County are prepared for challenges ahead
STOCKPORT County manager Jim Gannon says the club remain ‘robust and ready for the challenges ahead’ amid the coronavirus pandemic.
County’s season has drawn to a halt, with their potential promotion hopes boiling down to whether relegation will take place in League Two.
However, the rules regarding retained and released players remains fixed, and now the club has fulfilled the ‘difficult task’ of reshaping their squad despite the ongoing uncertainty.
Speaking to the club’s official website, Gannon said: “This is a period of unprecedented difficulty and transition at Stockport County. As we are all acutely aware, the coronavirus pandemic has caused great distress in all walks of life, including the football industry at every level and across the whole country.
“All businesses remain extremely challenged in an environment of such uncertainty about the future, but we can rest assured that our football club, with Mark Stott as the new owner, remains robust and ready for the challenges ahead.
“We have all come a long way in the last two seasons. The club has progressed greatly to move from regional part-time football to the edge of the national professional game at League level.
“Under the previous owners and board of directors, last season had three targets at national level – to compete, to consolidate and to challenge.
“We carried forward the majority of our squad from 2018/2019 season and they adjusted and grew into a competitive team that we feel added to the National League.
“The additions of good loans in the autumn supported the ‘old guard’ and help consolidate our position in the league as we turned into the New Year in the play-offs.
“2020 brought a massive change at the club, but slowly and surely the positive effects of new investment helped reap the results that saw us return to one of the top form teams. We entered the play-off position after the final competitive game and were positioned well to challenge hard for promotion.
“As of today, we still remain unclear as to the final resolution of the 2019/2020 season, and this creates a difficult back-drop to the reshaping of our squad at this stage.
“However, the formalities and rules regarding the decision and announcement of retained and released players remains fixed, despite this season having not officially been resolved or finished.
“Therefore, we must still fulfil our obligations to the FA, the National League and to all members of our staff and players in relation to our intentions for next season and beyond. This is a difficult task, and with the added uncertainty of when next season will start, we are almost forced into a ‘holding’ position whilst we await guidance and a clear understanding of the future shape of football at professional levels.”
While County have had positive talks with a number of players, Gannon announced on the club’s official website that a some players’ deals will not be extended beyond the conclusion of this season.
He said: “Currently, we have five professional players contracted for next season; Liam Hogan, Lois Maynard, Jordan Keane, Alex Curran and Richard Bennett. Liam, Lois, Alex and Richard were signed on terms of a full-time, professional player. With regard to Jordan Keane, positive talks and agreements have been reached regarding improving the terms of his contract.
“The club is also pleased to announce that we have taken up the options to extend contracts for a further year of the young developing players Festus Arthur and Jordan Downing.
“The club has had constructive and ongoing talks with Ash Palmer, Ben Hinchliffe and Adam Thomas regarding new contracts for 2020/2021 season.”
Gannon added: “The club at this stage has also decided to continue the contracts on a similar extension basis of Sam Minihan, Paul Turnbull, Nyal Bell, Sam Walker and Elliot Osborne.
“It was also felt appropriate at the club to continue the contract terms of Darren Stephenson until he has returned to full fitness following his serious injury last pre-season which required surgery in the spring of this year. We wish to allow Darren an opportunity to recover completely from his surgery and return to full fitness and at that stage discuss his future options.
“Unfortunately, the contracts of the remaining players – Dan Cowan, Frank Mulhern, Ian Ormson, Connor Dimaio, Szymon Czubik, Tyler Garrett and Liam McAlinden – will not be extended beyond the conclusion of this season and they will be released at the expiration of their current contracts. We thank them for their contribution over the season and wish them well in their future careers.
“The club can also confirm that Ben Jackson (Huddersfield Town FC), Danny Lloyd (Salford FC) and Eddie Clarke (Fleetwood Town FC) have all returned to their parent clubs.”