More players released

[Shrimpy]

Beeley, Bailey, Doyle, Kelleher and Dugdale released.

We've taken up the option of another years deal for Fleming.

Devitt, Edwards, Kenyon & Miller offered new contracts.

[Seasider9601]

Doyle

Bailey

[Gone_Shrimping]

Does that leave just one defender from last season - Edwards ?

[Shrimpy]

Doyle

Bailey

Can't say I'm surprised. How many years has Doyle been here now? 4? In that time the highest placed club he's gone out on loan to is in Conference North and he hasn't been able to break into the first team.

Bailey, I would imagine, will go the way of all the other kids we've released and will play no higher than Conference North.

[Seasider9601]

The full statement:


Beeley, Bailey, Doyle, Kelleher and Dugdale added to list of released players.

Following further discussions between Jim Bentley and players currently under contract, Morecambe Football Club has today announced an update to their retained/released list:

Released following the end of their contracts are:

Charlie Bailey

Shaun Beeley

Chris Doyle

Adam Dugdale

Jack Kelleher

New contracts have been offered to: Jamie Devitt, Ryan Edwards, Alex Kenyon, Shaun Miller and the option on Andrew Fleming’s contract has been taken up.

Players currently under contract for 2016/17 are:

Tom Barkhuizen, Kevin Ellison, Andrew Fleming, Aaron McGowan, Lee Molyneux, Paul Mullin, Peter Murphy, Barry Roche & Aaron Wildig.

We look forward to further announcements regarding the 2016/17 playing squad over the coming weeks.

Read more at http://www.morecambefc.com/news/article ... HA6Ym56.99

[KenH]

The only surprise is releasing Doyle who I thought had shown good progress in those games he played towards the end of the season. But then again, Jim's had a complete clear out of the defence, so obviously wanting to start again with a blank page.

Bailey and Kelleher were clearly out of favour as Jim barely ever had them on the bench let alone the pitch. Makes you wonder what is the point of the youth set-up though as there's a pattern each year of a few being given contracts and then barely playing and released. Only McGowan has come through to be a regular in recent years.

There's no way that either Beeley or Dugdale deserved another contract, so that's the right decision.

[Christies Child]

Doyle

Bailey

F****** ridiculous to let these 2 youngsters go in particular Bailey.

Just hope that we've got replacements lined up but really have to question the logic in letting these two go.

And as for keeping Fleming.....

[FattyFoulke]

Beeley and Doyle doesn't make sense. Doyle is our best centre half and will only get better. Wouldn't surprise me if he goes to Accy.

Beeley has had a poor season but he's still a brilliant league 2 full back.

[Seasider9601]

Just hope that we've got replacements lined up

So do I .......

Otherwise it could be a bad season for both Lancashire's Seaside based League 2 clubs....

[SupermarketShrimp]

You know what, the current squad is more than capable of mid table League 2 football.

Doyles gone because we will be signing some absolute meatheads Jim can rely on, we won't be having inexperienced back 4s again.

[Gone_Shrimping]

The defence has been a cross between Fred Karno's Circus and The Keystone Cops.

Edwards is lucky to have survived the night of the long knives.

[KenH]

Beeley has had a poor season but he's still a brilliant league 2 full back.

It wasn't just a short term blip in form for Beeley - he was poor at the start, in the middle and at the end - a mere shadow of his form when he first joined us. It's too much of a risk unless Jim is confident that he could have regained his form and he'd have needed to know why the dip in form to be able to reverse it. With such a small squad, there's no room for passengers. As we found out this season, if there's no money to bring in loanees mid-season, then you have to be certain you've got the right people signed up at the start.

[Morecambe Jack]

Only surprise is Doyle to be honest who I would have swapped for Edwards.

[Seasider9601]

Jim knows all too well the problems we have had in defence, and as a stalwart solid defender himself, he'll know it needs sorting. As Gone_Shrimping said, it's been a catalogue of disasters this season just gone.

He'll have his eye on his targets I'm sure.

A new broom sweeps clean.

[SupermarketShrimp]

The defence has been a cross between Fred Karno's Circus and The Keystone Cops.

Edwards is lucky to have survived the night of the long knives.

I think Barry is to blame as well, as much as he's a solid performer at this level, a man who has been club captain should have been organising and talking more at the back.

Edwards will be doing the running for a horrible horrible centre half who will marshall the back 4 and generally, be completely disgusting and anti - football. Think Steve McNulty. I'm quite looking forward to it.

[KenH]

Doyles gone because we will be signing some absolute meatheads Jim can rely on, we won't be having inexperienced back 4s again.

Let's hope Jim can re-sign Hughes and someone else exactly like him in terms of strength and experience, as a formidable centre back pairing, with Edwards as the substitute who'd excel again alongside a strong experienced partner.

[Seasider9601]

I'd bloody love to see Steve McNulty in a Morecambe shirt.

[SupermarketShrimp]

Doyles gone because we will be signing some absolute meatheads Jim can rely on, we won't be having inexperienced back 4s again.

Let's hope Jim can re-sign Hughes and someone else exactly like him in terms of strength and experience, as a formidable centre back pairing, with Edwards as the substitute who'd excel again alongside a strong experienced partner.

He's not good enough is Hughes. He's proven that when he was here last time.

[Shrimpy]

Beeley has had a poor season but he's still a brilliant league 2 full back.

It wasn't just a short term blip in form for Beeley - he was poor at the start, in the middle and at the end - a mere shadow of his form when he first joined us. It's too much of a risk unless Jim is confident that he could have regained his form and he'd have needed to know why the dip in form to be able to reverse it. With such a small squad, there's no room for passengers. As we found out this season, if there's no money to bring in loanees mid-season, then you have to be certain you've got the right people signed up at the start.

Beeley was / is also quite injury prone, he was often out with knocks and niggles. Jim might also feel that it's the time to hand the first choice right back gig over to Aaron McGowan. If he believes he's good enough then Beeley would only hinder his progress.

[Christies Child]

So that's TWO defenders left....Edwards and Aaron....

He must be confident of signing at least 2 fullbacks and 2 centre backs all with experience.

Wonder if Kenyon will be given a defensive role as he did play in a full back role whilst at Stockport...

Only positive is that Aaron is still with us.

Wonder if this all due to a major cost cutting exercise due to a reduction in the playing budget. If so how the hell can we afford 'experienced' players other than those who are knackered and coming to the end of their careers.

[SupermarketShrimp]

I'd bloody love to see Steve McNulty in a Morecambe shirt.

Steve McNulty from 5 years ago, not Steve McNulty now, I'd be better suited to lasting 90 minutes of professional football. He's getting even fatter at Tranmere.

Mary Poppins - he's only 32!

[Seasider9601]

One decent player released by Tranmere is Gary Taylor-Fletcher (ex Blackpool)

http://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/news/ar ... 98592.aspx

Worth a look at on trial here at least IMHO.

[SupermarketShrimp]

So that's TWO defenders left....Edwards and Aaron....

He must be confident of signing at least 2 fullbacks and 2 centre backs all with experience.

Wonder if Kenyon will be given a defensive role as he did play in a full back role whilst at Stockport...

Only positive is that Aaron is still with us.

Come on Neil calm down. We've tried every defender in every permutation and they were all abject failures. Aaron has played well. Edwards is young and deserves another chance. Doyle had a chance and wasn't great.

[Seasider9601]

Wonder if this all due to a major cost cutting exercise due to a reduction in the playing budget. If so how the hell can we afford 'experienced' players other than those who are knackered and coming to the end of their careers.

I'd say not, no.

More to do with the fact our entire defence all last season in all permutations and formations was shockingly shite.

[Gone_Shrimping]

I just wonder if the latest batch of releases (escapees!) when added to Wilson and the other 3 makes 9 released is a sign that Jim has had an indication that the takeover is near.

That would enable him to offer the key men Miller and Devitt improved contracts from the savings in wages of the released 9.

And mean that once the takeover is done he could then shop in a different place for decent defenders probably meaning Morrisons rather than Lidl !