Install the app
How to install the app on iOS

Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.

Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.

 

Contracts expiring

Interesting stat there.

You'd have to look at this as glass half full with a new stadium and a sub-par squad who are ripe for a rebuild.

Thelwell is making progress, this season he needs to get our better players tied down for another 4 years. At least then it protects their value.

Exciting times when you see the dross moving out the door next summer.

It’s also reflective of cost control, think of every year as a year of amortisation. ;)
 
Coleman, Young, Keane, Holgate, Maupay, Doucoure have to go for me. Their wage can be used better.

DCL depends on the wage he wants, Gana I will wait how he performs and maybe give him another 1 year. Keep Billy or Joao as a GK replacement is a option to consider for me.

We are already lacking of depth now. But going into the 25/26 season, we have 13 players that have a clearfied contract over 2025, better than in May, but still a lot to do. These are:

Tyrer, Pickford
Mykolenko, Tarkowski, O Brien, Patterson, Branthwaite
Garner, Tim
Ndiaye, McNeil
Beto, Chermiti

I see all of them as good enough to build a team around for the moment. Tarks won't get younger tho. Expect Branthwaite to leave in 2025 latest to give us funds and him to join a better club. Whom of U21 could possible be candidate? Dixon, Mills, Armstrong, Welch any more to get into the first squad. We won't have money to get 10 players.
 
No active ownership, no money and by seasons end, no manager, no DoF and no squad. It's the same kind of excitement as riding a rollercoaster without a safety harness.

Glass half full approach from me.

End of season, new owner, new manager, DoF tied to a long term contract, proper sustainable wage structure in place - all outliers of the wasteful contracts gone, new board with professionals on it who understand footy, debt restructured to be sustainable, new stadium, new commercial opportunities.

Can always dream.
 

Adding Dixon & Armstrong, both 2027.

2025
GK: Crellin / Virginia
DF: Coleman / Young / Keane / Holgate
MF: Gana / Doucoure
WF: Lindstrom / Harrison
ST: Maupay / DCL

2026
GK: Tyrer
DF: Mykolenko / Tarkowski
MF: Garner

2027
GK: Pickford
DF: Branthwaite / Patterson / Dixon
MF: Iroegbunam / Armstrong
WF: McNeil
ST: Chermiti / Beto

2028
DF: O'Brien

2029
MF: Ndiaye
 
2025
GK: Virginia / Begovic
DF: Coleman / Young / Keane
MF: Gana / Doucoure / Mangala
WF: Lindstrom / Harrison
ST: DCL / Broja

2026
GK: Tyrer
DF: Mykolenko / Tarkowski
MF: Garner

2027
GK: Pickford
DF: Branthwaite / Patterson / Dixon
MF: Iroegbunam / Armstrong
WF: McNeil
ST: Chermiti / Beto

2028
DF: O'Brien

2029
MF: Ndiaye


Adding Mangala + Broja.
Removing Holgate, Maupay + Crellin.
 
Last edited:
Huge opportunity next summer to refresh the squad. We also need to keep an eye on those with contracts expiring in 2026/2027 as we dont want good players going into the last year of their deals...

2025
GK: Crellin / Virginia
DF: Coleman / Young / Keane / Holgate
MF: Gana / Doucoure
WF: Lindstrom / Harrison
ST: Maupay / DCL

2026
GK: Tyrer
DF: Mykolenko / Tarkowski
MF: Garner

2027
GK: Pickford
DF: Branthwaite / Patterson
MF: Iroegbunam
WF: McNeil
ST: Chermiti / Beto

2028
DF: O'Brien

2029
MF: Ndiaye
Begovic. - If he acts as an assistant player-keeper coach maybe keep for for another year
Crellin - Release, not good enough for this level
Virginia - No idea
Coleman - Retirement
Holgate - £70 pw? Who gave him that contract…release
Keane - £70k pw? Release
Young - Release ta
Doucouré - if he scores 6/7 goals in the league…could hand him a year extension on reduced terms if not let him leave due to his hefty wages
Gana - If he keeps his level maybe a year extension for squad numbers
Mangala - If he performs then buy him on perm
Harrison - Release, we need better and someone with pace
Lindstrom - Time will tell
Broja - Time will tell
DCL - See if we can get a fee in January if not release
Maupay - Bye, thanks to the obligation to buy clause
 
Dyche is out of contract in 2025, just saying.

….somebody posted that Thelwell is too.

Like it or not, I can certainly see Keane being offered an extension, especially if it’s looking like Branthwaite leaves. I suppose much depends on whether these players want to take advantage of leaving for free.
 
The more I look at the overall contract situation, the clearer it becomes that we must be hoping for Saudi bids for Doucoure, DCL and possibly Gana too.

We've let WAY too many players leave for nothing in recent years after having spent significant sums buying them. This model eventually sees us run out of money and has to be halted.

Sure, Branthwaite will eventually get sold for a huge fee, but even £80m for him won't plug all the gaps in the squad. We need to trim the payroll and generate transfer fees... Some Saudi mob paying £10m for Doucoure and £20m for DCL would help massively.

We have to start being more prudent and spot when to let go of an underperforming player, or an older player who is still performing. Succession planning, and managing the finances to facilitate it, are absolutely critical because all these players eventually become useless and too often they've become useless while under contract to us on big wages.
 

Genuinely excited for the end of the season for three reasons:

1. All of these losers ought to be leaving the club.
2. End of an era at Goodison and time to move home.
3. We simply have to have been taken over by then and hopefully there is at least a little bit of money available without our usual sell to buy but only reinvest half the funds policy.


That having been said, somehow I bet Keane and Coleman end up getting new contracts. The club would be throwing over £100k a week down the drain largely for sentimental reasons. Please don't - ffs.
 
The Apostles FC.

1725397815791.webp
 
It would be folly to extend any contracts next summer particularly those that are ending in 2025. What ever happens we need to keep moving players out that have been here too long or are getting too old.
 

Welcome to GrandOldTeam

Get involved. Registration is simple and free.

Back
Top