The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

What players would you keep for next season? I'll start.

Goalkeepers:

Matt Finlay - had an excellent season, it's been great after having to endure morons like Quincy and Tom Cross to have a reliable goalkeeper. Must keep.

Defenders

Liam Dolman - Starting XI. Our best player, by miles. Must keep.

Darren Purse - let's sign him full time, and put him CB alongside Dolman to form a formidable partnership.

Sam Brown - Starting XI. Has had great seasons with us, deserves a chance to prove himself at SL1.

Joe Merrill - Squad player. Fans favourite, won't let anyone down covering at RB.

Jack Ashton - Squad player. Has come on leaps and bounds, looked class at UCLP level, will be intrigued to see how he will do against better, particularly, physical strikers next year when covering for Dolman and Purse.

Midfielders

Richard Bunting - Starting XI. Has looked particularly impressive recently. Proven track record in Step 4.

Adam Confue - Starting XI. Must keep.

Brad Harris - Squad Player. Versatile, perfect for cover.

Matt Gearing - Starting XI. Has earnt his chance to ply his trade up a level. Worried about a lack of pace but will see how he does.

Strikers

Dunkley - Squad Player. Gives you something different whenever he plays. Good option off the bench or against teams with small CBs.

Joseph - Squad Player. Has impressed recently but for me still won't have enough ability to cut it from the start at the level up.

Elliott Lamb-Johnson - Squad Player. Pace off the bench gives us an option. Can improve with age.

Released

Charlie Butt - For me, it's a choice between him and Merrill for who we keep as cover behind a new RB. Merrill edges it.

Jake Gillingwater.

Neil King.

Jason Turner - hasn't had the run of games he would have liked. Can't see him staying for another season of benchwarming.

Tommy Berwick - 1 goal in 14 games, drastically off finishing form ever since joining the club. Unless a turn in form, despite the impressive the CV, easy decision.

Tom Lorraine - marginal decision, but loses out on a squad place to Scott Joseph.

Declan Rogers - hasn't done enough in his time here to justify pinning down that LM position.

New Signings

As a result, we should sign a cover GK, and in defence a RB to start, and a LB to cover/compete with Sam Brown. In midfield, we should look at signing two exciting wingers, prioritising the left side, as well as strengthening with a different option for cover in Central Midfield. Finally, we should prioritise looking to strengthen the Strikers. Two players are needed to improve our fortunes in front of goal and fire us to SL1 glory.

What would you do?

Oundle Diamond #2 wrote:What would you do?

Be thankful you aren't manager with you views on Ashton, Lorraine, Berwick and Rogers

Ignore the supporters and get on with the job he`s paid to and more than capable of doing.

For obvious reasons I wouldn`t get involved in offering my list and I would say it may be a while before anyone does, given that a very large % of supporters who have seen the majority of this seasons games may take a while to compose themselves from the state of rolling about laughing at one particular suggestion of yours. Release Tom Lorraine :lol: though i`m sure this thread will almost in Winston fashion stir up a few interesting comments as I assume that is it`s sole intention.
PS Having just seen a post on another thread may I suggest you try to avoid exceptionally strong or illegal substances this early in the day as something clearly appears to be doing you no good at all.

I would like to see all of the current quad gigen the opporunuty to play at the next level up, I suspect that some of them will not want the traveling involved in the northern league, which is when replacement may be required.

SouthRushdenJFC wrote:

Oundle Diamond #2 wrote:What would you do?

Be thankful you aren't manager with you views on Ashton, Lorraine, Berwick and Rogers

Oundle Diamond #2 wrote:What players would you keep for next season? I'll start.

Goalkeepers:

Matt Finlay - had an excellent season, it's been great after having to endure morons like Quincy and Tom Cross to have a reliable goalkeeper. Must keep.

Defenders

Liam Dolman - Starting XI. Our best player, by miles. Must keep.

Darren Purse - let's sign him full time, and put him CB alongside Dolman to form a formidable partnership.

Sam Brown - Starting XI. Has had great seasons with us, deserves a chance to prove himself at SL1.

Joe Merrill - Squad player. Fans favourite, won't let anyone down covering at RB.

Jack Ashton - Squad player. Has come on leaps and bounds, looked class at UCLP level, will be intrigued to see how he will do against better, particularly, physical strikers next year when covering for Dolman and Purse.

Midfielders

Richard Bunting - Starting XI. Has looked particularly impressive recently. Proven track record in Step 4.

Adam Confue - Starting XI. Must keep.

Brad Harris - Squad Player. Versatile, perfect for cover.

Matt Gearing - Starting XI. Has earnt his chance to ply his trade up a level. Worried about a lack of pace but will see how he does.

Strikers

Dunkley - Squad Player. Gives you something different whenever he plays. Good option off the bench or against teams with small CBs.

Joseph - Squad Player. Has impressed recently but for me still won't have enough ability to cut it from the start at the level up.

Elliott Lamb-Johnson - Squad Player. Pace off the bench gives us an option. Can improve with age.

Released

Charlie Butt - For me, it's a choice between him and Merrill for who we keep as cover behind a new RB. Merrill edges it.

Jake Gillingwater.

Neil King.

Jason Turner - hasn't had the run of games he would have liked. Can't see him staying for another season of benchwarming.

Tommy Berwick - 1 goal in 14 games, drastically off finishing form ever since joining the club. Unless a turn in form, despite the impressive the CV, easy decision.

Tom Lorraine - marginal decision, but loses out on a squad place to Scott Joseph.

Declan Rogers - hasn't done enough in his time here to justify pinning down that LM position.

New Signings

As a result, we should sign a cover GK, and in defence a RB to start, and a LB to cover/compete with Sam Brown. In midfield, we should look at signing two exciting wingers, prioritising the left side, as well as strengthening with a different option for cover in Central Midfield. Finally, we should prioritise looking to strengthen the Strikers. Two players are needed to improve our fortunes in front of goal and fire us to SL1 glory.

What would you do?

Not listen to any of this total b*llocks! Wow I thought I was an idiot! Lorraine, Rogers and Butt have been excellent for us why release them? Have you been to (m)any games this year?

The squad as a whole won a league at Step 5 and convincingly so. They all deserve the chance to compete at Step 4. With the momentum and stability we have, coupled with the amount of deadwood at Step 4, I see no reason why we can't get a top-half finish next season.

However, all of that talk is for another day. I don't see why we rush to judge on the next season, it was the same after the last promotion. Why not just enjoy the end of this season, knowing that the squad is clearly bloody good, we've only lost thrice!

Releasing Lorraine would be madness!!

I have faith in Peaksy, whoever he decides to retain.

Although personally I think the players we have now, bar one or two (who I won't mention) deserve to have a chance to prove themselves at the next level.

Oundle Diamond #2 wrote:What players would you keep for next season? I'll start.

Difficult to know where to start with that list of yours OD2. You've saved your more ridiculous judgements for Lorraine and Ashton, but your reasoning for releasing Declan Rogers is a good laugh. He's got 7 goals and 5 assists in 16 appearances from left midfield.

I'd learn how to park my car properly :lol: