Neil

What's SSN saying?

Let's call it in the middle and say £18m.

Precisely. It's a baffling move. If Wickham set his heart on playing in the Prem, he may as well go to a bigger club IMO. For Sunderland, why on earth did they go for him? It's not like he's been bought as some sort of project for the future - they need him to score goals, quick. And that's frankly unfair on the lad, he doesn't deserve that pressure so young.

Mr Mackem friend was trying to make the figures sound positive - he was using the £24m figure for Bent (despite that being the maximum it potentially rises to and also ignoring the fact they paid £6m+ to Spurs), yet using the £9m for Wickham. Talk about massaging the figures.

£9m rising to £12.5m potentially, according to the Beeb.

Granted I'd be saying it's a tad expensive but what I was getting at was it's not as distorted as other figures for other players flying about IMO. He fits in with Sunderland's apparent mission of consolidation, certainly.

I know you were using it as means of an example, but I don't see how £6m for Gardner is a particularly bad deal. He's a decent player.

Actually, disregard that. Oldtype would claim it was a bargain. Anyway, hope this bloke scores against you just to see O's reaction.

Translation: oldtype is very bitter. Just wait for you swoop for Ji Sung Park, man. ....for £15m.

Bit of a shit offer, that.

Why is everything made immeasurably funnier when Phil Neville is involved?

Yup. Paying a lot of money for a player who has zero experience in this league. He has a lot of potential, yes, but it's a huge risk.

Bit harsh. What's a lad to do when bored in a hotel? I'm waiting for Ali to answer this one.

There are few wingers in the country you'd rather not come up against, just for the pure speed factor. He should really contribute more goals though, worse than a 1 in 10 record throughout his career. The issue is, would he fit into whatever system you'll be playing? Will you be playing with 2 "proper" wide men next year?

That site.

Moral high ground? I guess it's far too much to ask to not want this individual on your club's books. This situation is diabolical for more than the acts themselves.

Yes, just like he should be if he were in a different profession other than football.

Gardner, like Larsson and Westwood, is a decent signing and strengthens their squad... but it doesn't exactly shout "progress" does it?

It's ok, mattis. He's no Pandev.

Never know what you're going to get with that player.

Shola doesn't leave, he retires.

The fact that this bull keeps getting bumped just shows how dull a week its been for NUFC news since last weekend. It's Friday tomorrow! http://static02.mediaite.com/gossipcop/uploads/2011/03/Screen-shot-2011-03-13-at-12.58.32-PM-300x239.png Did Messi give you permission to post a picture of his lass?

Excellent move that for Brum if they get Routledge in. I think they'll do well next season. They're going to lose some players naturally but they should get some decent funds in and I can easily see them coming straight back up.

Malfunction.

Are they? He's been really happy up here, by all accounts though. I'm sure he'd resent coming back just to be shipped out on loan again or sitting on the bench. Don't Celtic get to enter the qualifiers for the CL every season? I wish we had that option. The perks of being a decent team in a shit league.