Close Season News Updates

[devilsadvocate]

Burnley
Have completed the £250k signing of former player Robbie Blake from relegated Leeds. Blake who left the clarets for Birmingham in a £1.25m deal in 2005 has signed a three year deal. Welcome back robbie. We love you

Now that's good business JTC! The Clarets have just printed a lazy 1mill in free money!

Another bloody change of playing shirt means forking out more bloody money as well!!!

Welcome to the world of commercial football! Image the AFL telling Sir, Master, His Lordship Eddie that Collingwood has to wear a new jumper every year! Still, I think a lot of the fans over here in the UK are to blame. Talk on the Spurs fan forum is that if you don't buy a new season strip, you're a tightarse wanker who doesn't support your club.
Imagine what they'd think of the Magpies fans who still wear the circa 1993 'spicers paper' branded, wollen knitted jumper, that's 5 sizes too small after years of neglect with countless sauce and beer spill stains!!!

PS, I'm getting the latest Spurs strip next week (45 f@$#ing pounds) before my first excursion to White Hart Lane for the Everton game. Must avoid any chance of being heccled!

[johntheclaret]

Newcastle (the upon-Tyne version )
Have opened talks with Fulham over £3m rated defender Frank Queudrue.
Have also made an audacious enquiry about Barcs superstar Ronalddinho, but have been put off by the £58m asking price.

Birmingham
Are keen on signing Tottenham midfielder Hossam Ghaly. the fee will be around £1m

Man U
Are set to agree the transfer of Gerard Pique to Real Zaragoza, after a successful loan there last season. The fee is expected to be around £4m
Are desperate to block Liverpool's move for defender Gabriel Heinze, even though the reds are prepared to offer the £6m price tag. Heinze has a clause in his contract that allows him to leave if the price is £6m+

Aston Villa
Are poised to splash out around £25m on signing Shaun Wright-Phillips (Chelski), Jermaine De Foe (Spurs) and Luke Young (Charlton). News should be announced this week.

Middlesboro'
Boss Gareth Southgate is set to make a cut price offer for want away Tottenham striker Mido.

b4st4rds
Are in talks with Everton over their former strike James Beattie.

Everton
Have made a suprice enquiry about Portsmouth's veteran defender Sol Campbell

Man C
Have enquired about the availability of Liverpool striker Peter Crouch. Eriksson is a fan of Crouch and may not be put off by the £20 (yes twenty) millioin price tag.
Note: Peter Crouch agreed to sign for Burnley during his Crystal Palace days. He was paraded around the ground before a home match. Then things went wrong. £20m, £20 f$%king million :evil:
Have signed Switzerland Under 21 captain Gelsen Fernandes from FC Sion for an undisclosed fee, making him Erikssons 2nd signing.

Liverpool
will continue their shopping spree (currently just over £40m) with the £15m capture of Roma's Alessandro Mancini.
Former keeper Jerzy Dudek is set to sign for Spanish champions Real Madrid on a free transfer. The 34 year old was released by Liverpool at the end of last season after failing to dislodge No 1
keeper Pepe Reine.

West Ham
Have received a £3m offer from Turkish club Besiktas, for misfit Carlton Cole.

Footnote to McAlmanac. Don't know if you know this McA, but Derby's new signing Andy Todd from b4st4rds is actually the son of Rams hero Colin.

[devilsadvocate]

Newcastle (the upon-Tyne version )
Have also made an audacious enquiry about Barcs superstar Ronalddinho, but have been put off by the £58m asking price.

Heard this on Sky Sports News tonight and couldn't believe my ears. They're having a laugh surely!

First: Why the FFFF would the best player in the world want to go there when he currently plays at a club that is poised to win everything next year?

However: Why would the barcodes be put off by the 58m price tag? If you get Ronzo, he sells shirts like noone else (except maybe Becks), so they'd get close to recouping their cost in merch sales.

It's like buying a Bugatti. I'd like the best car ever made like everyone else, but I gotta fork out 800k (quid) or I'll be sticking to pushing the treddley around! Plus on the other side of the ledger, if you do get your Bugatti, you don't put a Hyundai badge on it!!!!!

[johntheclaret]

Newcastle (the upon-Tyne version )
Have also made an audacious enquiry about Barcs superstar Ronalddinho, but have been put off by the £58m asking price.

Heard this on Sky Sports News tonight and couldn't believe my ears. They're having a laugh surely!

First: Why the FFFF would the best player in the world want to go there when he currently plays at a club that is poised to win everything next year?

However: Why would the barcodes be put off by the 58m price tag? If you get Ronzo, he sells shirts like noone else (except maybe Becks), so they'd get close to recouping their cost in merch sales.

It's like buying a Bugatti. I'd like the best car ever made like everyone else, but I gotta fork out 800k (quid) or I'll be sticking to pushing the treddley around! Plus on the other side of the ledger, if you do get your Bugatti, you don't put a Hyundai badge on it!!!!!

Agree DA. no way was that ever going to happen. Barcelona, sunshine european success etc etc etc. or Newcastle, rain coal mines and mid table mediocrity. Hmmmmmm

To be fair, I think Newcastle will do a lot better this year. Money talks and if he did come here, money would be his motivator and he would be here to play out his career.

[JK]

Apparantly Barca have stated that their plan is to build the side around Messi, so I don't think it was a bad move by the Toon to at least inquire.

[johntheclaret]

Howdy C-P. Not seen much of you on here for a while.

I guess you would be happy by the moves at Liverpool. Plenty of cash being spent, some quality players (at least in Europe) and a new 80,000 seater staduim to boot (Well 60,000 to start but can't see it being too long before the extensions are added. Given the atmos already at Anfield, imagine how it will be with 60 or 80 thousand there.

Liverpool have the best fans in England for generating a great atmosphere. closely followed IMO by Newcastle, West Ham and (when they are winning) Sunderland. worst place for atmosphere, Wigan, b4st4rds, Fulham.

[devilsadvocate]

worst place for atmosphere, Wigan, b4st4rds, Fulham.

Hahahaha

Funny you should say that JTC, Fulham is reasonably close to where I'm living. I'm going to trundle down to the odd game on a weekend when they're playing the lesser clubs. Have read on a Fulham forum that it's very easy to get a walk up ticket to the less popular games.

No way will I be supporting FFC though, especially in their disgraceful AC Milan look-alike strip!

[johntheclaret]

worst place for atmosphere, Wigan, b4st4rds, Fulham.

Hahahaha

Funny you should say that JTC, Fulham is reasonably close to where I'm living. I'm going to trundle down to the odd game on a weekend when they're playing the lesser clubs. Have read on a Fulham forum that it's very easy to get a walk up ticket to the less popular games.

No way will I be supporting FFC though, especially in their disgraceful AC Milan look-alike strip!

you won't be going to many then DA as there aren't many that are lesser than Fulham.

Think you might find it's milan's disgraceful Fulham look a like mate

On a serious note Fulham were the 1st club to be bought out by a moneybags foreign investor IIRC

[devilsadvocate]

If Fulham wore it first, it's not so bad then. I'm just AC Milans no. 1 anti-supporter!!!

I'm thinking Fulham v reading on Nov 3 or FFC v Derby on Oct 20 are ripe for the taking.

It's funny really, any mug can buy a FFC season ticket for 200 quid. Or for Spurs, you can go on the 20 year waiting list! Kind of makes me wish I was a Fulham fan! Remind me to bag all the whinging Power fans when I get home for complaining about paying $160 AUD for a season ticket. I've always happily handed over my hard earned cos it's a great deal in comparison.

How do Clarets tickets go JTC?

[johntheclaret]

If Fulham wore it first, it's not so bad then. I'm just AC Milans no. 1 anti-supporter!!!

I'm thinking Fulham v reading on Nov 3 or FFC v Derby on Oct 20 are ripe for the taking.

It's funny really, any mug can buy a FFC season ticket for 200 quid. Or for Spurs, you can go on the 20 year waiting list! Kind of makes me wish I was a Fulham fan! Remind me to bag all the whinging Power fans when I get home for complaining about paying $160 AUD for a season ticket. I've always happily handed over my hard earned cos it's a great deal in comparison.

How do Clarets tickets go JTC?

I agree DA. Roosters is about $9.00 (£4.00) per game. SANFL is absolutely fantastic value for money.

Season ticket at Burnley ranges from £350 - £400 a year depending on where you sit. They sell about 8,000 odd per year and get between 16,000 to 11,000 per game depending on who we are playing. Capacity is 24,000 all seated and we have had that a few times, did it for 3 games on the trop when Ian Wright was playing for us. I share a box so it for me works out at £3,500 per year (+ guests )

[JK]

Howdy C-P. Not seen much of you on here for a while.

I guess you would be happy by the moves at Liverpool. Plenty of cash being spent, some quality players (at least in Europe) and a new 80,000 seater staduim to boot (Well 60,000 to start but can't see it being too long before the extensions are added. Given the atmos already at Anfield, imagine how it will be with 60 or 80 thousand there.

Liverpool have the best fans in England for generating a great atmosphere. closely followed IMO by Newcastle, West Ham and (when they are winning) Sunderland. worst place for atmosphere, Wigan, b4st4rds, Fulham.

Gooday Johnny-Boy,

Yes quietly sitting back and enjoying everything on the LFC front at the moment ... I think Rafa has potentially set himself up to share billing down the track with greats like Shanks and Paise - Not saying it will happen, but potentially it could - Of ourse the proof of the pudding is in the tasting!

Not only has he purchased for the "Here and now" but he's also rejigged the acadamey and gone out and bought worldclass youngsters, covering us for the "Here to be now".

He's a clever clever man Rafa, and I have all the faith in the world in him ... I don't think we'll be positioned to realistically challenge for the title this coming season, but I reckon he is inching us closer to a strong launching pad, capable of challanging in the near future

[devilsadvocate]

Latest news from Sky Sports One is that Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink is contemplating a move to Sydney FC. Wow! This follows the deal for Robbie Fowler falling through after he signed with Liecester.

[BPBRB]

Latest news from Sky Sports One is that Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink is contemplating a move to Sydney FC. Wow! This follows the deal for Robbie Fowler falling through after he signed with Liecester.

Fowler signed with Cardiff not Leicester who were in the hunt for his signature.

However the mighty foxes have snared 25 yr old striker DJ Campbell from Birmingham for around 2 mill pounds making him the 12 off season signing to the Walkers Stadium and according to owner Milan Mandaric.

The owner wants at least 3 or 4 more signings in the off season to ensure Leicester make a serious push for promotion to the EPL.

[devilsadvocate]

Keving-Prince Boateng has signed for Spurs for £5.4m. Takes Jol's spending over £40m so far!

Boateng was last years' Bundesliga young player of the year, and has played a number of games for ze chermans U21 side.

If Spurs can sign Kim KALLSTROM (possibly unlikely now, but here's hoping) for the left side, I'd be very happy.

Apologies for the Spurs bias - will try to get some good overall news up soon. All they keep dribbling on about at the moment is Tevez's move to Man U and all the legal crap surrounding his ownership. Whatever happens, West Ham are destroying football with their lack of ethics, stupidly high wages and inflated transfer fees. Down with the Spam!

[redden whites]

DA apology not accepted due to not being required.....Too much fighting cockrel is never enough.

[devilsadvocate]

Number 3 - Your Brummys bave been saved from the disappointment and frustration of no 1 penis Hossam Ghaly. He spat it at being asked to do some extra work at training because he returned from preseason unfit and overweight. In this case, it's not the player Brum HAVE signed, but rather the player they HAVEN'T!!!

[The Real Number 3]

Cheers DA, was just reading that on skysports... bit disappointed we didnt get a deal through for Mido, i reckon he wouldve been alright paired with McSheffrey at the front. I think the Brums have signed 8 or 9 new players with Frank Quedrue being the latest.. Im just hoping we beat the drop this season.

[devilsadvocate]

Mido would have been a good signing. I think he could be quality at a club where he's number one. At Spurs he spat it a couple of times when forced to start on the pine.

I have no doubt he can cut it in the premiership with the black cats where he will be no. 1. I just hope is contract has a round 2 start clause so he doesn't come back to bite us on Sat!

Brums could beat the drop. I think Derby will struggle to even get draws. I think Reading might struggle a little this season too. At least Pearce is showing some ambition to stay up I've heard F-All about Derby and their signings or approaching players.

[The Real Number 3]

Brums to finish no lower 10th is my prediction. Derby Reading and Middlesborough to be Relagated.