First signing of the summer - NOW on OS !!

[St.Patrik]

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2070757,00.html

[St Mikie]

Just going to say the same thing!

[Ex Ringwood Saint]

Interesting bit about rumours at the bottom....'Only believe what we say !!'

 

Takes the fun out of summer though

[NickG]

although can play across the left side has set his sights on left back place

[NickG]

so Calderon made it up?

[St.Patrik]

Probbably Calderons agent made that up to make sure that "his" player got more money from any deal.

[Pilchards]

It's just another dig at the Echo really because they revealed the deal 2 weeks ago.

I like the bit 'He has Just agreed terms.'

 

yeah right (not)

 

I'm afraid we are going to lose some deals if the paper does that again as Cortese is that obsessed to beat them.

[skintsaint]

petty digs aside...good to see another player turn down the chance for CCC football to come here.

[NickG]

It's just another dig at the Echo really because they revealed the deal 2 weeks ago.

I like the bit 'He has Just agreed terms.'

 

yeah right (not)

 

I'm afraid we are going to lose some deals if the paper does that again as Cortese is that obsessed to beat them.

 

I read it more as a dig as Calderon's agent - them telling everyone they had been offered a contract??

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

Excellent news. I expect to see Harding switch to RB now. There is method to that. When teams sit back against us it's useful to have a player that can cut inside and and whip a ball into the box, as the opposition aren't going to allow us down the line. Just offers variation.

[altoniansaints]

good signing, really excited about next season just hope we can deliver what is expected of us!

[dubai_phil]

I read it more as a dig as Calderon's agent - them telling everyone they had been offered a contract??

 

Or you can read it as a dig at Alpine for his thread "Club have identified targets". Good work Agent Alps - it got a response for us

[Professor]

"..news will appear first exclusively on our official website".... says spokesman Jordan Sibley. OK, except the Dickson news was common knowledge last week, so if Mr Sibley wants that to be true, not only has he got to keep his finger in the rumour dyke but he needs to get his announcements out a bit quicker. The 'we can now announce' bit wasn't very convincing.

 

After the grumble, looks a good signing and real competition for the LB spot. If Dickson becomes first choice, which looks likely, will Harding become cover for LB and RB?

[Saint Charlie]

Excellent news. I expect to see Harding switch to RB now. There is method to that. When teams sit back against us it's useful to have a player that can cut inside and and whip a ball into the box, as the opposition aren't going to allow us down the line. Just offers variation.

 

No. It's about having a squad FFS. We will sign a RB to play at RB.

[John B]

petty digs aside...good to see another player turn down the chance for CCC football to come here.

 

Yes a very good signing but I dont understand the clubs stance really as rumours relating to new players is part of football.

 

 

What we do with out rumours

[John B]

No. It's about having a squad FFS. We will sign a RB to play at RB.

 

I am sure you are right as I cannot see Harding playing at RB

[iansums]

Feel a bit sorry for Harding as I thought he was excellent last season. However it does show massive intent on our part and gives us a few options. Now for a couple of quality RB's.

[once_bitterne]

I am sure you are right as I cannot see Harding playing at RB

 

He did ok in the Paint Pot Final.....

[John B]

So what?

[Saint Fan CaM]

I wondered whether the bit about not believing rumours might be something to do with Lambert - perhaps it was his agent doing some naughty touting around?

 

Anyway, Dickson looks to be a good signing, although not convinced he's better than Harding to be honest. But it does give AP decent defensive options and that's something that has been hugely missed for a long time at Saints. Wonder what will happen with Mills now - sit in reserves until end of contract? Key position now is clearly RB - just wonder who's going to be coming in to fill those boots? Exciting times indeed. Still like the rumours though!

[georgeweahscousin]

Good signing, but can't believe Harding won't be first choice at Left Back?

[Chez]

what a gret battle we are going to have on our hands - Harding vs Dickson for the left back berth. Hopefully we can that sort of competition throughout the squad.

[West End Saint]

Good to get a new signing on board in Pards I trust his signings so far have all been good will be good competition for Dan.

 

Just a right back or two and a top quality central midfielder hang on to all the 1st team get Antonio back on loan bomb out the fringe players and we are good to go.

[suewhistle]

It's not so much a dig at The Echo as agents: "agents publicly link their players with us for no other reason than to strengthen their position when negotiating contracts with other Clubs. That even extends as far as certain players declaring that they have been offered a contract by the Club when they have not".

 

Also, although there were obviously negotiations before over Dickson and hence the rumours we've probably had to wait for the decision that we would accept a tribunal price, presumably once the two parties were fairly close on their valuations.

[Badger]

what a gret battle we are going to have on our hands - Harding vs Dickson for the left back berth. Hopefully we can that sort of competition throughout the squad.

 

Or possibly the two of them in tandem as a lb/lm combination.

[saint_stevo]

a good looking bloke. About time

[Toomer]

I think this will be the first of a few good players to sign this summer, can't wait for the new season to start.

[Colinjb]

Welcome aboard Ryan! Seems he was the guy with the blanked out face in the Shirt launch video.

 

Time to bring in a few Right Backs now. Good start to the summer window.

[Smirking_Saint]

Good signing, good intentions.

 

We now have two quality LB options to choose from.

 

RB and a couple of CM's needed now.

[Colinjb]

Harding is a good right back, but an excellent left back, seems harsh to replace him.

 

Either way, 1 right back isn't enough, especially a left footed one, so we'll need another.

 

I don't see this as replacement.

 

We were lucky last year that Harding did not at any point suffer a serious injury. Mills is ok backup but at no point has convinced me he is a 'left back.' If anything he is a left midfielder.

 

With Dickson we now have strength in depth. Without wishing to sound patronising, I can understand that this is a new concept to us! We've lacked true defensive cover for a very long time!

[Shroppie]

Or possibly the two of them in tandem as a lb/lm combination.

 

I wondered that too. I can see a 451 formation with Dickson left, Puncheon right Spiderman + Hammond (or new signing) holding and Lallana in an attacking central midfield role.

[S-Clarke]

Good signing, instead of signing average players to create competition, we still sign the best this league has to offer.

 

can't wait to see him play. Got a feeling we may seem him opperating in front of harding, with Lallana pushing to the right.

[Saint_clark]

I hope to god Harding is not just dropped from the off. Harding shouldn't have to prove himself AGAIN.

[Arizona]

Well, he's a good signing, although Harding is an excellent left back so it seems very odd brining in a replacement. Neither will be happy playing reserve team football, so it will be interesting to see how this pans out. Shame for Mills too, who I thought looked a very promising player at LB last season and could easily have filled a gap when Harding was injured.

 

Also, let's please please please NOT play DH at RB. It'll be Skacel at LB all over again. He will do a half decent job as a stop gap, but it wont bring out anything like the best of his ability. Before you know it, people will be saying he can't be arsed anymore and doesn't want to be here.

[saint_stevo]

Good signing, instead of signing average players to create competition, we still sign the best this league has to offer.

 

can't wait to see him play. Got a feeling we may seem him opperating in front of harding, with Lallana pushing to the right.

 

Puncheon?

[S-Clarke]

maybe through the middle? or as someone said above, punch right and lallana through the middle.

 

lots of attacking options.

[Saint_clark]

I can't see Pardew dropping Puncheon to be honest, I think he started in every game he was available.

[RedAndWhite91]

Mills always looked better as a midfielder compared to a left back, so if Harding got injured I'd always be a bit nervous with Mills slotting into that spot. Having another left back is great, and the fact he can also play in midfield if needed is quality. Well happy with this signing. Right back must now be a priority.

[SuperSAINT]

YES! - A signing!

 

Looking forward to seeing him play. Now lets get some right back's and some central midfielders!!!

[del boy]

I like the idea of signing a top quality left back for the left back spot. Crazy idea but it might just work. I expect AP now to get us a RB (plus CM, target man forward, and maybe CB). Harding did very well for us, and always looked up for it, but there was definitely room for improvement. It will be good to know that area is now secure with two very good players to call upon.

[toofarnorth]

I was a bit sceptical at first but as others point out you really want to have two qulaity players in each position. We now have two good left backs and Mills was always a midfielder until we needed him to move back to cover a while back. IMO we now need a right back, a right/CB (Wayne Thomas but better), two centre midfielders and Antonio.

[CWD]

Ah I thought I was really cool and breaking the news first. I didn't see this thread at all!

 

Still welcome Ryan!

[Torrent Of Abuse]

I don't agree with the concerns about Harding. Surely it is conceivable that the plan is to play Harding in those games (away?) when we need more defensive cover for our wingers and Dickson in those games where we are free to attack more aggressively. Also injuries to one of our wingers may force a change to a more defensive or offensive thinking full-back.

 

Strange that this forum obsessed about a "Plan B" but then gets suspicious when we sign him.

Edited 15 June, 2010 by Torrent Of Abuse

[Saint_clark]

I don't agree with the concerns about Harding. Surely it is conceivable that the play is to ay Harding in those games (away?) when we need more defensive cover for our wingers and Dickson in those games where we are free to attack more aggressively. Also injuries to one of our wingers may force a change to a more defensive or offensive thinking full-back.

 

Strange that this forum obsessed about a "Plan B" but then gets suspicious when we sign him.

 

Because by all accounts Dickson is expecting first team football this season, and could of got it elsewhere. So why would he join us if he thought he was going to sit in the reserves?

[Saint_Ash]

If we;re buying better players than we already have it's great business! If Dickson is better than Harding then it's great. Harding can sit on the bench.

[NickG]

how good is he?

[iansums]

how good is he?

 

really good

[Thedelldays]

he is a janner by the looks of it....ffs

[Matthew Le God]

he is a janner by the looks of it....ffs

 

Saltash isn't Plymouth(although there isn't much in it). He's a Cornish boy.

[Windmill Arm 2]

Cracking stance taken by the club. I love our "Dont f*** with us" attitude. And good signing.