Macca

Just been round to see my stepson and our 3 week old ganddaughter.

Out of the blue, and inbetween conversations he said to me "Towns ex keeper is busy, isnt he?" I looked at him blankly (the usual expression) and he said "Ive driven past and seen him the last 2 days helping someone lay a block paving drive in Scartho"

Well, that'll keep him fit for sure!

Quoted from WayneBurnettsJockstrap

Just been round to see my stepson and our 3 week old ganddaughter.

Out of the blue, and inbetween conversations he said to me "Towns ex keeper is busy, isnt he?" I looked at him blankly (the usual expression) and he said "Ive driven past and seen him the last 2 days helping someone lay a block paving drive in Scartho"

Well, that'll keep him fit for sure!

Well he doesn't have to reach up to lay block paving😉

I know many will disagree, but unless PH has another keeper in mind, i dont know why they didnt offer terms to Macca as a back up to Max, particularly as the sub situation would  now allow for a keeper on the bench.
Perhaps Macca didnt want to accept that, or maybe there has been a fall out between the management and him, but with no disrespect to young Battersby, i dont think he is ready to step up in an emergency, a more experienced back up is needed IMO.

Completely respect the red crosses, i knew  it would divide opinion, can i ask the red crossers whether it was the Macca bit you dont
agree with, or my point on young Battersby?
Imagine a scenario next Saturday on our first game back in the EFL that Max pulls a hamstring in the warm up , would you feel confident of a result with a totally unproven, totally inexperienced  Keeper between the sticks?
In no way am i trying to insult the talents of Battersby, he may well turn into a great keeper in time, but is now  the time, should an injury occur?
Having said all this i suppose we have to leave it to PH ,after all he hasnt done too bad has he?

Quoted from petethemariner

I know many will disagree, but unless PH has another keeper in mind, i dont know why they didnt offer terms to Macca as a back up to Max, particularly as the sub situation would  now allow for a keeper on the bench.
Perhaps Macca didnt want to accept that, or maybe there has been a fall out between the management and him, but with no disrespect to young Battersby, i dont think he is ready to step up in an emergency, a more experienced back up is needed IMO.

I think a keeper who has played almost 500 games for us who probably has ambitions to play another 150-200 games at a decent standard is not going to be the kind of character to have around when the manager feels they aren't good enough to play regularly anymore.

At 35/36, it's probably much easier to retain an ever present keeper as an understudy.

That's no criticism of McKeown but I think too much has gone on that makes keeping him at Town as anything other than first choice is not good for anyone.

Over the last few years McKeowns level has fallen. He was second choice in the Conference, and I can’t imagine one of our highest earners wanting to earn a much reduced salary at a club where he was once one of the highest, and being a firm second or third choice at a club where he was once first. Best for all parties to part ways.

We can get an emergency loan at any point and it would only be one game so personally I  don't see any issue with running with Battersby as No.2.

I can see the rationale for another keeper if we had a season long loan sorted out for Battersby at say NLN level, but not simply to push him off the bench for an incident that rarely happens.

All fair points, but should  the scenario i laid out happen next Saturday, woulkd you be more confident of  Macca or Battersby  between the sticks? Has the opinion of Macca dropped that low?
On the subject of  last minute loans, it takes time for a keeper to know his defence and they to know him, sometimes it works (Beasant) and sometimes it goes disasterously wrong (Forecast)
I  know there is almost zero chance of Macca playing for us again Im OK with that, i was trying to raise the point that we need experienced back up in our first vital season back in the EFL.
But its all about opinions, i respect that i am not neccessarily right.

Unless Macca is pricing himself out of a deal somewhere, I  am at a genuine loss as to why he hasn't got fixed up yet. Especially given that, in my opinion, he anticipated a parting of the ways mid season, so has had a much longer period of time to get sorted. Puzzling.

Quoted from smokey111

Unless Macca is pricing himself out of a deal somewhere, I  am at a genuine loss as to why he hasn't got fixed up yet. Especially given that, in my opinion, he anticipated a parting of the ways mid season, so has had a much longer period of time to get sorted. Puzzling.

I’d imagine he’s probably got a price in his head which is higher than what clubs are seemingly wanting to pay. Perhaps he’s waiting for a club to get desperate?