Story sounds fake. Why would the selling Club prefer a loan to a loan with a view? You'd have thought it would be the other way round.

The point with Wharton I think is that if we had not been so desperate to shove him out of the door to keep the lights on when we did, there would have been a lot more interest the following summer and we'd have achieved a much better fee. £18m was ludicrous given the general state of the market both then and now.

I thought Batth was brilliant for us but a fully fit Wharton is our best CB imo. Would have loved to have seen them play together. Anyone saying Batth isn't a big loss is just being silly imo.

Looked it up. -18.34 %? That's quite a lot.

What's the percentage reduction over the year?

I can't tell whether you're being serious with that post.

This obviously isn't the case here though as we're allegedly trying to get him on reduced terms. I have to say it all sounds a bit smoke and mirrors like to me to create the illusion we're doing something. If Im wrong and we end up signing him, fair play.

Absolutely, with no replacements for Weimann or Dolan either.

Less hassle for them and the local Police? Certainly seemed to be Waggott's MO and the trend hasnt been reversed since he left.

Ouch.

I dont think we were ruthless enough in mopping up all the support in the region when we won the Prem. Then again, no matter what figure we'd got to, we'd have lost most of it again over the last 15 years.

Please dont spoil chaddy's "Everything is great here, everyone else is shit" narrative with facts!

It didn't sound like the newly reconstituted role consisted of much more than overseeing things in the hospitality areas on match day tbh.

Even if we did hire a female CEO, that wouldn't detract from what they've done to the women's team in the slightest. In fact it would be even more embarrassing for her to defend it. "As a woman what do you think of the decision to....." etc etc

It's not just lack of cover thats the problem, the first choice options dont have many if any goals in them based on last season's performance.

A mistake I can accept but there was definitely something off there. There were rumours that Ashby had been shall we say feted by Ferguson and Man Ure over the years.

Wasn't that the game where Gerald Ashby decided "That won't do" and decided to send Berg off and award a penalty to even things up?

It's probably about the time we need VI to "do a JDT or Eustace" and threaten to walk out if there aren't any serious attempts at recruitment. Sadly I'm guessing he's not that man, indeed in public he's been professing his happiness about how well things are going and the state we are in.

Yep, if only we'd have made no signings whatsoever in any position, we'd have been so strong we'd have romped the League by 10 points!

"No fee needed." Jurassic Park!

Warhurst was the most versatile player I've ever seen in the sense he was excellent in every position. Most "utility men" are OK but not that great in any position. Warhurst was classy and composed at CB, comfortable at RB, cultured in midfield and didn't he have an insane scoring spell as a striker before going us from Wednesday?

Andy Brassell was saying on Talksport on Sunday that there were rumours of Spurs interest in Wharton but Palace didn't want to sell and they would demand £80 -£90m for him which would rule it out. He thought if he had another great season then the really big boys would be back in for him in 12 months at that sort of level. But £18m was a great price of course.

Where's Tyson Furey when you need him? He's always banging on endlessly about his home town of Morecambe etc. Be chump change for him to keep them going for a bit until alternative arrangements could be made.

100 %. Especially the last bit. Edit: Im not even convinced by this Baradji saga but it creates the illusion we're doing something I suppose. Might be proved wrong when he rocks up here.

They sound like rival mobsters trying to protect their own patch of turf. Not legitimate business people. You should be allowed to operate wherever you want and may the best man win. Im guessing these reciprocal arrangements don't apply to Liverpool/City/Man Ure/Everton etc?