Stokes released

[noughtyforties]

In my opinion, Stokes was a very good player, wasn't afraid to take people on and made a huge difference to the team out wide when he was on, why drury has let him go i will never know  if i'm honest, this decision is ridiculous, whats the betting most of the current squad get told to go elsewhere by drury to free up space for crappy stamford/corby players?

Just a small point about JS - he has 1 assist to his name this season; Smith has 6.........

Lets be patient eh? As far as I can see this season is all about building for next, GD will bring in some quality, he'll bring in some duds too......but I think we'll not be far off come next August.

[Shauneyg]

Totally agreed!!!

[Lord Cutler Knobhead]

Just a small point about JS - he has 1 assist to his name this season; Smith has 6.........

Smith from less game time too, not sure I'd have moved Smith on, Stokes as I said previously I can see.

[BUFC T.I.D]

I didn't mention anything about Smith did i... but yeahh i agree with you there, Smith is a decent player too, personally, Stokes should have got more game time here, just silly that he has gone while Smith going out on loan is good to get some games under his belt, BUT i can't see him coming back, i can see him stayin at Grantham which is a shame because he has got potential

[kingofnaves]

Jase gave his all and worked hard when on the field.

Not sure about GD and his decisions, however, starting to feel happier about severing my connections with the club.

Have you stopped your pilgrim lounge job Gus?

[Winging It]

will miss stokesy, he did a great job. now for a new winger...who comes to mind well for me i would not be surprised to see the return of semps !  the guy loves boston and is now at corby, and i know personally he would jump at the chance to come back.  anyone agree with me, or do you have any other wingers in mind ?  please don't mention ginger tinpot though !!! 

[fenside pilgrim]

I know this would never happen but would love to see young Duncan Whatmore from alty here scores goals and cuts in from the wing and causes havoc for defenders.But would be happy for semps to come back as he rinsed jellyman on NYD.

[B Grimes]

In my opinion, Stokes was a very good player, wasn't afraid to take people on and made a huge difference to the team out wide when he was on, why drury has let him go i will never know  if i'm honest, this decision is ridiculous, whats the betting most of the current squad get told to go elsewhere by drury to free up space for crappy stamford/corby players?

whats ridiculous is your last comment, how many crappy stamford/corby players do you or any of us for that matter actually know to make such an absurd suggestion then? we have been definitely linked with only one stamford player, Ozman, who apparently is really good central midfield player and as far as i am aware no corby players at all.
we all assumed or thought drury would carry out a mini cull so why does it surprise anybody when it looks like its starting and why only now its statred does it appear to piss anyone off,
its both obvious and ineviotable some favorites will go and new favorites will presumably replace them, its what happens at our level, like us drury will have his pown opinions on that, but unlike us he rightly as manager has the power to act on his we dodnt
if players he brings in suck, we will let him know in know uncertain terms but if they do well how many of us will then come back on here and eat humble pie, few of us me guessing
if watt playts well tonight and am assuming he will play, we will all say what a great signing he lookjs, but god forbid he screws something up i fear he and particuarly drury will get crucified and thats whats ridiculous

[BosLeake]

In my opinion, Stokes was a very good player, wasn't afraid to take people on and made a huge difference to the team out wide when he was on, why drury has let him go i will never know  if i'm honest, this decision is ridiculous, whats the betting most of the current squad get told to go elsewhere by drury to free up space for crappy stamford/corby players?

whats ridiculous is your last comment, how many crappy stamford/corby players do you or any of us for that matter actually know to make such an absurd suggestion then? we have been definitely linked with only one stamford player, Ozman, who apparently is really good central midfield player and as far as i am aware no corby players at all.
we all assumed or thought drury would carry out a mini cull so why does it surprise anybody when it looks like its starting and why only now its statred does it appear to piss anyone off,
its both obvious and ineviotable some favorites will go and new favorites will presumably replace them, its what happens at our level, like us drury will have his pown opinions on that, but unlike us he rightly as manager has the power to act on his we dodnt
if players he brings in suck, we will let him know in know uncertain terms but if they do well how many of us will then come back on here and eat humble pie, few of us me guessing
if watt playts well tonight and am assuming he will play, we will all say what a great signing he lookjs, but god forbid he screws something up i fear he and particuarly drury will get crucified and thats whats ridiculous

I am sure we all take your points, but think other forum members refer to ex Corby players such as J Smith, P Watt & the player you mention, Not saying they are Crappy as I will reserve judgement until I see them play with my own eyes!

[woad_pilgrim]

When GD took over and speculation about who would go started, having conversations with friends the first player I thought would go was Stokes, Smith was second and Fairclough third. The only other player I thought may go was Ross but he seems to have turned things round so probably not.

I know Stokes was a favourite and I liked the guy, always gave 100% but he always looked like he was playing a level too high for me, lets not forget the highest level he's played before is NCEL (step 5 same level as UCL). Whilst on that subject for those complaining about players coming from lower, the highest Stainsfield and Ward had played was UCL, for Boston Town and Sleaford respectively. So if those 2 and Stokes to some extent can make the transition of a 3 level rise then I'm sure the 2 brought in can make a 1 level jump.

If ShaunyG is right (and it does appear that he has connections to the new management) and there is a clear-out in the summer I think that may be a mistake, there is/was a need for some changes but not wholesale changes imo. Still whoever said players come and go at this level is  right, there wasn't many clubs in this league that retained as many players as we did last summer.

Good luck to Jason and Kallum Smith if he doesn't return, but I can't see GD has seen enough to make that decision tbh. Maybe it was part of the Watt deal to let KS go out on loan there?

Edit: Just had a look on Granfum forum, it seems KS was part of the Watt deal: http://www.thegingerbreads.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6826

[green hats mate]

I assume those complaining about Stokes release are some of the same fans who called for Lees head .
Do they wish for GD to stick with players inherited from Lee ?  I guess not .
In which case who are the 3/4 players they would release to free up space for new ones ?

[woad_pilgrim]

I assume those complaining about Stokes release are some of the same fans who called for Lees head .
Do they wish for GD to stick with players inherited from Lee ?  I guess not .
In which case who are the 3/4 players they would release to free up space for new ones ?

Exactly GHM. Not happy with Lee but expect GD to get enough out of the current players to turn us into a play off team. Not sure who else will go but for those complaining that we are losing young prospects, Jordan Smith is only 24 and Watt is only just turned 25 this week I read somewhere so not exactly old, given that most see Stainsfield as a good young prospect and he is 24.

[Shauneyg]

I am in no way connected to the management team. I'm just giving my opinion and I have good knowledge of non league football. Very suprised stokes and smith gone without others in for tonight.

[Burton Pilgrim]

I must have missed something with Jason Stokes - I can only assume he played really well in some games I didn't see, because quite a lot of people seem to love him.  He put in the effort, but I've always thought he's a bit lightweight for this league and too easy to knock off the ball, as is Kallum Smith.  Good luck to both elsewhere, but they weren't able to take the chances that they had at York St.

At the end of last season and beginning of this, Smith showed the odd glimpse of being able to influence games, but neither of them were able to do it often enough to justify a starting place.  Part of the problem is that the squad was over-stocked with wingers and we've only got 2 midfielders (+Reed, who for some reason Jason Lee seemed reluctant to use) - we desperately need more options in the middle of the park, so no surprise to see these two go.  I'd expect a defensive minded midfielder next to release Ross & Milnes to get forward more.

Unfortunately, we don't have the budget to have squad players - every player we have must be good enough to merit a place in the starting XI, because with injuries/suspensions we will be depending on those players.  We were just getting a decent run together when SWD and Fairclough were suspended, we didn't cope well without them and our season has never really recovered from that.

Surely no-one expected a new manager to be able to come in, wave a magic wand, and make the existing squad into play-off challengers?  Changes need to be made and, whilst the jury is still out on GD at this stage, he does seem to be addressing the key areas - principally that we have been too lightweight across midfield, especially in the wide positions (which in turn exposes the full backs), and the leaky defence.  He was quite right with his comments last week - we never seem to have an aerial threat from set pieces, and look at the number of goals we concede from set pieces.  An awful lot of the goals we have conceded this season seem to be either from set pieces or from breaks when our own set pieces have been easily cleared.  No major changes needed up front, on the other hand, and Newsh, Jonah and SWD have all scored for the new manager already - the worry is that no-one else has, we need some goals from the rest of the team!

[green hats mate]

I am sure some on here did expect the new manager to come in and wave a magic wand and transform the team overnight BP !!! .   Nothing else in your comments that I would argue with .  Re conceding and failing to score from set-pieces I see Watts is second highest scorer  for Grantham ,  maybe Drury has addressed this problem .