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Really interesting options for DA next weekend.

He has to pick Ainley, surely?

I really hope Khouri gets a start, as he needs to become a genuine option next season after a long apprenticeship.

Any chance for the likes of Glennon, maybe?

Has Clifton possibly convinced DA to look elsewhere?

A tough time for players, but such a relief for us fans that there’s nothing riding on it for us.

Hopefully a goodbye line-up so we can bid farewell to the likes of Clifton, Holohan and Maher.

DA will know all about Ainley who has played over 200 games for Crewe. Khouri will probably be released I'd have thought. Think he's 21 now, and if he can't force his way into that midfield with three berths available then he never will. He's been unwell though to be fair. I doubt Alex Hunt will be in his plans for the same reason - if he can't play in this midfield then he won't play at all. Such a waste of ability.

Will have to make difficult decisions re the likes of Harry Clifton who is Town through and through and gives his all. 250 plus games for us but has had a poor season and lacks techincal ability if we are to progress. Haven't been impressed with Maher, or his wifes whining on X. Gav Holohan is a great lad, gives his all but that's another unpleasant decision to be made. We can't keep that midfield. Kieron Green would tackle a fox and put it on it's bottom, but he lacks all round quality required at this level.

We'll need a new number one. Of the out of contract lads, I like Smith at right wing back, I like Hume at left wing back but he hasn't played last couple of games while a winger has been preferred over him. Also wonder if he sees us as a stepping stone to a higher level.

Quoted from fishboyUTM

DA will know all about Ainley who has played over 200 games for Crewe. Khouri will probably be released I'd have thought. Think he's 21 now, and if he can't force his way into that midfield with three berths available then he never will. He's been unwell though to be fair. I doubt Alex Hunt will be in his plans for the same reason - if he can't play in this midfield then he won't play at all. Such a waste of ability.

Will have to make difficult decisions re the likes of Harry Clifton who is Town through and through and gives his all. 250 plus games for us but has had a poor season and lacks techincal ability if we are to progress. Haven't been impressed with Maher, or his wifes whining on X. Gav Holohan is a great lad, gives his all but that's another unpleasant decision to be made. We can't keep that midfield. Kieron Green would tackle a fox and put it on it's bottom, but he lacks all round quality required at this level.

We'll need a new number one. Of the out of contract lads, I like Smith at right wing back, I like Hume at left wing back but he hasn't played last couple of games while a winger has been preferred over him. Also wonder if he sees us as a stepping stone to a higher level.

Khouri isn’t out of contract, Smith is actually on loan and Hume can’t defend any better than Glennon or at least if he can we’ve not seen it.

Agree about the rest but I’m sure Clifton will be offered something. Hunt will start the season back at BP what happens then I guess is up to him.

I don’t expect the Crawley line up to be too radical but Ainley will start.

Yeah, I meant a few of the players who aren't contracted for next season. Loan or contracts up. Didn't know Khouri had another year.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Khouri isn’t out of contract, Smith is actually on loan and Hume can’t defend any better than Glennon or at least if he can we’ve not seen it.

Agree about the rest but I’m sure Clifton will be offered something. Hunt will start the season back at BP what happens then I guess is up to him.

I don’t expect the Crawley line up to be too radical but Ainley will start.

As York’s season is over, I think Amos and Hunt are back with us on Monday, aren’t they?

This fixture affects the playoffs so Donny will want us to take it seriously

Quoted from fishboyUTM

Yeah, I meant a few of the players who aren't contracted for next season. Loan or contracts up. Didn't know Khouri had another year.

Khouri has got 2 more years, signed a contract extension mid season, so he won't be going anywhere

Quoted from AdamHaddock

This fixture affects the playoffs so Donny will want us to take it seriously

I’d prefer Donny to stay down much easier to get to then Crawley so fook em

Quoted from MuddyWaters

As York’s season is over, I think Amos and Hunt are back with us on Monday, aren’t they?

I think they might be, not sure if they can be involved though.

Quoted from Heisenberg

Really interesting options for DA next weekend.

He has to pick Ainley, surely?

.

Would love to see him start, but he’s obviously being managed after barely playing all season and overcoming a huge ordeal. If he’s ready, great, but if not we know the reasons why.

If it's feasible and Hunt wants to grasp the olive branch then I would start him at Crawley. He was sent to York for valuable game time and DA needs to see the result. No point dragging him all the way to Crawley to be benched.

We have to be professional about this match and avoid too much experimentation.

If there is a chance of getting Andrews back for a six month loan then maybe a start for him. Otherwise, Gav deserves a last hurrah and a final wave.

Great chance to give Bramwell a taste of a game with some intensity from Crawley's point of view rather than a tame end of season atmosphere.

Quoted from sam gy

Would love to see him start, but he’s obviously being managed after barely playing all season and overcoming a huge ordeal. If he’s ready, great, but if not we know the reasons why.

Looked a player yesterday. That pass for Smith’s goal was a thing of beauty.
Great first touch from Smith too.

Quoted from Croxton

If it's feasible and Hunt wants to grasp the olive branch then I would start him at Crawley. He was sent to York for valuable game time and DA needs to see the result. No point dragging him all the way to Crawley to be benched.

We have to be professional about this match and avoid too much experimentation.

If there is a chance of getting Andrews back for a six month loan then maybe a start for him. Otherwise, Gav deserves a last hurrah and a final wave.

Great chance to give Bramwell a taste of a game with some intensity from Crawley's point of view rather than a tame end of season atmosphere.

I'd like to see how Hunt & Thompson go together. Artell said in an early interview that he sees Hunt as a forward thinking midfielder and Thompson clearly complements that.

Didn’t Clifton reject a contract extension last season? If that’s right I think the writing’s on the wall. Especially as Hurst must be considering him. Wouldn’t blame him looking for a new start either. He’s given everything and at his age it’s now or never.

As for the line up, I think he’ll go with the strongest and it won’t be a farewell tour. He’ll want to finish above Salford.

Quoted from 140381

Didn’t Clifton reject a contract extension last season? If that’s right I think the writing’s on the wall. Especially as Hurst must be considering him. Wouldn’t blame him looking for a new start either. He’s given everything and at his age it’s now or never.

He’s out of contract at the end of this season. Why would Hurst be considering him?

Quoted from HertsGTFC

He’s out of contract at the end of this season. Why would Hurst be considering him?

Hurst gave him his debut and it was no secret how much he admired him and probably got the best out of him, Paul Hurst squads always have that one player that's versatile in multiple positions and Harry fills that role.

Quoted from LocalLadGTFC

Hurst gave him his debut and it was no secret how much he admired him and probably got the best out of him, Paul Hurst squads always have that one player that's versatile in multiple positions and Harry fills that role.

Big problem with that is that he isn’t good enough for L2 never mind L1. Be a great signing for York though.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Big problem with that is that he isn’t good enough for L2 never mind L1. Be a great signing for York though.

Could argue that his versatility in itself coupled with his athleticism is good enough, technically definitely not but we know Hurst favoured hard work over technical ability.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

He’s out of contract at the end of this season. Why would Hurst be considering him?

You don’t think Hurst would consider him?

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Big problem with that is that he isn’t good enough for L2 never mind L1. Be a great signing for York though.

Do a quick exercise listing Clifton’s pro’s and cons, remembering that no player ticks all attributes boxes, and if you’re not coming up with a solid net plus, then I’d be surprised.

He hasn’t had a great season. He’s not the best technically.
But if you rate: fitness, versatility, utility, energy, commitment, goals, tackling….he’s a good footballer on balance is Harry, and worthy of a L2 squad. Maybe a L1. Don’t know.

Put it another way - There are plenty of technically good players about, but how often are they any or more of the following: injured, flaky attitude, wavering commitment, one dimensional, weak tackling, non mobile…?

If you’re paying someone to come to work and do a job week after week for their salary., have a look at his appearance stats over the last 3 seasons. Your playmaker type who shows up for 23 games across his 2 year deal .scoring 2 and making 6 and only suited to 1 position in limited formations is bringing way less to the squad game table and far less value for his cost.

Quoted from chaos33

Do a quick exercise listing Clifton’s pro’s and cons, remembering that no player ticks all attributes boxes, and if you’re not coming up with a solid net plus, then I’d be surprised.

He hasn’t had a great season. He’s not the best technically.
But if you rate: fitness, versatility, utility, energy, commitment, goals, tackling….he’s a good footballer on balance is Harry, and worthy of a L2 squad. Maybe a L1. Don’t know.

Put it another way - There are plenty of technically good players about, but how often are they any or more of the following: injured, flaky attitude, wavering commitment, one dimensional, weak tackling, non mobile…?

If you’re paying someone to come to work and do a job week after week for their salary., have a look at his appearance stats over the last 3 seasons. Your playmaker type who shows up for 23 games across his 2 year deal .scoring 2 and making 6 and only suited to 1 position in limited formations is bringing way less to the squad game table.

Think we had a similar debate some eighteen months ago and we clearly sit on different sides of the fence when it comes to Harry. I can concede that his assets of versatility, stamina and attitude make him a decent squad player and someone who is perfect for the bench accordingly. Just don’t think his plusses out weigh his minuses when it comes to the starting eleven particularly in midfield.

Will also accept we’ve had much worse players wear the shirt but just feel it’s time for both parties to try something new.

Whatever team is selected we will win.

so it will be the first time this season we have won two games on the trot.

Better late than never. :(

Quoted from chaos33

He hasn’t had a great season. He’s not the best technically.
But if you rate: fitness, versatility, utility, energy, commitment, goals, tackling….he’s a good footballer on balance is Harry, and worthy of a L2 squad. Maybe a L1. Don’t know.

He’s a good L2 squad player but no more than that. The amount of times he gives the ball away either from bad technique/control or a lack of awareness is poor even in L2 with quite a few games this season his pass completion percentage being barely over 50%. That doesn’t even include the times he miscontrols it and loses it. A bit of blood and thunder can make up for that a bit in L2 but in L1 you might not get the ball again for 10 minutes if you lose it. He’d be found sorely wanting at that level.

Quoted from chaos33

You don’t think Hurst would consider him?

Not necessarily but I guess like anything it depends on what Hurst has to work with ahead of next season. Harry’s a great lad with a brilliant attitude & work rate but I’m not sure how a manager could justify him as a L1 starter unless their hand is forced by a lack of finance.

Quoted from mariner91

He’s a good L2 squad player but no more than that. The amount of times he gives the ball away either from bad technique/control or a lack of awareness is poor even in L2 with quite a few games this season his pass completion percentage being barely over 50%. That doesn’t even include the times he miscontrols it and loses it. A bit of blood and thunder can make up for that a bit in L2 but in L1 you might not get the ball again for 10 minutes if you lose it. He’d be found sorely wanting at that level.

Yeah it’s a strong point mate.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Not necessarily but I guess like anything it depends on what Hurst has to work with ahead of next season. Harry’s a great lad with a brilliant attitude & work rate but I’m not sure how a manager could justify him as a L1 starter unless their hand is forced by a lack of finance.

He might not be considering him as a regular starter, even as a Harry fan I think surely not for L1. But he might think his versatility, commitment, stamina and what would be relatively low wage demands for L1 makes him ideal as cover for multiple positions and thus save money to strengthen elsewhere. Depends on shrews finances I guess. It's only cos it's Hurst that he might get the chance of L1 though, I totally accept that, no way otherwise after the season he's just had.

Is this not the league 1 where James Berret played about 200 games, I reckon the standard of player might not be that different to league 2 as some are making out.

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

Is this not the league 1 where James Berret played about 200 games, I reckon the standard of player might not be that different to league 2 as some are making out.

I think that must have been a different dimension where Berrett made all those League One appearances. It may be a crazy theory but it makes more sense than the alternative view.

As for Clifton, I think we can all agree that he's had his worst season for us. He did a really good job the previous year and his versatility in positions where he doesn't have to receive the ball in the middle is very helpful. I don't think there's any chance he will move to League One after this season, but I think there is a place for him in our squad. Being able to provide cover in both full-back roles or wing-back and wide midfield is very helpful, especially allied to his sheer work rate. I don't see him as a starter for us, but think he will be offered a new deal and we can expect better from him than we've seen this season.

Some managers just get the best out of players and I reckon that’s the same with hurst and Clifton. If he was/is offered the chance to sign, am sure that HC will jump at the chance. Will he get offered another contract? Am very doubtful. But the difference in form between a year ago and today is seismic.

I don’t think HC has been in a happy place since DA came in . No inside info, just a thought seeing as PH was such a fan of him . A new style introduced that probably didn’t play to his strengths and his performance fell off . A fresh start will do him good I think and L1 in the right team and management won’t be too big a step . Amazing what a bit of confidence can do to a player.

I would like Cam Gardner to feature.

I’ve heard from a few good sources that both Grimsby Borough & Clee Town think that he’s “head and shoulders better” than anyone else Town have loaned to that level.

I hope he picks his best available team. Crawley will be going for it and I’d rather not go into the summer on the back of a stuffing
On the question of Harry Clifton, maybe it hasn’t helped that he’s been surrounded by garbage most of the season. That would make most of us stink?

He was better in 20/21 though.

He's not reached the standard of the previous two seasons, no doubt about that.  But he has carried an injury for most of this season and that has to eventually take it's toll.  There's only 4 of the 45 league fixtures he hasn't been in the squad for and started 36 of those.

He was in every squad the season before, all 57 games including all the cups and all but 3 in the play-off winning campaign (so that's around 150 games in 3 consecutive seasons with that ridiculous short break in the summer of 2022).  The last time he had more than a one-game break was March 2021.

I know some will harp back to the days when men were real men and players played 7 games in an hour before going back to work, impregnating the wife three times at half-time, putting up a garden wall whilst a corner was taken and still finding time to neck 40 pints of Guinness without throwing up.  But in the modern game that's a lot of strain on the body.  The lad's probably just knackered.

Can see him being a good squad player for us next year. Just need to recuperate and get to grips with Artells new system (like everyone else)

That said, lets not waste anyone's time. If he isn't going to be a starter he should be told and given the clubs blessing to look elsewhere (york? What a signing for them). If that is what he wants.

Play our players not loanees unless we are short. A farewell appearance for Gav. Hunt and Gardner on the bench.

                               Eastwood

             Rodgers.     Tharme.       Maher

Braithwaite.            Thompson.               Khouri
                  Holohan                   Clifton.

                                Vernam

                                Gardner

Subs.
Mullarkey, Bramwell, Hunt, Green, Wilson, Tomlinson, Essel

Quoted from bradzmilne

I would like Cam Gardner to feature.

I’ve heard from a few good sources that both Grimsby Borough & Clee Town think that he’s “head and shoulders better” than anyone else Town have loaned to that level.

Surely not better than the legendary Alhagi Touray Sisay

Play a few youngsters on Sat then hopefully they will be utilised more in pre season and maybe one or two will become consistent squad players..

Play the strongest line-up possible.

End this awful season on a high!

To be fair we have to play our best team as Play-off places are involved.

5.   Crewe       45   19   13   13   68:64   +4   70
6.   Barrow      44   18   14   12   60:53   +7   68
7.  Crawley     45    20    7    18   71:67   +4   67
8. Doncaster   44   20     7    17   67:65   +2   67
9.  Walsall       45   18   11    16   68:68     0    65

After tonight things may change abit ?