Non-contract players

[Adam Hill]

I think that Phil Starbuck faces a tough challenge to bring success to Hednesford Town while the vast majority of our players seem to be on non-contract playing forms. It is difficult to build a team when we have such a high turnover of players. Presently Phil Starbuck is doing other Managers jobs for them by identifying good players to sign. Knowing most of our players are on non-contract forms Managers and scouts from other clubs visit Keys Park to snatch our players on seven day notices. AFC Telford are the obvious example and now Steve Burr is following suit.
However, the club are not getting enough people through the turnstiles to be able to afford to put players on full contracts. The financial stability of the football club has to come first. I believe that the club is not in debt and Steve Price and Terry Brumpton deserve a lot of credit for this. I also think that Terry Brumpton deserves credit for his backing of Phil Starbuck throughout this difficult period for the team.
Sometimes Hednesford Town supporters are too eager to boo when we have a disappointing result without appreciating the full facts.

[Prof. Frink]

we don't mind losing to a better team knowing that we've played well or at least tried, but when we play without any passion, heart, tactical knowledge or players playing in wrong postion, players not good enough to be playing for us and no really leader then i feel that we, as fans, have a right to boo!

i would love starbuck to be a success here but i don't think thats going to happen.
so rather then see us demise lets get rid quick!

p.s i have never booed hednesford in all the years i have seen them!

[MikeM]

Why don't we get our own back and poach Steve Burr - one of the most intelligent players I've ever seen in non-league, he could probably make something of our shambles and has a soft spot for Hednesford, surely. Don't know how he interviews, though

[Prof. Frink]

Would love Burry back

[SteveW]

Why don't we get our own back and poach Steve Burr - one of the most intelligent players I've ever seen in non-league, he could probably make something of our shambles and has a soft spot for Hednesford, surely. Don't know how he interviews, though


I don't think Steve Burrs spot for Hednesford is as soft as you imagine.

Can I just address these constant insinuations that PS only got the managers job because of a good interview when there were others that applied and would have done a far better job. Phil has played at the highest level of the game under the likes of Brian Clough and Phil Warnock. He has impeccable coaching qualifications, not just UEFA badges but psychology, youth coaching, even first aid.

As a manager he saved Hucknal from certain relegation and then led them to two trophies the following season. He kept Leigh RMI in the Conference National on a miniscule wage budget and gave Arnold Town their best ever season before coming here.

Yes he does a good interview aswell but to keep implying that the Commitee were somehow stupid enough to be hoodwinked by someone who doesn't have a clue what he is doing is simply wrong and needs to stop. I defy any one you, if you had sat in on theose interviews to have made any other appointment because I can tell you now that you wouldn't have.

Phil was far and away the best man for the job back in May 2006 and as far as I'm concerned nothing has changed. So lets get behind the guy because he manages OUR club and he'll do a better job with the fans supporting him rather than criticising and sniping at him.

[Bod]

"impeccable coaching qualifications"
shame it doesn't spill over onto the pitch !

[Bod]

I think that Phil Starbuck faces a tough challenge to bring success to Hednesford Town while the vast majority of our players seem to be on non-contract playing forms. It is difficult to build a team when we have such a high turnover of players. Presently Phil Starbuck is doing other Managers jobs for them by identifying good players to sign. Knowing most of our players are on non-contract forms Managers and scouts from other clubs visit Keys Park to snatch our players on seven day notices. AFC Telford are the obvious example and now Steve Burr is following suit.
However, the club are not getting enough people through the turnstiles to be able to afford to put players on full contracts. The financial stability of the football club has to come first. I believe that the club is not in debt and Steve Price and Terry Brumpton deserve a lot of credit for this. I also think that Terry Brumpton deserves credit for his backing of Phil Starbuck throughout this difficult period for the team.
Sometimes Hednesford Town supporters are too eager to boo when we have a disappointing result without appreciating the full facts.


result or results ?

[dave jarvu, mystery man]

Going back to the subject of non-contract players.
According to the Unibond League website or one of the non league papers, Ashley Wooliscroft joined Hednesford from Kidsgrove for an 'undisclosed fee'.
If Stalybridge have put in seven days notice for him, this suggests that he is a non-contract player and able to talk to the other club once the seven days notice has elapsed.
So, if we have paid a fee for the player, why is he not on contract thus protecting our investment and ensuring that he cannot move to another club without a fee being paid.
Surely if we have paid for a player we wouldn't let him walk away with us receiving nothing for him.

[Markeg]

Out of interest why would he want to leave Hednesford to move to Stalybridge?

When 7 days have been served does that mean thats the waiting period to sign them, or the waiting period for discussion.

Anybody read the mercury? Rene's corner in there makes me a bit more optimistic. In all fairness to Phil he does seem to poach decent players from leagues below and has got a few good coups from higher leagues. Maybe he's a victim of his own success if our better players are moving on quickly. At the end of the day though the manager must carry the can if he loses football matches. It's all good experience. At the end of the day Steve McClaren might be a good manager, might have good player but hes losing matches which he has to carry the can for.

After having time to digest our recent plight I dont think PS should be sacked. I think he will probably get it right, and if/when he does get it right we know the sort of football we will be in for.

Anybody else with me?

[dave jarvu, mystery man]

The main reasons he might leave would be :
1. To play his football at a higher level.
2. More money (although I wouldn't know if Stalybridge pay more than us).
I'm not saying he will leave, the point of my post was that if we had paid a fee for a player, shouldn't we have him on contract to safeguard that investment.
We don't get the Mercury anymore so I don't know what Rene said.
On the point of sacking PS, I reckon the club have sacked/ not renewed Managers contracts too quickly in the past, PS has had a season and a bit which in managerial terms isn't a long time but I think the Trophy game on Saturday is a very important one for him. A win and he'll be safe, a defeat..
.. and who knows?

[Markeg]

1. If hes come here with the general objective and belief that we will get promoted, moving to a higher level is irrelevent.
2. More money, possibly, however more competition for places, maybe more travelling.

There should be a link to the mercury on here somewhere, Rene said something about the amount of games we were playing took away from training, which we had done a lot of in pre season. Something along those lines.

Maybe im clutching on to straws......

[leekempson]

It'll certainly be interesting to see what happens with Wooliscroft. It could all come down to where he lives and works, as opposed to lolly. Hednesford and Stalybridge are not exactly close, so unless he lives in the Stoke/South Cheshire area he is likely to live a lot closer to one than the other.
I hope he stays because I think he is an important player. He works hard, is always available, and passes the ball well.
Onto Saturday, Willenhall have had two good beatings this week 5-0 and 3-0, so the Pitmen revival starts at Noose Lane. See you all there!

[SteveW]

the point of my post was that if we had paid a fee for a player, shouldn't we have him on contract to safeguard that investment.

I think it's fair to point out to supporters that the Chairman is the man that controls the purse strings (it's his money after all) and ultimately he sets the club policy regarding contracted players. It isn't down to Phil Starbuck, Terry Brumpton, the Commitee or anyone else.

It works both ways after all, no contract means 'no play = no cost' and if they don't work out then they can be shown the door. It's a no risk policy. Of course you do leave yourself open to offers for your players from higher league clubs but that's how we are getting these exact same players ourselves in the first place. Unfortunately we are not in a position to contract every player and just farm them out on loan whilst still paying most of their wages as the likes of Telford are able to do if they've not proven themselves to be a certain starter every week.

That's how things are, we just have to make the best of it. But the constant attention that we get from other clubs prove that Phil, Mark and the scouting system are certainly doing their jobs. We just have to make sure these players have the right atmosphere to play in and want to stay here when they get approached rather than move.

[Dorinda]

After having time to digest our recent plight I dont think PS should be sacked. I think he will probably get it right, and if/when he does get it right we know the sort of football we will be in for.

Anybody else with me?

Fully agree Mark.

Link to the Mercury is in the General Non League section, open up the link that Barry the Bot has found then click on Sport then Cannock Sport and you'll find Rene's article

See you all Saturday