Saint Without a Halo

No there are to many others ahead for them all to fail! it is mainly down to us and our ability to string a top spot type of promotion run together winning another 14 to 16 games and we may just sneak into 6th! if we do that we have a chance as with the exception of Leeds Norwich and Charlton I cant see anyone else capable of doing it particularly as they all have threadbare squads in terms of suspensions and injuries! So possible but so far unlikely 8 wins in the next 10 and it could become more likely!

Will we ever know? half his deal was probably in brown envelopes!

AP Playing him now whilst not having any confidence in him before! Shop window maybe?

Bring back Clive Woodward all is forgiven!

If it was such a good deal why aren't others in then? This is a negotiation if we get him for 500k rather than 800k all the better. We need to be patient and let the club negotiate! a lot of deals will inevitably go down to the wire and depend ultimately on whose nerve goes first! A real market valuation is only ever what somewone is prepared to pay!

Been in contact with God again then to validate that?

Hmm going back in time Jimmy Case/ Steve Williams / Alan Ball now that would do the business! A good mix of old pro experience, skill and hard tackling ball winning! Any of Holmes, Armstrong and Townsend would also do! Now the defence is sorted It is the balance of experience, ball winning and chance creation in midfield we need to address!

He would say that would't he? it is a negotiation of course!

Two reasons from the AP post match interview 1) AP said he wasn't fully fit and didn't want to risk him 2) He felt the service from midfield to the front was poor and we were under pressure so a better option was the pace of Antonio

Does that mean those who saw the game saw a valid reason why we couldn't hold a 1-0 lead for 60 seconds? surely you don't need to see the game to know that in all probability any team worth it's salts should be able to hold on in these circumstances? similarly you can look at statistics, form and many measures to draw valid conclusions such as Why have we conceded more than our main rivals - probable conclusion poor defence Why are we struggling to beat any of the top 6 in this division in the league - probable conclusion we need to improve more and gel as a team Many people in the game make decsions on statistics such as form, shots on goal, possession etc. and can draw often valid conclusions from this information without seeing a particular game cant they?

We are 12 short of the playoffs now and would even be 2 short without the minus 10 we need to start firing on all cylinders soon if we are to nick a play off place

Intresting to note all three teams we bought players from last week won Palace against plymouth away 1-0 (didnt concede) Exeter 2 Leeds 0 (good win and didn't concede) Colchester 0 Norwich 5

quite right he had six months of his contract remaining and he now has six months on his present wages to prove his value!

Come on this is all about negotiations! Players play one club off against the other to drive up wages and clubs pursue a number of players for one position to ensure it is covered! It is obvious that NC decided that the deal for Ward had been driven up so high by him that it the Seabourne deal suddenly became more attractive when you optimised the playing ability potential, transfer fee and wages. What would have happened if a club came in last minute and doubled Wards wages? All is fair in negotiations till the ink is on the contract by both sides!

His age means he will be played in selected games! so we need others to fill in!

Explains why he left Liverpool then for Norwich!"

No we cant possibly bring in as much as we are currently spending given we are in league 1. I understood we are spending in line with a five year plan and the revenues over the five years match the spend so therefore it is imperative we progress and go up!

Would have normally agreed with you were it not for the fact that since 2008 bankers seem to have stretched the whole worlds economy! What ever happened to the saying "As safe as banks" However it shows great intelligence by NC to get out of banking at the right time!

True however at gates of say an average of 20k and say an average ticket price of £20 (to make the maths easy) that is only 400k net income a game before expenses. Say 300k net of expenses and times it by 25 gates including cups gives at best 7.5m if we add another say 2.5m of income from food and beverages and commercial sales and advertising etc and the meagre amount of TV money you get in league 1 we are talking about net income of 10m to 12m out of which we have to pay all the clubs employee and player wages and other expenses. Doesnt really stretch to cover many £1.5m transfer fees does it? We are investing at a defecit in order to increase revenues by getting the club first into the championship and then hopefully the premiere. Despite being bankrolled by a benefactor during this phase there is never the less a degree of risk in this if the time taken to grow the revenue takes longer than anticipated! It would be interesting to know in what form the additional money is being put into the club! However like many of you on here I am enjoying the ride hope it lasts and I certainly hope the gamble pays off!

The Swiss are always on time!

Errr and when you are a seller just what would you say?

A hard fought 1-0 win Luton made it tough!

We have struggled against all the league 1 leading sides and our defence struggles against even conference sides so, QED, to make real progress, we need strengthening particularly defensively!

Not really just had a look almost the same team that beat us!

I think this match so far and that of Preston v Colchester shows we have some way to go! Good thing the transfer window is open!