Next Season..

[Ed]

Who would you like to see signed if we are in:

League 1:


League 2:

Who would you like to see released if we are in:

League 1:



League 2:

[BantamMenace]

League 1:
Thierry Henry
Steven Gerrard
Wayne Rooney

League 2:
Jorge Cadete
Ole Bjorn Sundgot
Lee Makel

[Jamaica Love]

Dont care which divison we are in I would release:-
Howarth, Edgehill, MBW, Bentham, Penford, Schumacher, Colbeck, Muirhead, Swift, and as many kids as possible to free up some cash....

The kids clearly are not good enough, if you look at penford, colbeck, bentham as examples of the best among them, we need to revisit the academy to see how things can improve (very difficult i know in the current financial circumstanes)

Signings would need to be made up of free transfers as there is clearly no cash available for us...however if you have an astute manager who can plan in advance (which we dont have....cos we have a caretaker who will not be boss next year) you could cobble together a decent team for either league.

[DutchBantam]

Sell: Windass, BMW.
Release: Edghill, Swift, Howarth.


If we are in league 2 then the makeup of the squad should be based around:

GK: Ricketts & Saynor
RB: Daley
CB: Ainge & Bower & Clarke & Wethers
LB: O'Brien
LM: Muirhead & Taylforth
CM: Bentham & Penford & Schumi & McGuire
RM: Colbeck
CF: EJ, Brown, Smith, Osbourne

Lets give the kids a chance. With that little lot as a core we should be able to have the cash to bring in enough for a solid squad. New right back, left back, striker and left midfielder. Sorted.

[ernie06]

THE KIDS ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH....

Penford, Brown and Swift - conference standard at best..... Colbeck is rubbish, Ainge poor at best and if the best of all of them is Bentham - who is the only one i do rate then what chance do we have playing with kids - we would get walked over in every game.

[ernie06]

YOU ONLY need look at our RESERVE games - which is basically the kids and a few stiffs and we can not buy a win.

[Yeadon Bantam]

Ernie i think you have overlooked penford there who is at worst better than Marc Cant-Pass or Stephen Coulthard!

bentham and Penford and Saynor are our best prospects, under the right guidance colbeck could also become a good player.

[beerbantam]

L1 or L2, keep BMW & Bowser + get Deano back - release the rest!!tup:

[Yeadon Bantam]

L1 or L2, keep BMW & Bowser + get Deano back - release the rest!!tup:
BMW? More like Lada or tata

[Wicker Man]

Keep MBW, The Don, Bowser, Weathers, Ainge, Bridgey, Bentham, Penford, JoCo

The rest can **** off

[ernie06]

Bowser, Bridge, Bentham

Widass on reduced wages ( no chance) dump the rest - including the don.

Worst goalkeeper for many a season

[Ed]

I think we need a keeper who's more vocal, yes he might pull off the odd good save but look at his distribution he can't kick straight - He can throw but he sure as hell cannot kick ...

I'd bring Gavin Ward back as keeper or try get John Filan to change his mind about going to play in OZ.

I'd see if Leeds are prepared to let Ben Parker move too us.

I'd also try and bring Lee Holmes back, since he left we've been crap down the left hand side.

I'd look at a few strikers in the conference, as you can pick up some decent strikers at that level who won't command large wages.

[beerbantam]

I'd look at a few strikers in the conference, as you can pick up some decent strikers at that level who won't command large wages.

Name em??

[Ed]

Aaron McLean always looks decent when Gray's have been on Sky scored 13 more than our strike force combined.

Twiss at Morecambe is a good player and would score more than our current bunch upfront

[Kop Kred]

THE KIDS ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH....

Penford, Brown and Swift - conference standard at best..... Colbeck is rubbish, Ainge poor at best and if the best of all of them is Bentham - who is the only one i do rate then what chance do we have playing with kids - we would get walked over in every game.

What's with all this anti-youth business??

You are entitled to your opinion but I think it's harsh on some of the kids.

Most of the youth players have never really been given a chance by Todd….
Players like Penford, Swift and Ainge have hardly had a sniff but all of them were rated by fans when they played their first few games…. Now the club are going through bad times, the senior players are hardly setting the world on fire yet some expect the youth to save the situation or ship out!!….

Take Colbeck… rave reviews whilst we were having that great start to the season yet after a poor showing at home to Hudders(some of which was down to Todd's tactics) and then being overshadowed by JJ, he is a pariah!…

None of the youth side have had a run in the team like Ben Muir(headless chicken) and he is the most inconsistent player I have seen for years yet because he has found his level at Rochdale some on here want to play him tomorrow??
We should keep the above along with Bentham and others and be giving youth regular chances from the bench.

[ernie06]

It's no good trying kids when they are NOT good enough to win any games in the reserve set up.

We have to face facts - we have no decent youth policy and the ones we have just do not make the grade.

ROTHERHAM had our kids in their pockets within the first 15 mins - the old addage of boys against men makes for a certain relegation place.....

Would you honestly play any of the boys against a rampant Bristol City tonight?????????

experience - with a rocket up their arse is what is needed - not a bunch of lads who are not good enough to win reserve team games.

Sorry but thats FACT

[Devil's Advocate]

Aye but Ernie, our reserves selection was bizarre until recently. We were effectively playing the youth team, with a smattering of fringe players. Todd seemed to keep anyone with a sniff of a chance of playing in the first team away from the reserves for fear of injury one would imagine. Wethers gets involved in a much more competitive set up against Port Vale Reserves and we win.

I still think most of the "kids" (Swift, Ainge, Bentham, Colbeck etc) are worthy of a chance.

[Kop Kred]

Wethers went overboard with youth for the Rotherham game... too many.
But that does not make them all failures... like I said just bring them from the bench to gain experience.
Surely a Bench with say Penford or Bentham and Ainge or Swift is not a bad thing.. two out of five.... after all does having Edghill or Clarke on the bench offer anymore confidence?

[Parrot]

What's with all this anti-youth business??

You are entitled to your opinion but I think it's harsh on some of the kids.

Most of the youth players have never really been given a chance by Todd….
Players like Penford, Swift and Ainge have hardly had a sniff but all of them were rated by fans when they played their first few games…. Now the club are going through bad times, the senior players are hardly setting the world on fire yet some expect the youth to save the situation or ship out!!….

Take Colbeck… rave reviews whilst we were having that great start to the season yet after a poor showing at home to Hudders(some of which was down to Todd's tactics) and then being overshadowed by JJ, he is a pariah!…

None of the youth side have had a run in the team like Ben Muir(headless chicken) and he is the most inconsistent player I have seen for years yet because he has found his level at Rochdale some on here want to play him tomorrow??
We should keep the above along with Bentham and others and be giving youth regular chances from the bench.


Well said matetup: ...Most of the loan signings we can afford to bring in are hit and miss anyway....If the current City supporters were about in the early 80s then the likes of McCall & the rest of the team that came through to win the 3rd division championship wouldn't have stood a fooking chance!:(

[tony d]

Well said matetup: ...Most of the loan signings we can afford to bring in are hit and miss anyway....If the current City supporters were about in the early 80s then the likes of McCall & the rest of the team that came through to win the 3rd division championship wouldn't have stood a fooking chance!:(

That is pretty much bollocks really P if you are honest mate..

The reason they got the nod is because they were the best the manager had available at that time...

They continued to show that week in week out and that is why they won the title mate..

This current crop are in no way like the youth of yesteryear skill wise..

The majority of em are not up to speed...Now binning them i think is not the answer for all but certainly loaning em out to League two sides to get regular first team footy in, is the answer...

You have seen these lads more than me but if you are honest do you really think they are good enough to be regular first teamers P???

Some are not even good enough for the reserves let alone the bench mate..

[Blue Monday]

Name em??

Charlton sign non-league striker

Pardew will be unable to play Dickson this season
Charlton boss Alan Pardew has signed striker Chris Dickson from Dulwich Hamlet in a £35,000 deal.
The 22-year-old Dickson has signed a two-and-a-half year contract after scoring twice in a reserve-team game for the Addicks last week.

Dickson, will not be able to play for the Premiership club until next season, told Charlton's website: "It's like a dream come true.

"It's a massive step up for me but I've always been a confident player."

Dickson had scored 31 goals in 35 games for Dulwich Hamlet, who play in the Rymans League Division One South.

[Tallinnbantam]

Look at Gretna for example. They have scored a ridiculous amount of goals and have risen up the leagues like nobodies business. There top score has 23 goals this season and they are now top of Div one. Northampton saw thier potential and signed Deuchar on loan.
How many scouts have we actually got at the club? And when was the last time they actually dug up a gem? Simon Francis was probably the best discovery we've made for a long time.

[Parrot]

That is pretty much bollocks really P if you are honest mate..

The reason they got the nod is because they were the best the manager had available at that time...

They continued to show that week in week out and that is why they won the title mate..

This current crop are in no way like the youth of yesteryear skill wise..

The majority of em are not up to speed...Now binning them i think is not the answer for all but certainly loaning em out to League two sides to get regular first team footy in, is the answer...

You have seen these lads more than me but if you are honest do you really think they are good enough to be regular first teamers P???

Some are not even good enough for the reserves let alone the bench mate..

Your view is a simplistic one and lacking any real vision, but your not alone mate ;)

Im sure Macca and Don Goodman ect... had patchy form when they burst onto the scene (incidentally a few years before we won the championship) but the difference was they were ALLOWED time to blossom into first teamers, not hounded out by the fans after they had a couple of bad games or replaced by "average" loanees:(

Young players are raw and need to be nurtured the right way for a club to benefit from them, we've shown over the years that we as a club have no idea how to treat our YOUNGSTERS....The making or breaking of a young promising player happens when they break into the team, if they are treated badly by the fans or management then yes, they will probably end up in the conference!

We have a few promising youngsters T, Colbeck, Ainge & Bentham, but they wont be given the same treatment & patience by supporters & management team as the class of 82/83/84/85 were & will no doubt end up at the Shay:(

[Yeadon Bantam]

Your view is a simplistic one and lacking any real vision, but your not alone mate ;)

Im sure Macca and Don Goodman ect... had patchy form when they burst onto the scene (incidentally a few years before we won the championship) but the difference was they were ALLOWED time to blossom into first teamers, not hounded out by the fans after they had a couple of bad games or replaced by "average" loanees:(

Young players are raw and need to be nurtured the right way for a club to benefit from them, we've shown over the years that we as a club have no idea how to treat our YOUNGSTERS....The making or breaking of a young promising player happens when they break into the team, if they are treated badly by the fans or management then yes, they will probably end up in the conference!

We have a few promising youngsters T, Colbeck, Ainge & Bentham, but they wont be given the same treatment & patience by supporters & management team as the class of 82/83/84/85 were & will no doubt end up at the Shay:(

You missed Penford off that list!


People call Penford crap and overlook him, but how much worse than lada and schumacher is he?

Remember he burst on the scene last season and set up a goal and inspired us all?

He is a great passer and has great awareness!tup:

[tony d]

Which youngsters have gone on to blossom elsewhere then in the last couple of years...

The ones who are at the Shay are they thriving??? Are they the best players in that League...

Are they all moving back into this League or above next season or are they ok Non League players who are now at their level..???

Must be down to the poor coaching at Fax Mr Parrot...

They had a bit of promise but what you fail to point out in your blinkered approach is that in our team that is constantly struggling it is near impossible to nurture or give long runs to players who cannot lift their game week after week...

How many performances like at the Rotherham game should Wethers or anyother manager give to the two young lads at the back???

3 or four games making the same errors would be a disater in any season whether we were top six or bottom six...

Playing well in the Reserves means nothing if you cannot switch and adapt. Only by getting first team footy at a lowere level can get them to show their true potential... They have no chance here and rightly so when we are struggling and they get a chance or three and blow em...

I said if you cared to read that i do not think all should go but thankfully i am in no way as naive as some to think all are first team standard if any...

[Yeadon Bantam]

Because ainge made so many errors......

[Kop Kred]

You missed Penford off that list!


People call Penford crap and overlook him, but how much worse than lada and schumacher is he?

Remember he burst on the scene last season and set up a goal and inspired us all?

He is a great passer and has great awareness!tup:

Good post Adie.

He and others need encouragement and experience.

[beerbantam]

He and others need encouragement and experience.

& Colbeck needs teaching how are great game is played!!:rolleyes:

[Jamaica Love]

THE KIDS ARE SIMPLY CRAP AND THE FOLLOWING HAVE HAD MORE THAN A FAIR CHANCE IMO:-

PENFORD - 12 STARTS 10 SUB APPS

I cant ever remeber him doing absoultely anything good ever.

BENTHAM - 14 STARTS 8 SUB APPS

IS shocking, always getting pushed off the ball in midfield (Notts Forest Equaliser at home for example) and makes ridiculous tackles and gives away silly free kicks. Also has extremely poor distribution.

COLBECK - 12 STARTS 24 SUB APPS

Is like danny forrest - lots of action and gives his all but cant even make basic football decisions like when to cross - dont think ive ever seen him make an assist or even get to the bye line. Had a good first half against crewe but that was it!

CALLING ALL HALIFAX SCOUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Parrot]

Your view is a simplistic one and lacking any real vision, but your not alone mate ;)

Im sure Macca and Don Goodman ect... had patchy form when they burst onto the scene (incidentally a few years before we won the championship) but the difference was they were ALLOWED time to blossom into first teamers, not hounded out by the fans after they had a couple of bad games or replaced by "average" loanees:(

Young players are raw and need to be nurtured the right way for a club to benefit from them, we've shown over the years that we as a club have no idea how to treat our YOUNGSTERS....The making or breaking of a young promising player happens when they break into the team, if they are treated badly by the fans or management then yes, they will probably end up in the conference!

We have a few promising youngsters T, Colbeck, Ainge & Bentham, but they wont be given the same treatment & patience by supporters & management team as the class of 82/83/84/85 were & will no doubt end up at the Shay:(


Which youngsters have gone on to blossom elsewhere then in the last couple of years...

The ones who are at the Shay are they thriving??? Are they the best players in that League...

Are they all moving back into this League or above next season or are they ok Non League players who are now at their level..???

Must be down to the poor coaching at Fax Mr Parrot...

They had a bit of promise but what you fail to point out in your blinkered approach is that in our team that is constantly struggling it is near impossible to nurture or give long runs to players who cannot lift their game week after week...

How many performances like at the Rotherham game should Wethers or anyother manager give to the two young lads at the back???

3 or four games making the same errors would be a disater in any season whether we were top six or bottom six...

Playing well in the Reserves means nothing if you cannot switch and adapt. Only by getting first team footy at a lowere level can get them to show their true potential... They have no chance here and rightly so when we are struggling and they get a chance or three and blow em...

I said if you cared to read that i do not think all should go but thankfully i am in no way as naive as some to think all are first team standard if any...

I've highlighted the relevant areas that renders your reply worthless because either you have dodgy mince pies or you haven't read my post properly in the first place mate :rolleyes: