Retained List Now On O/S

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Originally Posted by Nigel_M

There was no point any longer keeping Smith and especially Edwards even nominally as players. Does it mean they're not staying as coaches etc?

It always looked likely that Tootle, O'Connor, Jones and Duffy would be offered contracts - time will tell whether the wages on offer are acceptable to the latter 3. Given Jones and Duffy signed on a year ago, I would expect them to sign.

Surprised at Collin but again maybe wages were the issue.

We probably need to sign the first choice goalkeeper, wingers and strikers. Not easy to put together your whole attacking unit in 1 summer.

But overall pretty sensible decisions. Main issue is some of the contracted players that I'd rather not see play again!

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Do we need three keepers in L2?

I think Fitz is fine for this level, just keep two keepers and invest more in a striker?

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Originally Posted by Airborn Pie

Do we need three keepers in L2?

I think Fitz is fine for this level, just keep two keepers and invest more in a striker?

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Two 'keepers should be fine, especially if you've got a decent youth prospect as back-up to sit on the bench. Worst case scenario you can always sign a free agent in an emergency. I think Fitz was one of our best signings last summer, arguably the only one of the late triallists to really show his worth.

Pity Hawkridge was on a 2 year contract, he's pants

Agree with most of what you've put there Jackal, with a couple of the players it could also be the case that they have decided to move on for their careers (Milsom for example, maybe Forte).

Personally I'm glad Forte has gone just because any time he picks up his monthly injury and doesn't play people would be questioning the manager again, like they did whenever Collin started ahead of the world class keeper everyone seems to remember Fitzsimons being. I do rate Fitz but I think it would be a step backwards if we start next season with him as number 1 compared to Adam Collin.

Shame we couldn't convince Shola to stick around and have the role Steve Fletcher used to have at Bournemouth.

Nolan obviously didn't rate Curtis Thompson, which is fair enough imo, when you ask what his main quality is you would probably say his work rate, unfortunately you need more than that imo. He didn't get much playing time at Wycombe either and still joined in their celebrations when they won promotion ahead of us which I imagine people at Notts probably weren't best pleased about if they heard about it.

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Originally Posted by Airborn Pie

Do we need three keepers in L2?

I think Fitz is fine for this level, just keep two keepers and invest more in a striker?

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Mark Crossley thinks you do and said something along the lines of Nolan agreeing with him and while he was there that would be the aim. I think Pindroch will go out on loan somewhere for first team football and hopefully we will bring in a new number 1.

Many have often said we need a clearout and now we've got one so +1 for that.

Just hope we've got some irons in the fire already (targets missed in January?) and that AH realises too that he needs to dig deeper.

Or maybe the long term plan is to develop the women to replace some of the men? (Ducks).

It's going to be an interesting summer.

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Originally Posted by SolSigns

Hardy's been unconvincing in the transfer market thus far. This clearout puts a lot of pressure on him to do better, and quickly.

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I reckon the pressure is more on Nolan than Hardy, unless the Chairman would consider firing himself! XD

There are a lot of difficulties associated with being a football chairman, including more brickbats than praise, but at least if you own the club like Alan Hardy does, your word is the bottom line whether it's right or wrong!

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Originally Posted by Old_pie

Just hope ... that AH realises too that he needs to dig deeper.

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Football fans always want their Chairmen to dig deeper, and yet the team that won the league reportedly had the shallowest pockets at all!

If Alan spends as much as Notts County Football Club can realistically afford, I'm happy. We've been down the line of chasing success by overstretching ourselves many times, and even when it appears to work in the short-term (like with the Munto con), it doesn't last. The bills always have to be paid in the end.

Steady, sustainable growth is the way forward, as a club like Burton Albion have shown. Despite relegation this year, they will still be punching above their weight by being in League One next season.

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Originally Posted by jackal2

Football fans always want their Chairmen to dig deeper, and yet the team that won the league reportedly had the shallowest pockets at all!

If Alan spends as much as Notts County Football Club can realistically afford, I'm happy. We've been down the line of chasing success by overstretching ourselves many times, and even when it appears to work in the short-term (like with the Munto con), it doesn't last. The bills always have to be paid in the end.

Steady, sustainable growth is the way forward, as a club like Burton Albion have shown. Despite relegation this year, they will still be punching above their weight by being in League One next season.

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Firstly Notts County Football Club cannot realistically afford anything. It loses money, and those losses have to come from AH (or as it would appear at the moment, one of his enterprises). So the issue is, does he slowly haemorrhage with a string of poor and half hearted decisions or does he do a "John Wayne" "go for broke " to get to his promised land of the Championship.

We had a poor January window which despite his protestations "squad better after than before" failed to perform to the levels of the first half of the season and League Two (it is the basement you know) beckons again with a supporter base that will start to tire of the enthusiasm of AH unless the club delivers. Or he gives up on HIS Championship dream.

So we'll see if he and KN have learnt their lessons, are a bit more wary of the agents knocking on their door, and have spent a few months looking at players that are an improvement on what we had. And however deep he has to dig to keep the club going he might just have to dig that bit deeper all other FFP factors considered.

I think we can dismiss the "Class of 2018" so that's one route blocked off.

Hopefully, finishing in the top half will be of a significant benefit to us. The decent players out there may actually consider us a viable option for once.