Midsblue

I am sure the rule used to be that you change up to with 12 hours of a kick-off, this may have chnaged though and i cant see any 2am signings

I'm sure we signed someone once on the Saturday morning and they went straight into the squad or even the side.

May be wrong

According to the OS he "offsets the loss of Warren Feeney". Talk about damning the poor sod with faint praise.

Is this more a case of direct replacement, i.e. one out and one in, so we're still likely to bring in another striker still?

That elusive "star" striker perhaps ahead of K/O tomorrow?!

Looks happy to be here.....or it's just a look of determination

I may be old but why don't players smile when they sign for a new club? Financial security, the feeling of being wanted, the knowledge that the fans won't be on his back after the first shot over the crossbar/misplaced pass....

Paul Dickov won't be banning twitter, but the Latics manager is warning his players of the dangers of social networking.

 

http://www.oldhamathletic.co.uk/page/NewsUpdate/0,,10337~2410661,00.html

Just read La Fondre's twitter page and he's put "just left Boundary Park to make a phone call, will be right back" #do a runner

Why do I have this feeling that he'll end up scoring between 10 and 15 goals next season?!

Admittedly they'll be the argument it's a league lower but will be equally frustrating as to why he didn't do it here.

Jesus, even your maniacal fantasies end up with a :censored: ending.

Have to be realistic!

This might explain why there hasn't been much player movement yet http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14399073.stm could we get Sol Campbell in to fill Greegan's shorts?

Most of these players don't have a mortgage and have hundreds of thousands or even millions in the bank. Therefore to bridge the gap between player and fan, it would set a superb example if one or two dropped down to our league and accepted a deal of 10% of what they were paid a season or two ago.

Just as long as they don't come to get one final, if meagre pay-day, and actuallu come and play to put something back into the lower leagues where most of them probably started anyway.

Makes you realise just how fortunate these players are who can afford to sit and wait for a better deal without the worry of paying the mortgage, feeding the kids, paying the bills etc.

They have to realise that they're not the big name anymore and not in demand.

Anyway, we'll sign La Fondre or McDonald soon so don't have to consider some ex-Prem striker

I think we'll surprise a few this coming season and finish a lot higher than the predicted relegation or relegation battlers.

This is what I predict -

Smith will score a fair few, possibly 18-20 goals

Parker will score around 12-15 goals

Reid will score around 8-10 goals

Taylor will chip in with around 10 goals

Lund's loan is extended as he proves himself influential from set-pieces with PD even changing formation from 4-4-2 to accommodate 3 in the middle

Our first-choice back five will secure us around 15-18 clean sheets in the league with the kids filling in as more than able replacements when needed

PD will bring in one very effective loan signing from the Prem before 31/08/11, another from the Championship at the back end of October to keep things progressing and a further loan signing by end of January as we're around 8th in the league but less than 4 points from a play-off position

Coming into the last six games of season we're in 7th spot, confidence is high and against all the odds we move up to 6th by end of season

We get Sheff Utd in the play-offs and losing 1-0 at Bramall Lane, we only manage a 1-1 draw at our place and miss out on the Play-Off Final.

Let's consider the evidence............

1. A very quiet Thursday - a day known for transfer activity - especially last one before start of season

2. Feeney's departure leaving a massive hole in our striking options

3. Marc being ever present in the pre-seasons

4. Comments from the club indicating that we're likely to see three new faces come kick off on Saturday

To avoid knackered keyboards across the OWTB membership, could the club announce the likelihood of there being any transfer activity tomorrow?

Even if it's a % scoring -

0-25% = nothing to see here so get on with your work

26-50% = safe to go to your meetings and return every few hours

51-75% = we've locked the windows and barred mobiles so any targets entering BP will not leave until they sign on the dotted line...unless they find a way out

76%-100% = best get your fingers ready, make a flask and some sandwiches because the web monkey will be working overtime

I'll even pay a fiver for the missed "hits" because I'm sick of this will we, won't we that's the soap opera of OL1

One out of six ain't bad - hopefully the rest happen by 5pm Thursday as I'll be sat in front of laptop working from hime....I apologise in advance to my F5 key!

I'm out in meetings all day today so my F5 key will escape a bashing.

When I get back, I'm hoping (in this order)............

- Feeney saga is resolved and he's signed permanently for Plymouth

- Picture of PD shaking hands with Cody MacDonald or La Fondre (or both) in an Oldham shirt having signed a 3-year deal

- International clearance and paperwork completed for Marc

- Furman signing a two-year extension

- Surprise signing of a hot prospect from Manchester City / United or even one from each club

- SC announcing that he's sold club to the second son of a exceptionally rich oil sheikh but will remain at the helm as Chairman and that a £30 million development of the whole of BP has been rubber-stamped - with images on the website - plus an endless amount of cash to secure double-promotion back to the Premiership

............or just news that an ex-Oldham player has signed for Chesterfield

Coventry fans were really positive about Ranson even though very little happened whilst he was there and squad strengthening wasn't the most ambitious.

He lost around £1 million when he left them but there were talks that he had an investment fund of around £40-£50 million for the right club - unsure if this mostly disappeared whilst at Coventry and if that amount came from a company called Sisu rather than Ranson himself.

Definitely more a facilitator regarding investment into and development of clubs rather than having the financial wealth himself (although he's worth around £60 million I understand).

I'm just cautious if we are mortgaging off our players because replacing Blitz as the main creditor could well force us into another firesale of our assets and we never recovered from the last one under Dowie. However if it means he can bring in someone willing to fund and is patient regarding a return then it can only be positive. Could also mean that we could entice some decent players with Ranson's connections.

Our type of club would be a great purchase for a very rich arab-type. Small investment, massive scope for development, ROI through stadium development and future earnings at Championship/Prem level, ability to entice MCFC/MUFC fans with affordable football if we could acquire their youth/reserve players to develop and running costs to operate the project at a much lower scale than Prem/Championship teams. They would need to patient but the money to fund this wouldn't even register a dent in their wealth.

I'm cautious about this.

Ranson's company, Sports Asset Capital, provides funding to clubs in return for a percentage of the income from future player sales. With interest in Taylor gathering pace and the likes of Winchester being touted as our next saleable asset, is SC hocking the family silver for immediate cashflow?

However as Ranson's left Coventry then he may want to take a more hands-on role with another football club. That said, there are questions over an alleged loan he gave Cardiff and this brings into doubt whether he can take ownership or part ownership of another club. The same happened when Blitz had to cancel a loan to QPR.

Where's John Wardle these days?!

£25 does seem very expensive for a training top - what is the material?

Kevlar....so the players can deflect the verbal bullets from the fans.....or spun gold?!

£24.99???!!! That's daylight robbery!

Even most of the Prem and England tees are around the £16-£20 mark!!

You do have to wonder why he doesn't emphasise his commitment by retiring from international football to concentrate on getting a permanent start for his club.

However, do you reckon the club's not standing in his way i.e. he scores on international duty and secures a move away.

Also, if he got injured on international duty then could we claim his wages from the NI FA whilst he can't play for us? Cynical, moi?!

"Delivery planned this week and stock will be in the shop by Friday"

Told today by the shop but they couldn't confirm what would be delivered. Apparently players get more designs than what's available to the fans but there will defo be the training tee and training polo in stock.

and I did a thread in another League 1 forum and everyone thinks we'll go down

We flaming will do unless we get a move on with signing a striker and midfielder

Saw on SSN that Rotherham have received another bid for ALF - hope it's us because Parker might come good but it'll be an anti-climax if it's just him we sign up front. I hope we sign that Real Madrid C midfielder too.

Incidentally, do those who subscribe to the SMS messaging receive a SMS for this? If so, do you get charged?

Club is taking the p*ss with this and also the time taken to secure these signings. If my company took so long to negotiate and sign deals then we'd be out of business!!! Based on the fanfaring of 3 signings imminent, you would expect them to be imminent and not 4 weeks and then 8 weeks for this star striker.

Why doesn't the club confirm that we missed out and started again rather than making us think that this star striker is trapped inside Alan's office, scratching at the window and realising that the office is lead-lined so that they can't simply "pop out to make a call" anymore?!!!

Parker didnt score against Mossley he set it up

I didn't say Parker scored at Mossley? I know he set it up but it was the smaller, skinny lad with the Neymar cut that scored at Mossley.

Was this Josh Parker or the lad who scored v Mossley who has the Neymar haircut? I'm sure Josh is on international duty with Antigua, so it's either this other lad or we have yet another striker on trial.

Also, is there any news on this "star" striker that we were looking at and close to signing? It's been six weeks or more and with the cash from Stephens deal, I thought we'd be close to securing along with the midfielder (that Real Madrid C player?).

We definitely need another striker and unsure if Parker is the solution.

I'll be seriously underwhelmed if we don't snare that "wow" striker after all the earlier promise by PD and the club.

Defo him at Mossley - Furman kept calling him Marc.

Tidy looking player, linking the defence through to attack and always available to take the ball and build up the play. Only one to really stand out on the day IMO.

Would be good to see him on Saturday against the Lashers for a proper test

Guessing it's whilst on honeymoon as he got married to a friend of mine recently.

Sound investment though. Just coming into his prime despite already having a prolific scoring history. Play a few seasons with us at this level or higher and we then sell him on for a profit.

Makes business sense but can we afford that sort of money either with the Stephens income or from external investment?

Hallam, care to swing me a PM with the name you heard?

Me too please