Will he stay or will he go?

If there's one thing that could put me off a season ticket for next year, it's a booklet in which Kevin Davies speaks as though he'll be part of it.

Season ticket guides for 2013/2014 were issued today in which Kev is quoted as saying "we are on a journey together and I hope we can continue to count on your support as we go forward."

With or without this, I'd feel 90% confident that he'll be offered a new contract on the basis that Dougie is an admirer, and the club's continued reluctance to let go never fails to amaze me.

Is it his final year? What's the correct decision?

I think on the playing front he is finished, but maybe worth keeping on the coaching side.

It would be stupid to keep him on, really stupid.

Keep. He can still make an impact from the bench as we have seen quite a few times this season. He's still a great target man, and with the right support, is very effective.

As a regular first team starter, I don't think he should be involved but that's not to say there isn't a role for him given his long service and unique (if limited) abilities. Although he comes across in the media as "nice but dim" he is well-liked and could be being groomed for a different type of role at the club.
But there's another scenario to consider.
Supposing (as is likely) we don't get promoted. End of the season we lose Dawson, Spearing, Alonso, Gregus, Lee, Holden, Eagles, Ngog and potentially others to the circling vultures. Not much income likely to come in from player sales, but the squad will be decimated and we'll have little or no money available to replace so many. We could probably put a team out, and rely on the youngsters and fringe players to come good but it won't be a pretty sight.
Dougie seems to have a contingency plan for this having bought a bit of youth and some bargain basement jobs and I can see a possible role for SKD in that scenario - he could be our saviour again.
My feeling is that if we somehow manage to get promoted there will be less of a clear out and probably some attempt to resign the likes of Spearing and Dawson, but a lot will go. If we're in the prem there will be some investment to try to keep us there but not a lot and SKD will probably be given a backroom role. But if we stay in this league the chances of him playing for us again next year would seem more likely.

He's got as many goals as N'Gog, he isn't finished yet

He has been great for us but the emphasis is on has been. We've just won three in a row. When was the last time that happened? And how much has SKD featured in these games? (On as late sub in one game if you can't remember). Definitely time for SKD to move on.

Jamster26 wrote:Keep. He can still make an impact from the bench as we have seen quite a few times this season.

I can't think of any.

I'd guess he's still on one of our larger wages, for that reason alone we shouldn't renew as that money can be put to better use elsewhere.

Would love to see him given a coaching role or something, regardless of the unfair criticism he gets from some fans he's a model pro and loves the club would be a mistake to waste that.

We've been saying it for years - keep him because he could do a job from the bench. I don't disagree but it never happens that way. For whatever reason, he can't be at the club without hogging the stability in the team our younger, quicker players could better make use of.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

Jamster26 wrote:Keep. He can still make an impact from the bench as we have seen quite a few times this season.

I can't think of any.

Burnley game at the Reebok springs to mind.

He'll go. I don't know if he'll retire or go somewhere else but I don't think he'll be playing for us next season.

Natasha Whittam wrote:It would be stupid to keep him on, really stupid.

indeed, a waste of money and a squad number

Sorry but I would let him go, he looked half decent at the start of the season but just isn't effective anymore.

I imagine he may end his career at Sheff Utd.

I think the club's ultimate aim is to continue to get relegated in line with Davies' decline so he can keep playing. So next year league one. Maybe another year there. And the league two and so on. Until finally we are a Sunday league team with a 56 year old SKD still leading the line!