The Retention List

It’s always a cause of anticipation when the “dreaded” list is announced by clubs media departments. Some fans take this as an option to quote “should of get rid of the lot of them”, but generally it’s perceived as a clear out.

In Chesterfield’s case, it’s a clear out of a majority of Football League appearances and the injury prone. Chesterfield’s two longest serving players Derek Niven and Aaron Downes find themselves not offered fresh deals for next season’s League Two campaign, whilst Jamie Lowry (over 100 FL appearances himself) and Dan Gray, both former Youth team players are also let go.

In truth over 883 FL apps for Chesterfield have been dismissed in football’s rather transparent harshness, and whilst this does nothing for fans who want to see players do the business, it highlights two things. That football in this stats world is rather cruel and quick to find the exit door for even the oldest bit of china, and that players who are long fast in making career records are never likely to break any appearance records for one club anymore, and in some cases their appearances will be of the nomadic variety.

As for the injury struck players Downes, Lowry, Gregor Robertson, Dean Morgan, Simon Ford and Jimmy Juan all fall into this category as well. Whereas Greg Fleming and Alex Mendy are exited, with the fact that one wasn’t good enough, and the other flattered to deceive.

Supporters will be delighted when their favourite players are given a new contract, whilst some will be dismayed how on earth their nemesis did. All this is put down to trust of the management team and the board. The recent fans forum at the B2net Stadium, made abundantly clear that less will spent on the old adage of “dead wood” in next seasons squad, and more over quality, not quantity.

It’s pleasing to see though that further youth team products, Craig Clay and Tendayi Darikwa, were offered extended deals. However, the fact is that the Spireites youth section is failing to produce Football League standard players, the argument can be accepted with only Kevin Davies being a player that made Chesterfield money, and that was in 1997.

As the for the players now out of contract, everyone I’m sure will wish them well and hope they carry on their football careers.

Profiles of the released players will be issued this week.

For the record, here is the list of Football League appearances made by the players released.

Derek Niven             297 (signed initially on loan in Dec 2003, officially March 2004)
Aaron Downes          174 (signed Jun 2004)
Gregor Robertson      116 (signed July 2007)
Jamie Lowry          113 (signed July 2006)
Simon Ford          49 (signed July 2010)
Dan Gray                  45 (signed July 2008)
Dean Morgan          38 (signed Aug 2010)
Alex Mendy          34 (signed Aug 2011)
Greg Fleming          10 (signed July 2011)
Jimmy Juan          7 (signed Dec 2010)