RUMOUR - Harper to Middlesborough

[cmonurz]

So four or five seasons in our midfield in the lower leagues, and two seasons pretty much ever present in the Premier League. And your opinion is that he has 'no skill whatsoever' and has 'never' been any good.

Some fans have no idea whatsoever.

[URZZ]

Might be a dodd but.

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate will make a £5m swoop for Reading's James Harper this weekend after selling Lee Cattermole to Wigan. (Various)

I honestly think Harper is the runner of the team, the last ounce of pulse, the cog if you will. We played with a Sidwell shaped hole all year and as a lot of people have mentioned struggled in the centre of midfield. Another player we're going to miss if this rumour goes through.

Next it'll be Shorey.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

In the end JM's policy of financial prudence may well have the last laugh when the likes of West Ham do a Leeds and end up with a Luton like 30 point deduction for going bust.

LOL

For every club that has done a Leeds, another has acquired a rich owner and pushed on another level.

How is that relevant?

If they have succeeded through having a rich owner being happy to lose his own money then it's a different situation. Clubs who pile up debt get caught out in the long run. Or are we just suggesting the way the club should be run is for JM to spend millions of his own cash?

It's easy to spend other people's money. If the club announced season ticket prices would double, but guaranteed the extra money would be spent on players, how many would go for it?

[ScottishRoyal]

i see the quoting system isn't your strength, my friend.

To your questions:
I was he, who wrote N. Hunt to score 15 goals. He will score 15. Wenger got rid of him because he saw him as a pants player. You have understand me on this, since when was harper any good? For me, NEVER. No, he did it himself. He was 'attempting' to do what the coaching staff and manager said. To me he's useless, not a skillful player, no eye for a forward pass. Always lacked strength. Yes, he played every game, except maybe one, because we had no one else any better than him. Who was on the bench as his replacement? No one. No, your wrong there my friend, Hunt played better than Harper for me, every game. He put in effort a-plenty, whereas Harper looked out of his depth and some how couldn't cope with holding the midfield. Hence the reason the defenders were doing twice the amount of work per game.
Good post, but i've covered all your questions.

Jesus wept

Guess which Nobber's never played football to a level above that of under 12's standard. Not. A. Clue

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Both Stoke and Hull have shown more bollocks and ambition than we did in 2 years in the transfer market. I hope they both stay up and reap the benefits.

having £20 million more to spend than we did might help.

Not til the end of the season, or so we are so frequently told.

what difference does being paid it at the end of the season make? It's guaranteed income. You can spend it just as easily as you can spend your wages at the start of the month knowing you'll be paid at the end of it.

[URZZ]

i see the quoting system isn't your strength, my friend.

To your questions:
I was he, who wrote N. Hunt to score 15 goals. He will score 15. Wenger got rid of him because he saw him as a pants player. You have understand me on this, since when was harper any good? For me, NEVER. No, he did it himself. He was 'attempting' to do what the coaching staff and manager said. To me he's useless, not a skillful player, no eye for a forward pass. Always lacked strength. Yes, he played every game, except maybe one, because we had no one else any better than him. Who was on the bench as his replacement? No one. No, your wrong there my friend, Hunt played better than Harper for me, every game. He put in effort a-plenty, whereas Harper looked out of his depth and some how couldn't cope with holding the midfield. Hence the reason the defenders were doing twice the amount of work per game.
Good post, but i've covered all your questions.

Christ.

Lol tbh.

[Platypuss]

having £20 million more to spend than we did might help.

Not til the end of the season, or so we are so frequently told.

what difference does being paid it at the end of the season make? It's guaranteed income. You can spend it just as easily as you can spend your wages at the start of the month knowing you'll be paid at the end of it.

Well quite. However it's an argument frequently advanced by others who seek to defend our lack of effective spending last year.

[Streets]

If we get £5m then fair enough. Otherwise, just say no kids.

[Tennents Super]

It's easy to spend other people's money. If the club announced season ticket prices would double, but guaranteed the extra money would be spent on players, how many would go for it?

About 18,000 wasn't it?

[papereyes]

In the end JM's policy of financial prudence may well have the last laugh when the likes of West Ham do a Leeds and end up with a Luton like 30 point deduction for going bust.

LOL

For every club that has done a Leeds, another has acquired a rich owner and pushed on another level.

How is that relevant?

It's as relevant as the first point which really needed someone pointing out that it wasn't the whole picture?

The post needed some balance to it. So it got some.

[Cookie]

Lee Cattermole's exit clears way for Middlesbrough to sign James Harper
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2008/07/24/lee-cattermole-s-exit-clears-way-for-middlesbrough-to-sign-james-harper-115875-20668980/
Gareth Southgate will make a £5million swoop for Reading's James Harper this weekend after selling Lee Cattermole to Wigan.
The Boro boss agreed a £3.5m fee for youngster Cattermole last night and will use the cash to prise Harper from Reading.

ALSO
http://www.reading.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=116810
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_3860307,00.html
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/3544330.Arca_hoping_Harper_is_heading_for_Boro/

[SteveRoyal]

I said this on the other thread you were just on.
Refunded season ticket, was it?

[howser]

If that deal goes through, then using the qoutes that came from the club that we will have to sell players to give the manager funds for new ones, I make it that it will give Coppell £9.85m to spend.......................sounds good !!

[Geekins]

If that deal goes through, then using the qoutes that came from the club that we will have to sell players to give the manager funds for new ones, I make it that it will give Coppell £9.85m to spend.......................sounds good !!

Yes but in reality it means nothing. We won't spend that this year

[SteveRoyal]

If that deal goes through, then using the qoutes that came from the club that we will have to sell players to give the manager funds for new ones, I make it that it will give Coppell £9.85m to spend.......................sounds good !!

Yes but in reality it means nothing. We won't spend that this year

We'll spend about 10% of what we got for both.

[Geekins]

600k already gone!

[juanpablo]

If we get £5m then fair enough. Otherwise, just say no kids.

so around 3 million after sell on clause?

no thanks we have money now, but hes on the list i guess

[Royalee]

Good - means we have more money to spend and I have more chance of winning a wager with my mate that Boro'll go down next season.

[Archie's penalty]

Oh well - will be sad to see Harps go - even more than Kits to be honest.

Would prefer it happens now though rather than a week into the season.

If we get in Watson then I wouldn't be so annoyed.

Someone said on here that the speed we moved for Hunt after Kitson's departure suggests we had a replacement lined up in advance.

Hope that's right in this case too.

[Yorkshire Royal]

Get rid.. He's not that good really.. If only someone would buy S. Hunt as well..