Interesting, although contradictory, contributions from @theAnticlough and @Graham here. In a way I agree with both.

JJ is a player who gets you out of your seat and has contributed to countless goals. Without him, it's quite possible we wouldn't be where we are today. I'm also in no doubt that he's good enough for L1. He's one of the last players I wanted to see leave, let alone to a potential rival.

Yet the club shouldn't be sentimental. After winning promotion back to the league, we held on to players we, with hindsight, should have parted ways with. I believe it cost us back-to-back promotions. JJ offers flair and creativity, but isn't very strong defensively and perhaps the club thought it could get an upgrade. Hence him possibly being offered new terms as a squad player rather than the automatic starter he wanted to be.

We've let go of quality players before and emerged stronger overall. If the new LWBs are a worthy replacement and the squad as a whole is improved and can compete at L1 level, we might have done the right thing here, as sad as it feels right now.

I'm just glad that the uncertainty and the rumours have ended.

58 minutes ago, StarkMallard said:

Yet the club shouldn't be sentimental. After winning promotion back to the league, we held on to players we, with hindsight, should have parted ways with. I believe it cost us back-to-back promotions.

I actually think that's become something of a myth. And back-to-back promotions would've had us plummeting back down anyway, we were nowhere near ready.

The team/squad including Cameron, Baldwin, Brindley, Rawlinson, Slocombe, Palmer, Scott etc. was bombing away at the top of L2 and still right up there in December. Then LW's wheels fell off with the sudden loss of our CM Palmer/Bostock...we could no longer control games, which his entire system was based on. He left. Maynard came in, and that was that, 1st to 14th. It wasn't giving those guys a chance that cost a promotion chance IMO

I'm happy the club gave those players a chance to prove themselves at the higher level. They had their shot, some made it (Palmer, Jones, Baldwin (elsewhere). Some didn't, and quickly fell back down the pyramid, but at least they'd had their shot at it.

Fans stay forever, we are the club, everyone else is temporary. But I don't want to side with the employers, I want to side with the employees and see them treated well. If respecting achievements for the club and rewarding success is sentimental, then so be it, call me sentimental. The day we're ALL hard-nosed businessman will be a world I don't want to live in.

Jones' case though is not just about rewarding success, he's got a rare creative talent and that's what I want to pay to watch. If I wanted to watch energy, there are pylons not too far from me and I could stare at the national grid for a few hours. I've always wanted to pay to watch skill, creativity, flair, touch, imagination - stuff with the ball us everyday mortals can't get anywhere near doing.

I've had my say on JJ, and there will be a fair few that agree with me. I'm not going to stop thinking the club got this wrong from a football philosophy, fans relations standpoint.

There were big clues in MP's post-match interview though...'the club being able to see them play to prevent them from going'. There was obviously a stand-off "I deserve a contract extension' v 'show us again that you deserve it'... and the rest is now history.

Edited September 2Sep 2 by theAnticlough

5 hours ago, StarkMallard said:

JJ is a player who gets you out of your seat and has contributed to countless goals. Without him, it's quite possible we wouldn't be where we are today. I'm also in no doubt that he's good enough for L1. He's one of the last players I wanted to see leave, let alone to a potential rival.

Two things for me.

One, I don't think Jodi was always worth the start. I preferred him to come on as a sub. He's lost a bit of pace, but will always have that quality and I just felt last season that moving forward we would have to balance his game time. I would much rather start him in important games, or against weaker teams where he's clearly a class above.

Yet when I said this to fans last season it became a very unpopular opinion but I do stand by it.

As much of a quality player Jodi is, he never seemed consistent enough and his connection with fans meant his downturns would often be overlooked. Now, some of them may see things for what they are now.

Secondly, I couldn't imagine us having Cal Roberts and Jodi Jones in the same lineup. I think Roberts is a clear candidate for being a more consistent performer who is able to assist but also score. Those two would keep out players like Nick Tsaroula, but on paper it would have been one hell of a choice to have. I just don't see it as being practical, when it sounds like Jodi wanted more money and I don't blame him for that.

He's given countless top performances, plenty of things to remember and at this stage I don't feel anyone should blame him.