[Devongone]

Amidst the euphoria that has greeted as many of five of our youngsters being offered pro' terms don't you feel for the lads who have reached the end of their two years and are being told, "prove us wrong son"? Seventeen is a very young age at which to be assessed sheep or goat. Remember Gareth Bale survived the cut at Southampton only by the skin of his teeth. So now is the time Mr Branston might show his worth by finding us one or two players discarded by big clubs, who in a couple of years time might be regretting that decision.

As SEB has demonstrated this is also the time of the season when players become very aware of contracts slipping from beneath their feet. Keith Hill has been making just such a point to his Rochdale squad after their latest defeat. From his attitude it is obvious he'll be setting a few free. If Donal McDermott were one of them might you be prepared to gamble on him for Division Two?

Of our current squad who are the ones whose contract will keep them with us next season? And who is up for the chop? How much room have we for manoeuvre?

If you don't fancy Donal McDermott operating out wide for us one who I've been noticing finding his feet is Tobi Sho-Silva at Bromley. He came through Charlton's youth system. He was decent on loan in the National League but never made it at Charlton. He's 22 and he seems to have found himself and is scoring. Could he be a late-developer we could get for next-to-nothing? I'm just wondering because GC doesn't seem to fancy Reece Mitchell for the job does he?

[spireitematt]

Well these are the players who are out of contract.

OOC 2017 Simons, Martinez, Jones, O'Shea, SEB, Evatt, Raglan, Gardner, Beesley, Maguire, Morrison, Graham, Humphreys, Allinson, Stuckmann, El Fitouri
OOC 2018 Lee, Dimaio, Donohue, McGinn, Nolan, Mitchell, Dennis, Evans, Hird, Parkin, Brownell, Smith
OOC 2019 German, Rowley

I would offer Martinez, Jones, Evatt, Gardener, Graham, Raglan, Humphreys, Maguire, Beesley, Morrison, Stuckmann new contracts maybe Allinson as well on 1 year deals. Not so sure about SEB or Simons. What has happened to El Fitouri?

O'Shea I think will join Sheffield United permanently, Raglan I think might be tempted to stay at Oxford United if he's offered a deal there.

[Dancingwilldoit]

Matt, I'm glad your not our manager ........ there again???
Evatt, Beesley, Morrison and Maguire for me and get rid of the rest with a question mark over Raglan. I don't know if he has improved whilst at Oxford but he hasn't had much game time. I would love Jones to stay but think him and GC have fallen out big style. Humphries will probably be on his way as well which I think would be a shame. His playing days are done.

[Devongone]

Matt, what on earth are you going to do with all those keepers? Anyone know if Tommy is going to play again? We used to get website Roger Wylde updates, now we get Carson shaking hands with sponsors.

I'd give one year contracts to Simons (just!?*), Gardner (on ability, not performance), Beesley, Maguire and Morrison (for his relative youth). I think O'Shea wants to leave, but if The Blades take him he won't play in the Championship. Jones, we need, but I think the way he plays is going to make him very injury-prone as he gets older, so goodbye. Martinez has spent two seasons getting older, whilst being injured, so that's it for him. SEB gets what he deserves - nothing. Graham sadly got injured when he might have proved himself. Stuckmann and Allinson, what is there for them to do now Parkin has a contract IF Tommy is going to play (and if not I'd like a consistent keeper not a 36 year-old who has a reputation for veering between brilliant and disastrous). If GC were wise he'd make either the Hump (my choice) or Evatt his assistant and I'm afraid that would mean Evatt has to go because his future is behind him, but I hate that idea .....

Lord knows about Raglan. I think he's good enough. Amazingly after months on the bench Oxford suddenly played him on Saturday in front of Chey Dunkley who would walk into our team ...... I still think Raglan just needs to play every week, but I don't think the club agrees.

Why all the mystery over El Fitouri? Has he gone to Libya? Is this our version of Nile Ranger disappearing from Blackpool?

If we could get money for Ched Evans, should we sell him? OR might he knock in 35 goals next season?

[spireitematt]

Matt, I'm glad your not our manager ........ there again???
Evatt, Beesley, Morrison and Maguire for me and get rid of the rest with a question mark over Raglan. I don't know if he has improved whilst at Oxford but he hasn't had much game time. I would love Jones to stay but think him and GC have fallen out big style. Humphries will probably be on his way as well which I think would be a shame. His playing days are done.

I think a lot of the team we've got is good enough for L2. Humphreys should stay as assistant and reserve manager.

---

Matt, what on earth are you going to do with all those keepers? Anyone know if Tommy is going to play again? We used to get website Roger Wylde updates, now we get Carson shaking hands with sponsors.

Well this season Devon we have used 3 different keepers. I think we need at least 3 keepers especially if Tommy isn't 100% fit, maybe we should keep Allinson, Parkin and Tommy but Stuckmann is not a bad keeper he's actually kept us in games since he signed for us.

[bluepooch]

Someone said sponsors wouldn't touch us with a bargepole after we signed Ched ,now they are falling over to join up with us .
As for recruiting ,Branno has said he will be scouring the non leagues probably looking for more Dennis's and Gardner's.
Of those out of contract Id definitely keep Dan G if hes not on a ridiculous wage .He is too good for League 2 on his day and we have been seeing more of these days lately.
The burning question regarding the improvement of some of these players out of contract is have they improved because of GC or because they are playing for a contract ? I'd like to think its the former but none of us really know.

[Dancingwilldoit]

Branno? Sounds like something you would say to a Spanish waiter at the breakfast table. Don't bother with any more Gardners, my delphiniums are doing ok on their own thanks. We want 90 minute players not 30 minute Fancy Dans. He will get kicked off the park by some hairy arsed Lge 2 defenders.
Not sure who all the falling down sponsors are or did you mean their signs are falling down? Read about Tomlinsons, who else is there because there were a lot of empty gaps in the sponsors signage around the inside of the ground this season.

[spireitematt]

4 Clubs in the Football League at risk of going out of business.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39566143

3 Clubs are from League 1 and 1 club from League 2. Anyone want to hazard a guess?

[St Charles Owl]

Coventry and Bolton from League 1??

Leyton Orient from League 2 must be candidates.

[bluepooch]

Cant be us if thats what youre thinking ,unless DA pulls the plug and lets his investment go down the drain.