Tommy Smith - Gazumped by Pompey - Thread

[Royal Rother]

Rest in Peace Reading Football Club.

RIP RFC? Just

What a pussy.

its a school night, shouldnt you be in bed?

I'm sorry, but all your recent posts have been such melodramatic half-baked nonsense that you do make me chuckle with a hint of embarrassment. (Even the school night jibe is a spectacular miss as it's summer holiday! )

As an OTT comment "RIP RFC" puts old Dodger's recent efforts in the shade. Keep 'em coming I say - he could do with some competition to inspire him a bit.

[SLAMMED]

its a school night, shouldnt you be in bed?

Summer holidays, HTH.

Murked!

[Roy Alsup]

we pulled out of a deal because we were buggered about by a tool of a chairman who pushed the price up and kept leaking to the press about the details. No disgrace there

Seems spot on to me. People seem to be jumping to conclusions based on a press release from Russo who is clearly either 1) taking the piss out of us for the benefit of his own popularity with his clubs fans. 2) Trying to maximise how much his club are getting by preying on the current panic that has a vice like grip on RFC.

Either way he is playing us, has probably moved the goalposts up to 2 million, and we are probably right not to be held to ransom by paying way over the odds for a player in the last year of his contract.

It'll be interesting to see what RFC's official reponse is tomorrow...

[Maguire]

everyone just fcking calm down okay? tthanks

[Arch]

everyone just fcking calm down okay? tthanks

You fcking calm dow, alright? You're the one who needs to calm down. OK?

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

What's all this stuff about Watford wanting to sell, they have said already they do not need to sell Smith, and would be happy for him to stay, and I doubt he will be on top wages there. Cetainly affordable wages at this level.

[Stranded]

As I understand it the last bid we put in was identical to the Sheff Utd bid that had already been accepted (same payment up front, clauses etc). This was rejected by Watford. So it wouldn't surprise me if we pulled out at that point.

[Franchise FC]

It would serve Russo right if their financial situation and his refusal to sell sent them into administration - cost them 10 points and got them relegated.

We could play them again next season then.

[Alan Partridge]

Only just read this and oh dear oh dear. For the sake of a couple of hundred thousand Rodgers can't get the one person he really wants, that really shows true commitment and faith in your newly appointed manager doesn't it. I suppose Rodgers is paying the price for not wanting a load of frees from Brentford and Brighton and actually wouldn't mind spending some cash.

Reading don't come out of this well at all to be honest, the moment Rodgers mentioned that he wants to come here, then Hammond's pathetic attempt to get him for £700,000, it's been a slow death on the Smith transfer and ended with this.

From day 1 personally I didn't think he was the answer, especially if he was to be the only forward player we brought in, as he isn't a striker. But I'd have been fairly happy with Smith and one more, even at 29 he is significantly better than Kebe, Church, Henry etc.

Time is ticking, just over a week to go, Reading still need a minimum of 2 players, I'd say it's nearer 4 players required, but 2 is a minimum. I just hope they haven't thrown everything into this and neglected any other possible ins, as we've seen with this some transfers can take an age and Reading have a week.

[Stranded]

As said on the thread on the team - the bid Watford rejected from us matched the one they accepted from Sheff Utd in every way - that's why we seem to have pulled the plug.

[PieEater]

As soon as I saw Russo quoting that his Madj had pulled the plug on the deal I knew it was a wind up. Hammond is the one that does all the deals and would of been the one that called up to tell them to piss off.

BR also needs to keep his mouth shut and stop saying things like we've matched the offer made by another championship club.

[Royal Rother]

What's all this stuff about Watford wanting to sell, they have said already they do not need to sell Smith, and would be happy for him to stay, and I doubt he will be on top wages there. Cetainly affordable wages at this level.

I thought he'd made it clear that Watford DO need to sell Smith...

"The problem we have with Tommy is that he is one of the higher earners at the football club. That's been well documented.

"That level of commitment would be financially outside the model that we have introduced for the football club to enable stability and not be calling for another rights issue, as has happened on several occasions in the past few years."

[The Surgeon of Crowthorne]

Only just read this and oh dear oh dear. For the sake of a couple of hundred thousand Rodgers can't get the one person he really wants, that really shows true commitment and faith in your newly appointed manager doesn't it. I suppose Rodgers is paying the price for not wanting a load of frees from Brentford and Brighton and actually wouldn't mind spending some cash.

Reading don't come out of this well at all to be honest, the moment Rodgers mentioned that he wants to come here, then Hammond's pathetic attempt to get him for £700,000, it's been a slow death on the Smith transfer and ended with this.

From day 1 personally I didn't think he was the answer, especially if he was to be the only forward player we brought in, as he isn't a striker. But I'd have been fairly happy with Smith and one more, even at 29 he is significantly better than Kebe, Church, Henry etc.

Time is ticking, just over a week to go, Reading still need a minimum of 2 players, I'd say it's nearer 4 players required, but 2 is a minimum. I just hope they haven't thrown everything into this and neglected any other possible ins, as we've seen with this some transfers can take an age and Reading have a week.

Have to agree that Smith isn't the answer - or rather, Smith alone isn't the answer. I think it's probably nearer 6 more players required - we've got no width at the moment and no decent cover for the lack of width. No decent cover for the full backs and no attacking threat. If it really is to be Smith plus one other, that still leaves us dangerously light.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

He also said this as well

“I am more than happy to keep the player at the club if our valuation is not met. He is a fantastic player who will have a huge contribution on the pitch next season if he is still a Watford player.

“This also means that we do not have to purchase a replacement for him.

“Unless we receive the appropriate valuation for Tommy, through the correct channels, then we intend to keep the player at the club, this I can guarantee 100 per cent.”

[Royal Rother]

6 players?

So you'd rather we didn't bother with this whole Academy business and just recruited players from outside?

The young players have all shown this season that they have some definite attributes and, at times, have looked perfectly comfortable at this level. Sure, maybe a bit of experience is needed to bolster them a bit, but if we bring in 6 new experienced players their progress will come to a juddering halt.

It's time for some balls and some faith.

[Royal Rother]

My quote came 1st - I'd say your quote is clearly an attempt to strengthen / reposition their negotiating hand.

Anyway, we appear to have called his bluff now, so it will be interesting to see what develops in the next week.

[Scarface]

That's convinced me to have £10 on relegation.

[Royal Rother]

You said you were placing that bet over a week ago - grow some balls and go and do it already.

[Alan Partridge]

6 players?

So you'd rather we didn't bother with this whole Academy business and just recruited players from outside?

The young players have all shown this season that they have some definite attributes and, at times, have looked perfectly comfortable at this level. Sure, maybe a bit of experience is needed to bolster them a bit, but if we bring in 6 new experienced players their progress will come to a juddering halt.

It's time for some balls and some faith.

I agree with this, for the Chairman to show some to the manager he appointed a few months ago.

[Scarface]

You said you were placing that bet over a week ago - grow some balls and go and do it already.

I was tempted, but thought we may sign 2 or 3 players. However the culmination of watching Mills on Saturday and this transfer disappointment, has now convinced me we are playing to stay up this season. We're weak defensively in the air and we can't create or score chances, going down going down going down.