Having rated half the squad yesterday, here is part two of the season review.
Again, some players haven’t been marked as they have played so few games and didn’t make a noticeable impact. Enjoy!
Ronan Darcy – no rating
One hope for Wanderers fans might have been Ronan Darcy’s continued growth in the first team, but this season, it never happened. He started just one league game, against Mansfield in November, and hasn’t been involved at all since December’s match against Walsall. Evatt has praised him, and said he rates him as a footballer, but he hasn’t been able to get into the first team. With his contract up next summer, he’ll probably stayed tied to us for now, but maybe he’s a player who could be loaned out next season for experience.
Andrew Tutte – 5.5
Initiallly signed as back-up, Tutte earned a place in the starting XI and became a regular when we had a good run late in the autumn. After an injury against Southend, he did come back into the side briefly, but after the signings of Kieran Lee and MJ Williams he has dropped out of the reckoning, playing nine minutes against Stevenage and five against Forest Green to shut up shop. Decent with the ball when needed, but it’s very unlikely he’ll be handed a new deal.
Bright Amoateng – no rating
He played 19 minutes against Forest Green on the opening weekend, didn’t get into the game, and that was it. Probably the only 19 minutes he’ll play for us.
Shaun Miller – 6
Never started a league game, but made 20 appearances off the bench, and scored winners against Southend and Barrow, as well as a consolation away at Grimsby. An important super-sub then, but at age 33 and us moving up a division, like Tutte it might be a case of thanking him for the cameo and moving on.
Harry Brockbank – 6
Was a regular in the three-man defence over the first few weeks, but had to settle for being in and out of the team after that, with his last start coming at right back in February’s home draw with Morecambe. His versatility though has seen him often picked as the one defensive option on the bench, and a good example of that flexibility was the home game against Bradford, where he played as well as he has despite doing so from left wing-back. His contract is up, but hopefully we can tie him down to a new one.
Dennis Politic – no rating
He has been injured all season, so obviously he can’t be rated. To use a horrible cliché, he will be like a new signing next season, if his performances at the back end of the curtailed 2019-20 season are anything to go by.
Lloyd Isgrove – 7
A player who got better as the season went on – helped by the change in system allowing him to play in his preferred wider role. Worked hard, and probably had his best performance on the final day, including that fourth goal. One whose contract is up, but would be worth renewing.
Arthur Gnahoua – 6
Local Lad has endeared himself to fans with that interview answer, but also did some decent work as an impact sub, with an equaliser at Exeter and then that momentous winner away to Mansfield. He never really managed to stake a starting spot though, and with his contract up, he would probably one to make way.
George Thomason – 7
It’s be almost crass to say someone has benefitted from a pandemic, but in a way Thomason did. November’s ‘lockdown’ shut down football below the National League, which brought Thomason back from a loan spell and since has forced himself into the first team, starting more games than not. He looks good in position, can play some good cross-field balls, sometimes they don’t always work, but he’s now the club’s big young star. The next stage for him is to improve his defensive side of the game, but he’s certainly a player.
Liam Edwards – no rating
The young defender has been out injured all season, I’m not sure where he goes from here. He still has a year on his current contract, so hopefully he can get back to full fitness and try and get involved in the first-team squad in some capacity next season.
Alex Baptiste – 9
Alex Maldini. Enough said. As well as his own performances, he has helped with the development of Ricardo Santos. Next season will be a bit of pickle, you would assume Baptiste will sign on, but will he be able to realistically play twice a week in League One? He’ll be great to have next season but there may have to be the odd bit of rotation – whether that’s a new partner for Santos or backup to Baptiste is up to those who know more than me.
Declan John – 8
A superb fix to what had been a problem position in the first half of the season, after a rough few years the Welshman finally found a club where he has played regular senior football and has proven he’s capable of playing in League One, hopefully with us. Dependable at the back, managed a couple of goals in February and set one up at Crawley.
Kieran Lee – 7
Another of the game-changing January acquisitions. Lee didn’t lose any of the first 12 matches he played in and once up to full fitness was an automatic choice. Will get a warm welcome from the opposition when we go to his former club Sheffield Wednesday next season.
Peter Kioso – 5
Good going forward, maybe it was because he was playing in the wing-back period but he was suspect defensively. He was recalled by parent club Luton in January, who then sent him out to League One strugglers Northampton. At the time many fans were disappointed at his departure, and it was understandable, but sorting out the left side allowed Gethin Jones to get back on the right, and from there we didn’t really need him.
Dapo Afolayan – 7
Not knowing a massive amount about him prior to signing, Afolayan has been a great surprise. On loan from West Ham, he has been a genuine delight to watch and you know you have a tricky player when pretty much every opposition side has to resort to roughing him up. The one thing to improve on was getting goals, but he managed that when it mattered most, on the final day. You get the feeling he would like to get a new deal at West Ham and try and make it there, but wouldn’t it be great to get him signed up permanently here?
Zack Elbouzedi – 5
Started a couple of games when he initially joined on loan from Lincoln in January, but after that was reduced to a few minutes here and there from the bench. Looked lively, and was probably the biggest threat in the goalless draw against Colchester on Good Friday, but Afolayan was clearly the better option.
Ben Jackson – 6.5
One of two left-back signings in January. Coming in before Declan John, he managed three games in January before the Welshman took his place. But anyone on Twitter will see he was a good lad who continued to get behind the whole team. John’s absence against Morecambe gave him a huge opportunity which had me a bit worried, coming into a game of such magnitude. He scored the only goal of the game in a promotion six-pointer. Huddersfield might want to use him themselves next season, but I wouldn’t be against him returning.
Finlay Lockett – no rating
Not involved in the league, bar 19 minutes at Colchester in September, but he has been scoring goals for the youngsters. It seems as though he has been offered a professional contract, but any joy may have been tempered by the fact he has done his ACL which will rule him out until at least February next year.