Players to keep

Pretty sure LJL got 15 goals in 37 appearances in a midtable conference north team and the worst team in league 2 in 2020/21. 46 league etarts next season, he gets into double figures easily (come on Jonnyboy, put your sausage where your mouth is). Not saying he should be a starter, I hope we bring in 2 or 3 quality strikers but he'll certainly contribute, just as he did the last season we spent in that league. He's 31 and still got what he had last time plus experiience. Bizarre that people are writing him off to be honest.

Lincoln won the National League with Fatty Rhead leading the line. He scored 15 goals.

Ricky Miller scored 40 for Dover and they finished mid table. There is more than one way to win a league, not that I'm advocating LJL is our main striker. He will contribute, but it's teams that win leagues not individuals.

Quoted from ginnywings

Lincoln won the National League with Fatty Rhead leading the line. He scored 15 goals.

Ricky Miller scored 40 for Dover and they finished mid table. There is more than one way to win a league, not that I'm advocating LJL is our main striker. He will contribute, but it's teams that win leagues not individuals.

Putting sentimentality aside, if LJL was unknown to us before his arrival this season, no one on here would want him for next season as first choice striker or possibly in the squad either. Unless my eyes have deceived me, he doesn't score goals, is not very quick, not fit enough for 90 minutes, can't run the channels, can't outpace defenders, has a poor touch, spurns gilt-edged opportunities, poor in the air, can't beat a man one on one but is above average in holding the ball up.. He's had a really bad injury not long back and is nowhere near the player he once was, but could be a good character around the dressing room, on relatively low wages and an off the bench option for a handful of games in certain circumstances. Whether he will benefit from a different kind of striking partner to Hanson remains to be seen, but I hope we sign three forwards with a better all round game..

I also don't get the love in on pure football terms..

Quoted from Bigdog

Putting sentimentality aside, if LJL was unknown to us before his arrival this season, no one on here would want him for next season as first choice striker or possibly in the squad either. Unless my eyes have deceived me, he doesn't score goals, is not very quick, not fit enough for 90 minutes, can't run the channels, can't outpace defenders, has a poor touch, spurns gilt-edged opportunities, poor in the air, can't beat a man one on one but is just above average in holding the ball up..

I also don't get the love in..

think your being very harsh on him there

Quoted from Hagrid

think your being very harsh on him there

If we want to get promoted, we need to be ruthless about every single player we've still got on the books. Football isn't a very kind sport for players if clubs need success..

Quoted from Bigdog

If we want to get promoted, we need to be ruthless about every single player we've still got on the books. Football isn't a very kind sport for players if clubs need success..

I kind of want to disagree with you but I can't - we need to be ruthless and sign players who make us better. We also need to stop signing players with a history of discipline and injury problems, past performance suggests future behaviour.

Ideal world for me sees Lenny as 3rd/4th choice striker
He is whole-hearted, plays for the badge, gives his all every game...sadly he is not now up to the first XI quality you need to be part of a title challenging team'
He lacks touch/technique where it matters - theta lethal side to his game in the box

But I would be 100% happy with him being a squad member

Who you would like to retain is a helluva lot different to who will be - loanees and those seeking L2 football

Being realistic Matete is off to better things; Menayese has done well but he's not our player; Hewitt/Hendrie/Coke may want L2 footy

Rose, Williams, Scannell et al can all go (although Scannell seems to have survived PH's total cull)

I think apart from 4/5 players all bets are off with the others - could be complete carnage or not as swingeing as most of us think

Huge questions marks though over players like Waterfall, Pollock, Habergham, Wright, Spokes (did himself no favours Saturday), Gibson, Jackson, Green

Quoted from devs

Ideal world for me sees Lenny as 3rd/4th choice striker
He is whole-hearted, plays for the badge, gives his all every game...sadly he is not now up to the first XI quality you need to be part of a title challenging team'
He lacks touch/technique where it matters - theta lethal side to his game in the box

But I would be 100% happy with him being a squad member

Who you would like to retain is a helluva lot different to who will be - loanees and those seeking L2 football

Being realistic Matete is off to better things; Menayese has done well but he's not our player; Hewitt/Hendrie/Coke may want L2 footy

Rose, Williams, Scannell et al can all go (although Scannell seems to have survived PH's total cull)

I think apart from 4/5 players all bets are off with the others - could be complete carnage or not as swingeing as most of us think

Huge questions marks though over players like Waterfall, Pollock, Habergham, Wright, Spokes (did himself no favours Saturday), Gibson, Jackson, Green

these have to go for me

McKeown - under contract, would absolutely keep, will be up there with best keepers in the Conference.
Eastwood - send him back, looked iffy when he was playing and is too injury prone for a backup keeper.
Battersby - keep, send him out on loan for the season.
Russell - under contract, just make him full-time GK coach and could be used in an emergency.

Hendrie - out of contract, have a feeling Hursty might think he can do better, especially if he is unhappy as some have suggested.
Hewitt - would try and keep but will get a league club. He's been a revelation at CB and if Hursty does what he did last time with a squad of 21-23 players then his versatility would be invaluable but he's done so well he'll get a league club.
Bunney - release, no explanation necessary.
Habergham, interesting on, probably keep on balance provided he's cheap. Think he'd benefit from a full pre-season and the reset, plus a lower league. We've seen he was good there before. Again, Hursty may feel he can better.
Menayese - would love to keep but will get a league club.
Pollock - keep, think he'll benefit from a Hursty being better than Holloway and a league down.
Waterfall - try and ship out.
Idehen - I haven't got a clue, will probably leave.

Clifton - keep, as a local lad he'll probably stay, his versatility, enegry and increased quality could be very valuable doen there.
Coke - defo try and keep. Given he was at Hereford and is already 35 I think he'd stay.
Lamy - release, done ok in flashes but again I think Hursty will think he can find better.
Morais - try and pay off, even before Payne headbutt he was a one trick pony with no energy, not what we need.
Matete - obviously would love to keep but forget it.
El Mizouni - he looked like he'd be quite a good player, if he had better players around him when he was fit. He'll obviously go back but I wouldn't argue with a return.
Rose - try and pay him off, don't want anti-vaxxers at the club, plus he'll be a high earner.
Spokes - keep, he'll be more than able as a squad player in the Conference and probably cheap.
Williams - try and pay off, Hurst clearly doesn't rate him and I again he'll be expensive.
Wright - keep, his pace and directness will terrorise non-league defenders if he could just keep himself fit.

Bennett - just send him back, one of the worst players I've ever seen play for us.
Gibson - pay off, he's an idiot and wasn't even that good.
Green - get rid, need better and can probably do better and cheaper
Hanson - sad to say but get rid, too injury prone to be relied on
Lenny - under contract and we know how good he is at that level.
Jackson Jr. - under contract, think he'll be a star next season, lower division, more Hurst coaching.
Payne - go, now and never come back.
Scannell - try and pay off, obviously expensive, very injury prone and not a Hursty player
Sisat - pass.

LJL is perfect as the 3rd/4th choice striker to bring on to see a game out or if we have to go gung-ho because he’s a nightmare to deal with, as despite being 6 years older than before he’s still strong as hell. We do need better goalscorers though, so I’m interested to see what happens on that front.

Kidderminster are supposedly interested in Monte Gibson (as they were last summer) so that could be one easily off the books (fingers crossed). You can’t imagine Danny Rose would stick around if he was unwanted although if he does, it says it all about the man.