In the northern echo that Ronnie wants 7/8 new players in.
Good luck Ronnie hope you scouse patter can release a few funds from the dynamic duo.

He must be on about permanent signings.

The reporter is obviously related to Sherlock Holmes to deduce this, it is elementary to all of us

I think he is.... Loanees have helped this season, but that is all it should be ...help! We have over relied on loanees this season and you can see the result!

A solid team with one or two loanees like tshibola and mirfin is the way fwd.

He also talks about the 'vast majority' of Saturdays squad going and letting experience go to bring in pace and invention...

For me this means:

Flinders - staying
Austin - going
Duck worth - staying
Bates - going
Harrison - staying
Nelson Abdy - staying
Tshibola - loan ending
Featherstone - staying
Franks - staying
Hugill - loan ending
Fenwick - staying

Parnaby - going
Maxted - going
Holden - going
Richards - going
Walker - staying
Jones - loan ending
Miller - going
Harewood - going
Compton - gone
Morgan - loan ended
Mirfin - loan ended
Hawkins - staying
Smith - staying
Green - staying


Doesn't leave us with many.....

The last manager to publicity state he wanted a lot of players was Hughes.....

The main thing is the high earners are going ( Parnaby Bates Harewood and to a lesser extent Miller ), the money on them alone will be enough to secure upto 7 or 8 new players. We probably require someone for every position on the pitch if truth be told

Austin is the one I'm intrigued about, he has been pretty gash for a few seasons now but is he out of contract yet? Can't recall when he last signed a new deal ...

Will Bingham be his first signing,think he's leaving Mansfield.

I'd love to see that

In Ronnie we trust

His signings bar Morgan have basically saved us from non league football.

With backing this man will have us top half no problem

Out of contract?

Good ambition, but I hope finding 7-8 players can be literally interpreted as "finding 7-8 players whom I've made sure I won't end up regretting in a year's time".
"We need a clear out" calls have always been popular but in recent seasons they're getting to be the norm.

Sounds like he wants to sign players who will run themselves ragged for the cause, that's all most of us ask for really, 100%, pave and endeavour can get you a long way

This close season will tell us what ambition the club has for the future because Ken Hodcroft alltho being very bad with PR he certainly knows how to rake off a few bob from the club so lets take a look at the current situation.
Optimism is riding high at the moment so with a decent manager in place and a good clear out season ticket sales in my opinion may well reach 5000 at say 200 quid a pop gives 1M less VAT will still yield around the 750k mark so if ronnie is saying 9 players in i don't know what the average wage is playing at this level however i would suggest if you offer 50k a year you would achieve decent signings.
So lets say the rest of of the 750k is taken up by the remainder of the playing staff that leaves every other penny coming into the club to pay its way which is a lot more than 750k from season ticket sales he will have spent on players so its certainly going to be interesting.

Apparently we only had 4800 in the ground for the Exeter match so chances of selling 5000 at £200 are nil unless the 4800 was just a figure they invented a week before the game took place. We will do well to sell 2500 this year.

You can add Michael Woods to list above as one to keep

Can't believe that Bingham would leave Mansfield....haven't they only recently signed him? (ie this season?)

I also think Austin will stay, as well as Maxted, Holden and Richards. Not saying I think they all should.

Not doubting the statement about Ronnie's impact Richie but which signings do you mean?

The 3 that were arguably down to him and made a difference were Mirfin, Bingham and Hugill.

Fenwick, Featherstone before him and Tish was on radar and enquiries from club made before he joined.

Not trying to be negative at all by the way just saying that it's always a gamble and for every Hugill there is a Morgan. However the positive thing about Ronnie is that he seems to prioritize character and attitude and quickly bins those who don't show any.

Could be an exciting close season but more exciting still if changes in ownership or investment start and the Trust gets its legs

Think you may be right re Austin, Holden and Richards. I have never been one for too many changes as I think back to the season 05/06 and what a disaster it was following the playoff final.

That said, Shrewsbury did it last summer following relegation and look what they have achieved this year.

Btw, a have 2 Fulham mates who are about to renew their season tickets. £250 for a under 23 and £305 for full price.

Okay they have a parachute payment from the prem but they also have a lot in their squad on big money. Hugo Rodalega is on £45k per week apparently

Scott Parker will be on a decent wedge also. They will sack symmons and replace him with big sam, Fulham to be a decent bet fir promotion next year. (Just a guess mind )

I guess what I'm saying is that £300 to watch championship football for a London club is pretty decent if you ask me. If they are asking for £300, pools surely can't put prices up that much

I think that's very good pricing, especially like you say, it's London.

Anyone notice Carlisle's picing in the programme? Adults over £300 (£400 if you left it late to buy one)!! Fook that.

If it's £200 again and these new faces come in ill predict well sell 3500-3600

Like every business you need a catalyst to get it going and on this occasion the club have fell very lucky with ronnie so provided they keep the season tickets at a reasonable level like i say around the £200 mark and given the population of hartlepool not taking into account the outskirts i do believe selling 5000 is a reasonable target to be met.

Hodcroft has told everyone where the money is going on some cctv and pitch work. You would have thought the first thing on his mind would be the squad after this year but no. Very little will be spent on the squad like the last few years cant see why anything would change.

Id be surprised with 3000 season ticket sales to be honest

Everything is speculation until the prices are known.

KH decides which options are taken up, who goes and who comes in. Moore has performed a miracle, but it will be for nothing unless KH gets his head back in the game.

Not so sure, isn't he down on record as saying he wanted monkhouse And Walton to stay but Cooper was having none of it....

In terms of new players coming in i wouldn't mind seeing Lee Collins sign for us. Just been released by northhampton is 26 years old had has experience at playing at this level

The manager should have the final say, absolutely. If he gets it wrong, he gets the bullet. If you can't trust his judgement, you don't employ him in the first place

Look at Newcastle, Curbishley had no say who was signed, look where they are now. He couldn't get away quick enough.

He gets about that Curbishley.

Double edged sword though ain't it, you employ your man, back him, trust his judgement then when things go tits up, put him to the sword

Yes hopefully IOR will bring a few more Solanos and Howards in to avoid any shite signings by Ronnie Moore.

Ronnie should get the final say on ins and outs, ior shouldnt be involved in the retained list, they arent football people, ronnie is the football man with the experience, i dont want a man in a suiting deciding who we keep.

N there track record over the years is frigging terrible.

Extra years for players the manager didnt want etc.

Ronnie should get the only say. If he doesnt then start to panic.

Hope if Ronnie doesn't get the only say he just resigns, then we can really force the not nice people out

I don't think Ronnie will put up with interference I think he would just walk. Be interesting to see if ior want to offer Austin and flinders new deals maybe its time they had a fresh challenge been part of a defence incapable of keeping clean sheets for too many years now.

Ronnie holds all the cards in these discussions, as much as IOR are trying to paint themselves as saviours, the majority of the fans know the truth; without Ronnie we'd be planning trips to forest green etc. IOR cannot risk him walking otherwise even the tickle belly crew will not renew their season tickets.

Any idea when the retained list will be announced?

Apparently Ronnie and Ken/Russ talking today, players informed tomorrow. So I'd imagine Wednesday afternoon/Thursday.

If Ronnie comes out in the papers in the next week or so and mentions relying on the loan system then I think we will know who won the battle in the boardroom.

I hope they aint even 'talking'.

Ronnie should just be giving him a list and thats it.

If the likes of austin are still kept on then we also know who won the BOB (battle of the boardroom)

Ronnie has always spoke highly of Austin so I dont believe thats the best example.

True he'll probably get another year.

But i shouldnt. He's looked way out of his depth this season.

It's time for Howard..

No harm having extra bar staff.

Still too soon.

There isnt really anyone out there stupid enough to think IOR are the saviours. I think a few are trying to be clever and fishing for bites, but even they arent really that stupid.

And when all is said and done, Tranmere and Cheltenham were our biggest saviours.