TRon

I think the reason I don't like him is because he's the sort of player that managers like Fergie or Wenger would never consider buying in a million years. The likes of Megson, Allardyce, Pulis, Kinnear or Harry Basset would probably be cumming in their pants at the prospect of signing him which sums him up basically.

Don't really understand how Shola comes in for criticism for his touch in comparison to Carroll. Neither are impressive but at least Shola has some ability on the floor, whereas Carroll has just looked a big clumsy lunk mostly.

At the end of the day it's pointless blaming the player if he's getting paid to take us down, the decision should really have been taken out of his hands. It's the managers who are too weak to see past his "great attitude" and senior influence that are too blame. I am talking about Souness, Roeder, Allardyce, Kinnear and now Hughton. The last two successful managers were Keegan who was ruthless in getting rid of players who weren't good enough, and Bobby Robson, who probably paid for it with his job when he was looking to reduce Shearer's role as a striker. They were only doing what top managers like Fergie and Wenger do as a matter of policy at their club. Buy young and sell the old farts to badly run clubs like us.

(my ma said if you can't say anything nice about anyone...)

I read somewhere on here that Beckfords agent has said that Beckford doesn't feel he needs to move anymore and wants to help Leeds into the Championship, though he'd consider a move if it was financially important to the club. Possibly trying to keep the fans happy if it turns out we can't meet the asking price and no one else comes in for him. Just the usual crap to keep the fans happy and him not being the bad guy, means now that he can turn around and say it was better financially and all round for the club if I left, it mean that the club can get someone of similar ability in and make some much needed money in the process. 90% of Footballers say that crap when they move to another club and reporters ask why they decided to move instead of staying. Yep. Still think he'll end up here, although it might be in the summer rather than January.

Can't really blame Butt for hanging around when we are giving him the opportunity at 50k a week, but it's a fact that any club that is offering contracts to old has beens like him deserve relegation and derision. He wouldn't be allowed to clean the windows at clubs like Arsenal or even tottenham. His presence here is an indictment of the state we are in.

The last line or two in the article may be the telling thing. They probably honestly believe that more offers will come in for him from other clubs. I'm not too sure there will be that many clubs this transfer window with the money to buy. For all his impressive stats, the thing that has to be taking into consideration with Beckford is he's never played at a higher level than league 1, he's already 26 so not exactly a youngster and of course only has 6 months left on his contract. They could be trying to bluff us into paying above the odds here, but they could also be thinking that if they hung on to him and they will in all likelihood get promotion back to the Championship, then Beckford will resign with them. They'll know him better than us of course, the big question will be does he want to be playing in the PL next season or is he prepared to wait a year in the Championship to get there. I can see Leeds doing back to back promotions tbh. I also think Beckford himself will be happy to wait until the summer, his profile is high enough for a lower tier PL club to take a chance on him for a free transfer. The more I think about this transfer the more I can't see it coming off, the only party that has real desire to make it happen is Newcastle, I'm afraid that won't be enough. So with the Kilgallon deal dead and this one unlikely it's back to square one, we've been down this road before If we were willing to spend 6-10 million that it will cost to on un-earthing a genuine young football talent that every other club was also in for that might be a valid point, but for 1.5 million all we are going to get is old trundlers, lower league cloggers or the likes of Beckford who hasn't proved anything yet but there is at least some hope he could look like a prem striker.

I would guess at wages Probably taking a chance on getting bigger wages in summer when he will be a free agent Lovenkrands held out for the same reason and realised soon enough that the grass isn't always greener...we aren't desperate for the signature in any case, let's wait for the summer and screw his club for the transfer fee.

Fuckin hell man. well he does I actually thought that when I watched the game on Sunday. Obviously a different class, but he looks to make the same runs and has the same direct instinct for goal.

We don't necessarily need a creative player, the best one's cost a fortune and the one's we could afford will be over the hill. A midfielder with a good engine who can score a few goals would do. The last decent attacking midfielder we had was Rob Lee about a decade ago or Kieron Dyer when he was fit. I would agree the best bet is to try and buy a promising youngster. I can see Hughton deciding other areas are a priority though and sticking with the long ball game to get round the fact our midfielders are clapped out farts.

I do not understand why he thought going to Wigan would further his career. Steve Bruce. According to reports in the Journal Steve Bruce wants him at Sunderland. Might explain his being unsettled at Wigan if bruce is tapping him up.

I can't think of any reason why we should be forced to pursue Boyd over Beckford. Even if we don't get Beckford there's no reason at all why we can't simply tell Boyd to fuck off and stay in Scotland.

not based on performances. Smith uses the ball much more intelligently and he's far stronger in the air.

I am starting to lean against this going through now. The better football teams all play from the back and Simpson offers very little going forward. When you think what Enrique brings to the side we are missing out a lot down the other flank. I don't want to be playing this brand of football in the premier.

So did many, he was on a lot of neutrals' lists of the shrewdest signings that summer and he looked excellent in pre-season. I thought he was a great signing at the time, but we should have learned by now, signing other teams cast offs is rarely a good idea.

Hughton walks and launches constructive dismissal case. F*ck and everything was all going so well. If he wins he'll get his contract paid in full....so that'll be us £250 poorer then.

Let him leave for free if necessary. If it means Hughton doesn't have the option of playing him we'll be stronger for it.

Hope he has more luck than Little Sammy. Anyone who gets rid of dinsaur football ala Stoke/Blackburn/us etc has my good wishes.

Nice work so far, one down two to go

We have plenty of 80 year old spares.

Nice to see everyone wishing him good luck but he really should have dropped his wage demands and got away a lot sooner.

Better late than never.

James makes some ricks but for his club he's a very dominant goalkeeper who takes the pressure off his defence by taking a lot of high crosses. Harper is a safe, solid option other than his weakness on crosses though.

First I've seen of him today. I have heard a few people saying he lacks clever running off the ball but I thought his runs were pretty dangerous today and he was involved in every attack. Played the offside trap well to get through one on one, decent effort just flashed wide of the post. Earned the free-kick which hit the bar and made a nuisance of himself all game, not to mention the goal. This may not have been Ferguson's first XI but it was a strong team and it was at Old Trafford. I won't judge him off one game but it takes a confident striker to go to Old Trafford and put in that kind of performance. I don't believe we should be stockpiling average strikers but if there's an opportunity to get a bargain, a player who can score goals for us in the Championship, help push for promotion and gel with the team, it'll benefit him and us if we get promotion. At worse he may turn out to be backup at Premiership level but it won't have been a massive amount wasted. The thing about this signing which I would quite like is it is unlike Newcastle to buy an in-form English player from the lower leagues. Admittedly he is 26 but Bellamy, Carrick and plenty others have gone from the lower leagues to excel at a higher level. That was the bit which made my mind up. His touch is hit and miss but he controlled and turned with the ball beautifully for that effort - showed a real predatory instinct which is missing from all our other strikers. He knows where the goal is, that's for sure.

Well there are different types of 26 yr olds. Jermaine Beckford is one type then there's also Kevin Nolan..