Mystic Taff's squad predictions

The first Saturday off the off-season and I'm missing YTFC already. Spent my Saturday afternoon watching the Spanish Grand Prix qualifying session (Button on pole) followed by Millwall beating Dirty Leeds in the first leg of the L1 play-off semi-final, followed by Spurs drawing 0-0 at Everton. Yawn. So in an effort to relieve the tedium I thought I'd think about our current squad, who's in and who's out of contract and who's likely to be here next season.... Here's the current situation:

Under Contract: Terry Skiverton, Nathan Jones, Craig Alcock, Gavin Tomlin, Keiran Murtagh, Danny Schofield, Darren Way, Aidan Downes, Gary Roberts, Lee Peltier.

Returning To Parent Clubs: Danny Hutchins, Danny Maguire, David Noble, Jonathan Obika, Andros Townsend, Chris Weale, Ashley Hodgkinson.

Out Of Contract: Terrell Forbes, Andy Welsh, Josh Wagenaar, Paul Warne, Andre McCollin, Jordan Street, Rob Fitzgerald, Aaron Brown, Nathan Smith.

Already Released: Luke Rodgers.

If we look at those contracted for next season then we can with some certainty take 3 names off that list: Darren Way, Gary Roberts and Lee Peltier. Weasel will do well to play any kind of football again following his horrendous car accident; Roberts, as good a player is he is, is so damaged and damaging off the field that he will either be sacked or sold; and Peltier will be sold to a Championship club, thus enabling the club to keep just-and-just in the black. Added to that Skivo and Jones have already said that they want to concentrate on their managing and coaching respectively and would be happy if they didn't play at all next season. Alcock, Tomlin and Murtagh are all worth their places and will stay, Downes has had a poor season but is presumably cheap in wages terms and will also stay. I fully expect an offer to come in for Danny Schofield (probably from Brighton) and he too will go.

Regarding those returning to their parent clubs, we are realistically in with a chance of signing Danny Hutchins permanently, if the board can countenance paying for 2 right backs now Alcock's signed a new contract - who needs strength in depth, after all? Of the rest, Weale is surely too good to be playing in L1, Townsend and Obika will go on loan to Championship clubs, Noble is apparently off to The Gas, and Hodgkinson - well, who knows about him? As he didn't even appear for the reserves or the youth team in his time here then one can only assume he's this season's James Brown. We may be in with a chance of signing Danny Maguire permanently if Skivo wants him, time will tell on that.

Of those out of contract I'd expect Fitzgerald, Street and McCollin to be released. The club has another year's option on Nathan Smith which will obviously be taken up. I'd expect contracts to be offered to all of the rest, but I'll be surprised if Terrel Forbes isn't in residence at the Withdean Stadium by July. I hope that Welsh and Warne will stay, but if it was up to me then Wagenaar would be released - though Skivo may decide he's worth keeping as back-up, if finances allow. Aaron Brown should be offered the security of a whole year, though whether he will want to stay is moot.

So who does that leave? The definite's, IMO, are: Craig Alcock, Gavin Tomlin, Keiran Murtagh, Aidan Downes, Andy Welsh, Paul Warne and Nathan Smith. And that's it. We might see one or two others remain, but I wouldn't bet money on it. We'll see how right - or wrong - I am over the coming weeks.