Viking Supporters Co-operative
Viking Chat => Viking Chat => Topic started by: Tommy A on March 29, 2023, 05:19:09 pm
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So, with all the pronouncements that have come out of the club over the last couple of years - "Top 10 League 1 Budget", "Very Competitive budget", "Top half budget" and, most relevantly, "bounce back decisively", I thought I would compare and contrast our squad at the start of the season the last time we dropped to League 2 v this year.
At the start of the 2016/17 season we had 15!!! experienced pro's on the books, all presumably earning the going rate for their standing in the game:
(SeniorApps
at that point)
Craig Alcock 269
Luke McCullogh 91
Mathieu Baudry 173
Andy Butler 365
Aaron Taylor Sinclair 213
Frazer Richardson 324
Cedric Evina 123
Tommy Rowe 288
Matty Blair 157
Paul Keegan 296
James Coppinger 600
Gary McSheffrey 467
John Marquis 145
Andy Williams 356
Dany Nguessen 234
In addition we signed on Loan : Niall Mason,Riccardo Calder,Jordan Houghton and Conor Grant
Others who played a significant number of games : Joe Wright, Marko Marosi,Harry Middleton,Liam Mandeville,Ian Lawlor
Compare that with this year:
Harrison Biggins 104
George Miller 156
Kyle Knoyle 186
Adam Clayton 412
Tom Anderson 237
Ro-Shaun Williams 113
Tommy Rowe 500
Jon Taylor 365
Kieran Agard 345
Ben Close 157
Ten players, of which 2 have since left, one has never been deemed good enough to play on a regular basis (Agard) and one who had only just reched the 100 appearnces mark and is now deemed too crap to play (Williams).
This says two things to me:
1. To say our aim is to "bounce back decisively" is absolute bullshit given the comparative strength of the squads.
2. The relative cost of the current playing squad and therefore the budget MUST be a fraction of that in 2016 despite what the club say.
Make up your own minds
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The last time we were relegated to L2 I looked at our squad and genuinely thought we would go straight back up.
It was full of experience and quality.
At the start of this season I genuinely thought we would be a mid table team this time around.
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Nothing at the end of last season @nd during close season gave me inspiration for this season. Where the points have come from up to this point is quite honestly remarkable, or just downright fortunate, with one or two xceptions (Grimsby game springs to mind)
We will end this season on a whimper. And the very big head@che the board, copps and DS have will roll straight into next season.
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ATS, Evina and Alcock. The three horsemen of the defensive apocalypse.