Tommy Forecast- Officially 5th most expensive goalkeeper in history

Given Saints had to forego around £21.5million + in potential sell on fees in return for a promising young goalkeeper and a small cash compensation fee I reckon that makes Tommy the 4th or 5th most expensive goalie of all time behind Buffon, Casillas, Neur and another one i cant remember off top of my head - but more than Hart anyway. Rock on Tommy!

For the record Casillas has never been involved in a transfer, and De Gea is up there as one of the most expensive.

Hope Forecast enjoys the honour.

Good point Duncan- might make him third then! Yay, podium!

A twisted but nonetheless though provoking bit of logic!

So how much did we "pay" per game / minute played/ goals conceded?

So how much did we "pay" per game / minute played/ goals conceded?

That would be zero on both counts, so technically, infinite money paid per minute played, but he never conceded a competitive goal for us.

Bargain!

Ive got an idea....

How about we stop starting threads about a useless woman beating **** and just forget he ever disgraced the club with his presence

A great fact, was it not that it is in fact an urban myth.

The Forecast transfer had no connection at all with the Bale deal.

We signed TF as we thought he had decent potential which was reasonable as at the time was highly thought after and Spurs had rted him enough to name him as their sub GK for numerous PL games.

He just turned out to not live up to these expectations prob more down to attitude than ability.

If we hadn't have cashed in we may not have been bought by Markus. You could argue that the sale of bale helped keep the club going? I like to think of it this way anyway!

That's the only to look at it. And for the record, it wouldn't have been anywhere near 25%. Typically somewhere between 10 and 15% of the difference, so more like 7 million..... Which is obviously a lot, but not quite as soul destroying as the OP's 21 million.

A great fact, was it not that it is in fact an urban myth.

 

The Forecast transfer had no connection at all with the Bale deal.

 

We signed TF as we thought he had decent potential which was reasonable as at the time was highly thought after and Spurs had rted him enough to name him as their sub GK for numerous PL games.

 

He just turned out to not live up to these expectations prob more down to attitude than ability.

We completely coincidentally signed a third choice keeper from Tottenham at the same time as accepting their advanced settlement for the Bale transfer.

Sounds legit.

Interestingly, I have tracked down the OS article when Forecast signed using the Wayback machine :

http://web.archive.org/web/20080709051008/http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/?page_id=10278

You can't draw any conclusions from this...

Saints' youth policy played a key role in Tommy Forecast's decision to move from Tottenham.

The promising keeper was being chased by several clubs with Plymouth reportedly desperate to get him.

But there was no decision for him to make as soon as he learned of Southampton's interest.

Apart from the stature of the club, Forecast was swayed by the knowledge that he is guaranteed a chance here.

Saints have a strong track record for blooding young players - including his Spurs team-mate Gareth Bale who spoke highly of his former club.

Forecast said: "When I found out that Southampton were in for me, I spoke to Gareth about the move and he had only good things to say about the club.

"He said it is a great place to play with good people and good facilities and great fans so that was good to hear.

"But it only reinforced my decision because I had already made up my mind to come here because it is a Premiership club.

"And it is a club which gives a chance to young players. That was a major factor in my decision.

"In the Premiership, it often does not matter how well you do in training you can be overlooked with foreign players coming in.

"Due to the wealth of the Premiership there's a lot of young British talent out there that's getting overlooked. So for a club like Southampton to have that in their thought processes is brilliant.

"I know at Southampton, young players have always had a chance. And they have made it clear that youth is the way forward which I think is right.

"The Club are promoting young players and they heard about me and got in touch with the Club. Spurs were quite reluctant to let me go and that's why the deal took so long, but I'm glad to be here finally and I'm looking forward to it.

"I started at Spurs when I was 12. I'm coming up for my tenth year there and so I've had plenty of experience there.

"I have been on the first team bench quite a few times last season, including FA Cup, UEFA Cup and Premier League games and we've had a few managers along the way, so that gives you experience of different teams and different ways of playing too. Hopefully I can now bring all that experience to Southampton.

"I had a meeting with the manager and the chairman and they told me their thoughts and what they want to do over the next few years and I'm just happy to be a part of it."

Forecast has been hugely impressed by the calibre of the youngsters already at the club and he is confident they can mount a powerful promotion push.

He added: "The lads seem great. They have welcomed me straight away. There's a lot of players in the squad with experience who can help me and the other youngsters.

"Hopefully we'll get a good start and push on from there. The lads here have already had a couple of weeks of pre-season and look sharp. We've got a few good games coming up in pre-season as well, so if we do well in those then we'll be in a good position come the start of the season.

"A Club like Southampton should be in the top-six every year and then up into the Premiership, and I believe that can be achieved."

However, THIS http://web.archive.org/web/20080709051003/http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/?page_id=10277

Article EXPLICITLY STATES :

Saints have signed hot goalkeeping prospect Tommy Forecast as part of an early settlement to the Gareth Bale deal.

Tottenham had agreed to pay £5m down and a further £5m contingent on appearances and league position for the Welsh international who came through the Orchard Homes Saints Academy.

But Southampton have forfeited some of that second payment in favour of an early settlement which includes 21-year-old Forecast.

Saints did a similar deal with Arsenal last season when they sacrificed some of the Theo Walcott contingent fee in order to get the money sooner.

This move has secured a top young keeper who slots right into the youth policy being introduced at St Mary's and it also eases the cash-flow problems to put the club on a stronger footing ahead of the new season.

PLC chairman Rupert Lowe explained: "Forecast is a very talented keeper and a good age. He is 21 and fits into our plans to sign top young English and EU players.

He has a good track record for saving penalties and he passes and throws the ball well. Our aim of playing fast attacking football starts with good distribution from the goalkeeper.

"He has been brought up the right way at Tottenham and has been on their bench several times but like many of our youngsters he just needs a chance and he will get that here. He believes in what we are doing and it is now up to him to earn his place on merit.

"Several other clubs wanted him and we are pleased to have got him but we had to do it as part of a settlement of the Gareth Bale deal which is now concluded.

"Over the past two years the club finances have deteriorated markedly as a result of the excess of expenditure over income.

"To some extent this has been mitigated by the sale of young players including Gareth Bale, Kenwyne Jones and Chris Baird - not to mention cashing in the further payments for Theo Walcott.

"I am always reluctant to forego any future income but given our current situation, we must do all we can to go into the new season as robustly as possible.

"I believe in long-term planning through developing good young players. Despite the sacrifice of this valuable income stream which may or may not become due in the future, this deal ticks both boxes."

I smell once_bitterne bullshart.

Worth noting that it only says Saints had foregone further payments "contingent on appearances and league position" - it doesn't mention the removal of any sell-on clause ?

It does however say ""Several other clubs wanted him and we are pleased to have got him but we had to do it as part of a settlement of the Gareth Bale deal which is now concluded."

Sounds in line with my theory that we didn't actually want to sign him but were forced into it to get the cash we wanted for Bale up front.

Have we lost any sell on clause for Theo as well then?

Have we lost any sell on clause for Theo as well then?

Yes, that was sold out ages ago when we were desperate for the money, extras for England appearances, all that stuff.

But I thought the Echo said there were NO sell on clauses.

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/10581204.Saints_in_line_for___2m_windfall_if_Gareth_Bale_signs_for_Real_Madrid/

However, a boardroom source from the time Bale left for Spurs said a sell-on clause was never actually inserted to begin with.

Another source, who has knowledge of the subsequent early settlement with Spurs, also said that one never existed and, therefore, did not form part of the renegotiation.

I was speaking to a Saints fan yesterday who occasionally watches Dartford

Apparently Tommy only played one full game on loan at Dartford, a 5-1 home defeat by Wrexham back in mid November,Brett Omerod, (remember him?) scoring twice.

It was rather embarrassing as our Tommy had the rise taken out of him by both sets of fans and was shipped back to Chelmsford City straight after and replaced by a keeper not felt to be good enough by Div 2 strugglers Portsmouth (Phil Smith?)

Tommy now is reserve keeper at Chelmsford who play in the same League as Eastleigh.

I guess a further move down the leagues will soon be in order?

Meanwhile interested to know what has happened to our other young prospect signed at the same time as Tom ie Anthony Pulis

 

Meanwhile interested to know what has happened to our other young prospect signed at the same time as Tom ie Anthony Pulis

Plays for Orlando in the USL Pro league, basically Division 3, in the States.

Plays for Orlando in the USL Pro league, basically Division 3, in the States.

http://www.orlandocitysoccer.com/news/pronews/?article_id=1635

Orlando City SC announced Monday that Goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo, Defender Luke Boden and Midfielder Anthony Pulis have all re-signed with the Lions for the upcoming 2014 USL PRO season, pending USSF approval. The signings mark a continued effort by Head Coach Adrian Heath to retool the roster with talented players with an eye toward a 2015 entry into Major League Soccer (MLS).“We are preparing a squad that consists of players who we believe might make that jump with us,” said Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath.

Anthony Pulis re-joins the Lions after two successful seasons with Orlando, making 32 total appearances from 2012-2103. Pulis has served as an anchor in the midfield for Heath’s club, playing alongside newly promoted Coach/Midfielder James O’Connor.

Before joining the Lions in 2012, Pulis spent time with premier English sides such as Stoke City and Southampton.

Heath has said multiple times that the club is searching for players that would make the jump from USL PRO to MLS in 2015. Gallardo, Pulis and Boden join James O’Connor, Rob Valentino, Dennis Chin and Jamie Watson as players from the 2013 season to make the 2014 squad.

I think Orlando City have strong ties with Stoke City, ie Father Pulis pulled strings to get Junior Pulis a contract.

http://www.orlandocitysoccer.com/news/pronews/?article_id=1635

 

"Orlando City SC announced Monday that Goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo, Defender Luke Boden and Midfielder Anthony Pulis have all re-signed with the Lions for the upcoming 2014 USL PRO season, pending USSF approval. The signings mark a continued effort by Head Coach Adrian Heath to retool the roster with talented players with an eye toward a 2015 entry into Major League Soccer (MLS).“We are preparing a squad that consists of players who we believe might make that jump with us,” said Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath.

Anthony Pulis re-joins the Lions after two successful seasons with Orlando, making 32 total appearances from 2012-2103. Pulis has served as an anchor in the midfield for Heath’s club, playing alongside newly promoted Coach/Midfielder James O’Connor.

Before joining the Lions in 2012, Pulis spent time with premier English sides such as Stoke City and Southampton.

Heath has said multiple times that the club is searching for players that would make the jump from USL PRO to MLS in 2015. Gallardo, Pulis and Boden join James O’Connor, Rob Valentino, Dennis Chin and Jamie Watson as players from the 2013 season to make the 2014 squad.

"

Not sure of your point, T,;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Soccer_League

USSF Division 1 MLS

USSF Division 2 NASL

USSF Division 3 USL Pro

Now it may be possible for a franchise to buy it's way into the top flight in the US, especially if there's an expansion of the League.

Maybe one of our transatlantic colleagues could clarify ?

I think Orlando City have strong ties with Stoke City, ie Father Pulis pulled strings to get Junior Pulis a contract.

Not far off...Tony snr has family out in Orlando who were (are?) putting Anthony up and helped arrange a trial for him out there.

Not sure of your point, T,;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Soccer_League

USSF Division 1 MLS

USSF Division 2 NASL

USSF Division 3 USL Pro

 

Now it may be possible for a franchise to buy it's way into the top flight in the US, especially if there's an expansion of the League.

 

Maybe one of our transatlantic colleagues could clarify ?

A little more nuanced than just buying your way, but yes, that's largely it. Shame that they wont set up a promotion/relegation system as it would be unique in US sports.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expansion_of_Major_League_Soccer

When I said eastleighs league was still above his level I wasn't joking. Imagine Gazza's worst moments in the premier league, but more regularly and in the conference south.

 

I dont think he's semi-pro level.

Talk about Ali Dia...this guys has probably had a career long enough to have a pension to cash in at the end of it.

Wonder if we paid him more than what he was on at Spurs...

Pure guess work but I reckon he was probably on £5k a week during his 5 years here plus he probably qualified for Prem promotion bonus so potentially Tommy could have 'earned' well over £1m in wages during his stay here as a squad player.

Shame the Sale of Goods Act doesn't apply to players!!

I was told 4k a week by people 'ITK'. Lot of money for a non-footballer. I'd admire it and say well done if he wasn't such a cock.

Wouldn't it be ironic if his next club was Garforth Town to be reunited with Rupes