Players Released

[kwik-silva]

Mikele, Kaspars, Jobi, Stuart Taylor, and Wayne Bridge will all leave the club at the end of the season.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Sad times

[Haag Royal]

Sad times

Realistic times.

[Sutekh]

None of those are a surprise and only Jobi would be considered a loss - and even then there are several dipsticks who would be pleased.

[genome]

Ah man.

Cheers Jobi, Ledge and Kaspars for the promotion winning season. Epic memories.

[St. Brynjar]

Really pleased Ledge got back in the team for a couple games. He must have been so determined to avoid the last memory of him in a Reading shirt to be being booed off in Brian's last game.

Sad to see Gorkss go - despite the hate he gets on here he put in a fair few decent shifts in this season. Without him there's no way we would have won the league.

Mixed feelings about Jobi. On one hand, he's shown no signs of being inadequate at this level, and it's always sad to see a captain go. On the other, it's good for him to leave before the memories sour.

Not too fussed about Bridge and Taylor. Bridge was decent enough before his injury. His experience will be missed, his wages won't.

Cheers to all!

[Lovely hot donuts!]

Obviously annoying that all the above players may have to leave but, with them being older players, I'm not going to lose to much sleep on the basis that it would be exciting to see young players coming through.
HOWEVER, Michael Hector, Jake Taylor, Nick Arnold, Niall Keown, Aaron Tshibola, Shepherd Murombedzi,Tarique Fosu, Stuart Moore, Dan Lincoln, Sean Long, Jake Cooper, Matt Partridge, Pierce Sweeney, Shane Griffin, Gozie Ugwu & Lawson D'ath will all be out of contract in a few weeks. This is much more of a concern. I know it will be easier to give the younger players new contracts but nevertheless, if we can't give Chris Baird a four month deal, I can't help but be sceptical as to whether or not we will be able to hold onto all these young players - many of whom are highly rated. I would be really upset if the ownership situation meant we had this good group of youngsters taken away from us and we couldn't even have them to fall back on.

[kwik-silva]

"Club confirm conversations are ongoing with Michael Hector and ake Taylor in terms of the duo staying at the club"

[blueroyals]

Would have rather seen those stealing a living from the club who are still under contract released.

Thought Jobi had a great season, he's one that I'd have liked to be given a contract. Ledge had a good few games back too..

Not fussed about the rest.

End of the post-Coppell era. A complete squad turn-over....

[Lovely hot donuts!]

"Club confirm conversations are ongoing with Michael Hector and ake Taylor in terms of the duo staying at the club"

Good news. Didn't see that before my previous post. Hopefully a good omen for the other young players staying to..

[Green]

So the gravy train finally hits the buffers for this particular cohort.

We move on

[Pepe the Horseman]

What about the others, like D'Ath?

[Martin41]

Obviously annoying that all the above players may have to leave but, with them being older players, I'm not going to lose to much sleep on the basis that it would be exciting to see young players coming through.
HOWEVER, Michael Hector, Jake Taylor, Nick Arnold, Niall Keown, Aaron Tshibola, Shepherd Murombedzi,Tarique Fosu, Stuart Moore, Dan Lincoln, Sean Long, Jake Cooper, Matt Partridge, Pierce Sweeney, Shane Griffin, Gozie Ugwu & Lawson D'ath will all be out of contract in a few weeks. This is much more of a concern. I know it will be easier to give the younger players new contracts but nevertheless, if we can't give Chris Baird a four month deal, I can't help but be sceptical as to whether or not we will be able to hold onto all these young players - many of whom are highly rated. I would be really upset if the ownership situation meant we had this good group of youngsters taken away from us and we couldn't even have them to fall back on.

Well partridge can go!!!!!!!

[Lovely hot donuts!]

Obviously annoying that all the above players may have to leave but, with them being older players, I'm not going to lose to much sleep on the basis that it would be exciting to see young players coming through.
HOWEVER, Michael Hector, Jake Taylor, Nick Arnold, Niall Keown, Aaron Tshibola, Shepherd Murombedzi,Tarique Fosu, Stuart Moore, Dan Lincoln, Sean Long, Jake Cooper, Matt Partridge, Pierce Sweeney, Shane Griffin, Gozie Ugwu & Lawson D'ath will all be out of contract in a few weeks. This is much more of a concern. I know it will be easier to give the younger players new contracts but nevertheless, if we can't give Chris Baird a four month deal, I can't help but be sceptical as to whether or not we will be able to hold onto all these young players - many of whom are highly rated. I would be really upset if the ownership situation meant we had this good group of youngsters taken away from us and we couldn't even have them to fall back on.

Well partridge can go!!!!!!!

Seven exclamation marks? Bit much to aim at a teenage footballer.

[strap]

Mikele, Kaspars, Jobi, Stuart Taylor, and Wayne Bridge will all leave the club at the end of the season.

Shouldn't imagine any will be replaced, (although fully fit they would be missed), which will get a bit off the wage bill.

It's the likes of McCarthy, Gunter, McCleary, Obita, Williams and ALF we should be worried about really. Whilst all would command 7 figure fees, fully fit they would form an integral part of our side next year.

If we moved on Pog, Drenthe and Guthrie we'd probably save a packet in wages and might get a few bob in fees.

Which leaves the likes of Akpan, Blackman, Kelly, Cummings etc. They can't be on too high wages, but wouldn't command significant fees, so guess they'll be staying?

Sort of leaves a squad nucleus of :

Federici/Andersen/(Henly?)
Cummings/S Kelly/(Arnold?)/(Keown?)
Pearce/Morrison/Hector/(Sweeney?)
Karacan/Akpan/(Kuhl?)/(J Taylor?)/(L Kelly?)/(D'Ath?)/(Tshibola?)
Robson-Kanu/Blackman
(Tanner?)/(Cardwell?)/(Samuel?)

Phew, looks a bit lightweight, especially up front! Includes 12 from the U21/U18 in a squad of 23!! (With apologies for missing anyone out)

Can't think of ANY team that has ever successfully blooded 12 youngsters into a 1st 18 squad in a single year - so realistically it's not going to happen.

Going to be a VERY interesting close-season!

[Martin41]

Obviously annoying that all the above players may have to leave but, with them being older players, I'm not going to lose to much sleep on the basis that it would be exciting to see young players coming through.
HOWEVER, Michael Hector, Jake Taylor, Nick Arnold, Niall Keown, Aaron Tshibola, Shepherd Murombedzi,Tarique Fosu, Stuart Moore, Dan Lincoln, Sean Long, Jake Cooper, Matt Partridge, Pierce Sweeney, Shane Griffin, Gozie Ugwu & Lawson D'ath will all be out of contract in a few weeks. This is much more of a concern. I know it will be easier to give the younger players new contracts but nevertheless, if we can't give Chris Baird a four month deal, I can't help but be sceptical as to whether or not we will be able to hold onto all these young players - many of whom are highly rated. I would be really upset if the ownership situation meant we had this good group of youngsters taken away from us and we couldn't even have them to fall back on.

Well partridge can go!!!!!!!

Seven exclamation marks? Bit much to aim at a teenage footballer.

Not at all, the lad is a thug!

[MeMeMe]

Ok so Jobi & Mikele were both in the first team, Jobi consistently and Mikele would have been too had the season gone on. Gorks & Bridge gone too, that leaves us very weak right now with just those gone. Let's pray for some decent summer signings otherwise next season will be very hard indeed.

[Lovely hot donuts!]

Well partridge can go!!!!!!!

Seven exclamation marks? Bit much to aim at a teenage footballer.

Not at all, the lad is a thug!

Ok, presumed your comment was based on his footballing ability. I have no knowledge of anything he may have done off the pitch.

[Silver Fox]

Would have rather seen those stealing a living from the club who are still under contract released.

There's something in your sentence that makes me think it won't happen but I can't quite put my finger on it

Anyway, disappointed we haven't given Jobi a new deal, no tears over the other 4

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Bit gutted Ledge didn't get a 1 yr extension TBH. Reckon we could have signed him again quite cheaply.