Chris Doig eyes York City contract talks (From York Press)
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Chris Doig eyes York City contract talks
10:40am Saturday 26th May 2012 in News
By Dave Flett, Sports reporter
SCOTTISH defender Chris Doig is hoping to be offered a new deal at York City.
Doig, 31, is out of contract at Bootham Crescent having joined the Minstermen in February on a short-term basis.
But the former Nottingham Forest centre-back was an integral part of the club’s successful promotion push and played the full 90 minutes of Sunday’s 2-1 Blue Square Bet Premier play-off final win against Luton.
An injured David McGurk is the only centre-back currently on City’s books for 2012/13, with the likes of captain Chris Smith, Dan Parslow, Jamal Fyfield and Doig expected to enter talks regarding their futures with manager Gary Mills next week.
On his situation, Doig said: “Nobody has spoken to me yet so I will have to wait and see what gets said. I’ve really enjoyed my time at York and it’s a fantastic club with a chairman who does things right, a very good gaffer and a good bunch of lads.
“I am hoping they might speak to me and would certainly be open to them speaking to me but the ball is in the club’s court. I can only look at what offers are made and take it from there.”
Doig admitted the last three months with City have provided a wonderful way to close the curtain on an otherwise “torturous” campaign.
Having left Australian side Central Coast Mariners last year, he played in Indonesia for a spell which set him back when he returned to these shores hoping to find a club after the season had already started.
A brief non-contract stay at Aldershot in January was followed by a trial with former club Northampton and the offer of a one-month deal before Mills stepped in to resurrect his career.
Doig added: “It had been a torturous season for me to be honest and I spent the first five months just training and trialling at different clubs trying to get sorted out. I was really just looking to play some games and coming to York allowed me to do that, which was great, but to then end the season how we did was a fantastic finish to a difficult year for me.”
The former Scotland under-21 international did, however, confess he placed his chances of playing at Wembley for a first-ever time at risk when he struggled through the tail-end of the season with a groin injury.
Doig was not fit enough to play any part in the Minstermen’s 2-0 FA Trophy final victory over Newport but returned to the national stadium eight days later to taste promotion for the second time in his career, having been a member of Northampton’s League Two runners-up team of 2006.
He said: “I knew when I played at Mansfield in the play-off semi-finals that I was jeopardising my chances of playing at Wembley.
“If I’m being honest, I knew I wasn’t fit for that game but I got asked to play and I did.
“I knew I wouldn’t finish the game, I knew I would miss the Trophy final and I knew I would face a race to be fit for the play-off final, but I got to play in one out of the two and we won both finals, which was the most important thing. I’m relieved and proud that I went through that experience and I loved every minute of the Luton match.
“I felt relaxed during the game. You never know how you will respond in those situations. They are tense affairs and everyone knew how much it meant to the club and city.
“We had a bad start but to recover the way we did was full credit to the lads. I’ve only played a minor, minor part in what has happened at the club this season. I’ve been here the last few months while most of the others have put in a lot of hard graft here since July 1 and fully deserved the great reception from the fans on Monday.”
A record of eight clean sheets and eight goals conceded in his 15 games contradicts the modest role Doig claims to have played.
Doig feels the Minstermen have the right man at the helm in Mills to continue taking the club forward. He said: “The gaffer’s positivity is really infectious. There is never any doubt in his mind about what his players can achieve.”
• City will issue ten-game mini season tickets again for the 2012/13 campaign. They will be available for December 3 and, while prices will be issued closer to that date, the cost will be frozen for those that took up the same offer last season.
Comments(25)
tips
says...
1:44pm Sat 26 May 12
After our early season worries on defensive blunders he was a steady influence in a defence that improved as the season went on
openallhours
says...
1:54pm Sat 26 May 12
joejamestom
says...
1:58pm Sat 26 May 12
I am hopeful that GM will consider some of the better conference players he knows the league players like Shaw at Gateshead are looking for opportunities and as we all know from the last 8 years there are some very good players at this level hungry & looking for a good league club. Looing forward to GMs thinking on improving our good team.
RooBeck
says...
2:08pm Sat 26 May 12
Tug job
says...
3:19pm Sat 26 May 12
KAT1965
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4:14pm Sat 26 May 12
RooBeck wrote:I think at 31 he's not going to getting any faster!!!
Comes over as a cool customer on the pitch - good in the air and reads the game well, doesn't get flustered, looks-up before passing/playing the ball and where he can, plays it simple to a team-mate.(Though he might need to get a bit more pace to his game). To-gether with Chris Smith, Dave McGurk, Danny Parslow would definately have him in the squad as a central Back Four defender. (GM to develop Jamal Fyfield as cover or, replacement for James Meredith??)
Yorkie41
says...
4:53pm Sat 26 May 12
Tug job wrote:You can only book and purchase rail tickets three months before travelling, so you will all have to put that date in your diaries.
Agree with joehamestom, worth an extra year but worried about his tendency to pick up injuries. No need to rush, there'll be plenty of good quality players to choose from and we know that GM's been doing his homework. Oh, next year's L2PO Final is scheduled for 18 May, so book your rail tickets now! COYR
SamYCFC
says...
4:55pm Sat 26 May 12
Tug job
says...
6:34pm Sat 26 May 12
SamYCFC wrote:Possibly for one year, as cover; loads of players with proven league experience will become available Don't think he can expect to be a regular next season, if we do offer him terms, t.b.h.
SIGN HIM UP!
Budgie
says...
6:37pm Sat 26 May 12
coolyman4
says...
10:31pm Sat 26 May 12
joejamestom wrote:To question Smith as not our best centre half is utter crazy. If you had been going to games home and away since xmas you would not be saying least consistant. I doubt Shaw would come here to sit on the bench unless Walkers consistancy is also a problem to you?
Doig might well be worth retaining (if he can be kept uninjured) Smith was the least consistent but a firm GM favourite in the back 4 he was much better in the last ten games prefer Danny P for versatility though. I am hopeful that GM will consider some of the better conference players he knows the league players like Shaw at Gateshead are looking for opportunities and as we all know from the last 8 years there are some very good players at this level hungry & looking for a good league club. Looing forward to GMs thinking on improving our good team.
eborexile
says...
12:25am Sun 27 May 12
SamYCFC wrote:Probably just behind Parslow and Smith in the pecking order because of age and injuries. Not a lot to choose between them and depends whether there are alternatives on the released lists of existing league clubs. All three finished the season well and contributed massively to the second half of the season. We'll come up against a greater number of more nimble strikers next time round and this must be part of the thinking. Sam you'll probably agree that Danny's greater versatility tips the balance in his favour?
SIGN HIM UP!
Tug job
says...
8:44am Sun 27 May 12
SamYCFC
says...
2:25pm Sun 27 May 12
eborexile wrote:Doig is better than Parslow at CB.
SamYCFC wrote:Probably just behind Parslow and Smith in the pecking order because of age and injuries. Not a lot to choose between them and depends whether there are alternatives on the released lists of existing league clubs. All three finished the season well and contributed massively to the second half of the season. We'll come up against a greater number of more nimble strikers next time round and this must be part of the thinking. Sam you'll probably agree that Danny's greater versatility tips the balance in his favour?
SIGN HIM UP!
Parslow can do a job in CM but hes no Scott Kerr.
OLD - HEAD
says...
4:20pm Sun 27 May 12
duffy
says...
4:49pm Sun 27 May 12
OLD - HEAD wrote:I think central defence is going to give Mills the biggest headache. He signed Doig because we were making too many silly errors. So he has a choice between giving him a years contract even though he looks injury prone or going for someone else. I think Parslow would have been released a month ago, however he has had a new lease of life in midfield. He is a big fan of Smith as we know and McGurk has had injury problems. The only one I'm sure will be released is Fyfield. After that I don't know what he will do, will he trust what we have or strengthen ?
There is just one doubt about signing Chris Doig, the older a player gets, he can become injury prone. And Doig was out injured a few times in the later games. I am not doubting his experience and ability though. A fully fit Chris Doig would be a useful player for us, I am sure that Gary Mills will be considering him.
joejamestom
says...
7:25pm Sun 27 May 12
coolyman4 wrote:Walkers a class forward waiting to come back into form, fortunately Matty Blair came good & did the business in more games than I care to recall. So my memories of Smith are one of relief when he played well after his Tamworth game he continually made me nervous and his limited ability to play the ball out from the back at feet always made him look at odds with the style of football GM seemed to be creating. Yes I went to lots of games home & away when I could making good use of the season ticket only thing really of concern was our poor form in front of good crowds at home we seemed nervous all over the pitch. Glad GM makes the decisions though I am sure we will all have our own opinions.
joejamestom wrote:To question Smith as not our best centre half is utter crazy. If you had been going to games home and away since xmas you would not be saying least consistant. I doubt Shaw would come here to sit on the bench unless Walkers consistancy is also a problem to you?
Doig might well be worth retaining (if he can be kept uninjured) Smith was the least consistent but a firm GM favourite in the back 4 he was much better in the last ten games prefer Danny P for versatility though. I am hopeful that GM will consider some of the better conference players he knows the league players like Shaw at Gateshead are looking for opportunities and as we all know from the last 8 years there are some very good players at this level hungry & looking for a good league club. Looing forward to GMs thinking on improving our good team.
Sir Alex
says...
8:37am Mon 28 May 12
Presume the retained list will be out this week. We should only need around 5 new players assuming we can keep the current lads together.
uhtred
says...
9:14am Mon 28 May 12
Sir Alex wrote:I recall last year that those that were not a priority resigning for GM, and only on contract until the end of June that year e.g. Barrett, had to wait until then before he they knew whether they were to be released or not i.e. whilst GM weighed up the options of getter better players within his budget. It may be that those that were definately not to be retained were told in advance.
The doubts are about fitness otherwise a shoe in. Presume the retained list will be out this week. We should only need around 5 new players assuming we can keep the current lads together.
paintitred
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11:13am Mon 28 May 12
Budgie
says...
7:59pm Mon 28 May 12
billoofyork
says...
9:40am Tue 29 May 12
i feel like a lot of people seem to be on his back a lot. maybe because he isn't flashy and flamboyant but i for one would be unhappy if danny p was not in the squad for next year. a great pro who has a lot to offer
paintitred
says...
9:55am Tue 29 May 12
When asked to fill the gap left when Scott Kerr was taken out for season by keane of luton.Dan P never let us down in the biggest of games is the clubs history. he may not be able to produce a defence splitting pass but his ability to break up play and win the high balls in midfield more than proves hes worth his place in a league 2 squad.We need players like Pars. He was immense in the play off semi final 2nd leg and put his body on the line several times and now some fans want to show him the door.
1968expat
says...
12:06pm Tue 29 May 12
TerryYork says...
12:11pm Sat 26 May 12
Reminds me a bit like Stancliffe and has years of advantage to become that sort of player. I'm sure with Ben Gibson going back to Boro we can make Chris an offer.