Nick Blackman

[CountryRoyal]

Why is it so likely he'll leave in January?

I don't necessarily think it is, we're just discussing possibilities.

more likely he'll sign a new contract in jan or before imo

I hope so, but it wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Given the amount of stick some of you gave him on here before the start of this season, it wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't sign a new contract.

[tidus_mi2]

Given the amount of stick some of you gave him on here before the start of this season, it wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't sign a new contract.

He might bide his time but considering how long it took to click here and now with the fans very much on his side would he want to jump ship and risk starting all over again? I'd get it if a stable Prem club were sniffing around but otherwise it seems safer to stay put.

[Upper West Ginger]

If I were him I'd wait until the end of the season before deciding what to do regarding contracts. If we get promotion, he should get a decent contract from us, and stick with us. If we fail to go up, but he gets an offer from the Premier League, he should take that. No, I don't want to see him go, but he might think it's in his best interests to get PL football - even as a bit-part player - rather than stick around with us.

[rfc58]

If I were him I'd wait until the end of the season before deciding what to do regarding contracts. If we get promotion, he should get a decent contract from us, and stick with us. If we fail to go up, but he gets an offer from the Premier League, he should take that. No, I don't want to see him go, but he might think it's in his best interests to get PL football - even as a bit-part player - rather than stick around with us.

Or strike now whilst his stock is sky high, but with clauses built in to cover all eventualities.

Another angle, SC has given him belief, and self confidence, if anyone can sell him the dream of PL football, it's SC right now.

[Forbury Lion]

Last season - poor form, not a championship player, most want him gone
This season - great form, golden boot contender, double POTM, most worried about him leaving in January.

What a difference a year makes.

[CountryRoyal]

Last season - poor form, not a championship player, most want him gone
This season - great form, golden boot contender, double POTM, most worried about him leaving in January.

What a difference a year makes.

It's not even a year. It's a few months.

[Royality creeps In]

They're going to change it in Jan-u-ary

Think they got the wrong end of the stick here Mr Shed Sex

Sick and Tired you've been hanging on me!
You make me sad with your eyes
you're telling me lies
Don't go
don't go
January
don't be cold

[Extended-Phenotype]

Playing for a team on the up, that he's excelling in vs what, struggling prem relegation fodder?

Pretty sure we look the better choice right now.

[Scutterbucketz]

His little back heel turn on the right wing was lovely to watch.

He's still shite though.

[JC]

Mick Gooding on BBCRB after the game was discussing this. He said that Blackman should sit tight until the end of the season and then see what offers are available.
The only problem with that, from his perspective, is that if his purple patch comes to an end it may be that nobody would want him at the end of the season.

[andrew1957]

Mick Gooding on BBCRB after the game was discussing this. He said that Blackman should sit tight until the end of the season and then see what offers are available.
The only problem with that, from his perspective, is that if his purple patch comes to an end it may be that nobody would want him at the end of the season.

On this subject does anyone know what happens to a player who has a career ending injury in the last year of his contract. Is it tough luck or do they get an insurance pay out? If not then it is quite high risk for a player to do as Gooding said and just let his contract run down. It would be a safer bet to sign a new 3/4 year deal.

[Ian Royal]

Mick Gooding on BBCRB after the game was discussing this. He said that Blackman should sit tight until the end of the season and then see what offers are available.
The only problem with that, from his perspective, is that if his purple patch comes to an end it may be that nobody would want him at the end of the season.

On this subject does anyone know what happens to a player who has a career ending injury in the last year of his contract. Is it tough luck or do they get an insurance pay out? If not then it is quite high risk for a player to do as Gooding said and just let his contract run down. It would be a safer bet to sign a new 3/4 year deal.

You'd hope they'd be smart enough to invest some of their massive salary in their own insurance, that isn't dependent on being on a long term contract. Surely the only insurance the club would have, would be on it's losses, not to pay out to the player.

[CountryRoyal]

If they were smart enough they'd have finished school and gotten a job that used their brain, instead of their feet.

But then he's earning more than most people in this country so jokes on us.

[andrew1957]

I think the club can insure a player for their wages up to the end of a contract - so in Blackman's case that would be for the rest of the season - unless he signs a new contract.

But as for the player the general principle of insurance is that you can only insure yourself for loss of earnings and so if he only has a contact until the end of the season then I am not sure he could insure himself for a longer period than that - as he might not be offered work by anyone if his form went and he did not get another contract.

[Nameless]

Fairly sure players forced to retire due to injury do usually benefit from insurance payouts, and can't see why they would not extend beyond an existing contract. Wouldn't it be simply a question of how an insurance policy was written, and be much like a critical illness policy. So a player might want a policy that paid him 100k per annum until he was 34 , payable if a doctor decided he could not play any more on medical grounds. He may be quoted a 10k pa premium for this on condition he had a professional contract at the time he was injured.
I would imagine many players would have asked their clubs to pay the premium as a benefit, whether that is what happens today I don't know.

[genome]

Beaten to the Championship Player of the Month award by... Ross Wallace? I've not even heard his name mentioned in recent weeks.

[tidus_mi2]

Beaten to the Championship Player of the Month award by... Ross Wallace? I've not even heard his name mentioned in recent weeks.

It's not independently decided, it seems to go down to a fans vote, when the players to choose from are from Reading, Sheffield Wednesday and Fulham, Blackman stood no chance unless he scored 2 every game.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Has it always been a fans vote, or is that just from this season? Seems a pretty shitty way of doing it!

[tidus_mi2]

Has it always been a fans vote, or is that just from this season? Seems a pretty shitty way of doing it!

A panel makes some nominations and then reduces it to 3 players, that then goes to public vote, coincidentally Sheffield Wednesday have the most fans and Ross Wallace won player of the month, who'd have thought?

I believe this is the first time it has worked like this, it's organised in conjunction with the PFA and Skysports.

Quote from a Wednesday fan:

Probably should have gone to Nick Blackman at Reading but these votes will always be about who has the most fans so Wallace was always going to win.

Still a cracking signing mind. Player I've liked for years.