2016/17 Squad comparison to this season

[Tommy A]

So, with all the pronouncements that have come out of the club over the last couple of years - "Top 10 League 1 Budget", "Very Competitive budget", "Top half budget" and, most relevantly, "bounce back decisively", I thought I would compare and contrast our squad at the start of the season the last time we dropped to League 2 v this year.

At the start of the 2016/17 season we had 15!!! experienced pro's on the books, all presumably earning the going rate for their standing in the game:

                                       (SeniorApps
                                       at that point)
Craig Alcock         269
Luke McCullogh           91
Mathieu Baudry              173
Andy Butler         365
Aaron Taylor Sinclair      213
Frazer Richardson      324
Cedric Evina         123
Tommy Rowe         288
Matty Blair                 157
Paul Keegan         296
James Coppinger      600
Gary McSheffrey      467
John Marquis         145
Andy Williams         356
Dany Nguessen         234

In addition we signed on Loan : Niall Mason,Riccardo Calder,Jordan Houghton and Conor Grant

Others who played a significant number of games : Joe Wright, Marko Marosi,Harry Middleton,Liam Mandeville,Ian Lawlor


Compare that with this year:

Harrison Biggins              104
George Miller         156
Kyle Knoyle         186
Adam Clayton         412
Tom Anderson         237
Ro-Shaun Williams      113
Tommy Rowe         500
Jon Taylor                 365
Kieran Agard         345
Ben Close                 157

Ten players, of which 2 have since left, one has never been deemed good enough to play on a regular basis (Agard) and one who had only just reched the 100 appearnces mark and is now deemed too crap to play (Williams).

This says two things to me:

1. To say our aim is to "bounce back decisively" is absolute bullshit given the comparative strength of the squads.
2. The relative cost of the current playing squad and therefore the budget MUST be a fraction of that in 2016 despite what the club say.


Make up your own minds

[drfchound]

The last time we were relegated to L2 I looked at our squad and genuinely thought we would go straight back up.
It was full of experience and quality.
At the start of this season I genuinely thought we would be a mid table team this time around.

[normal rules]

Nothing at the end of last season @nd during close season gave me inspiration for this season. Where the points have come from up to this point is quite honestly remarkable, or just downright fortunate, with one or two xceptions (Grimsby game springs to mind)
We will end this season on a whimper. And the very big head@che the board, copps and DS have will roll straight into next season.

[Chris Black come back]

ATS, Evina and Alcock. The three horsemen of the defensive apocalypse.