Contracted players for next season......

James McKeown
Callum Bastock................














.......so we are ok for Keepers !

If we can retain most if not all the players of the squad and add 2-3 players that would be ideal but the ones that worry me are Pearson and Toto , for me they have been our best central defenders in recent years and they could easily play league 2.

I really hope we can sign them up.

I think most of these players will want to be coming back.

My biggest two worries are Pearson and Magnay.

I would love to see Ian Miller signed who has been released by Cambridge.

More chance of rocking horse shite than Miller coming back here.

Keep gowling instead of Miller

I agree , gowling should be snapped up if possible.

Sign Gowling, Magnay, Pearson and Toto as soon as possible. Championship winning sides are built on solid defences and we've got a pretty damn good one currently. Then look at investing in the forward areas. We weren't far off this season, just needs that extra spark.

In an ideal world I'd love to see the vast majority of this squad kept together with the exceptions of Brown, Hannah, McLaughlin, Bignot and Jolley let go.  

Replace Brown basically with someone a bit better.  I know that's a very generalised statement to make but we need someone with a bit more about him.  He started well but yesterday just highlighted the difference in our tempo when Clay is playing instead of Brown.   I think it was the York fans who commented that Brown goes badly missing in bigger games too, which unfortunately I think we've seen this season.  I don't think he's a bad player at all, but we want to improve.  Clay and Disley are a fine pairing, just need a viable alternative.

Hannah doesn't offer enough for me.  I saw a few people on facebook/twitter last night saying it was a perfect opportunity for him yesterday and we were crying out for him. Sorry but I couldn't disagree more.  Hurst has set us up as a side who have strikers who hustle and bustle, run into the channels and even have that little bit of unpredictability about them.   Hannah is a willing runner, nothing more.  Even for the disappointing performances he put in later in the season I'd like to see Palmer remain here and work with LJL and Pittman.  As for another option, I wouldn't be too disappointed to see what Watson is like with a full pre-season under him and a bit more development.

McLaughlin, Bignot and Jolley - I'd see as part of cost saving if I'm honest.  

Hypothetical I know, but I wonder what might have happened had Rodman stayed. I know he was inconsistent but he offered more of a threat than Mackreth does.

Don't think Rodman had anywhere near the work ethic that Mackreth brings to the table.  Individually, no contest but I'd much rather have Mackreth in this team.

Mackreth has been an unsung hero for me this season.  Scored some vitals goal at a time when we were stuttering a bit but more importantly never once has he gone missing, which Rodman was prone to doing.

Mackreth is a nice medium of the ability of Rodman but the workrate of Colbeck.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Hypothetical I know, but I wonder what might have happened had Rodman stayed. I know he was inconsistent but he offered more of a threat than Mackreth does.

I think McKreth plays to orders. He clearly checks back most of the time and thinks defence before attack. Seen it a lot this season and i don't think he put one decent cross in yesterday but his tracking back was exemplary.

He is not a true winger in this set up, more of a modern type wing back. Neilson and Rodman could beat men but forgo the other parts of the game. Hurst likes the McKreth type who will run all day.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Don't think Rodman had anywhere near the work ethic that Mackreth brings to the table.  Individually, no contest but I'd much rather have Mackreth in this team.

Mackreth has been an unsung hero for me this season.  Scored some vitals goal at a time when we were stuttering a bit but more importantly never once has he gone missing, which Rodman was prone to doing.

Mackreth is a nice medium of the ability of Rodman but the workrate of Colbeck.

Mackreth does an awful lot of good defensive work. i noticed in the last few games that mackreth is left back as one of the defensive markers at corners, because he is so quick he can cover if there is a break. clever idea from hurst and it's served us very well because there's been half a dozen occasions when mackreth has 'tidied up'

Quoted from forza ivano

Mackreth does an awful lot of good defensive work. i noticed in the last few games that mackreth is left back as one of the defensive markers at corners, because he is so quick he can cover if there is a break. clever idea from hurst and it's served us very well because there's been half a dozen occasions when mackreth has 'tidied up'

I accept all of those points. Anyone who reads my posts knows that I'm not Paul Hurst's biggest fan but I acknowledge and praise him for the squad he's assembled, but I honestly believe that we need more attacking threat at home in particular, and given that, we would have probably won this league.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

I honestly believe that we need more attacking threat at home in particular, and given that, we would have probably won this league.

Equally so we may have dropped more points on the road and ended up with less points overall?

It's swings and roundabouts.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Equally so we may have dropped more points on the road and ended up with less points overall?

It's swings and roundabouts.

Or you could carry on with our tactics and formation away and have a more attacking strategy at home???

I can not see many players wanting to leave,

If a league club comes in and offers more money and a longer contract then good luck to them,

Most of the players will want to give it another go,

With 2 or 3 good signings we might just achieve our dream next season.

Quoted from ginnywings

I think McKreth plays to orders. He clearly checks back most of the time and thinks defence before attack. Seen it a lot this season and i don't think he put one decent cross in yesterday but his tracking back was exemplary.

He is not a true winger in this set up, more of a modern type wing back. Neilson and Rodman could beat men but forgo the other parts of the game. Hurst likes the McKreth type who will run all day.

Spot on Ginny....said it all season long

A player like Neilson was quality, but his attitude  - if you believe what was posted etc - was poor.

When he was on form and could be bothered he was exciting to watch, he drove at players and made them worry, he got arses off the seats.

If we can sign a player with the same set of footballing skills and better human skills we would be onto a winner.

The core of this current squad needs to remain with the addition of a winger and an out and out striker.

The centre of the park has been good this season, it is the first time in a long time we can say that!

Quoted from diehardmariner

Don't think Rodman had anywhere near the work ethic that Mackreth brings to the table.  Individually, no contest but I'd much rather have Mackreth in this team.

Mackreth has been an unsung hero for me this season.  Scored some vitals goal at a time when we were stuttering a bit but more importantly never once has he gone missing, which Rodman was prone to doing.

Mackreth is a nice medium of the ability of Rodman but the workrate of Colbeck.

I was never a big fan of Rodman but he had far more ability than Mackreth has ever shown for us in taking defenders on.

The squad for next season needs to be compact, some multi-position players and not too large. We do not have a reserve team and as a consequence those not involved on match days only have training sessions to impress PH, which is not the best situation to be in. We signed 3 first year pro's last season but hardly used them which , to me anyway , is a waste of money. I know they won't be on fantastic money but their 3 wages combined could pay 1 experienced players wage. If we are going to bring on players through the youth set-up then we must use them or abandon the policy completely. If we had a reserve team then that would be different because they would be getting competitive game time and experience. I don't know about the possibility or legality of having a reserve team in a division lower down the pyramid eg Brigg Town level but if possible then that would be of great benefit to the fringe players.

Forget neilson, I think Arnold wanted it more and is a better player

Quoted from topuphere666

A player like Neilson was quality, but his attitude  - if you believe what was posted etc - was poor.

When he was on form and could be bothered he was exciting to watch, he drove at players and made them worry, he got arses off the seats.

If we can sign a player with the same set of footballing skills and better human skills we would be onto a winner.
!

That's the thing that annoys me. Players like Neilson have the ability but they don't maximise it and let it go to waste.On another level that's why I respect Christiano Ronaldo his work ethic is second to none and added to that his undoubted ability makes him the world beater that he is