shropshire canary

Welcome from the Upper Barclay - we make a noise up there too you know, especially when we end up with away fans in sheeps clothing in the seats behind us (eg West Ham and most of last season I''m afraid).

At least you know what to expect ZLF!! After 9/10 years off the road you''ll find nothing has really changed, just more of the anxious defending we now see regularly at the ground formerly referred to as FCR!!!

Would be sorry to see yo go YC - you can at least put some thoughtful prose together!

I''m struggling to make myself reserve judgement here until something materialises, but if this really is the way the ashton legacy is going.....

Ward is currently injured with back problems

..as did Steve Coppell when reading took 3 points from Carrow Road this season too I recall. Oh so easy to be magnanimous in victory eh!!

Loudest call so far was at Derby by my recollection, and that was before we left early (the first time in 25 years)!! Can''t really see it at Reading as we can''t realistically expect anything there, unless we get absolutely mullered that is. A home defeat to the scum though (making 4 home defeats on the bounce) will absolutely guarantee it though, but I have to say I''d rather wait a further week or so and get 3 points from that one!

Ithink our Chartlton model is gone. Hopefully our model will become West Ham and (in footballing terms) Leeds: i.e 1 year to re-acclimatise to the Championship, re-structure a squad for promotion using money from big name departures, and get up in season 2 of parachute payments. Achieving promotion in 2006/07 has to be the goal now - even if by a miracle we squeaked the play-offs and found our way up we are in a far worse state than 2 years ago and would absolute certainties for an immediate return again imo, so plan for an assault next season with sensible investment only now - and that means avoiding the january window premium we have just optimised in terms of our selling strategy. Hopefully with a new manager in the summer too - just look at the impact bright young things like Ade Boothroyd can have, and Nigel is not OUR bright young thing anymore; although he may well be for someone else as he''s not a dummy, just a little stale now at City I fear. 

£700k from us, a wage increase halfway through his 12 month stint with us, and no doubt a signing on fee from West Ham. I know it''s only a short career but the boy''s made for life now!! Oh well, back to work!

Totally agree - but given the paucity of resources in the squad he has created what options might there have been?  

Given our alleged interest in Harewood LAST January, I''d be surprised if we didn''t explore an exchange deal of some sort, but no doubt WHU would have said no: they would have seen this as a squad building purchase rather than a replacement exercise.

The fact that West Ham have paid us £7.25 m for Deano (+ a sell on-clause) surely proves that this is not the time to be seeking value in this market. I hope we don''t rush into spending rashly.

No bid acceptable to the Board meands exactly that - until the Board have accepted a bid the plyer and everything else stays as is. That''s the world of business (and all the legalities of prjudicing other individuals etc) I''m afraid, and will always be that way. Note how there was nothing from west Ham over the same period - same legalities in operation! When it''s in the press it''s about trying to create a dialogue, when it''s not, or this sort of line is being stated it tends to mean more in my experience.

Very odd indeed, and he looked more than cheesed off at the end. Definitely want-away signs I''m afraid.

Get real boys and girls. This was always going to happen once the lad had (and rightly so) decided that his career and personal development were not going to progress at the pace necessary for him here. As for the spin etc, the club have simply behaved as any company in any industry does in managing the PR/media. On Friday I suspect there was no acceptable offer, and even at 5.45 yesterday when Worthy stated on Radio Norfolk that "there were no offers acceptable to Norwich City" who would have been correct - until agreed by the board (which it was later than that) it is not accepted from a legal perspective, and therefore can''t be stated any differently: it prejudices all parties if it is. I am sorry to see Deano go, but it''s good business on a 12 month investment, and I''m equally sure that if we were sitting where Palace are (and playing like them too) then like Andy Johnson he too would be staying put until the end of the season - after all change always = risk for an individual. time to move on I''m afraid - and address the real challenges which are a distinct lack of general quality on the pitch (one that one want-away individual couldn''t change) and the no doubt incredibly low morale in the dressing room after yesterday. Some fresh legs may help, but I suspect some fresh ideas on the management front may be more so. Seeing as how the club behave in such a correct businerss manner (and I''ve dealt with the chairman in a non-football busineess context too so I''m not surprised) this will be done in the summer as a ful;l evaluation of this season takes place and the planning for the next couple does too. Don''t expect anything before then you WO''s out there.

Yes indeed - good luck Dean, and my abiding memories will be a superb flicked goal against Ma City, an opener agains man Utd and a last minute winner against newcastle that left grazes on my shins from the seat in front for 3-4 weeks! If we had done a Palace this season (ie were genuinely looking like returning this season, and actually playing some decent football on a consistent basis) then I actually believe he would have wanted to stay as he has never come across as dis-loyal, but we''re not so he''s off and good luck to him.

My local garage would go bust if we didn''t renew - after all it''s almost a tank a week! Then again as we reckon we spend 7 whole days a year sat in said car travelling to and from City matches there wuld be an enormous amount of extra time suddenly added to my life. But what would I do with it anyway - and after 36 years of watching matches, from wherever we''ve lived, and probably enjoying the last 3 seasons the most of all as I now share the whole experience with my son, there''s no way I''d give it up now! It''s always been a rollercoaster of emotional investment - and you can''t get off a rollercoaster till your ride is over!

Head says 1-1 Heart says 2-0

My hope is that the memories of the first half at Vicarage Rd earlier this season are deeply etched in the players memories: I''m afraid they remain in mine. If we play like we did in the 2nd half there (just as Rossi describes) we can get a result, but.... Hopefully the importance of the fixture in the context of our playoff ambitions will not be lost on the players, and the "only got to turn up" attituse is nowhere to be seen.

[quote user="ZippersLeftFoot"] Mine would be boxing day early 80s (82?) at portalooo road - 3-2 win with O''Neill strike a late screamer - my celebration did not go down well in the tahn cirectors box..but boy it felt good as they had a strong side then.   Already put that one up ZLF - my celebrationons meant that I broke the brand new watch I had been given for Xmas the previous day by my Mum & Dad too: oh those heady days of enjoying success on the terraces!! [/quote]

Don''t recall him making much of an impact at Carrow Road recently: even against our pacey centre-halves!!

I do agree with you Konstantin, but find it rather galling that Leeds have been incredibly busy in the transfer market in the last 12 months or so, and look a pretty good bet to go up this year too. Given that next year is OUR final parachute payment season (like this is for them) will we be that ambitious, or remain prudent?

The Pink''Un report says £438K over 27 deals - that comes an average of over £16k per transaction to me, and if this is indeed all driven by the routine loans, contract renewals and the few low-key signings we have made in simply the 6 months of july-December, you can see why the game is such a lucrative one for the agents to be in, and why they try asll they can to create change as it''s what gets them paid. I have to say though that what I don''t understand is why the club has to make these payments rather than the player who is surely employing the agent? It''s how every other line of business I''ve been invoved in works. I know the club pays ultimately, but surely it then becomes in the players interest to make sure the agent is giving him good value for money when acting on his behalf?

Look at this weeks Greeno situation - ask yourself what role the agent has really played in this, and for what? Until Robert moves his agent will never have maximised HIS earnings out of that client.

The key with all of these optimistic posts it seems is that we appear to HAVE to win 5 0r 6 out of the next 7 games (we all expect to lose at Reading). If not it''ll be time off in March & April!