• Nigel Adkins has been given the Tranmere job on a permanent basis signing until the end of the 25/26 season. Continue the discussion here.

The Squad for 2018/19

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Alan King, Barry Dyson
I am starting this a bit early, but only because this is already being discussed on another thread.

Here is my understanding of whose contract is up in June:

Scott Davies, Luke Pilling, Partick Wharton, Steve McNulty, Eddie Clarke, Jay McEveley, Jay Harris, Jake Kirby, Jeff Hughes, James Wallace, Mitch Duggan, Jack Dunn, Elliot Rokka, Devarn Green, Darnell Cole, Drissa Traore, Andy Cook, Connor Jennings and Andy Mangan.

The following are tied up for another year:

Evan Gumbs, Liam Ridehalgh, Richie Sutton, Adam Buxton, Ben Tollitt, Oliver Norburn, James Norwood, George Waring and James Alabi.

I would imagine most of the first list have already been approached for an extension but have either decided to leave (like Hughes) or are waiting for better terms or to find out which league we are in next year. As far as I know, only Evan Gumbs has extended his contract during the season.
 
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aldo
can see big changes happening in the summer . we realy need to get cook contracted . connor j can see mango . wallace jay mc will i think go as 4 scottie an big steve can see them staying think most will go
 

Sparky

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Thanks BBTC. Personally I would offer new deals to Davies, McNulty, Clarke, Harris, plus Kirby & Wallace on pay as you play deals, new deals too for Cole, Traore, Cook, Jennings, Mangan.

I think there are major doubts about Cook, Jennings, Clarke & Pilling signing as all will be wanted by league clubs and if we don't go up I think they'll all go. Even someone like Mangan must surely want first team football at this stage of his career and may move on.

I haven't seen enough of Rokka & Green to form an opinion but if they leave its another black mark against Mickys transfer policy. I don't think Duggan is good enough and McEveley & Dunn should be given lifts to the job centre.

I've just watched Mickys pre match interview for Aldershot hoping contracts would come up given Hughes' departure and Cooks form - as usual, no mention of it and the usual hopeless questions like how much of a difference can the crowd make.......yawn,
 

Boz

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Can’t recall anything official regarding Gumbs signing a new deal, though it would be good news. Jay Devine second year scholar signed a pro deal in the autumn, but can’t recall how long for.

I don’t think last year’s transfer business was good, would rather have kept hold of a decent squad player like Mekki, who gave us more than Dunn, Rokka and Green combined this season. If we stay down, I’d be inclined to offer Duggan another deal, as the only game he was deployed in his natural position in central midfield, he did well.

Unless we go up, most of the bigger names will move on and a few may do so even with promotion. The recruiting over this summer needs to be a lot better wherever we end up in the Pyramid.
 
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Thanks to BBTC for the update, I largely agree with Sparky's comments regarding the retained list.

I would definitely let the following go: McEveley, Dunn, Rokka and Green. I quite like Cole but I am not sure he has done enought to merit an extension. Likewise, I don't think Mangan does enough to justify his wages these days. However, as Boz says, the quality of the replacements has to be much better than last summer, no matter who is released.

I would also try and agree a mutual termination with Alabi and Waring, or at least ship them out on a season-long loan.
 

Cowshed Kid

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Can we have Brabin back for pre- season recruitment?
If we don't go up then do we consider wholesale changes given that this squad has had two bites at the cherry?
I think Cookie is irreplaceable at this level and Nors not far behind.
Hope neither of them end up at some poxy league 2 team that's smaller than us. Sneaking suspicion they'll be with us if we go up.
Macca could struggle if we go up but he still do a decent job if we stay put.
 

drwhoman

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Interesting stuff. All the blogs seem very sensible although Sparky, to be fair, we cannot expect MM to be talking contracts in the media. No doubt negotiations are going on with some players but I am sure we would all doubt that the more 'saleable' players will be making any decisions until they see what happens in the next few games. Lets hope for another win on Saturday!
 
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Of course there are negotiations going on behind the scenes! We have one of the shrewdest owners in football!! Contracts will have to take their natural path...
 

Cowshed Kid

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Hopefully MP will know the value of Cookie and dangle a huge carrot now.
 
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With all the 'excess baggage' we are carrying in the squad at the moment, you would think there is scope to offer Cook, Jennings and a few others massively improved deals next season, providing we can move a lot of the dross on. We have a number of squad players that make no contribution whatsoever.
 

Cowshed Kid

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Ridiculously we seem to have a larger squad now than the last few seasons we were in L1 and 2.
Unfortunatel, quantity over quality.
At least though we can pick a bench who are unlucky not be playing as opposed to "you're not injured so you get a shirt".
The biggest disappointment has to be Alabi. The dogs were barking about him and he's done jack.
Can't even make Dovers bench so we'll be lucky to offload him.
Don't think we've seen enough of Traore to judge but would probably be useful if we lose one or both of CJ and Jay H. If we don't want him I don't doubt he'll be fixed up easily.
Kirby can go, never been a fan and whilst his injuries have been unfortunate he's been a drain on resources.
Similarly Wallace, though he could still play a part this season. Oh how could have done with him fit at Wembley.
Best of luck to Hughes but a badly timed announcement by Larns in my view and I doubt he'll get too much game time now. I don't doubt his professionalism but there are likely others itching to play to be kept on.
 

Sparky

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It’s incredible to think with our massive squad that we could look short in certain areas.

I still think we have a lack of pace out wide. Motley Henry was decent and so was Ginnelly. We also have Clarke of course and Cole impressed today. Both rokka and Devarn green have pace too.

So thinking about it we do have some pace in the squad !!
 

Ian

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Yes we might have pace Sparky but not much quality to go with it unless you want headless chickens out there!

Cole was excellent today as he showed quality in lots of areas. Pace, tackling, ball control and of course great vision and passing to setup the goal. Shame we haven’t got a bit more of that in the squad.
 
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Famous last words, but notwithstanding Ben's injury, I think we are in a good place at the moment. A confident squad with our key players fit and performing. If we are in the play-offs, most of our rivals are underwhelming and there does not seem to be a side with the quality in depth FGR had last season. Plus, the new play-off system benefits us if we finish in the top three as expected.

It could all go t*ts up yet and play-off matches are always unpredictable, but I am beginning to think this could actually be our year (there, I have done it.....).
 
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Yes we might have pace Sparky but not much quality to go with it unless you want headless chickens out there!

Cole was excellent today as he showed quality in lots of areas. Pace, tackling, ball control and of course great vision and passing to setup the goal. Shame we haven’t got a bit more of that in the squad.
I think Ginnelly can do a job out wide and is ok as a backup, plus we have Clarke to return (if anyone knows his whereabouts !).
 

Ian

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Isn't Clarke injured?
 
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i think he has been sold and they dont wont to get him injured to make sure . its a shame he is a good young player .
 

Boz

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I’m not convinced with the conspiracy theories re Eddie Clarke. Unless he was sold AFTER the transfer window closed, what’s the point of not playing him?
 
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