Retained List

[jbc.shrimp]

As others surprised about Taylor. Does that open the door for a return of Lavelle.

Looks like a completely new midfield which is so badly needed.

Not sure about the goalkeeper. Think we need someone more confident.

Connor Ripley would be ideal.

Firstly is C.R. available, and then would he play for us in the National league when he didn't want to in league 2.

[Redalert1970]

No chance of Connor Ripley... He's better than national league

[black morse]

We need to submit a retained list to the FA by 1st June. Can we do that if we are unsure whether we have the budget to cover wages?

[redrobo]

No chance of Connor Ripley... He's better than national league

You never know.

There is a feeling that the top end of the National is better than the bottom half of the EFL.

He was on loan to Swindon for the second half of last season.

The way he greeted our fans and the way he embraced Baz and DA after the game suggests to me that he has a soft spot of our club as he said that it was MFC that made him fall back in love with football. The only obstacle could be wages. Travel from his Ribble Valley home is no problem.

Port Vale have retained his services for the coming season BUT I expect him to go out on a season long loan deal as he did for 6 months at Swindon.

[Keith]

There is a feeling that the top end of the National is better than the bottom half of the EFL.

I agree, so why would he come on loan to a bottom half of the National League side???

Seriously, not a hope of Connor returning to us. If going on loan again, it will be a League Two side, not least because they can afford the wages, but also, he'd be wanting to put himself in the shop window.

[redrobo]

There is a feeling that the top end of the National is better than the bottom half of the EFL.

I agree, so why would he come on loan to a bottom half of the National League side???

Seriously, not a hope of Connor returning to us. If going on loan again, it will be a League Two side, not least because they can afford the wages, but also, he'd be wanting to put himself in the shop window.

So no confidence that we will be in the top half before we even get started......brilliant...

[deadorred70]

Ripley offered contract by Swindon,after loan spell.

[twosheds]

No chance of Connor Ripley... He's better than national league

You never know.

There is a feeling that the top end of the National is better than the bottom half of the EFL.

He was on loan to Swindon for the second half of last season.

The way he greeted our fans and the way he embraced Baz and DA after the game suggests to me that he has a soft spot of our club as he said that it was MFC that made him fall back in love with football. The only obstacle could be wages. Travel from his Ribble Valley home is no problem.

Port Vale have retained his services for the coming season BUT I expect him to go out on a season long loan deal as he did for 6 months at Swindon.

I know for a fact that Connor Ripley lives just down the road from our tunnel supervisor, and neither of them live in the Ribble Valley.

[redrobo]

Lived in Cltherie area when he was last with us. Sounds as though he has moved so if I'm wrong my apologies.

Can't the club employ a local man as tunnel supervisor. Look to be cutting costs.

[Westgate Wanderer]

If he joined us on loan he would be in the shop window with all the saves he's likely to be making!

[Keith]

There is a feeling that the top end of the National is better than the bottom half of the EFL.

So no confidence that we will be in the top half before we even get started......brilliant...

You genuinely believe that if we'd escaped the drop this season, we'd be top half of League Two next season?

We were fourteen points from safety.
We were twenty-seven points away from a top half finish.
We would have needed DOUBLE our points total in order to claim the last play-off spot.

Accepting your comment that the top end of the National League is better than the bottom half of League Two, and with a smaller budget than last season, you are correct, I don't think we have a hope in hell of finishing in the top half of the National League! If we manage 15th, it will have been a good season. Anything above relegation will be acceptable.

[redrobo]

I wasn't aware that the budget had been made public....

So pure speculation that it will be lower.......

Never thought Keith would be a gloom and doom merchant but that is what recent posts suggest.

[Redalert1970]

I've heard the budget is going to be similar to last season

We are in a better place player wise than last season

Top 10 for me as I'm remaining positive

[redrobo]

I've heard the budget is going to be similar to last season

We are in a better place player wise than last season

Top 10 for me as I'm remaining positive

Most definitely and a promotion play off......

[black morse]

I've heard the budget is going to be similar to last season

We are in a better place player wise than last season

Top 10 for me as I'm remaining positive

Most definitely and a promotion play off......

Not flying pigs time then.....flying elephants!

[Redalert1970]

Let's see what the new season brings

We have got promoted with small budgets before so who knows

[Keith]

I wasn't aware that the budget had been made public....

So pure speculation that it will be lower.......

If the budget for next season, is higher than last season, I would be questioning why Derek wasn't given money to invest while we were still a Football League club. Why wait until we're relegated [again] before investing in the team? With greatly reduced income, how on earth would the budget remain the same? And Derek said the budget last season was 'bottom half' of the National League.

Never thought Keith would be a gloom and doom merchant but that is what recent posts suggest.

A cynic is an optimist with experience.

I'm mixing reality with positivity in simply thinking we may avoid relegation to National League North. I really hope I'm wrong, and we have a fantastic season, and end up bouncing back to the Football League. I also hope we have a new owner sometime soon (next two weeks?) Unfortunately, I don't expect either.

[marky No.1]

Can't the club employ a local man as tunnel supervisor. Look to be cutting costs.

I heard your mate the supervisor say he was off to Everton next season, what a difference in surroundings that will be

[Little Shrimp]

Unless some Hollywood owners suddenly burst onto the scene and buy the club in the next few weeks, I don't think we're signing Connor Ripley. In terms of decent keepers for the level, I think Paul Farman could be a feasible option.

And Derek said the budget last season was 'bottom half' of the National League.

I don't think this is true - I'm fairly sure he said it was around 10th in the National League.

But I do think it's fair to say that the budget definitely will be cut this coming season, which the board have alluded to. To what degree is hard to say, although it sounded like the cut wouldn't be too horrendous and would still leave us around mid-table (maybe just in the bottom half), and importantly not a bottom four budget.

If that is the case and is followed through on, then I'd expect us to be ok next season and maybe even have half a chance of sneaking into the playoffs. However given the past couple of years, it would probably be unwise to assume that everything will run smoothly as promised.

[twosheds]

Can't the club employ a local man as tunnel supervisor. Look to be cutting costs.

I heard your mate the supervisor say he was off to Everton next season, what a difference in surroundings that will be

Yep...Pete is off to Everton next season. Used to enjoy having a good natter with him before the games at The Mazuma....

[KenH]

I wasn't aware that the budget had been made public....

So pure speculation that it will be lower.......

Never thought Keith would be a gloom and doom merchant but that is what recent posts suggest.

It's common sense. Where is the extra money coming from to maintain or improve the playing budget?

1. NIC has risen which will cost the company thousands if not tens of thousands.
2. Due to relegation and NAPM, attendances WILL be lower, season ticket sales WILL be lower.
3. If Jason has available money, it makes no sense that he'd give it to the club now when he didn't give it to Derek in January to improve the squad and avoid relegation.
4. Fewer accessible away matches so share of ticket sales for away games WILL be lower.

Any suggestion that Derek's budget will be higher is pie in the sky and simply not borne out by reality.

If anyone within the club is saying Derek is getting a higher budget, they're pulling your leg. It's not the same person who told you the sale was going to be completed in two weeks (several weeks ago) was it?

[BerlinWaller]

I wasn't aware that the budget had been made public....

So pure speculation that it will be lower.......

Never thought Keith would be a gloom and doom merchant but that is what recent posts suggest.

It's common sense. Where is the extra money coming from to maintain or improve the playing budget?

1. NIC has risen which will cost the company thousands if not tens of thousands.
2. Due to relegation and NAPM, attendances WILL be lower, season ticket sales WILL be lower.
3. If Jason has available money, it makes no sense that he'd give it to the club now when he didn't give it to Derek in January to improve the squad and avoid relegation.
4. Fewer accessible away matches so share of ticket sales for away games WILL be lower.

Any suggestion that Derek's budget will be higher is pie in the sky and simply not borne out by reality.

If anyone within the club is saying Derek is getting a higher budget, they're pulling your leg. It's not the same person who told you the sale was going to be completed in two weeks (several weeks ago) was it?

On top of all that, how many sponsorship deals are ending? I think the Mazuma deal runs out this summer and we have struggled to give away the shirt sponsorship in L2 so god knows how they will sort it for the NL.

Is there a Gala night this summer?