The Poolie Bunker

Which current players would you keep assuming money was freely available for new signings.
Your list please…

Cleary, would pay big bucks to keep him.
Miley, already signed up anyway
Mancini, but would include a big bonus for him every time he plays.
Parkes but he would need younger support alongside him.
Fergie, not everyones favourite but he's a good player in a good team.
Stephenson, he'll get better and better as he gets older.
Sheron, versatile squad player, always handy to have.
That's it, scatter the rest of 'em.

Agree with that assessment

I suppose if money was no object, you'd keep no one and just start again, but being realistic, on the basis that you don't really need to buy your way out of this division, just have a good chairman and a savvy manager with savvy backroom staff, and just cherry pick the best players from Altrincham, Halifax, Gateshead, Harrogate, etc etc, then I'd go.

Smith or Dixon, as back up keepers, with a good young keeper coming in on loan.
Parkes, make him captain, sometimes struggled with the carthorse Waterfall alongside him, has improved since Sass Davies came in, but would benefit from a 25 year old centre back partner alongside him.
Stephenson, one for the future, stick with him and persevere, good physique.
Cleary, has more than proved himself, unfortunately he's played his way out of signing for Pools, (even if we had the money) and NL football, so a waste of time putting him on this list really.
Miley, will only get better and the sort of player who could help catapult the club through a couple of promotions over a 5 or 6 year period, before we sell him on for big fee
Sheron, solid, puts a foot in, versatile and most importantly not injury prone and a 40 game a season player.
Madine, back up player to bring off the bench, and I imagine a big character to have around the dressing room.
Campbell, useful back up player to bring off the bench, versatile.

PS. Sass - Davies, if he continues his good form until the end of the season, then I'd keep, as a back up player.

I think both lists above are fair but both don't have Mani D on which confuses me. Double figures for the last 3 seasons isn't a bad return at all...
Smith, Parkes, Miley and Folarin are definitely here which is a good start.
Sheron - arguably player of the season if not Parkes, starting to look better on the ball as well.
Sass-Davies - been hard done by this season but always looks solid, makes the odd mistake but every defender does at this level - could also be due to a lack of game time.
Stephenson - can see us selling him for good money at some point.
Dodds - would give him another contract, think he needs some confidence back and then hopefully we'll see him back to his best
Madine - good goal return and would be good as back up as said above
Mancini - one of the best players in the league when fit, got to hope that's next season (on a pay as you play)
Mani D - As above double figures for goals.
Cleary - there's definitely an argument to be made for him signing; a club he know's he will get game time at and develop, know's the manager has faith in him etc., the argument against is obviously that we don't know if we'll have an owner who can give him the contract he deserves, he's too good for the league already so will want to play in the league and West Brom might offer him another contract anyway...

Ones I'm torn on:
Fergie - loves the club and is looking solid in his new positon but think he should only be back up next season at most.
Grey - think for his career he should move on but would love to see him back to his best here.

I was going to put him on my list but very strong rumours he is leaving either way. Otherwise obviously he needs keeping.

It’s a mythical scenario I made so money doesn’t come into the question.

John Borthwick

These;

Maybe Roy Hogan is still playing.

Isn't Sass-Davies 25 years old?

Joe Grey? Surely a player good enough to play in League 2

Has any player ever agreed to a pay as you play contract?

Another one who it appears has already decided to try pastures new if gossip is to be believed. I personally like the lad and he is afterall the only true Poolie in the first team squad.

my feelings towards the lad are like his performances. i blow hot and cold. going over the full season its hard to say how good and bad many of our players are as like us they have been pissed about with by 3 different managers and the systems pushed onto them. only recently more have shown what there capabilities really are and they need some sort of continuity into next season with decent replacements for some and the same manager no matter what some feel about him.

He is, but if you had read my post properly, Sass-Davies needs to continue his good form until the end of the season for me, in order to get on the list. If he does, then, YES, he could be the solution.

Since getting back into the side Sass Davies has probably been the defender with the least number of costly mistakes, and at 25 can get better imo.

I agree.

F*ck me, just spat me coffee all over the couch!!

Was at the game yesterday sat behind Jeff Stelling and his ex colleague Bianca from Sky Sports lets just say I’m not as optimistic as I was about the club. Hopefully things can still turn round.

For a world icon figure Stello is very very underwhelming in his association to HUFC.