MATTHEW HOLT RELEASED

Wouldn't be the greatest surprise to see Jiws, Sharpy, Garside & Stones depart. Of those, only Sharpy could come back to haunt us. Don't think there will be a huge exodus to Farrar Road, as their fans won't accept a glut of players considered not good enough for Belle Vue. Michael White may be a different proposition.

sharpy is the least one left to have come up thro the reserves..if he goes then it sends a massive message, it leaves our bench weaker (given the need for 2 locally produced players) and if/when Neil Roberts gets injured we'd have no strikers with a strong physical presence...makes no sense

It's a serious point. Sharpy burst past and held off the Oldham defender towards the end to get the shot on target in the same way that Craig Davies held off Stones in the first half. Difference of course was that Davies's was a precision strike whereas Sharpy blasted it over. I'm not sure that muscling past defenders would be Williams or Reed's strong point. Roberts would be strong enough but not quick enough to get into the position. It's not that Sharpy's "better" than the other strikers but his determined running, and closing down of defenders, brings us an extra option to that which is covered by the other strikers. Unlike Matty Holt's case, this is an identifiable footballing asset and extra option to the team not covered by the others. It's not just a case of loyalty to the players who have come thro the system - altho such loyalty apparently is now to be rewarded in the composition of the subs' bench.