S-Clarke

TBF Lard, i'd say that keeping Scunny mid-table in the championship was succeeding at this level. Now he's got a chance to go even further. As soon as he left they were relegated. I think that tells you all you need to know.

Exactly, a team that's played together for 2 years now. That is such a huge factor IMO. Harding and Lallanas partnership for e.g. is excellent, and they know each others games inside out.

IIRC the Jaidi work permit took a month to sort out, so we may be waiting a while yet.

I'm really excited, for me we're going into a season where we can just relax. There's no real pressure on us as has been in previous years (last year for e.g.) Let's just relax, enjoy it, and see where it takes us. We've got a good bunch of players here, who have created a real team unit and we may surprise people this year. The signing of Jemal will, for me, complete the jigsaw in this window. We may need a striker if Connolly picks up a knock, but we'll be able to pickup some pretty decent ones in the loan window if we need to, I'm sure of that. Bring it on...it's been a long summer!

If you're on about Chambo, there is no way in hell that QPR could afford 10% of what we want for him. Fact.

Which forum?

Gorkks really would be an outstanding addition, I find it unbelievable that they're willing to let him go. He was their rock last year.

He's left footed, yep. Can also play LB. Not heard anything more, reckon it's stalled re: work permits. Adkins seemed pretty confident a signing would be done a little while ago now, and this guy was hotly tipped to be the player.

errr..nope.

They cannot afford £3.5m, so he won't go there.

lol .

http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20110801/barton-placed-on-transfer-list_2281670_2407238

Rumour building that he's been ''sacked'' by Newcastle and paid the final year of his contract. Will apparently be announced later at some point. Bit of an odd one.

He's not going anywhere http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12876_7075872,00.html

Skysports.com understands Coventry City have turned down a £1.5million bid from Burnley for striker Lukas Jutkiewicz. Coventry are understood to want £3million for Jutkiewicz, who cost just £300,000 from Everton 12 months ago

I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of it is near to the truth though, it's dragged on for quite a while and I'm pretty sure Adkins expected it sorted by now.

just saw on another thread that the club are expecting 22k.

As much as I'd love that to be true, I can't see him lasting long spells in a grueling season. He will score for us...but I can't see him getting into double figures. From what I've seen of Cork, he looks class and could be a good shout.

I didn't ignore your points at Burnley, they've lost Mears and Eagles...but look like replacing them with Trecey and Boyd who are decent IMO. And I just think it's not always about the indviduals, it's the team...and they seemed to have more of a team after howe got a grip of them, that's why I think they'll be challenging. Blackpool, again, I said above - even if they've lost some of their key men, they've done well to add the likes of Barry Ferguson to the mix and this is the season Matt Phillips will make a name for himself. They'll get a striker before the deadline and they'll continue to play the way they do, which is why they'll win more than not. Leeds look weaker, agreed, but other than Mills Reading have managed to keep the likes of Kebe, Macanuf, Long, Church etc...so they'll still be up there. Cardiff aren't in awful shape really either, they lost alot but they've added some decent players in the summer in attacking positions and I think they've got a decent manager too (Cowie, Mason, Earnshaw...), they won't threaten the auto's but I see no reason why they cannot challenge in and around the top 6.

At least they have a decent half time meal (WTF @ THIS?) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRkZ21RJQ0g

Last season you had an awful relegated Portsmouth team, who struggled to compete at the start of the season. Burnley were poor and not up to much with Laws in charge tbh, they only really got going on a late surge once Howe was there. Hull wern't much better either, a really poor squad last season - and had the drain of someone like Bullard on their wage bill which is why the struggled to bring anyone in. Compare that to the clubs coming down this year....West Ham, will be very very hard - still the basis of a mid-table premiership squad there. Blackpool still have a decent team, and have made a couple of good additions. With holloway at the helm they'll still be a threat. (and they'll score lots of goals). Birmingham are the team you'd have more of a question mark over, but they still have a bloody decent squad there and the fire sale hasn't happened to the extent people were expecting. I also like their manager and I think they'll end up being a very hard team to beat this year. So IMO the 3 relegated teams are already stronger than the 3 from last year. Then you add the likes of Leicester city who are going mad, Ipswich have recruited really well and seem to have got over their Keane debacle and Burnley under Howe will be more of a threat than they were under Laws. I think a lot of clubs are in a much better position than they were last year, add to that the quality of players being relegated into this league and Leicesters Man City impression. It is tougher, and the chances of anyone doing a ''Norwich'' are slim to say the least. Top half mid-table for us and Brighton would be a fair reflection IMO.

Much, much tougher league this year though.

Their owner is going to destroy that club, It will all end in tears.

At least we're not Sheffield Wednesday???!?!?! Alfreton Town 14 - 0 Sheffield Wednesday (I assume that it's some sort of reserve/first team mix...but jesus christ!)

I'm quite comfortable with how it stands at the moment. In Fonte you have one of the better CB's at this level when he was at Palace, Butterfield was a really solid RB at Palace and Harding has proven himself to be championship quality. The question mark is over Fonte's partner, which I assume will end up being a new addition, but even if it's not in time for the Leeds game, Seaborne has really impressed me in the games I've seen during pre-season. He's always had excellent composure on the ball, but during pre-season he seems to have improved his distribution rather than just aimlessly hoofing. He's probably the quickest CB at the club. IMO We'll end up having Fonte/New Signing with a backup pair of Jaidi and Seaborne (I expect Martin to be loaned at at some point).