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We didn’t last year. Turned out well didnt it?

Sick of every team looking way better than us. Release as many as we can and sack MM as this has been a disgrace. We made the mistake last season keeping Unsy, giving him a summer and hands on recruitment. It will end in tears with Mellon. Lets get as clean a slate as we can and go from there.

He needs sacking, as do half the team. MM has to go though, ASAP.

He wants out, clear as day.

Reckon Mikey and Green might be on a bit more. Mikey signed a new contract last season probably with a decent pay rise and Green was offered a deal to extend last summer on more money (you would assume). Still though your point stands - can’t see them lot saving any more than 9/10k ish a week. It’s shifting a few of the 2025 lot that will free up some wages. I could see us paying Reid off next week or coming to some kind of deal. I think a team will take a chance on Willoughby. Rumour is Chester are keen for a perm move. The others…who knows! I think Green has an option, I could see Mellon taking that up you know

I think the playing staff wage bill is around 2m isn’t it? I believe the budget was 1.7m but has increased as the season went on. There’s no way our wage bill was/is 30k a week for 30+ senior players. I imagine we’re paying majority of Dallas’ wage, between him Norwood Nuttall and Garner there’s probably 12-13k a week there alone

Don’t shoot the messenger but a Tranmere fan who’s very ITK their side who I’m pally with reckons we are well in for 2 of their players and may have deals agreed in principle already for summer.

I’m sure he was told we are much better than we are, but let’s not kid ourselves. He’s here because we offered more money than he was on at Barnsley, on a longer deal, closer to home. Not becsuse he was told we’re half decent and might win the NL

Maybe - he’s clearly not thrilled to be here. It’s the wages though, who would pay it or get close? Maybe a Salford? He lives in Manchester so can’t see him venturing too far unless he REALLY hates it.

This is the first team squad signed up for next season if we don’t extend any 2024 lads and send all loans back: First Team Squad 1. Magnus Norman (2025) 13. Matt Hudson (2025) 3. Mark Kitching (2025) 4. Liam Hogan (2025) 5. Shaun Hobson (2025) 16. Charlie Raglan (2025) 21. Will Sutton (2025) 6. Mark Shelton (2025) 8. Josh Lundstram (2025) 11. Dan Ward (2025) 14. Nathan Sheron (2025) 26. Oliver Hammond (2025) 32. Tom Conlon (2026) 7. Kurt Willoughby (2025) 10. Joe Nuttall (2025) 25. Alex Reid (2025) 30. James Norwood (2025 plus option) 24. Joe Garner (2025) Have to try and get rid of some of this lot. Reckon a team will take a punt on Willoughby but the rest will be tough. Can see us paying off a couple, maybe Reid and Shelton

The players have let us down and let’s be honest some simply aren’t as good as we thought/hoped. However, MM has a LOT to answer for with us not even making the play offs. 3 points off when he came in, now 5 off despite even more investment. I thought I saw somewhat of a plan early doors but since late January it’s all been rather shit and bizarre. Though I’m not having that every player we sign is shit, they all tend to come with rave reviews yet look completely lost at Oldham. Recruitment wise You might be off on a couple, maybe even a few, but not everyone. Something isn’t right. Having said that the only player I’d be arsed about leaving in summer is Hudson, says a lot.

I think Mellon had been in a few days before Dale. He was in the stands at Alty away the week prior and it was confirmed then he was going to be our manager. Sure he started the Monday after Alty. Tbf how much impact he had in a few days, I’m not sure

Furious after yesterday. I’ll be honest and it may be a bit knee jerk but I want a different manager. Yes a LOT of these players aren’t up too it but why do we sign players who do well everywhere else then they come here and look completely lost? That’s coaching. Tbh, I could talk for hours about the bizzare/shite recruitment policy. The fact our game plan for a huge game to get us back in the play off hunt was fucking hoof it to Garner and see what happens is a disgrace. Franks pumping in millions and THATS the best we can come up with?? We seem to be getting worse under MM which is my concern despite signing better players. Under Unsworth while it was mostly terrible I could see why the club stuck with him in summer. We did improve results wise towards the end of the season, so thinking ‘okay let’s get him a couple of better players in summer then we’ll really kick on’ I understood. We’re doing the opposite now. So much of MM’s tenure has been odd: Began at Dale away great attacking football. Then we blew hot and cold but around that time played well in Alty (H), Barnet (A), Woking (A), Solihull 2nd half and you think I can see a plan here. Then all of a sudden he starts coming out with comments implying we can’t play football….and basically saying with this group we have to make games a battle. It continues to get worse. The performances plummet. We get the odd win but the wins look atrocious and flukey. January was full of odd/shocking recruitment. On the pitch Players coming in and out of the team. Players have their best game for us then vanish for weeks (Hope over xmas, Sachdev, Lundstrum etc). It’s all a bit strange. WE are the Non League clogging shite. Most other teams try and play football. This hoof the ball see what happens crap is dinosaur football.

Hopefully

Reckon a team will take a punt on Kurt and maybe even Shelton, i can see us paying a couple off too, certainly Reid. I think we’ll be stuck with Ward and Nuttall at the very least personally. Maybe we can offer Nuttall a loan elsewhere and another team at least contribute to his wages.