Message from Joe Myers

[Imagine]

The great divide - rhetoric and debate in here please

I've been asked to post this by Joe:

I would like to say a massive thank you for all the great messages I've received from the devils fans, players, past and present.
It was a massive shock when I was informed of my release but I am also honoured for the opportunity I had to wear the jersey of the team I supported ever since I was carried into the old WNIR as a baby.
It is sad that it has come to an end so suddenly.

I have always tried my best and given my all for a team that is so close to my heart and always will be.

I know my family are upset just as much as me but they have been overwhelmed by the support that I have received from the entire league, so on behalf of them thank you.

I will continue to support the team I love and hope that the current team can cause an upset and bring home the challenge cup.

I wish all the new guys the best of luck.

Thanks again devils fans and fans around the league.

Myersthegoalie

 

[Ocko]

Thank you for your efforts Joe, I don't think there is a hockey fan in the country that doesn't have respect for what you have given the club. Best of luck for whatever you do next.

 

[Wannabe2]

Take a note of Joes message Devils Managment, its called Class, spelt C-l-A-S-S, thanks Joe those of us with any bit of Sanity thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

 

[benh84]

Top guy.

 

[icecoach2020]

So much has changed since I helped with coaching your brother and a lot of others at 14's 16's and 19's back in the days when...... :? Just wanted to say thanks for all the time and effort you put in for the team, also to wish you lots of luck for the future wherever it may take you.

 

[jimmy snels]

Yer good luck joe. Unless there is some behind scenes issue I don't know about seems way harsh in all honesty.

 

[wildthing74]

What saddens me about this is I deep down wonder if it really is about Joe. Lets be honest he is what he is a back up goalie who does not expect to play that often as sadly that is the role of a back up in this league.
As back up goalies go he is one of the best and whilst he will admit he is not expected to win games yet this year when he had to play he has done exactly that.Will one of these kids who are I'm guessing nowhere near ready for pro hockey be able to if whoever is number 1 gets injured.
Maybe I am wrong but I think Joe being shown the door just makes it convenient for us to lose his older and I'm sure more well paid brother off the payroll should he decide family is family and you don't mess with family.All these players coming in with talk of moving out higher paid players makes me question is he just being used as a scapegoat?
I hope I'm wrong but sadly the way things are playing out I can see this as the only reason to make this otherwise head scratching move by the club.

 

[jimmy snels]

How much money will a part time back up be on out of interest? I can't imagine its wages we are saving is what I mean?

 

[Sheincar]

How much money will a part time back up be on out of interest? I can't imagine its wages we are saving is what I mean?

I believe Joe is on next to nothing. The big saving will come if Matt calls it a day at this club.

 

[wildthing74]

How much money will a part time back up be on out of interest? I can't imagine its wages we are saving is what I mean?

I believe Joe is on next to nothing. The big saving will come if Matt calls it a day at this club.

Bingo! Joe sadly is collateral damage.Thats how I see it.

 

[Wannabe2]

Great move for team Moral, there again team Moral dont come into it, its all about the money.

 

[buzzwagon]

What saddens me about this is I deep down wonder if it really is about Joe. Lets be honest he is what he is a back up goalie who does not expect to play that often as sadly that is the role of a back up in this league.
As back up goalies go he is one of the best and whilst he will admit he is not expected to win games yet this year when he had to play he has done exactly that.Will one of these kids who are I'm guessing nowhere near ready for pro hockey be able to if whoever is number 1 gets injured.
Maybe I am wrong but I think Joe being shown the door just makes it convenient for us to lose his older and I'm sure more well paid brother off the payroll should he decide family is family and you don't mess with family.All these players coming in with talk of moving out higher paid players makes me question is he just being used as a scapegoat?
I hope I'm wrong but sadly the way things are playing out I can see this as the only reason to make this otherwise head scratching move by the club.

Your probably not far off the truth there Jon., the players contracts are probably watertight as Mr Ragan & Pope discovered when they tried to oust "G" so the only avenue open to them to enable them to off load so called higher earners is to adapt underhanded and gutter tactics as we are seeing with Joe here. As the saying goes "A sprat to catch a mackerel " unfortunately the players are one step ahead

 

[toy_car_uk]

Am I the only one think that when Ragan asked Pope how come we lost so heavily to Panthers / Giants when woefully short benched and completely out coached, instead of holding his hand up sorry Paul I am not good enough and the boys are knackered through triple shifting, he in fact pointed the finger at Joe and Cookie?

 

[Budgie]

Hang on guys, take a step back and focus on the message Joe put out!

Joe has proven he is a true gent and ultimate team mate and when the time came to go he is gracious enough not to disrespect others but thank those who supported, cheered and respected him!

Thank you Joe and good luck with whatever you choose to do next

 

[devildiva]

good luck joe.hope everything works out for you.you deserve it.wasted in a club like this.you are a class act.very proud of you.wish i could say the same about those 2 muppets.

 

[DevilDom]

What saddens me about this is I deep down wonder if it really is about Joe. Lets be honest he is what he is a back up goalie who does not expect to play that often as sadly that is the role of a back up in this league.
As back up goalies go he is one of the best and whilst he will admit he is not expected to win games yet this year when he had to play he has done exactly that.Will one of these kids who are I'm guessing nowhere near ready for pro hockey be able to if whoever is number 1 gets injured.
Maybe I am wrong but I think Joe being shown the door just makes it convenient for us to lose his older and I'm sure more well paid brother off the payroll should he decide family is family and you don't mess with family.All these players coming in with talk of moving out higher paid players makes me question is he just being used as a scapegoat?
I hope I'm wrong but sadly the way things are playing out I can see this as the only reason to make this otherwise head scratching move by the club.

My thoughts too John. Matt probably has a water tight contract which I believe was for 2 years. Ragan probably looking at the payroll and the higher you earn the bigger the target you are in the current climate. He can't gas Matt for risk of legal action so gasses his younger brother to piss him off so much he too leaves.

 

[DevilDom]

What saddens me about this is I deep down wonder if it really is about Joe. Lets be honest he is what he is a back up goalie who does not expect to play that often as sadly that is the role of a back up in this league.
As back up goalies go he is one of the best and whilst he will admit he is not expected to win games yet this year when he had to play he has done exactly that.Will one of these kids who are I'm guessing nowhere near ready for pro hockey be able to if whoever is number 1 gets injured.
Maybe I am wrong but I think Joe being shown the door just makes it convenient for us to lose his older and I'm sure more well paid brother off the payroll should he decide family is family and you don't mess with family.All these players coming in with talk of moving out higher paid players makes me question is he just being used as a scapegoat?
I hope I'm wrong but sadly the way things are playing out I can see this as the only reason to make this otherwise head scratching move by the club.

Your probably not far off the truth there Jon., the players contracts are probably watertight as Mr Ragan & Pope discovered when they tried to oust "G" so the only avenue open to them to enable them to off load so called higher earners is to adapt underhanded and gutter tactics as we are seeing with Joe here. As the saying goes "A sprat to catch a mackerel " unfortunately the players are one step ahead

Just read this and almost exactly what I wrote in my previous post, so glad to see you are thinking the same and i'm not just being paranoid about everything the current management do!

 

[nmase20]

This news is absolutely ridiculous, especially after the performances joe has put in this year.
Good luck joe, hope you go on and kick ass elsewhere.

I dont really agree with the comments about it being an attempt to get rid off matt. People are saying about gassing our highest earning players but surely we haven't gassed any of them (mac, blight, birbs etc.).
However the current regime are clearly clueless, thats plain to see from the goings on. This season I have been to the least games I've ever been to, the shenanigans have just made me completely disinterested.
I'd be quite happy right now for Ragan to do one and get maybe an owner with less money that actually knows what they are doing. Heck I would even be happy for them to drop us a league.

 

[Chris]

This news is absolutely ridiculous, especially after the performances joe has put in this year.
Good luck joe, hope you go on and kick ass elsewhere.

I dont really agree with the comments about it being an attempt to get rid off matt. People are saying about gassing our highest earning players but surely we haven't gassed any of them (mac, blight, birbs etc.).
However the current regime are clearly clueless, thats plain to see from the goings on. This season I have been to the least games I've ever been to, the shenanigans have just made me completely disinterested.
I'd be quite happy right now for Ragan to do one and get maybe an owner with less money that actually knows what they are doing. Heck I would even be happy for them to drop us a league.

This.

I think at the current point in time, and referencing some of the comments on the 'Have the Giants & Panthers grown too big' thread, maybe it's time to seriously consider where we are in this league? We clearly don't have the attendances, or sponsorship - despite the claims otherwise - of the big arena teams. After the current mess ends, if it actually does of course it's going to take an awful lot of hard work to bring our attendances back up, and i'd hazard a guess that the hard work isn't going to be nearly enough unless the ownership or off ice staff changes.

But then, if we were to apply to the EPL, and there's no guarantee we'd actually be accepted, would we actually be welcome back into the EIHL if/when the arena gets built? Possibly with an ownership change along the lines of the Giants it could be possible, otherwise i'd say no.

We're lurching from one mess to another and the two people running the show appear to have absolutely no idea how to try and improve relations with the fanbase anymore, despite saying they'd be trying in the video interview before Christmas that the stakeholders group tried to get some answers out of Pope and Ragan.

 

[youngbob]

And back on topic...

Joe,

Thanks for the performances you put in this year, I saw some great improvements in your game over the past few years, and you stepped up to the challenge to help the team no end at a difficult time

I know that in the Juniors every kid's dream is to make it big time, and you got further than most

Wherever the future takes you, very best wishes for continued success in the sport you love