NO LONGER A RUMOUR: Sam Sodje

[Hungerford Bee]

Can we have our 300 grand now please? More likely half up front and the rest when he has played 100 consecutive premiership games without getting booked or kicking the opposition centre forward up the A*** as he runs away from goal.

[Fezza]

Damn I'm to slow, just saw on Beesotted that we are confirmed as going to sign Sam subject to terms/medical. Initial fee of £350k going to £500k based on appearances.

[Jay]

So that'll be Aaron Brown and Sam Sodje as back up centre backs then. If we got Mensah too, we'd have three back up centre backs. We'll have gone from having little to no cover to having plenty.

I suppose we can't argue with the 'little' transfer fee, still not sure the Championship isn't the best next step for the lad but as always, Coppell will prove us wrong. (IF he signs)

[Platypuss]

Confirmation on Brentford official site:

http://www.brentfordfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10421~866669,00.html?ptvParm=

No longer a rumour.

[EASTENDER MARKY]

It's like waiting for a bus, no signings, then two come at once!

[Jay]

Look at the size of that neck!!!

[Scarface]

Look at the size of that neck!!!

That rivals Sidwell's giraffe neck

[EASTENDER MARKY]

He's actually 27 ?
I thought he was about 23.

[Big Ern]

Not quite sure what to make of this. Stepping up two divisions will be very tough, but Coppell and his team know him well enough and you just have to trust their judgement.

Hopefully Sodje will be 1 of 2 central defenders we will sign in the next few weeks. With all the interest surrounding Mensah, it seems a bit of an anti climax getting Sodje instead.

[Jay]

Not quite sure what to make of this. Stepping up two divisions will be very tough, but Coppell and his team know him well enough and you just have to trust their judgement.

Hopefully Sodje will be 1 of 2 central defenders we will sign in the next few weeks. With all the interest surrounding Mensah, it seems a bit of an anti climax getting Sodje instead.

That is exactly how I feel. I'm sure he'll prove good cover, and dare I say it, but if we went down and lost a defender or two, he'd more than fill any void, but I'm hoping we get Mensah too.

Again though, the manager hasn't let us down with signings before.

[EASTENDER MARKY]

Not quite sure what to make of this. Stepping up two divisions will be very tough, but Coppell and his team know him well enough and you just have to trust their judgement.

Hopefully Sodje will be 1 of 2 central defenders we will sign in the next few weeks. With all the interest surrounding Mensah, it seems a bit of an anti climax getting Sodje instead.

That is exactly how I feel. I'm sure he'll prove good cover, and dare I say it, but if we went down and lost a defender or two, he'd more than fill any void, but I'm hoping we get Mensah too.

Again though, the manager hasn't let us down with signings before.

Agreed, I don't think we can doubt Coppell's judgement. Sodje looked quite good when we played them in a friendly last year and his name has cropped up a few times with Fulham and Birmingham chasing him for a while.
If the EP and other websites are right then we put in the £3.5m bid for John Mensah over a week ago, so why haven't we heard anything since? Surely we would of heard if they had accepted it or rejected it?

[Jay]

LOL at the ethnic jokes about not having enough non white players in the team and Coppell's ethnic clensing Seol and Sodje boosting the numbers now!

[Gordons Cumming]

Again though, the manager hasn't let us down with signings before.

Paul Brooker

Lloyd Owusu

Dean Morgan

..........................................

[scutterbucket]

I'll only view this as a good signing if we get Mensah or someone of similar quality as well.

Ingimarrson doesnt deserve to be dropped to fourth choice centre back. I hope Sodje is behind him in the pecking order.

[Fezza]

He ain't Effie he's his brother...

[Jay]

Again though, the manager hasn't let us down with signings before.

Paul Brooker

Lloyd Owusu

Dean Morgan

..........................................

Be fair you old bugger, how did they let us down?
For the budget we had at the time, they all knitted in well and did a suitable job for us.
None let us down IMO.
That said, they weren't good enough for a Championship title charge, hence why they moved on last summer.

[JS28ZoD]

Ingimarrson doesnt deserve to be dropped to fourth choice centre back. I hope Sodje is behind him in the pecking order.

I hope that the pecking order is decided purely on player performances in pre season training.

I think that Sodje has the makings of a quality centre back and we should give the guy a chance. I, for one, will be delighted with the aquisition of Sodje, especially for the quoted price.

[Gordons Cumming]

Again though, the manager hasn't let us down with signings before.

Paul Brooker

Lloyd Owusu

Dean Morgan

..........................................

Be fair you old bugger, how did they let us down?
For the budget we had at the time, they all knitted in well and did a suitable job for us.
None let us down IMO.
That said, they weren't good enough for a Championship title charge, hence why they moved on last summer.

I don't feel like being fair today, Jay.

Not so much of the old. It's all relative. To you I may be old, but to Royal Rother, I'm not.

[Alan Partridge]

Hello all, I'm back again I'm sure I was missed!

I too bought the mail todayand I can say what it says.

Reading

Major Ins
Seoul Ki Jyeon £1million although we now know it was more than that)
Sam Sodje £300,000

Targets
Calum Davenport, Dean Whitehead, John Mensah, Chris Birchall, Jay Jay Okocha

It also says our budget is £10million.

So what's going on with Sodje then, nothing official as yet?

[Huntley & Palmer]

Just spoken to the Watford coach that works here. He scouted him for Boothroyd against Huddersfield earlier in the season.

Apparently he is an absolute speed merchant, not in any way similar to Sonko. Reads the game well and has a decent right foot, not big or tall so would be dominated physically but I presume Sonks would pick up someone like Heskey or Roberts. He can also play right back comfortably as well, could put some pressure on Murts if he doesn't make a good start. Watford were interested in bidding as were Southampton but it looks like we beat them all to the punch. He believes this is a bargain at this price