League One - 2023/24

[Pete Martin (CTID)]

John Marquis. Will give us that experience we sometimes need up front not to mention a presence. Not been that prolific with Rovers but has shown in the past he knows where the net is. Not sure

He'll be 32 in a couple of weeks. Wildschut is already 32 and we've just signed him for another year. Maquis has a good pedigree. Maybe a 12 month deal if possible?

 

[John William]

I'm hoping we'll keep hold of Morrell - we had a club option which we've not activated. I'm assuming we're looking to keep hold for longer than a year on slightly altered terms (compared to those at Championship level in the option). He was excellent for us prior to getting injured this season, was really making a difference. Geographically viable for you if he doesn't re-sign here as he hails from Bristol so not the North-West.

Raggett is going to be an incredible acquisition for a L1 side next term; not only an absolute lion of a player he has also massively improved as a footballer during his five years with us and, this season, has managed to adapt to a possession-based game far more than most of us would have imagined possible; and has kept improving despite falling down the pecking order only to regain his place due to injuries elsewhere. That he finished one percent off winning player of the season, behind a league winning captain who was born in Pompey and also had an excellent season, says it all.

I'm also a little surprised Rafferty has been released. Consistent 7 or 8 out of 10 performer and was part of the leadership group - only 30 so has a few years left as is fit as a fiddle.

All presumably out of our league, salary-wise?

 

[SaintJames]

He'll be 32 in a couple of weeks. Wildschut is already 32 and we've just signed him for another year. Maquis has a good pedigree. Maybe a 12 month deal if possible?

Not sure he is the type of player that suits the GC style

 

[Rosencrantz]

Matt Macey played for Hibs under GC when he was assistant up there with Shaun Maloney.

 

[sign of the chimes]

All presumably out of our league, salary-wise?

Without knowing your wage structure, or what any of them were earning it's always difficult; but I'd imagine so.

I don't think we'll be offering Morell buttons - and think he was on a decent wedge when he signed. Some chat that Wrexham might be interested, but could well be lazy linking Welsh international to upwardly mobile Welsh club nonsense.

I think with both Raggett and Rafferty (both 30) they'll be looking for tenure and a decent wage - but the market will decide. I'd be surprised to see either get fixed up above L1 - so then it's about what's on offer and who/what fancies them. I've seen some suggestion on social that Raggs is already being linked with Mansfield, no idea if that's based in any fact. Neither necessarily fit the current analytics-led model so will be interested to see who are interested (would say that both defy lots of metrics/algorithms and are just proper footballers).

 

[sign of the chimes]

Matt Macey played for Hibs under GC when he was assistant up there with Shaun Maloney.

I'd forgotten about Macey being on the released list as he's not featured on the pitch since coming back in January, but he was really good for us second half of last season and, I suspect, would have come back instead of Norris joining (who made the L1 team of the season) had it not been for Luton's promotion and the financial implications for Macey as a result. No idea what sort of wage he'd be looking for now, but suspect the Luton pay-off based on his contract uplift will offset the next couple of seasons.

 

[sign of the chimes]

Final one, before I stop spamming this thread, is another on our retained list I'd not mentioned, Josh Martin - winger/attacking mid who came in on a short-term deal in Sep/Oct after being released by Norwich last summer and got extended beyond January. He featured a few times and looked tidy but didn't have much opportunity to displace players who were doing pretty well in those positions. Clearly a good character, or we wouldn't have retained him in January and certainly looked L1 standard.

 

[GhostofAlanGow]

I'd love to see Raggett at SJP, great defender at our level, but I'm sure his wages would be too much for us.

I thought Morrell wasn't very impressive in either of the two games against City, but my brother (Pompey fan) says he's been good this season. Anyway, again he's not going to come our way.

I did notice that Pompey released all their final year academy players (please correct me if I've not got that right, Chimes). It might be that we take a longer view and look there for a gem?

 

[sign of the chimes]

I'd love to see Raggett at SJP, great defender at our level, but I'm sure his wages would be too much for us.

I thought Morrell wasn't very impressive in either of the two games against City, but my brother (Pompey fan) says he's been good this season. Anyway, again he's not going to come our way.

I did notice that Pompey released all their final year academy players (please correct me if I've not got that right, Chimes). It might be that we take a longer view and look there for a gem?

You're right on the academy players, we've not produced much in recent years - there were a couple who looked like they might get an extension earlier in the season, and Mousinho was supposedly going to make a decision on Koby Mottoh in the last couple of weeks. I wonder whether promotion up a level has made that decision for him, as the pathways inevitbaly change. I'm only regurgitating stuff there, rather than stating an opinion - as I don't go and watch the youth sides.

 

[STURTZ]

So Portsmouth have players they don't even remember they have whilst Exeter assume they have players that are not actually signed up.

That's the reality.