Who opened the door? My money is on Janus! 2024 January transfer thread.

[GhostoftheBok]

Have City got any centre backs they can lend us in an emergency?

Some kid called Guariol...Gvardile..Gvardiol...something like that.

Not sure he's the required standard. Eastern Europeans never adapt well to English football. That's been a definitely true fact since the 80s.

Only 22, so we'd need to be patient with him.

[GhostoftheBok]

Portsmouth have signed Callum Lang.

[The_Gun]

Also talk of Pompey and Blackpool vying for Moxon. Based on his performance on Saturday... good luck to them.

[GhostoftheBok]

Also talk of Pompey and Blackpool vying for Moxon. Based on his performance on Saturday... good luck to them.

Could say the same about Collins in some games this season.

Apparently Carlisle fans have been sending pretty specific, targeted abuse to him and family members (after the manager announced he'd refused a new deal) and he wants out. Their fan base is know for that kind of stuff, so it's believable.

Meanwhile Wigan fans are doing their collective nut, having realised their new owner intends to run them on a break-even basis as soon as possible.

[officer_dibble]

Presumably if we had fancied Callum Lang the Bolton price would be double the Portsmouth price.

[BWFC_Insane]

Also talk of Pompey and Blackpool vying for Moxon. Based on his performance on Saturday... good luck to them.

Could say the same about Collins in some games this season.

Apparently Carlisle fans have been sending pretty specific, targeted abuse to him and family members (after the manager announced he'd refused a new deal) and he wants out. Their fan base is know for that kind of stuff, so it's believable.

Meanwhile Wigan fans are doing their collective nut, having realised their new owner intends to run them on a break-even basis as soon as possible.

Moxon is a static type though. His lack of mobility will be exposed the higher up he goes. It is why I don’t think Morley will make it either.

Might have great feet but if you need time and space created for you then there is a ceiling on that.

[GhostoftheBok]

Presumably if we had fancied Callum Lang the Bolton price would be double the Portsmouth price.

The new regime wouldn't have cared either way.

[Worthy4England]

Also talk of Pompey and Blackpool vying for Moxon. Based on his performance on Saturday... good luck to them.

Could say the same about Collins in some games this season.

Apparently Carlisle fans have been sending pretty specific, targeted abuse to him and family members (after the manager announced he'd refused a new deal) and he wants out. Their fan base is know for that kind of stuff, so it's believable.

Meanwhile Wigan fans are doing their collective nut, having realised their new owner intends to run them on a break-even basis as soon as possible.

The manager needs to give his head a shake. Poor management IMO, to rat one of your players out to the fan-base in that manner. Why would an out of contract player commit to next year, one division down, if they think they're capable of playing at L1 or higher?

[GhostoftheBok]

Moxon is a static type though. His lack of mobility will be exposed the higher up he goes. It is why I don’t think Morley will make it either.

Might have great feet but if you need time and space created for you then there is a ceiling on that.

Tom Huddlestone played 11 seasons of Premier League football, totalling 242 appearances.

The man was about as mobile as a fully-stocked fridge.

Same goes for Campo and Hierro, on that front.

If you need the type, and you have the coaching staff to knock the rough edges off, Moxon would be very attractive.

Mousinho's double-pivot will suit him, if he does indeed go. He's an upgrade on Pack, for me.

He's no longer what we need, I'd say. We need more midfield rotation now with our attacking patterns.

[knobpolisher]

Hopefully Wigans break even point is northern premier league.

[BWFC_Insane]

Moxon is a static type though. His lack of mobility will be exposed the higher up he goes. It is why I don’t think Morley will make it either.

Might have great feet but if you need time and space created for you then there is a ceiling on that.

Tom Huddlestone played 11 seasons of Premier League football, totalling 242 appearances.

The man was about as mobile as a fully-stocked fridge.

Same goes for Campo and Hierro, on that front.

If you need the type, and you have the coaching staff to knock the rough edges off, Moxon would be very attractive.

Mousinho's double-pivot will suit him, if he does indeed go. He's an upgrade on Pack, for me.

He's no longer what we need, I'd say. We need more midfield rotation now with our attacking patterns.

Yeah sure but those players were all more physically and defensively capable than what I’ve seen of Moxon. They allowed those sides to play pseudo back threes at times and in a different era too.

Not saying that such a role isn’t valuable but I don’t see the same reason physicality or game reading in Moxon’s game. What I’ve seen of him he’s like Morley and his wouldn’t necessarily say Morley is going to be the next Campo either…..

[GhostoftheBok]

The manager needs to give his head a shake. Poor management IMO, to rat one of your players out to the fan-base in that manner. Why would an out of contract player commit to next year, one division down, if they think they're capable of playing at L1 or higher?

I don't know Paul Simpson, but he may have done it to force things to a head and stop the kid leaving on a free in the summer. He made sure to say that Moxon intended to "explore his options in the summer", which is apparently what set a few of the nutters off.

Would be scummy were that the case, but I've seen managers do worse.

That's not to impugn the man's character, just I could see it happening in football. It may have been simple stupidity.

[Worthy4England]

Liam Trotter played in the Champo...

[Worthy4England]

The manager needs to give his head a shake. Poor management IMO, to rat one of your players out to the fan-base in that manner. Why would an out of contract player commit to next year, one division down, if they think they're capable of playing at L1 or higher?

I don't know Paul Simpson, but he may have done it to force things to a head and stop the kid leaving on a free in the summer. He made sure to say that Moxon intended to "explore his options in the summer", which is apparently what set a few of the nutters off.

Would be scummy were that the case, but I've seen managers do worse.

That's not to impugn the man's character, just I could see it happening in football. It may have been simple stupidity.

Yeah - I understand why he might, but with a season to try and rescue and a lot of games left to play, I think I'd want all my players playing for me, with no outside distractions as far as possible...

[GhostoftheBok]

Yeah sure but those players were all more physically and defensively capable than what I’ve seen of Moxon. They allowed those sides to play pseudo back threes at times and in a different era too.

Not saying that such a role isn’t valuable but I don’t see the same reason physicality or game reading in Moxon’s game. What I’ve seen of him he’s like Morley and his wouldn’t necessarily say Morley is going to be the next Campo either…..

I think you've caught him on off days.

He's one of the highest performing mids in terms of defensive actions - tackles, interceptions, 50/50s won, etc.

Even in this "dodgy" season he's 99th percentile in the league for tackles (3.2 per game) and one of the top performers for ground duels won.

Criticism of him is that his creativity has dipped this season, not that he's not the 2nd best ball-winner in the division - which he is, behind Wiredu at Fleetwood (whose release clause we should trigger when they are relegated).

Carlisle were essentially a one-man team last season and this season nobody else has stepped up to cover Moxon struggling to find the same passing range. I'd suggest that's primarily because better sides deal more easily with their forwards and give him less to hit, but that's a wider discussion.

*edit* It's worth noting that it'd be entirely fair to say "Isn't it just that mids at two relegation sides are bound to have to put a foot in more?" and yes, but also no. Their rate per action is also really high, they just happen to also play in shit sides.

[BWFC_Insane]

Talk of poor managerial behaviour aside…with Pompey signing Lang it does sort of highlight the need to bring some real quality in this week if we want to realistically stay in touch.

Can’t imagine Peterborough doing much but Derby have and are…Pompey are…

I don’t want us spending money for the sake of it or money we’ve not got but it feels like the next few days will be critical in determining outcomes this season.

[GhostoftheBok]

Talk of poor managerial behaviour aside…with Pompey signing Lang it does sort of highlight the need to bring some real quality in this week if we want to realistically stay in touch.

Can’t imagine Peterborough doing much but Derby have and are…Pompey are…

I don’t want us spending money for the sake of it or money we’ve not got but it feels like the next few days will be critical in determining outcomes this season.

Derby and Pompey are both signing forwards/wingers who, when you factor in their frankly daft wages at this level, will both cost considerably more than Collins over the life of their deals. Neither is close to Collin's creativity or goalscoring over the last 18 months.

Let's hope we get him.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Morning all… well it is where I am.

To be fair to Darren Witcoop he only left His Majesty’s Press this very month, and considering he’s working for Reach (one of a dying industry’s most savage cutters) I can’t blame him for jumping in a lifeboat.

Darren was usually very close to the story so it hopefully suits him - but now he’s jumped the fence Ghost’s wariness is justified, and Ward doesn’t feel right at all.

Also worth noting it looks like Hudds are set to chop the luckless Darren Moore this morning, so which probably means the return of Warnock, who knows Ward well.

We are now getting close to big-decisions time. And not just for us. All very well to talk of dominoes and having deals set up but if Bristol Rovers play hardball till half past Tuesday they could find themselves running out of time to spend the Collins cash (which in itself could tempt the clubs they’re buying off to raise their prices…)

That’s one B—- Rovers trying to play hardball. The other ones up the Devil’s Highway can feck off if they think we’re springing half a million to borrow an unwanted player. I do want pace up top and I’m not sure Collins solves that but I don’t want it at such expense. Would rather get a young untried flyer from the Prem on loan - the idea is to drop wary defences back, young Billy Whizz doesn’t have to score himself.

[GhostoftheBok]

That’s one B—- Rovers trying to play hardball. The other ones up the Devil’s Highway can feck off if they think we’re springing half a million to borrow an unwanted player. I do want pace up top and I’m not sure Collins solves that but I don’t want it at such expense. Would rather get a young untried flyer from the Prem on loan - the idea is to drop wary defences back, young Billy Whizz doesn’t have to score himself.

As I understand it (as of this morning) the series of events was a deal was agreed, but Blackburn wanted time to find a replacement. We covered our bases by looking around and were informed Collins was available - we naturally dug into it. Blackburn got wind of that and decided that if we were willing to pay a fee for Collins we could jolly well pay one for Ennis too, so there (cue childish noises) and changed the terms of the deal on the table. The 500k, however, would make him our player - lock, stock and barrel. It's not a 500k loan fee.

They initiated the delay. We can't be held responsible if a better offer landed whilst they dithered around. Seems they are hoping we'll draw a blank on Collins and have to go back cap-in-hand.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Update: have just read Marc’s story, which suggests the £500k Ennis fee *would* be to convert the loan to perm. Not bad if he’s good but not good if he’s bad.

Marc also suggests we will improve our initial Collins bid of £600k (£550k per Darren Witcoop). And quotes the Bristol Rovers manager Matt “Not That One, He’s Unemployed Again” Taylor as saying the fee is “ down to the hierarchies of the two clubs”. That may be a clue that Wrexham and Charlton aren’t still in - but it could also be a generic “the buyer and the seller”.