Agreeing the deal before the flight, changing the deal once he lands/passes medical. It is a bullshit, small-time negotiation tactic, essentially a bait-and-switch. The preserve of penny-pinchers and people who like to go on about “driving a hard bargain.”

Fair point, if the deal can be done with the parent club.

Nathan Jones (I know, I fucking KNOW) saying the McGuire deal has fallen through down to “money issues” around the terms. Have we - hypothetically - flown McGuire over on a handshake and then tried to change the agreement once he’s done his medical? Why do I feel like we’ve done this before? Has this happened before? Who does this?

Honestly excited about this one. Could come to shit, but is clearly playing some good football and finding the back of the net. A big move for a US player (coming to England), so if he seizes the opportunity, we will benefit.

If we’ve managed to get him, it’s a shrewd move. Think he would bring an awful lot to the table for us.

Or - and I think this might be the case - an agent giving details to press long before they’re actually supposed to. ”Yeah, definitely looking like it’s done.” If agents are anything like music managers, there are only very few, very bright ones.

Glad I decided to take Thursday off, I’d be getting fuck all done watching whatever crisis we manage to create for ourselves unfold. Fully expect a mad panic, end-of-day rush to get McGuire over the line as Orlando eventually buckle with minutes to spare to get him over. I’m for the signing, with no major insight. Telalovic could do with a League One loan this season and a full summer getting up to speed. U21s isn’t going to get him up to speed. Ennis - tell him to come back in top condition for pre-season or find a new club. Leonard - wanted to see him kick on this season and the opening day was full of promise. Needs a catalyst. If Gallagher stays, he and McGuire are enough for this season, I think.

If the Palace thing is right, as has been said on here, it’s a club signing, not the manager. The youth setup at Palace is famously solid and you only have to look at the trust they have in (relative) youth to see there’s a pathway for him. I think an opportunity to play in the Premier League and show what you can do, he either learns a lot and develops or quickly gets picked up by a team higher up the food chain. We’ve been lucky in the past to have players like Dunny come through and stay (apart from a brief sojourn to the midlands) with us for the bulk of their careers, so this stings, but I think as JDT said last night, we should be proud of/hopeful for him that he has a good, long career and maybe comes home for the last little bit.

Thought Gally grafted very well today. The cynic in me suspected that he was showcasing how well he can play as a foil for a goalscorer, should any teams with a recently-acquired ones, in a promotion push be watching. But if none are forthcoming, I think the combination with Szmodics was good tonight. Its poor form not to have triggered the extension yet, if we intend to keep him.

No idea what he has to do to get a game. Much rather see what he can do than let Moran iron out his kinks to our detriment

Andy Moran is a shadow of how he started the season.

I wonder how many of their Very Committed, Passionate, Not At All Fairweather Fans™ are still there?

Let’s do 6 or 7 here. Fucking batter them.

Great celebration

This route one gear is pretty useful…

Probably our most naturally gifted footballer after Adam Wharton.

Dolan steaming forward pointing where he wants the ball and Andy Moran is head down, fiddlefucking around. Where’s his stalker? Andy Moran’s shit, mate, find a new player to stalk.

‘kinell, we moan about our keeper but what the was that from theirs?!

Was running through treacle there.

A piss weak goal. Piss weak.

Referee Andy Madley… *sigh*

I would tend to agree, except his development may eventually net us more cash in sell-ins/improve the chance of a higher sell-on. Plus the obvious sentimental reasons.

Have spent some time watching bits of the Maguire lad from Orlando and while that league’s defences can look comical, he does appear to have a bit of nous about him. No idea what kinds of bids we’re lodging, but Gallagher fee + bonuses and add-ons would be a good deal, I think.

Nat Phillips - has to have taken a lot onboard at Liverpool, but there’s clearly something fundamental that’s stopped him being able to break into the first team or secure a deal elsewhere. What is it? Wages? Potential fee? Mentality? Ability? Physical? Technical? I don’t know, honestly. We need a centre back to cover one of our senior players and - on paper - we’re taking a Premier League player on loan. Can’t knock that. Even still, I wonder if the situation we find ourselves in in the league is the optimum for a player like this to come in. Sincerely hope he hits the ground running.

Exactly this. The first thing that came to mind. If Wharton’s sale covers the costs, then this statement is intentionally misleading. I actually think the earlier suggestion that this is for creditors rather than fans rings true, on second reading. The statement is categorical that the funding comes through, couched with “in due course.” “Due course” here is the finding of a judge in India in March. There’s every chance it doesn’t come. I think if it doesn’t come, there’ll be winding up orders from any majorly-out-of-pocket suppliers, surely? Surely the club will have lied, at that point?