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Retained list / squad for 2017/2018

Terryhall

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You go me on the alarm clock
Rather than looking back and thinking of what might have been, I thought it might be a more positive move to try and look forward. Obviously none of us know what will happen with the manager but whoever the manager is next season, whether it is Tisdale or a new manager, they will need to think about the squad and whether any areas might need to be changed over the summer.

I seem to recall for recent seasons we had a thread to try to predict our retained list. Below is the current 1st team squad according to the OS along with my thoughts on whether the club should be trying to keep them for next season or not. (source - https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/teams/first-team/)

Generally I would have said I prefer evolution to revolution, but right now it does feel like despite a fantastic season (regardless of the very disappointing conclusion, I'm sure that 4th place and 80 points will be remembered as a great season once the raw feeling of the loss has died down a bit!) we might need a dramatic shakeup of the squad this summer. Youth players I have to confess to not having seen much, if at all, and so cannot fairly comment, therefore I've not mentioned them here (and I include the likes of Byrne and Sparkes here as they have only sporadically featured for us this year.)

I don't have details of contracts or the like but I think in past years some helpful mods have managed to update this information for those of us unable to do so for ourselves...

GK - Pym (would like to keep but suspect he will move on), Jones (keep), Hamon (release)
DF - Sweeney (would like to keep but suspect he will move on), Woodman (release / coaching role?), TAH (made me eat my words this season and has done well so keep as backup), JMT (would like to keep but suspect he will move on), Seaborne (release), Moxey (probably keep, especially if Woodman moves on), Croll (keep), Storey (keep), Brown (keep)
MD - James (release), Tillson (keep), Harley (sadly release), Holmes (sadly release, too injury prone), Taylor (would like to keep but suspect he will move on), Boateng (would like to keep but suspect he will move on)
FW - Simpson (release), Stockley (would like to keep but suspect he will move on), Brunt (release), McAlinden (keep if we can persuade him to stay after not giving him much game time recently), Jay (keep), Loft (release)

If all the players left that I worry might be snapped up by bigger sides this summer, and we were to release all the players I mentioned, then our squad would be brutally reduced to an unrealistic point:

GK - Jones
DF - TAH, Moxey, Croll, Storey, Brown
MD - Tillson
FW - McAlinden, Jay

So then taking into consideration that it would be nice to be able to field an actual squad of players (!), here's what I think our retained list might actually look like (excluding youth players)

GK - Jones, Hamon
DF - TAH, Seaborne, Moxey, Croll, Storey, Brown
MD - James, Tillson, Harley, Holmes
FW - Simpson, McAlinden, Jay

That would give a squad of 15 plus the youth plus any new signings.

Ultimately the only conclusion I can really draw from this would be that in my opinion we really, really need to make efforts to hang on to the likes of Pym, Sweeney, JMT, Taylor, Boateng and Stockley this summer. If we did manage to hang on to all of those, then our squad might look like this:

GK - Pym, Jones
DF - JMT, TAH, Moxey, Croll, Storey, Sweeney
MD - Tillson, Taylor, Boateng, Harley
FW - Stockley, McAlinden, Jay

Which could be the core of a strong side with another chance of a run at promotion next year with the right leadership and support.

Anyway hopefully this manages to generate a more positive forward looking thread (and feel free to rip my thinking to shreds, thats always good fun if nothing else!)
 

Terryhall

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You go me on the alarm clock
Also, I am an idiot, thread title should be 2018/2019...
 

Snoop Fog

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Moxey is on a 3 year deal (2 years left) and ain't going anywhere.

I'd keep him anyway. He's had a decent season and has been excellent when covering at CB.

I'd release: TAH, Seaborne, James, Simpson, Jay, Brunt (He's never going to play), Woodman.
 

ecfc70

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Mar 23, 2011
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Let's see...

GK -
Pym - keep
Jones - bin
Hamon - keep

DF -
Sweeney - keep
Woodman - bin
TAH - bin
JMT - keep
Seaborne - bin
Moxey - keep
Croll - bin
Storey - keep
Brown - keep

MD -
James - bin
Tillson - bin
Harley - bin
Holmes - keep
Taylor - keep
Boateng - keep

FW -
Simpson - bin
Stockley - keep
Brunt - bin
McAlinden - keep
Jay - keep
Loft - make permanent and keep 1931

Byrne and Sparkes to stay but we will need a better, stronger and faster midfield, can't see us getting anywhere near Wilson and Edwards again as they will feature for WBA
 
Last edited:

Billy The Fish

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I think Seaborne was on a short term deal until the end of this season.
 

edwin_price

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Feb 6, 2005
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Most worried about losing Pym
And jmt. If boateng or stockley go, which I doubt, it'd have to be for good money. Storey looks promising, but don't think there'll be clubs in for him at this stage. The rest of the squad is fairly easily replaceable.
 

D__Lo__

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can't see us getting anywhere near Wilson and Edwards again as they will feature for WBA

Little chance of that, 21 starts between them in league two all season won't see them near a relegated Premiership team's line-up with their depth. Relegated teams are financially pretty stable, at least the first few years so doubt a major overhaul will happen. They will have funds to do some business if needed anyway. Maybe a few token bench appearances at most. Better prospects in the West Brom system aren't likely to feature much (unfortunately).

They might get a league one loan at a stretch, featuring regularly at that level though will be even more of a stretch. City hasn't done them a massive favour this season and it doesn't reflect great on the club either in terms of prospective loanees if they aren't going to feature.
 

edwin_price

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It's up to the players to earn a place in the first XI. Thought Wilson looked great, marred by 2 reds... but Sweeney was decent competition. Maybe could feel unlucky not to get more game time, but he had a decent runout. Edwards looks like he'll be a player in 2-3 years. Did well in patches, but don't think he can feel aggrieved.
 

muppetdodger

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Rather than looking back and thinking of what might have been, I thought it might be a more positive move to try and look forward. Obviously none of us know what will happen with the manager but whoever the manager is next season, whether it is Tisdale or a new manager, they will need to think about the squad and whether any areas might need to be changed over the summer.

I seem to recall for recent seasons we had a thread to try to predict our retained list. Below is the current 1st team squad according to the OS along with my thoughts on whether the club should be trying to keep them for next season or not. (source - https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/teams/first-team/)

Generally I would have said I prefer evolution to revolution, but right now it does feel like despite a fantastic season (regardless of the very disappointing conclusion, I'm sure that 4th place and 80 points will be remembered as a great season once the raw feeling of the loss has died down a bit!) we might need a dramatic shakeup of the squad this summer. Youth players I have to confess to not having seen much, if at all, and so cannot fairly comment, therefore I've not mentioned them here (and I include the likes of Byrne and Sparkes here as they have only sporadically featured for us this year.)

I don't have details of contracts or the like but I think in past years some helpful mods have managed to update this information for those of us unable to do so for ourselves...

GK - Pym (would like to keep but suspect he will move on), Jones (keep), Hamon (release)
DF - Sweeney (would like to keep but suspect he will move on), Woodman (release / coaching role?), TAH (made me eat my words this season and has done well so keep as backup), JMT (would like to keep but suspect he will move on), Seaborne (release), Moxey (probably keep, especially if Woodman moves on), Croll (keep), Storey (keep), Brown (keep)
MD - James (release), Tillson (keep), Harley (sadly release), Holmes (sadly release, too injury prone), Taylor (would like to keep but suspect he will move on), Boateng (would like to keep but suspect he will move on)
FW - Simpson (release), Stockley (would like to keep but suspect he will move on), Brunt (release), McAlinden (keep if we can persuade him to stay after not giving him much game time recently), Jay (keep), Loft (release)

If all the players left that I worry might be snapped up by bigger sides this summer, and we were to release all the players I mentioned, then our squad would be brutally reduced to an unrealistic point:

GK - Jones
DF - TAH, Moxey, Croll, Storey, Brown
MD - Tillson
FW - McAlinden, Jay

So then taking into consideration that it would be nice to be able to field an actual squad of players (!), here's what I think our retained list might actually look like (excluding youth players)

GK - Jones, Hamon
DF - TAH, Seaborne, Moxey, Croll, Storey, Brown
MD - James, Tillson, Harley, Holmes
FW - Simpson, McAlinden, Jay

That would give a squad of 15 plus the youth plus any new signings.

Ultimately the only conclusion I can really draw from this would be that in my opinion we really, really need to make efforts to hang on to the likes of Pym, Sweeney, JMT, Taylor, Boateng and Stockley this summer. If we did manage to hang on to all of those, then our squad might look like this:

GK - Pym, Jones
DF - JMT, TAH, Moxey, Croll, Storey, Sweeney
MD - Tillson, Taylor, Boateng, Harley
FW - Stockley, McAlinden, Jay

Which could be the core of a strong side with another chance of a run at promotion next year with the right leadership and support.

Anyway hopefully this manages to generate a more positive forward looking thread (and feel free to rip my thinking to shreds, thats always good fun if nothing else!)
surely if a player is contracted he can't just 'move on' There is a lot of moving on in your list. I rather think some of them may well be contracted but stand to be corrected. We are clearly going to have a new manager so they will want to use what's availablr and build their own style around new players. Really it a bit early for this. Best thing would be for Tisdale to make his mind up quickly and then we can get sorted. If he strings it out, put him on gardening leave until November get a new guy in place and move on.
 

LOG

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Do we know who's contracted for next season? Deano, Stockley and Boateng are, i believe. I have a nagging feeling that James might be as well.
 
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