The retained list

Quoted from Tommy

I'm trying to think how Clifton could have triggered a new deal. He's made no first team appearances that might have triggered such a deal. Surely there wasn't just an option in his contract that he could extend it himself if he wanted to?

I'm really pleased he's got another year and hope to see him get a chance in the first team. I just think it's odd. Unless it's just that the OS has worded it wrongly and the Club have triggered the new deal - which wouldn't surprise me based on the usual quality of communication from the OS.

I was thinking the same but maybe he had to play so many first team games but the club was unspecified and his games on loan counted?

I suspect the club held the cards and triggered the extension and the OS worded it wrong.

Quoted from Tommy

I don't think keeping Davies is a bad idea. He's been exposed when we've played 3-5-2, but he should never have been put in that wing-back position at his age.

Competing with Mills or acting as back-up, there's a lot that some of our "non-league" players could learn from someone like Davies.

Was about to make exactly that point. He started well last year but i think injuries curtailed him a bit and he was left exposed by the formation. Very experienced, played at a higher level for much of his career and is clearly very fit for his age. Can also play in midfield if needed.

As for the rest of the list, if we re-sign Collins, Andrew, Pearson and Davies, that is 19 players including Clifton, which doesn't leave much scope for new signings if we are going with 22 players for next season. Think we need another keeper, at least one more centre back and definitely a goalscorer, so i think there may be some departures from the contracted players yet. Still a lot of sorting out to do for me if we are going to have a squad that can challenge at the top end.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

I was thinking the same but maybe he had to play so many first team games but the club was unspecified and his games on loan counted?

I suspect the club held the cards and triggered the extension and the OS worded it wrong.

I think it is probably the case that we had first dibs on them should they look like developing into players we would like to keep. I think Clifton would have been snapped up elsewhere if we hadn't, going by his performances on loan.

Forgot to mention some wide players in my previous post. They are a must, so unless Browne is seen as a starter, we would need a couple more.

I think it's feesible that quite a few will be loaned out too. Summerfield, berrett and Boyce are all on the last year of their contracts, so it'll be beneficial for them to find first team football if they want to earn decent contracts with other clubs next year.

Danny Collins was a free agent when we signed him last year so presumably nobody was beating a path to his door or his wage demands were too high? It would be good to get him back though.

Danny Andrew signed for us a year ago and presumably wants to see what offers are around for him? Can't blame him for that.

Unsurprised to see Diz and Gowling's careers come to a close at this level and can't say I'm sorry to see the other three leave. It would be good to see us keep at least one of the youth players, although Josh Venney was always the one spoken about for the future I thought?

There is a problem with one or two names who have longer contracts who Slade might want to lose like Luke Summerfield but on the other hand Mills and McKeown are here for another year and so Shrewsbury would presumably have to pay for them?

I personally don't think it would be a great idea to sign Davies again. He'll be 36 later this month and, even as a back-up to Mills, he's not going to be getting any quicker as the season goes on, especially if he's not playing regularly.

No doubt that players can still be effective later into their 30s, especially if they don't tend to suffer from injury problems, but to do so they need to be playing week-in, week-out. We saw the other season what happened when Monkhouse suffered a longish lay-off after starting the season so well as he was a shadow of the same player after that.

I don't imagine Andrew will be here next season, more's the pity, so I hope Slade has some defensive targets in mind. Fingers-crossed that Pearson stays and, on balance, I'd like to see Collins again next season. I thought the times we struggled defensively this year often came when the midfield was swamped and a Pearson/Collins pairing should certainly be good enough with a stronger, more settled midfield in front of them. They also played decently in a three at the back if that's the way that Slade chooses to go.

Will be interesting to see what happens as regards our plethora of midfielders - that's 7 central midfielders we've still got under contract! Wouldn't surprise me to see one or two of them shipped out again, whether on loan or by agreeing a pay-off with a pre-arranged move to another club.

If we can thin out the midfielders a bit, you'd have to say the current squad looks like it could form the basis for a stronger team than the one which we started with last season.

We've  been trying to engage with Danny Collins for 6 months now so obviously he either doesn't want it or we keep engaging with the wrong Danny Collins.

Looks a fairly weak list as it stands at the minute and nowhere near one that could challenge for promotion even with a few additions.

There's hopefully plenty of room for RS to trim it down further with some healthy and robust pragmatism on a player by player basis..

Actually happy with this list, see he doesn't want to change that much clearly going to bring his own players in to put a stamp on it, In slade I trust !!