Next season: who do we think is staying and going?

Note, I'm not asking who you WANT to stay; I'm asking what you think is going to happen. Cutbacks are inevitable, so I reckon Safri's definitely off, Colin will be too (because Grant's either fallen out with him or doesn't rate him), Drury may be (though personally, I hope otherwise), and Doherty, McVeigh and Henderson will all depart too: not that I think anyone would question those three exits, I suspect.

It now looks as though Earnie will stay at least til January: partly because, as Arganth's said elsewhere, his injury makes it highly unlikely the club's valuation for him will be met. I've also a feeling Hughes will be kept on: rightly or wrongly, Grant clearly sees him as adding something attack-wise, and his relationship with the fans has been transformed over recent weeks. On Etuhu, it probably depends on whether we can find a good enough replacement (such as Brellier): like it or not, we keep playing him because box-to-box midfielders are essential to any team, and he's about the only option we have.

And assuming Lewis, Eagle, Jarvis and maybe Cave-Brown are kept on, that just leaves Dion: and am I alone in having a nasty feeling he'll be released? Look at it this way: I know he's had a fantastic impact, and hope to goodness he stays - but would it really be wise for a club about to lose £7m in revenue to keep on a 37-year-old who is bound at some point to lose form and/or fitness? I can't help but suspect the board will think not.

Thoughts, anyone?

Posted By: thebigfeller, Mar 1, 05:25:45