RUMOUR- Clayton Donaldson

[linkenholtroyal]

Ok Kevin Doyle, Shane long, dave kitson, leroy lita, nicky Forster, jamie cureton were all proven at championship level when we bought them buying ageing crocks have only been a trait of reading in the last few years, this is how we have ended up with large wage bills we can't handle and we are not making money but losing it. We should be looking to buy to bring on and if they leave make money off of that potential, not lose 3 of our best players for nothing and buy or get in ageing replacements. The reading way is losing its way.....

[Hoop Blah]

Mackie is great for running around and spooning the ball into the stand but he's not a goal scorer and that's what Clarke is presumably trying to add to the squad, and rightly so.

I'm not convinced by spending so much on such a short term fix but if it's what Clarke thinks he needs (a big physical forward with a bit of pace who knows how to score goals) then it's great that the club are backing him. I totally agree we need a bit of pace and certainly some goals so it makes a fair amount of sense.

As with other comments elsewhere, buying young and promising talent isn't really where we are at the moment. We have plenty of that in the squad already, if Clarke thinks they've got enough talent and potential that is, and what we need is to add immediate ability and results to the side.

[Hoop Blah]

Ok Kevin Doyle, Shane long, dave kitson, leroy lita, nicky Forster, jamie cureton were all proven at championship level when we bought them buying ageing crocks have only been a trait of reading in the last few years, this is how we have ended up with large wage bills we can't handle and we are not making money but losing it. We should be looking to buy to bring on and if they leave make money off of that potential, not lose 3 of our best players for nothing and buy or get in ageing replacements. The reading way is losing its way.....

Forster and Cureton were proven for the standard we bought them to play at, and higher in Forsters case, and we bought both of them when we were in the third tier when we were buying our way out.

You could throw in plenty of examples where we bought young and upcoming but unproven forwards that didn't work, such as Nick Blackman, to show how we've wasted time and money on players who've added very little to our success.

It takes a blend to make a successful team. Thankfully it looks like Clark is trying to make a balances blend with these signings.

[Michael Meaker]

I was a bit underwhelmed by this rumour at first, but with the (fairly) recent successes of Roberts and Murray I think it shows that there is merit in having an experienced forward that is effective at this level.

If Donaldson comes in for around £1m up front and scores 10-15 goals a season (perhaps even get us promoted) in the next couple of seasons then we'll look back on this as a good signing.

[Winston Smith]

buying ageing crocks have only been a trait of reading in the last few years

You must have been incandescent with rage when we signed a 32 year old with a history of sciatica back in 1992.

[Samrfc01]

I wouldn't mind this signing to be honest but then isn't another Striker overkill?

Sa, Pog, Cox & Samuel are what we have at the moment, HRK and Blackman if things get really desparate.

If we're buying Donaldson then I guess Clarke is going to be playing 4-4-2.

Also , is there really no better in League 1 for £1m?

[From Despair To Where?]

thing is we don't need youngsters trying to step up and learning the championship, i would much rather a experienced striker who can set the ground running. Fine bring in a youngster to compliment experience but not to pin our hopes on.

At the moment we have Cox - who i am sure will not be with us come the end of this window considering we now have pog sa samuel and potentially Donaldson.

Pog - Not prolific

Samuel - Untested at this level

Sa - untested at this level

At least with Donaldson we will have someone who is proven at this level to score goals i don't believe we can risk going for another striker that is untested at this level

Sa untested at this level?. He may not have played in this league and may need time to adjust but he certainly isn't untested at this level.

[PeterReadingborn59]

None of the current Reading forwards have been scoring on a regular basis, Sa looks promising but RFC should have at least five forwards to provide competition, cover for injury etc. and allow rotation during a match and between matches. Donaldson would seem a proven Championship scorer, but it does seem a shame that RFC had to sell Alfie for a similar amount last year as RFC now seem able and prepared to pay. Shows that the current owners are backing Clarke and want to see a successful team.

[RoyallyFcuked]

On the plus side we clearly have some money available for the right players but we still have to make sure its at the right price.Which is why I don't think we be should be paying £1M or more for a 31 year old. I like Donaldson but if Brum want to be stupid with the price, let them and move on. Personally, I think we should be trying to sign a young striker with good potential from either League One or Two.

So maybe Tom Bradshaw from Walsall or Tom Nichols from Exeter?

On the downside it makes you wonder how much more money there would have been to spend if the whole AZ thing had never happened and we hadn't been paying stupid money to misfits like Drenthe and Guthrie who thankfully have left, or Pog who is sadly still with us.

[Jano]

thing is we don't need youngsters trying to step up and learning the championship, i would much rather a experienced striker who can set the ground running. Fine bring in a youngster to compliment experience but not to pin our hopes on.

At the moment we have Cox - who i am sure will not be with us come the end of this window considering we now have pog sa samuel and potentially Donaldson.

Pog - Not prolific

Samuel - Untested at this level

Sa - untested at this level

At least with Donaldson we will have someone who is proven at this level to score goals i don't believe we can risk going for another striker that is untested at this level

Sa untested at this level?. He may not have played in this league and may need time to adjust but he certainly isn't untested at this level.

Of course he is, he's not played a single Championship game in his life. Fulham were in the Prem when they signed him and he didn't cut it there as it is.

[Hoop Blah]

Personally, I think we should be trying to sign a young striker with good potential from either League One or Two.

So maybe Tom Bradshaw from Walsall or Tom Nichols from Exeter?

Why?

We have a youth system that's churning out players who need a chance. Both Samuel and Tanner are good prospects who should be involved this season so why buy in players of similar ages and potential?

[Bob1871]

If this does happen, I really do wonder what will happen to Cox. He will be 4th or 5th choice especially if he does give Samuel a chance.

[blueroyals]

Strikes me as too similar to Pog and Sa albeit with more goals. At 31 not a good investment. Should spend the money on somebody with pace or a creative midfielder.

[Ian Royal]

None of the current Reading forwards have been scoring on a regular basis, Sa looks promising but RFC should have at least five forwards to provide competition, cover for injury etc. and allow rotation during a match and between matches. Donaldson would seem a proven Championship scorer, but it does seem a shame that RFC had to sell Alfie for a similar amount last year as RFC now seem able and prepared to pay. Shows that the current owners are backing Clarke and want to see a successful team.

If you have good effective forwards, you don't need or want to be playing more than three of them at all regularly.

You only need lots of forwards when they're all mediocre.

[sandman]

Strikes me as too similar to Pog and Sa albeit with more goals. At 31 not a good investment. Should spend the money on somebody with pace or a creative midfielder.

Or you know, someone who can play in goal.

[paultheroyal]

Strikes me as too similar to Pog and Sa albeit with more goals. At 31 not a good investment. Should spend the money on somebody with pace or a creative midfielder.

Who do you have in mind?

[Binfield Royal]

Ok Kevin Doyle, Shane long, dave kitson, leroy lita, nicky Forster, jamie cureton were all proven at championship level when we bought them buying ageing crocks have only been a trait of reading in the last few years, this is how we have ended up with large wage bills we can't handle and we are not making money but losing it. We should be looking to buy to bring on and if they leave make money off of that potential, not lose 3 of our best players for nothing and buy or get in ageing replacements. The reading way is losing its way.....

Kevin Doyle - League of Ireland (not recognised as being on par with English Championship)
Shane Long - ditto
Dave Kitson - Cambridge Utd, league 2
Leroy Lita - Bristol City - League 1
Nicky Forster - Championship (you can have this one)
Jamie Cureton - Bristol Rovers - league 2

So really, only one of your quoted examples was "proven" at Championship level.

just sayin...

[blueroyals]

Strikes me as too similar to Pog and Sa albeit with more goals. At 31 not a good investment. Should spend the money on somebody with pace or a creative midfielder.

Who do you have in mind?

That's not my job.

[linkenholtroyal]

Ok Kevin Doyle, Shane long, dave kitson, leroy lita, nicky Forster, jamie cureton were all proven at championship level when we bought them buying ageing crocks have only been a trait of reading in the last few years, this is how we have ended up with large wage bills we can't handle and we are not making money but losing it. We should be looking to buy to bring on and if they leave make money off of that potential, not lose 3 of our best players for nothing and buy or get in ageing replacements. The reading way is losing its way.....

Kevin Doyle - League of Ireland (not recognised as being on par with English Championship)
Shane Long - ditto
Dave Kitson - Cambridge Utd, league 2
Leroy Lita - Bristol City - League 1
Nicky Forster - Championship (you can have this one)
Jamie Cureton - Bristol Rovers - league 2

So really, only one of your quoted examples was "proven" at Championship level.

just sayin...

I was being sarcastic and I think Forster was playing In the equivalent of league 1 at that point

[paultheroyal]

Strikes me as too similar to Pog and Sa albeit with more goals. At 31 not a good investment. Should spend the money on somebody with pace or a creative midfielder.

Who do you have in mind?

That's not my job.

TFFT