2025 Summer Transfer Thread. 😂

[BRFC.]

Just now, smudger said:

Think the club statement on Bucko leaving is crap. Why the hell can't they call the lad John instead of keep repeating his surname. Christ the lads been here since he was about 6 years old. Just doesn't read well to me. Anyway I hope he gets lots of game time out in Saudi and re discovers some form.

Least they’ve done a video and stuff, somet  I didn’t think they would do. 

[DE.]

Didn't foresee Bucko going to Saudi, but good luck to him. He had potential here but for reasons only truly known to the coaching staff and himself, he never really got going here and successive managers didn't see enough in him to ever give him a solid run in the team. I think when he flopped on his loan to Sheffield Wednesday that was the point of no return. 

It'll be interesting to see how his career unfolds from here. I think it's possible he'll spend the rest of his career abroad. 

[Armchair supporter supremo]

11 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

Talk about the condemned man.

Seems really sad to be leaving but if you've been at the club for 20 years, it's going to hurt. 

 

These official leaving interviews are so bizare and cruel! Don't recall us or any other club doing them before 

 

Shit move for him from a footballing/career pov. Hope he's at least making a good life changing amount of money from it. 

 

As others have said.... He's got all the technical ability to be a very good championship midfielder but he's never been able to pull it all together consistently 

Edited 3 hours ago by Armchair supporter supremo

[RevidgeBlue]

I

5 minutes ago, smudger said:

Think the club statement on Bucko leaving is crap. Why the hell can't they call the lad John instead of keep repeating his surname. Christ the lads been here since he was about 6 years old. Just doesn't read well to me. Anyway I hope he gets lots of game time out in Saudi and re discovers some form.

Is it just me being old or does anyone else detest being referred to as "@jbucko" etc.

As far as I know the word "at" doesn't appear anywhere on my birth certificate. It's really annoying.

As far as the Buckley tribute is concerned I think calling him "Bucko" is fine, "@jbucko21" is cringeworthy.

[Miller11]

4 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

I don’t think you’ve worked Suhail out at all, if you don’t think he lives to be seen as ‘clever’. He is Mr Ego personified, so I believe. No one will convince me that he’s not flexing. It’s not JUST about reducing costs. If it were then why bother funding the academy? Why bother scouting the lower Belgian leagues? He’s selling his employers the dream…best case scenario he gets promoted in their ecosystem and gets moved on.

I reckon he’s sold a dream that he can cut costs, buy cheap and sell high, whilst keeping us in the league. 

There’s another big factor when it comes to Suhail. Probably not quite as big as his ego, but he will bend over backwards for his friends.

Up until now he’s held most of the people he’s worked with in absolute contempt. He remains feared by most rather than respected.

He has a couple of allies now, and he’s installing as many more as possible. Gestede and Suhail are as thick as thieves, so where in previous years he’d deliberately put barriers in the way of new signings, Gestede will get much more leeway and support - moral and financial.

When the details of the 26-27 kit deal emerge it will become abundantly clear how true this is. He’s happy to put his personal relationships well ahead of good commercial decisions.

For now we just need to hope Gestede has an eye for a player.

 

[RevidgeBlue]

3 minutes ago, Armchair supporter supremo said:

These official leaving interviews are so bizare and cruel! Don't recall us or any other club doing them before 

Yeah, 

"Sorry we forced you out after 20 years mainly because you're a high earner. Now if you wouldn't mind saying a few nice words about the Club before you leave.......

Then don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out. Ciao."

[Tom]

Al fucking Khalood? He’s probably going to be a very rich man but at his age it seems a poor move for a footballer.

Suppose he gets to play against some players who were once at the top of the game at least 

Anyway we’ve hardly forced him out, should we just keep players around forever if they are surplus to requirements? I don’t understand that sentiment at all; yes he’s been here a long time but been paid all that time

Edit - just watched the interview and that was quite an uncomfortable watch I’m not sure that was needed at all unless he requested it 

Edited 3 hours ago by Tom

[davulsukur]

7 minutes ago, Armchair supporter supremo said:

These official leaving interviews are so bizare and cruel! Don't recall us or any other club doing them before 

 

Shit move for him from a footballing/career pov. Hope he's at least making a good life changing amount of money from it. 

 

As others have said.... He's got all the technical ability to be a very good championship midfielder but he's never been able to pull it all together consistently 

Genuinely think he'll be back in England in 6 months time.

[RoverDom]

2 minutes ago, Tom said:

Al fucking Khalood? He’s probably going to be a very rich man but at his age it seems a poor move for a footballer.

But his alternative options as a footballer is possibly dropping down to league 1 and becoming a lower league journeyman. Cash in whilst he can. 

[BRFC.]

11 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

I

Is it just me being old or does anyone else detest being referred to as "@jbucko" etc.

As far as I know the word "at" doesn't appear anywhere on my birth certificate. It's really annoying.

As far as the Buckley tribute is concerned I think calling him "Bucko" is fine, "@jbucko21" is cringeworthy.

Think that’s because it’s his twitter name 

[Torgeir]

Let’s all find something to be miserable about!

[Emerald Isle Rover]

7 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Yeah, 

"Sorry we forced you out after 20 years mainly because you're a high earner. Now if you wouldn't mind saying a few nice words about the Club before you leave.......

Then don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out. Ciao."

Or thanks for your service for 20 years John it’s now time for a change. The last 4 managers haven’t seen enough in you to warrant continuing on so we think it’s best for all parties if we went our separate ways. Good luck to you in the future 

[Emerald Isle Rover]

Just now, Torgeir said:

Let’s all find something to be miserable about!

Honestly of all the things the club has wrong with it some of the stuff this last couple of hours is literally just moaning for no apparent reason

[Damien]

I’m actually gutted Buckley is leaving. I always hoped he’d come good and rediscover that form he had a few years ago. I wish him all the well but the lad sounded close to tears.

[Ossydave]

Buckley going to Saudi is one of the weirdest transfers in a while.

I can only assume Des Buckingham rated him from when he was at Oxford maybe?

[G Somerset Rover]

I felt like his one real chance of cracking it with us was in the near miss of the play-offs under JDT when he was becoming a regular and playing really well. He then got injured and just never seemed to get back in on a regular basis from the following season.

Good luck to the lad. As an aside I’m sure his bank manager will be delighted! 

Edited 3 hours ago by G Somerset Rover

[DE.]

13 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

Genuinely think he'll be back in England in 6 months time.

Unless he absolutely tears it up in Saudi I can't see him coming back to England any higher than League 1. Could see an SPL club taking a punt on him in a few years time whenever his contract over there expires, but possible another middle eastern club will take him on if his current team doesn't renew. Presumably the wages on offer over there would beat offers he'd get over here.

[Polky]

Buckley is such a weird one, looks to be a decent player, with an eye for a pass but looks and plays like he couldn’t give a shit 🤣

JDT, Eustace and Val haven’t fancied him so it’s probably best for all parties that he moves on. 
 

Will be paid a shit load in Saudi and the level and tempo of football over there will suit him.

[BRFC.]

4 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

Buckley going to Saudi is one of the weirdest transfers in a while.

I can only assume Des Buckingham rated him from when he was at Oxford maybe?

I assume so, under a good coach he will play against top players and on a very good wage.. out of favour here so you can’t blame him. 

[aletheia]

44 minutes ago, philipl said:

Going to whisper this but what if the Pasha revolution actually works?

Was mooted a while ago on another thread.

What would 'working' mean? Play offs? Mid table survival? Promotion 🙂 

Prolong the zombie state would be my assessment.

[TurkishDelight]

18 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Yeah, 

"Sorry we forced you out after 20 years mainly because you're a high earner. Now if you wouldn't mind saying a few nice words about the Club before you leave.......

Then don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out. Ciao."

Anybody would want to change their job if you can triple or quad your income. That is a no-brainer. I would have moved anywhere for that kind of money. 

[KentExile]

22 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

I

Is it just me being old or does anyone else detest being referred to as "@jbucko" etc.

As far as I know the word "at" doesn't appear anywhere on my birth certificate. It's really annoying.

As far as the Buckley tribute is concerned I think calling him "Bucko" is fine, "@jbucko21" is cringeworthy.

They have to use that to tag him, its the twitter username that Buckley chose, all of which start with an @ symbol

[Polky]

17 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

Genuinely think he'll be back in England in 6 months time.

I don’t think he will…I remember one player who moved to Saudi regretted the move and wanted to come back. But due to tax reasons they had to stay in Saudi for at least two years or they would lose a load of their money.

I can’t remember off the top of my head who the player was? They mentioned it on a podcast/interview after coming back to England.

[Tomphil2]

5 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

I think McLoughlin was the back up option when we couldnt strike a deal for Kapuadi. I dont think it was a decoy at all. We just couldnt afford our main target.

As it has worked out, with us shedding so much crucial domestic experience, McLoughlin may well be a much better fit.

I also dont think that Suhail has any interest in beating any system. Gestede/Owen seem to have deemed that going abroad is the best bet but Suhail will only be bothered about cutting the wage bill.

 

And the resale value.

It'll be stat driven they'll feed an AI tool a player and then ask it what he will be worth after 50/100 English Championship appearances etc.

That's what will be getting Suhail and the V's excited.

[KentExile]

6 minutes ago, Polky said:

I don’t think he will…I remember one player who moved to Saudi regretted the move and wanted to come back. But due to tax reasons they had to stay in Saudi for at least two years or they would lose a load of their money.

I can’t remember off the top of my head who the player was? They mentioned it on a podcast/interview after coming back to England.

Jordan Henderson

He moved to Ajax first instead of directly back to England because of tax reasons

Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008–2011	Sunderland	71	(4)
2009	→ Coventry City (loan)	10	(1)
2011–2023	Liverpool	360	(29)
2023–2024	Al-Ettifaq	17	(0)
2024–2025	Ajax	37	(1)
2025–	Brentford	2	(0)

Edited 3 hours ago by KentExile