No pot of gold for Huckerby

[GMF 757]

Anyone who hasn''t read it yet, have a look at Neil Doncaster''s lastest report on the EDP site.

A full, frank assessment of where we are.

[Bomber 50]

Just read the report and I am not as down beat as I thought I would be after reading it. Those three little words (watch this space) right at the end has given me an incling of hope and the article certainly does not put a clear phoo phoo on the matter. Certainly looks like the loan for Crouch is definately being pursued and for Hucks, who knows!!!!!

[BH0201 0]

A good assessment which matches what some of us have been saying. This combined with the statement from Darren is very positive in my opinion. Both are saying that they want him here full time and both parties will do their best to make it happen. This leaves the third party in MCFC. It has to be hoped that MCFC will be reasonable in their request and that agreement can be reached. It is firmly my belief that agreement will be reached. He is no longer part of their plans and the amount of money he would cost them to sit in their reserves would make it a costly gamble if no one signs him. It may well therefore be in their cest interest to agree a fee that NCFC can afford without great pain.

Craig

[Graham Paddons Beard 2,450]

Well I am a bit of a simplisitic sort of bloke. I am also in business and as we have said many many times before, the Football Business is utterly unique; in its market in order to be successful a team must win matches. In order to win you have to resource the playing staff. Catering, merchandise, sales teams, backroom staff etc are all dependent on results. However you look at it.

The premier league is the objective. Frankly you wont get there without players who have the ability of Huckerby and so on.

Therefore, and at the risk of stating the "bleedin obvious" City MUST buy these kind of players. If we dont then we will not go up.

If the current set up is unable to raise the money ( Mr Doooomcaster saying a bank wont lend NCFC the money is hardly Harvard Business School economics) then the club must seek money from elsewhere. If it means the current board changing, or whatever, it must ACTIVELY seek cash injections. City is in a strong position TODAY to do this; league position, fan base, property ownership.

Trying to raise the money within the existing confines of the current business model is pointless.

There are a number of arguments that will enevitable follow.

1. We nearly went up without these players! - I cant argue with that except to say that we didn''t and I would suggest that it is highly unlikely to nearly happen again.

2. Look at Leeds! Yes look at them. They gambled on European Football which didn''t happen. However look at Middlesbro, Birmingham Bolton and others who are there because of cash injection. My view is to use these companies as the example rather than the ones that have not been successful.

3. It could all go horribly wrong. My reply is simple. So what?. Do it properly and it wont.

SO... go out and look for money. Lots of it. Dont tell me we cant find any because I dont think we are trying. Somewhere there is another Roman looking to have fun. It could even be Richard Branson. Have we asked him? NCFC is a cracking club in a cracking City and we should be spending a few quid on marketing the club with a view of finding Mr Big. Unfortunatley if we cant even find someone to sponsor the team sheets in the Gunn Club it doesnt bode too well. Get Saatchi onto it .

[Away Day Specialist 0]

Yes, after the initial shock of the headline it looked as if it woulkd be bleak and grim reading. However Doncaster did end on a relatively positive note and gave hope to us for next weeks D-day.

It does seem up in the air with the loanees but if the board will not/cannot invest in the squad when we are second in the table and in control of our own destiny,.... when will/can they?