Looking forward

[UlleyMiller]

But will we be wanting to keep those over 30? None of them have done anything to earn an offer of a new contract. If Evans is still here then we know he basically signs a new squad every summer, and if he goes I can't see a new manager wanting any of them either.

We shouldn't. We've seen enough (and the board in with that) over the past couple of years to know that we should be adopting a Chelsea style approach of only giving one year deals to anyone over 30, and second to that we should be parting ways with anyone over 30 who has had spells in the physio room and/or hasn't been playing consistently well (which likely means they all go). But would they 'dream of signing'... yes. If we're daft enough to throw a bone, there are a few who'd take it (IMHO).

[Masbroughstreet]

We shouldn't. We've seen enough (and the board in with that) over the past couple of years to know that we should be adopting a Chelsea style approach of only giving one year deals to anyone over 30, and second to that we should be parting ways with anyone over 30 who has had spells in the physio room and/or hasn't been playing consistently well (which likely means they all go). But would they 'dream of signing'... yes. If we're daft enough to throw a bone, there are a few who'd take it (IMHO).

I get what you're saying, and yes those players probably would sign, but when I said 'I don't think any player we might want to keep would even dream of signing a new deal with us' I was working on the assumption that those players wouldn't be ones we'd want to keep.

[mellowmiller]

As things stand, can anyone genuinely see a single player currently at the club extending their contract when it comes to an end, whenever that may be? Personally I don't think any player we might want to keep would even dream of signing a new deal with us, and the rest we'll be glad to see the back of. No matter who the manager is, we're going to have a huge turnover of players over the next couple of seasons.

No I can't and, to be honest, who can blame the likes of Haks and Cam Humphreys for wanting to move on as soon as their current contracts finish?
I can't see Joe Powell or Zak Jules accepting extensions to their contracts either.
As for the over 30s, who would be worth keeping? They're all injury prone and none of them have exactly torn this division up.
Once again there will have to be a huge rebuilding job......I just hope SE isn't the man tasked with doing it.

[RU66]

Kelly hasn't played more than half the games in his previous four years. I'd be interested to know if he's on a performances related deal, or assumed to be brought in to assist with coaching on some level. I know we drop some clangers, but surely Kelly wasn't brought in on a standard two year deal.

Signed as players want coaches who are that now up to standard.

[Derbymiller]

The way this club manages assets is not very good and for such a successful businessman I am amazed he lets it happen, perhaps he is too trusting of his employees. Powell should have a 4 year deal offered now, with good release clauses to allow him to move on in his career and RUFC make money. James is a decent l1 left back, and in my view is not as bad as people make out. Rafferty, Jules, Nombe and McWilliams are all solid players. SE gambled on Kelly, Jch and raggett and got it wrong, buying a CF that requires wingers and then not playing them is just bad management. The Odoffin contract is one of the clubs F ups in recent history, the lad was shown no respect by the club, at least SE tried to get it sorted. Why wasn’t the COO put on the hook about contracts and Odoffin when Davis interviewed him?
We need the Stewart’s to tell us the plan and to sort out some of the underlying issues or to sell up and be Basil Fawlty running their hotel

[caytonmiller]

The way this club manages assets is not very good and for such a successful businessman I am amazed he lets it happen, perhaps he is too trusting of his employees. Powell should have a 4 year deal offered now, with good release clauses to allow him to move on in his career and RUFC make money. James is a decent l1 left back, and in my view is not as bad as people make out. Rafferty, Jules, Nombe and McWilliams are all solid players. SE gambled on Kelly, Jch and raggett and got it wrong, buying a CF that requires wingers and then not playing them is just bad management. The Odoffin contract is one of the clubs F ups in recent history, the lad was shown no respect by the club, at least SE tried to get it sorted. Why wasn’t the COO put on the hook about contracts and Odoffin when Davis interviewed him?
We need the Stewart’s to tell us the plan and to sort out some of the underlying issues or to sell up and be Basil Fawlty running their hotel

Don't count the chickens on the two out of contract players. You may be pleasantly suprised

[Millmoordays]

Season tickets. There would be 50% less take up if they started taking money AFTER we know what the squad is. In evans? case, crucially so.

[UlleyMiller]

Season tickets. There would be 50% less take up if they started taking money AFTER we know what the squad is. In evans? case, crucially so.

I'd stick a hundred quid up to back season ticket numbers remaining within 10% of last year's level irrespective of the division we're in, the man in the dugout, the man in the Caesar seat, and when the squad is named. Decent views are at a premium, and those with good seats will retain them just in case things improve, and ultimately the price isn't huge. We'll always have this issue of empty seats with stayaway fans when we're playing badly, but the money is in already so it's not seen as a problem.

[Millmoordays]

I'd stick a hundred quid up to back season ticket numbers remaining within 10% of last year's level irrespective of the division we're in, the man in the dugout, the man in the Caesar seat, and when the squad is named. Decent views are at a premium, and those with good seats will retain them just in case things improve, and ultimately the price isn't huge. We'll always have this issue of empty seats with stayaway fans when we're playing badly, but the money is in already so it's not seen as a problem.

In one sense that is correct in some ways. And not much of a brave bet since you know they won?t do it.

1. Prices are creeping up, slow but sure. And money in pockets is getting less.
2. Prior to warne you could stroll up and get any seat you wanted in stands near the south on either west or east.
Since then it may have been a continue and wait. But that will come to an end, depending.
3. Scrunch up the empty seats and you won?t be so confident.
4. Go on the club website, to book a seat early for a released fixture. Count the number of blocked seats. A huge number are staying away.
Not many are going to keep tossing away money for too much longer, the ones that have been hanging on for a ride.
5. The less than optimum seats won?t be kept on forever, they will be the first to go.
6. Like those lights, people will put up with things, and sitting in freezing weather so long as the football is good. But things are dwindling away.

The warning signs are all over the place, the club are not heeding.

[caytonmiller]

Btw the Stewart's won't tell you the plan as they don't have too or their isn't one.