Midsblue

Dux, always popped up with a goal when we needed it most.

Wigan January 7th 2000 - Wigan's first league game lost at the DW and on Sky to boot. Remember buying an ondigital box especially so I could watch.

Paul Murray in 2003/04 season has to be up there. His Beckhamesque leadership in those final games was immense. Ran every inch of the pitch, was involved in everything and dragged the others up to his level. Stand out moment for me when we were in the dip of depression post the Torex swindler.

Dux up there too.

Don't care how Baxter plays in friendlies as long as he produces the goods in the league and cups this coming season.

How can anyone suggest dropping him? He may look a little disinterested at times in matches but then he shows his brilliance; taking on the defence, linking up the team and bagging us goals.

He's in the same mould as the likes of Gazza, Waddle, Le Tissier, Joe Cole, Lee Trundle. You scratch your head as to why he's picked and then 60 minutes later he's picking up the MOTM award.

LJ already said he's building a team around him, which is what's happening. Two behind to mop up and break the counter-attack allowing Jose the free role and supplying for our front three to bomb forward. Exciting times ahead. Secure a CB or two to save our hearts and fingernails or back to the Big Joe days of you score 3 but we'll score 4!

 

Knowone has even remotely suggested that, best to read the thread before posting on it.

Hence my question. Chill

Can't be bothered to read the rest of messages but are some suggesting that Koucash is funding some of the signings ahead of purchasing the club?!

If Rooney gets Swindon to honour his contract by paying him off then they will effectively hold his registration for that contract period. Therefore entitled to a fee or to make him play for them next season. Won't be the greatest situation for either party so likelihood he'd be sold on to offset their losses or loaned out.

However, if Swindon are effectively ripping up his contract then he's a free agent. We sign him for - as an example - 2k per week. The contract with Swindon was 4k per week. Rooney then can claim loss of earnings over breach of contract and constructive dismissal. He's our player though.

Looking at facts to date - Matt Chambers tweets saying the signing "will happen"; the club forced to issue a release saying Rooney is training with us to maintain fitness & WILL play in pre-season games. Finally LJ has openly said how great a player Rooney is and would love to sign him.

On the basis of these facts I'm inclined to think its the second situation.

We've probably signed him already on a pre-contract to secure ourselves. I cant imagine (then again I can) the club releasing images of Rooney in pre-season training with us and then not just saying he's training with us (they were forced to due to tweets) for fitness but going further by saying he will actually play in our pre-season games. We question the clubs intelligence in these matters but why play a proven striker in games and then if he bags a few, we lose him to other clubs sniffing around? We'd have protected ourselves from this with some form of contract protection.

Rooney is simply settling his contract situation with Swindon by reclaiming the difference. My contract law is a little rusty but normally in a contract you would have step-in rights that mean the party who breaches the contract (Swindon) will have to pay the other party (Rooney) loss of earnings due to the breach. To cover Swindon their right would be to cap their exposure as the difference between earnings in new contract versus earnings in breached contract. This typically happens with managers placed on garden leave; Eriksson beng one with England whereby FA had to continue paying him until he found a new employer.

Didn't Johnson (I am sick of "LJ" already!) suggest he wanted a player more able to hold up play and bring others in? Or is that MacDonald? I don't know enough about many of the players on that list to speculate on who might fit that description, anyone?

Akpo Sodje

Hayter or Madden? Dad helps out son?

Of free agents, Sodje's the type of bruiser who McDonald and Baxter could play off and he's capable at CB. Ticks the boxes.

The rest of free agents; I agree with Bristol Latics but would add Blake and Elliott to the no thanks but think De Vita is a possibility.

Billy Sharp - you're having a laugh. No way could we afford him and he'll have clubs above us chasing him.

Think it'll be Rooney - Matt Chambers said a good name and probably tongue in cheek with name 'Rooney'

If he has no offers then I'd offer him a performance-related deal. Play good enough to be selected then you get extra on top of a very basic basic. Weight the goal bonus and win bonus accordingly. You score & we win then you receive on par to last season.

Play him in his favoured role with this big carrot in front of him then we could well see the Simpson that we saw on loan.

It's not pink but darker like raspberry as a few posters suggested even before the reveal.

Raspberry body, sleeves and dark blue/black sections down the sides by looks of the teaser. Anyone willing to put a mock-up together via their whizzy design stuff?

At least that's made my mind up. Home shirt it is then. At least it looked good versus Dinamo

Whoever they were, hope they had loads of cash because LJ is building a promising squad; loosening of the budget will give him a greater chance of making next season a very memorable season for us

Am I the only one who thinks anton Rodgers was worth another look ?

I'll join the minority. Watching the stream last night I thought he did ok; good in the tackle, wanted the ball, few good incisive passes forward and worth a second look.

Can't understand how some have written him off after just 45 minutes; new into the squad as a trialist and in our first match of the season??!! This is a player that Chelsea had in their youth team - OK you can say this happened as his dad was a coach there - but they don't just sign anyone. He then went to Brighton under Gus Poyet who has shown he can spot a player so must have seen something and lastly, I trust LJ so if he thinks he can deliver something extra to the team then I'll support him.

He could well could come good for us and potentially open up the chance for us to sign a few decentLiverpool kids on loan via his dad

Outside of Anton, I was really impressed with the display last night. Bearing in mind it was a first pre-season game, against decent opposition way above our level, a load of trialists and new faces then we go ahead, concede two then fight back and grab a draw.

They played in different halves but Clarke-Harris and McDonald playing together may be something we've been looking for over the last few seasons. Baxter behind them, Dayton and Schmeltz out wide with Korey sitting back with the passing will provide loads of chances to latch on to and bag the goals.

Loads of promise and relishing the next game to see how they gel further ready for the Stevenage game.

As LJ said; "fast forward 4 weeks....." allowing the squad to play together, gain experience playing as a team and playing the same kind of football we witnessed in parts last night then we could surprise a few people.

A lot more optimistic than I was last week and won't be changing my answer to Q1 on the poll "12 months from now" as I'm sure LJ will fight to end our eternity in this league!!!

Baxter scoring 15 by January (inc penalties, which will be majority of 15) and then sold

Clarke-Harris to bag 15+ by season end

Injuries decimating midfield by mid-season and wheels coming off any early promise we have shown

Mid to lower table come January with Corney finding some funds from somewhere for the annual "lets support the manager to stage off relegation" push

Some fans turning on LJ despite him demonstrating the desire to play attacking, attractive football on the floor. It won't be LJ's fault nor the players but injuries and thin squad

Area semis of JPT

2nd round League Cup

2nd round FA Cup

16th in league (heart says 6th)

Perhaps they should restock because I've had mine for about 6 or 7 years and still wear at least once a week...great ice-breaker at business meetings.

These were small silver-effect ones with the old crest embossed on them.

Heart ruling head on first Q so may change that one

Can see Johnson doing well despite being impeded by limited squad. Won't simply accept players going through motions. Some will still moan but I doubt LJ or club will give a toss because they'll be the minority and most will realise that LJ can't make a purse from a sow's ear!

Baxter will be gone in January. Too good for this level and with the midfield LJ is putting together I can see Jose scoring at 15 by the next transfer window. However.....

....he could be here after January if we get a new owner but I very much out that will happen based on SC's comments on Koucash to Prozac. Corney though will be here trying to cut the ever-reducing cloth and performing financial miracles before the new stand arrives to generate some income for he club....

....foundations in place perhaps some terracing but I'm anticipating some twists & turns regarding the stand

Latics cuff links anyone got any for sale or loan?.my daughters getting married tomorrow and I have never owned or worn cuff links.

I also live in midlands so won't be able to loan.

Does club shop not have any left?

No mention of any further signings? Colour of away shirt? Pie varieties next season?

Tsk. None of the important questions asked

Why is our Chairman so reluctant to disclose where we stand?

Didn't Corney offer - and that offer still stands I believe - the chance for fans to come and see the books?

I too would be interested to understand what the financial situation is currently as a very high level P&L position for each season and what the debts are should someone wish to buy the club.

As said, if 4 million is the current debt and that's just what we owe Blitz then how much did Blitz buy the land for and what is the current land / club value or asking price?

Is it as simple as example below -

4 million (owed to Blitz) + 4 million (current land value) = 8 million (asking price for club)

Or does the 4 million include the land purchase so its just 4 million i.e. Blitz is paid 4 million and the new owner gets everything

Talking of shirts; is there a new away shirt and if so, when is it released?

Debating over which to buy ahead of holidays starting August 8th

Who mentioned loyalty?? It's obvious there is no loyalty in football any more.

I'm talking about RESPONSIBILITY. He was captain of the side and largely responsible for getting us into that mess. He had a responsibility to pull his finger out and lead by example!

Instead...he :censored:ed off and gave his team mates no second thought. For that, I have lost every ounce of respect for the lad.

Spot on! Furman appears to divide opinion but he self-labelled himself as the club's leader. Couldn't and didn't lead then jumped ship when Doncaster came calling. There's uncertainty over whether he jumped or was pushed but if he was that much of a leader then he would have fought to stay here.

Ironically we performed better without him so no loss in my opinion. He's now in that drawer of players with promise who didn't deliver and I'm now looking forward rather than back

Zero debt as per last accounts however £5.4m of shareholder funds have been put into club to keep it solvent over last 10 years to keep it from going out of business.

Well it is a liability but it is not a loan.

Brassbank Ltd bought the land from the council back in 2004.

So are you saying that if the like of Koukash wanted to buy then they had to pay 5.4m to Blitz AND buy the land back from them too?

Assuming land is similar - 10m to buy the club?

Who?

Sell on clause? Micah Richards? Us?

Same old thing every flipping transfer window....yawn

Please let it happen this summer and then we can finally remove from the same drawer as the Scholes playing for Oldham circular, Stephen Vaughn/Marwen Koukash/John Wardle/Barry Chaytow takeover dossier and the very dusty Manchester North End folder and shred it!

That filing cabinet of Oldham Athletic X-Files hasn't seen much sunlight this year. Anyone care to select anymore to reopen???

Could do with a decent no.9 signing soon just to give us all a bit of a wow injection as the pre-season rebuild is in a bit of a lull.

Midfield is shaping up, LJ will sort defence and keeper but its the main striker that gets everyone off their seat and looking forward to the season.