CHIPPENHAM TOWN BLUEBIRDS FANS FORUM
- Eden
- Member
Offline - Registered: 03/6/2021
- Posts: 213
Re: Retained Players
Will hold my tongue slightly til we see the quality of player coming in but this is not a direction I particularly want the club going in to this extent. I was happy with a semi-pro side with the odd academy player breaking through. Investment in the academy is all well and good but sounds like we could end up with a first team, bar a couple players, indistinguishable from the academy. I don't think that bodes well for a successful season.
Hopefully we don't get too carried away with all this academy stuff and sign some good experienced players as well, at least the 'hybrid model' keeps that option open.
- Insideleft
- Member
Offline
- Registered: 13/6/2012
- Posts: 1,010
Re: Retained Players
Shame you couldn’t be there Lostforwords, there were between 50 and 60 in attendance. It was interesting to hear the often tortuous process thats involved with recruitment of players, but it’s in full swing and there will be announcements of signings soon rest assured. Like a lot of people I was sceptical about the ‘hybrid’ model, and I still have reservations, but it was explained in detail and I came out of the meeting with a better understanding of how it will work.
Gary stated that he expects around 30 at training on Tuesday (he offered to hold an open session in the near future so anyone could go and watch - it was confirmed this will be arranged so watch this space). In the meantime don’t worry what other clubs are doing via social media. “We're the Town, we do what we want”. (I made that bit up 😉)
Neil also talked about a recent potential investor who ultimately went cold, (and elsewhere, Dorking) but there is an ongoing process to try and attract more investment to the club.
- chippy
- Member
Offline
- Registered: 10/6/2014
- Posts: 113
Re: Retained Players
My take is that, aside from Luke Haines and a couple of other players from last season, it is looking like we will be watching Chippenham Town Academy FC for all intents and purposes!!
I sincerely hope I’m wrong but it will be a very youthful team and not what many of us were expecting to say the least!
- swayne close
- Member
Offline
- Registered: 25/2/2012
- Posts: 241
Re: Retained Players
I couldn’t make the meeting last night but from who I have spoken to it was open and honest. Without the extra investment we cannot compete with the Bath’s and Gloucester’s for the experienced ready made southern league premier standard player. We have to go another route which is youth. A core of 6 players from last season plus 6 of the best from last seasons academy. Sounds like we will then recruit the rest who have been released from EFL clubs.
My hope for next season is that the shackles are taken off and we see more attacking football. My message to the management is to have a go 🙏
.
- Terrace Views
- Member
Offline
- Registered: 28/10/2023
- Posts: 11
Re: Retained Players
So it after at least 3 seasons of dull academy style football it is likely there will be much more academy style football under the same fellas who took us down with dull academy style football last season? And they are being trusted to recruit for this model after recruiting really badly last season. Not very confident!!
- chippy
- Member
Offline
- Registered: 10/6/2014
- Posts: 113
Re: Retained Players
I’m sorry but according to Gary last night shackles haven’t been put on attacking football it was down to the players! Unbelievable because surely the management could easily have changed the style of play.
I’m afraid the “Academy” style of play is here to stay for another season given the academy influence once again.