david in sweden Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 (edited) ..according tó the BEEB gossip site, Birmingham are offering Doncaster £1.5 million to LOAN.. Matthew Mills until the end of the season. Well what you CAN do if your club has money! ...but before this site explodes with more criticism of the club for letting Mills go ..it ought to go on record that he wasn't pushed ..he jumped ship !. RE-reading old threads and comments about his move, it was entirely HIS choice, and he wasn't pushed out by the club. I think we'd all agree that both Matt Mills AND Martin Crainie were a pretty formidable pair ...when they were central defenders in the ACADEMY side...and they did OK and were well-coached by Steve Wigley, but neither of them were (then) capable of holding down a first team place with Saints...they both made a career choice and moved. Both moved to Prem. clubs, but didn't make the grade; Crainie with Pom*ey (with 'arry) and Mills with Man.City (that was a few managers ago) where Wigley (when sacked by Saints) went to be their reserve trainer, and Mills chose to follow his mentor to Manchester. Clearly he wasn't up to it, and was loaned out /freed / signed by Doncaster (then League 1). I don't know that he is such a class player (?)..... opinions anyone...? and I wish him well if he moves up a step... but I really don't think anyone at SMS can be held responsible for his going..it was his choice to move !.. (Criticism when due .and there's enough of that but not, I think in, this case.) Edited 9 February, 2009 by david in sweden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Porter Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 He left for money, can't blame him for trying to further his career. I do think however we should have had him and Craine tied to long term contracts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eelpie Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 He left for money, can't blame him for trying to further his career. I do think however we should have had him and Craine tied to long term contracts. True. Mills walked for money. But Crainie left because Burley constantly overlooked him for a motley mixture of different loan defenders. He proved his worth at the play-off at Derby. By then it was too late. He walked for a better future. Had he been played at St Mary's Pele would not have been in the side to make his match-losing mistake. My opinion is that if Burley had given Crainie a run in the team we would not be where we are now. Just my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Martini Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 On the bright side, if this deal is going to happen Doncaster will lose Mills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Porter Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 True. Mills walked for money. But Crainie left because Burley constantly overlooked him for a motley mixture of different loan defenders. He proved his worth at the play-off at Derby. By then it was too late. He walked for a better future. Had he been played at St Mary's Pele would not have been in the side to make his match-losing mistake. My opinion is that if Burley had given Crainie a run in the team we would not be where we are now. Just my opinion. Craine was definatly miss managed, I would have been ****ed off if I was in his position as well. Dross like Wright playing right back and Pele playing centre back while Craine was shipped off to Yeovil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheff Saint Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 Centre halves get better with age. What were we to do. Mills wasn't ready for the first team when he left, as was shown by him dropping down to League 1 with Donny. He's now showing the potential we thought he had. If you were Matt Mills and we'd said, here's a new decent 5 year contract but we're loaning you to Donny for two years would you take it, or join Man City in the Prem? Cranie is the same. He's earning big money at Pompey but (has been) learning the trade in the CCC. It's a real shame but there you go, that is modern day football. We're not the only one's. Look at the much worse, much more costly and much more shambolic policy Spurs have just employed of re-signing 3 former players! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papa Shango Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 Craine was definatly miss managed, I would have been ****ed off if I was in his position as well. Dross like Wright playing right back and Pele playing centre back while Craine was shipped off to Yeovil. Cranie is, was and always will be sh*t. There's a reason he was shipped off to Yeovil and never played for us. A Charlton supporting mate told me he was abysmal for them. Why people like you still cream yourself over him is beyond me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 But Crainie left because Burley constantly overlooked him for a motley mixture of different loan defenders. how so? Guthrie and Saga were the only loans we had that season. Had he been played at St Mary's Pele would not have been in the side to make his match-losing mistake. Crainie might have made the exact same mistake. Who knows. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Pele's performances helped get us intot he play off. One mistake once we got there should not wipe out the good work done prior. Its funny every man and dog was calling for youngsters to play when we had experienced pros struggling to get us promoted, now we have fans calling for experience because the youngsters were not ready. GB made lots of mistakes but when it came to blooding youngsters he appeared to get the timing just right. Mills and Cranie both will improve with age but both were not good enough in their final seasons with us to secure a first team slot. If they had been patient they would have become regulars but they moved for more money and thats football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Porter Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 Cranie is, was and always will be sh*t. There's a reason he was shipped off to Yeovil and never played for us. A Charlton supporting mate told me he was abysmal for them. Why people like you still cream yourself over him is beyond me. Probably because of the absolute ****e we're playing at right back and centre back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papa Shango Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 Cranie is just as bad as them though. He was awful for Charlton this season, the one team worse than us. I'd take Saeijs and Perry over him every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint1977 Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 Centre halves get better with age. What were we to do. Mills wasn't ready for the first team when he left, as was shown by him dropping down to League 1 with Donny. He's now showing the potential we thought he had. If you were Matt Mills and we'd said, here's a new decent 5 year contract but we're loaning you to Donny for two years would you take it, or join Man City in the Prem? Cranie is the same. He's earning big money at Pompey but (has been) learning the trade in the CCC. It's a real shame but there you go, that is modern day football. We're not the only one's. Look at the much worse, much more costly and much more shambolic policy Spurs have just employed of re-signing 3 former players! I agree totally on Cranie, thought he looked awful in the few PL and CCC games he played and one decent game at Pride Park didn't change that. I laughed when the Skates had to pay us money for him! Mills was influenced by Wigley to Man City and given how things have worked out for him, he won't be too unhappy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint1977 Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 On the bright side, if this deal is going to happen Doncaster will lose Mills. That could be a positive but we'll have to win games to overhaul them with or without him and I'm not sure we'll win many more this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david in sweden Posted 9 February, 2009 Author Share Posted 9 February, 2009 That could be a positive but we'll have to win games to overhaul them with or without him and I'm not sure we'll win many more this season. ....maybe prayer is the answer ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eelpie Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 Mills and Cranie both will improve with age but both were not good enough in their final seasons with us to secure a first team slot. If they had been patient they would have become regulars but they moved for more money and thats football. And sadly the same applies to many of our current crop of youngsters. We have been relying on them achieving their potential before they are ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a1ex2001 Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 The sad thing is Mills was ready for the championship when we let him go, if you don't believe me go and read the match reports from his time at Coventry. He left because Burleys predecessor wouldn't play him, he'd made his mind up before Burley arrived and started playing him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedelldays Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 i remember people on here laughing at mills when he signed for donny saying "what a come down from citeh".. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyFartPants Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 Cranie is, was and always will be sh*t. There's a reason he was shipped off to Yeovil and never played for us. A Charlton supporting mate told me he was abysmal for them. Why people like you still cream yourself over him is beyond me. Have you got a superiority complex? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 A loan at 1.5 million for a handful of games? Sounds like a right load of old carp to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david in sweden Posted 9 February, 2009 Author Share Posted 9 February, 2009 how so? Guthrie and Saga were the only loans we had that season. Crainie might have made the exact same mistake. Who knows. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Pele's performances helped get us intot he play off. One mistake once we got there should not wipe out the good work done prior. Its funny every man and dog was calling for youngsters to play when we had experienced pros struggling to get us promoted, now we have fans calling for experience because the youngsters were not ready. GB made lots of mistakes but when it came to blooding youngsters he appeared to get the timing just right. Mills and Cranie both will improve with age but both were not good enough in their final seasons with us to secure a first team slot. If they had been patient they would have become regulars but they moved for more money and thats football. Totally agree Chez, we seem to be in the same situation now. JP tried about a dozen youngsters in the first half of the season and despite their gallant efforts many of them were still just ..Academy level and not upto the rigours of CCC rough house sides with lots of muscle but considerably less talent. (e.g. Blackpool / QPR) I can think that given time...(which we don't have) a lot of the could make careers at a lower level (League 1/2, Conference) BUT can we afford to run a "post-Academy" side as a reserve team and the Acadmy lads wouldn't get a game until they were 21. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldNick Posted 9 February, 2009 Share Posted 9 February, 2009 Mills Crainey Baird Bale left for more money, at least 3 of them have hardly got much further in their careers by doing so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danbert Posted 10 February, 2009 Share Posted 10 February, 2009 Steve Claridge on Matt Mills, from todays Grauniad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oz Posted 10 February, 2009 Share Posted 10 February, 2009 his little bruvver is a BETTER PROSPECT, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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