As a point of interest, I was having a coffee outside the ridings shop on Saturday and they were replaying the Cas game. I finished up watching most of it and I was reminded how really well Liam Kay played. Makes you wonder who
is out there that would be better value for money.

I couldn't agree more, I've always rated him and I find him a genuinely exciting player.

However many things about the Liam non signing annoy me.

At the end of the day the deal we offered may have been less than for example Leigh but it's still a chance to play in SL.
When you consider Jason Demetriou packed his bags up and moved over here to try his luck with Chorley as have a long line of Aussies it makes you wonder whether Liam has the ticker and the desire.

If RL for him is just a job then fine but is that the kind of player we want? Where is the desire to prove yourself which is what is needed at the top level.

I just don't get it, years as a fringe player then a guaranteed squad place beckons on the back of just one good performance and he legs it to almost certain Championship obscurity.

Why not take the crappy 1 year deal we are offering, back yourself and play as well in your next 10 games and you can name your price. That's how it used to work, one game was never enough to guarantee you a big pay day and on this I fully agree with Agar. You can't hand out big deals on one SL game.

With Kay I'm genuinely disappointed because I feel he's not got the ambition and guts to match what I feel is his genuine ability. I know some will criticise me but he is typical of many young English players and their greedy agents.

Very sad as we are both losers.

Absolutely bang on the money Vasty!........for once!

Has Kay actually gone/signed for Leigh? I've yet to see anything confirming other than he's rejected a contract offer. With respect to his contract, had he been offered an extention prior to his late season exploits Trinity would've got better value out of the kid. By leaving it till after they put themselves in a weaker negotiating position. I still think he'd prove to be better VFM than anyone who comes in, even accounting for the rumoured 4x pay request.

It all stems from being more interested in throwing stupid contracts at Mellars and Poore and ignoring our own.

Vasty may not be far wrong but its all about how players are treated at a club.

If Liam does move to the Championship, it's very unlikely to be for (much more) money - unless he was on peanuts at Trinity. Ryan Brierley, for example, was on a ridiculous wage at Cas - when he moved to Leigh. Alright, Ryan wasn't yet first team material at Cas, but it was actually costing the kid money, to train/play for a SL club.

A number of SL 'fringe' players (e.g. Jamie Ellis) have chosen to drop down to the Championship, to get regular first team game time, and then return to SL, as better players. Maybe that's what Liam could have in mind? Or maybe he just hasn't felt valued, where he is?

Mind you, he may also think that 'dropping down' to a Championship club, may offer him better SL prospects than staying put!!

Only joking - here's hoping you guys have a good season and prove the 'experts' wrong - once again!

Thanks Alan

Will Sharp would be a decent signing, Always impressed me.

Wonder if Luke George ever really made it to Bradford? Would have him here in a heartbeat - I think hes exacly what we need.

It is as ever a mixture of both - I should have made it clear I am not defending the way clubs treat young players. That said the Aussie clubs will be the same there not that perfect but it is in the nature of the Aussie to stick to fingers up at their club and prove them wrong elsewhere. I'd like to see that fight in English players and I'd love Kay to do just that even if it inevitably meant him getting his payday at a bigger club.

There have been many positives regarding SL and the Academy system - however this idea you are owed a chance is a poor one. No one is owed a first team game at their parent club unless they are good enough, and one good game should never entitle you to a 4 x contract - hell even Henry Paul didn't get that after one game.

Remember the days of A.N.Other and the start of season trialist when players would stake everything on o few games - many a player went onto stardom for that. Liam is being offered a far easier route imho than that - take it lad or you will regret it one day and I think that's really sad.

I don't know any of the contract details of course so am not knocking the guy purely on that as you still have to eat, but as said by others, Vasty is on the money for me.

I read Kris Radlinski's book and he says in his youth team a couple of players were picked out for professional contracts when he was not. He was asked if he wanted to train with Wigan but without the professional contract (think there was youth terms but not a lot of money)
It meant he was still living at home when his mates were getting places and looking like the next big thing.
He decided to do it and train hard. He describes doing extras when the pros gave up and when his mates went on holiday he didn't go.

The guys who got the pro forms never made it at any level, but he made it happen for himself.
I guess that mindset isn't for everyone and you have to have confidence in your abilities but I see Kay as being in a very similar position.
He has a choice to make.

I used Liam Kay as an example but it’s not him I am referring to , it just seems strange to me that when one of our own accepts which were challenging terms based on appearance money (prepared to back and gamble on his ability) not a bank busting monthly contract it is suddenly not acted on . especially when RFAs openly saying we need outside backs

Hard to comment if we don't know who you mean.

The reason Kay hasn't signed for us is probably down to his agent, a certain Mr Shuttleworth, being a as usual.

Liam Kay had been on 8 grand for at least 3/yes cmon you can't blame his agent for trying to get him more especially when big money was obviously paid to the players we've had to sell off,don't know if you went to the meeting victor mel drew was talking about pop tart but I'm pretty sure the player he's talking about was jordan grayston

If you are referring to Jordan Grayson, I made enquiries after the meeting with RA. RA Rang Jordan straight away, who admitted that there had been no contract offer! So I'm not quite sure where you get your info.