Midfielders
Liam Bridcutt
Appearances: 3
Contract Status: On loan until the end of the season
Verdict: Return to parent club.
I wouldn’t be at all shocked if we sign Bridcutt come the summer. A lot of this, obviously, hinges on Forest’s plans for him but I would be shocked if we aren’t making a strong push to bring him back, even if its another loan deal.
Tayo Edun
Appearances: 5
Contract Status: Expires 30th June 2022
Verdict: Contracted through next season.
Tayo has already proven his versatility and I think he will be a big part of whatever happens next season.
Michael Bostwick
Appearances: 16
Contract Status: Expires 30th June 2020
Verdict: New deal offered.
I really hope we offer Bozzie a new deal. As much as youth is our future, we need someone like Bozzie in the squad, especially with Shackell going and Eardley not 100% certain to be here next year. His spell out on the sidelines this year has highlighted how much he is needed and the fact he can play CB or in the midfield adds to his importance.
Connor Coventry
Appearances: 5
Contract Status: On loan until end of the season
Verdict: Return to parent club.
I think he will reach double figure appearances for us this year but I also think he will return to West Ham and then be loaned out somewhere else next year.
Lee Frecklington
Appearances: 0
Contract Status: Expires 30th June 2020
Verdict: No new deal.
Already been made clear there won’t be a deal for Frecks, which is a shame, but the reality is he will end this season with 0 league appearances and that speaks volumes.
Ellis Chapman
Appearances: 11
Contract Status: Expires 30th June 2020
Verdict: New deal offered.
Ellis is young and one of our own and I’ll be devastated if he walks out the door for nothing in the summer.
Joe Morrell
Appearances: 28
Contract Status: On loan until the end of the season
Verdict: Return to parent club.
If I could sign any of our loaned players it would be Joe Morrell but I just don’t think we have a chance. He’s a quality players who will fit straight into any side in the Championship.
Harry Anderson
Appearances: 28
Contract Status: Undisclosed
Verdict: New deal offered.
Harry, whilst still only 23 years old, has made over 100 appearances for the club and I can’t see us letting him go. If he was going to leave I believe we would have sold him in the January window.
Jorge Grant
Appearances: 30
Contract Status: Contract length was ‘undisclosed’ when he signed in the summer.
Verdict: Contracted through next season.
I know his deal was an undisclosed length but he is another player that I just can’t see us letting go for nothing. He’s played more games than pretty much anybody this year and I would have him down as one of the first names on the teamsheet for next season.
Tom Pett
Appearances: 2
Contract Status: Expires 30th June 2020
Verdict: No new deal.
Same as Frecks its been made clear he won’t be here next summer. He will make a very good acquisition for any League 2 side.
Jack Payne
Appearances: 23
Contract Status: Undisclosed
Verdict: No new deal.
Unless he gets given another shot before the end of the year and really impresses I think he will leave in the summer which is a shame as when he signed he was probably the player I was most enthusiastic about.
Jake Hesketh
Appearances: 19
Contract Status: On loan until the end of the season
Verdict: Return to parent club.
Back to Southampton and probably loaned out again next season.
Alex Bradley
Appearances: 0
Contract Status: On loan at Harrogate Town until the end of the season
Verdict: Unsure.
Can’t find any details of the contract that he was offered at the start of the year. He has gone off to Harrogate and played 20+ times, scoring 3 goals. If Harrogate get promoted I could see him ending up there on a permanent deal.
Disagree with your verdict on Vickers, Anderson and Bolger, wait and see on that one, also is Lewis a right back ? why should he wait to replace Eardley, an attacking right midfielder or winger more like.
Eardley is the interesting one for me, all depends what MA views as the best position to play Lewis, if it is right back then maybe Eardley goes, of its right midfield then maybe Anderson is allowed to leave?
Does Payne’s contract expire at the the season?
All I could find was that it was an undisclosed deal, either way I can’t see him being here come the end of the transfer window
Payne has a contract and it is probably lucrative. He does not have to leave until the end of said contract! A disappointing signing after a bright start.
Interesting. So this review suggest that we are expecting significant new signings in the summer..
I am a little concerned that the ‘great Appleton transformation’ should not extend too far into next season. We need to see the light at the end of the tunnel quite early in the 2020-21 season. For that reason, I would like to see the players who will definitely be with us next season getting regular football over the next 2-3 months
I think there will be a huge influx of new signings, totally agree though that any of the young players that Appleton sees a starters for next season should be getting as much game time as possible before the end of this year. Players that immediately spring to mind are Edun, Scully and Lewis.
Also disagree with Vickers, think he will go and will get in someone else. Lewis as a right back I can’t see and without a goal not sure we would be talking about him staying. Biggest shock is Scully as a dead cert, not seen enough out of him from three games to say.
Thought provoking article, I like it.
Glad you enjoyed the article! It will be interesting to see what happens with Vickers bit I think Lewis and Scully will be part of the plans for next year. I’m hoping we use these remaining games this year to get them as much game time as possible to get a real idea of the ability they both offer.
Completely agree with this, now is the time for them to get some games under the belt for next season when there is little to be lost
On good authority Anderson was offered a deal at millwall in January which he turned down so wether hes here next season ? Scully Bridcutt and Edun look good acquisitions to build on
I read the same things, I just think if he wasn’t part of the longer term plans then he would have been allowed to leave in January. Really hope we make Bridcutt a permanent signing.
I agree with some of the comments, but I want to wait and see where we end up league wise first.
As long as we’re above three other teams I’ll be happy!
I think it’s a pretty fair estimate of the current squad. I wish we hadn’t got to rely so much on loans to get quality into the side e.g. Joe Morrell (who really should be in the Championship). Rich Harvey is spot on asking that the players who will definitely be with us next season get regular football over the next 2-3 months. Like it or not, they are the core of the team who will bring the “Appleton System” to fruition. Never mind “significant signings” to come, when is the present outfit going to “click” to get us a couple of decent wins to make us safe and secure in Div One? That’s bugging me!
We definitely need a big player to replace Morrell as he has been immense. We’re seeing the issues of losing a key loan player now with Walker missing, I think making sure Bridcutt remains at the club into next season would go a long way to filling that hole. I think the game at the weekend could be a turning point based on the post match comments. I’d like to see Scully, Edun, Lewis, Melbourne and Elbouzedi getting plenty of game time between now and the end of the year.
MA has said before that he doesn’t want to rely on loan signings and has accepted that we are too reliant on them at the moment. I’m hoping we can build a good 22 man squad of perm signings with maybe 2/3 max loans to fill a couple of gaps/ provide cover to give us max squad size of 25, with maybe 2-3 of these loaned out for experience at any one time. Ideally I’d like to see the norm next season being we have no more than 2 loan players in our first 11 at any time.
Largely agree with your assessment, although like a couple of others I could see Vickers being replaced – love the guy but has been exposed a few times recently.
Enjoyed the article btw!
Thanks for the positive comments! Totally agree about loan signings, whilst it is a useful tool we need to not become reliant on this players otherwise we’re in danger of recalls happening as they have this season with Walker.
Great content! Super high-quality! Keep it up! 🙂
Thanks!
I know MA has his plans for developing the team but I am surprised that he let go of O’Connor and is not interested in Pett and Frecklington. I don’t get to many games but watched a lot on I follow last year and I always found those three to be consistent performers, when fit. That’s the problem with young loanees, they sometimes lack the consistency and those few minutes when they ‘drop off’ can cost games.
不让出门，只能刷刷博客了！