Current Squad: December 2020 | Vital Football

Current Squad: December 2020

Scotimp

Scotimp

Vital Football Legend
Michael Appleton indicates that contract discussions are set to begin with Jorge Grant and Harry Anderson, the urgent one being Grant with interest from the Championship already. MA also states that he has replacements in mind for Grant, should he decide to go either in January or next summer. Interestingly, he also suggests that Aaron Lewis and Alex Bradley may like to stay out on loan a while longer, which surely signals the end of their City careers. No one can come in unless someone leaves would appear to be the bottom line, although MA has a meeting with the board before Christmas to confirm where we are with budgets.

Here is the squad as it currently stands:

Goalkeepers: (3)
Ethan Ross, 23 (June 2021)
Sam Long, 18 (unknown)
Alex Palmer, 24 (season loan from WBA)

Defenders: (8)
Lewis Montsma, 22 (June 2023) Centre-half
Sean Roughan, 17 (June 2023) Centre-half / left-back
Max Melbourne, 22 (June 2022) Left-back
Adam Jackson, 26 (unknown) Centre-half
Joe Walsh, 28 (unknown) Centre-half
Hayden Cann, 17 (June 2023) Centre-half
Robbie Gotts, 21 (season loan from Leeds) Right-back
TJ Eyoma, 20 (season loan from Spurs) Right-back / centre half

Aaron Lewis, 22 (June 2021) Right-back (on loan to Newport until January)
Alex Bradley, 21 (unknown) Right-back (on loan to Yeovil until 10 January)

Central Midfielders: (5)
James Jones, 24 (June 2023)
Tayo Edun, 22 (June 2022)
Liam Bridcutt, 31 (unknown)
Jorge Grant, 26 (June 2021)
Conor McGrandles, 25 (unknown)

Wingers: (4)
Zack Elbouzedi, 22 (unknown, 'long-term deal')
Harry Anderson, 23 (June 2021)
Theo Archibald, 22 (unknown)
Remy Howarth, 23 (June 2021)

Strikers: (5)
Tom Hopper, 27 (June 2023)
Anthony Scully, 21 (June 2021)
Callum Morton, 20 (season loan from WBA)
Brennan Johnson, 19 (season loan from Nottingham Forest)
Jamie Soule, 20 (loan from WBA to 1 January 2021)

Total: 25
Contracted: 21
In on loan: 6
Out on loan: 2

Average age at 31 December 2020: 23 years 0 months
(excluding players out on loan)

Some of the positions are fluid, with a number of players being used in different areas (Edun, Gotts, Grant etc). Jamie Soule is unlikely to return next year.
 
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Current average ages in each department (excluding Aaron Lewis and Alex Bradley):

Goalkeeper: 22 years 0 months

Defence: 22 years 1 month

Central midfield: 26 years 0 months

Wingers: 23 years 1 month

Strikers: 21 years 9 months
 
This is where we stand against the 22-man squad requirement:

21+:
Anderson, Archibald, Bridcutt, Edun, Elbouzedi, Grant, Hopper, Howarth, Jackson, Jones, McGrandles, Melbourne, Montsma, Palmer, Ross, Walsh (16)

U21:
Cann, Eyoma, Gotts, Johnson, Long, Morton, Roughan, Scully, Soule (9)
 
I hope we can sign Grant and Anderson to a new contract. If we lost them in the new year I think that we will start to drop down the table. I would like to keep scully as well as he matches Harry Anderson for his energy.

I was disappointed that we lost Bostwick and Eardley in the summer though, so I think my opinion is a bit rubbish.
 
Squad building is an interesting thing. At the end of each transfer window, we feel we have a good squad with very little wastage; by the time we get to the next window, there are obvious weak points that need correcting. We no longer have 'dead wood' like in the Conference days, but the prospect of replacing out of favour players with ones able to contribute on the pitch is exciting. Looking forward to seeing what MA has planned.
 
Scotimp said:
Squad building is an interesting thing. At the end of each transfer window, we feel we have a good squad with very little wastage; by the time we get to the next window, there are obvious weak points that need correcting. We no longer have 'dead wood' like in the Conference days, but the prospect of replacing out of favour players with ones able to contribute on the pitch is exciting. Looking forward to seeing what MA has planned.
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I guess that perspective means we are getting better.
 
One of the interesting points mentioned in last night's pre-match commentary was the salary cap? It sounds like Grant is on sizeable wages, signed before the cap came in obviously, and the comments had an element of "we might not be able to pay Grant what he already gets because of the salary cap"?

Did anyone else get that impression?
 
Bristol city have a good system where they have players who they know are never going to play for them but they know they can flog on after a few decent loans. Morrell being one signed as youth was loaned out and sold to championship Luton.

I wonder if Roughan will get snapped up by a premiership academy for £500-£1m? We will not really miss what we have not had (different to say losing Grant) but the profit goes back into strengthening the squad.

it’s clear that we have some very good footballers but we also have some fillers who are there as cheap fallbacks but helpfully not used.

perhaps as the years progress we willl have really strong core team financed off the back of a couple of key sales.
 
PlymouthImp said:
One of the interesting points mentioned in last night's pre-match commentary was the salary cap? It sounds like Grant is on sizeable wages, signed before the cap came in obviously, and the comments had an element of "we might not be able to pay Grant what he already gets because of the salary cap"?

Did anyone else get that impression?
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Could be as he came straight from forest to us. He might be in the £4K club which if you believe rumour was the wage of out big names.
 
If Bradley is on loan for the season then surely he is going to be staying out on loan for a while longer? Incidentally, I thought it was just an until-January loan, though I often get these things wrong.
 
Now the transfer window is open, here is our squad as it currently stands. Jamie Soule's loan has officially ended, and Aaron Lewis is technically back with us after his loan at Newport came to an end. With Lewis being over 21 and Soule under, that changes the balance of the squad a little in terms of salary cap requirements: whether or not Lewis will be included within our squad remains to be seen, but I have included him for the time being.

Some of the positions are fluid, with a number of players being used in different areas (Edun, Gotts, Grant etc). Based on current usage and David Kerslake's comments after the AFC Wimbledon game, I have moved Edun to the defence for the purpose of this list.

Michael Appleton indicates that contract discussions are set to begin with Jorge Grant and Harry Anderson, the urgent one being Grant with interest from the Championship. MA also states that he has replacements in mind for Grant, should he decide to go either in January or next summer. Interestingly, he also suggests that Aaron Lewis and Alex Bradley (on loan at Yeovil until 10 January) may like to stay out on loan a while longer. No one can come in unless someone leaves would appear to be the bottom line, both in terms of the budget and salary cap restrictions.

Goalkeepers: (3)
Ethan Ross, 23 (June 2021)
Sam Long, 18 (unknown)
Alex Palmer, 24 (season loan from WBA)

Defenders: (10)
Lewis Montsma, 22 (June 2023) Centre-half
Sean Roughan, 17 (June 2023) Centre-half / left-back
Max Melbourne, 22 (June 2022) Left-back
Tayo Edun, 22 (June 2022) Left-back
Aaron Lewis, 22 (June 2021) Right-back
Adam Jackson, 26 (unknown) Centre-half
Joe Walsh, 28 (unknown) Centre-half
Hayden Cann, 17 (June 2023) Centre-half
Robbie Gotts, 21 (season loan from Leeds) Right-back
TJ Eyoma, 20 (season loan from Spurs) Right-back / centre half

Alex Bradley, 21 (unknown) Right-back (on loan to Yeovil until 10 January)

Central Midfielders: (4)
James Jones, 24 (June 2023)
Liam Bridcutt, 31 (unknown)
Jorge Grant, 26 (June 2021)
Conor McGrandles, 25 (unknown)

Wingers: (4)
Zack Elbouzedi, 22 (unknown, 'long-term deal')
Harry Anderson, 23 (June 2021)
Theo Archibald, 22 (unknown)
Remy Howarth, 23 (June 2021)

Strikers: (4)
Tom Hopper, 27 (June 2023)
Anthony Scully, 21 (June 2021)
Callum Morton, 20 (season loan from WBA)
Brennan Johnson, 19 (season loan from Nottingham Forest)

Total: 25
Contracted: 21
In on loan: 5
Out on loan: 1

Average age at 31 December 2020: 23 years 1 month
(excluding players out on loan)
.
 
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Current average ages in each department (excluding Alex Bradley, on loan to Yeovil until 10 January):

Goalkeeper: 22 years 0 months

Defence: 22 years 2 months

Central midfield: 26 years 11 months

Wingers: 23 years 1 month

Strikers: 22 years 3 months
 
This is where we stand against the 22-man squad requirement:

21+:
Anderson, Archibald, Bridcutt, Edun, Elbouzedi, Grant, Hopper, Howarth, Jackson, Jones, Lewis, McGrandles, Melbourne, Montsma, Palmer, Ross, Walsh (17)

U21:
Cann, Eyoma, Gotts, Johnson, Long, Morton, Roughan, Scully (8)
 
Johnny_Boy said:
Scully needs a new deal too! I wasn’t overly keen on him at the start of the season but his performances in the last few weeks have proved me wrong, he continues to improve - hopefully with us
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I agree, I would be giving him a two-year extension. The reason? Not only is he a constant threat in League One, I think he will be good enough for the Championship before long, should we be fortunate enough to get there.
 
I agree, I hope they start negotiations with Scully as he is not only a good prospect, but already looks comfortable in league one.
 
I think this will be a interesting transfer window with all clubs in effect having no income any player catching the eye of any club higher up the leagues would have to talk. . It may be not what we want but im afraid being top is going to turn heads
 
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