The Official Summer Rumours Thread 2012

[memyhead]

Right then, seen as this thread has been brought up again, il throw Marc Richards name into the ring after what i heard yesterday!

Can't see us outbidding Championship/L1 Clubs for his services...

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11750/7695855/Race-on-for-Richards

Sky Sports understands a host of clubs are chasing Port Vale striker Marc Richards.

Richards is out of contract this summer and talks over a new deal have been delayed because of the club's financial problems.

The news has alerted a number of Championship and League One sides to his possible availability on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Richards is regarded as one of the best forwards in the lower leagues after scoring goals on a regular basis for Port Vale since arriving from Barnsley in the summer of 2007.

The former Blackburn man has been Vale's stand-out performer this season and is top scorer with 16 goals this term

Port Vale are thought to have rejected a couple of offers for their captain during the loan window in March and there is sure to be no shortage of takers for the 29-year-old this summer.

[DrillingCobbler]

I don't want him; he can kiss someone else's badge. Bloody tosser he is! 

[JimmyRiddle]

Port Vale will be stable within the coming weeks. Adams stated last week that he expects the financial backing of his chairman so I'd expect them to have a far bigger budget than us next season. We won't get Rico

[NTFC Nut]

Can't see us outbidding Championship/L1 Clubs for his services...

Purcell had a Championship and a couple of League One clubs 'showing interest' in him before signing for us out of the blue. 'Interest' means nothing and we'd have nothing to lose by offering him terms. If you don't ask, you don't get.

[County Cobbler]

With 'our own' Michael Jacobs going to the Championship maybe AB will replace him with another local lad, David Bell from Coventry, as he has signed him previously.

[Power Football]

Danny Webber.

[jamie-brett]

Not sure what website I found it on, been searching for it again.

Apparently we are signing a midfielder from Millwall and a striker from Leeds both out of contract at their current clubs

[Welly Cobb]

Webber and Jackett yesterday then?

That's from the transfer rumours website that reported that about 15 clubs were due to sign Jacobs in Jan, so pinch of salt.

[Power Football]

Aidy Boothroyd's interview on the site says that he expects there to be 5-6 new players.

He also said that Johnson, Jacobs and Wilson will all be offered contracts and that he will try to sign Carlisle.

We may also buy somebody aswell!!!!

[EnkyJenkyCobbler]

Geoff Doyle says on twitter that we've rejected a bid for Jacobs today 

[oop_north]

Geoff Doyle says on twitter that we've rejected a bid for Jacobs today 

That'll be from 'boro', then.

[MK_Cobbler]

Hopefully Crackers will give us another year, its highly unlikely though.

What players are currently under contract for next season? I'd like to see I pretty hefty clear out as half of the squad have been well below par this year.

[MK_Cobbler]

That'll be from 'boro', then.

I think it would be a big mistake him going there...

[Power Football]

I think it would be a big mistake him going there...

Disagree. Take out the rivalry and they are exactly the sort of Club he should be joining. A better than average chance of first team football in the Championship with a chance of progression if he plays well.

[Monkey]

Aidy Boothroyd's interview on the site says that he expects there to be 5-6 new players.

He also said that Johnson, Jacobs and Wilson will all be offered contracts and that he will try to sign Carlisle.

We may also buy somebody aswell!!!!

We need to cut the senior squad by around 7 I reckon. In red are the ones who can go without being replaced as they have been no part of the squad anyway. The rest would need to be replaced with a like for like if/when they depart.

I make that a likely addition of 1 x left back (to replace Adams), 2 Centre Backs (to replace 2 of Webster/Charles/CC), 1 x Right Wing (Silva), 1 x Striker (Williams - although I think he would be a good signing if we can get him in permanently).

In addition, I'd like to see us look to replace Robinson with someone who can cover any of the front positions (but more effectively), use Nana as full back cover and Wedderburn (or a replacement if he's not deemed up to scratch) as centre mid cover.

Anyone else (ie, Jacobs, Bayo etc) to be replaced like for like if they leave. Thats a squad of 22. With 3 youths (Snedker, Hornby and Wilson) and the likely injuries/suspensions, it seems like a fair balance and we keep the core squad together. The loan system will hopefully be used only for full season players or in emergency situations as cover, not in the hap hazard way GJ used it.

Keeping CC could be crucial in getting off to a good start so we dont have to go through the agony of waiting for a new centre back partnership to gel. It would also mean the backbone of the team is likely to be unscathed.

1 Shane Higgs
2 Lewis Young
3 Anthony Charles
4 Jason Crowe
5 Ben Tozer
6 Byron Webster
7 Arron Davies
8 Jake Robinson
9 Brett Williams
10 Adebayo Akinfenwa
11 Andy Holt
12 Nathaniel Wedderburn
13 Neal Kitson
14 John Johnson
15 Paul Turnbull
16 Seth Nana Ofori-Twumasi
17 Michael Jacobs
20 Ryan Gilligan
21 Michael Built
22 Luke Guttridge
23 Lewis Wilson
24 Toni Silva
25 Clarke Carlisle
26 Freddy Hall
27 Ben Harding
28 Kelvin Langmead
29 Blair Adams
30 Dean Snedker
31 Lewis Hornby

As for Jacobs to Boro... I dont think it would be a bad footballing move for him as they are one of the few teams in the Champ where he is likely to be a regular starter, especially with the players they will lose this summer. In addition, he wouldnt need to up sticks and will take a nice pay rise Im sure. Boro also have a decent record of developing young players and them moving on to bigger things.

On the other hand, I anticipate a downturn in their fortunes and will more than likely be sturuggling at the wrong end of the table next season. Also, they have a s*** ground, s*** fans and he would have to be prepared to upset a lot of Cobblers fans.

[threeinabed]

it would be nice if we could offload jacobs for a hefty fee to somewhere where we can loan him back for a season - or 6 months at least.

[betamax toploader]

Radio Northampton are reporting that the bid was from a championship club. Although they omitted the words "punching above their weight", and "one more season at best", i think we can all guess who it was.

[MK_Cobbler]

Disagree. Take out the rivalry and they are exactly the sort of Club he should be joining. A better than average chance of first team football in the Championship with a chance of progression if he plays well.

I wonder where Joe Lewis would be now if Barry Fry didn't slap a daft price tag on him.

[bigcitylights]

I wonder where Joe Lewis would be now if Barry Fry didn't slap a daft price tag on him.

Lewis is absolutely pony and 99% of their fans are happy to admit that.

It's only the England call up when he was younger (which more reflects the sad depth of top level goalkeepers we have in this country) and Fry's propaganda that make outsiders think he's any good. If you watch the goals they concede every weekend he's usually at fault for at least 1 or 2. I'm glad they've got him in the sticks rather than anyone competent.

[Artlenock Cobbler]

Radio Northampton are reporting that the bid was from a championship club. Although they omitted the words "punching above their weight", and "one more season at best", i think we can all guess who it was.