Is no one happy playing for Bath

http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/sport/14200873.SOUTHERN_LEAGUE__Bluebirds_can_t_quite_nick_Bath_frontman/
Chippenham Town miss out on Bath City striker Nick McCootie

CHIPPENHAM Town chief Mark Collier has gone back to the drawing board in his striker search after failing to capture Bath City frontman Nick McCootie.

The Bluebirds had agreed to pay a fee to their National League South neighbours to bring in 27-year-old McCootie, who netted against Chippenham for Paulton Rovers last term, but are moving on after being unsuccessful in their efforts to agree personal terms with the player.

One player = everyone?

McCootie must be happy enough, or am I missing something.

Chippenham make offer for player.
City tell player that he can speak to Chippenham if he wants.
Player speaks to them but decides to stay at City.
Chippenham decide to make all this public for reasons only known to them.

Somehow that means we need to question if any player is happy at Twerton Park.

Okay ...

I'd like to know how anybody could be "happy" playing at Bath City right now?
Let's face it, it must be a thankless slog with no end in view at the moment.

I counted 11 players who have left (for various reasons) since the end of last season. One didn't even make it past the pre-season games. I imagine some of them would have been unhappy here.

Even I think that is a bit of a non-story. I mean I wouldn't say that it is proof that McCootie is happy - let's face it, he is hardly going to be chomping at the bit to drop a division and the management have been loyal to him, to be fair. However, it definitely isn't a sign that he isn't happy.

Agreed about the loss of players but, equally, not all of them were assets. Nicholson and Stearn are the only ones we are really missing and the management can't be blamed for the former's exit.

If it's such a non story, why is it announced on the club's website? After Jon Davies' rather meek retreat to the Southern League, I'd like to think this shows McCootie's ambition.

Surely it isn't about McCootie but about Chipnum showing ambition. The big deal is that they offered money to prise him away.

Wish we were in a position to do that. And nick might come to regret his decision.

comrade powell wrote:If it's such a non story, why is it announced on the club's website? After Jon Davies' rather meek retreat to the Southern League, I'd like to think this shows McCootie's ambition.

I imagine once Chippenham felt the need to go public with it, the club wanted to make a response to head off any more comments like the one that opened this thread.

Blimey, is Nick in trouble with the police?
According to the Chronic, "Bath City are not actively looking to shop striker Nick McCootie"

yuffie wrote:

comrade powell wrote:If it's such a non story, why is it announced on the club's website? After Jon Davies' rather meek retreat to the Southern League, I'd like to think this shows McCootie's ambition.

I imagine once Chippenham felt the need to go public with it, the club wanted to make a response to head off any more comments like the one that opened this thread.

Yes if anything it shows Nick is happy at Bath City and can't be lured away with promises of riches.

I like Nick I wish he could just reproduce his best more consistently.

Chippenham and riches?!
More likely they saw a local striker who wasn't an automatic choice and sounded out the possibility of signing him. He showed some interest until he saw what was being offered.

Yes. Let's keep some perspective. Chip doing well but it's only half time. They are some way yet of being at our level in every respect.

Agree with the above. We're doing well at the moment but there's a long way to go. If we get in the play-off's I'll be delighted after some years of steady decline, which were only arrested in the last year or two. We do need another forward so I think it's a case of casting the net and seeing what we can catch.

Good luck to Chipp. It would be great to resume our rivalry on the pitch next season - in Conference South, of course!