TRon

Would people be 'happy' if this was the way Ashley was looking to take 'money' form the club - ie no cash would leave, but advertising is given away for free. Remember that SD have not replaced another supplier That's what I would like to establish, how much is that sort of advertising worth? I'm not sure it's as much as people think it is, but for argument's sake if it was then Ashley would technically be taking money away from the club which could be used to boost our coffers.

Well if we could get some actual figures on what other companies would be willing to pay for similar boards to the massive Sports Direct ones erected at St James we could show conclusively that Ashley is depriving the club of said amount of money for his own gain. The numbers would be crucial. £10,000? £100,000? I've no idea how much these things are worth so it would be instructive.

It doesn't even make sense. If Cleverley can improve out of all recognition by getting games elsewhere, why could that not be the case with Obertan?

So it's true that Ashley isn't paying anything for the Sports Direct advertising enjoyed by his company? What would that be worth to another independent company, does anyone have any idea?

those quotes are taken from his talk sport interview where he also said there would be one price for him and one fee for anyone else wanting to buy the club, basically saying Ashley would not sell to him. Dont know about anyone else but hope it comes off but doubt it will ,Shepherd made big financial mistakes as we know but him and a proper board would hopefully run it correctly this time around and he would be reeled back in from Owenesque stupidity. I wouldn't want Shepherd anywhere near the club, he damn near led us to financial meltdown last time the fat oaf. It was horrendous when we had no money wasn't it. I used to cry myself to sleep when we paid a decent fee for a player and I was forced to travel to foreign lands watching the useless c***s play in those s*** european competitions. I had a few beers while I was there but it tasted oh so bitter. It's much better now. Two words: Leeds Ridsdale That's not an Ashley defence in any shape or form but people defending Shepherd and the mountain of debt we were left with need to stop pretending there weren't going to be consequences to his reckless Hollywood transfers. I love the way Leeds are always used as an example. It's like a parent saying "I'd like my son to be a doctor when he grows up" and someone saying "Two words. Harold. Shipman". One extreme example doesn't make an argument. And the majority of our debt was on the extending of the ground as you well know. I still remember when Shepherd brought Fat Sam here and he wanted to bring his backroom staff of 40 experts, Freddie reasoned "if Bolton can afford his backroom staff so can we". Financial whiz wor Freddie.

Some players are finished by their 25th birthday when the pie and pint diet starts to kick in, others like the svelte demi god that is Coloccini won't look a day older on his 31st birthday than when he signed.

Note to self: Don't click on transfer thread for 24hrs until bullshit Green story has ran it's course.

Up yours Sam you fat bastard. Enjoy paying Nolan 50k a week for the next 5 years.

as if we'd have put him on 50k a week ffs.

I wouldn't be sure if he's going to be included against Arsenal even if he signs a new contract. He might have a few bridges to build with some players first if his rant at leeds was anything to go by. He probably needs to start seeing himself as part of the future here first.

Colo will be here to the endo of his contract IMO because of his 80k/week wages. That will take him to 31 yrs old which will mean the interest will lessen in him anyhow. Suits me because his age isn't a factor for me. He's so fit he could play for another 5 years at the top level.

A happy Joey Barton is good news for us and Cappello's recognition definitely seems to have gone down well. I just hope the club don't use giving him a new contract as a tool to placate fans while giving up on a new striker.

Wouldn't be surprising at all since all our striking targets so far have been French based. That would definitely be under the radar. What's he like? I don't really follow French football.

I think the difference will be in the forwards so I've got a nasty feeling Gervinho will score the winner just to rub it in.

Funnily, he's also linked to Valencia as a Coloccini alternative. More likely to go there I recdkon as Valencia probably couldn't afford Colo's wages.

How old is Colo now, 29? Might have a bearing on whether we'd consider selling. I hope not but knowing how this club operates....

Many times you seen him play? Probably 10-15 or so. He's not as bad as Bebe, but f*** me, he is grim. You must have watched every game he was involved in When he has Valencia, Nani, Giggs, Young ahead of him it makes sense to move on Personally i think he could suprise a few people Pretty much, I do watch a lot of football. I'd love to be wrong, love it, but I've been taking the piss out of this player for months, and I'm not prepared to stop now. Fair play you would like to think our scouts have watched him at least as much as you have though and saw something different, otherwise it seems crazy to spend £3m on such an apparent waste of space.

Get a grip man..Of course he'll improve the squad..He's amply proven that already. That's why we need the money for Enrique, so we're able to buy a PROPER replacement. Besides, if he wants to sell the club, he'll get much more for it if the squad is full of prospects and is fighting in the upper tier of the table. From this perspective, he got every incentive to plow the money he earns from player sales back into the team. http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/3222/unledhjc.png So a French international in Cabaye isn't a reinforcement? He's cheaper and better than Nolan..BA is better than Shola, and his stats are impressive. .MA managed to haggle over Nolan, Carroll and Routledge's fees.We got more than they're worth imo. You're so fucking negative that you refuse to see the positive aspects that actually are happening. We've brought in nearly £40m in transfer fees this calendar year and yet we need to sell Enrique to be able to afford a replacement. Fucking hilarious man. I could understand not getting a replacement in if we were confident of keeping Enrique, but we clearly aren't according to everything Pardew has said to this point. Part of the reason I still believe Ferguson is the back up option stupidly risky though that seems..

He's not Paul Jewell is the first thing that came to my mind. Then he's not Mick McCarthy was the next.

Here endeth the discussion.

Ashley's regime has generally been pretty good at getting decent fee's to be fair. In some cases they've done really well. Enrique's contract situation is the decisive thing here though. He won't let him go for nothing next summer and will take whatever is offered for him imo. No doubt he'll be off. Pardew keeps talking about a plan in place if he leaves. Have to assume he has someone lined up, so if it doesnt happen he will be slaughtered. However, i dont think he'd keep reiterating it if he wasnt confident. That's where we disagree. I think his 'replacement' is already here - Ferguson. No need to spend cash and it gives one of the young lads a chance which fans approve of. Doesn't always work out but the fans will swallow it until Jan. Predicted this weeks ago and it's no surprise that it looks like that's how it will pan out.

We bought expensive players on high wages on the basis we would be playing in CL/Europe when the reality turned out different.

IMO he won't sell at the first available chance because the price will keep going up. Why? Because we'll be getting better every year? Get in, if thats the case I'll be pissed if he does sell. Because we'll be making more profit while steering clear of relegation would be my guess.

those quotes are taken from his talk sport interview where he also said there would be one price for him and one fee for anyone else wanting to buy the club, basically saying Ashley would not sell to him. Dont know about anyone else but hope it comes off but doubt it will ,Shepherd made big financial mistakes as we know but him and a proper board would hopefully run it correctly this time around and he would be reeled back in from Owenesque stupidity. I wouldn't want Shepherd anywhere near the club, he damn near led us to financial meltdown last time the fat oaf. It was horrendous when we had no money wasn't it. I used to cry myself to sleep when we paid a decent fee for a player and I was forced to travel to foreign lands watching the useless cunts play in those shit european competitions. I had a few beers while I was there but it tasted oh so bitter. It's much better now. Two words: Leeds Ridsdale That's not an Ashley defence in any shape or form but people defending Shepherd and the mountain of debt we were left with need to stop pretending there weren't going to be consequences to his reckless Hollywood transfers.

those quotes are taken from his talk sport interview where he also said there would be one price for him and one fee for anyone else wanting to buy the club, basically saying Ashley would not sell to him. Dont know about anyone else but hope it comes off but doubt it will ,Shepherd made big financial mistakes as we know but him and a proper board would hopefully run it correctly this time around and he would be reeled back in from Owenesque stupidity. I wouldn't want Shepherd anywhere near the club, he damn near led us to financial meltdown last time the fat oaf.