Reports have suggested that David Stockdale will be allowed to leave the club this summer with the Yorkshire Evening Post suggesting Leeds will be his destination.
Our no.13 has two years remaining on his contract at St Andrews but he is one of the top wage earners at the club, and this may have prompted the club’s decision to sell him.
On Twitter, fans were debating whether we should be letting go a player of his quality:
I think people forget how poor Kuszczak can be – great shot stopper, but never comes off his line, can’t command his area, can’t kick the ball etc etc. #BCFC
— Connor ???????? (@Connor1875) 20 May 2018
Disagree. His distribution is worse than Ndoyes.
— ziggy indestructible (@CJagainandagain) 20 May 2018
Best keeper since foster Butland wasn’t the finished article at us
— Jack (@Monnox1992) 20 May 2018
Not unpopular, he’s miles better than Myhill, Randolph and marginally TK. Won’t be fussed to see the back of Stockdale.
— Kane Styles (@KaneGStyles) 20 May 2018
By a long way
— Michael Jabbari (@mike1983jabbari) 20 May 2018
Agree completely, he controls that box better than most, I’d keep him KRO
— sid cusack (@sidcusack) 20 May 2018
I agree , but you can see why people wouldn’t be to bothered if he went. For 35k a week he’s produced way to many average performances this season. I love Tommy K , but he’s getting on and does have plenty of mistakes in him from time to time. Kicking is extremely poor also.
— Conner (@ConnerBcfc02) 20 May 2018
I can't believe that we as blues fans are knocking one of our own already,let Monk decide..
— Sid (@Shaun21979330) 19 May 2018
Without some of his saves we’d be planning away days to Southend and Plymouth
— Matthew Ivory (@mattivory94) 18 May 2018
I dunno on this one tbh, if he goes then he goes bring someone with cheaper wages but if he does go kuszczak needs go with him imo his dead wood,
I would love to know who else his planning on sending packing though— Dean Lewis (@Dean24lewis) 19 May 2018
Verdict:
The 32-year-old was born in Leeds so it’s not surprising that the Whites would be his likeliest destination if he does leave. However, questions remain over why we would let him depart.
He wasn’t one of our most consistent performers last season, but he is a good goalkeeper and will be difficult to replace.
At 36 years of age, his understudy Tomasz Kuszczak would not be a long-term solution, and Garry Monk will have to recruit a new number one if Stockdale is sold.