Ashley Phillips - signs a new deal

[rigger]

4 hours ago, goozburger said:

I read that we couldn't give Phillips a longer contract than three years due to his age. He turns 18 in a couple of weeks, after which I assume we can offer a longer contract, similar to what we did with Adam Wharton.

Alongside Adam Wharton, Phillips is one of the academy's breakthrough prospects, so he may well have a massive value to his name within the next few years, just as Adam Wharton does at the moment. I wouldn't be surprised if Broughton tries to negotiate a new contract for Phillips at some point this year.

To me Batty could well be the most important of our good youngsters for us to get signed up.As he fills that troublesome left-back position and brings fantastic pace.  

[bluebruce]

3 hours ago, wilsdenrover said:

I’d hope it’s already negotiated and waiting to be signed on his 18th birthday.

His first pro deal was already negotiated and waiting to be signed as soon as it was allowed, but then his agents delayed and presumably renegotiated anyway.

[wilsdenrover]

7 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

His first pro deal was already negotiated and waiting to be signed as soon as it was allowed, but then his agents delayed and presumably renegotiated anyway.

I guess a negotiation is never complete until the signatures have been added. I’d still like to think it’s reasonably high on their priorities list.

[Mike E]

I personally believe that Phillips, Batty, Wharton, and Leonard (possibly Garrett if he kicks on) will be ‘a generation’, just as we felt with Duff, Dunn, Taylor.

Also reckon Rory Finneran will be a force in a couple of years.

[J*B]

Still don’t see it with Leonard, hope I’m wrong though. Ben Fyles on the other hand is exciting. 

[bluebruce]

17 hours ago, J*B said:

Still don’t see it with Leonard, hope I’m wrong though. Ben Fyles on the other hand is exciting. 

Many of our young attackers have seemed exciting over the years, until it comes to breaking into the first team. Then they never really quite manage it. Not since Dunn and Duff. I hope we're due one to buck the trend, but I think it's harder for youngsters to break in up top. If they don't score pretty quickly (and they'll often start out with just some cameos) they tend to be dropped in favour of experience. God knows how Vale managed to get so much game time.