The elephant in the room

[thumper]

I'd 100% offer Sharp another year, massive influence in the dressing room and talisman for the fans. Experience will be invaluable and he can still do it even if off the bench for 30mins. Saturday shows we need him

[Move DRFC]

Definitely get rid of Ironside. Nowhere near good enough for L1 I'm afraid.

Love Sharp, but I'd potentially lean more to letting him go. Then again he has popped up with big moments and if he's happy being an impact player it might not be the worst idea for one more year.

[Sammy Chung was King]

Sharp is well worth having around for the fear factor he brings. The opposition know that if he gets a chance it’s in. He is still good enough to get goals at league one level. Yes don’t rely on him for our goals but if he plays enough he could chip in with fifteen or so. He hasn’t played enough this season, been wasted a little bit. His age doesn’t put me off at all, he can still do it, fit as a fiddle.

[ncRover]

I hope Ironside is remembered for having one of the best seasons from a Rovers striker in modern times when we’re using language like “get rid”.

[TheFunk]

Sharp is fitter now than in any of his previous spells. My eyes may be playing tricks but he looks quicker too. Definitely worth another year for me.

[Petche]

I was in the let him go camp but he keeps popping up with these special moments doesn't he?

[Jonathan]

Taking all sentiment out of the equation, my view would be that we should keep him. What he can offer late in a game when we’re chasing a goal is almost unique. And he’ll get goals whatever level he plays at until the day he retires. So I’d keep him. But we certainly need a new striker in the mould of Street to be our regular starter. Undoubtedly that suits the way we play.

[Pancho Regan]

I'd agree with that Jonathan.

I've been a little bit in two minds on this one but having reflected on it I'd be for keeping him.
Opposition fans dread him playing against them and that says a lot to me.
Yes, Billy has missed a few 'sitters' this season but the sign of a good striker is to have been in those positions in the first place.

I can't think of many other players I would have preferred to be on the end of that flick-on from Ennis on Saturday.

He's weighed in with a very respectable 9 league goals as well as a couple of important goals in the FA Cup.

Give Billy another year, but we need a Street replacement as you say.
(What a signing he was by the way).

[AmericanRover]

Does Sharp want to keep on playing is a good question too I think? Have seen no indication he wants to hang his boots up mind haha, just saying.

[GazLaz]

I'd 100% offer Sharp another year, massive influence in the dressing room and talisman for the fans. Experience will be invaluable and he can still do it even if off the bench for 30mins. Saturday shows we need him

Hope he’s not that much of an influence when they saw him head butt the lad and miss 3 important games!

[Bentley Bullet]

I'd 100% offer Sharp another year, massive influence in the dressing room and talisman for the fans. Experience will be invaluable and he can still do it even if off the bench for 30mins. Saturday shows we need him

Hope he’s not that much of an influence when they saw him head butt the lad and miss 3 important games!

Agree, it was a poor effort.

He should have nutted the cheating bas**rd properly!

[ncRover]

If Billy had no connection to this club would anyone be all for signing a 39 year old striker who’d been a bit part player in League 2 (who doesn’t suit our style of play) to play in League 1?

Would any League 1 clubs look to pick him up if we didn’t?

If he’s going to be a bit part player why not sign a youngster we can develop who would also be happy with that? If we have too many transfer windows with short term thinking we’re going to get found out one day.

[scawsby steve]

If Billy had no connection to this club would anyone be all for signing a 39 year old striker who’d been a bit part player in League 2 (who doesn’t suit our style of play) to play in League 1?

Would any League 1 clubs look to pick him up if we didn’t?

If he’s going to be a bit part player why not sign a youngster we can develop who would also be happy with that? If we have too many transfer windows with short term thinking we’re going to get found out one day.

Because youngsters are always a gamble, and totally unproven, as we've found out many times over the last few years.

Billy is a proven goalscorer. Simple as.

[Alan Southstand]

He’s a certain kind of striker that doesn’t quite fit Grant’s style, however, I still believe there’s more positives than negatives to keep him in the squad. No.1 being he’s a winner, loves scoring goals and is a talisman.

We do need Streete back, if possible, or someone like him.

[Barmby Rover]

Lose Ironside, he is just not good enough for Lg.2 never mind Lg 1. Keep Billy, he is effective as a supersub, but we do need at least another striker if not 2. We also need a box to box midfielder like Paul Green, Crew could do it but there is no way Leeds would let him return. The other one is a replacement for TSL, no way can we use Lawlor as our main keeper, unless relegation is the aim. In Copps/McCann/Byrne we trust!

[Chris Black come back]

It is all relative with Billy. If he is going to be on decent money and at a higher level and a year older, not going to be a starter, then we've taken up a budget spot for someone who would play more, potentially score more and certainly have a higher potential resale value. If it is a workable amount, you could swallow that. As our relative budget position will dramatically deteriorate with the promotion, we will have to take a series of very tough choices.

[ncRover]

If Billy had no connection to this club would anyone be all for signing a 39 year old striker who’d been a bit part player in League 2 (who doesn’t suit our style of play) to play in League 1?

Would any League 1 clubs look to pick him up if we didn’t?

If he’s going to be a bit part player why not sign a youngster we can develop who would also be happy with that? If we have too many transfer windows with short term thinking we’re going to get found out one day.

Because youngsters are always a gamble, and totally unproven, as we've found out many times over the last few years.

Billy is a proven goalscorer. Simple as.

Yes Billy is a proven goalscorer and has had a legendary career.

Yet Rob Street, a completely unproven goalscorer who we took a gamble on, has scored at a higher rate than him this season.

Only it wasn’t a gamble, because it was an excellent piece of player profiling identifying what the team sorely needed. His presence made everyone else in the team score more too.

It’s possible to score a few goals here and there and still be a net negative to the team. Which is the gamble you’d be taking on a 40 year old Sharp playing in League One while other clubs hoover up the younger talent.

[drfchound]

If Billy had no connection to this club would anyone be all for signing a 39 year old striker who’d been a bit part player in League 2 (who doesn’t suit our style of play) to play in League 1?

Would any League 1 clubs look to pick him up if we didn’t?

If he’s going to be a bit part player why not sign a youngster we can develop who would also be happy with that? If we have too many transfer windows with short term thinking we’re going to get found out one day.

Because youngsters are always a gamble, and totally unproven, as we've found out many times over the last few years.

Billy is a proven goalscorer. Simple as.

Yes Billy is a proven goalscorer and has had a legendary career.

Yet Rob Street, a completely unproven goalscorer who we took a gamble on, has scored at a higher rate than him this season.

Only it wasn’t a gamble, because it was an excellent piece of player profiling identifying what the team sorely needed. His presence made everyone else in the team score more too.

It’s possible to score a few goals here and there and still be a net negative to the team. Which is the gamble you’d be taking on a 40 year old Sharp playing in League One while other clubs hoover up the younger talent.

Street wasn’t a young kid on his first loan though.

[MachoMadness]

He’s a certain kind of striker that doesn’t quite fit Grant’s style, however, I still believe there’s more positives than negatives to keep him in the squad. No.1 being he’s a winner, loves scoring goals and is a talisman.

We do need Streete back, if possible, or someone like him.

I know he scored the last goal at Belle Vue but I'm not sure Streete is the answer to our striker situation... 

[Draytonian III]

As I posted earlier in this thread I very much doubt that Billy is motivated by money, how long has he been a professional ? Let’s say 20 years for easy sums, he’s had a few promotions, played in 4 different leagues, 5 if you count America, scored a few goals. I won’t start to break it down on what would be my opinion on how much he’s earned,but money won’t be his motivation

[Jonathan]

If Billy had no connection to this club would anyone be all for signing a 39 year old striker who’d been a bit part player in League 2 (who doesn’t suit our style of play) to play in League 1?

Would any League 1 clubs look to pick him up if we didn’t?

If he’s going to be a bit part player why not sign a youngster we can develop who would also be happy with that? If we have too many transfer windows with short term thinking we’re going to get found out one day.

Because youngsters are always a gamble, and totally unproven, as we've found out many times over the last few years.

Billy is a proven goalscorer. Simple as.

Yes Billy is a proven goalscorer and has had a legendary career.

Yet Rob Street, a completely unproven goalscorer who we took a gamble on, has scored at a higher rate than him this season.

Only it wasn’t a gamble, because it was an excellent piece of player profiling identifying what the team sorely needed. His presence made everyone else in the team score more too.

It’s possible to score a few goals here and there and still be a net negative to the team. Which is the gamble you’d be taking on a 40 year old Sharp playing in League One while other clubs hoover up the younger talent.

Street wasn’t a young kid on his first loan though.

This feels like an important point to me. It would make some sense to look at players that have already had decent / promising stints on loan but perhaps aren’t deemed good enough for their parent clubs. We should be able to attract a better calibre in league 2, so they must be out there.

[les@donr]

Why not offer Billy a player/coach role at the club (assuming he has his badges). This is a win win for club and player. Billy still plays for Rovers and shares his knowledge and experience with young players who are still learning the ropes of professional football.

[ForsolongaRover]

I suppose that in considering Ironside we might reflect on how we viewed Anderson a month or two ago when he came back after a long injury. As you get older it takes more time to recover your old form. Ironside has had a similar experience.

[moses]

If we loaned Street again next season and he score 10 by Christmas, he would be back to Lincoln in the transfer window.

[IDM]

Wouldn’t that depend on the loan terms.?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Wouldn’t that depend on the loan terms.?

Even on season long loans, there's always a break clause in January to make sure all parties are still happy to continue.

Talking of Street. Here's his answer to the possibility of a return.

https://youtu.be/3w0G6SaWJt4?si=cGMgZWlYVTtqNTRE

[ncRover]

If Billy had no connection to this club would anyone be all for signing a 39 year old striker who’d been a bit part player in League 2 (who doesn’t suit our style of play) to play in League 1?

Would any League 1 clubs look to pick him up if we didn’t?

If he’s going to be a bit part player why not sign a youngster we can develop who would also be happy with that? If we have too many transfer windows with short term thinking we’re going to get found out one day.

Because youngsters are always a gamble, and totally unproven, as we've found out many times over the last few years.

Billy is a proven goalscorer. Simple as.

Yes Billy is a proven goalscorer and has had a legendary career.

Yet Rob Street, a completely unproven goalscorer who we took a gamble on, has scored at a higher rate than him this season.

Only it wasn’t a gamble, because it was an excellent piece of player profiling identifying what the team sorely needed. His presence made everyone else in the team score more too.

It’s possible to score a few goals here and there and still be a net negative to the team. Which is the gamble you’d be taking on a 40 year old Sharp playing in League One while other clubs hoover up the younger talent.

Street wasn’t a young kid on his first loan though.

He was still young and with no record of being a proven goalscorer.
You can’t just sign strikers on their previous goal returns. Street has proven that with being twice the player of Sharp this season.

[drfchound]

If Billy had no connection to this club would anyone be all for signing a 39 year old striker who’d been a bit part player in League 2 (who doesn’t suit our style of play) to play in League 1?

Would any League 1 clubs look to pick him up if we didn’t?

If he’s going to be a bit part player why not sign a youngster we can develop who would also be happy with that? If we have too many transfer windows with short term thinking we’re going to get found out one day.

Because youngsters are always a gamble, and totally unproven, as we've found out many times over the last few years.

Billy is a proven goalscorer. Simple as.

Yes Billy is a proven goalscorer and has had a legendary career.

Yet Rob Street, a completely unproven goalscorer who we took a gamble on, has scored at a higher rate than him this season.

Only it wasn’t a gamble, because it was an excellent piece of player profiling identifying what the team sorely needed. His presence made everyone else in the team score more too.

It’s possible to score a few goals here and there and still be a net negative to the team. Which is the gamble you’d be taking on a 40 year old Sharp playing in League One while other clubs hoover up the younger talent.

Street wasn’t a young kid on his first loan though.

He was still young and with no record of being a proven goalscorer.
You can’t just sign strikers on their previous goal returns. Street has proven that with being twice the player of Sharp this season.

Yes, I understand all that.
I was just saying that he wasn’t here on his first loan.
We have all seen how long it sometimes takes the young pros to adjust to the mens game and get used to the physicality of it.
The experiences he had before have probably helped him in his time with us.

[Chris Black come back]

I am guessing that we won't be going in to next season with both Ironside and Sharp on the books.

[mushRTID]

I am guessing that we won't be going in to next season with both Ironside and Sharp on the books.

Agree with this, gut feeling says Sharp + 2 x new strikers.