It's heading to that time again for the contracts to be signed up and the anticipation and trepidation starts as to who will be sign up and who might be offski.

 

As far I'm aware, the following players are signed up for next season:

 

Signed up till the end of season 2013-14:

• Ryan Esson
• Billy McKay
• Richie Foran

(Butcher and Malpas are also in this category)

 

Signed up till the end of season 2014-15:

• Josh Meekings 
• Nick Ross  
• Gary Warren
• Graeme Shinnie

Joining next season:

• Ben Greenhalgh

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

The following players are out of contract at the end of this season:

• Andrew Shinnie
• David Raven
• Owain Tudur Jones
• Ross Draper
• Antonio Reguero
• Simon King
• Daniel Devine
• Aaron Doran
• Shane Sutherland
• Gavin Morrison
• Chris Hogg

Loan deals expire at the end of this season:

• Charlie Taylor
• Philip Roberts
• Jordan Gibbons

Deals unknown:

• Scott Mathieson
• Martin Laing
• Liam Polworth
• Conor Pepper
• Matthew Cooper

Not really that many players signed up so far.  Hopefully some people will be able to shed more light to those that are unknown and I'll update the list accordingly, and also when new deals and decisions are announced.

 

Besides that though, who would you keep and who would you punt?

Edited March 4, 201312 yr by Renegade

Reguero came from the Spanish 3rd or 4th tier and was an unknown quantity when he came here.  Dean Brill is the same.  Let's just see what happens...

He was highly thought of at Real Madrid however. Only a bad injury kept him back. Brill isn't even well thought of at Luton. I really want to find that my concerns are nothing to worry about.

If its true, then he wont be much of a challenge to Ryan then, just making up numbers eh?  however last season showed that you cant always go by past history, some gems arose to give us a great season.

I wonder who the main penalty taker will be next season.  Preferably Foran for me despite his miss against Stenhousemuir.  I've always been (including in the times he's scored) a little unconvinced by McKay's penalty technique, while Graeme Shinnie also missed one against against Kilmarnock last season, yet did score in the League Cup shoot-out and at Ibrox.  

 

Could of course turn out though that this Curtis Allen fellow can hit them, or Greenhalgh if his alleged set-piece ability is as good as has been reported and continues to the penalty spot.

I wonder who the main penalty taker will be next season.  Preferably Foran for me despite his miss against Stenhousemuir.  I've always been (including in the times he's scored) a little unconvinced by McKay's penalty technique, while Graeme Shinnie also missed one against against Kilmarnock last season, yet did score in the League Cup shoot-out and at Ibrox.  

 

Could of course turn out though that this Curtis Allen fellow can hit them, or Greenhalgh if his alleged set-piece ability is as good as has been reported and continues to the penalty spot.

 

Couldn't agree more about McKay as penalty taker. In the matches I saw, either live or on TV, I was never convinced by him. Quite a few of his penalties, even those he scored, were poorly hit and too close to the keeper for my liking.

 

I can't suggest who might be better, but I hope it is something that the coaching team is addressing in training.

i agree with that. I am never confident when McKay steps up to attempt to score from 36 feet.

I'd need to check but I am sure pretty much everyone penalty Mckay took he went low to the keepers right.

Rooney also used to hit them low to the keeper's right but he hit them firmer and closer to the post.  I agree about MacKay and am frankly surprised he has not had more saved.  Personally I'd back Garry Warren to score from the spot - with his head.

What a pessimistic lot! Give the new keeper a chance. Moaning 'cos he came from a Conference side. Warren from Newport County was a bit of an unknown and look at the results! Kidderminster and Cheltenham with the greatest respect are not in the upper echelon of English football but the complaining isn't the same about signings from there. Welcome one and all. Wear the colours - support the team! I'm sure the new boys will be just fine.

At least Brill hasn't got any long standing injuries !! And many thought that Reguero was past his sell by date. Perhaps I may be wrong here but to me a goalie position is more secure when he is a save stopper but has an established and confident defence in front of him. As fer penalties I only missed one in my Welfare career and I hi every one low and to the keepers right. I can recall scoring three in one game against Derek Rudkin. OK there is far more technology and keepers study kickers BUT if you know where you are going to place it and hit it sweetly then it's a feckin goal.

However I do feel that Foran looks the most accomplished but McKay's confidence was sky high and he was scoring so he was the man in possession.

Does anyone know anything about this Nick Draper character?  Is he a local who's come through the youth set-up or has he been released by someone else?

 

(I see Wikipedia has him down as English, but I don't know how reliable that is)

Does anyone know anything about this Nick Draper character?  Is he a local who's come through the youth set-up or has he been released by someone else?

 

(I see Wikipedia has him down as English, but I don't know how reliable that is)

Born in Grimsby and was a youth keeper at Lincoln City in 2011. Not much else on t'internet but I believe we've signed him as U-20 keeper.

 

Reguero came from the Spanish 3rd or 4th tier and was an unknown quantity when he came here.  Dean Brill is the same.  Let's just see what happens...

He was highly thought of at Real Madrid however. Only a bad injury kept him back. Brill isn't even well thought of at Luton. I really want to find that my concerns are nothing to worry about.

 

You've been on the rum again haven't you mate?! 

 

Does anyone know anything about this Nick Draper character?  Is he a local who's come through the youth set-up or has he been released by someone else?

 

(I see Wikipedia has him down as English, but I don't know how reliable that is)

Born in Grimsby and was a youth keeper at Lincoln City in 2011. Not much else on t'internet but I believe we've signed him as U-20 keeper.

 

From my research he signed a two year youth contract in 2011 with Lincoln City. On the first of June he rejected a pro contract with them for unknown reasons and left the club along with backup keeper DavidPreece.

http://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/conference-premier-step-two/146/lincoln-city-loan-out-young-stopper/

this shows Nick Draper being loaned out to Sheffield FC

left the club along with backup keeper DavidPreece.

That the ex-dons player, if so I recall he was mince - hope he wasn't training the youth keepers

Here's the full squad numbers - 

 

1. Ryan Esson

2. David Raven

3. Graeme Shinnie

4. James Vincent

5. Gary Warren

6. Josh Meekings

7. Billy Mckay

8. Ross Draper

9. Richie Foran

10. Aaron Doran

11. Nick Ross

12. Dean Brill

14. Daniel Devine

15. Marley Watkins

16. Curtis Allen

17. Ben Greenhalgh

18. Harry Hooman*

19. Danny Williams

20. Liam Polworth

21. Conor Pepper

22. Matthew Cooper

31. Nick Draper

32. Jay Cheyne

33. Calum Holwarth

34. Jason Brown

35. Joe Gorman

36. Ryan Christie

37. Alasdair Sutherland

39. Calum Ferguson

40. Adam Evans

42. Callum Mackay

 

No 13, 18* or 23 onwards.  Presumably they'll go to Charlie Taylor (should he come back in) and a loanee from Arsenal (or anyone else who may be signed).  Not many surprises really from the first team squad, though Pepper changing from 22 to 21 seems a bit strange and likewise for Polworth (21 to 20).  I'd have thought Gorman, Christie, Ferguson and Evans would've had lower numbers as well.

 

* - I've stuck Harry Hooman in at 18 because it seems logical that that is his number, as he is missing from the list.  I'm also sure I've seen a photo of him in training with the number 18 on his gear.

Edited July 12, 201311 yr by Renegade

Here's the full squad numbers - 

 

1. Ryan Esson

2. David Raven

3. Graeme Shinnie

4. James Vincent

5. Gary Warren

6. Josh Meekings

7. Billy Mckay

8. Ross Draper

9. Richie Foran

10. Aaron Doran

11. Nick Ross

12. Dean Brill

14. Daniel Devine

15. Marley Watkins

16. Curtis Allen

17. Ben Greenhalgh

18. Harry Hooman*

19. Danny Williams

20. Liam Polworth

21. Conor Pepper

22. Matthew Cooper

31. Nick Draper

32. Jay Cheyne

33. Calum Holwarth

34. Jason Brown

35. Joe Gorman

36. Ryan Christie

37. Alasdair Sutherland

39. Calum Ferguson

40. Adam Evans

42. Callum Mackay

 

No 13, 18* or 23 onwards.  Presumably they'll go to Charlie Taylor (should he come back in) and a loanee from Arsenal (or anyone else who may be signed).  Not many surprises really from the first team squad, though Pepper changing from 22 to 21 seems a bit strange and likewise for Polworth (21 to 20).  I'd have thought Gorman, Christie, Ferguson and Evans would've had lower numbers as well.

 

* - I've stuck Harry Hooman in at 18 because it seems logical that that is his number, as he is missing from the list.  I'm also sure I've seen a photo of him in training with the number 18 on his gear.

*Cameron Mackay ** he is also a goalkeeper, will it be him or Draper that plays u20s

 

That also suggests that Gorman and Evans will be used for the u20s

Bad news for one of the new signings - Harry Hooman has left the club. He has had an injury plagued couple of seasons due to a metal plate in his foot! Unfortunately that injury has flaired up again in pre season and as a result has gone. However, apparently there is an agreement that if his injury gets better then he may re-join the club.

That'll be why he wasn't allocated a squad number then.

Players with numbers 31 and above are registered U20's....that's not to say that they aren't/won't be considered for the first team (quite the opposite), it's purely an administrative thing.

Players with numbers 31 and above are registered U20's....that's not to say that they aren't/won't be considered for the first team (quite the opposite), it's purely an administrative thing.

 

I heard that the way it works is that the number that player is for the under 20s is the number without the 3 - for example calum ferguson is number 39 so number 9 for the under 20s and Adams Evans is 40 so he is number 10 etc

Bad news for one of the new signings - Harry Hooman has left the club. He has had an injury plagued couple of seasons due to a metal plate in his foot! Unfortunately that injury has flaired up again in pre season and as a result has gone. However, apparently there is an agreement that if his injury gets better then he may re-join the club.

 

Does that mean another new signing is likely?

 

Bad news for one of the new signings - Harry Hooman has left the club. He has had an injury plagued couple of seasons due to a metal plate in his foot! Unfortunately that injury has flaired up again in pre season and as a result has gone. However, apparently there is an agreement that if his injury gets better then he may re-join the club.

 

Does that mean another new signing is likely?

 

 

Haven't heard about a new centre back coming in but i have heard that a new left back may be coming in. I was thinking that might be Charlie Taylor.

Presumably with Hooman offski already, Tremarco will take the number 18 jersey.

Put the players into what i reckon are their best friends despite a lot of them being very versatile. I would say looking at that the squad is looking really good and there are at least 2 or 3 decent line ups that can be made out of all the players.

 

Goalkeepers

Ryan Esson

Dean Brill

Nick Draper

Cameron Mackay

 

Right Backs

David Raven

Matthew Cooper

Jay Cheyne

 

Left Backs

Graeme Shinnie

Carl Tremarco

Calum Holwarth

 

Centre Backs

Gary Warren

Josh Meekings

Danny Devine

Jason Brown

Joe Gorman

 

Centre Midfielders

Richie Foran

Ross Draper

James Vincent

Liam Polworth

 

Right Midfielders

Marley Watkins

Conor Pepper

Ali Sutherland

 

Left Midfielders

Ben Greenhalgh

Danny Williams

Adam Evans

 

Attacking Midfielders

Aaron Doran

Nick Ross

Ryan Christie

 

Centre Forwards

Billy Mckay

Curtis Allen

Calum Ferguson