[Devongone]

So, the question next arises, who do we keep for next season and who do we bring in? Below is/was the position/s of our 26 contracted players from March, according to the "ever-reliable" and possibly doomed Bob's Board.

Loans in;
Harry Tyrer (GK)(Everton - Full Season)
Miguel Freckleton (Sheffield United - Full Season)

Loans Out;
Duhameau (Matlock)
Hooper (Sheffield FC)
White (Matlock)
Wilkinson (Matlock)
Maguire (Crawley - End of Season),

Out of Contract to be confirmed;
Alexander Duhameau
George Wilkinson
Sam Hooper
Archie White
Luke Chadwick
Michael Jacobs

Out of Contract June 2024;
Jeff King (option)
Ash Palmer
Laurence Maguire (OOL)
Bailey Clements
Ollie Banks
Harley Curtis

Out of Contract June 2025;
Bailey Hobson
Darren Oldaker
Ryan Colclough
Joe Quigley
Jamie Grimes
Tyrone Williams
Mike Jones
Branden Horton
Ryan Boot (GK)

Out of Contract June 2026;
Tom Naylor
Will Grigg
James Berry
Liam Mandeville
Ryheem Sheckleford
Armando Dobra

So we have 15 players to whom we are already committed for our return to the EFL and beyond, unless we mutually agree transfers.

Questions arise over the six out of contract players in June. Who do we want to keep? Add Jacobs to that who has certainly been a success ... Then we need to consider whether we want any of our loaned-out players, and would we like a loanee like Freckleton to become permanent? Add to that list under consideration any of the youngsters who showed up well for us in the FA Trophy. Jamie Hewitt raved about at least one of them.

To come in I'd be buying Kane Drummond from Macclesfield, George Nevett if I could get him from Rochdale and Thompson-Summers from Halifax. I'd try to keep Jeff King on whom we have an option and I'd be hoping for a defensive of proven LEAGUE ability and experience. AND we'll need a goalie.

What are you looking for next season for us to make a realistic EFL2 play-off bid?

[spireitematt]

I'd keep Maguire and Banks. Laurence Maguire has done well at Crawley and I suspect they will sign him on a free.

Sam Clucas is at Rotherham and he could do a job for us in L2. There is rumour that Liam Cooper is leaving Leeds at the end of the season. Would he drop down to L2 again? Cook knows how to attract players to drop down leagues.

Kane Drummond I'd definitely sign and I'd look at signing Matt Smith from Salford City. Miguel Freckleton would be a great signing.

Wouldn't surprise me if Ash Palmer ends up back at Buxton.

I think we need a centre-back, maybe 2 strikers and I'd sign Harry Tyrer back on loan again if Everton agreed to it, if not then we would need another keeper.

[Devongone]

The reason I didn't suggest Tyrer on loan again was that I think it would be good for him to go out on loan to a higher club, Championship, League One or even abroad. For HIS sake. So we need a keeper and as I can't find three I'd trust for the England squad that is a bit of a task.

I'd thought of Sam Clucas as a possible too if he'd come and Rotherham are releasing.

I'm sure Liam Cooper needs to leave Leeds, but if I were him I'd be aiming for Championship or Division One football. Maybe Hull City. And if I were us I'd be after someone who spends less time on the treatment table.

Buxton for Ash Palmer would shock me. I'd bet on Rochdale because I think someone decent will come for Nevett and they'll need a replacement, but it wouldn't stop me trying for Nevett too.

I'd go in for an all-round creative goal scoring forward, more than just a striker. Shade from Solihull? Dallas from Barnsley? To give us more forward options. And I'd offer Ollie Banks and Jacobs another year for sure and maybe young Duhameau. I also think Loz Maguire is better than almost all our defenders, but his time with us seems to be up.

[Dancingwilldoit]

Big no re Dallas. He blew his chance with us and hasn't pulled up any trees since he went to Barnsley. If he's not good enough for a place in a Lge 1 team he's not worth our efforts.
To be blunt Coopers had it and Clucas is past his best. Why load out squad with has beens? We need up and coming talent to blend in with the more experienced players in the squad.
The last time Cook was with us he unearthed some gems. Let's hope he can do the same again.

[Devongone]

I watched Clucas a couple of weeks ago Dancing. He was the best player on the pitch. Mostly I look for young players, especially in non-league football so they'll cost next to nowt, but if Rotherham with Steve Evans in charge decide to re-build without Clucas. He IS better than what we've got.

If Cookie has another Dobra aged 21 or so up his sleeve, yes sure I'll go for him, but the players he built around before in the EFL were hardly recent academy graduates. I'm hoping we end up with a nice blend.

Frankly there's three of those contracted till 2025 that I wish weren't, but hey ho, they aren't rubbish, so we'll shall see what we shall see. (My two major suggested signings are an 18 year old centre back and a 20 year old winger, both from non-league.)

Even Cooper (if fit) is way better than Grimes, but I appear to be the only one who thinks Grimes will be an accident waiting to happen in EFL2 .... and he's set to be our hero captain.

And to stir in a bit of controversy for Dancing if he thinks a player who couldn't make it at Barnsley wouldn't be good enough for us ........ Eastleigh have released a young full back called Oscar Rutherford. He's 20. He's a good little player. I reckon some EFL or National League club could get themselves a gem by signing him for nowt. He is worth a one-year deal. For us! An Eastleigh reject? Heavens!

Dallas imo is the kind of player by the way who'd be good for us. He regards himself as a striker, and tends to decline during barren spells. He is more than a striker. His speed and skill is useful in any forward position and he does also add goals. I wouldn't buy him, but if he were a free or a loan I'd snap him up IF I were sure of his commitment and his desire to play for us.

As to the notion of older players ...... Stockport just won EFL2 and two of their most influential players were Sarcevic and Madden, both well in their thirties. We often hear the saying that if they are good enough they are old enough, you might also turn that on its head and say that if they are good enough they are young enough.

[Dancingwilldoit]

Age isn't an issue as long as the rest of the squad is balanced.. Jacobs, Grigg, Jones and Banks aren't exactly spring chickens, if you bring in Clucas and Cooper the club will need a lot of oxygen tanks on standby. We should have learned our lesson with age and injury prone, let's not go there again.
I happen to think Grimes will make a good player in league 2. He just needs someone with a bit of pace either in front of him or alongside in the mold of Drew Talbot.
Am sure Cook already has his targets in mind so I await news with interest.

[Devongone]

Grimes needs someone as partner with a lot of pace, an ability to read the game and anticipate errors in my opinion. On the other hand he is undeniably brave, committed and a good influence on the team. Sadly if we found him the ideal partner the transfer fee would bankrupt us ...........

I too am sure Cookie already has targets in mind. Personally the only role I could see for Cooper would be to replace Grimes, they would make a terrible partnership. I'm sure Cookie would recognise that. I like Freckleton, but I look at Sheff Utd defending and start to wonder if I'm mad ....... but he looks better than the players Wilder fields every week.

With a choice of Grigg and Quigley up front we need with youth and pace. WE can't rely on Colclough alone.

[Devongone]

Would we be better with a centre back who can throw the ball a couple of miles? Wrexham have released Ben Tozer. Alternatively we might increase our Portsmouth connection with Sean Raggett -who is only 30 ......... played for Lincoln too and had time in non-league ......

[Devongone]

Well I watched the National League North play-off between Brackley and Boston and at last I saw a goalkeeper we ought to sign.

Cameron Gregory of Boston is a seriously good keeper. We should save him from the National League next season and no doubt beat bigger clubs to his signature. With him and Ryan Boot on our books we'd have the basis for a sound defence. If his contract isn't up this summer, he'd definitely cost us a little bit and I'm sure we could have rivals, but he is way better than EFL2 and I'm sure we could eventually sell him on.