So he's off then ... [url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/rugby_league/s/1490121_salford-city-reds-move-to-keep-matty-smithSalford City Reds move to keep Matty Smith[/url



everytime I see the words " [iReds bosses are pulling out the stops [/i" I get that sinking feeling.

same with Myler & Ratchford .

First you get a story about how hard they are working to keep him and they are planning ' [ito build the team around him[/i "

Then you get a story about how there's a new contract offered but the club are still talks with his agent .

Then he's gone.



story goes onto say there's rumours of a deal from Huddersfield for Smith .



Question is , do we ' break the bank ' to keep him or as has been mentioned elsewhere on the forum , with Marc Sneyd , Theo Fages & Niall Evalds on our books do we bother??

I say. dont "break the bank" to keep him. If he accepts the offer,thats fine.But as stated, we have some good youngsters coming through.

just one word " Bradford"

The one we should be concerned about keeping is Longy.The difference in attack this year has beenoutstanding. I feel Saints may come in for him next year...

Well we are a stop gap club, so people shouldn't be surprised by a departure of any player showing promise. O'Connor, Mc'Avoy, Naylor, Coley, Robinson, Hodgson, Turner, Myler, Ratchford and now Smithy, Loyalties alike Malcolm Alker don't exist anymore, it's their job and they have to earn as much money they can from such a short career. I agree with the above poster tie-ing Long to a attractive contract would be my concern rather than Smith. Look at the difference of player Smith is at present from the Smith we've seen in the past, and Long has to take the plaudits for that change, so he could easily transfer the same traits to another youngster on the conveyerbelt or seek another decent young halfback in the lower leagues. Ryan Brierley from Leigh looks a good replacement. Life goes on, we've got too accept that we are a stop gap club in this day and age.

Long's influence is more apparent with Smith's massive improvement this season on a one to one basis in comparison to how he has performed in recent years under different tutelage, but this year the whole side has progressed under the guidance of Mr Long, everybody is reading off the same script in attacking situations, which makes Matty Smiths job allot easier.

already had rumours linking Sean with Saints working with Cunningham running the 'Offence'.

It's understandable the link considering his long term association with the club .

We know Longy will end up at Saints one day, but if we could just keep hold of him for another couple of seasons..

Anyone thought he might like playing here.......? Given that he was being passed around like an unwanted present before he committed (or should i say we offered him) a decent contract. I think a sign of him committing to another deal may be a sign that things are moving in the right direction.



Good call on Longy.....needs tying to a decent contract (as does PV)

As I have said before,get rid of Simms,and there is your money for Long and Smith.If are 3,500 fans were surveyed

who would they pick,I think we all know the answer.The nest one we should be worried about,Is young Owen.

We have the new venue,we have a coaching team,that could with the right tools,do a good job.But we still have

the same old problems,at the helm.Also I did here that the corporate,is not counted in the attendance,is that right.

If you got rid of Steve Simms (and on what grounds would you do it?) how much money would it make available? Would you employ someone else to take on his role and, if so, how would you define his role and how much would you pay his replacement? If you wouldn't take on a replacement, who would you nominate from inside the club to take on that role and how much would you pay them?

simms is on more than a majority of the players, he should be gone, hes a waste of money no gooder,

get rid of



steve simms

jordan james ( biggest waste of money since carige)

luke adamson (good defender, awful attacker makes no yards !!!)

ryan boyle ( was awesome until he signed a new contract)

chris nero ( hes ok but could sign better)

vinnie anderson (here for the final pay cheque)



sign some quality and we will be fine

That's harsh, you'd have to go an awful long way to find someone as bad a waste of money than Carige, I'll grant you we've tried really hard but we haven't topped it yet!

Add to that

Josh Veivers (No pace for a winger, light weight defender)

Ashley Gibson (mediocre in all his game)

Adam Sidlow (Size yes...Heart No)

A thread on keeping our good players/coach turns into slagging off the rest of the team!

I thought we had got over this.



Back on topic, I agree with DI, probably the most level headed post on the thread (I cant belive I have just written that)!

It's true that Salford are a stop-gap club for many players. The club doesn't have the money to be anything else. In spite of the increase in crowds (so far) this season, it's likely we'll still finish the year with the second lowest average attendance in SL. Unless more [ipaying[/i spectators start turning up, we'll always be in the position we're in.



In Long's case, though, I doubt any money would keep him at any club if a job at St Helens came up.