HJ has set out his stall so no predicament. I would like to see loans end unless there is an option to buy at the end of the agreement. You can't build side when you 5 loanees disappearing, along with those players who contracts are not renewed and those offered new deals but not accepting. The should also be a time limit on new offers. MF, JR, and GC have had to virtually assemble new teams each season, not recipe for success.

All the teams below us have sacked their managers (except Doncaster, as of this date).
For all of them, this window is the last chance saloon and it will be a mixture of panic signings and chucking money at it (i.e. FGR re-signing Doidge)
I still think we need 4 more wins to be safe, and whether they come in the next 4 games, 10 games or 18 games. we need them. Once those wins are attained then we push on, so even if we don't make the playoffs we can show any potential summer recruitments than we are a club on the up.
Safety first, and if to have been offered this season's outcome so far, in July of last year, we would have bitten the whole arm off not just the hand.

As a response to ajs:

Under those loan conditions, we would never get the likes of Finn Azaz playing for us as Villa would already have a career development plan laid out for him, which seems to be progressing well..... League One followed by Championship then a tidy transfer fee. Premier League Clubs hold all the cards.

excessbee wrote: February 1st, 2024, 3:02 pm Under those loan conditions, we would never get the likes of Finn Azaz playing for us as Villa would already have a career development plan laid out for him, which seems to be progressing well..... League One followed by Championship then a tidy transfer fee. Premier League Clubs hold all the cards.

Brighton did the same with Ben White
Us in League 2
Peterborough in League 1
Leeds in the championship
1st team at Brighton in Premier League
£50m transfer to Arsenal

But where was our progression? where did we financially benefit? how was the following season's success? Nice to see that type of talent but stifles our own development

ajs wrote: February 1st, 2024, 3:35 pm But where was our progression? where did we financially benefit? how was the following season's success? Nice to see that type of talent but stifles our own development

I agree.

Stan A. Einstein wrote: February 1st, 2024, 4:10 pm

ajs wrote: February 1st, 2024, 3:35 pm But where was our progression? where did we financially benefit? how was the following season's success? Nice to see that type of talent but stifles our own development

I agree.

What you have to contend with is Premier clubs and Championship hoover up young talent, have huge intakes every year leaving academies like ours with crumbs, so the loan system has developed and prospered and is now prevalent in all L2 and many L1 clubs - the ability to get good loanees (all of who tend to be young and abit untried) is a key to success for many L2 and L1 clubs as we have seen for ourselves.

County ranger wrote: February 1st, 2024, 4:14 pm
What you have to contend with is Premier clubs and Championship hoover up young talent, have huge intakes every year leaving academies like ours with crumbs, so the loan system has developed and prospered and is now prevalent in all L2 and many L1 clubs - the ability to get good loanees (all of who tend to be young and abit untried) is a key to success for many L2 and L1 clubs as we have seen for ourselves.

Is it? From my perspective it seems the system is designed to.keep.lower League teams in their place.

We've been here before. The idea that we should go it alone and step aside from the loans system. Noble, innovative and ultimately suicidal. Never going to happen. The paying customer wants to see something above the average and most clubs get that from their loanees. The problem lies with the PL clubs dangling the fantasy world of top flight riches to the masses, who are mostly better suited to a lower league career. Can the merry go round be changed. I very much doubt it.

Loan signings are a benefit to us but,we always have five which is too many.Three quality loans would be ideal and have a few more permanent signings or,allow our own academy lads to come through.

Where would we be without the loans of Jolley & Day ? Non league

Percy plunkett wrote: February 1st, 2024, 4:37 pm Loan signings are a benefit to us but,we always have five which is too many.Three quality loans would be ideal and have a few more permanent signings or,allow our own academy lads to come through.

How do we decide which potential loan signings are good ones before we see them in training and a match situation? Most of the players we bring in on loan have never played men's football. Judging who will make the step up and who will not is nigh on impossible. I reckon that is why we bring in 5 in the hope that 3 will turn out to be capable of being a first team regular. I also doubt that having two less loan signings would free up sufficient budget for us to have a few more permanent signings.

Collars wrote: January 31st, 2024, 2:55 pm Personally I think Jephcott has been brought in to replace Bogle as I’m guessing we won’t want to shell out for whatever he wants for a new contract next season. Whilst I’d love a tilt at the playoffs this season could I realistically getting there and winning them? No. Do I want another Wembley defeat? No. I think we should be putting our eggs in the next season basket - trying to tie down McLoughlin to a new contract and build towards a more competitive side next year.

Much in agreement with those sentiments, although a little concerned that there appears to be no information on the length of Jephcott's contract. SWA has suggested he was offered a 'long term' contract without specifying it's length or even if it's been finalised.

excessbee wrote: February 1st, 2024, 4:30 pm We've been here before. The idea that we should go it alone and step aside from the loans system. Noble, innovative and ultimately suicidal. Never going to happen. The paying customer wants to see something above the average and most clubs get that from their loanees. The problem lies with the PL clubs dangling the fantasy world of top flight riches to the masses, who are mostly better suited to a lower league career. Can the merry go round be changed. I very much doubt it.

I don't disagree with your analysis certainly with respect to the behaviour of elite teams, so called. I'm not sure I agree with your belief it's suicidal to step aside from the loan system. For me the two outstanding performances against Manchester United were Ryan Delaney and Will Evans, neither being loan signings.

Well it's not going to be six months surely. I think we should assume till the end of next season.