Squad Status Summary

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Thought Lee Vaughan was fairly decent?

Thanks Sub. Didn't realise Stockton was still under contract. The squad nucleus is very much there but clearly lacking in a few areas. Hardly just the 4 players under contract that some were asserting.

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TranmereFan
Thought Lee Vaughan was fairly decent?

I doubt we will find anyone much better tbh. Would be fairly high on my priority list for re-signing.

6 players in the squad are youth players. How many of them would be ready to play in the first team sub? I'm asking you because you have watched the youth. Do you think they could play now ?

Every ball is a white ball............TRFC

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tranmerepete
6 players in the squad are youth players. How many of them would be ready to play in the first team sub? I'm asking you because you have watched the youth. Do you think they could play now ?

Whilst I'm a big believer in giving youth players a fair crack it's difficult to say really. I think the second year pros (Duggan, Pilling and Gumbs) would definitely be worth a go having spent last season on loan in various places and gaining much needed experience.

Gumbs in particular is very good as is Pilling but it's obviously a bit different for Luke as he is a Keeper and is fighting Davies (and Turner) for a place.

The three new pros (Illesanmi, Omotola and Askew) are all great players but I'd say some experience elsewhere (as with Gumbs etc last season) might be of benefit to both Tranmere and them in the first instance!

That said though, two of those guys are strikers which we all know is something we need ahead of next season so I guess it's a case of see what pre-season brings!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016:05:23:09:27:49 by Deadly Submarine.

I didn't realise kirby was still in contract, bonus!

Is Gumbs the ginger lad ?

Every ball is a white ball............TRFC

No Gumbs isn't Ginger - can't think who you mean there - I'll have a think who it might be!

This is very helpful, deadly! It gives us all the full picture of who we don't need to worry about and who look likely to be on the way (Jennings maybe??).

It also is a reminder that in terms of our transfer dealings, the club can pick up out of contract players now and report on that. But any interest in contracted players will probably stay under wraps for a bit longer.

Do you use a website to get this information??

He played in the marine game he had curly hair light ginger/brown in the centre.

Every ball is a white ball............TRFC

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tranmerepete
He played in the marine game he had curly hair light ginger/brown in the centre.

If he was in centre mid it was probably Kevin Cringle who was a 1st year scholar in the season just gone!

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Kenny_Crons
This is very helpful, deadly! It gives us all the full picture of who we don't need to worry about and who look likely to be on the way (Jennings maybe??).
It also is a reminder that in terms of our transfer dealings, the club can pick up out of contract players now and report on that. But any interest in contracted players will probably stay under wraps for a bit longer.

Do you use a website to get this information??

The information came mainly through Googling players names and reading articles going back to when they signed or re-signed for Rovers!

Hopefully it's fully accurate but if anyone knows any different on anything let me know and I'll amend for next time it's published (next week if there are changes to add!)

Very interesting info. Didn't realise Cole Stockton was with us for another season, let's hope he comes good, I know he's had a lot of stick. This will be his make or break season.

I still think there is potential in Cole Stockton. It can't be easy for a young lad stuck in the middle of a club sliding down the leagues with legions of players coming and going as managers try to dig the club out of the latest predicament. For him to be of any benefit though, he needs to play as part of a front two; if GB is going to go with a lone striker I fear he might be looking at another season out on loan.

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mini_andy
I didn't realise kirby was still in contract, bonus!

''Signed a new two-year contract extension in the summer of 2014 and is now in contract until the end of the 2016/17 season.''

Summer of 2014 + 2 years =summer of 2016? Was that two years on top of the previous contract?

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Hoots Mon

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mini_andy
I didn't realise kirby was still in contract, bonus!

''Signed a new two-year contract extension in the summer of 2014 and is now in contract until the end of the 2016/17 season.''

Summer of 2014 + 2 years =summer of 2016? Was that two years on top of the previous contract?

Yeah it was. Should have explained that properly but was trying to keep the info brief on each one! I did use the word extension but that doesn't really explain it sorry!

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Deadly Submarine

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Hoots Mon

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mini_andy
I didn't realise kirby was still in contract, bonus!

''Signed a new two-year contract extension in the summer of 2014 and is now in contract until the end of the 2016/17 season.''

Summer of 2014 + 2 years =summer of 2016? Was that two years on top of the previous contract?

Yeah it was. Should have explained that properly but was trying to keep the info brief on each one! I did use the word extension but that doesn't really explain it sorry!

Need to use CAPITALS Sub. Lol.

I've used Capitals on each line of the story anyway haha!!

Rather light on strikers and we know how important goals are in this league

What about the two imminent signings that we will all be pleased with?

How imminent is imminent? Probably waiting for some stikers to put weight on.

A lot of work to be done then in the summer, very few senior players on contract from last season and a couple who were frozen out in amongst those.

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Doogie'sGhost
Thanks Sub. Didn't realise Stockton was still under contract. The squad nucleus is very much there but clearly lacking in a few areas. Hardly just the 4 players under contract that some were asserting.

With Davis signing, looks like 5 first team player to me

What about Jeff Hughes deadly. I liked him thought he was a good player

Hughes was only on loan so those players haven't been counted in here but I'd take him back if we could for sure!

Someone at the Q&A last night also pointed out to me that Jack Mackreth who wasn't a loan signing, was omitted from the above so he has been added along with Andy Cook to the next update of this which goes out next week!

How many first team players do they have, we seem very light to me, I've seen a quote on here saying another 5 in will be dandy but by my math that makes a starting 11, we surely need 20 pros (no youth) in a squad with 12 or 13 good ones, with over 50 matches.

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Higgosboots
How many first team players do they have, we seem very light to me, I've seen a quote on here saying another 5 in will be dandy but by my math that makes a starting 11, we surely need 20 pros (no youth) in a squad with 12 or 13 good ones, with over 50 matches.

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Goalkeepers:
Iain Turner: IN CONTRACT

Luke Pilling: IN CONTRACT

Scott Davies: IN CONTRACT



Defenders:

Evan Gumbs: IN CONTRACT

Ritchie Sutton: IN CONTRACT

Steve McNulty: IN CONTRACT



Midfielders:

Daren Askew: IN CONTRACT

Jake Kirby: IN CONTRACT

Jay Harris: IN CONTRACT

Lois Maynard: IN CONTRACT

Mitch Duggan: IN CONTRACT



Strikers:

Cole Stockton: IN CONTRACT

James Norwood: IN CONTRACT

Sam Illesanmi: IN CONTRACT

Tolani Omotola: IN CONTRACT

So I make it 20 Pro's with another 5.

Plus we're still waiting to hear if Iheikwe & Mekki have re-signed which could push us to 22 pro's

if as speculated, Sutton does leave and iheikwe doesn't sign, we will need the other 5 signings to be defenders. then what about the midfield? that needs some strength surely. maybe 2 extra,also back up for Cook and Norwood, as it would appear Cole wont get a look in again. Maybe deadly can advise if the young ones could step up to the mark, but its a big ask if we want to be up top. I'd like to see another 8/9 signings including Iheikwe and Mekks. Mekki a must, but I know he was not impressed at the end of the season as he had not been offered a contract at that time.

I was under the impression Mekki's contract had been until the end of the season with an option of another year, and that we have merely offered him that option?

Mekki warrants an extension but it would not be he end of the world if he left. I liked his effort but the end product could be disappointing

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Paz

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Higgosboots
How many first team players do they have, we seem very light to me, I've seen a quote on here saying another 5 in will be dandy but by my math that makes a starting 11, we surely need 20 pros (no youth) in a squad with 12 or 13 good ones, with over 50 matches.

Quote:

Goalkeepers:
Iain Turner: IN CONTRACT

Luke Pilling: IN CONTRACT

Scott Davies: IN CONTRACT



Defenders:

Evan Gumbs: IN CONTRACT

Ritchie Sutton: IN CONTRACT

Steve McNulty: IN CONTRACT



Midfielders:

Daren Askew: IN CONTRACT

Jake Kirby: IN CONTRACT

Jay Harris: IN CONTRACT

Lois Maynard: IN CONTRACT

Mitch Duggan: IN CONTRACT



Strikers:

Cole Stockton: IN CONTRACT

James Norwood: IN CONTRACT

Sam Illesanmi: IN CONTRACT

Tolani Omotola: IN CONTRACT

So I make it 20 Pro's with another 5.

Plus we're still waiting to hear if Iheikwe & Mekki have re-signed which could push us to 22 pro's

That's with 1/2nd year pros (youths) though, and some frozen out ones, I was thinking more first team squad players, should have been more clear.

Looking at the list, surely you would start with:1 of GK (given I know), with Sutton situation 1 of the defence, 2 of the mid and 2 fronts. That's only 6 players that I would feel confident with. That said I don't know why, but I do have faith in GB to get it right this season. Would just like it sorted quick, so we only had 4 first team players available at the start of the summer doesn't become an excuse if heaven forbid it goes west.

Well we have Andy Cook now, so that's 2 starting strikers with Cole, Sam or Tol on the bench.

I'm confident with all 3 keepers.

Sutton & McNulty (so far) would be my starting center back pairing and I'd be fine with Gumbs playing too after the season he had last term. Just need 2 more for me (hopefully Iheikwe re-sings) to either start or at least 1 starter & a backup.

Kirby, Harris, Maynard & Duggan/Askew are an acceptable starting midfield for me, although I do admit 1 or 2 more would be nice.

On that, I'd say 5 new faces would be about right.

We simply can't afford to carry a big squad "just in case".

If I get the time (which seems unlikely at the moment) I was hoping to have a 'Player Profiles' section on the site for next season.

I was hoping this would include the information above about length of contracts etc as more of a permanent reminder which is more accessible throughout the season than trying to dig out this article.....

...unless there are any volunteers to write profiles in which case just get in touch. I've started a few but haven't got very far!

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Paz
Well we have Andy Cook now, so that's 2 starting strikers with Cole, Sam or Tol on the bench.
I'm confident with all 3 keepers.

Sutton & McNulty (so far) would be my starting center back pairing and I'd be fine with Gumbs playing too after the season he had last term. Just need 2 more for me (hopefully Iheikwe re-sings) to either start or at least 1 starter & a backup.

Kirby, Harris, Maynard & Duggan/Askew are an acceptable starting midfield for me, although I do admit 1 or 2 more would be nice.

On that, I'd say 5 new faces would be about right.

We simply can't afford to carry a big squad "just in case".

Agree Paz. We can't carry too big a squad. It seems far more sensible to leave an emergency kitty in place for later strengthening, loans, etc just in case, rather than recruiting too many players just to be part of the squad. 5 or 6 quality players rather than 10 average ones please.

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DevonExile
Mekki warrants an extension but it would not be he end of the world if he left. I liked his effort but the end product could be disappointing

+1

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Hoots Mon

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DevonExile
Mekki warrants an extension but it would not be he end of the world if he left. I liked his effort but the end product could be disappointing

+1

I agree as well but had a few posters having a dig at me earlier in the season for suggesting it!

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Deadly Submarine

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Hoots Mon

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DevonExile
Mekki warrants an extension but it would not be he end of the world if he left. I liked his effort but the end product could be disappointing

+1

I agree as well but had a few posters having a dig at me earlier in the season for suggesting it!

Not me Sub. I agree completely, so that's 4 of us so far!

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Doogie'sGhost

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Paz
Well we have Andy Cook now, so that's 2 starting strikers with Cole, Sam or Tol on the bench.
I'm confident with all 3 keepers.

Sutton & McNulty (so far) would be my starting center back pairing and I'd be fine with Gumbs playing too after the season he had last term. Just need 2 more for me (hopefully Iheikwe re-sings) to either start or at least 1 starter & a backup.

Kirby, Harris, Maynard & Duggan/Askew are an acceptable starting midfield for me, although I do admit 1 or 2 more would be nice.

On that, I'd say 5 new faces would be about right.

We simply can't afford to carry a big squad "just in case".

Agree Paz. We can't carry too big a squad. It seems far more sensible to leave an emergency kitty in place for later strengthening, loans, etc just in case, rather than recruiting too many players just to be part of the squad. 5 or 6 quality players rather than 10 average ones please.

''Emergency loan deals have been scrapped ahead of the 2016/17 season meaning that no squad reinforcements will be able to take place outside of the two transfer windows.''

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Doogie'sGhost

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Deadly Submarine

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Hoots Mon

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DevonExile
Mekki warrants an extension but it would not be he end of the world if he left. I liked his effort but the end product could be disappointing

+1

I agree as well but had a few posters having a dig at me earlier in the season for suggesting it!

Not me Sub. I agree completely, so that's 4 of us so far!

But hopefully a full season under his belt could improve him. If this was the case he could be a real player for us.

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Doogie'sGhost

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Deadly Submarine

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Hoots Mon

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DevonExile
Mekki warrants an extension but it would not be he end of the world if he left. I liked his effort but the end product could be disappointing

+1

I agree as well but had a few posters having a dig at me earlier in the season for suggesting it!

Not me Sub. I agree completely, so that's 4 of us so far!

But hopefully a full season under his belt could improve him. If this was the case he could be a real player for us.

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Paz
Well we have Andy Cook now, so that's 2 starting strikers with Cole, Sam or Tol on the bench.
I'm confident with all 3 keepers.

Sutton & McNulty (so far) would be my starting center back pairing and I'd be fine with Gumbs playing too after the season he had last term. Just need 2 more for me (hopefully Iheikwe re-sings) to either start or at least 1 starter & a backup.

Kirby, Harris, Maynard & Duggan/Askew are an acceptable starting midfield for me, although I do admit 1 or 2 more would be nice.

On that, I'd say 5 new faces would be about right.

We simply can't afford to carry a big squad "just in case".

In my humble opinion, I would NOT be satisfied with this at all.

Firstly, I would not consider that as an acceptable midfield. If Kirby was not still under contract, I think he would (and should) have been released. I accept Harris yes, but I am still to be convinced by Maynard and would see him as a backup CM at best.

As for the young players, that's a big question mark to see whether they can step up to first team football and be good enough to produce a promotion side. They should get a chance to play, and maybe going out on loan is an option, but I don't think we should be relying on them as regular starters. Its nice in theory "giving the young players a chance", but can we afford another season in the National League?

We need an experienced CM to fill Jennings (if he goes) boots as captain: someone like Nicky Wroe of Halifax would do nicely. And we need convincing wingers like Mekki (hope he stays) and Dawson.

I would also want to bolster the defence with another experienced CB, full backs and if Ikiewe goes, replace him with a player of a similar ilk.

And we need another experienced striker - perhaps someone who could offer a different dimension to what we've got at the moment, such as the pace and flair of Akinola of Braintree.

I agree with the sentiment of not carrying a big squad, but we don't want a thin squad topped up with rash loan signing either...

''Emergency loan deals have been scrapped ahead of the 2016/17 season meaning that no squad reinforcements will be able to take place outside of the two transfer windows.''


I would like somebody like Danny Rowe of Macclesfield rather than our current 'wingers'.

Have to agree about comments made about Maynard, never actually seen anything to make me want to watch him every week.

To be fair to Maynard he didn't get too much of chance and when he did he was quite often out of position!

His position really is centre midfield where he rarely played!

Wouldnt pay to watch him though. I could do better with a full lenght mirror of my Gran (arkward)

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Deadly Submarine
To be fair to Maynard he didn't get too much of chance and when he did he was quite often out of position!
His position really is centre midfield where he rarely played!

+1.

Think Maynard could well come good. He was player of the season at Halifax wasn't he chipping in with a few goals whilst there. Not a winger though we're he featured mainly last year.
Mekki worth a chance but needs to up his game often poor delivery and goes down to easily for my liking, 110% effort though

If we ended up picking from Kirby, Mekki, Mackreth, Hughes, Maynard and Harris that wouldn't be a bad situation to be in.

i dont know if anyone has watched the video of norwoods 21 goals as of yet, but i was pleasantly surprised at how often maynard was the creator of his chances

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Deadly Submarine
To be fair to Maynard he didn't get too much of chance and when he did he was quite often out of position!
His position really is centre midfield where he rarely played!

Agree

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jade-trfc
i dont know if anyone has watched the video of norwoods 21 goals as of yet, but i was pleasantly surprised at how often maynard was the creator of his chances

^^^^
This.

I'll admit that he can seem to go missing at times, but the overall work he did even though not playing in his preferred/natural position was good in my opinion.

As much as its nice to see the youngsters be given a chance, right now, I wouldn't rate that midfield. Kirby is alright but didn't set the world alight last season! What I love to see is packet wingers who can float balls in all day long! Who knows what the season holds for us! We have to get some players in who are experienced and can do a job!

There are a number of player in the list, like Maynard, who GB would not pick last season for a reason. What that reason is only GB know. So what will change next season? That's why we need more players

Connor Jennings ex Wrexham captain I can now say is definitely confirmed with us on a 2 year contract.Official announcement soon.

Good signing IMO only 23 years loads energy and can be played as either out and out forward or forward playing midfielder. Jennings for Jennings then ? We missed out on his brother James who could ignore lure of league football with Cheltenham . Cook & Jennings replace Higdon / GTF is a statement of intent IMO. Well done Tranmere. SWA

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Goal Attack
Connor Jennings ex Wrexham captain I can now say is definitely confirmed with us on a 2 year contract.Official announcement soon.
Good signing IMO only 23 years loads energy and can be played as either out and out forward or forward playing midfielder. Jennings for Jennings then ? We missed out on his brother James who could ignore lure of league football with Cheltenham . Cook & Jennings replace Higdon / GTF is a statement of intent IMO. Well done Tranmere. SWA

Agree that this is definitely a statement of intent.

Jennings, Norwood & Cook going forwards now. And seeing the work Nors is putting in already, I can see our attack being VERY strong this time around.

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Deadly Submarine
To be fair to Maynard he didn't get too much of chance and when he did he was quite often out of position!
His position really is centre midfield where he rarely played!

Yep, i said this all season,

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aktrfc
There are a number of player in the list, like Maynard, who GB would not pick last season for a reason. What that reason is only GB know. So what will change next season? That's why we need more players

I think especially with Maynard their may have been an element of using him as cover in our weaker positions especially as we were midfield heavy.

Slightly controversial suggestion this, but Hull released Ryan Taylor. He didn't play much for them, but I'm thinking if he was given a trial he may be able to prove himself as having something to offer.

It would mean asking him to play 3 divisions lower down, but being 31 and not with a weight issue, he might have the potential to come good and I would think he's someone who still has a lot of regard for the club, so if he came in, trained and played a couple of matches in pre-season, maybe he'd be worth a shot, if he was willing to accept he'd be lucky to get more than £1,000 a week.

I don't think all ex-players are an answer to recruitment, but being open-minded I don't see it as fair to write them all off and assume they offer nothing.

I suspect his ex-team mate Shola Ameobi who Fleetwood just released would want a bigger club than Tranmere even at 34, so I think he'd be a bit pricey.

Then I ate his Liver.......... with some baked beans and a can of coke.

Think it's a little bit a low division for Taylor at 31 ?

I'd take Ryan Taylor back, definitely.

But agree with TranmereFan, I think it's too big of a drop for him

It depends on how many clubs are willing to take him, as he's had his issues recently and Hull played him 4 times, so that won't make him too appealing to championship clubs perhaps, but I agree it's not a strong likelihood, but then despite the modest output last season from Taylor-fletcher, his recent history before that would have suggested a bit of a coup when signed, but whether Taylor would represent a coup, or a kind of okay but nothing special signing, would only be known after a few starts.

Would be a potentially great signing, but 3 divisions might be a problem for him and even if he could get £2,000 a week, it's not in Tranmere's current remit to pay that for people I'm sure, unless Palios splashed out on someone who was seen as better than £2,000 a week and he was getting, by NL standards, someone worthy of being classed as possibly the best player in the NL by Christmas.

Then I ate his Liver.......... with some baked beans and a can of coke.