2012 squad

[Acornvilla]

I heard Alvin has left, I know its early to be discussing it but I'm bored and interested in who from this season squad looks like staying or has anyone 100% committed yet?

[L.T.F.C.]

Alvin left after the last game. Was getting far too much dollar.

[Martinho II]

I know for one whos staying and goin but I dont want to betray anything said to me in confidence until the club issue a statement. But yeah Rouse was the best paid in the squad I heard at the Galway game last night that he wants to go back to Monaghan Utd which is understandable as his missus is local..

[outspoken]

Oh that's a bit of a shame, I know he was poor to start out but in the final 3 games of the season or so he was fantastic but he was extremely unfit so doubt we would have got much more out of him anyway. I was speaking to 1 of the lads from last years squad and they told me they had already signed on mid season till next July but I can't say who that is yet.

[Town Legend]

I've heard 75% of this season's squad is staying on, who I don't know. How true that is, is another thing!!

[Longfordian]

I've possibly heard something you haven't heard. I'm not saying what it is until you have heard it though*


*I haven't actually heard anything but he's been talking to those he wants to keep a good while ago so I'd imagine most will stay. There hasn't been any issues around wages or anything else as far as I know.

[Macy]

To sum up then, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don't know we don't know

[De Town]

Paul Hunt
Niall O'Reilly
Graham Dowling
Chris Deans
Des Hope
Jeff Flood
Gary Cronin
Michael Lee
Thomas Hyland
Keith Gillespie
James O'Brien
Mark Salmon
Cathal Brady
Craig Walsh
Sean Skelly
Jacques Morley
Thomas Crawley
Austin Skelly
Jean Biasumba
Alan McGreal
Daniel Purdy

Bolded names are the ones I think we should keep on. Underlined are the ones I think we have to keep, they're the important ones imo. Our midfield is ok I think, our defence and forward line needs improvement though if we're to challenge next season.

[Acornvilla]

I'd generally agree with that, I wouldn't mind keeping hold of Purdy as well, and have another look at him, he is still very young, meant to be an awful lazy bugger thou

[L.T.F.C.]

Paul Hunt
Niall O'Reilly
Graham Dowling
Chris Deans
Des Hope
Jeff Flood
Gary Cronin
Michael Lee
Thomas Hyland
Keith Gillespie
James O'Brien
Mark Salmon
Cathal Brady
Craig Walsh
Sean Skelly
Jacques Morley
Thomas Crawley
Austin Skelly
Jean Biasumba
Alan McGreal
Daniel Purdy

Bolded names are the ones I think we should keep on. Underlined are the ones I think we have to keep, they're the important ones imo. Our midfield is ok I think, our defence and forward line needs improvement though if we're to challenge next season.
I'd keep McGreal and Morley as well.

[Acornvilla]

I like Morley but hes not good enough for a top team in the 1st division.

[Macy]

Ye have probably seen more, but on my more limited attendance, I'm a bit surprised Deans isn't on the keep list. Maybe not an underline, but a bold at least.

[De Town]

Morley is absolutely muck. Deans will probably be kept on but I'm not a fan. I like to see an organizer at the back but he doesn't organize, just roars a load of random crap that doesn't need to be said at his teammates. Poor defender as well.

We've signed Craig Hyland from Shamrock Rovers apparently.

[Longfordian]

A keeper I see from Google. The name rings a bell. Is he anything to Thomas? I hope he's better than the last young keeper we signed from Rovers.

[outspoken]

[QUOTE=De Town;1550836]Paul Hunt
Niall O'Reilly
Graham Dowling
Chris Deans
Des Hope
Jeff Flood
Gary Cronin
Michael Lee
Thomas Hyland
Keith Gillespie
James O'Brien
Mark Salmon
Cathal Brady
Craig Walsh
Sean Skelly
Jacques Morley
Thomas Crawley
Austin Skelly
Jean Biasumba
Alan McGreal
Daniel Purdy

Bold ones are the ones I would like to see kept and the underlined are the big must keeps. I know yere prob surprised I havent kept Lee or Walsh but I was extremely disappointed with them this season. Yes Mick was injured for most of the season but when he did play he didnt look switched on at all and I know alot of people have that view. As for Walsh his set pieces are good but eh suppose hes only young though so maybe we should keep him, same with Lee its not I dont want them to stay just not overly bothered.

[Martinho II]

interestin stuff about craig hyland signin heard his name being mentioned on the night of the dinner dance. As far as I know the two hylands are not related!

[thelocal]

I cant understand why youd say that about mick, for the few games he did play he was switched on, but would you have instant confidence coming back from two injuries putting you out of alot of games? Very few players can. Gary Cronins a prime example, at the start of the season all he got was criticism but with a few games and confidence he became solid at the back for us. Some players need confidence and that takes games just as tony cousins said at the dinnerdance, your going to lose it if your not playing

[L.T.F.C.]

I think we need Skelly to stay.

[Longfordian]

Rumour has it we're looking for a few experienced players at centre back, centre midfield and up front. Players to improve the first eleven.

[outspoken]

Ye I hope Skelly stays and I get what your saying about Lee but some of the mistakes he made this season were awful and with Garry Cronnin in such good form all I'm saying is it wouldn't be the end of the world if he went elsewhere I'm not saying I want him to but if he decided to play with mervue instead let's say it wouldn't be a disaster.

On possible signings Tom King would be fantastic and once again il throw Noel Mcgees name into the ring but don't see that happening.

[Martinho II]

[QUOTE=outspoken;1552120]Ye I hope Skelly stays and I get what your saying about Lee but some of the mistakes he made this season were awful and with Garry Cronnin in such good form all I'm saying is it wouldn't be the end of the world if he went elsewhere I'm not saying I want him to but if he decided to play with mervue instead let's say it wouldn't be a disaster.

On possible signings Tom King would be fantastic and once again il throw Noel Mcgees name into the ring but don't see that happening.[/QUOTE)

did noel mcgee play many games for athlone I didnt hear too much from him towards the end of the season.. I would like to see tom come back too whether he will is another thing.. interesting what longfordian said!

[outspoken]

I'm not sure about the end of the season but I think he finished their top scorer again which is a good achivement after only coming in after the season had started. In terms of other striking options there's very little available out there.

[De Town]

Des Hope has resigned for next season. Good news.

[Martinho II]

Des Hope has resigned for next season. Good news.

fantastic stuff. I was gettin afraid that Athlone would get him again considerin they are in the money!!where did you hear de town?

[outspoken]

He announced it on Twitter.

[De Town]

He's after saying it on Twitter!

[outspoken]

Great to see us acting so quickly, this is going to be a good offseason I can feel it (hope I didn't just put the jink on it)

[De Town]

Any chance of getting Kirby back? Didn't get a whole lot of game time in the last few months at Sligo, and he's not getting any younger so they might not be interested in keeping him. Wonder would he come back to us and be happy to take a big wage cut. He'd run the show in the first division if we could get him.

[outspoken]

By the sounds of things hel defo do 1 more year with LTFC before he retires but hes way way too good for First Division football and with Ryan and possibly a few others on their way out of Sligo he should get more game time.

[L.T.F.C.]

By the sounds of things hel defo do 1 more year with LTFC before he retires but hes way way too good for First Division football and with Ryan and possibly a few others on their way out of Sligo he should get more game time.
Where are you hearing these things outspoken?

[Longfordian]

Kirby has often said to people that he'll be back at some point, not sure it'll be next year though. The year after that perhaps!

[Acornvilla]

Kirby has often said to people that he'll be back at some point, not sure it'll be next year though. The year after that perhaps!

we say that every year!

[Longfordian]

We do, unfortunately our budget will have to rise to closer to his level or his usefulness will have to come down to our level! Don't see either happening next year. He's full time at Sligo so he'd need a day job which as we all know isn't all that straightforward these days. The reason we say it every year is that apart from the good regard he'd have for the club, which he genuinely seems to have given the amount of fundraisers etc he's turned up to, it'd suit him on a practical level.

[Macy]

He was interviewed a few weeks back on Off The Ball about Sligo - he spent most of the time talking about us, and how the players from his period with us don't appreciate how much regard they are still held in.

[Acornvilla]

Some day lads, I'll be rich then we'll be sorted, I'll get ye all an Alan Kirby each

[Longfordian]

Paul Hunt has resigned for another year according to the man himself on Twitter. Good keeper, good to hold on to him.

[Martinho II]

Paul Hunt has resigned for another year according to the man himself on Twitter. Good keeper, good to hold on to him.
fantastic news longfordian...;) class act!

[Cabs88]

Great news, unlucky to be dropped near the end of the season, solid keeper

[Longfordian]

Thomas Hyland has apparently said on Facebook that he wasn't offered a new deal. Bit of a surprise but we'll have to wait and see who TC brings in to replace him I guess.

[Cabs88]

strange one that, he was mr versatilty for us last year, filling in at centre back and right full when he had to.. He did make one or two errors near the end of the season, but wouldnt have held that against him, he was always a solid performer for us, especially alongside sammo in the middle

[Martinho II]

I am not surprised that Hylo isnt stayin as I was told by someone near the end of the season that he wasnt going to stay. i for one am disappointed that he wont be there next year as in his two seasons with us he was consistent in his appearances ...

btw I know its insignificant news but he did make four appearances for us towards the end of last year. Alan McGreal confd on his FB page that he wasnt asked back either.. I have a feeling that a lot of the new lads that came towards the middle of the yr wont be asked back..

[Longfordian]

Gillespie is definitely staying on according to himself on Twitter. Good news I reckon. He definitely adds something when fit.

[outspoken]

Ye ive known about Hylo's departure for weeks now I'm absoutely shocked he was a versatile, hard working lad that got man of the match in a couple of matches near seasons end.....As for Gillespie I knew he was staying too and while I'm delighted he is I'm very disappointed with Hylo's departure apparently hes not in TC's plans aand thats why he was let go........Dont want to sound anti gillespie again (because im far from it) but I think Hylo's departure just frees up space for keith to play in the middle.

[L.T.F.C.]

But that is no reason to not get Hylo back. You must remember that we have **** all time left with Gillespie. I think he is fantastic, but Hylo could play anywhere and would always work hard whatever position he was put in at. I hope there is some replacement for him.

[outspoken]

Great post totally agree, hopefully Hylo doesnt end up at a big rival now....or athlone :)