If you were Peaks...

[SouthRushdenJFC]

We certainly strengthening in some areas and there will sure to be a couple of players that can't/don't want to commit to playing at the higher level. I'm sure there will also be a couple that go in search of regular first team football. For me either of those are valid reasons and if and when that happens we should thank them for their efforts and wish them well.

I'm not sure that anyone on this forum, I certainly don't, knows the step 4 football scene well enough to be able to say who should and shouldn't be bought in.

To answer the question If you were Peaks...then I'd be looking for young. hungry players who are looking to develop and work their way up the leagues. If you can take someone who has been released by a pro club, give them back their enjoyment of football and develop them to a place where they are attracting the attention of Step 2 and 3 clubs then job done.

Then you have to throw in the question of how far can we progress with the current set-up, i.e. the limitations of the D&D and the limitations of our ground sharers.

[Bobos]

We certainly strengthening in some areas and there will sure to be a couple of players that can't/don't want to commit to playing at the higher level. I'm sure there will also be a couple that go in search of regular first team football. For me either of those are valid reasons and if and when that happens we should thank them for their efforts and wish them well.

I'm not sure that anyone on this forum, I certainly don't, knows the step 4 football scene well enough to be able to say who should and shouldn't be bought in.

To answer the question If you were Peaks...then I'd be looking for young. hungry players who are looking to develop and work their way up the leagues. If you can take someone who has been released by a pro club, give them back their enjoyment of football and develop them to a place where they are attracting the attention of Step 2 and 3 clubs then job done.

Then you have to throw in the question of how far can we progress with the current set-up, i.e. the limitations of the D&D and the limitations of our ground sharers.

Why isn't there a "like" button when you need one?

[davealbon]

That's where I'm going Discodunk. As fans, do we want a forum where we are too scared to post anything about evaluating the playing staff because players are reading? Players shouldn't read these messageboards, they should concentrate on their football, and not worry about what the fans think. After all, we don't pick the team like Ebbsfleet. ;)

Many of the people who attacked my post will hold opinions on our current squad that are not as utopian as they're making out. If a championship has suddenly swallowed any of those opinions up, without taking anything away from our achievements in still winning the title, remember how far ahead Holbeach were until they stopped after the FA Vase. Plenty of food for thought. In my eyes, plenty of areas in which we can improve our squad.

For the record, it wasn't "half of it". It was keeping 13 and releasing 7.

I don't think anyone is "too scared" to post what they really think on here. The fact is, most of the posters on here regularly attend matches, and as such, are aware how good our current squad is, and hence think your suggestion of "releasing" a third of the squad without giving them a chance to prove themselves at the next level, is utterly ridiculous. Especially as you've based that suggestion having witnessed only 15% of our games this season.

Your comment about how far ahead of us Holbeach were prior to their Vase exit is equally ridiculous. They were actually 11 points behind us with 4 games in hand, so could have been a maximum of 1 point ahead of us, although going by their points per game average at that time, a realistic return from those 4 games would have been 9 or 10 points. Ergo, we would likely still have been ahead of them. And remember that their playing budget at that time was believed to be considerably higher than ours.

There are always going to be areas where we can improve our squad, but not necessarily sustainably. Although carrying our momentum forward would be fantastic, we shouldn't be approaching next season looking at what we need to spend in order to challenge at the top of the league, but instead, looking at what we can afford to spend based on our income. If that's enough to challenge for promotion then great, if not, then so be it. There's a reason we're at this level of football, and that was because we couldn't sustain the level we were at previously.

Anyway, so as not to be accused of being "too scared" to say what I really think on here, there are only two players who've been involved regularly this season who I wouldn't keep on in the first team next season; Charlie Butt and Rhys Redding. Charlie is still very young though and has improved greatly over the past few weeks, so I would certainly keep hold of him in the U21's. And Rhys has only been with the first team as cover, and will still be with the U18's academy side next season, so would also still remain with the club.

[Three of Diamonds]

If I were the manager I would keep as many of the players who want to give the next level a crack as possible. Give them their shot and see how we start. Like Dave, I'd like to bring in some young, hungry players who want to prove themselves at an up and coming club like ours. It's not about the money, it's about their ambition. For this reason I wouldn't sign DP, I'd like to see a tall, mobile & young centre half. Maybe a central midfielder as cover for injuries, but I'd be more than happy with the strikers we currently have even if Dunks & Turner don't sign again.

[BartonRaz]

Does anybody know what the deal is with Turner and Dunkley? They may have been on holiday or something, but it seems a little odd for them to have contributed to much to the season yet miss the trophy presentation and all of the end of season celebrations. Surely they'd just see the last 2 games out regardless of whether they have plans to move on?

I recall last season Dunkley only featured sporadically after early-mid March, strange for it to happen again.

[davealbon]

Does anybody know what the deal is with Turner and Dunkley? They may have been on holiday or something, but it seems a little odd for them to have contributed to much to the season yet miss the trophy presentation and all of the end of season celebrations. Surely they'd just see the last 2 games out regardless of whether they have plans to move on?

I recall last season Dunkley only featured sporadically after early-mid March, strange for it to happen again.

If we don't see them on Monday, hopefully the post match interviewer will ask Peaksy that question (hint hint).

[SouthRushdenJFC]

Does anybody know what the deal is with Turner and Dunkley? They may have been on holiday or something, but it seems a little odd for them to have contributed to much to the season yet miss the trophy presentation and all of the end of season celebrations. Surely they'd just see the last 2 games out regardless of whether they have plans to move on?

I recall last season Dunkley only featured sporadically after early-mid March, strange for it to happen again.

If we don't see them on Monday, hopefully the post match interviewer will ask Peaksy that question (hint hint).

It'll be my last post match interview. I may even write a few things down so I know, the score, scorers, opponents, venue and key incidents. I've forgotten them all at various times, often during the same interview.

[sussexdiamond]

Dave at least you didn't ask Declan "was he looking forward to playing in the final".

It is not unknown for RD commentators to continue referring to a player long after he has been subbed or in my case often confusing them with someone else. Dunkley looks so much like Koriya!!

[discodunk]

if I were peaks-----id invite david bell down for a trial,,,,,i went to sixfields on Friday night (yes I know it was a sunday league football final) but I have watched him a few times this season playing for vic millers,im not sure if he still plays Saturdays,but I have to say he can still play a bit(reminded me of tommy Berwick) by half time he was my man of the match,needless to say he went on to score and got mom,,,,,i think he would be worth a punt ;) ;)

[BartonRaz]

if I were peaks-----id invite david bell down for a trial,,,,,i went to sixfields on Friday night (yes I know it was a sunday league football final) but I have watched him a few times this season playing for vic millers,im not sure if he still plays Saturdays,but I have to say he can still play a bit(reminded me of tommy Berwick) by half time he was my man of the match,needless to say he went on to score and got mom,,,,,i think he would be worth a punt ;) ;)

He's at King's Lynn who play at Step 3. He made a shock move there from Notts County last year, presumably Gary Setchell is the link but i'm not too sure how he's ended up at that level.

I'd have thought he'd be more inclined to play for us at Step 4 than trawling over to King's Lynn presumably 2/3 times a week to play at Step 3, so yeah maybe that's something we could pursue.