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If true, I'm really upset by it.

I hope people understand the context I'm saying this next bit in, but it feels like we were a more connected, close-knit group in non-league. There was a sense that the players and the fans were pulling in the same direction.

Now it feels like the heart of that team has been ripped out.

We might do well in League 2 next season under Slade, but it just feels that since we've returned to the FL, we've lost that 'family' sense.

A tumultuous campaign with three managers, a caretaker manager and a huge amount of comings and goings certainly didn't help, but Shaun and Diz represented what was left of a side that had a true and genuine connection with the fans.

Watching them go is very, very difficult.

John Tondeur‏ @JohnTondeur 2 minutes ago

Always possible #gtfc could make a last minute contract offer to Shaun but my understanding is he could be signing elsewhere within 24 hours

Why are incapable of making decent offers to players? In two years we've offered 11 players new contracts, 2 signed them, 6 have rejected them (or never been offered one) and the other are undecided. How on earth Nathan Arnold, Padraig Amond, Toto Nsiala and now Shaun Pearson aren't playing for Town baffles me.

Macca collins Andrews and pearson all the Shrewsbury ?

My thoughts at the time told me there was something odd about the statement regarding Pearson and Davies,

It said they were in talks or something like that,

NOT we have offered them a new contract,

I bet the offer was lower than what he was on,

Having said that I trust Slade to bring in a better player,

Thanks Shaun for all your effort over the years you are a legend with Diz.

Quoted from RichMariner

If true, I'm really upset by it.

I hope people understand the context I'm saying this next bit in, but it feels like we were a more connected, close-knit group in non-league. There was a sense that the players and the fans were pulling in the same direction.

Now it feels like the heart of that team has been ripped out.

We might do well in League 2 next season under Slade, but it just feels that since we've returned to the FL, we've lost that 'family' sense.

A tumultuous campaign with three managers, a caretaker manager and a huge amount of comings and goings certainly didn't help, but Shaun and Diz represented what was left of a side that had a true and genuine connection with the fans.

Watching them go is very, very difficult.

Completely agree with all of this. But the only thing i can say is I hope Slade and Wilko are building our next team to be proud of. I guess everything goes in cycles/chapters and we're on to the new one, here's to hoping it's successful...

When u look at the money wasted on loan signings that hardly get played and then let your core players go it doesnt make sense.hope we dont sign loads of journeymen who dont give a excrement about our club. but i got a bad feeling we will

Quoted from grimsby pete

My thoughts at the time told me there was something odd about the statement regarding Pearson and Davies,

It said they were in talks or something like that,

NOT we have offered them a new contract,

I bet the offer was lower than what he was on,

Having said that I trust Slade to bring in a better player,

Thanks Shaun for all your effort over the years you are a legend with Diz.

Hmmm not too sure about that one Pete

Quoted from Garth

Hmmm not too sure about that one Pete

Jones and Whittle were not bad and that other player who's name escapes me was good as well,

He signed him for Yeovil when he went there.

The squad we have are good enough to hold their own in League 2, but to progress we need players capable of getting out of this league and holding their own in the one above. Players come and go and some we get more emotionally attached to than others; Shaun being one of them. I felt that he was 50-50 to be here next year because no doubt he is good enough to play at this level and is a great servant, but is he good enough to take us to the next level? Some will say he is and that's fair enough, but the manager has to look at it impartially and from a purely footballing perspective. I'd be happy if he stays, but i won't be heartbroken if he moves on. It's football and it's the name of the game. If the manager feels he can do better, then we have to back his decision.

Would be really bad if he's gone, Pearson had a really good season even if the start was a bit wobbly he's come into his own as a good defender in this league and only got better as the season progressed. Playing alongside Collins he became twice the player he was last season, think he's benefited from better quality opposition and having an experienced head next to him.

He's the sort of player we should be making sure we keep around.

Don't get me wrong but everyone is replaceable even Disley and Pearson, we will be fine

It's not just about replacing players though, it's about replacing the desire, loyalty, commitment and togetherness that Pearson and Dis have done. A truly shocking decision by RS IMO, it's a shame we can't offer Pearson a decent deal if we've got people like Yussuf, Summerfield and Boyce contracted.

To be fair to Slade, he's unearthed a few good players in his time, including Phil Jagielka in his early days at Sheff Utd.

Have a read of this Guardian article if you're interested: [url]https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/11/russell-slade-leyton-orient-free-transfer[/url]

I also didn't realise that Slade took Harry Kane on loan from Spurs and handed him his league debut.

Radio Humberside not always right anyway, remember this two year ago(Confused)
[tweet]603670926723514368[/tweet]

Quoted from Mariner_09

It's not just about replacing players though, it's about replacing the desire, loyalty, commitment and togetherness that Pearson and Dis have done. A truly shocking decision by RS IMO, it's a shame we can't offer Pearson a decent deal if we've got people like Yussuf, Summerfield and Boyce contracted.

I find comments such as this a bit distasteful... No one, except RS and SP and the Club knows what happens here and yet everyone seems to be critiscising the Club and RS. It could easily be that Pearson was offered a contract by the club but offered better terms elsewhere...

It's possible to have desire, loyalty and commitment in a better footballer. When recruiting players, all those aspects are considered, not just footballing ability. If we want to progress up the leagues, players will be replaced along the way, that's the reality. I'm sure there are players more deserving of being shown the door, but they have a contract and we don't know what the club's plans are for those.

I understand Pearson turned down a big offer from FGR to stay with us a year or two ago as he was settled in the area.

If another big money offer came in and he didn't have to move then who could blame him. Total guess but I am guessing Mansfield or Notts County will be his next destination.

Really enjoyed Shaun playing for Town, a solid & depedable pro, will be greatly missed by me and my lad.

All the best Shaun

Quoted from Mariner_09

It's not just about replacing players though, it's about replacing the desire, loyalty, commitment and togetherness that Pearson and Dis have done. A truly shocking decision by RS IMO, it's a shame we can't offer Pearson a decent deal if we've got people like Yussuf, Summerfield and Boyce contracted.

If we have offered him a new contract, that deal will reflect his ability and value to the squad as perceived by Slade. It's nothing to do with an inability to give people a "decent deal".

If Shaun is indeed leaving then it will be a shame, but I'm sure we'll be able to find a replacement. Just have to hope that the new defender(s) that come in are better!

If he does leave I can only presume he's not been offered a new deal, with a local girlfriend and new born I can only imagine he'd accept a contract.

Hang on ,this is all based on a tweet bt JT . It could be wide of the mark yet

Quoted from supertown

Hang on ,this is all based on a tweet bt JT . It could be wide of the mark yet

Indeed, we all seem to have decided its true and begun aiming vitriol at the Club.... Seems very odd to me that he wouldnt have been offered a contract....

What worries me is that surely if he was offered a new contract he would have taken the mantle of Disley and been the first to sign, and early to set the benchmark for the rest of the squad.

I know its all here-say at the moment but i'd be gutted if Pearson was to walk away FREE

Also his contract hasnt even expired yet....

Quoted from 935

Also his contract hasnt even expired yet....

that means nothing?

Quoted from 935

Indeed, we all seem to have decided its true and begun aiming vitriol at the Club.... Seems very odd to me that he wouldnt have been offered a contract....

Really ?

Murmurings of discontent maybe, even the occasional shake of the head I would imagine. But vitriol ????

http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/shaun-pearson-still-in-discussion-with-grimsby-town-despite-reports-he-is-set-to-leave-club-says/story-30340358-detail/story.html

Quoted from Civvy at last

Really ?

Murmurings of discontent maybe, even the occasional shake of the head I would imagine. But vitriol ????

Go take a look on twitter...

Football at this level is a short term career and someone may have just made an offer he can't refuse and we can't match.
There's no loyalty in football any more and if Shaun had a bad season we would have jettisoned him without batting an eyelid.
Just hope he's not Lincoln bound because I read somewhere that Raggett is bound for West Brom

Quoted from buckstown

Football at this level is a short term career and someone may have just made an offer he can't refuse and we can't match.
There's no loyalty in football any more and if Shaun had a bad season we would have jettisoned him without batting an eyelid.
Just hope he's not Lincoln bound because I read somewhere that Raggett is bound for West Brom

i dont believe that for one moment, he's good but not PL quality

Quoted from 935

Go take a look on twitter...

In which case please accept my apologies.
I don't do twatter, face race, space book or any of that malarkey.
I was purely referring to the fishy. And your initial point is valid, let's find out what's happening for real before we assemble the death squads !!!

Seems a few people are getting over-excited on Twitter and having a go at the Club.

If SP has told someone that he wasn't offered a contract, it feels like he's trying to come up with an excuse for leaving the Club or trying to get a better deal.  Negotiations always end with a physical contract so he probably hasn't been 'given a contract', because the Club will have suggested some terms to him/ his agent and will be expecting some negotiations before receiving a document to sign.

My guess is that Town have said we can offer you an x year contract with £y amount of money.  SP has then been offered something much better by another Club and is thinking he will accept it.  Maybe he's even putting these rumours out because, for example, maybe his agent has asked Town for better terms and they are spreading a few rumours to force the Club's hand.

The idea that the Club haven't actually offered him a deal to stay is just ridiculous and almost certainly not true - feels like there's some game playing going on - either to get SP a better deal with Town or to create a smokescreen which pushes the blame on to the Club when he leaves and goes to Shrewsbury.  (Remember that nearly all of Shaun's career has involved playing for PH).

My information is that Town have been asking for more time but communication has been shocking. Shaun is considering an offer from another club but Town putting contract offer to him tonight.

If it's 2 years there's a good chance he'll stay.

Nothing to do with money!

Regardless of what the truth is with the Shaun Pearson situations, I find some of the posts on here laughable.

Grimsby Town FC isn't a charity. We can't hand out contracts based on loyalty. I like Shaun, but it's the same situation as last season with Amond. Hurst offered Amond a contract based on his value to Grimsby Town in League Two. People bitched and moaned, but Amond has just been relegated out of League Two. So maybe Hurst was right that Amond wasn't worth the money that would have had to be paid to keep him at the club?

If Slade sees Pearson (or whoever) as a likely squad/bit-part player then any contract offer has to be made on that basis. We can't offer any player a "star player" salary if they aren't one. If that means a pay cut to stay then so be it.

Shaun is solid and dependable and all the other nice things people have been saying on here & twitter. Is he irreplaceable? No. Would his departure be a disaster? No. Will Russell Slade sign 2 better Centre-Backs than Shaun Pearson this summer? Without a doubt.

And let's be honest, he couldn't get in the team for the vast majority on 2015-16 and would almost certainly have been released had he been out of contract last summer. It reflects well on Shaun's character that he managed to turn it around & force he way into the starting XI in a higher division.

If he hadn't been offered a contract, I fail to see what there would have been to discuss! If no contract was offered, Pearson's name would surely have been on the 'released' list.

Really extremely disappointed if the reason he leaves is through lack of an offer absolutely gutted. :( :( :( :B

It's all just the merry dance of contract negotiations, Shauna agent releases some 'info' to JT to nudge the fans into a frenzy thus squeezing a few extra quid and an extra year out of the club

If the club weren't prepared to offer him a new deal, he would have been on the released list at the end of the season. As others have said, the club have probably taken time to consider what he is worth and have/plan to put forward terms for Shaun and his agent to evaluate. Clearly Slade has a list of targets that he wants to pursue and the board have tried to give themselves breathing space to see how the budget fits together with everything taken into account. Perhaps this has not happened quickly enough for Shaun and this rumour is designed to push GTFC into a concrete offer so that he can get himself a deal as soon as possible, which is fair enough.

Shaun has been excellent for us in the time he has been here and he will always be remembered as a hard-working pro who was part of the team that got us back in the league. But we can't be overly sentimental with players and if the manager believes he can do better, then unfortunately we have to say goodbye. Stability is great in a team and managers should always aim to find it, but it can't be said that Shaun hasn't been given a fair crack at the whip. He's been here for a while now and perhaps we need a fresh approach in that position. Stability doesn't mean we have to keep the same players forever.

Being honest his performance through to the end of the season was brilliant I can see him in the squad pushing for promotion hope he gets new deal tonight

Calm down everybody.

There's nothing but speculation to go on.

Don't suppose for a minute that Shaun hasn't been given information about his contract for next year and he's thinking about it. Maybe he's gone on a well deserved holiday first.

Remember when he was signing for Barnsley and everyone was moaning then. Everyone was convinced he had gone but he's still here. Let's just wait and see.

I will be pleased when the transfer window closes and we have to find another rumour to hit Fenty & co over the head with.

JT's sources are more reliable than Matt Dean's IMO.

Damn, Shaun Pearson has now confirmed it on his Twitter account that he is leaving Grimsby Town. :o

[tweet]865225923423068160[/tweet]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/2topJiT.png[/img]

It's sad, so sad, so sad, it's a sad sad situation!

Real shame for everybody, fans, club and the man himself.

Sorry to see him go but we probably need better to take us up a level. Lovely bloke, gave the club more off the pitch than most players ever will and wish him all the best for the future.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Sorry to see him go but we probably need better to take us up a level. Lovely bloke, gave the club more off the pitch than most players ever will and wish him all the best for the future.

He's been absolutely fantastic in the second half of the season! I reckon Collins has helped his development massively and he looks an immeasurably better player, plus the loyalty and leadership over that period.

This is just as big as Disley leaving, if not bigger. Awful decision but there we go. Thank you for everything Shaun, hope you go on to greatness.

good luck shaun, what you did for us will never be forgotton

The club is run by idiots. Whoever is responsible for this decision, be it Fenty, Slade, the board, whoever, needs to get out of the club immediately. They're incompetent and not fit to lead.

FFS FFS FFS FFS WTF ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRHHH :K) :K) :K) :K) :K) :K)

Quoted from Grantley

This is just as big as Disley leaving, if not bigger. Awful decision but there we go. Thank you for everything Shaun, hope you go on to greatness.

In your opinion and at this moment. What if Slade signs a better player to replace him?

I can only assume RS has got a couple of good centre backs lined up. Must be confident in order to let Shaun go.

Sounds to me like another club have offered a better contract and Grimsby Town are not prepared to match it.
[img]http://i.imgur.com/2topJiT.png[/img]

Roll up, roll up! Come and see the Magnificent Mariners circus. Be stunned by our PR, marvel at our squad filled once again with mercenaries. Tickets priced only £18 (but likely to go up next season so think yourselves lucky)!

🎪🤹‍♂️🤡

If you read his statement the club never offered him a contract to refuse.

I think Slade thinks that Shaun is only average and to progress we need very good or excellent, especially if we are looking at promotion and beyond.

There's no room for sentiment in football. Successful managers are the ruthless ones who know what they want and where to get it.

I can't see how we will get any better centre halfs in than we would have had with Shaun Pearson. The defence didn't need changing up, 15 clean sheets speaks volumes. It's the forward areas we need better.

Thank you Shaun you were Mr Grimsby wont seem the same without your towering presence and loyalty just hope GTFC know what the feck they are doing I doubt this very much.

I believe we've just commited defensive suicide.

I love this club but I'm sorry, it's run by absoulute cretins.

How many more players must we lose/ let go stupidly.

Shaun Pearson was the beat Centre Back we'd had for a long time and with a rub of games he proved why he could be part of a team to push for promotion next season.

Don't get me wrong I'm one of the most positive fans, I've defended players before when nobody else would but I don't like the direction the club is heading in.

I've always been positive about any new manager (even when we first hired woods somehow I mannaged to be positive about it, not that that lasted long!). I've also defended Hurst when many fans wanted him out but I really wasn't feeling positive when we hired slade.

The manner in which we hired him didn't seem right, certain word begining with N and ending with ism comes to mind but I'd probably get in trouble if I used it.

This is a huge mistake. I honestly think there's problems high up in this club. I'm not convinced by slade either.

Nice to see the club has lied to us again too, just like they did when they said Shrewsbury weren't in for Hurst.

Absolutely disgusting that there hasn't been an official announcement at the time of me postin this either.

I really am worried.

We will miss Pearson, he's the best CB we have in the squad, Collins is too slow now unfortunately as he is a fine player and Boyce just makes too many mistakes. If Pearson is going as it seems it will be a huge loss and I would expect to see him in a team pushing for promotion if not a team in League 1

Anybody know where he as gone?

Quoted from LH

Roll up, roll up! Come and see the Magnificent Mariners circus. Be stunned by our PR, marvel at our squad filled once again with mercenaries. Tickets priced only £18 (but likely to go up next season so think yourselves lucky)!

🎪🤹‍♂️🤡

Hopefully we are not going to sign a journeyman last paycheque centre half and pay him twice as much as someone with the heart and attitude of Pearson, we tried that route and ended in non league for 6 years, Pearson looked our best centre back on many occasions this season and was the only one still improving

Thanks for all your efforts Shaun, on and off the pitch. You were nothing but dedicated and professional in your whole time at the club and i wish you well in the future. Like Diz, you will always be welcome here.

Hope he plays in the Diz match, so we can give him a good send off.

Good luck Shaun wherever you end up

Except against us of course

Quoted from codcheeky

Hopefully we are not going to sign a journeyman last paycheque centre half and pay him twice as much as someone with the heart and attitude of Pearson, we tried that route and ended in non league for 6 years, Pearson looked our best centre back on many occasions this season and was the only one still improving

We're going to struggle to find a replacement who wants to be a Town player as much as SP has over the last few years. There is of course a possibility that Shaun himself has asked to leave but I doubt it with a Grimbarian Mrs and little 'un. Unless of course he is staying in the county/region.

Never did I think that last goal he scored would be the last we see of Pearson in a black and white shirt :( :( :(

Talk about loyalty in the game.............  it is non-existent. Surely with their wealth of experience Dis and Shaun should have had at least been given one year deals.  They have given so much to this club, and both shown great loyalty and how do we repay that loyalty......  This saddens me the way GTFC handle affairs like this and it kind of makes you ashamed of the hierarchy of this club.

One thing is for sure, keep this up and season ticket sales won't be great.  Let's not forget either that Russell Slade has NEVER got a team promoted as yet, despite a couple of near misses.  I keep the faith as ever, but am completed copulated off by the clubs integrity.

Thanks Shaun, you were a great lad for GTFC, you gave everything and never moaned about anything at all.  A shining example to all players.

UTM

Sad times.

I can sort of understand the argument that we might be able to replace him (I'm sure Slade has his targets) but like Disley going, I fear we're losing someone who truly understands what it's like to not just play for Grimsby, but care for Grimsby.

There's no doubt that Shaun's off-field work showed how much he cared for the club and community. A lot of it was off his own back, from what I understand.

Shaun and Diz were very close with the fans. They 'got it' from our perspective, mainly because they spent so long with us (remarkably long, given the level we were/are at).

We may even get promoted next season, but it'll be a long time before we build another team that feels as close to the fans. It took Hurst a few years to build that sort of squad, but it's been unceremoniously dismantled now.

All the best, Shaun. Thanks for everything you've given to the GTFC cause, both on and off the pitch.

Quoted from Mrs Doyle

Anybody know where he as gone?

Rumors he's off to Lincoln but as I said only rumors nothing else

What happens if we unearth a wonder center half who has everything skill pace speed of thought can bring it out of defence etc etc. We get promoted with a record no. of clean sheets and then sell him for a couple of million.

Would you still insist we should have kept Shaun?

The mangers job is on the line with these dicisions so he has to get it right. He's not making dicisions just to p1ss us off, he's trying to get us promotion and improve his reputation, otherwise he's back on the dole.

I`m striving to see the logic in this, I doubt Collins will sign again and if Mills and Andrews go well???
Best of luck for the future Shaun, you always have been one of my favourites.

Now then Russell no over the top journey men please, and try to stay for the season

I've heard who he's in talks with and didn't believe it when told but maybe a long contract on ok money talks . It's a conference team and not a big one .

Reading between the statements and what not, it looks to me that Pearson and the club held discussions over his contract but were miles apart in what they wanted so never bothered going the formal talks route.

I'm absolutely gutted that Pearson is going and wish him all the best in whatever his next adventure is, wherever that is.  I am, however, angry at how the club have allowed this to be dragged out to this stage.

Slade must have wanted to keep Pearson otherwise he would have announced him on the released list, the club stated they were opening talks with the player.  That alone is enough to suggest that the manager wanted to keep the player.  But Pearson's contract should have been tied down long before this point.  Once he got back in the team around Xmas he was our best defender, I include Collins and Andrew in that too.  In fact he was our best player in many games!

I would be amazed if Pearson went in and demanded stupid money, what wouldn't surprise me is if the club tried to take the urine and made a stupid offer based on the number of games played over the last two seasons.  Pearson is coming into his prime, has proved he is comfortable at this level but more importantly he's part of the spine.  This isn't about sentiment like it perhaps was with Disley, this is about what's best for the club.  We may get a couple of better defenders than Shaun, we may actually improve as a team but will they bring more to this club?  Will these new guys be at every community event going, will they connect with the fans like Shaun has?

In every possible way this club is still run in such a flipping tinpot manner.  For a start letting your best players run down their contracts and then opening talks in the summer.  Our status as a League Two side was secured god knows how many weeks before the season ended.  I get it that Slade will have wanted to see everyone over the 5 games he saw but the likes of Pearson, Collins and Andrew should have been in talks when Bignot was still here.

I await some absolute shite coming out from the club trying to worm there way out of this and make out it was Pearson money grabbing.

The two fans favourites gone with no contract offers, a flat end to the season and no new incentives to retain or add new season ticket holders.  Good work GTFC, good work.  It really took some effort to totally deflate the mood from 12 months ago but you've excelled yourselves here, bravo!

Quoted from psgmariner

I understand Pearson turned down a big offer from FGR to stay with us a year or two ago as he was settled in the area.

If another big money offer came in and he didn't have to move then who could blame him. Total guess but I am guessing Mansfield or Notts County will be his next destination.

Eastleigh was my understanding not FGR

Never rule out Shrewsbury, pairing up with Toto again

Quoted from LH

Roll up, roll up! Come and see the Magnificent Mariners circus. Be stunned by our PR, marvel at our squad filled once again with mercenaries. Tickets priced only £18 (but likely to go up next season so think yourselves lucky)!

🎪🤹‍♂️🤡

Quality :)

Sad news indeed, and just as he had perfected his stepover too!

Shaun as a player and as a man will be missed by GTFC and the wider NELincs community. Don't think anyone doubts that?

Shaun has not been a regular for 2 seasons, played in the 5-0 hammering at Crewe and the surrender at Fratton Park and does lack a bit of pace. I suspect his deal ending had him in the top 10-15% of the pay scale too?

RS knew he has to free up budget to get greater pace and athleticism into the squad.

Sad day but not totally unexpected for me. Just means we will start with a very new team. I can hear the excuse of needing time to gel.

I look forward to the 2018-19 season😁

Gutted. Worried it's going to a bumpy start to next season without mainstays of the club having been shown the door.

I want to get behind the manager but I am just so disappointed he has really done a hatchet job on some of the most respected players in the squad, and key members who got us promoted.

Quoted from chicaneuk

Gutted. Worried it's going to a bumpy start to next season without mainstays of the club having been shown the door.

I want to get behind the manager but I am just so disappointed he has really done a hatchet job on some of the most respected players in the squad, and key members who got us promoted.

Hardly think that not offering Dis a contract when he'll be 36 in August is a 'hatchet job'. I'm sure that Slade & Wilko believe they can find better and it's their opinion (and subsequent results) that will matter. Of course it's sad to see them go but if you really want an example of a hatchet job, it's surely Bignot's treatment of Gowling and Chambers.

Quoted from TheCodfather1966

Talk about loyalty in the game.............  it is non-existent. Surely with their wealth of experience Dis and Shaun should have had at least been given one year deals.  They have given so much to this club, and both shown great loyalty and how do we repay that loyalty......  This saddens me the way GTFC handle affairs like this and it kind of makes you ashamed of the hierarchy of this club.

One thing is for sure, keep this up and season ticket sales won't be great.  Let's not forget either that Russell Slade has NEVER got a team promoted as yet, despite a couple of near misses.  I keep the faith as ever, but am completed copulated off by the clubs integrity.

Thanks Shaun, you were a great lad for GTFC, you gave everything and never moaned about anything at all.  A shining example to all players.

UTM

I said a couple of weeks ago that if Pearson went my season ticket would also go. I don't feel this present hierarchy deserve my hard earned money. This last season was utter shite yet I still turned up week after week. Errors and mistakes were made from the word go and as far as I could see the fans were never kept in the picture regards to Bogle and other important events. Lies were told about Macca and this most recent debacle highlights the need for GTFC to get their house in order. I will still support Grimsby Town as I have done for the last 60 years but I will only do it in future when it suits me. Believe me the gates will be down next year unless this scrabble of an organisation gets its house in order and manage to get the fans back onside. [ I will still rely on the Fishy to keep me informed on the games I dont attend :) ]

He is a real club man, a great guy and a good Conference centre half. But he has not even been a regular last season in the Conference or this season in league 2, and our stated aim is to get into league 1.

If he goes, we have given him the best seasons of his career and he has given us 100% commitment so why do we have to dramatise that a player might be moving on? Everybody moves on at some point or we would still be playing Keith Jobling at centre half.

Quoted from golfer

I said a couple of weeks ago that if Pearson went my season ticket would also go. I don't feel this present hierarchy deserve my hard earned money. This last season was utter shite yet I still turned up week after week. Errors and mistakes were made from the word go and as far as I could see the fans were never kept in the picture regards to Bogle and other important events. Lies were told about Macca and this most recent debacle highlights the need for GTFC to get their house in order. I will still support Grimsby Town as I have done for the last 60 years but I will only do it in future when it suits me. Believe me the gates will be down next year unless this scrabble of an organisation gets its house in order and manage to get the fans back onside. [ I will still rely on the Fishy to keep me informed on the games I dont attend :) ]

Talk about a glass half empty. What a drama queen you are.

This club is rotten to the absolute core and has been the 15ish years I've been a supporter. I've never known an organisation to do everything so badly wrong. Ever. Write a list of things the club have done right and wrong the last 15 years. It's not even close

Pearson was a strong character that lead from the front had a massive influence on the youngsters commanded respect and adapted his game to become a more cultured solid defender not many could win a battle in the air against him.

Obviously Slade knew non of this but most of the others should have advised him.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

Talk about a glass half empty. What a drama queen you are.

No he's concerned the way our decent players are being treated nothing wrong with that. Successful teams are built on strong bonds and team ethos. Looks like that as been completely decimated another rebuild on and off the field and hope for stability..

A real shame. Not a player Im happy to lose.

Thank you Shaun, you've been a great servant to the club.

It's a total error and a massive loss for me. Super dependable and always improving. Gutted to see him leave.

Some of the comments from 'fans' venting their spleen over Shaun Pearson are frankly laughable
First off Shaun is a great lad and committed player; he has bought into the whole GTFC ethos and been a fantastic ambassador for the club as well as a very solid defender who was a huge part of getting us out of the Conference.
However, I am not certain he is of a standard for a club with ambitions of chasing a play off/promotion place

We have to trust RS and Wilko's judgement and I am certain they will have someone lined who in their opinion is better.

Refusing to go to watch GTFC again cos of a player departing - the words rattle, pram, throwing spring to mind

It's a sad day and the play off final team/squad has just about gone but football moves on

We also know nothing of the ins and outs of any discussions that took place between the club and player

Shaun is a model pro and I wish him all the best

I hope Slade has got some good replacements lined up,but I fear he his setting himself up for a fall.

I hope Pearson finds another League Club, he is a type of player that keeps the spirit of the game alive. Good luck to him, did good for us, and should still be with us...

Shall we just keep all the players we like or do we let the manager bring better players in,

I want us to play in L1 or the championship,

We will not do that by keeping players on the books just because we like them,

I have said before Shaun has served us well and if he can get a better deal elsewhere,

Good luck to the lad.

Quoted from Cloudy

Shaun as a player and as a man will be missed by GTFC and the wider NELincs community. Don't think anyone doubts that?

Shaun has not been a regular for 2 seasons, played in the 5-0 hammering at Crewe and the surrender at Fratton Park and does lack a bit of pace. I suspect his deal ending had him in the top 10-15% of the pay scale too?

RS knew he has to free up budget to get greater pace and athleticism into the squad.

Sad day but not totally unexpected for me. Just means we will start with a very new team. I can hear the excuse of needing time to gel.

I look forward to the 2018-19 season😁

Price rise remember ;)

Good luck to Shaun got us to where we are today

GTFC legend and will not be forgotten

Lets sign strong for next season and get promoted again!

Quoted from golfer

I said a couple of weeks ago that if Pearson went my season ticket would also go. I don't feel this present hierarchy deserve my hard earned money. This last season was utter shite yet I still turned up week after week. Errors and mistakes were made from the word go and as far as I could see the fans were never kept in the picture regards to Bogle and other important events. Lies were told about Macca and this most recent debacle highlights the need for GTFC to get their house in order. I will still support Grimsby Town as I have done for the last 60 years but I will only do it in future when it suits me. Believe me the gates will be down next year unless this scrabble of an organisation gets its house in order and manage to get the fans back onside. [ I will still rely on the Fishy to keep me informed on the games I dont attend :) ]

any chance you could reverse that decision and attend the games but not come on here ? ;)

Whoever is responsible for this at the club needs to take a long hard look at themselves. To announce to the fans that any player, let alone one of the fan favourites is going to be in discussions for a new contract and then we learn that simply no offer is to be made is disgusting.

If Sean wasn't in their plans then they should have just been honest with everyone and put his name on the released list.

I think they are making a mistake, haven't seen anything out there this season to suggest we can do much better at this level and 15 clean sheets seems to back that up.

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

Whoever is responsible for this at the club needs to take a long hard look at themselves. To announce to the fans that any player, let alone one of the fan favourites is going to be in discussions for a new contract and then we learn that simply no offer is to be made is disgusting.

If Sean wasn't in their plans then they should have just been honest with everyone and put his name on the released list.

I think they are making a mistake, haven't seen anything out there this season to suggest we can do much better at this level and 15 clean sheets seems to back that up.

I think the club told the truth, they may have entered negotiations but the two parties could have been so far apart with what they thought was needed meant that no formal offer was never made.

Good luck Shaun...its been a pleasure having a wholehearted, committed player at the club and in the community.

Surely you need to make an offer to negotiate, Pearsons text suggested no offer was made?

If the lad goes he will depart with a lot of affection from the fans. Pearson has been an asset to the club with his commitment and his loyalty. As a player he has improved and we have even seen signs of attacking prowess we hardly recognised with his stepovers.

But, like Pete said earlier, we can't keep players just because we like them as people. Even Hurst from time to time felt Pearson needed to be left out. Why? I would suggest it is his tendency to lose focus in the area at crucial moments and lose players he is marking. He can be pretty good in the air but maybe the manager feels he doesn't consistently win enough balls. Perhaps some of this has been responsible to an extent for McKeown's uncertainties at times.

Pearson can play at L2 level but I don't think he could be guaranteed a regular slot in a promotion chasing side. We might like the lad a lot and we would all wish him well but the club must move forward.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

Talk about a glass half empty. What a drama queen you are.

A drama queen is usually acting- I'm not -you have got your choice -I've made mine.You have got your opinions-I have got mine

A totally disastrous January has left us with a massive squad of players we don't want. I fear we are losing Shaun because of that.
Hopefully someone at the club will see sense and make a last minute offer.

Quoted from moosey_club

any chance you could reverse that decision and attend the games but not come on here ? ;)

That's it-I have just made my 5 lads,6 daughters 3 sisters and all my 12 wives members of The Fishy and I will be posting on every single thread from now on on their behalf-you don't know their names so you wont know it's me even if you think it's my style of nonsense :)

Idiots running our club.
We have one of the best defensive units in the league so have a great base to begin building a side for next season.
Out of the four one is under contract another hasn't even been offered a contract and has now gone and the other two are very doubtful they will stay.

These four should have been signed up with offers they couldn't refuse.
What the intercourse is wrong with the idiots running our club.

Crazy, crazy, crazy if true

Can't believe this, Pearson is quality. A no nonsense defender who would be one of the first names on my team sheet every week. This has to be a wind up surely........

Quoted from MarinersOnTheUp

I believe we've just commited defensive suicide.

I love this club but I'm sorry, it's run by absoulute cretins.

How many more players must we lose/ let go stupidly.

Shaun Pearson was the beat Centre Back we'd had for a long time and with a rib of games he proved why he could be part of a team to laugh for promotion next seaso.

Don't get me wrong I'm one of the most positive fans, I've defended players before when nobody else would but I don't like the direction the club is heading in.

I've always been positive about any new manager (even when we first hired woods somehow I nagard to be podiatrist about it, not that that lasted long!). I've also defended Hurt when many whites him out but I really wasn't feeling positive when we hired slade.

The manor in which we hired him didn't seem right, certain word begining with N comes to mind but I'd probably get in trouble if I used it.

This is a huge mistake. I honestly think there's problems high up in this club. I'm not convinced by slade either.

Nice to see the club has lied to us again too, just like they did when they said Shrewsbury weren't in for Hurst.

Absolutely disgusting that there hasn't been an official announcement at the time of me postin this either.

I really am worried.

I'm glad you didn't stick at being nagged to a podiatrist. Bloody painful.

Still no statement from the club then! why do they do this to the fans year in year out bunch of girl privates, Shaun Pearson had a great first season looking absolute quality for this league towards the end, he works so hard and improves every season and Ive no doubt he will be one of if not the best centre back in league 2 next season, so why the intercourse would you want rid of him it makes no sense, I hope his replacement is something special because if not he's going to have one hell of a miserable season.🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪

As a servant to the club, it's sad to see him go. Thanks for all of your efforts on and off the pitch Shaun.

I know the number of clean sheets thing keeps coming up, but we were only two or three of them higher than lower mid table clubs. Nearly as misleading as the League position Hurst left us in when we'd lost as many games as we'd won.

Great clubman, decent League Two player who I may have kept as a squad player if we are aiming for promotion. Sad to see him go but I'm intrigued to see his replacement. Got a feeling we are going to be quicker at the back next season..

What else can be said, Gutted to see him go no more worldy step overs from a more dedicated player.

I cant help but think that the hiring and sacking of MB has effected us massively. To many players coming in not many going out in the transfer window. I suspect that macca will be the next to go and then its a completely new squad for next season

Unless I have missed something nothing is official yet is it? So maybe there has been some misunderstanding, I suspect an agent is at the bottom of all of this somewhere to be honest.

Personally I think Shaun is and has been a great servant to GTFC and if he goes I will be sorry to see him go, really sorry.

All of a sudden we have gone from 5 signed CBs to 1. However RS knows better than us what it takes to be successful in L2 and above so as much as it sticks in the throat we have to trust that he will replace a another much loved and respected player with players that will be able to help take us up and keep us up, if he does that then happy days if he doesn't god help him.

I get that football is all about opinions but it does feel like the club has lost its identity this season. We now seem to be happy to have a high turnover of players and managers which is a disaster waiting to happen. Whatever happened to working with the players you have to improve them? I really believe the promotion team was young enough with enough potential and a bit of tweaking to challenge in the top half of Div 4. Now we're left with a wheeler dealer manager who hardly played an £11 million 19 year old at Charlton. It might well be in the short term interests of the club and we might well get more points next season but the bond between fans and the club has been damaged.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

I'm glad you didn't stick at being nagged to a podiatrist. Bloody painful.

Will correct now, apologies. Have to blame my rushed typing on a noisy train home from uni and the autocorrect on my phone for that one though.

Didn't realise this was an English class though. Have you nothing better to do with your life?

I think Shaun is/was one of the best center backs in the 2nd/national leagues. He would be an asset. Who is better Shaun or Boyce, Shaun or Josh?. I know who I'd rate, Shaun. Still unsure about Noddy Slade but.....Club said they were in negotiations with Pearson and Collins, didn't say they had been released, didn't say they'd been offered a contract, but in NEGOTIATIONS.
I am sad and sorry to see Pearson go, Dis I can understand, a bit. But Shaun, not sure.
I'll have lots to say if we finish lower than last season. Expecting promotion to be honest, anything less is unacceptable. Why can't we be a Huddlesfield.

Gutted! Will be v surprised if the club can sign better player for the kind of money shaun was likely on, could well find ourselves lumbered with the sort of don't give a excrement mercenaries that took us down. How many players are as committed and professional as shaun when left out who are as good as him, and can come back stronger. Always willing (and more importantly able) to improve. Committed with his off the field help for GTFC. As many have said, one of a few players who has really 'got it' and gelled with Town fans, that has helped bring club and fans together. He has improved substantially this season too in my opinion. Just doesn't seem right. Really gutted

I like Shaun and I'm gutted he's gone, I think it's shite form from the club to not even let the fans know.

However, lets not have a meltdown over one player because we've no idea who's replacing him. It doesn't look like a great choice but we've no idea how it's going to pan out. If we're sat in December with a shite defence then fair play, but for now the only thing worth moaning about is the club treating us like muppets.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Unless I have missed something nothing is official yet is it? So maybe there has been some misunderstanding, I suspect an agent is at the bottom of all of this somewhere to be honest.

Personally I think Shaun is and has been a great servant to GTFC and if he goes I will be sorry to see him go, really sorry.

All of a sudden we have gone from 5 signed CBs to 1. However RS knows better than us what it takes to be successful in L2 and above so as much as it sticks in the throat we have to trust that he will replace a another much loved and respected player with players that will be able to help take us up and keep us up, if he does that then happy days if he doesn't god help him.

If PB or PH had been the managers that were letting Sean go most of the posters on here would have been screaming at them for being clowns or clueless. But because it's the wonderful " nearly man " RS then it's ok to let one of the better centre-backs in this league ( and one who has consistently improved his game ) go to another club !!

Quoted from rancido

If PB or PH had been the managers that were letting Sean go most of the posters on here would have been screaming at them for being clowns or clueless. But because it's the wonderful " nearly man " RS then it's ok to let one of the better centre-backs in this league ( and one who has consistently improved his game ) go to another club !!

Correction - MB !!!

It's a shame because Shaun has been the most professional player we've ever had and has gone above and beyond for the club and community in so many ways. He's had plenty of setbacks whilst playing for us but always come back better even when you think he's reached his peak and can't step up any more. What's more is he's not once grumbled when he's been out of the team, just got his head down and worked even harder. I admire him a lot and he's a perfect role model for any kids who've been lucky enough to have been in contact with him. He will be sorely missed I'm sure and not just for his footballing ability, and I'm certain that he's a good/very good defender for this level.

However, all players move on and RS is no mug. If he's willing to allow Pearson to move on then he must be fairly confident that he can bring in somebody who is an improvement and I'm excited to see who it could be. Best of luck Shaun, you'll always be welcome back at BP.

Quoted from rancido

If PB or PH had been the managers that were letting Sean go most of the posters on here would have been screaming at them for being clowns or clueless. But because it's the wonderful " nearly man " RS then it's ok to let one of the better centre-backs in this league ( and one who has consistently improved his game ) go to another club !!

Slade had a pretty good record of signing centre backs for us and I feel pretty confident he'll replace Pearson with someone who is better than Gav Gunning.

Quoted from pontoonlew

I like Shaun and I'm gutted he's gone, I think it's shite form from the club to not even let the fans know.

However, lets not have a meltdown over one player because we've no idea who's replacing him. It doesn't look like a great choice but we've no idea how it's going to pan out. If we're sat in December with a shite defence then fair play, but for now the only thing worth moaning about is the club treating us like muppets.

This pretty much.

Players come and go and everyone will accept that.

The fans remain forever and this past week we've had two examples of getting mugged off by our beloved club with this either lying or incompetence from the media dept (who'd accuse them of that?!) and the threat/promise of admission increases next season.

We're not non-league anymore, Town. Start acting like a professional outfit or risk losing the support it's taken years to build in little over a year.

Quoted from mariner91

Slade had a pretty good record of signing centre backs for us and I feel pretty confident he'll replace Pearson with someone who is better than Gav Gunning.

But Gunning was being assessed and had only signed until the end of the season. We don't know if MB would have extended Gunnings' contract.

Quoted from rancido

But Gunning was being assessed and had only signed until the end of the season. We don't know if MB would have extended Gunnings' contract.

The fact that he considered him potentially good enough at all is alarming.

RS didn't do too badly last time. Jones and Whittle were one of the better centre back pairings i can remember at Town. Both brought in by Slade at the start of his reign with us last time, although Jones took a while to shine.

Can't help thinking Slade is looking at a virtually new team build that is one hell of a gamble.

Here was me thinking we had a strong nucleus certainly a solid defence and needed just a couple of decent signings to improve things this coming season.

Dis was regrettable but understandable given his age but Pearson is a quality defender in anybody's eyes and at the peak of his career.

At the very least he was a more than capable squad man and would ALWAYS GIVE 100%. Best skipper we never had great man to have in the dressing room and so experienced and solid on the field.

Shaun never ever wanted away and forced his way back into the first team deservedly so. This must go down as one of the worst decisions of recent years.

Can't believe some of the over reaction by some! Shaun has been a fantastic servant, a good player, and is a great genuine bloke. I'm a little disappointed he's going yes BUT like I said about diz and gowling, sentiment will not win us promotion next year, but better players might.

Fans threatening to not renew season tickets etc etc is just ridiculous. It's a decision that's been made by All parties hopefully for the good of the club. Of course time will tell.

We had a large squad, we simply cannot keep players just because we like them. This squad proved it was a little way off making the play offs and way short of the automatics. And let's not forget we had a prolific front man in Omar for over half the season. Take his goals away and where would we of been?

As for a new centre back, I'd be amazed if Nathan Clarke isn't signed in the next few weeks ;-)

Quoted from devs

Some of the comments from 'fans' venting their spleen over Shaun Pearson are frankly laughable
First off Shaun is a great lad and committed player; he has bought into the whole GTFC ethos and been a fantastic ambassador for the club as well as a very solid defender who was a huge part of getting us out of the Conference.
However, I am not certain he is of a standard for a club with ambitions of chasing a play off/promotion place

We have to trust RS and Wilko's judgement and I am certain they will have someone lined who in their opinion is better.

Refusing to go to watch GTFC again cos of a player departing - the words rattle, pram, throwing spring to mind

It's a sad day and the play off final team/squad has just about gone but football moves on

We also know nothing of the ins and outs of any discussions that took place between the club and player

Shaun is a model pro and I wish him all the best

Trust is earned not given.

Quoted from TheRealJohnLewis

Trust is earned not given.

Exactly and I stopped trusting RS when he crapped on us the last time he was manager.

Just heard JT on Sports talk.

Key points included

- he understands that in the past week or so we have been trying to pay off other contracts but nothing has materialised.

- RS wanted to keep him but budget constraints and the contracted players made it impossible.

- Bignot had offered him a deal but wouldn't sign it because of Bignot.

- We will all be shocked by who he's going to sign for.

All veey interesting.

Quoted from Mariner_09

Just heard JT on Sports talk.

Key points included

- he understands that in the past week or so we have been trying to pay off other contracts but nothing has materialised.

- RS wanted to keep him but budget constraints and the contracted players made it impossible.

- Bignot had offered him a deal but wouldn't sign it because of Bignot.

- We will all be shocked by who he's going to sign for.

All veey interesting.

He's off to Barrow - so I've been told.

Heard from a good source it's........ Wrexham 2yrs

Get the impression that nobody really knows!

Quoted from Numanoid

Heard from a good source it's........ Wrexham 2yrs

I heard that but laughed it off surely not.

How can budget constraints make it impossible, we only have one centre back we need four, if Slade had really wanted him we would have signed him.

If the budget is really fubar then we need to ship out two of those centre mids asap. Don't Macc want Summerfield back, surely someone will take him even if we have to pay up a proportion of his wages.

I can't help but think some of PH signings last summer are proving real millstones.

Well if he signs for Wrexham or barrow, then there will be a lot of posters looking rather silly. One of the best centre halves in league2!?? Really?? Much as I like Pearson he's done bloody well to even earn a regular spot in a mid table team. He's a really good conference defender who can hold his own in league 2 , nothing more, nothing less. If we are going to challenge for promotion it will be with better quality than Pearson

This has very bad omens for next season.

Maybe he's already got other centre backs lined up which he's saving budget for. Let's at least wait until we've signed our players before tearing up the season tickets. Who knows, they may actually be good signings.

Quoted from Mariner_09

Just heard JT on Sports talk.

Key points included

- he understands that in the past week or so we have been trying to pay off other contracts but nothing has materialised.

- RS wanted to keep him but budget constraints and the contracted players made it impossible.

- Bignot had offered him a deal but wouldn't sign it because of Bignot.

- We will all be shocked by who he's going to sign for.

All veey interesting.

In a good way I'm hoping that means?

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

How can budget constraints make it impossible, we only have one centre back we need four, if Slade had really wanted him we would have signed him.

If the budget is really fubar then we need to ship out two of those centre mids asap. Don't Macc want Summerfield back, surely someone will take him even if we have to pay up a proportion of his wages.

I can't help but think some of PH signings last summer are proving real millstones.

Exactly my thoughts. If we wanted to keep him, we would, unless he has been made a much better offer elsewhere and we can't or won't match it. We will still need centre backs regardless of whether he stays or goes, and i assume one of similar or better quality would cost the same in wages as Shaun. Only other option is someone on a season long loan from a higher club with them paying a whack of his wages. Doesn't make sense to me if we are saying we can't keep him because we have too many players to offload.

Quoted from Mariner_09

Just heard JT on Sports talk.

Key points included

- he understands that in the past week or so we have been trying to pay off other contracts but nothing has materialised.

- RS wanted to keep him but budget constraints and the contracted players made it impossible.

- Bignot had offered him a deal but wouldn't sign it because of Bignot.

- We will all be shocked by who he's going to sign for.

All veey interesting.

Go listen to it again and dont tell lies. No mention of all of " not signing it due to Bignot"

JT actually said shaun had an offer from MB and was going to sign before he went

Quoted from friskneymariner

This has very bad omens for next season.

What on earth are you on about? How can you make that assertion about a centre half (who is a great pro and an all round good egg) who wasnt a regular in the last 2 seasons? Why will that affect next season when we have a new squad with better players?

Quoted from Mariner_09

Just heard JT on Sports talk.

Key points included

- he understands that in the past week or so we have been trying to pay off other contracts but nothing has materialised.

- RS wanted to keep him but budget constraints and the contracted players made it impossible.

- Bignot had offered him a deal but wouldn't sign it because of Bignot.

- We will all be shocked by who he's going to sign for.

All veey interesting.

The Gimps?

Quoted from rancido

If PB or PH had been the managers that were letting Sean go most of the posters on here would have been screaming at them for being clowns or clueless. But because it's the wonderful " nearly man " RS then it's ok to let one of the better centre-backs in this league ( and one who has consistently improved his game ) go to another club !!

Nah, I just made the point based upon the fact he is a football manager and despite what we may think he is better placed than we are to make decisions on players.

Quoted from Mrs Doyle

Can't help thinking Slade is looking at a virtually new team build that is one hell of a gamble.

Here was me thinking we had a strong nucleus certainly a solid defence and needed just a couple of decent signings to improve things this coming season.

Dis was regrettable but understandable given his age but Pearson is a quality defender in anybody's eyes and at the peak of his career.

At the very least he was a more than capable squad man and would ALWAYS GIVE 100%. Best skipper we never had great man to have in the dressing room and so experienced and solid on the field.

Shaun never ever wanted away and forced his way back into the first team deservedly so. This must go down as one of the worst decisions of recent years.

He may have been, but how could you know, this is a massive assumption and unless anyone is regularly in a team's dressing room they couldn't have a clue about the dressing room's dynamics and who the big characters are..

We couldn't have had too many great men in the dressing room at half time last season, only picking up four points from a possible sixty after going behind in games.

Quoted from MarinersOnTheUp

Will correct now, apologies. Have to blame my rushed typing on a noisy train home from uni and the autocorrect on my phone for that one though.

Didn't realise this was an English class though. Have you nothing better to do with your life?

No I don't have anything better to do. We didn't have technology to blame for our errors in my day.

Fervent up of being lied to by the club

I don't but the BS about the budget being too small. It'd be easy to get rid of them, just offer them for transfer for a nominal fee, simple, somebody is bound to take them.

Boyce is crap simple as.

Huge mistake losing Pearson. It's always one step forward and 10 back at GTFC.

Is debt collection friends with Becchetti at Orient?

Quoted from KingstonMariner

No I don't have anything better to do. We didn't have technology to blame for our errors in my day.

My fault for not proof reading it.

Couldn't care less what you did or didn't have in your day.

Quoted from rancido

Exactly and I stopped trusting RS when he crapped on us the last time he was manager.

He didn't cr@p on us. He wasn't offered a new contract. Get a grip on the facts.

Quoted from forza ivano

Well if he signs for Wrexham or barrow, then there will be a lot of posters looking rather silly. One of the best centre halves in league2!?? Really?? Much as I like Pearson he's done bloody well to even earn a regular spot in a mid table team. He's a really good conference defender who can hold his own in league 2 , nothing more, nothing less. If we are going to challenge for promotion it will be with better quality than Pearson

Judging the standard of the players we've played against, he's comfartably a league 2 player. Boyce and Gowling were a little bit lacking however.

Quoted from Hagrid

JT actually said shaun had an offer from MB and was going to sign before he went

It sounds like the offer was pulled when the manager went.

Quoted from Cloudy

Shaun as a player and as a man will be missed by GTFC and the wider NELincs community. Don't think anyone doubts that?

Shaun has not been a regular for 2 seasons, played in the 5-0 hammering at Crewe and the surrender at Fratton Park and does lack a bit of pace. I suspect his deal ending had him in the top 10-15% of the pay scale too?

RS knew he has to free up budget to get greater pace and athleticism into the squad.

Sad day but not totally unexpected for me. Just means we will start with a very new team. I can hear the excuse of needing time to gel.

I look forward to the 2018-19 season😁

So did at least 10 other players, I didn't make the Portsmouth game but they were all excrement against Crewe.

No idea yet who made this decision but if it was Russell Slade then he had better hope that he replaces him with someone better otherwise the knives will be out very early.

I know who I would have preferred as one of the centre backs and it isn't Boyce.

So then it's Boyce at the back and ????

Quoted from Mrs Doyle

So then it's Boyce at the back and ????

It's Boyce and the fact there are still 4 weeks before pre season and 10 weeks before the actual season.

I am really pleased about this. We finally have a management team with the balls to scrap our third worst team ever. We can build the foundations of a decent team again. Get rid of the clown of a goalie and the clear out will be complete. We have had 10 years of rubbish and it is time we moved forward.

Quoted from realist

I am really pleased about this. We finally have a management team with the balls to scrap our third worst team ever. We can build the foundations of a decent team again. Get rid of the clown of a goalie and the clear out will be complete. We have had 10 years of rubbish and it is time we moved forward.

I can see where you are coming from. What we had until MB was appointed was essentially a non-league side, or at least one of those well organised sides that could compete in lower L2/upper national all day long but wouldn't go much further.

The trouble is that promotion breeds emotion. Just because players served well in getting the side into L2 does not mean they are good enough for L2+. Pearson played a lot of games for Town but he wasn't first on the team sheet last year even for Hurst and neither was Disley. If the aim of the game is another promotion then neither player is what we need.

We have to be honest about these things even when we like the bloke. I remember people being heartbroken about Bobby C leaving and about Joe Waters going to America. Both of them were personal friends of the manager too so it must have been a hard decision for Dave Booth but he was professional and he was right. Wilkie was at BP then and he will remember that. I think Slade is right with this one too.

In his Twitter post Shaun said that GTFC won't be offering him a contract, I wonder if he meant that the club won't be offering him the contract he wanted?

Well I just hope whoever we get in is better, good luck to him for the rest of his career

Quoted from chaos33

He didn't cr@p on us. He wasn't offered a new contract. Get a grip on the facts.

Well maybe my memory is playing tricks with me but I'm sure it was announced in the GET , before the season ended, that RS was going to sign a new contract in a blaze of publicity and then he pulled out. I'm sure the first we fans knew about his departure was after the play-off final. Like I said my memory could be askew on this but that is what I recall.

Signed for Wrexham on a 2 year deal

http://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/signing-reds-capture-new-centre-half-3720798.aspx

Quoted from Cloudy

Signed for Wrexham on a 2 year deal

http://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/signing-reds-capture-new-centre-half-3720798.aspx

Good luck to the lad, he always gave his best for us.

Sad to see him, drop back into the conference. I would have thought he could get a league side.

Good luck at Wrexham Shaun,

That's another team I will have to follow next season.

All the best Shaun.

Surprised he's moved to lower level. Held his own in league two.

Brilliant signing for Wrexham, always enjoyed watching Shaun. Great player for us and a even greater man

http://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/grimsby-town-football-club-statement-regarding-shaun-pearson-3720818.aspx

JSF responds

Really chuffed for him and hope he gets them back in the league. He's a good signing for them.

All the best Shaun.

Quoted from Cloudy

http://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/grimsby-town-football-club-statement-regarding-shaun-pearson-3720818.aspx

JSF responds

And the response is a fair one. What comes out of this is that John Tondeur should have asked the club about releasing the information yesterday and if he had, would have probably been told to wait till the club announced it today, as per Shaun's wishes. By way of a simple conversation, last night's shitstorm could have been averted in everybody's interests.

After all that, good luck Shaun, sure you will be a success at Wrexham.

good luck to shaun , he never let us down. what is to his eternal credit that every time a manager doubted him, or we wondered if he had reached his peak he responded by moving his performance level up another notch.
a great signing for wrexham, but it does rather prove the point that people were getting rather carried away with his level of ability. as several of the more sensible posters have said if we are gearing up for a promotion push then we need to improve the ability of the squad, and imho pearson is not a league 1 or top league 2 player

Quoted from MuddyWaters

And the response is a fair one. What comes out of this is that John Tondeur should have asked the club about releasing the information yesterday and if he had, would have probably been told to wait till the club announced it today, as per Shaun's wishes. By way of a simple conversation, last night's shitstorm could have been averted in everybody's interests.

After all that, good luck Shaun, sure you will be a success at Wrexham.

John Tonduer isnt employed by GTFC, his information came from Shaun himself who was happy the info was released.

The club like control, even demand it at times, but some prefer to get the information not being fed sanitised claptrap. I'd bet that if Shaun's statement hadnt said what it did then the club statement would have been worded totally differently

This is all wrong JF
Didn't we learn anything from last season
New Players New Squad Says PH
New Players New Squad Says MB
And it would seem RS is been let to go the same way
Surely we can see that the club needs some consistency and stability with Shaun and Disley Gowling staying etc..
You should have done more and negotiated harder and longer with Shaun whatever he wanted as you will not find a player who will try harder when he is wearing the shirt
I am unsure what we are trying to achieve by letting this happen??

Interesting to point out that he says "Wrexham was his best choice". Which suggests that he didnt have offers from other league two clubs. Don't get me know I was a big fan of Shaun's but clearly Slade didn't see him as a guaranteed starter and therefore couldn't offering him a contract immediately.

I expect us to also not offer Collins a contract and look forward to seeing who Slade has lined up in the coming weeks

Good Luck Shaun and thanks for your loyalty and work you did in the community. Wrexham have a good player for their level

Quoted from Stew0_0

Interesting to point out that he says "Wrexham was his best choice". Which suggests that he didnt have offers from other league two clubs. Don't get me know I was a big fan of Shaun's but clearly Slade didn't see him as a guaranteed starter and therefore couldn't offering him a contract immediately.

I expect us to also not offer Collins a contract and look forward to seeing who Slade has lined up in the coming weeks

Good Luck Shaun and thanks for your loyalty and work you did in the community. Wrexham have a good player for their level

It doesn't suggest that at all. He may well have had offers from league clubs, but at a lower wage or on a shorter deal.

He's left for a more secure contract which we couldn't offer him. The fact Fenty's statement said he would have waited to see how things unravelled at the club suggests there are targets, whom Pearson would have been a back up for if they couldn't be signed. Ultimately, he wasn't deemed good enough for a promotion push, which is fair enough, and you can't blame him for securing his future. I have no doubt that he will be a big player for Wrexham next season, and I hope they get promoted.

He has a very young child and needed the security of the contract to be able to support him. Maybe he liked the location aswell with family in mind.

Be sad to see him go. Hope things work out well at Wrexham. Good old club. A fan owned club. Now I have another reason to hope they get back in the League soon.

All the best Shaun and thanks for the years of dedicated service.

We get a better CH and footballer than Shaun, but we are highly unlikely to get as good a team-player, club-man and someone who is just a nice bloke.

Although its sad to see SP go, it seems a logical enough thing to happen.

The club has ambitions to move up to L1 and so really we should only offer 2 year contracts to players who have potential to play at that level. Although plenty on here think Shaun has that potential, the fact that he has chosen to go to Wrexham suggests he didn't have L1 and higher clubs knocking on his door. In my view he's a good honest National League/ League 2 pro.

RS has no doubt been challenged to build a squad to get promotion and then to compete in L1 if we can go up. He has already inherited too many average players on long contracts. This means he's not go huge flexibility to pay out good money for players who aren't going to be his first choice. Its similar to the situation with Disley - we had a squad full of contracted central midfielders and there was no scope for RS to use up his budget on sentimentality.

Its sad to see long-standing players move on - we might wait a long time for another Dis or Shaun - but it shows RS has got the right intent and ambition.

[youtube]rzkJOBuEcVw[/youtube]

Well that's a brilliant signing for them hope he does well good luck shaun

Quoted from LondonMariner43

Although plenty on here think Shaun has that potential, the fact that he has chosen to go to Wrexham suggests he didn't have L1 and higher clubs knocking on his door. In my view he's a good honest National League/ League 2 pro.

It could also be possible that signing for a moribund National League club like Wrexham indicates that that is how Shaun perceives himself.

Good luck Shaun lets hope he isn't replaced with a Haywood or Gunning. Poor from the club to try and leave him hanging over being given a contract. Either he is good enough which means they should of offered him a contract a couple of weeks ago, or not good enough so just release him. To look at it as a "well he'll have to do because our first choices wont sign" is not the way to get the best out of your team. As I posted the day he was anounced as manager Slade can "do one" as far as I'm concerned.

Quoted from Madeleymariner

Good luck Shaun lets hope he isn't replaced with a Haywood or Gunning. Poor from the club to try and leave him hanging over being given a contract. Either he is good enough which means they should of offered him a contract a couple of weeks ago, or not good enough so just release him. To look at it as a "well he'll have to do because our first choices wont sign" is not the way to get the best out of your team. As I posted the day he was anounced as manager Slade can "do one" as far as I'm concerned.

What a bizarre comment entirely based on supposition... you seem to have taken some percieved greivance against Slade, read between the lines of the club statement, added 2 and 2 and made 304040202.

Quoted from 935

What a bizarre comment entirely based on supposition... you seem to have taken some percieved greivance against Slade, read between the lines of the club statement, added 2 and 2 and made 304040202.

Dont rate Slade, never did rate him while he was here before, the Shaun thing has little to do with it. Hes just another journeyman manager making a living who might but I doubt it move the club forward. Re Pearson I have not posted anything up to now as that really would have been pure speculation. The club statement seems to say they were keeping him hanging on a new contract to see if they could get someone better instead -no way to treat a loyal professional like Shaun and Im pleased he has gone for it and found a club that really wants him, rather than being messed around by Slade/Fenty or whoever made the decision.

Quoted from Madeleymariner

Dont rate Slade, never did rate him while he was here before, the Shaun thing has little to do with it. Hes just another journeyman manager making a living who might but I doubt it move the club forward. Re Pearson I have not posted anything up to now as that really would have been pure speculation. The club statement seems to say they were keeping him hanging on a new contract to see if they could get someone better instead -no way to treat a loyal professional like Shaun and Im pleased he has gone for it and found a club that really wants him, rather than being messed around by Slade/Fenty or whoever made the decision.

SO basically cos you dont like Slade/Fenty its their fault... What corking logic..

Quoted from Madeleymariner

Dont rate Slade, never did rate him while he was here before, the Shaun thing has little to do with it. Hes just another journeyman manager making a living who might but I doubt it move the club forward. Re Pearson I have not posted anything up to now as that really would have been pure speculation. The club statement seems to say they were keeping him hanging on a new contract to see if they could get someone better instead -no way to treat a loyal professional like Shaun and Im pleased he has gone for it and found a club that really wants him, rather than being messed around by Slade/Fenty or whoever made the decision.

The other side of the coin is of course that Slade has spent the last week or so trying to see what his budget is, by clearing out, making offers to pay off those on longer contracts, before he starts signing or resigning players. Its also possible that Pearson had a very good offer from Wrexham with a time limit for a decision and didnt want to hang around and wait. In that scenario of course there s actually no one to blame though that doesnt really suit your agenda.

Equally with contracts, there seems to be some impression here that a contract is simply handed to someone before negotiations- which is of course not how it happens. People tend to negotiate their terms and then write a contract with those terms in it when they have agreed otherwise some poor sod would be sat re drafting contracts 10 times a day.

That's a good interview with Shaun, it's pretty clear that he's happy with the move.

Good luck Shaun, enjoy your holiday and best of wishes with your move to North Wales!

I dont dislike Fenty or Slade and I have no agenda, just dont think Slade will get us promoted-whatever the budget is going to be we need 3 central defenders and only have 1 under contract so he must sign 2 central defenders therefore Pearson is either good enough or not to retained, so surely all this could have been discussed and a result sorted over the last couple of weeks, or are we expecting to get better but cheaper than him (does not happen very often),

Really gutted to see Shaun go, someone who gives 100% for the cause and even more in the community, it's our loss he is going Fenty, you should have done more to keep him.

I would have thought he could have found a better club than Wrexham even though we would class them as a league club considering their history and fan base, however we don't need any more Welsh teams in the English league so I hope they do well enough but not enough to get promoted, baaaaaah.

Looks like if you push us for an answer Shaun "it is a no from us" but we would have been happy to wait a bit longer until or if we can find someone better, if not it would be " a yes"

Quoted from Nelly GTFC

[youtube]rzkJOBuEcVw[/youtube]

North Wales has gained a diamond. Best of luck with your new club Shaun,hope you help them to gain promotion back to the football league.

Quoted from oldun

Looks like if you push us for an answer Shaun "it is a no from us" but we would have been happy to wait a bit longer until or if we can find someone better, if not it would be " a yes"

IMO it's more a case of RS prevaricating and Sean wanting a decision while there were other offers on the table. Everyone seems to think that RS has all these contacts and he will find a better replacement but I'm not convinced. If he finds better then I will hold my hands up and admit I was wrong but only time will tell. There is only one player left from the team that played at Wembley and got us back into the league , Macca, and he was probably the weakest one for a league set-up.

Quoted from rancido

IMO it's more a case of RS prevaricating and Sean wanting a decision while there were other offers on the table. Everyone seems to think that RS has all these contacts and he will find a better replacement but I'm not convinced. If he finds better then I will hold my hands up and admit I was wrong but only time will tell. There is only one player left from the team that played at Wembley and got us back into the league , Macca, and he was probably the weakest one for a league set-up.

It's Shaun, not Sean. Though I suppose he wasn't here very long so it's hard to remember his name.

I am sure Andrew will move and have a sneaking feeling we have seen the last of Danny Collins so RS now needs to bring in better than those who have moved on, and quick please Russ!!!

Can't think of many players here who have been held in such high esteem as Shaun.

Thank you so much for your professionalism. dedication and total loyalty you have shown here.

Wrexhams gain is definitely our loss, good luck you will always be welcome back here in whatever shirt you ware.

So are we saying that we can't find a defender as good or better than Pearson? If we can't, then we may as well give up now and plod along in mid table league 2. He was a good player for us and a cracking bloke, but Paolo Maldini he wasn't.

Folk chuff about not getting anywhere the last ten years but are up in arms when we bring in a guy who had us as high as we have been for years and he releases players. He aint stupid and can't we just accept that he probably knows a bit more than us about what a player is capable of?

Well said Ginny. Shaun was a great player for us but we have to move on and look for players that can take us to the next level, I am led to believe that Shaun was wanting to move earlier in the season as he was desperate for first team football and wasn't getting it at one point and he would be in the same position next season if RS gets his way and strengthens us further. IMO Shaun has dropped a level to guarantee first team football every week and good on him for doing so.

Lets see what he does first the spirit of the wembly side as certainly gone as said earlier the only one left is Macca.

Lincoln are where we were this time last season be interesting to see how there side evolves and adapts.

Quoted from ginnywings

So are we saying that we can't find a defender as good or better than Pearson? If we can't, then we may as well give up now and plod along in mid table league 2. He was a good player for us and a cracking bloke, but Paolo Maldini he wasn't.

Folk chuff about not getting anywhere the last ten years but are up in arms when we bring in a guy who had us as high as we have been for years and he releases players. He aint stupid and can't we just accept that he probably knows a bit more than us about what a player is capable of?

And clearly no other League 2 club were really keen on him if Wrexham have offered better. Think RS will be looking for a bit more pace in a replacement. All the best to Shaun though. Been a fantastic player and ambassador for the club.

Quoted from Mrs Doyle

Lets see what he does first the spirit of the wembly side as certainly gone as said earlier the only one left is Macca.

Lincoln are where we were this time last season be interesting to see how there side evolves and adapts.

I have to disagree with this, Lincoln romped the league and had two good cup runs for good measure. We scraped through the play offs. Therefore Lincoln are much stronger than we was and probably feel that they will be competitive at least with what they have. Thankfully paul hurst recognised that a team that could only just beat part time Braintree over 2 legs and a team that finished 21 points off the top probably wasn't to be too competitive.

Cheltenham romped the league too, look how they have suffered by keeping the same team.

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

We get a better CH and footballer than Shaun, but we are highly unlikely to get as good a team-player, club-man and someone who is just a nice bloke.

Don't think you could sum it up more succinctly than this. Nicely put SNAFU....and spot on IMO.

Sad to see Shaun leave, great servant to the club and earned every penny of his contract while with us.

Having said that i'm not sure he was the calibre of player to take us to the next level.

I really hope we start to get some sort of a settled squad over the next couple of seasons because the turnover of players has become ridiculous recently and is still ongoing.

Quoted from promotion plaice

Sad to see Shaun leave, great servant to the club and earned every penny of his contract while with us.

Having said that i'm not sure he was the calibre of player to take us to the next level.

I really hope we start to get some sort of a settled squad over the next couple of seasons because the turnover of players has become ridiculous recently and is still ongoing.

Think that was inevitable pp. The squad that got us promoted, just did it by the skin of their teeth and would have struggled in this league IMO. Last season's squad was acceptable to establish us, but to push on we now need to bring in better if we want to get near the top end. Think the squad will still be a work in progress over the coming season but hopefully good enough to at least get to the play offs. We still have a bit of dead wood and contracted payers that will have to be moved on somehow.

Quoted from ginnywings

Think that was inevitable pp. The squad that got us promoted, just did it by the skin of their teeth and would have struggled in this league IMO. Last season's squad was acceptable to establish us, but to push on we now need to bring in better if we want to get near the top end. Think the squad will still be a work in progress over the coming season but hopefully good enough to at least get to the play offs. We still have a bit of dead wood and contracted payers that will have to be moved on somehow.

That problem was compounded by the signings last summer. Some of them were clearly not promotion chasing material. We must get very quickly to a situation where every member of the squad is a potential first team player and we are not carrying expensive passengers. That was Fenty's point about contract negotiations with those other players holding up a decision for Pearson and it is a very valid point.

There's no doubt that JF has backed his managers in the market but I do think he has shown naivety on some signings last year that most of us knew immediately were not going to really boost the quality of the squad. To start last season without having signed a quality central midfield player was criminal. To sign even more journeymen for the position was even worse.

Wow there is a real Slade love-in going on in the world, never have I attracted so many Xs ??)

Quoted from Madeleymariner

Wow there is a real Slade love-in going on in the world, never have I attracted so many Xs ??)

Where do i start? Let's face facts .none of the three teams we have had this year would really cut it in league 1. Andrew, Collins and maybe mills are anywhere near that standard. Slade n wilko are used to dealing with players who are 1,2, or3 levels above what we have got so they have v quickly identified that we ain't that good. We ,for better or for worse, will have an almost completely new first team come August. I do believe that with all that experience they will bring in better quality players. God I do hope I'm right!,

Quoted from ginnywings

Think that was inevitable pp. The squad that got us promoted, just did it by the skin of their teeth and would have struggled in this league IMO. Last season's squad was acceptable to establish us, but to push on we now need to bring in better if we want to get near the top end. Think the squad will still be a work in progress over the coming season but hopefully good enough to at least get to the play offs. We still have a bit of dead wood and contracted payers that will have to be moved on somehow.

With all the changes envisaged a play off place and consistent first eleven would seem the BEST we could hope for imho.

The side will take time to gel W.I.P. definitly, not expecting anything special next season sorry.

Quoted from Madeleymariner

Wow there is a real Slade love-in going on in the world, never have I attracted so many Xs ??)

Firstly, I'm all for giving the bloke a chance to bring his own players in. Two, he's already shown that he will play players in their preferred positions rather than sticking someone on the wing because he's got no-one else and finally, since he left us, he's been managing teams in leagues above us rather than at our level or below.

I trust the gaffer and his team. Obviously sad to see Disley and Pearson go but I guess you just got to deal with it... Watched Pearson''s interview and he seems happy and his family seem happy to give it a go in Wales so best of luck to them.

Quoted from ginnywings

The squad we have are good enough to hold their own in League 2, but to progress we need players capable of getting out of this league and holding their own in the one above. Players come and go and some we get more emotionally attached to than others; Shaun being one of them. I felt that he was 50-50 to be here next year because no doubt he is good enough to play at this level and is a great servant, but is he good enough to take us to the next level? Some will say he is and that's fair enough, but the manager has to look at it impartially and from a purely footballing perspective. I'd be happy if he stays, but i won't be heartbroken if he moves on. It's football and it's the name of the game. If the manager feels he can do better, then we have to back his decision.

I like Pearson a lot and liked the look of him when I saw him play for us in the conference.Having said that others who have seen him more than me have said on the ball is poor but has a good header on him. Eg goes in line with what your saying and Slade may resonate with above?

Best of luck to Shaun at Wrexham, been excellent for us, should be a cracking signing for them. Hope he has a great season and they finally go up. Thanks Shaun

Quoted from Rick12

I like Pearson a lot and liked the look of him when I saw him play for us in the conference.Having said that others who have seen him more than me have said on the ball is poor but has a good header on him. Eg goes in line with what your saying and Slade may resonate with above?

Did you go to the Plymouth game? How can a player who can take a ball to the bye line and put in a decent cross be poor on the ball?

The main and possibly only consistent problem Shaun had was actually getting out contested for headers in the penalty box especially when a ball came into the near post nothing to do with ability this just poor reading of the game and his opponents movement

I wish he was still with GTFC as he was an asset, I wish him and his family all the best as he was a great servant for GTFC on and off the pitch.

Great man and good player. But come on guys we are not talking about a Mark Lever or Paul Futcher here.

Shaun has spent loads of time on the bench over the years because of better players. It's no accident either that he has now taken a step down the leagues when fans feel he is capable of playing up the leagues.

I think people are getting quite hysterical over this.  Look at the reaction and you learn a lot:

All the praise on here and on social media is along the lines of: Club legend, great in the community, great man, more than just a footballer, etc.

I haven't read one comment along the lines of "We'll really struggle without him", or "We won't be able to replace him" or "We've sold a Promotion-winning centre-half".

Yes, Pearson has been great for us over the years, but RS has to build a squad to get into the playoffs or top 3 next season.  He clearly thinks he can bring in better, and after having been let go, Pearson has vindicated RS's assessment of him by  managing to get himself a move to a mid-table non-league team.

I think some on here need to remember that when they're dishing out vitriol to Getyourfactsright and wearing out their Caps Lock keys.  This board (as evidenced by the multitude of threads begging us to resign any former player coming out of contract: Podge, Bennett, Woodhouse for manager, John McDermott for assistant etc) is overflowing with sentimentality.

In cold, hard, football terms, RS is correct in letting SP go.  Good luck Shaun.

Quoted from 120790

Great man and good player. But come on guys we are not talking about a Mark Lever or Paul Futcher here.

Shaun has spent loads of time on the bench over the years because of better players. It's no accident either that he has now taken a step down the leagues when fans feel he is capable of playing up the leagues.

Can't believe you're mentioning Mark Lever in the same breath as Paul Futcher!!

That would be like comparing a Ford Focus to a Rolls Royce...

Quoted from mariner91

It's Shaun, not Sean. Though I suppose he wasn't here very long so it's hard to remember his name.

So you pick up on my spelling his Christian name wrong and then take a sarcastic swipe at it. You could, of course, have argued logically and civilly about the points I raised but chose not to. We all have our opinions and that is what a message board is for, airing opinions.

Quoted from rancido

So you pick up on my spelling his Christian name wrong and then take a sarcastic swipe at it. You could, of course, have argued logically and civilly about the points I raised but chose not to. We all have our opinions and that is what a message board is for, airing opinions.

Is there any point in arguing logically and civilly with you when you've made it abundantly clear through the daft nicknames you give RS (super morphing whatever manager and the like) that everything he does is wrong in your eyes. Just the other week you claimed you were unhappy with the squad he was building because he's in negotiations with Ben Davies. He's not even signed ffs. You said "everyone seems to think that RS has all these contacts" as though it's questionable whether a manager who's just spent the last 11 years working at a higher level than this (winning L1 manager of the year twice in that time) has got contacts within the game. What's he been doing for the last 700 odd games in the FL then? It is an absolutely ludicrous suggestion. He's also got an experienced and well respected coach alongside him who has contacts throughout the game after a career spanning 35 years, the vast majority of which was in the top two divisions. Yet you seem to think between them they won't have any contacts. Ridiculous.

You then bemoaned the fact that there is only one player remaining from the team that got us promoted. That was a team that finished 21 points behind the Cheltenham team that this season finished 4 points above relegation. It is the same team that had won 2 of their last 13 games in the league below. You regularly criticise RS for not having got a side promoted ever. Yet you then criticise him for deciding that perhaps the players from a team who got promoted by the skin of their teeth from the NL won't quite meet the standards required to get promoted from a league above that. Absurd.

Since Town were last in the football league, Russell Slade has managed over 350 games in L1 and the Championship. It's his job that is on the line if he fails to improve the team and I daresay it wasn't an easy decision to let Shaun (not Sean) go and I imagine he's frustrated at being left with many players that PH signed on two year contracts who definitely aren't good enough. However, if he's decided that he thinks we need better than Pearson in order to challenge for promotion then I trust his and Wilko's opinion over pretty much everyone's on here. They are the ones who's jobs are on the line. It's also interesting to note that PH, a manager who has been with Pearson for 8 years and is currently towards the lower end of L1, didn't make a move for him (or at least wouldn't offer him as much as midtable NL side Wrexham) suggesting that he probably doesn't think he's good enough for that level and I daresay he's someone to make that call.

Quoted from mariner91

Is there any point in arguing logically and civilly with you when you've made it abundantly clear through the daft nicknames you give RS (super morphing whatever manager and the like) that everything he does is wrong in your eyes. Just the other week you claimed you were unhappy with the squad he was building because he's in negotiations with Ben Davies. He's not even signed ffs. You said "everyone seems to think that RS has all these contacts" as though it's questionable whether a manager who's just spent the last 11 years working at a higher level than this (winning L1 manager of the year twice in that time) has got contacts within the game. What's he been doing for the last 700 odd games in the FL then? It is an absolutely ludicrous suggestion. He's also got an experienced and well respected coach alongside him who has contacts throughout the game after a career spanning 35 years, the vast majority of which was in the top two divisions. Yet you seem to think between them they won't have any contacts. Ridiculous.

You then bemoaned the fact that there is only one player remaining from the team that got us promoted. That was a team that finished 21 points behind the Cheltenham team that this season finished 4 points above relegation. It is the same team that had won 2 of their last 13 games in the league below. You regularly criticise RS for not having got a side promoted ever. Yet you then criticise him for deciding that perhaps the players from a team who got promoted by the skin of their teeth from the NL won't quite meet the standards required to get promoted from a league above that. Absurd.

Since Town were last in the football league, Russell Slade has managed over 350 games in L1 and the Championship. It's his job that is on the line if he fails to improve the team and I daresay it wasn't an easy decision to let Shaun (not Sean) go and I imagine he's frustrated at being left with many players that PH signed on two year contracts who definitely aren't good enough. However, if he's decided that he thinks we need better than Pearson in order to challenge for promotion then I trust his and Wilko's opinion over pretty much everyone's on here. They are the ones who's jobs are on the line. It's also interesting to note that PH, a manager who has been with Pearson for 8 years and is currently towards the lower end of L1, didn't make a move for him (or at least wouldn't offer him as much as midtable NL side Wrexham) suggesting that he probably doesn't think he's good enough for that level and I daresay he's someone to make that call.

Fantastic post this mariner91! I agree 100% with you on all points. RS hasn't quite had a promotion but boy he's done some cracking work. Even in a difficult season last year at charlton/coventry. There was some positives. He made some cracking signings at charlton, and was a little unlucky to get sacked after only 21 games. 5 wins 10 draws . Declan Rudd, Andrew Crofts, Ricky Holmes and Nicky ajose all fantastic signings he made. Then at Coventry he got them to Wembley. I have every faith in him

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Did you go to the Plymouth game? How can a player who can take a ball to the bye line and put in a decent cross be poor on the ball?

The main and possibly only consistent problem Shaun had was actually getting out contested for headers in the penalty box especially when a ball came into the near post nothing to do with ability this just poor reading of the game and his opponents movement

I wish he was still with GTFC as he was an asset, I wish him and his family all the best as he was a great servant for GTFC on and off the pitch.

I didnt go to the Plymouth game but appreciate what you have said but like noted only going on what others have said.

Personally didnt look bad on the ball when I saw him for a defender albeit even if it was in the conference though what struck me was his attitude which you could tell was very good eg had a lot of heart which I liked.

Remember seeing him in Tesco close up though in Grimsby and looked a good physical specimen. Eg tall and quite strong

Quoted from mariner91

Is there any point in arguing logically and civilly with you when you've made it abundantly clear through the daft nicknames you give RS (super morphing whatever manager and the like) that everything he does is wrong in your eyes. Just the other week you claimed you were unhappy with the squad he was building because he's in negotiations with Ben Davies. He's not even signed ffs. You said "everyone seems to think that RS has all these contacts" as though it's questionable whether a manager who's just spent the last 11 years working at a higher level than this (winning L1 manager of the year twice in that time) has got contacts within the game. What's he been doing for the last 700 odd games in the FL then? It is an absolutely ludicrous suggestion. He's also got an experienced and well respected coach alongside him who has contacts throughout the game after a career spanning 35 years, the vast majority of which was in the top two divisions. Yet you seem to think between them they won't have any contacts. Ridiculous.

You then bemoaned the fact that there is only one player remaining from the team that got us promoted. That was a team that finished 21 points behind the Cheltenham team that this season finished 4 points above relegation. It is the same team that had won 2 of their last 13 games in the league below. You regularly criticise RS for not having got a side promoted ever. Yet you then criticise him for deciding that perhaps the players from a team who got promoted by the skin of their teeth from the NL won't quite meet the standards required to get promoted from a league above that. Absurd.

Since Town were last in the football league, Russell Slade has managed over 350 games in L1 and the Championship. It's his job that is on the line if he fails to improve the team and I daresay it wasn't an easy decision to let Shaun (not Sean) go and I imagine he's frustrated at being left with many players that PH signed on two year contracts who definitely aren't good enough. However, if he's decided that he thinks we need better than Pearson in order to challenge for promotion then I trust his and Wilko's opinion over pretty much everyone's on here. They are the ones who's jobs are on the line. It's also interesting to note that PH, a manager who has been with Pearson for 8 years and is currently towards the lower end of L1, didn't make a move for him (or at least wouldn't offer him as much as midtable NL side Wrexham) suggesting that he probably doesn't think he's good enough for that level and I daresay he's someone to make that call.

Good post and one that I am 100% with. I have faith in Russ and also believe that the network he and PW will have built during their time working across a number of leagues and age groups will ultimately deliver a squad that will challenge for promotion looking at the work that needs to be done though I reckon realistically it will be in 18/19.

I think Shaun is a top pro on and off the pitch, I am sure he will end next season in the NL team of the season which probably says it all.