The signings of Male, Pybus and Carter have been great additions to the team no question (although two glaring misses by Carter have been costly).  The worrying thing about recruitment is the number of players signed but not been given a decent chance.  Suggests that the scouting is not up to scratch or patience is very thin. Would like to see Fuller and Craig stay at the club and help with the coaching- they are both terrific role models and leaders - but younger legs are now surely a must. 

I would argue that the signings made this season have comfortably been our best players. We made a few iffy signings in the first half of last season but since then I would say recruitment has been pretty good. The only complaint is that I feel we needed more signings.

In no particular order, our best players this season have been:

1. Harrison Male - New signing this season

2. Tom Blair - New signing this season

3. Josh Taylor

4. Charlie Carter - New signing this season

5. Dan Pybus - New signing this season

6. Jason Prior - New signing late last season

7. George Francomb - New signing late last season

8. Tony Craig - New signing late last season

9. Haydn Hollis - New signing this season

10. James McShane

The majority all signed in the last 12-14 months. 

@calvertskans 

Yes good signings there. However the same cannot be said of the signings we made when we first went up at the beginning of the 22-23 season...

Adam Mekki- Bombed out after being left on the bench and barely ever played for us.

Davide Rodari- On loan and given game time but then let go. 

Jack Jebb- Given a lot of game time initially but then found wanting and let go. 

Alfie Eagan- Looked like a good signing but was then frozen out and sold. 

Daniel Quick- Never deemed good enough and ultimately frozen out and sold. 

No one we signed during that June-Sept 2022 period is still at the club...Correct me if I am wrong (I may have missed someone)

Ultimately the team survived that season based on Signings from Jan to March of 2023. 

Perhaps it is this terrible transfer window that is costing us now?

@jacksonfairweather Rodari was a loan for the end of the NLS season when Briggs got injured. He was never around when we were in the NL. Dan Quick was also only a loan, not a permanent transfer.

Bowerman was signed in Sept '22 but I agree that Mekki/Egan/Jebb were poor signings. I think the small turnaround from the playoff final to the start of the NL season was mostly responsible for the lack of quality signings (although we did sign Seager in this period). I was always surprised we didn't sign a defender in that Summer though considering how many goals we conceded in the NLS.

I think Marc's ethos is, and has been, one of sticking with and developing existing players, and improving them as we rise through the divisions. Obviously this has got harder and harder to do, but I do like this approach, as it's one of the things that makes this club so special.

The flip side is that there will inevitably and eventually lead to players reaching their limit (although some, like James McShane have show it's possible to keep rising up the divisions with one club).

I really wouldn't want us to become just another 'high turnover' club - like, for instance, Aldershot over the past seasons. But it does put pressure on the signings to be good ones, and for the signings to work if there are not that many of them. 

One interesting thing was the front line against Chesterfield contained 3 players who've been Wanderers for a number of years - Briggs, Prior and Rutherford. Add in James McShane, Barry Fuller, as well as arguably Jimmy Muitt and McManus (MoM Saturday) and you have a good core of players who have shown they can perform at NL level, albeit too many with injuries and age against them.

Let's just hope that the loyalty, whilst very admirable, doesn't become blind. But I doubt Marc's hunger for success would allow that.

I agree with both Jackson and Tom in part. Some of our signings have been good, and some not so good. I agree we probably should have signed a few more players - definitely a striker to replace Seager could have made a difference when our strikers were injured, and perhaps a defender or winger on loan again when we had injury problems. However,  would you loan one of your players to us considering our pitch?

If we stay up, retained list will depend partly on our financial position and whether we are part or full-time. If we are in a similar position to this season, I think we will retain more players than if we have new investors/go full-time. I think that Marc has realised that recruits at this level need more than "the Wanderers mentality" so hopefully there will be less poorer signings next year. We have had a few recently that have been lauded as a great one for signing by Marc and then loaned out most of the season (Egan, Jebb and Kuhl for example)

The Kuhl situation is still really odd to me as he always looked a good player whenever he played. He had one really poor game against Horsham and that was suddenly the end of him.

He's been excellent for Farnborough this season and i've seen loads of fans of rival NL clubs (including Yeovil) want him at their club next season. He should definitely be in our plans for next season if Luke Moore were to leave at the end of the season.

@calvertskans Agreed. Here's a short clip of him a couple of years back

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhfJ4edrMgs

Also, I'd rather move away from the model of just loaning out unwanted players indefinitely. I really don't see the point of having Jebb out on loan for the last 18 months. Considering Havant paid us for Seager, could we not have just asked for a small amount for Jebb as well? 

Farnborough apparently got 40k for Pavey, could they not have paid us an amount for Kuhl if he isn't in the long term plans at Dorking?

Feel like we should only loan players for development and fitness reasons (excluding goalkeepers as I understand the Huk loans).

Posted by: @calvertskans

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Also, I'd rather move away from the model of just loaning out unwanted players indefinitely. I really don't see the point of having Jebb out on loan for the last 18 months. Considering Havant paid us for Seager, could we not have just asked for a small amount for Jebb as well? 

Farnborough apparently got 40k for Pavey, could they not have paid us an amount for Kuhl if he isn't in the long term plans at Dorking?

Feel like we should only loan players for development and fitness reasons (excluding goalkeepers as I understand the Huk loans).

From what I understand from speaking to a family member of Jebb's, he would have dragged his heels over a permanent move to Havant as he felt he was too good for the NLS.

He was probably on more money than Havant would want to afford as well - I should imagine they aren't paying his full wages.

Jebb was difficult to get off the books, basically.

Marc likes Aaron Kuhl as a person though so I should imagine the situation is a little different.

@smr Interesting that he now barely starts for a relegation threatened NLS side 😬

With our relegation now confirmed how does this affect the retained list?

I would retain the following next season, however clearly the likes of Carter and Male will have their admirers. Therefore, if someone offers a fee for either then I assume it would be under consideration?

Clearly we also need to be thinking ahead here to 2 season time, and what a likely squad would look like in the NLP. 

As has been proven this season in NLP, its a young mans game and a young mans league. You simply cannot accommodate so many boys over 30 and over 35 in a league as punishing physically as the NLP. 

Retained (16)

Harrison Male

Bobby Joe Taylor

Tony Craig

George Francombe

Dan Pybus

James McShane

Charlie Carter

Josh Taylor

Tom Blair

Matt Briggs

Alfie Rutherford

Haydn Hollis

Jimmy Muitt

Aaron Kuhl 

Dan Gallagher

Seb Bowerman

Release (8)

Isaac Philipott

Callum Kennedy

Barry Fuller

Niall McManus

Luke Moore

Jack Jebb

Jason Prior

Harry Ottaway

Jackson generally agree with what you say but some of the retained have been injury prone this year.  Hopefully, they will be fit enough to play at lower level. I would also give Craig a part-time role in the Management side. 

I think Philpott and Prior could have something to give at this lower level.

I think the squad needs strengthening all areas, particularly up front. Need fit younger levels whi can play at NLS level or above. It is a concern we have 3 recovering from ACL injuries.

Will be interesting to see who Marc let's go/retains and recruits. Feel more may be released as squad needs a total overhaul.

Marc mentioned in the post-match interview yesterday that he would only be looking to bring in 2-3 new additions which suggests not many leaving...

I think Philpot has shown in this end of season cameo that he could do a job still in the NLS for us so I would keep him. I would be surprised if both Prior and Ottaway go, I can only see one of them going at most. McManus will stay as well I reckon.

Agree with points. However surprised Marc only thinks he needs 2-3 players . I would say we need at least another, RB, CB and LB to cover for injuries, and to add a bit of youth to defence. We also need one possibly two strikers depending on injuries, and who is staying. A strong central midfielder, and a reserve keeper plus possibly a winger (they keep getting injured).

Marc said he realised he relied on a too small squad this season, underestimated the task of staying of up, and did not use the loan market as well as he could. Hopefully these mistakes won't be repeated next season. Will be interesting to see who is let go next month.