Players under contract after 1/7/2020

Do you genuinely believe they will just walk away from a bona fida contract without any recourse ?

 

I think with so many football clubs on the brink the PFA are going to need to change and allow footballers to be made redundant like so many other people are

 

Yes, squad sizes have certainly increased dramatically since the days of my youth... This made me look back at some of those great 80s sides: 24 players in 84/5, of whom 9 appeared in 10 or fewer matches, 21 in 87/8 (and 5), and then the 90s: 95/6 had 28 (and 7), 98/9 had 24 (and 6). In comparison, our most recent successful sides had 32 (and 12) in 2012/13, 30 (and 8) in 15/16, and 35 (and 14) in 16/17. This past season's 39 really is indicative of a team in trouble, even if not relegation-level trouble.

I'd agree with a squad size in the lower to mid 20s: established starters with backups in most positions (a few generalists so not exactly starter + backup everywhere), and a few youngsters to be blooded each season, with the expectation that they will graduate, in due course, to backup and then starter. These to be augmented, when needed, by short-term emergency loans, to cover injuries and/or suspensions.

RCB

 

They would presumably be 20 senior players allowed and unlimited U21s or homegrown players.

There would also need to be an allowance for players currently under contract for a salary cap to be brought in. If say Salford have say four players on pre Covid contracts of £4k a week each, there’s two thirds of their cap gone, it’s unworkable.

 

taking the 85/86 season as example 15 played more than 10. This season it was 16 played more than 10, so the core number hasn’t really changed it is the more fringe players that now get tried and binned. 9 fringe players in 85/86, 19 this season.

 

Probably some formula will be devised for the likes of Salford and say the Div 1 relegated teams who will have players on above average wages. Ideally it will be one that not quite alleviate all the extra costs of those players. The trick is doing enough so that the affected clubs will vote for a wage cap.

Other issues that will need to sorted are such things as signing-on payments and bonuses. If they are not covered that some clubs will just use them to bypass a salary cap.

The final area I think that will need sorting is loans. These could also be used to bypass salary caps. Personally I think that Loans should be suspended for at least the next season. There will be plenty of out of work footballers who would willingly sign short-term deals to cover shortages without giving employment to an already in work footballer.

 

No.

 

My original note was more in hope than expectation. Talking of hope at least Akpan is off the bill.

 

And there's also a bit more rotation in the core players -- back in 85/6 there were 9 with 40+ apps in the league alone; last season we had 4, and this season we would have had at most 4 (again, all just in the league). Even Parky's promotion side only had 4 such, though a couple more just missed out. All the same, I would prefer to see a greater number of core players making up the bulk of the total apps.

I wonder what the salary breakdowns as compared to income would be, then and now, for this core/fringe split. Add loan fees and expectations to be contributing to loan players' salaries, to the greater number of fringe players, and I would expect that, erlatively speaking, the current fringe would take up more of the money available than the old fringe.

RCB

 

If nothing else Club's like ours will now be forced to live within their means to survive. All in all new beginnings to look forward to imo. Just need to do our homework, polish up the contacts, call in a few favours Stuart and make lean and mean the recipe for success.

 

Retained list not announced yet. McCall waiting for confirmation that season is officially over before announcing. So, Akpan still with us, for now

 

don’t their contracts expire at end of the week anyway so without signing a new short term deal they wouldn’t be able to play anyway.

 

It 's a shame those centre-half's aren't out of contract along with all the others

 

End of June isn’t it

 

Clubs have to let plays know by the 23rd of June..

It got put back but some clubs have let players know now and we might as well now.

 

As Ryan Sparks points out so far there has been no confirmation this season has ended so until it is it is premature to be releasing players

 

Start having your own opinion! Ryan Isn't making sense of what you're saying is correct.

Not seen his quotes but teams like Salford and Mansfield have TOLD the players. The players are still contracted until July.

No problem in telling the players and fans and he should know this.

League 2 have ended the season and unless a change of mind happens then it's over. For me I think league 2 clubs have made a massive mistake and should finish the season but that's my thoughts on it.

 

The best thing about large squads is when teams have a 40 strong squad and somehow don't have competent back up in every single position.

Edwin was a master at that.