So who would you try and keep?
Looking back to the last time we escaped from level three under Arthur Cox there were players like Rob Hindmarch, Ross McClaren, Paul Blades, John Gregory, Garaint Williams, Steve Buckley, Bobby Davison and Phil Gee in the squad, who went on to prove themselves in Division 2, as it was known then, and even, in some cases, in the top flight.
We don’t seem to have players of that quality and attitude at the moment, but of the current squad who would you hope to keep to build around for a tilt at promotion back to the Championship in 2023?
For me no more than half a dozen or so names stand out. Shinnie, Bielik, Morrison, Sibley, Knight, Ebosele and McDonald are the ones I’d love to keep and I’d like to see Curtis Davis stick around, although whether his body is up to the rigours of League One remains to be seen, no doubting him as a leader and an undoubted role model however.
Of the rest...no disrespect, but some are probably going to be too old, some too soft for the physicality of League One, some too expensive and some just not good enough.
It’ll surely need a mix of experienced ‘know how’ and youthful energy. Thoughts?