Head Down

[philsky]

Rarely do I stir into anything close to a real personal view.

Here goes.

I am totally at ease with a drop; great ride etc but ran out of steam.

Major shareholders gone so its the last man standing.

For me JR was forced to exit SOD and the inbound team of WM and his boys have shown signs of spirit but they'll be gone at the end of the season.

I also fancy that those players that got us up have sat and watched with incredulity as DS tries his best to knit this whole darn thing together on the pitch.DS is probably a great guy but I dont think he leads the team, I reckon its just been too much too soon for him.

It looks like a good batch of non-WM players are out of contract as the season ends - Oster and five others I believe.We're going to need them in league one, if theyre not too bewildered by all the events.

JR (do a Peterborough) - get on the phone and give the old lad a call.

He'd get Oster, Hurd, Stock, Copps, JOC, Chambo, Haytes, Woodsy, Gillet , Muzzy, Brown back together and a ready made style and some guile.

There I am.

RTID

[Norfolk N Chance]

Keep of the SOD contracted players....Stock, Copps, Muzzy, Gillett (just), Friend

Otherwise let the rest go as they have let everyone down badly

[RedJ]

and how the f**k are we meant to be able to replace them? how do you suppose we can afford that?

[The Red Baron]

and how the fcuk are we meant to be able to replace them? how do you suppose we can afford that?

There'll be lots of players available on frees at the end of the season.

[DonnyEl]

potential for a massive clear out in the summer...

out of contract DRFC players:

6. James Chambers
10. El Hadji Diouf
11. Adam Lockwood
12. James Hayter
16. John Oster
17. Giles Barnes
18. Simon Gillett
20. Oscar Radford
21. Sam Hird
24. Mustafa Dumbuya
25. James Baxendale
29. Rachid Bouhenna
30. Paul Keegan
31. Henrita Ilunga
39. Pascal Chimbonda
43. Lamine Diatta
45. Habib Bamogo
49. Mamadou Bagayoko

Plus the loan players go back
19. Frederic Piquionne
22. Fabien Robert
27. Carl Ikeme
32. Damien Plessis

[sedwardsdrfc]

that is exactly what is needed massive clear out players & staff

[dknward2]

Out of that list IF we go down I would keep 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 29, 30 and if poss no 22 of the loan players

That is if we go down allow deano to work with them and add with free and up and coming youth players

[BobG]

I'd be far more interested in which members of the staff are leaving! That's where the future is defined.

I'll regret some of the players going, but that's inevitatable now. A real shamne we won't be getting players of such a calibre as replacements.

BobG

[Chris]

Players I expect to see leave (either through choice or being released) following our relegation to League One:

6. James Chambers
10. El Hadji Diouf
11. Adam Lockwood
16. John Oster
24. Mustafa Dumbuya
29. Rachid Bouhenna
31. Henrita Ilunga
39. Pascal Chimbonda
43. Lamine Diatta
45. Habib Bamogo
49. Mamadou Bagayoko

I'd like to see McKay's project end if we are indeed relegated. I have nothing against Saunders on a personal level but I think that we would be better served with a new manager also. Mark Yates, Paul Tisdale, Mark Robins, Gary Megson and Sean O'Driscoll should all be on the shortlist to replace Saunders. Unfortunately I beleive that one or more of them are out of reach.

[jonnydog]

Keep of the SOD contracted players....Stock, Copps, Muzzy, Gillett (just), Friend

Otherwise let the rest go as they have let everyone down badly

What about Tommy Spurr? For me he should be one of the first we need to keep hold of!

[Chris Black come back]

There are some real dreamers on here.

The facts are that not only do we have to make up the massive shortfall in our budget from dropping from Championship to League One (miniscule TV money next season, ineviatable drop in home support, tiny away attendances by and large) but we cannot rely on any subsidy from the Board (cannot and should not expect JR to fund any shortfall).

I would imagine that the vast majority of our contracted players next season will be on very significant contracts for League One - certainly more than our income can possibly support. If we cannot move them on (and they are largely not attractive players for Championship teams given their performances over the last 18months - but they are only going to move for same/more money which is only going to come from Championship clubs) then we are stuck with their relatively massive salaries on our balance sheet. This cannot be changed. We cannot force them to take the probably 50% paycut they would need to take in order to adapt to our new reality. This then very significantly reduces the budget available to bring in other players.

[Bristol Red Rover]

Interesting discussion for the *if* situation. However, not sure why some of you are leaving the bar with those half filled pint pots still standing on the table

*If* we go down, there will be decisions made at various levels. The real bottom line would be whether JR has had enough and steers the club to more of a financial balance which would mean massive cuts in the club even if he does opt for a gradual leveling out. Or is he feeling the enthusiasm to build the club with either/or short term success or long term success as an aim?

But get into premature discussion of any of that and we're guilty of dragging the club downwards with Philsky's head. A quick scan thru other forums - the bottom 6 - and you can see we're the most dour depressed bunch. We're far from down

[Chris]

There are some real dreamers on here.

The facts are that not only do we have to make up the massive shortfall in our budget from dropping from Championship to League One (miniscule TV money next season, ineviatable drop in home support, tiny away attendances by and large) but we cannot rely on any subsidy from the Board (cannot and should not expect JR to fund any shortfall).

I would imagine that the vast majority of our contracted players next season will be on very significant contracts for League One - certainly more than our income can possibly support. If we cannot move them on (and they are largely not attractive players for Championship teams given their performances over the last 18months - but they are only going to move for same/more money which is only going to come from Championship clubs) then we are stuck with their relatively massive salaries on our balance sheet. This cannot be changed. We cannot force them to take the probably 50% paycut they would need to take in order to adapt to our new reality. This then very significantly reduces the budget available to bring in other players.

I'd suggest that the club had been pretty damn stupid if they hadn't insisted on clauses being present in contracts which state that wages will be reduced if the club is relegated. Everyone slated Newcastle for not doing this when they came down from the Premier League - a club which was never expected to be at risk of going down, a club which had/has a fan base to maintain the wage bill. I will be extremely surprised and disappointed if we did not put these clauses into contracts.

[Chris Black come back]

I will be going to most games between now and the end of the season, whatever the results, and offering nothing but support. However, it cannot be ignored that we probably need to win 5 of the last 7 games to stay up. We have won only two games this year. We all know that we had a slim chance of staying up but effectively threw our chances away with genuinely spineless performances against Derby and Millwall.

It is no good people complaining about supporters throwing in the towel now, when the performances by the team against Derby and Millwall did just that.

But as I said, I will be there home and away offering my support, but entirely realistic that we have thrown our chance away by losing two eminently winnable games at a crucial stage in the season.

[Wellred]

Noooooooooo
Why on earth would anyone want to bring back the person who got us into this mess in the first place?

[Chris]

Noooooooooo
Why on earth would anyone want to bring back the person who got us into this mess in the first place?

I assume when you say \"this mess\" you infact mean the Championship?

[donnyroversfc]

Noooooooooo
Why on earth would anyone want to bring back the person who got us into this mess in the first place?

Hi Wellred

[sedwardsdrfc]

probably the fact that we are bottom of yes

[Bristol Red Rover]

.... it cannot be ignored that we probably need to win 5 of the last 7 games to stay up. ......

Not true, or very unlikely to be so. 11-13 points are likely to be enough, 3 from the next 3 games. 3 wins are needed and a few draws. Anything against Brum tomorrow would be a bonus. Burnley, Pompey, Ipswich, Coventry and Leicester are all winnable. Its tight but keeps life interesting

[Chris Black come back]

.... it cannot be ignored that we probably need to win 5 of the last 7 games to stay up. ......

Not true, or very unlikely to be so. 11-13 points are likely to be enough, 3 from the next 3 games. 3 wins are needed and a few draws. Anything against Brum tomorrow would be a bonus. Burnley, Pompey, Ipswich, Coventry and Leicester are all winnable. Its tight but keeps life interesting

It is largely a guessing game about exactly how many points are needed but we both agree that we cannot get there on draws alone. You cite three wins as being needed. I would contend again that we have won two games the entire year, including playing against teams with less to play for than our remaining opponents. The chances of us actually winning again (rather than drawing or playing well and losing) are pretty small I suspect.

[Bristol Red Rover]

.....The chances of us actually winning again (rather than drawing or playing well and losing) are pretty small I suspect.

I know where you're coming from but like you say, chances. Not putting those chances away at Palace was massive, and has been the norm for a long time. Just maybe the wind will finally change direction.