Ashton - whats the story?

[chicken 0]

Severall people have brought this up with me again which I am getting worried about so I thought I would consult the oracle that is the Pinkun message boards.

Has Ashton actually come out and said he is staying put or is he sitting on the fence?

I think next season really does depend on us keeping him and the core of the squad.

Who else is rumoured/linked with a move?

Green has been all season but it seems that he has dropped from the rumour mill over the last couple of months.

Someone mentioned Francis, and to be quite honest if someone came in with more than £2million I would take it!

[NavMan 0]

Chicken - I think it is just a case of wait and see - from what I have heard Ashton does have a clause in his contract (put in by his Agent no doubt) that if we get relegated and a Premiership club comes in for him then he has the option to leave.  However a few weks ago he was in the Evening News stating that he was still settling in here and that he was happy.  To me that is not a committment at all and he has definately not said that he will play for us next season no matter what division we are in which is what Huckerby stated a couple of weeks ago.  So in my opinion he has said something which is non commital and personally in my opinion if a team like Tottenham etc came in for him what would you do.

As for Francis - Totally agree with - the man is a prima donna walking around the pitch as if he is on the cat walk.  We dont need people like that next year as we have to be prepared for a fight.  If he want to go then let him as far as i''m concerned.   

[Luke O Donoughoe 0]

Ashton is not allowed to leave until January, All footballers must serve atleast the first year of a new contract before they are allowed to go anywhere. So in otherwords, we have Ashton until January at the very least

[ZLF 335]

Ashton did make all the right noises in the media so hopefully the clause (if I remember rightly his agent was his uncle who has no other clients - how quaint is that?) wont be invoked or deano will chose to give us a season. 

In deanos shoes at best I would give city till Jan to show that the club can get me back to the prem - if not looking good would start looking then - and if a  club came in for me during the summer, where I was likely to play regularly and unlikely to get relegated (Blackburn would be a high risk club for me) then I woudl jump at the chance.  If its ''only'' Wigan or Sunderland I would take my chances here, for a while anyway.

OTBC   

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

I think Ashton will stay until January.  Then, depending on how we are doing, he will make decision on whether to stay or not.  If we''re nailed on for promotion he''ll stay but if we''ve cocked it up he''ll go.  You couldn''t blame him either

[StevenageFan 0]

Navman, agree about Francis, he was non-existent yesterday. certainly a victim of his own hype as he was highly rated before his injury. Not been the same since unfortunately. The more worrying thing is our Manager who doesn''t stick a rocket up these boys bum holes by dropping them for a game or two. I mean if you were Francis why would you bother running until you are sick when you know Flemming can do no wrong, nor Holt, plus the competition for your place is nothing to worry about. Unfortunately Worthy has not managed to keep the spirit he bangs on about fiery enough. We might have a nice friendly spirit, but what we need is some competition for places and some punishment for rubbish performances.

[Canarychick 0]

I don''t think Francis has been the same player since he came back from injury.  Yesterday''s performace though was especially poor

[Northern Canary 0]

Firstly, i find it hard to see a player of his quality playing in the championship but there is hope.

Secondly, you have to look on the bright side, if he does go we should get a lot of money, and, McKenzie and Hux are two strikers who should be able to take on most defences in the champ.

thirdly, hopefully worthy will be able to say to deano, stay a season and if we dont get promoted you can go.

[Colonel Cullum 0]

[quote]Ashton is not allowed to leave until January, All footballers must serve atleast the first year of a new contract before they are allowed to go anywhere. So in otherwords, we have Ashton until January...[/quote]

is that right? have never heard of that ruling before

feel a little happier now