Noel Hunt signs

[brendywendy]

A very "Reading" signing, tbh. Nowt wrong with that, but I feel this is a prelude to one of Lita/Doyle leaving in this window.

i cant help thinking this too

[Stranded]

It's this continued belief that our squad 'only needs tweaking' that I can't get my head around.

Compare our 106 point side to what we have now.

No Sidwell or Kitson, Marek and Bikey in. And that's it in terms of our 'strongest line-up' (perhaps you could swap Rosenior for Murts, but the latter remains first choice I think), in over two years. Arguably, the side is worse off than when we were last here, which to my mind doesn't represent adequate investment. Against that, the division is arguably stronger. At least, this early in pre-season, there could be 10 or so clubs who might win it.

It also gives players that failed us last season another chance, after they received two last season. If they fail again, then what? 'If we can't bring anyone in I have confidence in the players at my disposal'?

I am jealous of Derby fans because they have been relegated, like us, and are seeing their club invest in proven, quality players, using money that they gained from their time in the Premier League. Like us, they are probably paying higher ticket prices than when they were last in the Championship, but for this they have seen significant investment in the side.

WR has always, and will always, tear apart the transfers of other clubs, and, like brendy, strongly defend the actions of RFC (although I note the Coppell thread the other day). But a £1.75m striker and a Polish international midfielder are, imho, far beyond what Hammond and co even set out to find this summer, and it's that that concerns me.

If our squad had performed such as Derby's last season we'd be doing something very similar. Our situation is not comparable to their's beyond us both being relegated.

I say tweaked because the spine of our squad as it stands is strong for this level. We do need a RW and a LB and possibly one or two more depending on who goes but answers to one or two may already be here and what people seem to forget this year we can use the loan market at almost any time (and Coppell stated earlier in the summer that he would this season).

[Alan Partridge]

Derby clearly needed a mass overhaul, I do thik they've bought pretty well, and the likes of Robbie Savage, Roy Carroll, Giles Barnes should all also be easily good enough for the CCC. They are assembling a pretty decent team there now, I wonder if Jewell might actually win a game now?

[Gordons Cumming]

It's this continued belief that our squad 'only needs tweaking' that I can't get my head around.

Compare our 106 point side to what we have now.

No Sidwell or Kitson, Marek and Bikey in. And that's it in terms of our 'strongest line-up' (perhaps you could swap Rosenior for Murts, but the latter remains first choice I think), in over two years. Arguably, the side is worse off than when we were last here, which to my mind doesn't represent adequate investment. Against that, the division is arguably stronger. At least, this early in pre-season, there could be 10 or so clubs who might win it.

It also gives players that failed us last season another chance, after they received two last season. If they fail again, then what? 'If we can't bring anyone in I have confidence in the players at my disposal'?

I am jealous of Derby fans because they have been relegated, like us, and are seeing their club invest in proven, quality players, using money that they gained from their time in the Premier League. Like us, they are probably paying higher ticket prices than when they were last in the Championship, but for this they have seen significant investment in the side.

WR has always, and will always, tear apart the transfers of other clubs, and, like brendy, strongly defend the actions of RFC (although I note the Coppell thread the other day). But a £1.75m striker and a Polish international midfielder are, imho, far beyond what Hammond and co even set out to find this summer, and it's that that concerns me.

If our squad had performed such as Derby's last season we'd be doing something very similar. Our situation is not comparable to their's beyond us both being relegated.

I say tweaked because the spine of our squad as it stands is strong for this level. We do need a RW and a LB and possibly one or two more depending on who goes but answers to one or two may already be here and what people seem to forget this year we can use the loan market at almost any time (and Coppell stated earlier in the summer that he would this season).

Agreed

[gazmandu]

No - But what the hell I am feeling reckless today !!!!

You is one crazy mofo.

[Geekins]

It's Mr. S. Hunt to you

[Royalshow]

To be fair i think it does.

[The Surgeon of Crowthorne]

It's a wind-up - pualtheroyal's claim that is. ptr has done this several times in the past.

Apology?

Will let you know next time i get a phone call from "someone" when activity is taking place.

I did apologise - about 4 pages back now so you probably missed it!

[Stranded]

A very "Reading" signing, tbh. Nowt wrong with that, but I feel this is a prelude to one of Lita/Doyle leaving in this window.

i cant help thinking this too

Well Coppell has said today re N.Hunt "We've had him watched a number of times last season and now Kits has gone as well. I said I was happy with three forwards but a situation arose"

Sounds to me more like he's coming in to compliment those 3 rather than replace one of them.

Doyle in the EP today was also very clear that he wants to stay and help us get back up.

[Wycombe Royal]

Fans views differ on everything. A lot of Dundee utd fans are delighted with the fee they've got for someone who has had 1 good season goalscoring wise in his career. There will be a good portion of Blades fans disappointed that Hulse has gone and they've spent more money on Darius Henderson.

Hulse maybe needed a fresh start where he's the main man again, at Sheffield Beattie is their number 1 and I can't imagine them working well as a partnership.

I haven't seen any comments from Dundee United fans where they are delighted with the fee. Most seem to want over £1m and those that are relatively happy say they are purely because he only has a year left on his contract and could sign a pre-contract with us from January meaning they get nothing.

I haven't seen any that are happy with the fee beacause of his football abilities but maybe I have looked in different places to you.

[TBM]

Doyle in the EP today was also very clear that he wants to stay and help us get back up.

I think it'll do Doyle the world of good, get his confidence back up and he knows he'll still be picked for the Ireland team, as its not like playing for England where you have to be in a top Premiership side to be recognised.

[Mr Angry]

Great isn't it?

The same people who were slagging the club off for not signing anyone, are now slagging the club off for signing a proven goalscorer and someone who will settle into the side a lot quicker than pretty well anyone else would be expected to.

I really don't understand some people - having a go at a new player BEFORE you have ever seen him play because he is a, from a Scottsh team, and b, the brother of a current player.

Get a life people!

[Royal Lady]

^ I agree.

If he doesn't score in the first 10 games, plays like a donkey and scores a couple of og's - THAT is the time to maybe question this signing. Give the guy a break lads!

[Wycombe Royal]

WR has always, and will always, tear apart the transfers of other clubs

If there are any transfers that I think would really have been good ones for us to make then I will say so but so far I don't think there has been too may this summer. Going back to Hulse if he had been cheaper then I would have like to have seen him here but not at £1.75m.

Some goods transfers in my opinion this summer have been:
Marcus Bent to Birmingham
Kevin Phillips to Birmingham
Nick Carle to Palace
Richard Wright to Ipswich
Wes Hoolahan to Norwich
Radek Cerny to QPR
Richard Stearman to Wolves
Sam Vokes to Wolves
Chris Iwelumo to Wolves

[Alan Partridge]

Fans views differ on everything. A lot of Dundee utd fans are delighted with the fee they've got for someone who has had 1 good season goalscoring wise in his career. There will be a good portion of Blades fans disappointed that Hulse has gone and they've spent more money on Darius Henderson.

Hulse maybe needed a fresh start where he's the main man again, at Sheffield Beattie is their number 1 and I can't imagine them working well as a partnership.

I haven't seen any comments from Dundee United fans where they are delighted with the fee. Most seem to want over £1m and those that are relatively happy say they are purely because he only has a year left on his contract and could sign a pre-contract with us from January meaning they get nothing.

I haven't seen any that are happy with the fee beacause of his football abilities but maybe I have looked in different places to you.

£600k upfront and £1m overall is a fantastic peace of business and I agree with Fleming he is not worth that. he has had only one proven season as a goalscorer and faded at the end of the season (although to be fair so did most of the team),the rest of his game is fairly average and lost count of how many times last sseason he lost control of the ball via his first touch. most utd fans seem to be blinded a bit here, in my opinion his void wont hit us anywhere near what robson leaving did. i have a feeling we will be better without hunt this season.

It's a shame to lose Hunt and his 'nuisance factor' from our attack, but with just a year left on his contract the club are right to take the 'rumoured' £600k on offer from Reading. Following the summer transfer activity, we now have greater strength in depth and competition for the striking roles

some utd fans need to get a grip here, he has one year left on his contract and has had one decent season in about how many including his time at dunfermline? he was bought for £50k, lets cash in

i like hunt but to be honest i would grab the 500k, he works his socks off and scored a good number last season, but his first touch and link up play are awful

a few there, more are disappointed that he's gone and are sorry to see him leave but as ever with fans, some don't rate him that highly.

[Hoop Blah]

Well at last we've signed another forward. A very typical Reading signing as we've got a young hungry player who will hopefully benefit from coming here and trying to prove his worth.

It worries me a bit that he's Hunts brother, as it just seems a bit too convenient that the brother of one of our players is the exact type of player that Coppell thinks he needed to compliment his other forwards and strengthen the squad.

Apart from that I'm pleased we've just started to show some intent in the transfer market.

As for Hunt being a proven scorer and all that, last season he scored something like 10 league goals from open play plus a couple of penalties. That doesn't strike me as a proven goalscorer considering he played in just about every one of Utds 38 games.

Good luck to the lad, welcome aboard, now please just show us we didn't buy you because your brothers here and you're the one who got all the talent in the family.

[Bill Oddie's Beard]

rest of his game is fairly average and lost count of how many times last season he lost control of the ball via his first touch...
It's a shame to lose Hunt and his 'nuisance factor' ...
he works his socks off and scored a good number last season, but his first touch and link up play are awful...

Starting to sound a lot like his brother

[londinium]

It's this continued belief that our squad 'only needs tweaking' that I can't get my head around.

Compare our 106 point side to what we have now.

No Sidwell or Kitson, Marek and Bikey in. And that's it in terms of our 'strongest line-up' (perhaps you could swap Rosenior for Murts, but the latter remains first choice I think), in over two years. Arguably, the side is worse off than when we were last here, which to my mind doesn't represent adequate investment. Against that, the division is arguably stronger. At least, this early in pre-season, there could be 10 or so clubs who might win it.

It also gives players that failed us last season another chance, after they received two last season. If they fail again, then what? 'If we can't bring anyone in I have confidence in the players at my disposal'?

I am jealous of Derby fans because they have been relegated, like us, and are seeing their club invest in proven, quality players, using money that they gained from their time in the Premier League. Like us, they are probably paying higher ticket prices than when they were last in the Championship, but for this they have seen significant investment in the side.

WR has always, and will always, tear apart the transfers of other clubs, and, like brendy, strongly defend the actions of RFC (although I note the Coppell thread the other day). But a £1.75m striker and a Polish international midfielder are, imho, far beyond what Hammond and co even set out to find this summer, and it's that that concerns me.

Comparing our current side to the 106 points side, yes I too beleive we are weaker, but we did romp the league with record points so a slightly weaker team than that one would still be very good at Championship level.

As for it being stronger, if last season is anything to go by, it will be the weakest championship league in years, I thought last years standard of footie was piss poor summed up by the fact that a pretty mediocre West Brom side can go up as Champions and the other two promoted clubs hardly set the world alight with their dynamic footbal unlike our champ winnning side.

[Row Z Royal]

Shit signing. Oh well.

[Bill Oddie's Beard]

It's this continued belief that our squad 'only needs tweaking' that I can't get my head around.

Compare our 106 point side to what we have now.

No Sidwell or Kitson, Marek and Bikey in. And that's it in terms of our 'strongest line-up' (perhaps you could swap Rosenior for Murts, but the latter remains first choice I think), in over two years. Arguably, the side is worse off than when we were last here, which to my mind doesn't represent adequate investment. Against that, the division is arguably stronger. At least, this early in pre-season, there could be 10 or so clubs who might win it.

It also gives players that failed us last season another chance, after they received two last season. If they fail again, then what? 'If we can't bring anyone in I have confidence in the players at my disposal'?

I am jealous of Derby fans because they have been relegated, like us, and are seeing their club invest in proven, quality players, using money that they gained from their time in the Premier League. Like us, they are probably paying higher ticket prices than when they were last in the Championship, but for this they have seen significant investment in the side.

WR has always, and will always, tear apart the transfers of other clubs, and, like brendy, strongly defend the actions of RFC (although I note the Coppell thread the other day). But a £1.75m striker and a Polish international midfielder are, imho, far beyond what Hammond and co even set out to find this summer, and it's that that concerns me.

Comparing our current side to the 106 points side, yes I too beleive we are weaker, but we did romp the league with record points so a slightly weaker team than that one would still be very good at Championship level.

As for it being stronger, if last season is anything to go by, it will be the weakest championship league in years, I thought last years standard of footie was piss poor summed up by the fact that a pretty mediocre West Brom side can go up as Champions and the other two promoted clubs hardly set the world alight with their dynamic footbal unlike our champ winnning side.

Didn't West Brom lose something like 11 games last year?! Thats pretty piss poor to still go on and win it! I think it might appear stronger cos so many teams think they can win it, but in reality it might just be because everyone is so shite that they're all even, if that makes sense...