Retained List Confirmed

[ian1980]

https://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/2023/may/retained-list/?fbclid=IwAR0xxW9a1_Xa5ZhxDK07uo7TFXVNwx6aoxEn6Y1OuuNXIeuM8rS4Z0EXvsQ

[DonnyOsmond]

Contracted Players
Tom Anderson
Harrison Biggins
Ben Close
Jack Degruchy
Bobby Faulkner
Kyle Hurst
Tavonga Kuleya
Adam Long
James Maxwell
George Miller
Luke Molyneux
Joseph Olowu
Liam Ravenhill
Tommy Rowe
Jon Taylor

Senior players to be offered new contracts on expiry of their current deals
Ben Bottomley
Louis Jones
Charlie Seaman
Zain Westbrooke

Senior players released at the end of their contract
Kieran Agard
Aidan Barlow
Jonathan Mitchell
Ro-Shaun Williams

Released but invited back for pre-season training
Ollie Younger

Senior players made available for transfer
Reo Griffiths
Caolan Lavery

Loan players returning to their parent clubs
James Brown
Charlie Lakin
Todd Miller
Ben Nelson

Scholar offered professional contract
Jack Goodman

Scholars to be released
Tom Chambers
Alex Fletcher
Ethan Harrison
Faris Khan
Josh Lindley
Tom Parkinson
Charlie Petch
Jack Raper
Jak Whiting

[1-0 to the Doncaster]

Just so glad I’ll never see Mitchell and Ro-Shaun in a Rovers shirt ever again.

[Reesielad]

What on earth has happened to Reo Griffiths

[Metalmicky]

What on earth has happened to Reo Griffiths

Please see above....

[pib]

I think Ravenhill has got something. Can see why he's been offered a deal. Probably needs to bulk up and go out on loan next year to play 30-40 games for his development.

Westbrooke is a talented player and it was difficult to judge him on the end of last season as it was a catastrophe all round. Looking forward to seeing what he can do.

Seaman and Jones I'm less sure about, as their performances have been a mixed bag for us. With Jones, I wouldn't be surprised if he said 'thanks but no thanks' if he can go somewhere and find regular game time. He's 24 now and can't see GM making him first choice, so I'd be surprised if he's content to sit around as back-up at that age.

Bottomley, can't comment as I've never seen him play.

Lavery was a signing I said we'd regret in January when we brought him in. Maybe Scunny would take him back as they seem to be pushing the boat out this year.

[DonnyOsmond]

I think with Westbrooke being offered a deal McCanns eyeing up a 4-2-3-1.

[turnbull for england]

Maybe I'm getting old , but can we be at least respectful of players that have now been made unemployed

The club's done what what was needed , it's gone and we move forward no need to send them off with a round of jeers too. We employed them good bad or indifferent. And I very much doubt any set out to fail

New broom is in , let's just go forward

[Danmckay456]

Lavery will end up back in the conference , Griffiths probably Scotland as that’s where they end up when they leave us when they are useless.

I agree with jones I think he will turn it down with seaman and westbrooke 1 year deals

[wing commander]

Interesting comment on Ravenhill, he's had a few loan periods at a low level were he failed to make any kind of impact often struggling to get in teams.Since he came back and injuries gave him the opportunity to get games I've personally seen nothing that suggests he was worth a contract but it's all about opinions I guess.

[MachoMadness]

Think that's about what most of us expected, give or take. Personally a little surprised Seaman was offered a new deal but maybe GM sees him in a more attacking role. His versatility could be useful if he started performing consistently.

Wouldn't be surprised if Lavery went back to Scunny, they seem to be splashing a bit of money about.

[ncRover]

A few surprises there.

Seaman may divide opinion but he can be an attacking full back in McCann's system and will likely be the back up for both the RB and LB positions.

If Westbrooke signs he will be the creativity in midfield but we will seriously need some legs, steel and defensive awareness in midfield as a priority. Is there better available for the creative midfielder role?

Correct decision regarding Lavery and Griffiths. We need to make room for a target man as another priority and Grant is alluding to this. George Miller should be a back up option if there is a switch to 2 up front in-game.

I wonder if we will still be in for a goalkeeper with terms offered to both Jones and Bottomley. Jones did say that he needed regular football so may have been promised this? I personally think that given the core of our defence is young we could use a steady experienced head in goal. The main thing is that Mitchell has gone thank god.

We need an athletic, pacy attacking right back to give Molyneux the space to drift inside and become a goal threat.

We also need someone on the left of the front 3 who can stretch defences with pace and make runs in behind to add balance to the attack.

I would expect Ravenhill, Long, Degruchy, Goodman, Kuleya and possibly Bottomley (if we sign a no.1 or jones leaves) to be loaned out to the 6th tier. That would free up a fair bit of room within the squad.

Interesting summer ahead!

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Seaman had a good end to the season, for me probably the pick of them in the last 10 games, albeit in a poor team.  He's still got something and has improved this season I'd say.

Westbrooke I don't see it but maybe he'll do well under a different manager (I didn't really rate Whiteman until Mccann came in).

Lavery and Griffiths are frustrating but good to see they're not carrying players that don't fit.  Lavery a really poor signing as never ever fitted the system then and seemingly doesn't now.  Griffiths I can't see making it as a pro.

No complaints on any of the released players though none of them have been successful.

[DonnyOsmond]

Seaman had a good end to the season, for me probably the pick of them in the last 10 games, albeit in a poor team.  He's still got something and has improved this season I'd say.

Westbrooke I don't see it but maybe he'll do well under a different manager (I didn't really rate Whiteman until Mccann came in).

Lavery and Griffiths are frustrating but good to see they're not carrying players that don't fit.  Lavery a really poor signing as never ever fitted the system then and seemingly doesn't now.  Griffiths I can't see making it as a pro.

No complaints on any of the released players though none of them have been successful.

Westbrooke has probably performed the best as a number 10, so we might see the best of him next season.

[steve@dcfd]

How long as Ravenhill had a contract it wasn’t published when it happened. It can’t have just been signed as those offers were going to wait while GM decided.

[steve@dcfd]

Let’s hope that one of the new signings will be our No1 keeper as both are not good for that role. If Jones believes he can play regularly elsewhere then he should go.

[Northants Nomad]

There's a couple under "Senior players under contract for 2023/24 and beyond" that I thought would be under "Senior players made available for transfer", e.g. Kuleya and Degruchy. I'm guessing we're looking at them as being younger, squad players with the hope they will grow.

Meanwhile, another batch of scholars who haven't made the grade, it seems.

[Michael Shaw]

After the poor season we have just had and where we are in the EFL, I thought the knife might have cut deeper with the contracted players. I still have faith that GM will get it right.

[roversdude]

I think it’s fair enough that list, hopefully those that have not been offered get something elsewhere
Not sure about Jones as number 1, although he seemed more commanding in the games at the end of the season

[Michael Shaw]

Northants,  snap!

[Northants Nomad]

Louis Jones is 24, I believe. That's still very young for a goalie and perfectly fine to be playing second-fiddle to a senior GK. For his development, a good GK coach and an experienced number one would be far more beneficial to his development than obsessing over starting every game.

[DearneValleyRover]

The only player I could make an argument for is Bottomley as a back up to a new experienced keeper, the rest just aren’t good enough

[DonnyBazR0ver]

As said, no great surprises.

Although I think Williams got a rough ride from the fans, I think it's right that he should move on. There's at least one centre half spot that needs filling now.

Similar with Mitchell. Unfortunately after his injury, there were too many gaffs to tolerate.

With the four who've been offered contracts, there's no certainty that they will accept. Jones, albeit with a long injury behind him, will surely want to get more regular games. How long do you settle for being no 2. Remember Wellens making a thing of him not picking the No 1 Jersey and saying he wanted him to grab that chance? He did OK in the last couple of games so depends whether he believes he can command the GK slot.

Seaman and Westbrooke? Perhaps more insurance policies although I think Seaman may also want a fresh start.

Will we go back in for Lakin if we've offered something to Westbrooke? Who knows but the midfield is still an area of concern where we need the engine room filling with someone who can boss games from start to finish. 

Up front of course goes without saying, so the way I see it is we still need a strong spine of the team that we should be prepared to pay for.
1. Goalkeeper
2. Centre half...a seasoned pro.
3. Midfield. A 'boss' type who can make the team tick
4. Centre forward. Strong all rounder who can bring others into play while being a goal threat themselves.

That leaves at least another 4 places to fill which of course, loans could play a part. Depends what areas of the pitch McCann thinks we need reinforcing to provide a good balanced strong squad and limit the impact of injuries and suspensions.

Over to you Grant, Copps and Gavin.

[Metalmicky]

Yet again two threads running on the same topic....

[Michael Shaw]

There's still 8+ players to come in so it's impossible to assess what the team will look like. Can include an experienced goal keeper.

[Northants Nomad]

The only player I could make an argument for is Bottomley as a back up to a new experienced keeper, the rest just aren’t good enough

I think there's a handful of good players in there and certainly others able to do a job at League Two, even if it's only squad players. Last season was dreadful, top to bottom, left to right. We could have had Messi and Ronaldo playing and they'd have looked ordinary. If the system is rotten, everything gets dragged down to low quality outcomes.

I'm guessing (without checking) a number are on final years of contracts so I am assuming the view is that they can do a job at League Two and see where we/they are in 12 months time. Can't transfer list everyone!

[Bollinger]

Maybe I'm getting old , but can we be at least respectful of players that have now been made unemployed

The club's done what what was needed , it's gone and we move forward no need to send them off with a round of jeers too. We employed them good bad or indifferent. And I very much doubt any set out to fail

New broom is in , let's just go forward

I’m with you on this. I happened to be at old BV the day Stan Anderson had told Martin Alesinoye he wasn’t going to be retained. I wasn’t very old, maybe 13 or so, but I’ve never forgotten it. He was absolutely distraught. I don’t envy any boss that task. It has to be done and it’s part and parcel of the life cycle of a football club but I never quite understand the glee of some supporters who delight in giving a kicking to the players as they leave the club.

[dickos1]

The only player I could make an argument for is Bottomley as a back up to a new experienced keeper, the rest just aren’t good enough

Thing is, we need a squad. If we’re making 8 quality signings then I see the majority of what have been offered contracts as squad players and back up to the first team
Which we need

[DonnyOsmond]

Miller

Hurst Westbrooke Molyneux

Close Biggins

Maxwell Anderson Olowu Seaman

Jones

Looking at that we need a keeper, a right back, a center mid, a left wing. Then to make a competitive squad a couple of strikers, another center mid, maybe a center back.

[Padge_DRFC]

Seaman is garbage. Rest makes sense