 80% dependent on recruitment, which is why we've struggled for the last 3 years. I think someone described our squad as awful. I'd say, they're not. Absolute terms aren't so appropriate...they're just not League One standard... The key to today's football imo is PACE - especially your forwards but midfield, wing backs even your centre backs if their going to have any chance of catching fast breaking opposition forwards. Players with pace who can control the ball and move it and themselves at pace. How many break-away goals did we score by getting behind their back line? A cross from the wing with supporting players at the front post, back post and in/round the box? There for the tap-in? Who in our squad has pace? Bennett perhaps... but he's got other problems it seems with injuries and stupid/wreckless tackles... Whos been/is responsible for recruitment at the club now? Who's had that role since Nigel left us when, in his time, I believe his brother Simon had a key role? Who's watching the non-league games, lower League games the Scottish leagues week in, week out, spotting the upcoming talent? Do we have a recruitment target list prepared NOW? If we're to recruit a decent squad for next season surely it should be in place now.. at the end of this season... Or do we all go on holiday and see who's still available who wants to come back to us in June/July...? Or wait till September, so we can pick up some surplus Championship players and kids? I'd keep Max Crocombe... I believe we miss Simon Clough and Kevin Summerfield’s recruitment more than any manager.
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Post by mikeyboy on Apr 28, 2024 11:30:15 GMT
I do have a gut feeling that we'll get the retained list at some point in the next month or so, and it will be much of the same all over again, players offered new deals that shouldn't be etc... (we are in negotiations with Deji (you just bloody watch)...) For example, you watch us offer Gilligan a new contract again, and him end up playing 10 games next season. Now I'm not against the lad, but he has had three seasons now of barely playing, he's now 22, despite obviously being a good little footballer, he clearly needs a fresh start to kickstart his footballing career, OR a loan out somewhere next season for regular football so we can assess him properly. Kamwa, he tries, but he isn't good enough for League One football, it's as simple as that, Carayol, approaching 35, effective in bursts yes, but worth a new contract? No. A few have said that it's frustrating that we need another big clear-out again, but we really do unfortunately. Managerial issues aside, there is clearly a reason why we nearly got relegated, that being a number of the players not being up to the standard required, keep too many around again, and you can expect a repeat next season. Keep too many of the lads around from this season (a very poor season, with many of them underperforming), and not only will we struggle again, but it weakens our hand financially and limits what we can do. Let's free up some wages now that we've got the chance to. We've wasted far too much money over the last few seasons. I know we need squad players/backup players), but that is where the loan market can come into play. Mustafa is nearly 36 Fred, born Sept 88.
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Post by Fred Andrews on Apr 28, 2024 11:35:16 GMT
I do have a gut feeling that we'll get the retained list at some point in the next month or so, and it will be much of the same all over again, players offered new deals that shouldn't be etc... (we are in negotiations with Deji (you just bloody watch)...) For example, you watch us offer Gilligan a new contract again, and him end up playing 10 games next season. Now I'm not against the lad, but he has had three seasons now of barely playing, he's now 22, despite obviously being a good little footballer, he clearly needs a fresh start to kickstart his footballing career, OR a loan out somewhere next season for regular football so we can assess him properly. Kamwa, he tries, but he isn't good enough for League One football, it's as simple as that, Carayol, approaching 35, effective in bursts yes, but worth a new contract? No. A few have said that it's frustrating that we need another big clear-out again, but we really do unfortunately. Managerial issues aside, there is clearly a reason why we nearly got relegated, that being a number of the players not being up to the standard required, keep too many around again, and you can expect a repeat next season. Keep too many of the lads around from this season (a very poor season, with many of them underperforming), and not only will we struggle again, but it weakens our hand financially and limits what we can do. Let's free up some wages now that we've got the chance to. We've wasted far too much money over the last few seasons. I know we need squad players/backup players), but that is where the loan market can come into play. Mustafa is nearly 36 Fred, born Sept 88. That's even worse then haha. I appreciate Mustaphas efforts during his time here, he's actually played the most games of his career with us, our wing back style play has obviously meant we've barely ever used natural wingers, and relied on defenders to get forward and try to create things out wide, it would've been nice to see him more. Unfortunately it's looking like Martin could well end up remaining in the job, given stuff being said on social media (and Brayford bigging him up - new assistant manager by any chance?...), if that is the case we may as well go into next season with no wingers at the club at all. New manager, please!
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Post by mikeyboy on Apr 28, 2024 11:46:55 GMT
Mustafa is nearly 36 Fred, born Sept 88. That's even worse then haha. I appreciate Mustaphas efforts during his time here, he's actually played the most games of his career with us, our wing back style play has obviously meant we've barely ever used natural wingers, and relied on defenders to get forward and try to create things out wide, it would've been nice to see him more. Unfortunately it's looking like Martin could well end up remaining in the job, given stuff being said on social media (and Brayford bigging him up - new assistant manager by any chance?...), if that is the case we may as well go into next season with no wingers at the club at all. New manager, please! What’s being said Fred?
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Post by ianmcgibbon on Apr 28, 2024 11:58:17 GMT
I don't think Jamal Blackman has let us down or not looked solid.
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Post by Fred Andrews on Apr 28, 2024 12:02:25 GMT
John said they felt down and out with certain things and that Paterson re-galvanised them and gave them togetherness and sanity, and he is honoured to work under him.
Now off the pitch behind the scenes that may well be true, but on it, that is obviously garbage. They looked like 11 lost individuals with no clue, no identity and going well and truly through the motions from Martins appointment onwards. Not that it wasn't the case before that, under Dino we were still poor, just not as poor.
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Post by Fred Andrews on Apr 28, 2024 12:24:00 GMT
I don't think Jamal Blackman has let us down or not looked solid. I've always rated him as a keeper before his time with us, I thought he should've left Chelsea sooner but being on £13,000 a week for his last 5 years there, I'm not surprised he didn't, I fully expected him to be No1 over Max when both signed last summer. Who knows, if he hadn't got injured, it may well have been Jamal who ended up as player of the season, he certainly would've been just as busy. I think the only difference was that the defence seemed a little less sure with Jamal behind them at times. Maybe just a communication thing, but we did have a very tough run of opening games. I think from a financial viewpoint, he'll end up being released and we'll either have a younger lad as backup or a loanee.
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Post by sinfinbovril on Apr 28, 2024 16:11:38 GMT
1) We need a strong spine: GK (Max) CB (Sweeney & Moon - if Hughes goes) a commanding CB (like Stephen Quinn) or two and a striker. You build your team around that.
2) I say we get rid of as many as we can. Firstly because losing is a habit and we'll just start next season by carrying from this one. Secondly, some of these players (Gilligan, Powell, Hughes etc) THEY need a fresh start. As someone said above, Gilligan has been on the sidelines of three poor seasons. That's a young man who should be playing week-in-week-out.
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Post by ianmcgibbon on Apr 28, 2024 16:18:12 GMT
I don't think Jamal Blackman has let us down or not looked solid. I've always rated him as a keeper before his time with us, I thought he should've left Chelsea sooner but being on £13,000 a week for his last 5 years there, I'm not surprised he didn't, I fully expected him to be No1 over Max when both signed last summer. Who knows, if he hadn't got injured, it may well have been Jamal who ended up as player of the season, he certainly would've been just as busy. I think the only difference was that the defence seemed a little less sure with Jamal behind them at times. Maybe just a communication thing, but we did have a very tough run of opening games. I think from a financial viewpoint, he'll end up being released and we'll either have a younger lad as backup or a loanee. I may be wrong, but I don't recall Blackman looking dodgy, nor the defence less sure. I don't think we have been very good, but I am not sure either 'keeper is the issue.
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Post by annable on Apr 29, 2024 9:20:35 GMT
I think you can make a case for lots of players who have done OK now and again but overall I think we need a real clear out and this squad needs revamping completely. Of those out of contract there is only really Hughes, Powell, Brayford(1 year deal) and maybe Helm due to his age that I would consider re signing and even those, if they don't sign they don't. The current squad has been used to battling away and trying to stay in this league and most will be tired of doing that and will need a new challenge. There is clearly a losing mentality that has set in.
The managerial situation needs sorting ASAP and at the end of the day MP is out of contract now so surely it's a simple decision in terms of has he done enough in his few months with us to warrant it being extended. The answer as far as I am concerned is an emphatic no. He may talk a good game but the evidence from what we see on the pitch speaks for itself. We can use the excuse about January and it certainly didn't help but as i've said many times before the style(or lack of) is what I am looking at. In short, there isn't one and I do not believe that our squad, however weak or imbalanced it is, can only play that way. I just don't.
The other question is whether he actually wants to stay. He must know that his style of football coupled with results has already turned the majority of the fanbase against him and he has lost any goodwill he had following his appointment. It's almost unrecoverable. My worry is that Ben takes the easy option and just lets him carry on. I maybe wrong, and I hope I am, but I just have a feeling that's what he'll do. That would be a big call especially as you could see MP jumping ship if Duff gets another job. Barnsley return maybe?
Interesting times but we need to start acting quickly and not let us have another JFH situation from a couple of years back.
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Post by Fred Andrews on Apr 29, 2024 9:29:12 GMT
I agree Annable, it's not necessarily all ability, it's the mentality, and a losing one at that. We've gotten used to having around 25% possession every game, barely creating any chances, and basically being backs to the wall for majority of games, including against relegated sides that are apparently worse than us. We had the squad at times through last season to play positively, with strikers, wingers and four defenders, we refused to. Whether it was managerial incompetency or ego, or just plain stupidity (both Dino and more so Martin).
Keep some of the younger lads with potential and some of the core group like we've stated above, but apart from that the rest really need go to, or it's a repeat, or worse next season.
Ben & the club have a huge opportunity for a fresh start this summer, a new manager, a new look squad, and some optimism going forwards. By keeping MP around the morale of the fanbase would take a huge hit going into the summer. Don't squander the chance.
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Post by annable on May 1, 2024 7:52:04 GMT
Just a little gripe from me. Call me old fashioned but did anybody else see social media posts/videos with Seddon, Brayford, Gilligan, Moon and Bennett appearing to be away somewhere on the p**s and singing "Brewers staying up...etc etc"? Seddon also said something about it was a shame he couldn't have got his 4th red on the season at Fleetwood(or words to that effect). Now i'm not opposed to people letting their hair down and having a good time but for those things to be filmed(presumably by themselves) and then find their way onto social media a few days after the Fleetwood shambles for me is in poor taste. If they think that staying up in the manner we did is something worth celebrating then they have clearly misread the room. Sorry guys but you looked really stupid. I'd be tempted to get rid with that mentality.
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Post by mikeyboy on May 1, 2024 8:11:46 GMT
Just a little gripe from me. Call me old fashioned but did anybody else see social media posts/videos with Seddon, Brayford, Gilligan, Moon and Bennett appearing to be away somewhere on the p**s and singing "Brewers staying up...etc etc"? Seddon also said something about it was a shame he couldn't have got his 4th red on the season at Fleetwood(or words to that effect). Now i'm not opposed to people letting their hair down and having a good time but for those things to be filmed(presumably by themselves) and then find their way onto social media a few days after the Fleetwood shambles for me is in poor taste. If they think that staying up in the manner we did is something worth celebrating then they have clearly misread the room. Sorry guys but you looked really stupid. I'd be tempted to get rid with that mentality. Perhaps the saddest thing of all is that quintet are probably our more committed within the complete squad.
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Post by Fred Andrews on May 1, 2024 8:42:57 GMT
Within a day of the last game too, after that performance they should've been back in training on the Monday morning.
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