Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

548 posts
Stranded
Hob Nob Subscriber
Hob Nob Subscriber
Posts: 20205
Joined: 14 Apr 2004 12:42
Location: Propping up the bar in the Nags

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by Stranded » 01 Feb 2024 08:10

Hound
Stranded Fabrizio Romano reporting Taylan Harris to Luton is a done deal.

Am OK with that, if fee is OK. It is trading cash in now to hopefully avoid any more first team sales v the chance he improves, makes the team, excels and we sell him for more.


It’s ok-ish

Starting to get a bit annoying now with losing all these highly rated 16/17 year olds.

But yes better than losing Smith for example. Let’s hope it’s an instead of rather than as well as


You can't have an Academy without a club. You can have a club without an Academy.

If selling off Academy talent now means the club survives and hopefully in L1, then I grudgingly support selling the likes of Harris over Wing/Smith etc..

User avatar
morganb
Hob Nob Regular
Posts: 2594
Joined: 31 Jul 2017 12:30

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by morganb » 01 Feb 2024 08:14

tmesis
blythspartan I am ok with it as the bottom line is the club are doing what they have to in order to avoid administration. Despite my protestations the outgoings (apart from Abbey) have been sensible.

Maybe I'm cynical, but I think they are just selling whoever they can to cover the bills until the takeover talks finish. I don't think they have the slightest care about the impact on the team.

My impression is that Dai has given up and just wants rid, whether that's selling to a new owner, or just liquidating, it's all the same to him.


It does look like a tactic to cover the bills at the club but we only have a certain window when we can generate cash via player sales so need to get enough in to tide us over until any takeover is complete. Needs must and all that...

Are we just selling whoever we can? Most of the players who have gone were out of contract in the summer and in a position where we have some depth. Hopefully the impact on the team and results will be minimal. The Academy sales will not affect the first team this season so again will not have much impact at the moment. Also other teams must have been scouting them and then be willing to pay for them, and to pay what Pang was happy to accept.

WestYorksRoyal
Hob Nob Addict
Posts: 6214
Joined: 15 Apr 2019 19:16

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by WestYorksRoyal » 01 Feb 2024 08:37

morganb
tmesis
blythspartan I am ok with it as the bottom line is the club are doing what they have to in order to avoid administration. Despite my protestations the outgoings (apart from Abbey) have been sensible.

Maybe I'm cynical, but I think they are just selling whoever they can to cover the bills until the takeover talks finish. I don't think they have the slightest care about the impact on the team.

My impression is that Dai has given up and just wants rid, whether that's selling to a new owner, or just liquidating, it's all the same to him.


It does look like a tactic to cover the bills at the club but we only have a certain window when we can generate cash via player sales so need to get enough in to tide us over until any takeover is complete. Needs must and all that...

Are we just selling whoever we can? Most of the players who have gone were out of contract in the summer and in a position where we have some depth. Hopefully the impact on the team and results will be minimal. The Academy sales will not affect the first team this season so again will not have much impact at the moment. Also other teams must have been scouting them and then be willing to pay for them, and to pay what Pang was happy to accept.

If everyone was for sale, suitors would be queuing up for Smith and Wing. Bolton have spent the window chasing another striker and Smith would fit the bill well.

Stranded
Hob Nob Subscriber
Hob Nob Subscriber
Posts: 20205
Joined: 14 Apr 2004 12:42
Location: Propping up the bar in the Nags

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by Stranded » 01 Feb 2024 08:55

Fully aware that this could change today but I expect *most* would have said this was our strongest team at the beginning of Jan

Button

Yiadom
Abbey
Holmes
Dorsett

Craig
Wing
Azeez
Knibbs
Mukairu

Smith

Yes a lot can change but given the doom and gloom that a lot of people are embracing, if you had said to me that from that XI, we would only have lost 1 player to date (given Holmes is back on loan) then I think most would have bitten your hand off.

Even outside that, we lost TMC, who looked likely to be no more than a bench option for the forseeable and whose spot on the bench, we should be able to adequately cover - then the club have bought in some much needed funds, saved on much needed wages without really damaging the matchday 18.

Again, this could all change today - Earnshaw saying though that he understands the only likely outgoings will be fringe players like Harris though that could of course change if other clubs sell and need replacements. One would hope that as that would be a differnet dynamic, we would only sell for a very decent price.

WestYorksRoyal
Hob Nob Addict
Posts: 6214
Joined: 15 Apr 2019 19:16

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by WestYorksRoyal » 01 Feb 2024 09:00

Hopefully Earnshaw's murmurings of no key outgoing is right, but deadline day moves quickly. E.g., Plymouth sell Morgan Whittaker, sign Dion Charles as a replacement and Bolton go for Smith as a last minute replacement.

Will be relieved when the window is closed.


Stranded
Hob Nob Subscriber
Hob Nob Subscriber
Posts: 20205
Joined: 14 Apr 2004 12:42
Location: Propping up the bar in the Nags

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by Stranded » 01 Feb 2024 09:06

WestYorksRoyal Hopefully Earnshaw's murmurings of no key outgoing is right, but deadline day moves quickly. E.g., Plymouth sell Morgan Whittaker, sign Dion Charles as a replacement and Bolton go for Smith as a last minute replacement.

Will be relieved when the window is closed.


Bolton are very much after Aaron Collins from Bristol Rovers and been linked with moves loan or otherwise for a couple of fringe Championship strikers. Smith appears to be a long way down their list. Doesn't mean it won't happen.

Today will probably be quite quiet, with a couple of "fair enough" outgoings, before a probably very nervous last couple of hours as moves elsewhere make us nervous. May even throw in a very surprise loan signing.

Sutekh
Hob Nob Legend
Posts: 20046
Joined: 12 Feb 2014 14:05
Location: Undiscovered pyramid somewhere in Egypt

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by Sutekh » 01 Feb 2024 09:15

Thank god that window's gone. Club has retained all its key players except one but even he's been returned for the rest of the season. Now it's just getting shot of the owner before the end of this season that's an absolute must.

Stranded
Hob Nob Subscriber
Hob Nob Subscriber
Posts: 20205
Joined: 14 Apr 2004 12:42
Location: Propping up the bar in the Nags

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by Stranded » 01 Feb 2024 09:16

Sutekh Thank god that window's gone. Club has retained all its key players except one but even he's been returned for the rest of the season. Now it's just getting shot of the owner before the end of this season that's an absolute must.


Window is open until 11pm tonight

Sutekh
Hob Nob Legend
Posts: 20046
Joined: 12 Feb 2014 14:05
Location: Undiscovered pyramid somewhere in Egypt

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by Sutekh » 01 Feb 2024 09:18

Stranded
Sutekh Thank god that window's gone. Club has retained all its key players except one but even he's been returned for the rest of the season. Now it's just getting shot of the owner before the end of this season that's an absolute must.


Window is open until 11pm tonight


Really! Why doesn't it end at the end of January?


User avatar
Brogue
Hob Nob Super-Addict
Posts: 13285
Joined: 02 Mar 2021 20:38
Location: Getting things done

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by Brogue » 01 Feb 2024 09:27

:| jfc

Hound
Hob Nob Legend
Posts: 25241
Joined: 27 Sep 2016 22:16
Location: Simpleton

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by Hound » 01 Feb 2024 09:44

Tbf I had no idea when it finished until I checked yesterday

Suppose it’s an obvious statement but whilst these sales may be ‘fair enough’ of course have to remember the money is just going into Dai’s pocket and only happening due to him stopping funding the club after his own incompetence and overspending

Selling the likes of Harris is damaging the future of the club. Its only happening to allow us to pay the wages til the end of the year as Dai is refusing

Stranded
Hob Nob Subscriber
Hob Nob Subscriber
Posts: 20205
Joined: 14 Apr 2004 12:42
Location: Propping up the bar in the Nags

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by Stranded » 01 Feb 2024 10:04

Hound Tbf I had no idea when it finished until I checked yesterday

Suppose it’s an obvious statement but whilst these sales may be ‘fair enough’ of course have to remember the money is just going into Dai’s pocket and only happening due to him stopping funding the club after his own incompetence and overspending

Selling the likes of Harris is damaging the future of the club. Its only happening to allow us to pay the wages til the end of the year as Dai is refusing


I'm assuming by "going to Dai's pocket" you mean the money raised is just going to mean he has to find less money to cover whatever running costs he is choosing to cover this month. Tax and wages were paid on time this month, so someone is covering it (doubt enough money was raised to cover it all) - its the minimum expectation of course but it has been paid somehow.

Selling the likes of Harris may mean the club has a future and whilst I agree, we would be less likely to sell him now if we were a normally run (not even well run) club - the Academy at its heart is meant to be a factory for producing sellable assets - it would be great if we saw them in the first team first but always likely that some of the better talent will get picked up by clubs further up the food chain before that happens.

The only way we start the 24/25 season in any division is with a new owner, if these sort of sales mean that that happens and a new owner has a L1 club to start with, then great. The other option is liquidation and no club, in which case selling the young talent makes literally no difference as there won't be a first team for them to get into.

WestYorksRoyal
Hob Nob Addict
Posts: 6214
Joined: 15 Apr 2019 19:16

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by WestYorksRoyal » 01 Feb 2024 10:11

If we start 24/25 in L1 with a new owner it's not hyperbole to say the Academy has saved us. Allowing us to field a competitive squad on the pitch and bring in cash off it to ensure we survive.

Kudos to all the staff running it who have kept up professionalism and high standard during Dai's disastrous era.


Hound
Hob Nob Legend
Posts: 25241
Joined: 27 Sep 2016 22:16
Location: Simpleton

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by Hound » 01 Feb 2024 10:34

Agreed on the academy.

Guessing Dai isn’t reducing his asking price despite the squad being worth even less

This takeover needs to happen asap

YorkshireRoyal99
Hob Nob Addict
Posts: 5005
Joined: 10 Aug 2017 18:07

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by YorkshireRoyal99 » 01 Feb 2024 10:56

WestYorksRoyal If we start 24/25 in L1 with a new owner it's not hyperbole to say the Academy has saved us. Allowing us to field a competitive squad on the pitch and bring in cash off it to ensure we survive.

Kudos to all the staff running it who have kept up professionalism and high standard during Dai's disastrous era.


I wonder where we would be if we were Cat 2 instead for this season. It does seem like the upkeep of the academy is proving significant though as well, but it's certainly proved it's worth to keep us going, but we haven't maximised it's potential by any means over the last decade, in fact we've probably only benefitted from a fraction of it.

User avatar
Snowflake Royal
Hob Nob Legend
Posts: 42538
Joined: 20 Jun 2017 17:51

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by Snowflake Royal » 01 Feb 2024 11:05

YorkshireRoyal99
WestYorksRoyal If we start 24/25 in L1 with a new owner it's not hyperbole to say the Academy has saved us. Allowing us to field a competitive squad on the pitch and bring in cash off it to ensure we survive.

Kudos to all the staff running it who have kept up professionalism and high standard during Dai's disastrous era.


I wonder where we would be if we were Cat 2 instead for this season. It does seem like the upkeep of the academy is proving significant though as well, but it's certainly proved it's worth to keep us going, but we haven't maximised it's potential by any means over the last decade, in fact we've probably only benefitted from a fraction of it.

Well if we'd just accepted going down to Cat 2 previously rather than trying to get it back, we'd be a few million better off (still completely oxf*rd financially) and we wouldn't have Vickers and a bunch of other good young players we've used/sold this season, so we'd 6/7 points adrift.

WestYorksRoyal
Hob Nob Addict
Posts: 6214
Joined: 15 Apr 2019 19:16

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by WestYorksRoyal » 01 Feb 2024 11:08

YorkshireRoyal99
WestYorksRoyal If we start 24/25 in L1 with a new owner it's not hyperbole to say the Academy has saved us. Allowing us to field a competitive squad on the pitch and bring in cash off it to ensure we survive.

Kudos to all the staff running it who have kept up professionalism and high standard during Dai's disastrous era.


I wonder where we would be if we were Cat 2 instead for this season. It does seem like the upkeep of the academy is proving significant though as well, but it's certainly proved it's worth to keep us going, but we haven't maximised it's potential by any means over the last decade, in fact we've probably only benefitted from a fraction of it.

Perhaps Cat 1 / Cat 2 is the wrong way to look at it. It's more that everyone working there continues to do their job well. If you read in depth articles on our plight or listen to ex pros, the consensus is that the "Reading Way" died years ago and the culture of the club is shot. But through this, we have continued to produce players who are not only technically skilled, but rounded individuals with the maturity to contribute. It suggests there may be more resilience in the club than we appreciate. And this could be true for Cat 2/3/4, it's not about the scale of the operation but the behaviours and actions of the people doing their jobs.

Stranded
Hob Nob Subscriber
Hob Nob Subscriber
Posts: 20205
Joined: 14 Apr 2004 12:42
Location: Propping up the bar in the Nags

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by Stranded » 01 Feb 2024 11:15

Less than 12 hours to go.

User avatar
morganb
Hob Nob Regular
Posts: 2594
Joined: 31 Jul 2017 12:30

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by morganb » 01 Feb 2024 11:16

https://twitter.com/james_e1871/status/ ... 0557638669

All hope may not be lost... Understand the club are exploring options for one or two loan deals to add depth, predominantly at the back. Due to financial restrictions, the club will be relying on the parent club to cover most, if not all, of the costs for any deal.

User avatar
Brogue
Hob Nob Super-Addict
Posts: 13285
Joined: 02 Mar 2021 20:38
Location: Getting things done

Re: Confrimed - Abbey and Holmes going

by Brogue » 01 Feb 2024 11:17

James Earnshaw
@james_e1871
All hope may not be lost... Understand the club are exploring options for one or two loan deals to add depth, predominantly at the back. Due to financial restrictions, the club will be relying on the parent club to cover most, if not all, of the costs for any deal. #readingfc

548 posts

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot], super darren caskey, WestYorksRoyal and 160 guests

It is currently 01 Nov 2024 08:31