Do you agree with Scott Brown?

[Jon Palmer]

"If Michael Duff had been given that budget in the summer, Cheltenham Town would be challenging for play-offs" http://bit.ly/BrownOnDuff" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Nham68]

Always a great sportsman ,

[Robin]

Sour grapes for not being signed by GJ to me.

Also does Duff not have the same budget or was it all wasted by Russ?

[Horteng]

We need more players like Browny going forward. Someone who loves the club, someone who the fans can relate too.

Fed up with the comings and going’s of 1 yr signings and loans

Hopefully next season Duffo can start building for the long term........

[little mo]

John, I would love to know what Scotty said but a survey popped up saying in order to continue reading I must answer the following questions, no thanks.

[Robin]

We need more players like Browny going forward. Someone who loves the club, someone who the fans can relate too.

Fed up with the comings and going’s of 1 yr signings and loans

Hopefully next season Duffo can start building for the long term........

Scotty may love the club but I feel we have a better all round keeper in Flinders.

[asl]

I find that if you exit then go back into the article, the survey isn't there, anymore.

[Benctfc]

Well over the last 20 games we are 8th in the form table so who knows. Did find it interesting he had a dig at GJ.

[Si Robin]

I bloody love Scotty - such an underrated keeper for us and one of the most genuine and nice guys we've had play for the club.

[Del Boy]

Sour grapes for not being signed by GJ to me.

Also does Duff not have the same budget or was it all wasted by Russ?

Sour grapes or the truth. Facts point to the latter.

The mystery of the blown budget is a tricky one. Was it:

a. The manager who had all summer, signed more than a dozen players, handed out two-year contracts like free-drinks flyers outside a night club, yet still started the season without any credible strikers.

or

b. The caretaker manager who had to try to sort out the mess with loans and out-of-work players.

or

c. The new manager who had to try to keep us up with loans and out-of-work players and, so far, has done an impressive job.

Not a lot to go on, Watson.

[Robin]

Except your argument makes no sense, we were bidding £200k for strikers just before GJ got sacked so clearly he didn't blow the budget. Whilst I agree the decision to give McAlindon a two year deal was baffling (go back and see I was the only one calling this out at the time) to say the least and Debayo/Smith should have been given one year I don't believe GJ blew the budget. In fact he's responsible for signing all of our better players apart from Varney.

[Del Boy]

Except your argument makes no sense, we were bidding £200k for strikers just before GJ got sacked so clearly he didn't blow the budget. Whilst I agree the decision to give McAlindon a two year deal was baffling (go back and see I was the only one calling this out at the time) to say the least and Debayo/Smith should have been given one year I don't believe GJ blew the budget. In fact he's responsible for signing all of our better players apart from Varney.

Of course he signed our better players - he was the one in charge all summer. And that's where the budget went. You can point to £200k bids but given we needed a quick fix after another failed summer it's obvious we had to sign more players. I've no idea of the exact figures - I doubt you do - but I would be amazed if that £200k has gone.

I'm sure the point Scott Brown is making is that if Duff had been appointed at the end of last season we would have done a hell of a lot better. In my opinion, we're in a much better position than we were at this time last season. The facts point to this despite Duff having inherited players signed by the last manager.

Sadly, he'll still be tied to some of those given two-year deals so is unlikely to get the budget the last manager did. Yet still Duff's points-per-game ratio is significantly better. It's good news he's our manager.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

We are in to that stage of the season again; criticising previous managers for signing players on two year contracts whilst moaning about too many short term contatcts.

Downing responded to calls from the fans to sign players on longer deals, does so and gets sacked before we are relegated. Yates criticised for 1-year deals, so gets signings longer contracts and gets sacked before we are relegated. Johnson criticised for short-term deals, so signs more players on longer contracts and gets sacked, although not relegated this time.

Now Duff is facing calls to sign players on longer contracts whilst Johnson is criticised for doing the same. Let’s hope Duff either a) finds better players willing to play commit to us for a longer period so we don’t get into the same cycle next season or b) ignores the usual clamour from fans and signs who he thinks the best players are irrespective of contract length.

[Hubert Parry]

I agree with Robin. As much as I like Scott, I don't think it is his place to be making such comments. I'm also concerned as how he would know what our budget was.

[Del Boy]

Two-year deals for players unproven at the club is suicide at this level. You will get stuck with far more players you don't want than you will tying down those you do want.

[Robin]

I am sick of the high player turnover, let's be pro-active and build upon the base we have, our current squad is good enough for mid-table (based upon results under Duff) so let's look to replace the weaker links and add better.

[Robin]

Two-year deals for players unproven at the club is suicide at this level. You will get stuck with far more players you don't want than you will tying down those you do want.

Yes teh decisions to give Debayo, Lloyd, Bower and Smith two year deals is odd however you would like to think given they are just kids they are towards the bottom end of our pay scale. The only other unproven player was Duku and given we paid a five figure fee for him a two year deal is surely security should he succeed.

[horlickfanclub]

I am with Del Boy and Scotty . A future top pundit.

[everyman]

I am sick of the high player turnover, let's be pro-active and build upon the base we have, our current squad is good enough for mid-table (based upon results under Duff) so let's look to replace the weaker links and add better.

Makes good sense to replace the worst players they are the ones who are likely to cost the team points.and bring down the average performance rating.

[shevates]

Of course GJ was responsible for bringing in a few decent players, but guilty of making some awful decisions regarding getting rid of certain players and replacing them with players of inferior talent, giving players ridiculous 2 year deals and a lot of his signings wernt up to football league standard.
Next season could still be a struggle financially for MD because of the burden of having players still on the books who wont even be on the radar of making the bench yet alone the starting 11. Players like McAlindon, Smith, Deybayo, Mullins, Duku, and even Long are a massive burden on our wage bill, on the books and not going to feature. Just quessing that could be £200,000 of the wage budget, a massive Dent in a seasons budget.
Duff has in my view done a very good job and if was to have a budget to spend on his team, i feel we could challenge for a play off place next season, but these players of burden will prevent that I feel, but we will not struggle.

[kora]

If Long can get back to full fitness I think he'll be an real asset but totally agree about the others you mentioned. Sending them out on loan helps but I can't see Kiddie paying much of McAlinden's alleged £1,400 a week. The same obviously goes for Smith and Debayo. I imagine Mullins is on good money but could still do a job for us if the injuries keep coming. As you say it's a massive drain on next season if they don't put their careers first and move on with no payout. But then pigs might actually fly one day.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

If Long can get back to full fitness I think he'll be an real asset but totally agree about the others you mentioned. Sending them out on loan helps but I can't see Kiddie paying much of McAlinden's alleged £1,400 a week. The same obviously goes for Smith and Debayo. I imagine Mullins is on good money but could still do a job for us if the injuries keep coming. As you say it's a massive drain on next season if they don't put their careers first and move on with no payout. But then pigs might actually fly one day.

‘Alleged’ being the most important word there.

[paperboy]

..amazed at how Long has become a world class full back whilst out injured.

On the evidence of the couple of matches I saw him play he seemed an average League 2 player who it should be remembered was not a regular at Lincoln and only recruited after we had initially failed to land Craig Alcock.

Wasn't it last season that it was said that we were missing Jordan Forster massively whilst he was out injured and now he's said to be a liablity.
Does the same fate await Sean Long?

[Robin]

Long needs to be judged fairly so it's harsh.

Also surely Smith and Debayo are not high earners? If they are then someone needs shooting.

[Shade]

There's a reason why Long didn't get in the team at Lincoln - they've got a very good team. From what I saw of him in his brief appearances he will offer similar to Hussey. But who knows what a player will be like after being out with leg injuries for the best part of a season.