Hanging on, January Transfer Window thread 2017

[Armchair Wanderer]

At 21 there was a lot of stuff I didn't like... and there's still a lot of stuff I don't like.

I probably shouldn't apply for any jobs in future because of my long history of not liking some stuff.

[cmbfc_90]

We should be looking at players who are out of contract in the summer cause by the looks of things the embargo won't be getting lifted anytime soon. On the plus side if we were to get both le fondre & ameobi both are free agents in the summer

[malcd1]

Looks like it is Bradford in for Proctor. A gamble to sell to a rival but we need the cash and the space.

[jimbo]

Looks like it is Bradford in for Proctor. A gamble to sell to a rival but we need the cash and the space.

It's not a gamble. We've found someone to take someone who is utterly useless off our hands.

[Nicko58]

We are deffo short on pace up top. As we have been for years! So its a thumbs up from me.

This is where I'm at. He's also an ex-England youth international so he must have something about him.

[Nicko58]

We should be looking at players who are out of contract in the summer cause by the looks of things the embargo won't be getting lifted anytime soon. On the plus side if we were to get both le fondre & ameobi both are free agents in the summer

That's what we've been doing. Each of Ameobi, Taylor, Henry and Thorpe's contracts expire at the end of the season.

[Bruce Rioja]

Looks like it is Bradford in for Proctor. A gamble to sell to a rival but we need the cash and the space.

A doff of the cap there, Malc. Excellent work, Sir.

[malcd1]

Looks like it is Bradford in for Proctor. A gamble to sell to a rival but we need the cash and the space.

A doff of the cap there, Malc. Excellent work, Sir.

If only I'd meant it!

[Bijou Bob]

I have it on what may be reasonable authority that Ameobi won't be back. The reason behind this allegedly, is that having agreed to pay Toon 10k per week towards his wages... We haven't yet paid them a penny.

[TANGODANCER]

We are in serious danger, are we not, of being labelled as bad-debt risk merchants wherein any future financial dealing of any sort might be regarded as er, dodgy? Is this where Bolton are now?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

We are in serious danger, are we not, of being labelled as bad-debt risk merchants wherein any future financial dealing of any sort might be regarded as er, dodgy?

Yes, we may well be.

Is this where Bolton are now?

Yes, it may well be.

It's darkly funny. Football will forgive all sorts of fiscal chicanery regarding outside interests – right down to not paying the St John Ambulance folks, which happens with disgusting regularity: David Conn has written about how it has happened at Darlington, at Portsmouth, at Leeds, at Hull, etc etc – but as soon as you become a liability to your own kind, leaving bills unpaid to fellow clubs, well that's a different story.

Obviously you don't become persona non grata – after all there's one born every minute, and every transfer window will have several clubs desperately trying to offload the extravagances of the previous manager, or the manager before that, or the manager before that – but Ken and son need to do some fast talking, especially considering promotion would render the debts much more manageable and the club much more sellable.

Fourteen hours to deadline.

[TANGODANCER]

^
There is also the fact that crowd attendance should be paramount right now. Losing the respect of the fans for more than losing games will hardly help matters to say the least.Tales like the Newcastle debt are more than worrying.

[BWFC_Insane]

All very nice and all, and I agree with both DSB and TD. But what can anyone do about it? Ken is paying the wages of the club staff, on a temporary emergency basis. There is no other money.

Ken isn't as far as we know a man rich enough to support the club for long.

I'm sure he's doing all he can. I'm not sure there is an answer to this one.

[Worthy4England]

I think the moment of "danger of becoming a bad debt risk" whether we are or not, has long since passed.

The only reason DH was able to strike a deal with Blumarble was because we have some assets. But as they get spread as collateral across numerous loans we're more of a problem to anyone wanting to lend.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Marc Iles, bless him, is already well into an 18-hour shift on the Transfer News blog. Selected highlights on various topics here - (...) means I've lashed together a couple of posts on the same topic(s).

Proctor: “Looks like leaving the club today. Bradford City made a surprise enquiry (…) Proctor does fancy going back to Valley Parade (…) but my gut feeling is that Wanderers will not want to sell him to a direct rival in the promotion race. Portsmouth and Port Vale are both in the running. Pompey will only get involved if they lose out on Eoin Doyle - who, as you will remember from several posts ago, is also on Wanderers' radar. Carlisle have also expressed an interest, but only if Bradford sign their number one choice Charlie Wyke (and thus give up the Proctor chase). A swap deal with Bradford was also mooted last night - ex-Liverpool full-back Stephen Darby was the name thrown forward - but sources at Bradford have denied it.”

Ameobi: “I sense Phil Parkinson has got alternatives lined-up IF there is space and IF Newcastle United refuse to do business today. Andros Townsend's move to Tyneside seems to have taken an age to sort out - but the moment it goes through, the chances of Ameobi being loaned out again increase significantly.”

Conor Wilkinson: “Can't move on loan anywhere else in the Football League (other than Chesterfield). I would imagine other options are being investigated.”

Paying off two players: “Talks still ongoing as of yesterday. Haven't heard anyone looking to sign them. There are a good handful of players who could fall into that category today. But rather depends on the available finance. Also a big wage/HMRC bill on horizon this week.”

ALF: “I'm sure Wigan will be looking to sign a couple today too. I have voiced my opinion on ALF a few times this week. I'd love to see him back - very, very good goalscorer - but my hunch is that he hasn't been top of the list. Could that change? Absolutely.”

Eoin Doyle: “Heavy rumour overnight that he has a choice to make today between Wanderers, Bradford City and Portsmouth.”

Viv Solomon-Otabor: “Last night a story broke in the Midlands that he was being allowed to leave Birmingham City on loan and that Wanderers were head of the queue. Interestingly, it fell through. Not sure why yet. He is a right winger, by the way.”

On BWFC asking FL to give us another squad space in place of injured Pratley: “The point has been made by Ken Anderson to the Football League (…) But my understanding is that Ken Anderson will continue talking to the Football League today. A decision yet to be made, perhaps?”

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Iles saying that Portsmouth offered £50k for Proctor, and are still interested in buying. I don't think I'm alone in saying that I'd have taken that. Can't see us getting much more than that.

I think at this stage most of us would accept him leaving for nowt. Money would merely be a bonus, I doubt it'd be a sticking point.

Also, Pompey are after Eoin Doyle, so sending them Proctor might make our chase for him easier... if that's how we choose to use the freed-up space. (Preston would also prefer him to drop one level rather than two, and I'm sure he'd rather not have to up sticks to the south coast; such considerations can be important at this level. But that also applies to Proctor, who wants to move back to Bradford...)

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Yeah which is why I find it all the more strange that we'd turn it down

Have we turned it down? Maybe he's digging his heels in just long enough to see if he can return to Bradford - his previous club, wouldn't have to move house, and in a higher division than Pompey...

Also, according to Bradford local hacks, we wanted to swap Proctor for Stephen Darby (Scouse right-back, Spearing's mate) but they've said no.

[TANGODANCER]

I think the moment of "danger of becoming a bad debt risk" whether we are or not, has long since passed.

The only reason DH was able to strike a deal with Blumarble was because we have some assets. But as they get spread as collateral across numerous loans we're more of a problem to anyone wanting to lend.

I think what I was saying Worthy, was that if I were the top end of any club right now ( talking mainly the three musketeers; C.E.O/Owner, Director of football, and Finance director, because the managers can only do anything with their permission) and hearing tales of "drunkenness and cruelty" (sorry Kinks, and it should really be debt and arrears) I might be more than a bit hesitant to get involved with any dealings with us. Tonight should tell a few tales.....

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

From the BN this morning:

Talks between Wanderers and Oldham over a loan move for Chris Taylor have stalled as the clubs failed to come to a financial agreement. Boundary Park boss John Sheridan has made no secret of his wish to sign the midfielder but hinted there would be obstacles.

“Chris is a player I have always liked so if he was available and there was a chance to get him I would take him all day long,” he said. “Those circumstances are not up to me. There are lots of players who could make us better. Chris knows Oldham and he knows me. I wouldn’t rule it out but I think it would be difficult to try and get him.”

That *should* be easily solvable, but it would cost us - we'll just have to pay more of his wages while he's on loan. Again, depends how much we want to gamble, and how much money we have to gamble with.

[BWFC_Insane]

Daily Mail reporting we've not paid players' wages.

Super!