Animis

That's the key isn't it - he's 30 and essentially finished at the top flight, and has been for a couple of years. He might get a pay-as-you-play at Crawley or similar.

He managed to eek a career and good money out of SWFC and we got a few years out of him when other clubs wouldn't have touched him. He gave all and that is ultimately all you can ask. Too many hours on the treatment bench though for to be considered a first team choice every season since 2014. We needed to replace him in 2016, but didn't and he and the team laboured for three years after this. Injured players and SWFC seems to attract and it can't have been a coincidence - hopefully we can move on and put whatever innuendo and rumours about his time at SWFC and attitude to bed - it hasn't didn't helped the club and split the fan base.

I wonder if Westwood's been paid, for never paying again, or for even going near Hillsborough again.

It's beginning to look like a poor decision by Bruce to give him a 2-year deal last summer.

The shape and movement looks a lot better than before the break. We still struggle to keep the ball in midfield and at the back - need to be more composed and quicker with the ball. Still too many fouls conceded in our half - but up to know they've not capitalized. Need to keep possession in the first 15 mins.

Hopefully with some of the old guard gone, we can settle into what hopefully will be a planned formation and tactics for the next year or so. Be interesting to see how this fairs against a similar quality team. A safe 1-1 for me.

BC are like us, a mid-championship team, who have a pop at the play-offs every 5 years or so. Unlike like us, they've invested into their ground and training ground facilities, so well done to them at looking at the future sensibly and sustainably..

Indeed - it shows either two things: 1. DC didn't have a long term plan because his intention was PL and sell the club for a profit. 2. Get to PL and then invest in the infrastructure with the revenue, which would be valued and clawed back as part of any sale. The constant 'jam tomorrow' approach and no back up plan or interest in the infrastructure whilst in the Championship will ultimately damage him, us and the club. There's a good chance we simply tread water in the EFL leagues for another 10 years - what then? I don't think he will sell at a loss, so he's got to blink at some point and focus on a long-term club re-building plan not just lining the pockets of a few individuals.

Very talented player, but his best days are gone - he came to us; a team just above mid-championship level at the height of his career. He will find he has limited options over the coming weeks/months. His personality baggage will put many off, but not all - someone may take a year punt on him.

I would imagine the 'offers' are a million miles away from what we threw around in 15 - 17. FF could probably get a championship club - not a big one though; someone like Middlesbrough, Preston, OPR. Will they give him a 3-yr on £30k - doubt it, so his market value is probably around max £20k/week Fletch could potentially end up at a Bolton/Sunderland or Wigan at best. Again, at 34 yr old you'd only offer him a 1yr deal on max £20k/week + goal bonus. I never been bothered or impressed by Fox - he ended looking better at the end of his SWFC career, which coincided with a dip in our form and level of player at the club. He's on par with Palmer for and I wouldn't lose ended sleep if he left either. Fox's market value can't be more than £10k/week. If so, we either offered him less or not the contract term he wants. Might end up at Luton or Rotherham.

I think it's Brentfords unless they bottle it - they seem to have that bit extra and don't sit back when they score. Only thing that can trip them up is a suspect defence and injuries. The Wembley day out with no fans is just our luck. Only thing worth remembering about 2015 was the day out with your mates and fellow fans.

That big end with just the back half covered seemed to go on forever. When Atkinson scored everyone piled forward arms/legs everywhere. It was spilt in the middle like the Holt End at semis. There was a bit of trouble outside the ground - that underpass coming down to the ground from the pub.

It wasn't the first time SWFC fans had done the dam buster chant and arms sway, but it was generally the odd fans and was just met with a two fingered salute by their fans. I remember a lot more SWFC fans doing it in 94, which was partly down to our previous season in Europe and cup runs. I think some were on the wind up and some genuinely oblivious to the implications. We also had a lot there that Sunday - probably around 6k with all that terracing and seating at one end which even then was a bowl with their fans looking down on us. Even to this day though, I never saw any real trouble - went home through Manchester and the train back to Sheffield and didn't hear anything until the following week. It then was built up for the 2nd leg and it went off all over Hillsborough outside the ground before and after the game.

I wonder what a fully fit and firing Wickham would yield in a full championship season - I'd say anywhere from 10-20 goals. This would be where we put Fletcher when we brought him in 2016. Similar background and attributes. He's not going to get another PL contract. His current deal with CP expires next June, and I can't see him playing much if at all if he returns to them. Probably go out on another loan, and probably to the Championship. Before the break, I didn't see anything at all that would have me hoping for us to re-sign him, but maybe the time off has re-charged him.

Agreed - his movement was towards the ball and he didn't move his arm away. He knew what he was doing.