An experienced spine

Following the appeal by HMRC, and we now await the outcome of this case, we pretty much knew for sure that 'what we have now is what we have pretty much got for the 'foreseeable' future' as no transfers can really be made until the embargo is lifted, if it is?

I say 'what he have is what we have got', although technically, with the football league's approval, strictly speaking we 'might' see a couple more late arrivals before the weekend, and most probably others will be sold, perhaps not before the weekend though.

This, in some cases, is a necessity...

It seems, again given that football league approval, we can get 'dispensation' to bring in a few players 'if' our numbers dip below 20, which will be the case when others are sold.

We are left in an awkward position at the moment as the 'experienced players', that we have left, carry the greater value although they also command the highest wages - that said some, although a number are being moved on, of the '1st team' members are on around £3,000 per week each, some of these are nowhere near, and never will be, 1st team level either!

Given the fact that we cannot bring in too much it is clearly essential that we try to keep an 'experienced spine' throughout the side, ideally with at least one experienced player to act as the focal point in each area.

So, for me, we MUST - if at all possible - keep Aaron Mokoena in central defence, Michael Brown in central midfield and Tommy Smith as a forward.

With us also having Ibrahima Sonko this gives Moko an experienced partner to play alongside and would then also allow Marc Wilson, assuming we can keep him, to push further forward. Ideally playing just in front of the back four but behind Brown - this would benefit both the player and of course the side as this is his best position.

With some 'senior' midfielders also retained we look 'pretty strong' in that area, even after other expected departures and at the moment Smith looks to have some senior players to play alongside up top as well.

So, it is not all 'doom and gloom', providing injuries and suspensions do not bite too hard!

Although we must remember that keeping a 'sustainable' squad together is what we need so there will be more goings, lets just hope that they are the 'expected departures' that will allow us to keep others that we want to as a result.

It would have been fantastic if we could have kept David James as that last line of defence as he would have made a great difference but at least in Jamie Ashdown we have experience and a proper run of games, as the no.1, might see his true potential finally realised?

Although the essential thing is having a base of Moko, Browny and Smithy to build around, as I feel this gives us a 'decent' spine to build on...

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