NO LONGER A RUMOUR - Karl Sheppard

[Woodcote Royal]

Bizarre case of expectation management to mention possible lack of conditioning in the official notice of his signing.

Or, just a factual observation waiting to be twisted for their own purposes by our resident wrist slitters.

[Barry the bird boggler]

23 goals in 71 appearances in total for Galway and Shamrock

Free transfer, therefore worth a try and jolly good luck to him hope he turns out to be another Robbie Keane etc.

Can't see him being considered one for now though so must be yet another one for approx 2 years time.

Meanwhile we need players for NOW

[floyd__streete]

Meanwhile we need players for NOW

Yep. The club are already playing down immediate expectations with regards to this fella - as if they really needed to - so the question remains who is going to be brought in to discernably improve the squad in the present

[cmonurz]

Bizarre case of expectation management to mention possible lack of conditioning in the official notice of his signing.

Or, just a factual observation waiting to be twisted for their own purposes by our resident wrist slitters.

Well how you want to perceive it is up to the individual, my point was it’s a startling honest and unnecessary thing to write in a player’s introduction, it could easily read as ‘don’t expect him to be of any use to us for now'.

[Gordons Cumming]

Hope he's better in quality than the last Sheppard to play for Reading.

[ZacNaloen]

Bizarre case of expectation management to mention possible lack of conditioning in the official notice of his signing.

It's because it's the Irish off season... it's like he hasn't had pre-season yet.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Signing a striker to play in the youth team against Reading Library isn’t the first thing I’d think of to solve the first team's midfield creativity crisis, but I like the promise of what is being hailed “the new Shane Long”.

Looking forward to the one good season in seven years time before the club flogs him to a rival who outgrows us.

If he turns out good, that will increase this amazing track record of 'snapping up nobodies and turning them into stars' to three!

Get the bunting out, it's street-party time.

[floyd__streete]

If he turns out good, that will increase this amazing track record of 'snapping up nobodies and turning them into stars' to three!

4 - Kerry Dixon came from Dunstable Town.

[Woodcote Royal]

Signing a striker to play in the youth team against Reading Library isn’t the first thing I’d think of to solve the first team's midfield creativity crisis, but I like the promise of what is being hailed “the new Shane Long”.

Looking forward to the one good season in seven years time before the club flogs him to a rival who outgrows us.

If he turns out good, that will increase this amazing track record of 'snapping up nobodies and turning them into stars' to three!

Get the bunting out, it's street-party time.

You could always book a minibus for a one way trip to Dignitas....................................just think of the cr@p that could clear from these pages

[facaldaqui]

I also suspect that people weren't moaning about Doyle's signing because, at that time, our incoming transfer policy did not revolve entirely around cheap punts on those who might come good in the future.

there was a huge ammount of moaning and complaining about the ointless purchase of irish nobodies

I agree with your oint.

[sandman]

Hope he's better in quality than the last Sheppard to play for Reading.

AWAY.

[facaldaqui]

I like our policy of buying nobodies--it's low risk, and a few turn out bargains. There'd be a lot more moaning on here if we we signed established stars like the Bullards, Chopras, Bowyers, Emanuel-Thomases, and Scotlands of this world and then watched them flounder. Our low-renters have got us to fifth.

Good luck to him. He's got age on his side so he could well be a success in the same way as Doyle and Long were. Those upset that we don't sign established names can blame Ferdinand and Keown.

And Goater. No one moaned when we signed him.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Why are proven players always likely to flounder?

Or is that the only way people can justify the 'Buying Sh/t and see what happens' strategy?

[melonhead]

I also suspect that people weren't moaning about Doyle's signing because, at that time, our incoming transfer policy did not revolve entirely around cheap punts on those who might come good in the future.

there was a huge ammount of moaning and complaining about the ointless purchase of irish nobodies

I agree with your oint.

iss off!

[winchester_royal]

Why are proven players always likely to flounder?

Or is that the only way people can justify the 'Buying Sh/t and see what happens' strategy?

Are you incapable of developing an argument without descending into gross exaggeration?

[Hup Holland Hup]

Doyle, Long ..... Sheppard (?). All bought cheap and sold on as a nice little earner.

Hi Corky....given you're probably the only one to have seen him play, how would you rate him.

[Hoop Blah]

I also suspect that people weren't moaning about Doyle's signing because, at that time, our incoming transfer policy did not revolve entirely around cheap punts on those who might come good in the future.

there was a huge ammount of moaning and complaining about the ointless purchase of irish nobodies


that year it was almost entirely cheap and free players who'd been released by other clubs
apart from lita who was still unproven at this level

Not quite entirely (that's over playing it). There was Lita (as you say) and Gunnarson who cost a decent fee. As well as that there were Oster and Makin who, although free, were proven campaigners at our level and perfect fits for an already developed squad.

The only other signing was (I think) Hunt. They were all pretty obviously bought in for specific reasons, although that didn't stop there being some concern over Doyle as he was then coming in as our next forward after the starter pair of Kitson and Lita. I don't think the Doyle signing was ever criticed as pointless though, perhaps just not good enough for the role we had in mind for him, but not really pointless.

These recent cheap signings are a bit different in my book, but good luck to the lad, he looks like he could be decent but I won't hold my breath,

[TBM]

Expect to see him as a replacement for Kebe, on the right side of midfield

Er, why? He's a striker and has also player right forward. Nothing at all about him suggests he can play as a right midfielder

He's admitted he can play there - so thats enough to mean we dont have to buy a replacement when kebes goes

[royal67]

I guess he'll be looking forward to have some supporters to celebrate in front of... I suspect his propensity to score with his head might only encourage our fabulous log ball game though.......

Bloody love a log ball game

LOL !!

[FiNeRaIn]

Most of the players we've spent considerable money on came good.

Kitson
cureton
butler
harper
sidwell
lita
murty
gunnarrson
forster

to mention but a few. They far outweight the quality end product of the cheap signings we've brought in. But please cling to the belief that anyone we've spent decent money on ( for the level we were playing at) were all failures.