Out of contract players.

[normal rules]

GM has some interesting decisions to make come season end.
He alluded to the fact that he knows who he wants to keep and who we will be parting company with.
Here are the out of contract players and my ten penneth.

Tom Anderson. Continuing injury concerns. Can he keep fit, if he gets fit. Unsure.
Louis Jones. Keep. As sub keeper..
Branden Horton. Move on.
Ben Blythe. Seems he is already going to Swansea. Which is odd as this is some step up for him and he has not cut it with rovers. No physical presence at all.
Aidan Barlow. Keep.
Dan Gardner. Move on. Too old. Not fit enough.
Cameron John. Continuing injury concerns. Move on.
John Bostock. Keep please. Will be pivotal in lge two.
Lirak Hasani. Move on.
Fej. Injury concerns. Move on.
AJ greaves. Move on.
Ben bottomley . Move on.
Ed Williams is already on loan to a US club. Move on.

If we clear out anywhere near this amount GM is in for a very busy close season.

[DonnyOsmond]

Anderson - Keep
Jones - See if we can get better before deciding. Should have broken through by now and has gone backwards if anything.
Horton - Keep as backup
Barlow - Get rid
Gardner - Get rid
John - Keep if his back is sorted
Bostock - Keep
Hasani - See how he's progressed
Okenabirhie - Keep. There isn't many 15 a season strikers around.
Greaves - Get rid
Bottomley - Keep as 3rd choice
Ed Williams - Bye.

[roversdude]

NR agree with your list with the exception of Horton who I’d keep as back up.

DO do we have an option on Okenabirhie, get your thinking but our 15 goal a season version has played zero minutes this season and certainly can’t score from the treatment room

Would either of you keep Taylor? (I know he’s still on contract)

[normal rules]

There is a kid at Boston United called Danny Elliot. Previous with Port Vale and Hartlepool. He has scored 25 goals in 46 appearances. This is the sort of tried and tested striker rovers should be looking at for lge two.

[NickDRFC]

There is a kid at Boston United called Danny Elliot. Previous with Port Vale and Hartlepool. He has scored 25 goals in 46 appearances. This is the sort of tried and tested striker rovers should be looking at for lge two.

He’s 26 years old and has only ever scored goals at National League North ie 2 levels below where we’re going to be plying our trade. He may yet make it as a football league striker but hardly “tried and tested”.

[steve@dcfd]

Anderson - Keep if he proves fitness (wages)could be a problem
Jones - Should go get a new No1 Keeper but it will depend on money
Horton - Should go but again he might be kept due to money
Barlow - Get rid
Gardner - Get rid
John - Keep if his back is sorted wages could be a problem
Bostock - Keep again but fitness is still a worry and pace to recover
Hasani - Should go
Okenabirhie - Keep. There isn't many 15 a season strikers around. But fitness and wages could be a problem
Greaves - Get rid
Bottomley - Should go unless we need a third keeper
Ed Williams - Bye.

[Copps is Magic]

Okenabirhie, Anderson, and Bostock are the only ones I would be interested in keeping. I think we're going to find it difficult to keep all three, however. The money we're offering them vs what they can get elsewhere will see them leave.

[DonnyOsmond]

NR agree with your list with the exception of Horton who I’d keep as back up.

DO do we have an option on Okenabirhie, get your thinking but our 15 goal a season version has played zero minutes this season and certainly can’t score from the treatment room

Would either of you keep Taylor? (I know he’s still on contract)

I don't see one long term injury as being injury prone though. Once he gets over this injury he might be fine for the next two years and manage 80 games. Why shouldn't that be with us?

[roversdude]

Just interested-they could be better available for less, we don’t even know if there are relegation release clauses in the contracts. Apologies this thread is about out of contract players

[Sammy Chung was King]

Okenabirhie I would give an incentivised contract, as I would most players. The money drops down to their standard rate of pay, but if doing the business they get more. This creates striving to do better, we need that.
Keep John, Bostock, Horton,
Out Jones,  Anderson, Gardner, Barlow, Hasani, Greaves, Bottomley, Ed Williams, Ben Blythe(Swansea).

We need players who score goals, assist them and defenders that can add some strength and steel to the back line.
We need 2 strikers, 2 wingers, 1 creative midfielder, 1 left back, 1 centre half, 1 goalkeeper.
In all I would retain 13 players from the entire squad.

[RoversAlias]

It's tempting to just say "sod it" and start all over again, getting rid of all out of contract players. That's without knowing the financial ins and outs of course.

Our squad is in such a state that there is a good reason to get rid of each one, but I wouldn't necessarily do that.

I'd probably keep Okenabirhie and John if they wanted to stay on a one-year deal. If they do get fit again, they'd easily be good enough to start regularly in League Two.

Bostock I'd also keep if he was on a reasonable wage, he's a fantastic player but the question mark is over fitness. I suspect he'll get a better deal elsewhere mind as he has played a decent amount this season so won't be looking like a total sick note. The same applies to Anderson really, I think he may get a decent offer from a L1 side as he's fit more than not ordinarily.

I'd probably keep Jones, Hasani and Horton too as squad players, they all still have time to develop and at League Two level may feel more comfortable.

Gardner, Barlow, Ed Williams and AJ Greaves I would release in a heartbeat. None are good enough.

Unfortunately that "not good enough" tag applies to quite a number of our contracted players for next season as well, which is a big concern at the moment.

[drfchound]

Just interested-they could be better available for less, we don’t even know if there are relegation release clauses in the contracts. Apologies this thread is about out of contract players

There was a discussion just after the new year on here about relegation clauses in players contracts.
SM was involved in it but I don’t recall the details.

[Sammy Chung was King]

Our standards of what is good enough need to increase. Players need to take responsibility in changing games. We have a lot of hiders in the side.

Possible free transfers to bring in  Jonathan Williams Swindon Town 38 Appearances 5 goals, 7 assists, Welsh international.28 years old attacking midfielder.
Callum McManaman 30 years old, Tranmere rovers. Attacking midfielder 30 appearances, 3 goals, 1 assist England u-20 international.
Jamie Proctor 30 years old, 29 appearances, 13 goals, 4 assists Port vale.
Jack Muldoon 32 years old , 45 appearances , 12 goals, 7 assists, Harrogate Town.
Jevani Brown, 27 years old, 45 appearances, 7 goals, 12 assists, Exeter city.

Just a few who’s contracts end in June.

[keith79]

Mc = get rid

[MachoMadness]

Fej and John are the only 2 we should pull out all the stops to keep. Bostock would be nice but he isn't going to be playing league 2 next season, no chance.

[glosterred]

Tom Anderson - Keep
Louis Jones - Keep
Branden Horton - Keep
Ben Blythe - Going
Aidan Barlow - Keep
Dan Gardner - Keep
Cameron John - Keep
John Bostock - Let go
Lirak Hasani - Let go
Fej - Keep, he owes us a season at least
AJ greaves - Let go
Ben bottomley - Keep
Ed Williams - Let go



COYR

[Filo]

We have an option on Bostock I believe

[curley]

Our standards of what is good enough need to increase. Players need to take responsibility in changing games. We have a lot of hiders in the side.

Possible free transfers to bring in  Jonathan Williams Swindon Town 38 Appearances 5 goals, 7 assists, Welsh international.28 years old attacking midfielder.
Callum McManaman 30 years old, Tranmere rovers. Attacking midfielder 30 appearances, 3 goals, 1 assist England u-20 international.
Jamie Proctor 30 years old, 29 appearances, 13 goals, 4 assists Port vale.
Jack Muldoon 32 years old , 45 appearances , 12 goals, 7 assists, Harrogate Town.
Jevani Brown, 27 years old, 45 appearances, 7 goals, 12 assists, Exeter city.

Just a few who’s contracts end in June.

The same Jamie Proctor who kept slagging Rovers off while at Bradford & Rotherham?

[phil o sophical]

Speaking of out of contract players, where are we with the Joe Wright situation. Last i heard he was continuing his rehab with us after the Hearts deal fell through

[Sammy Chung was King]

Our standards of what is good enough need to increase. Players need to take responsibility in changing games. We have a lot of hiders in the side.

Possible free transfers to bring in  Jonathan Williams Swindon Town 38 Appearances 5 goals, 7 assists, Welsh international.28 years old attacking midfielder.
Callum McManaman 30 years old, Tranmere rovers. Attacking midfielder 30 appearances, 3 goals, 1 assist England u-20 international.
Jamie Proctor 30 years old, 29 appearances, 13 goals, 4 assists Port vale.
Jack Muldoon 32 years old , 45 appearances , 12 goals, 7 assists, Harrogate Town.
Jevani Brown, 27 years old, 45 appearances, 7 goals, 12 assists, Exeter city.

Just a few who’s contracts end in June.

The same Jamie Proctor who kept slagging Rovers off while at Bradford & Rotherham?

Yes it will be the same one, Barney.

[drfchound]

We have an option on Bostock I believe

In true Rovers style though, would we stand in his way if he wanted to move on?

[Donny Exile in York]

There is a kid at Boston United called Danny Elliot. Previous with Port Vale and Hartlepool. He has scored 25 goals in 46 appearances. This is the sort of tried and tested striker rovers should be looking at for lge two.

How is playing for Boston tried and tested. And how can you say Keep Barlow. Unbelievable. If Okenabirhie proves his fitness would keep.him all day long.

Yes we might to find real potential in rhe non league and a raw diamond but hardly tried and tested!

[Chris Black come back]

Speaking of out of contract players, where are we with the Joe Wright situation. Last i heard he was continuing his rehab with us after the Hearts deal fell through

Think he is still off to Hearts.

[elmsallrover]

Just interested-they could be better available for less, we don’t even know if there are relegation release clauses in the contracts. Apologies this thread is about out of contract players

what like the 8 we got in January

[Move DRFC]

Get rid of them all apart from John and Fej IF they can prove their fitness this summer.


Obviously Bostock too but we have no chance.

[Bessie Red]

Speaking of out of contract players, where are we with the Joe Wright situation. Last i heard he was continuing his rehab with us after the Hearts deal fell through

Think he is still off to Hearts.

If this is true perhaps we should be sending them a bill for recompense for all the rehab costs attached to JW's recovery that have accrued over this season!

[Chris Black come back]

If he makes it back next season, it is going to be very tough for him for some time. He hasn’t played a competitive minute since he was subbed off early on 4 May 2021. Hope he can make it back, but that is a long, long time out.

[RoversAlias]

Adam Clayton was out for around as long, wasn't he?

[silent majority]

We have an option on Bostock I believe

In true Rovers style though, would we stand in his way if he wanted to move on?

Could you define what you mean by 'true rovers style'?

[drfchound]

We have an option on Bostock I believe

In true Rovers style though, would we stand in his way if he wanted to move on?

Could you define what you mean by 'true rovers style'?

Of course.
We have heard numerous times over the years that the club will not stand in the way of a player who wishes to move on.