Release or retain?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

It's on the way again. On June 30th, 19 Bolton Wanderers players' contracts will elapse. Which ones would you offer a new deal?

Parky acknowledged this week that Ken has opened extension negotiations with "several" first-teamers, but this isn't about who you think could re-sign, it's about who you think should. Vote, and feel free to list/explain as a comment.

I've included Jon Flanagan because his Liverpool contract elapses this summer; I think they have an option for an extra year but I strongly doubt they'll take it. (Not just for his off-field problems: they've already got promising young men Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold battling for right-back until Nathaniel Clyne's fit again.) Of the other loanees, Robinson and Charsley are under Everton contract until 2019, Burke's West Ham deal runs to 2020 and both Clough and Walker belong to Forest until 2021; deals could be struck there but presumably only for a transfer fee.

For the record: Ben Amos, Jake Turner, Mark Little, Stephen Darby, Andrew Taylor, Josh Vela, Will Buckley, Craig Noone and Adam Le Fondre all have another year left. But then, so did Proctor and Wilkinson last year…

We did a similar poll last year, and its results are interesting in hindsight.
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=26473

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Karacan and Flanagan coz they're ace, they just need better teammates.
Kirchhoff because he's potentially Superb (if he can stop being a whingewuss and falling over injured everytime somebody sneezes, that or learn how not to get injured).

[TANGODANCER]

Where's Andy Taylor?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Where's Andy Taylor?

For the record: Ben Amos, Jake Turner, Mark Little, Stephen Darby, Andrew Taylor, Josh Vela, Will Buckley, Craig Noone and Adam Le Fondre all have another year left.

[TANGODANCER]

Where's Andy Taylor?

For the record: Ben Amos, Jake Turner, Mark Little, Stephen Darby, Andrew Taylor, Josh Vela, Will Buckley, Craig Noone and Adam Le Fondre all have another year left.

Ah, fair enough. Cheers.

[Prufrock]

Who the feck has voted for Darren?! (I think, everyone except me). Do you hate yourselves?

Getting rid of that useless cnut is going to be the highlight of my fecking year, if any of you ruin it...

The mirror I broke in 2011 has expired. It has no hold on us any longer. Be gone, oaf!

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Who the feck has voted for Darren?! (I think, everyone except me). Do you hate yourselves?

Getting rid of that useless cnut is going to be the highlight of my fecking year, if any of you ruin it...

The mirror I broke in 2011 has expired. It has no hold on us any longer. Be gone, oaf!

I hadn't, but just because you said "everyone except me", I've added him. Hope that makes you feel as unique as you think you are...

[Prufrock]

Thanks!

For the record I've answered based on who I'd actively want to keep. Didn't pick Dervite for example, who I like, and defended while he got dogs for two years. He's been spot on back up this season. Wouldn't be upset if we kept him, but end of contract seems a good opportunity to upgrade.

[malcd1]

Who the feck has voted for Darren?! (I think, everyone except me). Do you hate yourselves?

Getting rid of that useless cnut is going to be the highlight of my fecking year, if any of you ruin it...

The mirror I broke in 2011 has expired. It has no hold on us any longer. Be gone, oaf!

Never mind Pratley, who the feck voted for Chris Taylor?

[nelson66]

Never mind Pratley, who the feck voted for Chris Taylor?

Err that would be me - I got click happy and then couldnt be bothered to unclick him..... I wondered if anyone would notice

[Bruce Rioja]

Just the five players for me.

Folk voting for players that they've never heard of or ever seen play is the sort of clueless guesswork that's led the country into Brexit.

[Harry Genshaw]

Just the five players for me.

Folk voting for players that they've never heard of or ever seen play is the sort of clueless guesswork that's led the country into Brexit.

Folk voting to keep Darren are like the Remainers.
"We know it's crap but it could be worse. Honest"

[GhostoftheBok]

Caveats on these. I've gone with Wheater, Beevers, Karachan, Ameobi, Flanagan and Kirchoff. I'd not break the bank to keep them and I'd want to make sure Flanners and Kirchoff can stay fit until the summer. I've left Alnwick out purely on the assumption we can find a better option in the summer market and also Karl Henry, only because I assume he'd want to be starting regular games and I don't think he's got another full season in him if we are looking to play on the front foot more. If he'd stay on a one year deal as an option to come in for games where we need to defend more than attack, I'd gladly keep him another year as he's been one of our better players this season.

[Harry Genshaw]

On current form why would not want to keep both Alnwick and Henry for another season?

[Bruce Rioja]

I've left Alnwick out purely on the assumption we can find a better option in the summer market

Are you on actual drugs?

[Tombwfc]

Alnwick, Beevers, Ameobi, Henry.

The rest I can take or leave.

[BWFC_Insane]

Beevers, Pratley, Ameobi, Henry, Alnwick and Flanagan for me are pretty much no-brainers. Wheater may be fitness dependent but would be in there if that wasn't a factor.

Beyond that you have the "maybe's" of Derik, Kirchoff, Karacan (I suspect won't be but I wouldn't mind) and Morais.

Morais would be nailed on for me if he didn't keep getting injured. Relatively cheap and worth it for his set pieces alone.

The rest (apart from the young lads) I'd say bye bye to.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Never mind Pratley, who the feck voted for Chris Taylor?

Err that would be me - I got click happy and then couldnt be bothered to unclick him..... I wondered if anyone would notice

For the record - I think I set it up so folk can go back in and change their mind with a tick/untick.

[GhostoftheBok]

On current form why would not want to keep both Alnwick and Henry for another season?

I would, on current form. It's whether either is prepared to take the kind of deal that reflects the fact that their current form isn't necessarily likely to continue. Henry is 35 and Alnwick hasn't pulled up trees for us until recently.

[GhostoftheBok]

I've left Alnwick out purely on the assumption we can find a better option in the summer market

Are you on actual drugs?

Nope. If the club don't have viable targets from the available Bosmans then they can offer him a new deal as needed. He's unlikely to be inundated with huge contract offers before the summer scramble. Alnwick is a decent low league keeper, but there's a reason the only time he ever had regular first team football was at Peterborough when he was nearly 30 and why The Posh let him leave for nowt when he asked.

If he'd stay on a back-up basis I'd take him regardless, but as with Henry I'd assume that he'd want a guarantee of starting games given that he's finally getting game time. I want to see us push up the table, not scrap at the bottom again. We'll need a better keeper than we currently have on the books if we want to do that.