There are 2 types of player:- Those that want to play for Gillingham above all else, wage, prospects, family commitments. (these tend to be rarer than dodo eggs) Those that will play for Gillingham only if we can offer more money than anyone else. (these tend to be all that don't fall in the 1st group) So there is our problem, all the players that we know could make a difference are being tracked by teams with more money, better prospects, higher league, better location, and we will get whats left.
Grumpy git im not sure why your surprised by that? We are a small club, people have to remember and realise this, so if a player gets offered a better deal to play elsewhere then why wouldn't they take it up?! Also I don't know any player who would put us ahead of their family and rightly so. The only players that could be loyal are youth players, but then if there any good they have every right to move on, at the end of the day, as i stated in a previous thread, if you were offered considerably more money to work somewhere else would you turn it down out of loyalty? I doubt it, everyone needs money at the end of the day. So i don't blame the players at all, I do however blame Scally and Hessy for our lack of activity and ambition, other clubs are snapping up players with ease, we need to be pushing to do the same, im not asking for a massive squad, just some decent replacements for those that have left. Barch and Bayo must have been on a decent wage so we can at least cover those 2 with 2 decent replacements regardless of the money we have from the 10 others that have gone.
It does not always follow that the money saved on the 10 or so players that have left for one reason or another will all be used on new players. I suspect that the bulk of the money will be used to pay off some of the Club's debt. What's left will be used to pick up the dregs of the league and non-league. What is scary is the total lack of any communication from the Club. Scally is the Chairman of the Club and I feel that the fans rightfully deserve to know what exactly is the financial position of the Club and what money is actually available for players. What has happened to the money from the sale of Simeon Jackson etc. Where has all the money gone and what has it been spent on?
I didn't show any surprise, I was simply stating the facts. The only time we get good players is when we have paid more than other teams which at the moment we can't afford. Without making a search, I can't think of another league 2 club with debts as high as ours. and finally I don't blame players for going to the highest bidder, I was just pointing out that any target who looks good to you, will have been spotted by other clubs who are more likely to win the auction. It's not all gloom, as June starts to go by players without a club will start to lower their expectations and there will still be some good talent on offer.
