Part of the process of closing down the season this week was saying farewell to the loan players, who now return to their parent clubs and the challenge of taking the next step of their careers.
A real favourite with the fans was Southampton colossus Dynel Simeu, who was once again a talking point at the manager’s weekly press conference.
“I think Dynel’s done really well,” Paul Simpson said. “There’s obviously still areas in his game that he has to improve, but this was a really good loan for him and a really good environment for him to come and learn about proper football.
“There will be a conversation I have with Southampton, because I’ve kept in touch with them all through my time here to give feedback on Dynel.
“There will be more conversations, because there may not be just Dynel that’s able to help us, there might be somebody else at Southampton.
“What we have to do as a football club is build up relationships with all these clubs, make sure the clubs know we will look after them, treat them properly, give them an opportunity to play in games.”
“With all the loan signings, you also have to accept that you’re going to have to put up with mistakes that they make,” he added. “They’re sent here to learn for their development.
“We have to try and minimise the mistakes, minimise the number of loan players we have that are going to make mistakes, and make sure we get the right sort of players - experienced or young, they’ve all got to be hungry.
“I don’t want anybody coming here as an older player thinking it’s a nice opportunity to get a pay cheque. That’s not what we’re about.
“They’ve all got to be driven and have that desire to want to do well for us.”
One player who didn’t feature was West Brom forward Owen Windsor, who revealed on social media today that he’s been released by the Baggies.
“It didn’t work out here,” the manager confirmed. “He didn’t show enough for me to make me put him into the group.
“One of the early things that happened in my time back at the football club, he was informed by West Brom that he wasn’t going to get a new contract there and it threw him properly, he wasn’t in a great way about it.
“He decided that he needed to go back to West Brom, to train with them, and give himself a chance of going and playing.
“I tried to explain to him that it wouldn’t help him because he was our loan player and he wouldn’t be able to play for anybody else. He was only allowed to play for us.
“He made that decision. I’m not going to fight to keep a player who doesn’t want to be here, so I agreed for him to go back and be part of West Brom.
“I wish him all the best and I’m just disappointed it didn’t work out for him.”
