Tommy Smith - Gazumped by Pompey - Thread

[Royal Rother]

I know expectations are higher these days but I remember the early days of players like Lovell, Williams, Taylor & Gilkes - when they came into the side none of those were anywhere near as accomplished as the young players we have now, and yet, whatever their mistakes, they were greeted with enthusiasm week in week out where I stood on the South Bank because they were OUR young players and they deserved our support.

Have values / demands of RFC supporters changed that much in the last 25+ years?

Hi RR, what happened to Sea Pigeon by the way

I don't think they have changed. I think everyone is behind the youngsters. The main questions at present would be can we get away with launching so many in one go and do we as a side have the physical presence to deal with this league, regardless of our footballing ability. I suspect we are pushing it a bit in both respects this season based on the current side.
I'm actually fine with that and a mid table position this year would augur well for the following season. That said, a couple of suitable acquisitions could significantly improve the outlook for this season.
The next two weeks will be interesting !

There is less patience shown now, I'm sure of that. Someone above has already decided that Pearce, at 20, is never going to be good enough for a team challenging for top spot in the Championship. Just one e.g. that.

Maybe some of the old codgers were as bad "back in the day", but it seems worse to me now. Perhaps money / Sky over-exposure has just erased some of the patience / perspective we used to have about supporting a football team. Different k of f but I rather enjoy the more philosophical approach taken by the 120 die-hard Windsor & Eton fans!!

[Scarface]

Totally agree with Ollie Kearns there.

I don't think the vast majority of fans expectations have changed that much. Obviously the internet has given a much wider voice for the concerns over and critique of the youngsters coming in but I can remember people having questions over the rake like Williams playing right back, the lightweight Taylor etc etc. I used to have some good rows with mates over the merits of Lovell to the side throughout his career.

I also think it works both ways. The clubs PR machine now works over time in building these prospects up. Many on here seem to swallow it hook line and sinker and think we've got the next Busby Babes on our hands only to see the crop after crop of youngsters fall by the weighside.

I don't think the current crop are coming in for any flak yet, and I really think the majority of people on here, and certainly at the ground, are willing them to suceed and giving them plenty of backing and slack, but at the same time the team does still need to function. I'm definately unconvinced a few of them have what it takes to flourish at this level though.

As I said earlier, it would be a shame if this crops development is stunted because they're all thrown in the deep end together without enough senior pro's around them to help them swim instead of sinking.

I think all fans want the youngsters to suceed and most fans are probably happy for a few seasons of mid table finishes. What we won't stand for is the wholesale selling of the squad and then relegation to div 2!!! At the moment we don't look like scoring a goal and we haven't won a league game at home for months, so Rodgers needs to get the balance right quickly.

[Question Mark]

Does anyone else think that Watford are just dragging this deal out as long as possible? They probably just want to get a couple more games out of him before they have to sell him and in the meantime see us/BR suffer.

[Royalwaster]

Does anyone else think that Watford are just dragging this deal out as long as possible? They probably just want to get a couple more games out of him before they have to sell him and in the meantime see us/BR suffer.

Us losing probably helps their cause as well - as the more desperate we become, the more they can get out of us.

[OLLIE KEARNS]

Does anyone else think that Watford are just dragging this deal out as long as possible? They probably just want to get a couple more games out of him before they have to sell him and in the meantime see us/BR suffer.

Us losing probably helps their cause as well - as the more desperate we become, the more they can get out of us.

My view would be that

1. The SU bid was an old pals act to up the ante. There's been a lot of business between the clubs in recent times so a £1.8m bid but with no intention to actually buy the player is a possibility.
2. Watford are now hoping that a higher bid than ours will come in on the back of the much published £1.8m bid.

If I was Hammond I'd reverse the game and say it's £1.2m now but that goes down by £100k per week until the transfer deadline !!

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

We are just being tight arses on this one - as someone said earlier Hunt is a year younger and commanded a c£3m transfer - I bet if Rodgers was still Watford manager he would be sticking to the £1.8m -

The guy has a proven record of goals and assists- meanwhile we can't score in a brothel and no doubt if we dont buy him - it will be no fault of Bugs and Egoman!

[Tilehurst End]

Chronicle saying that we've gone back with a 1.5m final take it or leave it offer.

[tomrfcurz]

Chronicle saying that we've gone back with a 1.5m final take it or leave it offer.

Evening Post reckons its only £1.2m

[premiership_bound]

Prob need more than that now.

Not sure if anyone noticed but he scored tonight*

* copyright RZR

[Victor Meldrew]

As posted a few weeks ago I reckon this is the current season's Goater transfer.
Everybody knew that it would eventually happen but it took months to come to fruition.
I still think this one will happen,probably by Friday.

[Royalwaster]

As posted a few weeks ago I reckon this is the current season's Goater transfer.
Everybody knew that it would eventually happen but it took months to come to fruition.
I still think this one will happen,probably by Friday.

Nope won't happen.

[Shaka]

Think is value might have increased tonight. 3 asissts and one goal against Forest today.

[Super_horns]

Looking at the average age of your side is he not too old to sign for you guys!?



Sounds like he got a cracker for us tonight ( I wasn't there clearly but Forest must have played a difference defence to the one on the Opening day tonight if we managed to get 4!) so maybe we'll up the price (the club want him to move on though and he wants to join you clearly)

Anyway I see a few of your fans are worried about lack of goals which made be surprised Rodgers didn't go for a Priskin/Rasiak because they were the key goalscorers when he was with us rather than Smithy in a 442 formation rather than 4-5-1.

Rodgers had a slow start with us due to players get used to tactics but we got results once the players were used to his methods.

Jack Cork will be a decent buy if he's avaliable?

In reality a point at Swansea isn't bad (we have them next..) and the passing will produce results (probably on September 26th!)

[FiNeRaIn]

Why would he want to join us?

[Deathy]

Why would he want to join us?

Can you stop asking the same questions on different threads? His relationship with BR is a strong one, he rates BR and 'apparently' wants to play for him again.

[Deathy]

Think is value might have increased tonight. 3 asissts and one goal against Forest today.

Yeah one goal will do that.

[FiNeRaIn]

Why would he want to join us?

Can you stop asking the same questions on different threads? His relationship with BR is a strong one, he rates BR and 'apparently' wants to play for him again.

Other one was conveniently ignored, so i'll ask in a more obvious place.

You can base your comments on nothing. " apparently" doesn't cut it im afraid. Im sure some of the england players like sven, doesn't mean they'll be joining notts county.

[RobRoyal]

Think is value might have increased tonight. 3 asissts and one goal against Forest today.

He scored tnight? Where did you read that?

[Deathy]

Why would he want to join us?

Can you stop asking the same questions on different threads? His relationship with BR is a strong one, he rates BR and 'apparently' wants to play for him again.

Other one was conveniently ignored, so i'll ask in a more obvious place.

You can base your comments on nothing. " apparently" doesn't cut it im afraid. Im sure some of the england players like sven, doesn't mean they'll be joining notts county.

I base my comments on a Brendan Rodgers quote, far more reliable than yours.

[Super_horns]

Why would he want to join us?

To work with Rodgers and its closer to home than Sheffield U for example