Hob Nob Anyone?

Tilehurst Mike wrote:

Scarface wrote:A friend of mine was chatting with one of our goal keepers at the weekend and apparently the players think both Lita and Shorey will leave the club this summer.

Just a rumour, but it did come from a player.

Absolute bollox! Totally goes against the grain of what the club is trying to achieve. The club would hardly announce to make plans for a 38000 stadium to be built (which they assume they hope they will fill) by getting rid of their best young contracted players. Absolute garbage rumour

Yake off the blue tinted glasses mate. For a start, this is just a rumour and the club have not said anything along those line.

As ar as not selling players is concerned then you are living in a fools paradise if you believe our young up and coming players won't be sold if the right offer comes in. We are like most clubs in this division, other than the big 4. We will seel of an offer to good to refuse comes in. Everton are a much bigger club than us and they sold Rooney to Man Utd, and he has even a Evetrton supporter. I twill be different for us.

People who don't accept that simple fact are either below the age of 5, or extremely stupid

My mate

Scarface wrote:

BR2 wrote:

Scarface wrote:Fair enough, I won't bother in the future. We should pay more attention to cvnts like Spacecruiser who are always spot on with their predictions.

Scarface,
Don't give up on posting just because a few nonentities come steaming in with abuse.
Remember just before Halford left and some of the regular posters described the news as absurd.
When do these people ever come up with anything of note?

I won't. You've only got to read all the other threads to see that Spastic Cruiser's comments should mostly be ignored.

Ok, I have no problem with that, spastic face.

SpaceCruiser wrote:

Scarface wrote:

BR2 wrote: Scarface,
Don't give up on posting just because a few nonentities come steaming in with abuse.
Remember just before Halford left and some of the regular posters described the news as absurd.
When do these people ever come up with anything of note?

I won't. You've only got to read all the other threads to see that Spastic Cruiser's comments should mostly be ignored.

Ok, I have no problem with that, spastic face.

2.8 lita injection wrote:

My mate

Yes !!!! Thanks for the yawn.

The only way these two players will go, is if the club want them to go. And I don't believe that the club would want them to go this year. We are struggling to attract quality players as it is, without selling the crown jewels. If we sold Shorey and Lita it would give completely the wrong messages out to any prospective players.

So we've seen two players move on this summer. One an established and central player in the squad about whom there were rumours for a couple of years but the club hung on to him until his contract ran out; the other an unestablished player in a position where we have plenty of options who we sold at a profit. There is nothing in the club's current or past practice to suggest they will suddenly start selling off the crown jewels. Of course, you can say every player has their price, but you may also notice that despite many rumours there isn't a lot of silly money being thrown about. I thought the best news this week was Sunderland pulling out of the Nugent deal despite a fee being agreed. Even a club with money to spend is not going to pay what it regards as over the odds. I think i also heard the Bent deal nets him 30k a week - not the kind of riches we've come to expect. So I'm with the skeptics on this one, but feel free to gloat if we're wrong.

I can't believe I'm about to do this....


Lita dropped from Peace Cup squad 'to rest'.... my arse! He's on his way. We're doomed, doomed I say.

Leroy Lita will not be part of our squad for the Peace Cup as Steve Coppell wants to give him extra rest.

Lita only finished playing with England's under 21s on 20th June, so the boss has decided against taking him to Korea.

Coppell said, "He's only had two weeks off.

"He wanted to go, but I thought it best for him, and therefore us, to have a break.

"He wouldn't have had a holiday otherwise."


Seems fair enough. Calm down m8.

exactly, he done extremely well with the U21's so let the man rest. We'll need him fresh and eager the upcoming season.

Christ on a bike, calm down people or we'll be mourning the passing of more posters.

If the big boys want our players badly then they'll get them. But they'll pay through the nose. Personally I think we're still just about under the radar to get through the summer.

Lita seems the most likely to go of the two to me. Shorey is likely to be a little more loyal (only a little mind) and a little smarter. Also 1 decent international performance does not make a player the toast of the big 4.

We'll just have to wait and see. I can't see it happening, but then I was surprised about Halford, Pardew and McGhee amongst others.

Arch wrote: I thought the best news this week was Sunderland pulling out of the Nugent deal despite a fee being agreed. Even a club with money to spend is not going to pay what it regards as over the odds.

Don't think that is quite how it played out....

Keane had made his offer but Nugent wouldn;t even return the phone calls so in a highly embarassing turn Sunderland had to withdraw becasue the player was so disinterested in joining them that he couldn;t even be bothered to say 'no thanks' - he just went on holiday and ignored them. I suspect if Nugent had been interested Sunderland would have paid up.

CS/ Starbug/ IR

WHOOSH!!!!

Just to repeat what other people said. Scarface posted a perfectly legitimate post on the board and one which, frankly, I think sounds, sadly, perfectly plausible. If you don't like 'unfounded rumours and gossip' then don't bother reading the threads.

I would hate Lita and Shorey to go but it's hardly inconceivable. In fact, the more I think about it the more I think it's probably a 50/50 chance we'll hold on to them.

Next season was always going to be a long haul anyway, without them it will be really tough. I think we'll stay up but I reckon Sunderland and Brum are better teams than Sheff U and Watford were last season and now Spurs are, in my opinion, added to the teams that we are going to struggle to get a point off. But, hey, it's going to be interesting.

Cripple Creek wrote:Just to repeat what other people said. Scarface posted a perfectly legitimate post on the board and one which, frankly, I think sounds, sadly, perfectly plausible. If you don't like 'unfounded rumours and gossip' then don't bother reading the threads.

I would hate Lita and Shorey to go but it's hardly inconceivable. In fact, the more I think about it the more I think it's probably a 50/50 chance we'll hold on to them.

Next season was always going to be a long haul anyway, without them it will be really tough. I think we'll stay up but I reckon Sunderland and Brum are better teams than Sheff U and Watford were last season and now Spurs are, in my opinion, added to the teams that we are going to struggle to get a point off. But, hey, it's going to be interesting.

Disagree with the 50/50 statement - Lita's has been talking about what's expected of him at Reading next season and that he's up for that and looking forward to the challenge. Shorey is a slightly different story but even so he's said he would like to stay if the deal's right.

As for the Sunderland & Brum vs Sheffield United & Watford bit I agree on Sunderland but think Birmingham will be very ordinary indeed.

I think we're in for another good season and firmly believe Shorey and Lita will be here for that season.

I'm not convinced by the 50/50 estimate either.

My thinking:
- both are under contract
- we don't need to sell anyone
- there hasn't been any really credible interest in either (no offers, no public discussion from other managers)
- no talk from either player about wanting to seek new challenges, looking for new opportunities, having a wife and baby to feed
- signs from the club are that contract talks are progressing OK

against that
- neither player has actually signed an extended deal
- both have massively raised their profile in recent months
- names feature in the press with other clubs 'preparing a bid'
- every player has their price

There is a chance one or other will go, but I'd say it's 25 / 75 at most.

"The Reading left-back Nicky Shorey is no longer a target for West Ham and is now expected to sign a new contract at the Madejski Stadium." The independent.

thefruits wrote:"The Reading left-back Nicky Shorey is no longer a target for West Ham and is now expected to sign a new contract at the Madejski Stadium." The independent.

I prefer this rumour

Shorey = legend.

Lita is obvious class too but we have decent strikers queueing up for a starting spot and someone could teach them to back into players then fall over in no time.

SWLR wrote:CS/ Starbug/ IR

WHOOSH!!!!

Stick your whoosh up your arse

brighton_royal wrote:Lita is obvious class too but we have decent strikers queueing up for a starting spot and someone could teach them to back into players then fall over in no time.