Billy Sharp - permanent?

[Who Moved The Goalposts?]

Also I think it is rather telling he has joined Doncaster - if he was that good surely others would have been in for him, including Forest who need a striker and had him on loan last season. I'm assuming they also saw that he is not actually as good as he is hyped up to be.

I think this is bang on. Sharp is average at this level, and I just think that given funds are so tight, NA thinks what little money we have is best reserved until something comes along offering better value.

[RFCMod]

That and the fact that Sharp's presence must have got ALF thinking that this is my last chance to make it in a higher division and get noticed so f**k it I'm upping my game and shedding the super sub tag
If he keeps it up then Adkins will have a rejuvenated striker and not wasted a penny on someone I thought fancied themselves a little bit more than they should have

[Schards#2]

There could be another side to this story rather than the all too predictable "this proves we have no money!!!" brigade; that Adkins has seen him close up and realised that actually, he isn't that great. It may also explain why he has gone to Doncaster rather than a Forest, a Leeds or a Brighton.

I would also venture that this means the chances of ALF leaving in this window are close to zero.

Could have been, but sadly there wasn't - he wasn't signed because there's no money......after a year in the premier league......and with the parachute payments......and with us not have made a significant big money signings..............and have sold sold Kebe and Marriappa..........and have got a sell on fee for Long.............still, there is no money........again

[SPARTA]

There could be another side to this story rather than the all too predictable "this proves we have no money!!!" brigade; that Adkins has seen him close up and realised that actually, he isn't that great. It may also explain why he has gone to Doncaster rather than a Forest, a Leeds or a Brighton.

I would also venture that this means the chances of ALF leaving in this window are close to zero.

Could have been, but sadly there wasn't - he wasn't signed because there's no money......after a year in the premier league......and with the parachute payments......and with us not have made a significant big money signings..............and have sold sold Kebe and Marriappa..........and have got a sell on fee for Long.............still, there is no money........again

Well it isn't because Adkins confirmed this morning he wanted Sharp here permanently and we can't even afford to offer Baird a contract until the take-over is sorted out.

[Mr Angry]

There could be another side to this story rather than the all too predictable "this proves we have no money!!!" brigade; that Adkins has seen him close up and realised that actually, he isn't that great. It may also explain why he has gone to Doncaster rather than a Forest, a Leeds or a Brighton.

I would also venture that this means the chances of ALF leaving in this window are close to zero.

Could have been, but sadly there wasn't - he wasn't signed because there's no money......after a year in the premier league......and with the parachute payments......and with us not have made a significant big money signings..............and have sold sold Kebe and Marriappa..........and have got a sell on fee for Long.............still, there is no money........again

Yep; Adkins' BBCRB interview this morning totally blew my speculative theory out of the water, didn't it?

Ok, so lets take stock. Clearly no new faces coming in, but with hopefully a few of the injured players coming back into contention and now the number 1 priority on no-one (especially neither Pog or ALF) leaving; the play-off's are still a possibility, but flippin' heck, AZ has stuffed us up this season big time hasn't he!

[Extended-Phenotype]

Oh the hilarious predictability of every transfer window. At least it's a different lame excuse each time. Keeps things interesting. Would rather they just be honest, though and at least once, avoid dicking the fans around with empty promises.

[floyd__streete]

Could have been, but sadly there wasn't - he wasn't signed because there's no money......after a year in the premier league......and with the parachute payments......and with us not have made a significant big money signings..............and have sold sold Kebe and Marriappa..........and have got a sell on fee for Long.............still, there is no money........again

Yep.

Any other club with supporters less amiable than ours would be baying for blood over this.

[genome]

Putting my spaculation hat on here but maybe there is a transfer embargo while the takeover is in process.

Or maybe I've played too much FM?

[andrew1957]

Could have been, but sadly there wasn't - he wasn't signed because there's no money......after a year in the premier league......and with the parachute payments......and with us not have made a significant big money signings..............and have sold sold Kebe and Marriappa..........and have got a sell on fee for Long.............still, there is no money........again

Yep.

Any other club with supporters less amiable than ours would be baying for blood over this.

I am sure that our quiet and restrained indignation will be sufficient to frighten the club into action.

[Royal Spangle]

Madejski is looking a right chump after promising that money would be available for Adkins from both himself and the Russian crook even though the club ownership was up in the air! I wonder what has changed since then that has changed his mind Same old Reading. This has become a recurring nightmare

[loyalroyal4life]

Madejski is looking a right chump after promising that money would be available for Adkins from both himself and the Russian crook even though the club ownership was up in the air! I wonder what has changed since then that has changed his mind Same old Reading. This has become a recurring nightmare

Why doesn't madejski bank roll some £££ and any takeover can be subject to him being paid back

[Dick Habbin's hairdo]

I am sure that our quiet and restrained indignation will be sufficient to frighten the club into action.

POTY. You, Sir, show HNA? for what is .... as impotent as a castrated choirboy.....

but at least AE gives us a chuckle

[Agent Balti]

...including Forest who need a striker and had him on loan last season.

Forest haven't been interested in Billy for quite some time. They're after more of a target man. (Hence them play Halford up top lately.)

[PieEater]

Putting my spaculation hat on here but maybe there is a transfer embargo while the takeover is in process.

Or maybe I've played too much FM?

Agreed, tt makes sense if you are going through due diligence that you don't spend a load of cash or add another significant ongoing cost. So it may be that we can actually afford it but are just not in a position to do anything until it's agreed.

[Uke]

There could be another side to this story rather than the all too predictable "this proves we have no money!!!" brigade; that Adkins has seen him close up and realised that actually, he isn't that great. It may also explain why he has gone to Doncaster rather than a Forest, a Leeds or a Brighton.

I would also venture that this means the chances of ALF leaving in this window are close to zero.

Could have been, but sadly there wasn't - he wasn't signed because there's no money......after a year in the premier league......and with the parachute payments......and with us not have made a significant big money signings..............and have sold sold Kebe and Marriappa..........and have got a sell on fee for Long.............still, there is no money........again

Just because the club has money, doesn't mean they have to spend it.

[Loyal royal 247]

He's gone to Doncaster on loan hasn't he?

[Schards#2]

There could be another side to this story rather than the all too predictable "this proves we have no money!!!" brigade; that Adkins has seen him close up and realised that actually, he isn't that great. It may also explain why he has gone to Doncaster rather than a Forest, a Leeds or a Brighton.

I would also venture that this means the chances of ALF leaving in this window are close to zero.

Could have been, but sadly there wasn't - he wasn't signed because there's no money......after a year in the premier league......and with the parachute payments......and with us not have made a significant big money signings..............and have sold sold Kebe and Marriappa..........and have got a sell on fee for Long.............still, there is no money........again

Just because the club has money, doesn't mean they have to spend it.

Adkins could not have made it clearer that he wanted Sharp and that we didn't get him, even on loan, because he's hamstrung on finances. Do you think he's making it up? And if so why?

[PieEater]

Adkins could not have made it clearer that he wanted Sharp and that we didn't get him, even on loan, because he's hamstrung on finances. Do you think he's making it up? And if so why?

Where did he say that? IIRC he said it was due to the ownership situation, not that there was no money - he just implied that they couldn't spend any.

[Ian Royal]

Could have been, but sadly there wasn't - he wasn't signed because there's no money......after a year in the premier league......and with the parachute payments......and with us not have made a significant big money signings..............and have sold sold Kebe and Marriappa..........and have got a sell on fee for Long.............still, there is no money........again

Just because the club has money, doesn't mean they have to spend it.

Adkins could not have made it clearer that he wanted Sharp and that we didn't get him, even on loan, because he's hamstrung on finances. Do you think he's making it up? And if so why?

Surely all this tells you is what some of us have been saying for ages. Most fans don't appreciate how large our expenditure is as standard.

I'm not really sure why everyone is so fussed about Sharp and Baird. Both were good shot-term signings who'd be decent to have, but neither are devastatingly good additions we'll miss massively. If we can get a reasonably fit squad together again.

If we're looking at new investment, then I'd rather we miss out on Sharp and Baird because we're not spending whilst the takeover is being dealt with, and then look to bring in a better class of player in the summer. With all this going on, I'd rather not get promoted this season.

Look what happened last time we went up rather unprepared. We had too much to do in too little time and we got punished because of it. I'd rather Adkins had this season to lay the foundations with the players he wants to keep and then make a big go of it next season after an active summer.

We've got a big squad, with plenty of players on very good wages no doubt. And we've got a couple of long-term crocks who are almost certainly paid pretty well and restricting our wage budget.

The only real worry is will we be able to keep our best players. The only big concern. I have there is McCarthy. And we've got Federici still to replace him, so even that's a bareable loss.

I can't see Guthrie being in huge demand. Pog likewise and whilst he's been playing very well I can't help but think he wouldn't necessarily big a huge loss given he's wages and what we could reasonably expect to get for him. ALF maybe, but he's not yet made himself a permanent fixture in the side.

[Uke]

Just because the club has money, doesn't mean they have to spend it.

Adkins could not have made it clearer that he wanted Sharp and that we didn't get him, even on loan, because he's hamstrung on finances. Do you think he's making it up? And if so why?

No intentional lies from any side, why do people always think there are lies? There are many half-truths though.

Just because the club has money and Adkins wants to spend it, doesn't mean they have to spend it.

Business decision, the club will have to live with it. On balance, I think it is probably a good one as Sharp wasn't the new Messiah the UR&G board had suggested