Player changes

[Garawa]

With such a good run and many players being tied down to current deals it is hard to work out what changes are necessary. I'm sure JE will want to make some and bring in new faces but does he have many options? If you exclude Adam Barrett, Amine Linganzi and Danny Kedwell who have already had their contracts cancelled, the only players I believe that are out of contract in the summer are:

Joe Martin
Leon Legge
and Antonio German!

Hardly a great deal of choice and you could easily see Legge and Martin staying on as cover so what changes would you make?

[Garawa]

So Devante McKain is the latest player to leave Priestfield after a tweet he sent. I thought we had big hopes for him? If Martin and Legge leave then it will only be Egan left in defence. I can't see Dickenson being used there so that's a whole new back four. I would keep Martin and Legge for cover but we have no chance of signing Ehmer I feel.

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

Callum Davies is still here,but I don`t think he will be a long term player here.I expect Edinburgh to bring in his own defenders in the Summer.Legge has struggled to get games for Months,so I expect him to join Wimbledon or Barnet.I would be happy to see Martin and Legge retained for another season,but Legge willl probably leave anyway as he wants to be playing.

I have just seen we have announced the young players we`re keeping and getting rid of.

One year extensions: Michael Freiter,Tom Hadler,Greg Cundle,Mitchell Dickenson,Callum Emptage.
Jack Sellens has been invited back for pre-season training.

Six Month Extensions: Josh Hare,and Aaron Millbank get six month deals as they look to prove their fitness.

Released Players: Dan Bent,Aidan Blanchard,Devante McKain,Mahlon Romeo,Josh Staunton,Charlie Webster.

I`m surprised to see Romeo,and Webster released after reading how highly rated they were.

http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/n ... 68505.aspx

[fan_of_mulligan]

I am going to give my thoughts and opinions on the players who have been released and the players who have been offered contract extensions, so be prepared because this is going to be a long response.

RELEASED

Mahlon Romeo - Mahlon Romeo is a very athletic right back who can get forward and track back and he has got plenty of pace and I thought that Mahlon Romeo put in some impressive performances in The Kent Senior Cup against Margate, Tonbridge Angels and Dartford, and I was convinced that he would of been offered a one year contract extension, and like many of the players Gillingham have released yesterday, I am surprised to see Mahlon Romeo's name on the release list.

Mahlon Romeo has made the substitutes bench for the first team on a few occasions, but his only appearance for Gillingham was against Burton Albion at the end of the 2012 / 2013 Season, I think Mahlon Romeo would do a decent job in The Conference South, but I did think that he was going to progress and be a back up right back for Gillingham Next Season.

Devante McKain - Devante McKain has made the substitutes bench a few times this season and his only appearance for Gillingham was as a second half substitute against Stevenage in The Football League Trophy back in August, I thought that Devante McKain would of been a decent defensive holding midfielder, as that was the position he played in during our Kent Senior Cup Match against Margate.

I am less surprised about Devante McKain going, simply because since signing for Gillingham we have been promoted into League One and Devante McKain just hasn't been able to get in-front of Callum Davies, Adam Barrett, Leon Legge, John Egan, Max Ehmer, Kortney Hause, Harry Lennon or Ryan Inniss, like Mahlon Romeo I think Devante McKain will go back to The Conference South and a return to Maidenhead United might be on the cards.

Josh Staunton - I am very surprised about Josh Staunton being released because Josh Staunton can play as a centre back or as a defensive holding midfielder and Josh Staunton was Captain of Gillingham's Development Squad and he even wore The Captain's Armband during our Kent Senior Cup Matches.

I thought Josh Staunton would kick on to be Gillingham's Fourth Choice Centre back next season and make the match day squad on a more regular basis, I am very disappointed that Josh Staunton has been released and of the players who have been released, he is the one player I thought who could kick on and potentially be a first team regular in the near future.

Dan Bent - Dan Bent is the only player released who I thought wasn't going to make the step up to the first team, Dan Bent only started against Dartford in The Kent Senior Cup and played at left back and he was a unused substitute in the matches against Tonbridge Angels and Margate, the young defender might drop low down to Ryman Division One South to get regular first team football before working his way up through The Non League Divisions.

Aidan Blanchard - Aidan Blanchard scored some important goals for Gillingham in The Development League and Aidan Blanchard scored against Dartford in The Kent Senior Cup and I saw a few comments online suggesting that Aidan Blanchard could be similiar to Bradley Dack in that he scores goals from midfield and could be another attacking midfielder to come through our youth system - Maidstone United have signed a few ex Gillingham Players in recent season's and Aidan Blanchard might sign for them in the summer.

Charlie Webster - Charlie Webster being released really has surprised me because Charlie Webster scored two goals against Dartford in our 7-3 win, and Charlie Webster assisted Aidan Blanchard's goal in that game, Charlie Webster scored and assisted both goals against Tonbridge Angels as Charlie Webster set up Michael Freiter for his opening goal in The Quarter Finals, and Charlie Webster scored from the spot in our penalty shoot-out win against Margate - perhaps Charlie Webster will make his loan move at Tonbridge Angels into a permanent one in the summer.

RETAINED

Tom Hadler - A Very talented goalkeeper who I can see being Gillingham's Second Choice Goalkeeper within the next year or two, it might be a good idea to send Tom Hadler out on A Season Long Loan to a Conference South Club next season to continue Tom Hadler's Development, we need to send our players out on loan and then send out on loan to clubs higher up in the football pyramid if we're to know exactly how good our young players are, but I do rate Tom Hadler highly and think he will be a exceptional goalkeeper in the near future.

Josh Hare - Josh Hare impressed me at right back in both matches against Yeovil Town and the away game against Crewe Alexandra back in January, Josh Hare can play at right back, centre back and defensive holding midfielder and he has got the physical presence to handle himself in league football, and I think that Josh Hare would be a decent back up / squad player to Gavin Hoyte / whoever we have at right back next season - keeping Josh Hare might explain why Mahlon Romeo has been released.

Mitchell Dickenson - Mitchell Dickenson can play at left back, but Mitchell Dickenson was playing as a centre back against Dartford and Margate, while Mitchell Dickenson was a unused sub in the game against Tonbridge Angels, I have only seen Mitchell Dickenson play in two Kent Senior Cup Games so I am not sure how good he is and he might need another year to prove himself, but out of Mitchell Dickenson and Josh Staunton, I thought Josh Staunton was the better centre back, but then that is only my opinion.

Callum Emptage - Callum Emptage played against Margate at left back and he made a late substitute appearance against Dartford in The Kent Senior Cup as well, I am not sure what is Callum Emptage's best position is, but seeing as we don't have many left back's in our youth set up then I would play Callum Emptage in that position and see how he does over the course of next season.

Michael Freiter - Michael Freiter scored against Tonbridge Angels in The Kent Senior Cup and Michael Freiter played against Dartford and Tonbridge Angels in the competition, Michael Freiter can play on the left wing, central attacking midfield or as a striker, I like to see Michael Freiter go out on a season long loan and gain some experience and come back to Gillingham in a year's time with a full season of football under his belt which can only enhance his development as a professional footballer.

Aaron Millbank and Jack Sellans - Both players play up-front and I saw Jack Sellans play and score against Dartford in The Kent Senior Cup in his only appearance in the competition and Aaron Millbank has has long term injury problems, Aaron Millbank has signed a six month deal while Jack Sellans has to prove himself in pre-season, again I like to see both players sent out on loan to improve there development.

I think Gillingham need to use the loan system to develop our young players

Age 16 Kent County League
Age 17 Ryman Premier League
Age 18 Conference National

We should send our young players out on season long loans with a potential pathway into Gillingham's First Team as we look to push our young players up through The Non League Pyramid, Under 21 Football and 3-4 Kent Senior Cup Games a season, are not going to improve our young players development, I am sure there are clubs in Kent who play in Non League Football who would love to affiliate with Gillingham and sign our young players, perhaps the youth system I am suggestion is great on paper and great to mention on a forum, but just unworkable in practice ???

[Garawa]

I am sure there are clubs in Kent who play in Non League Football who would love to affiliate with Gillingham

Dover and Ebbsfleet definitely won't! Not sure about any of the others though.

[gillsfan1066]

Do you guys have a JOB ?? I have probably thrown you a bit of a googly there, it's where you get up at 6 in the morning, have a sh*t,shower and shave,cup of coffee, go outside the house get in the car and drive to this place called work.
Then they make you stay there for like 8 or 10 hours ,YES THEY DO, no I am serious, and you have to think about things other then Gillingham FC.
Yeah I know ,it's a bitch,but you have to do other stuff, like what they call work, then they PAY you, YES I AM SERIOUS,they give you a check, and you don't ever have to worry whether a coke costs a pound or a pound twenty five because you can afford to buy either, YES I AM F***ing SERIOUS,thats the way it works.
Then at like 6 o clock you get home ,the wife or Mom puts the dinner in front of you, then you spend like 10 minutes of an evening writing 3 lines about GFC,then you go to bed, because your KNACKERED.
OK this is the kicker, YOU HAVE TO F***ING DO IT AGAIN THE NEXT DAY, YES I AM SERIOUS, AND THE DAY AFTER AND THE.......guess by now you guys have collapsed into the,fetal position on the floor screaming no no don't make me go to ..............................................WORK.
OK sorry about that, I am just being grumpy because I can't spend 25 hours a day writing on here.

[Garawa]

That's because you are always out playing golf Chicago

[gillsfan1066]

Hahaha, yeah rite ,sunny and 70 yesterday and yes I did play, haha, freezing dam cold today and a threat of snow over the weekend for areas north of Chitown,always out playing golf phooey, I wish, hahaha.

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

Josh Staunton hopes to bounce back from his release by Gills at Maidstone.I think that is a good move for him,regular Football in front of bigger crowds than some League 2 clubs.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/s ... ack-34395/

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

Mahlon Romeo is on trial at Millwall I read on Twitter today.

[Garawa]

Surprising to get a trial at a higher league club when you haven't broke into your own squad! But then Hoyte coming here on loan from Dag & Red seemed similarly surprising I suppose.