Duped how? That wasn't some orchestrated plan by Ashley. Unless you think the likes of Caulkin were "duped" by it as well? Is it not more realistic to think that perhaps Ashley is just a c*** to negotiate with?
I’m not bringing Caulkin into this at all, journos can be duped just as easily as us. Ashley would have known Staveley didn’t have the cash quite early doors but when she attended the Liverpool game he’ll have seen the storm created by that (or Keith Bishop) and immediately realised that this would occupy us for the year.
All it takes is a few well placed comments from “someone inside the club” and an official “no comment” for rumours to get legs.
He pulled the exact same shit in the transfer window last summer and got very little flack compared to this year. Why wouldn’t they try it again?..
We should be wise to all their tactics by now. We’ve to double down now while they’re back tracking.
She did have the cash, caulkin has seen proof of the bids