I know: We haven't signed a striker so lets knock the Doc!

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

Whoa whoa whoa people! Can I just attempt to calm all the negative thinking and reasoning on this board this morning!! We didn''t sign a striker yesterday. Oh well. There isn''t a lot we can do about it now.

People are monaing that Palace have sgned two players from Inter. So what? We had a much much better squad than them anyway. We bought our quality over the summer, they bought on transfer deadline day. Doesn''t mean they have a better chance of staying up than us. Also, last time I checked this was a Norwich board not a West Brom one! They have spent a lot of money this summer yes. And yes they have signed some players which I would have loved Norwich to sign. But they have splashed the cash, we haven''t. And we haven''t because we don''t have enough cash to splash. In fact if we went to splash our cash it wouldn''t even splash, the water would just ripple a bit!! ;-) Lets leave West Brom to do what they want to do and concentrate on what we''ve got to do

Anyway....

Back to the main reason for this thread. As mentioned we haven''t signed a striker. But that gives some posters no excuse to start moaning about the Doc! He has come in and won over the fans. Hands up who didn''t want him here when we signed him? There are a lot of hands up I''m sure. The fact that he isn''t a striker doesn''t matter. If he plays up front and does well then fair play to him, lets hope he continues what he does. He came on at Old Trafford and instantly we looked better. He played for 90 minutes at Newcastle and did superbly, knocking the ball about and scoring a goal. And he played for 90 minutes against, IMO, one of the best sides in the world and won a hell of a lot in the air.

He may not be the multi million pound striker many wanted and were hoping we would get. But he''s come into this a club and made a damn good start. Lets give him our support and hope that he continues how he has started.

I''ve read on a few threads, probably more tongue in cheek than serious, that we should get Roberts back. The Doc can do Roberts job. He might not score as many goals but he can hold the ball up and create chances for some of the quick, pacey players we have in our squad.

IMO the Doc Hucks partnership should continue. They can play off each others strengths and do well for us

KEEP THE FAITH

[no1canary 0]

good post. agree with the doc stuff. but the corner infill will help to bring in more money per year, which will help the long term future of the club, and satisfy some of of the fans who want to see games. im not sure that it was because of money that we didn''t get a striker. if one would have come available then im sure we would have bought him. and lets be fair, he''s got some great players in over the summer.

if we look at the harewood situation, they never wanted to sell him did they? buying him would mean paying over the odds for him and worthy does not want to waist money that is available. he''s always said he''ll get a player in if it''s right for the club, and obviously, no deal he could have made would have been right for the club because of over-priced players.

oh and by the way, doc got subbed for svensson against arsenal. ;)

[First Wizard 0]

Hang on DD, I think you are totaly wrong here mate!. The Doc has said in his own words that he is a defender first. He is not a striker.

I really do believe Worthy brought him here as a defender, he said as much, so no ones really having a go at him as such, he doing his limited best.

No, the real problem lays at the feet of this cowardly, lack of any real ambition, board, we have been saddled with!. They have''nt backed Nigel''s judgement regarding a true striker, the money can always be found, if they had a will to, look at the hasssle we had over Hucks.

You and others keep saying Keep the faith, a grand sentiment indeed. But I believe you should change that to Keep the blind faith, because trust me, that all we''ve got left, my friend.

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

That "cowardly, lack of any real ambition, board, we have been saddled with!" you refer to: Would that be the same bunch of people who, when the transfer market had collapsed and we had jack all money, paid over a million pounds on quality strikers to get us here in the first place?

If it wasn''t for the board we have now and in particular Delia, we would be in a much poorer state than we are now Wiz. Just because we have got promoted we can''t forget that

Keep the faith

[beelsie 0]

Wiz , having read your todays thread,you''ve got me in a muddle, certain something''s not quite joined up here me-thinks. However there''s much here to agree with i like it!!!

[Lt NCFC 0]

I agree with the original post, especially about Doherty - I think he''s been great with hucks! Just because he has said his original position was a defender doesn''t mean we cant keep him as a striker. Henry was a winger, Ashley Cole was a striker! Quick someone tell Wenger to stop playing them out of position! Fair enough it would''ve been nice to get 1 more striker, but just because the ones we went for were too expensive, couldn''t be replaced by their club intime, joined another team, had the wrong attitude when spoken to, didn''t want to join us or weren''t allowed to leave...doesn''t mean we''re doomed. We got a draw away to newcastle who have Shearer, Bellamy, Kluivert and Ameobi...those players cost more individually than our whole team and they still couldn''t beat us! I still believe we can finish above atleast 3 other teams, so lets get on with the job and support our team!

[Arbiter 0]

Will someone get the kids off here because they really dont have anything constructive to add.

Doc may not be a striker but he has filled in well. Worthy said he isnt a striker, didnt buy him as a striker and said he wanted another striker...fact is he has made a difference so let him run with it. There is no point spending our limited budget on paying over the odds for not much better than we have and Worthy has clearly set his stall by saying he wont be ripped off.

Furthermore Doc has added another option to what we had and in this league you need to keep the ball.

Now we have a big guy in Doc, who holds the ball up and take pressure off the rest of the team. We also have a poacher in MacK/McVeigh, one of the fastest players in the league in Hucks, a Bergkampesque player in Bentley plus Svensson, Jarvis and Henderson (young Eng players) etc etc

So Wizrd take your negativity back to the fizzy league and read your recent history books.....this board has done a fantastic job and erroneous statements like yours show absolutely no insight or grasp on reality...my friend!

[Smudge 0]

Could not agree more wiz.

What happened at the board meeting last week, according to the EDP Worthy was talking about his transfer funds for a new striker. Since then no one has come in and if you look at his comments after each transfer..."I am glad the 2 clubs have managed to agree a fee for the player" I think it was basically the board who have failed to put up the cash.

Oh well the board are fully prepared to go down but I am not sure the fans and Worthy are!

[bananaman 0]

No Smudge, I am fully prepared to go down. And if you''re not, then you must be on another planet, because it was always going to be a bloody difficult task.

Hopefully we can hold out for 17th and above, but it ain''t gonna be easy - and one striker isn''t going to change that.

[Lt NCFC 0]

What are you talking about!

Just because we didn''t manage to sign someone doesn''t mean the board didn''t allow him to! Worthy made it clear last week that the person he was after was Johansson from Charlton. Charlton were playing the waiting game saying "no he''s still in our plans" etc trying to get an increased bid as the deadline got nearer, but they were never going to sell unless they got their replacement first. If Ipswich had sold Bent to charlton, or Earnshaw left cardiff for Charlton (both were targets for curbishley), Johansson would be a city player.

You need to realise that not everything is down to us, and unless everything is right for both clubs, the player and the agents, deals can''t be done.

[Hannibal 0]

must say i am with dd on the one if nige feels he cant get the right player in there is no point wasting money as at the end of the day it can only be bad for the club
otbc

[Bury Yellow 2]

Well said Wiz.

I know you will recall in the early days last season you and I and a few others were lambasted on here for daring to criticise the board.

I can''t think of one other team in our postion who would not have pushed the boat to get this essential striker we need.

I have no idea of course what was said at the meeting but this constant ''we are ever so humble'' attitude must wear thin with the national media. You tell everybody that we are just a small club enough times and they believe it. Now, not only are we telling them but we are demonstrating that.

I think Worthy has done a fantastic job in getting the signings.I know the jury is still out on some but I based my assesment on the assumption that we would get a new striker. After all this was essential before the end of last season!! I just think this was a marvellous opportunity for a major part of the jig saw puzzle.

I hope I''m wrong but I really fear this period up to January. I understand we can still get a loan signing but am not sure.

There was comment a few days ago that Ipswich always get a better press etc than we do. One major reason is they always give the impression thay are a big club, never mention or complain of cash shortages. We all have the same opinion on the binners but we can learn some good things from them.

Finally for those who call those of us with this opinion, doom merchants (sic), you must remember we are all arden supporters. Some of us go to all home and away games. We just want the best for our club, be proud of our club and show the media we are not country bumkins.

OTBC

[Marty 0]

Wizard, I think I speak on behalf of a fair few posters (loyal NCFC fans) on this board in saying "you are getting on our nerves", I suggest you take some prozac and wisen up like a true wizard would. Look at the bigger picture and stop whinging on about not signing a striker, that''s life, it''s not all doom and gloom. Am I right or what? I can expect a mixture of support and probably some abuse, but at the end of the day (great footballing Cliche that!) we should remain optamistic and upbeat. Keep the (blind) faith - Wizard.

[Smudge 0]

You must be my twin.

The best post for days, we could get over 30,000 in week in week out if we had a bigger ground but because of our board we stuck with a tiny ground making tiny signings we destined for the tiny league.

[First Wizard 0]

Oh happy days eh?, Bury Yellow.

Marty: You speak on behalf of all the loyal city fans eh, really?. Gosh, I''m impressed, who elected you God?. According to your thinly veiled post, you infere I''m not a loyal supporter, without knowing b***** all about me, wow!.

I will not bother to defend my record to posters like you, you obviously see loyalty as towing the party line, well, others and I question certain decisions by the board, and management.

So you keep the blind faith my friend. It be an empty purse.

Me?. I''d rather mistrust the board, but trust in Nigel, and keep my powder dry!.

[GMF 736]

Wiz

Is it a case of "mistrust the board" or just accept that we are never going to be told the true position?

Any board, at any club, is highly unlikely to reveal it''s true hand regarding transfer budgets and players wages, as that will expose the club''s position relating to any prospective purchasers, would it not?

Yep, we are all right to question what the board says. Doesn''t mean that anyone who accepts it is following a blind faith, does it?

[AJ 1,218]

probably.........

[a1canary 0]

Woah, this is fun, back to those good old days, like you say wiz!
Which lead me to a little dig in the archive. Well, not quite in the archive, on my own hard drive actually.
Because back in those days, i remember being so incensed with a lot of some poster''s words that i copied some of them and saved them, covinced they would later in the season have to be eaten.
I forgot all about it though, and as the season went on, everything became increasingly rosey, while also, my respect for people on this board grew as we got to know each other''s views and opinions, even if we didn''t always share them. That situation remains.
Anyway, the indomitable Mr Wiz''s post here reminded me of those posts almost a year ago and that i had buried an example of them away somewhere. It''s amazing the similarity, and the timing, altho this was a bit further in to last season...

"Well said Bury Belvoir. I''m only four years your junior and I too have had enough. My season ticket will not be renewed next year, there will be plenty of spaces for me to attend on a casual basis. What happened to Delias'' ambition of having the best small club in Europe? Where HAS the money gone? It used to be said 16000 a week attendances were needed to break even. That''s been easily surpassed, we''ve got restaurants making profits, we''ve got a marketing strategy that''s the envy of Premiership clubs We''ve also got a paper thin squad and the debt is nearly 50% bigger than when Chase left and shows no sign of slowing down. Has any mention been made yet by the board when we may expect to be in the black again? The highest league finish we''ve had since relegation is 6th! Great eh? It''s also getting embarrassing that the club keep asking us for more money, well stuff that, I bought shares last time and I''m not a bottomless pit. Does any body on this messageboard expect Ipswich NOT to be in the Prem next year? We all know they will. How come they can do it? Answers on a postcard please and send to Doomcaster. We''ve turned into a softly- softly tread everso carefully get nowhere club.ITV Digital you do-rights will all shout at me but that excuse is history now and is an easy get out for this Board, I''m not convinced that they know what they''re doing any more. (If they ever did.)"

Love it!

[shardy 0]

Like it or not all who have posted their negative views on here, this board saved this club from going out of business many years ago. Ok we''ve had some pretty bad seasons since then and some bloody awful managers. But right here right now we have;
a, The best young manager in the country
b, The best and highest capacity ground that we''ve had for years
c, The best club/team spirit for years
d, The best squad for many years
e, Sold out every game for the last 2+ seasons with this season sold out completly already
f, We''ve just signed 8 new players more than anything i''ve ever known before (all internationals)

Plus on top of all that we''re in the premiership and have shown that we arn''t half bad.

How could you possibly have anything to moan about at this stage of the season just because we didn''t sign an average striker from charlton, grow up, stop your moaning and enjoy it.

OTBC

[gazzathegreat 0]

bury yellow

i do share some of your sentiments, also wiz''s, however, this time i think worthy did right not just panic buying .... yes, at times i can be a doom and gloom merchant and was slated on here re the hucks saga, but that was different, last year we were handed promotion on a plate, survival in the prem is a different matter. Who would we get for under 5m say? no one who is any better than the players we already have. We just need to stay in this league (or at least go up and down a few times a la bolton, portsmouth etc), before we can buy a rooney!

because of what has happened to this club in the past, i am, and never will be 100% behind the board, and well most of you know it, but in worthy we have a man who will stand up for what he believes in and (more importantly) always gets his way. I don''t believe he was refused money for a striker, i just think there was nothing worth buying AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME. Of course the transfer window and the restrictions make it very difficult, but the rules apply to the other clubs too. We will be okay, and the longer we are stable, ie the board runs the club well, and worthy stays, the longer we will not only survive, but prosper.

[First Wizard 0]

[quote]Woah, this is fun, back to those good old days, like you say wiz! Which lead me to a little dig in the archive. Well, not quite in the archive, on my own hard drive actually. Because back in those da...[/quote]

AJ: If you''re inferring that I wrote that post (The syntax is all wrong for me!) then at best you''re hard drive has a virus/worm, or at worse, you''re intent on causing serious mischief at my expense!.

I''m also concerned for your state of mind my friend, that you feel the need to store members posts on your hardive!.

At least others and I have the nerve to post without the support of hindsight, unlike others of your ilk.

Having said all that, I still can''t get to grips with this new board!. But give me time and I''ll conquer the bloody world!.

Mind you, if in the unlikely event that letter is my work, I''m damn proud of it, Its amazing what parts hot milk can reach!.