Retained List And Squad | Vital Football

Retained List And Squad

Scotimp

Vital Football Legend
So 2017-18 is done, and we look to next season. Time to keep tabs on what we have.

The retained list is due in the next week or so, and inevitably some will be leaving.

The current squad is (contract date):

Goalkeepers (3):
Josh Vickers (2019)
Paul Farman (2019)
Richard Walton (out of contract)

Defenders (5):
James Wilson (2020)
Sam Habergham (2019)
Luke Waterfall (2019)
Neal Eardley (out of contract)
Sean Long (out of contract)

Midfielders (10):
Michael Bostwick (2020)
Harry Anderson (2020)
Lee Frecklington (2020)
Ellis Chapman (2020)
Tom Pett (2020)
Alex Woodyard (2019)
Elliott Whitehouse (June 2017 contract term not disclosed, believed to be 2019)
Nathan Arnold (October 2017 contract term not disclosed, believed to be 2019)
Billy Knott (out of contract)
Cameron Stewart (out of contract)

Forwards (3):
Matt Rhead (2019)
Matt Green (2019)
Ollie Palmer (2019)

Total: 21
In contract: 16 (including Whitehouse and Arnold)
 
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I hope Eardley signs, I've got a horrible feeling he was waiting to see what league we were going to play in.
 
Well I make that 21 of which 5 are out of contract. Out of the 5, I would only keep Eardley. Any others surplus to requirements will have to be paid off or sent out on loan/sold.I would expect Farman and Arnold to be included in the latter.
 
We look very light in defence, especially if Eardley goes. The chances of getting Scott Wharton back on loan are now slim, given that Blackburn will probably want his next loan move to be to a League One club.

Perhaps Norwich have anyone surplus to requirements?
 
Out of the above list I can see 7 possibly 8 leaving. Either not offered terms, going elsewhere as out of contract. Made available for transfer or paid off.
 
Pretty sure Whitehouse is out of contract.

I think Knott, Long, Stewart and Whitehouse will be released with Arnold and Farman transfer listed.
 
Pretty sure Whitehouse is out of contract.

I think Knott, Long, Stewart and Whitehouse will be released with Arnold and Farman transfer listed.


I don't see why he would let Whitehouse go?

The player that I think can really shine next season is Tom Pett. Really think he will come into his own next season! Technically a really good player just needs a run in the team and I think he will be a starter next season!
 
I can see the case for letting Whitehouse go. His touch is poor and his product not great. He does pop up with the odd goal and is a great terrier to have in midfield.

Perhaps a squad player.
 
Whitehouse could be sacrificed in order to bring in a ball-playing attacking midfielder, which we all realise is needed. We already have five other central midfielders under contract (Bostwick, Woodyard, Pett, Chapman and Frecklington), and four of those are here for the next two years. That gives us very little space to manoevre.

It may depend on the term of that June 2017 contract - was it for a year, or two?
 
I don't see why he would let Whitehouse go?

The player that I think can really shine next season is Tom Pett. Really think he will come into his own next season! Technically a really good player just needs a run in the team and I think he will be a starter next season!
Our 4 CM's are currently 3 battlers and Freck. I imagine DC will want to balance that up.

I know Pett is a CM but he strikes me as a more advanced CM, almost number 10, than a Freck type of CM.

I'd not be completely against keeping Whitehouse, particularly as we, presumably, will have a slightly larger squad than last season but out of those options, he's the weakest and might be sacrificed.
 
I think that both Eardley and Whitehouse out of those out of contract will be offered terms. All others released. Eardley's offer is a no brainer and I think that Whitehouse on the balance of his first season in the football league deserves another 12 months where he can hopefully develop his football brain more as he does tend to lose his positional sense quite a bit

Farms will be transfer listed and end up back in the National League at a Gateshead/Halifax kind of level.

Arnold I can see getting some kind of a contract payoff as I suspect he may be looking at doing something else.

So that leaves us needing a new keeper to rival Vickers.

At least 2 new full backs possibly 3 if Eardley leaves

At least 1 centre back if Bostwick is considered as a defender, 2 if he is still seen as a midfielder

That elusive 20 goal a season man up front

A midfield playmaker and a further wide option

Blimey that's eight new ones!!! Going to be very interesting
 
I can see the case for letting Whitehouse go. His touch is poor and his product not great. He does pop up with the odd goal and is a great terrier to have in midfield.

Perhaps a squad player.
Agree with this completely, and given the lack of numbers we’ve suffered with this season, I’d be more than happy with him staying in a squad role. He’s clearly a good egg who won’t be a disruptive influence if he’s left out, and also has the advantage of being able to fill a few positions. For me, by far his best game this season was Crewe away where he played more as a second striker. He scored in that game and was a threat throughout... but strangely was then dropped for what turned out to be one of our worst performances of the season at Colchester.

Pett is still an odd one as it’s hard to see what his best position is. But we saw last night the difference a ball player and carrier in midfield can make. Oh for a Peter Gain type player who could really give us the class and attacking nouse we’ve so badly missed this campaign.
 
Will be interesting to see how Chapman figures and develops next season. DC has spoken highly of him during this campaign and in the brief spell I saw him play against Everton U21s, he looked quite cultured and comfortable on the ball. Hopefully he’ll get plenty of game time in pre season to show what he can do.

Another area we could look to develop next season is the loans out market. Our sheer lack of numbers this campaign has made using that nigh on impossible. But if we can get 24/25 on the books next season, then fringe players could get valuable experience in the NL or L2, and stay match fit and in form if they are needed back at Sincil Bank.
 
Definitely wouldn't want to see Palmer leave. He has made an invaluable contribution especially in the second half of the season.

Agree but not as a wide player as he seemed to be after coming on last night. He has been a good signing
 
If Eardley leaves then Long may well stay. He performed pretty well when he had an opportunity. After Eardley switched to RB he was playing only very occasionally... not easy. If Eardley stays i doubt hed want to stay.
 
At times i’ve wondered whether the Cowley’s are trying to change to a 4-2-3-1 formation. If they are, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Knott sign a new contract especially given his problems. Lincoln may be the best place for him. I’d expect Whitehouse to sign on for another year at least.
No idea what the situation with Stewart is but I can see him being released but with a preseason behind him may be a very good player to have next season.