Calvin Miller

[Chilwell_Pie]

Had a couple of good games whilst at loan on Notts but his career record for a 23-year old isn't overly impressive. Two less than spectacular loans whilst at Celtic, one at Dundee ended early, and ten games for Harrogate before they decided he wasn't for them. Initial performances at Notts were pretty poor and there were question marks over his attitude. Given this plus a return of 2 assists and no goals in 19 appearances and I wonder whether we may have had a lucky escape if we did make him an offer.

[jacobncfc]

We've already got a pacey left-sided forward in Lewis Knight, plus Ely Sam, could that be why we didn't break the bank to get him?

I would've been happy signing Miller but I don't feel any sense of panic having not got him. I think our recruitment is looking good so far.

I honestly think the acid test is whether we can get two **** hot CMs, rather than keeping Miller.

Miller was completely anonymous when we played him further forward. Eight games before the end of the season, not a single one of us would’ve contemplated signing him permanently.

But, he definitely had a fine run of form after being moved to wing back, and we’d have all been pleased to see him signed for that role. I don’t think we can blame Notts for thinking that one good run of eight games or so (the first of Miller’s entire career seemingly) wasn’t enough evidence for us to make him a big offer, though, if that is what happened.

[Notts78]

With the signing of players there's a lot that needs to be factored in especially at this level. I am not overly worried about Reeves, Ellis, and Miller not signing being a reflection of something being wrong with how the club operates, but more about the players own circumstances and the clubs current position in non-league. Reeves was very complementary in his parting message about IB and is coaching methods.

Also we do not know if Ellis was offered a contract?

Rightly or wrongly I've come to the conclusion that Reeves and Ellis may have wanted to play at the highest level possible in an area closer to where they may live and be settled? Reeves has spent the majority of his career in London and has signed for Stevenage and likewise Ellis has been in the North West with Tranmere and has signed for Barrow. They are both 28+ so can't be begrudged wanting to play in the EFL at that age it might be the last chance they get and especially if it's closer to home as well.

With Miller he is far younger, but was never our player, a loan signing who put himself in the shop window. If he was offered a contract then it's doubtful location was a factor as Chesterfield are only up the road, it can't be anything to do with us being in the National League as they are, so it could only be speculated it could be money, length of contract, or something else and he just did not fancy it here, but that shouldn't be seen as something being wrong at the club.

I think location at our level and the bottom division of the EFL is a massive factor for players. When you factor in contract lengths (generally 2 year maximum) it’s a massive risk for a player, particularly one with a family to relocate 100s of miles. The difference in pay won’t be that big across League 2 and the top end of the NL.
If 2 clubs offer similar terms but one of the clubs means you carry on living where you do it’s surely a no brainer.
The club is in good hands at both boardroom level and the management team. I trust that players we would like sign are offered suitable contracts and gone are the days when we break the bank for players like David Vaughn.
With the model we now have in place, players should realise coming to Notts is now about us coaching and developing you to become the best player you can be. We hopefully go up through the Leagues and you as a player have a stepping stone to play at the highest level possible whether with Notts or not. Cal Roberts or Ruben Rodrigues will be one of the first players sold on for decent money and hopefully to teams at a good standard, hopefully after taking us back to the EFL. This would then provide proof that the model we have works for all parties, and then becomes a selling point.

[jackal2]

I suspect that at our level, thinks like geography have a greater impact on players' decisions than they do in the higher leagues, where they earn enough money to not worry too much about location, travelling etc.

In Ellis' case I suspect the offer of remaining in the Football League, and remaining closer to where he probably lives in the North-West would have been a big factor. If Barrow offered him the same or even slightly less money than us, then those other two factors would probably still have been persuasive.

In Reeves' case I should think he was tempted by another shot at the Football League, which we know was always in his mind because he included a clause in his contract to that effect. He also might still have a base down South, or a preference for living down there, bearing in mind he originates from the London area and spent all of his career playing for southern-based clubs until his (largely unhappy) move to Bradford in 2017.

I don't know what persuaded Miller to go to Chesterfield. Maybe they simply did offer him more than we did under our wage structure, or maybe there were other factors. I think it's a strange move on his part, because his career had been drifting until he seemed to be re-energised by Ian Burchnall's style of play, where he probably would have continued to be a key player. Now he has to trust that Chesterfield's playing style will suit him, bearing in mind he didn't look anything special in his early appearances for us under Neal Ardley.

I haven't heard anything to suggest there's a culture at Notts County that deters players from signing, in fact quite the opposite. The team spirit seems good, the manager seems to be good with the players, and the owners seem to behave in an exemplary fashion, supporting the football professionals with an exceptional level of recruitment information and good facilities, but not interfering at team selection or dressing room level.

I suspect that the owners, working with the manager, have a clear idea of the value of each existing player and potential new recruit, and they stick to those limits when deciding what they will pay. This is made easier if you have a massive database of alternative options, meaning you don't fixate on any one player and don't need to break the bank to sign him, as we maybe did with the likes of Enzio under Alan Hardy.

We'll lose out on some players, but we'll get other good ones like Kyle Cameron, and above all, we'll hopefully keep the club's finances in good shape while being competitive on the field. There seems to be a control and a stability to what we do now that wasn't always there in the past.

[queenslandpie]

I think location at our level and the bottom division of the EFL is a massive factor for players. When you factor in contract lengths (generally 2 year maximum) it’s a massive risk for a player, particularly one with a family to relocate 100s of miles. The difference in pay won’t be that big across League 2 and the top end of the NL.
If 2 clubs offer similar terms but one of the clubs means you carry on living where you do it’s surely a no brainer.
The club is in good hands at both boardroom level and the management team. I trust that players we would like sign are offered suitable contracts and gone are the days when we break the bank for players like David Vaughn.
With the model we now have in place, players should realise coming to Notts is now about us coaching and developing you to become the best player you can be. We hopefully go up through the Leagues and you as a player have a stepping stone to play at the highest level possible whether with Notts or not. Cal Roberts or Ruben Rodrigues will be one of the first players sold on for decent money and hopefully to teams at a good standard, hopefully after taking us back to the EFL. This would then provide proof that the model we have works for all parties, and then becomes a selling point.

If you think we are going to get a free for Roberts or Ruben then I assume we will be selling them to an EFL club next season as far as I am aware their contracts both run out at the end of it. Interesting to consider...

[laddo]

The key people at the club will obviously be fully aware of the contract situations for both.

One of the usual 3 outcomes will play out, extend their contract during this season. The contract extension is ignored or rejected so sell for £££. Or play for full season and they will leave at end of the season.

[forwardmagpie]

The key people at the club will obviously be fully aware of the contract situations for both.

One of the usual 3 outcomes will play out, extend their contract during this season. The contract extension is ignored or rejected so sell for £££. Or play for full season and they will leave at end of the season.

I hope Cal Roberts is firstly fit enough to live his life and then fit enough to play football again to the same level he was playing before Covid.

[Chicken Balti Pie]

If you think we are going to get a free for Roberts or Ruben then I assume we will be selling them to an EFL club next season as far as I am aware their contracts both run out at the end of it. Interesting to consider...

Cal still has 3 years. He signed a 3 and a half year contract in the winter

[OP67]

Had a couple of good games whilst at loan on Notts but his career record for a 23-year old isn't overly impressive. Two less than spectacular loans whilst at Celtic, one at Dundee ended early, and ten games for Harrogate before they decided he wasn't for them. Initial performances at Notts were pretty poor and there were question marks over his attitude. Given this plus a return of 2 assists and no goals in 19 appearances and I wonder whether we may have had a lucky escape if we did make him an offer.

The fact the Dundee loan ended early and he didn't play much for Harrogate makes me think the problem was Miller. When he first joined us he seemed to have a chip on his shoulder and thought he was well better than the NL. His attitude when dropped here was the same.

[jackal2]

Cal still has 3 years. He signed a 3 and a half year contract in the winter

Two years left according to the NCFC website who said last November that he had signed through to the end of the 2022-23 season, unless I've missed a development since then: https://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news...ntract-131120/

If possible we need to extend Ruben Rodrigues' contract in a similar way, because he's obviously got sell-on value too.