[Archived] Transfer Window - January 2016

[ABBEY]

Hope there's an 11 o clocked lol people on face book getting restless we haven't signed anyone

my 3 years old grandaughter has more patience ..get a grip man.

Why would Rhodes not go to Boro?

Bigger club, destined for the Premier League, better players and plenty of supply for him to score, decent owner, sign-on fee etc etc etc.

If the money is right Venky's will sell. If not the right money in Venky's eyes I would not blame JR for forcing the issue.

No brainer.

beg to differ on the bigger club bit pal. History begs to differ. Prem bound ,looks like ,bigger nah not having it.

[andyroversmad]

Looks like Boro will be finishing in the automatic promotion places this season so I don't see their need for Rhodes anymore. He is a good championship goal scorer with the right supply but he will probably get found out in the premier league. Apart from putting the ball in the net the rest of his game is poor.

[deryck guyler's spoon]

I can't have that Boro are a bigger club than Rovers. Similar sized town (maybe bigger catchment area), similar support (plenty of empty seats at The Riverside in their Prem days)and similar sized grounds.

Boro cannot however, match Rovers history.

[Mike Graham]

Feed him, as would happen at Boro, and he will score week after week.

Give him the type of support he has at Rovers and he will struggle.

I agree his overall game is poor....but with decent players around him he is a natural goal scorer.

I recall talking to JR over breakfast at Northcote Manor a few seasons back. I told him of the fans hatred of the Venky's (which he understood) and asked him why he was at such a dysfunctional club as Rovers.....he pointed to his £180K car in the car park and said that's why.

Loyalty my ar*e.

[K-Hod]

Boro aren't a bigger club than Rovers. Every other point was valid mind.

[Pedro]

I'd agree that Boro aren't a bigger club than Rovers but they are currently a miles better option. Five years time, we'll be bigger and better again ☺

[Mattyblue]

Boro have support across Teeside and into County Durham. Alas, we just don't have that kind of catchment area being hemmed in like we are in the football hearltand of old Lancashire.

I was reading an interesting article in the Sunday Times (second time I've said this ), that stated how the traditional Lancashire clubs will continue to struggle with so many city clubs just a few miles away.

It mentioned clubs with little standing or major history in the game- for example Reading and Brighton now pulling in double the crowds of historical clubs like Rovers and Bolton, due to the fact they have large catchment areas to draw from.

In the modern game, I'm afraid FFP is a death knell to a club like us even competing in the Championship in the long term.

[Speedie Dived]

Feed him, as would happen at Boro, and he will score week after week.

Give him the type of support he has at Rovers and he will struggle.

I agree his overall game is poor....but with decent players around him he is a natural goal scorer.

I recall talking to JR over breakfast at Northcote Manor a few seasons back. I told him of the fans hatred of the Venky's (which he understood) and asked him why he was at such a dysfunctional club as Rovers.....he pointed to his £180K car in the car park and said that's why.

Loyalty my ar*e.

If he went up with Boro he would be on loan in the Championship within 12 months, convinced of it.

[SoldierMo]

Swfc apparently fee agreed for nick blackman

[scotty_beam_me_up]

I think the bigger club nonsense is just that. Money talks. The sad fact is the clubs in the Prem are bigger in the eyes of everyone else. Villa are a "big" club but will be up against us when it comes to transfers next season when they are relegated. Leeds are a "big" club but money talks.

If for example we want to sign Josh Windass in the window along with Leeds whoever offers the most cash in wages will get him. Some players, especially foreign players, are choosing to join clubs in China and the middle east just for the money. This isn't a new thing. Samba when he left could've picked a few "big" Prem clubs but opted to choose Anzi because they offered massive cash. The crazy travelling and the known abuse of black players didn't put him off because cash is king.

If Boro offer more in wages Rhodes will go. If Lincoln offer more in wages Rhodes will go there. Sad but true.

There are a few exceptions and I'm sure people will point them out but most players choose cash.

The only way forward for clubs like us is to pick players from lower leagues, bring players through from our youth team and get players out of favour at bigger clubs.

[JHRover]

Boro have support across Teeside and into County Durham. Alas, we just don't have that kind of catchment area being hemmed in like we are in the football hearltand of old Lancashire.

I was reading an interesting article in the Sunday Times (second time I've said this ), that stated how the traditional Lancashire clubs will continue to struggle with so many city clubs just a few miles away.

It mentioned clubs with little standing or major history in the game- for example Reading and Brighton now pulling in double the crowds of historical clubs like Rovers and Bolton, due to the fact they have large catchment areas to draw from.

In the modern game, I'm afraid FFP is a death knell to a club like us even competing in the Championship in the long term.

Brighton are getting impressive gates due to them finally having a proper home and nice new stadium. After years of being homeless, skint and playing games on the Withdean in the 3rd division its no wonder they are now turning up in their droves.

Since they moved to the Amex they've been promoted to the Championship, reached the play-offs twice and are now looking like top 6 once again, and they've only been there 5 years. They're on a high and are looked at as a club 'on the up'. They're in their best state of health since the 80's on and off the pitch and the supporters have responded to that.

I maintain that once that novelty wears off and they don't go up to the Premier League then their crowds will begin to fall to an eventual level of around 20,000, which is still quite impressive but not game changing. Even this season whilst top of the league the number of empty seats has increased.

Reading's gates aren't much better than ours. They can draw from a bigger catchment area with bigger incomes generally, yet they have been in the Premier League more recently than us and are still getting gates around the 15,000 mark, so we can certainly compete with that.

We've currently got the 19th highest attendance average in this division with a 13,900 average. The 9th highest is Reading with gates of 17,000. There are only 7 clubs currently averaging more than 20,000 a week, those being Derby, Forest, Wednesday, Leeds, Wolves, Brighton and Boro.

The other 17 clubs fluctuate between 11,000-18,000, with those at the top end generally being those who are doing well at present. E.g. Ipswich are up near 19,000 but a few years ago were down at 15,000. Birmingham this season are up at 17,000 but last season and before were down at 13,000-14,000. Middlesbrough this season are up above 20,000 purely because of results and anticipation. When they were in the bottom half they were at 15,000 and below. Burnley are currently at 15,000 average but that's partly because several thousand of those who bought Premier League season tickets were forced into paying a retainer to make them renew this season.

So aside from the top 5-6 city clubs who we will never match for gates like Leeds and Wednesday, the rest of the division remains closely matched and interchangeable depending on performance. I'd expect that had Lambert been appointed last summer and been able to spend a few million like most other clubs could we would have easily shifted another thousand or so season tickets.

[sambo]

Feed him, as would happen at Boro, and he will score week after week.

Give him the type of support he has at Rovers and he will struggle.

I agree his overall game is poor....but with decent players around him he is a natural goal scorer.

I recall talking to JR over breakfast at Northcote Manor a few seasons back. I told him of the fans hatred of the Venky's (which he understood) and asked him why he was at such a dysfunctional club as Rovers.....he pointed to his £180K car in the car park and said that's why.

Loyalty my ar*e.

Surprised he showed even a hint of arrogance, not that I blame him.

[JHRover]

Swfc apparently fee agreed for nick blackman

There's an interesting article about the relationship between the Wednesday owner and one of the Reading owners. Both Thais who know each other so well that the League wanted assurances about their involvement at rival clubs. One or two Reading fans suspicious about this move to a rival.

Blackman is a decent Championship signing, but all I've heard about these last few months is how Wednesday are so rich they are going to splash the cash and get promoted (including signing McCormack/Rhodes). I think I'd have my sights higher than Nick Blackman if that was really the case.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3203892/Two-Thai-brothers-fortunes-fish-sons-hooked-Sheffield-Wednesday-Reading.html

[Mattyblue]

Brighton are getting impressive gates due to them finally having a proper home and nice new stadium. After years of being homeless, skint and playing games on the Withdean in the 3rd division its no wonder they are now turning up in their droves.

Since they moved to the Amex they've been promoted to the Championship, reached the play-offs twice and are now looking like top 6 once again, and they've only been there 5 years. They're on a high and are looked at as a club 'on the up'. They're in their best state of health since the 80's on and off the pitch and the supporters have responded to that.

I maintain that once that novelty wears off and they don't go up to the Premier League then their crowds will begin to fall to an eventual level of around 20,000, which is still quite impressive but not game changing. Even this season whilst top of the league the number of empty seats has increased.

Reading's gates aren't much better than ours. They can draw from a bigger catchment area with bigger incomes generally, yet they have been in the Premier League more recently than us and are still getting gates around the 15,000 mark, so we can certainly compete with that.

We've currently got the 19th highest attendance average in this division with a 13,900 average. The 9th highest is Reading with gates of 17,000. There are only 7 clubs currently averaging more than 20,000 a week, those being Derby, Forest, Wednesday, Leeds, Wolves, Brighton and Boro.

The other 17 clubs fluctuate between 11,000-18,000, with those at the top end generally being those who are doing well at present. E.g. Ipswich are up near 19,000 but a few years ago were down at 15,000. Birmingham this season are up at 17,000 but last season and before were down at 13,000-14,000. Middlesbrough this season are up above 20,000 purely because of results and anticipation. When they were in the bottom half they were at 15,000 and below. Burnley are currently at 15,000 average but that's partly because several thousand of those who bought Premier League season tickets were forced into paying a retainer to make them renew this season.

So aside from the top 5-6 city clubs who we will never match for gates like Leeds and Wednesday, the rest of the division remains closely matched and interchangeable depending on performance. I'd expect that had Lambert been appointed last summer and been able to spend a few million like most other clubs could we would have easily shifted another thousand or so season tickets.

The main difference is price.

A lot of clubs STs are double our price, plus they have more walk ons each week.

Ipswich's 19000 is made up of say 12000 ST holders at £600 a pop, plus 7000 walk ons at £30/35 a ticket for most matches.

Our 13900 is made up of 10500 ST holders paying £280, with 3000 walk ons paying £25.

So the raw numbers only tell half the tale on why we will struggle in a FFP world.

[T J Hooker]

The most worrying thing about rhodes so far this transfer window is mercermans silance on the subject, surely a bad omen.

[Neal]

As much as Pilkington would be a decent signing I think we'd just be wasting time trying to sign someone who realistically we can't afford, come the summer with less time on his contract might be a better time for that deal.

[chaddyrovers]

Blackburn Rovers. Closing in on two deals. Danny Graham thing progressing. And a winger. Name hopefully in paper tomorrow.

From Alan Nixon

[JHRover]

Graham I'm not too keen but I believe would be an improvement on our options at present and might work well with Rhodes. If it is to replace Rhodes then we are in trouble.

I still think we would then need another forward with some pace.

[Neal]

Blackburn Rovers. Closing in on two deals. Danny Graham thing progressing. And a winger. Name hopefully in paper tomorrow.

From Alan Nixon

The winger is obviously the lad from Stoke then.

[neophox]

• MOHA EL OURIACHI CHOULAY

[Craigman]

Cryer thinks Bennett who has been on loan at Bristol City

[Blandy]

The winger i reckon will be Elliot Bennett from Norwich currently on loan at Bristol City

[JHRover]

Interesting that if Lambert stays true to his word and we don't pay a transfer fee this window then it will be 2 years this summer since we last paid a fee for a permanent signing, with Shane Duffy being the only cash signing that summer.

When was the last time the club had such a period without spending any money at all on signings?

[G Somerset Rover]

Yep looks like it's Bennett. Nixon beaten to the punch. No idea if he's any good.

At least Graham is an upgrade on Holt.

[Craigman]

Didn't we buy Steele on December 31st 2014, just before the ban ?