Arsenal 'poised' to sign Walton.

[The Merry Prankster]

This is very irritating if true, I've been looking forward to seeing him play a part in our future.

I'm slowly learning that it is a waste of time looking forward, and it's a complete bad use of brain cells.

Very much this. There appears to be little continuity anymore. No real team building. It is increasingly a case of seeing what type of team you can cobble together for the season. Got parachute payments or prepared to cheat? Then you'll probably be able to cobble together a better team than the also rans. Bloody Solly March will be on everyones radar now, I wonder when the offers for him will start.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Very much this. There appears to be little continuity anymore. No real team building. It is increasingly a case of seeing what type of team you can cobble together for the season. Got parachute payments or prepared to cheat? Then you'll probably be able to cobble together a better team than the also rans. Bloody Solly March will be on everyones radar now, I wonder when the offers for him will start.

I feel the same way. We've spent millions on a training ground and an academy, just to see the youngsters we do bring through get cherry picked by the Premier League.
It hasn't done Grant Hall much good. He spent the entire season at Swindon.

 

[The Birdman]

Not so. £900k in 1981 is about £3m - pretty much on par with Bridcutt

http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/education/Pages/inflation/calculator/flash/default.aspx

Alan Mulls wanted to sell him to Manure and could have £500.000 plus his free pick of any Manure player. He was overruled by Bamber and the rest is history.

 

[BigGully]

I feel the same way. We've spent millions on a training ground and an academy, just to see the youngsters we do bring through get cherry picked by the Premier League.
It hasn't done Grant Hall much good. He spent the entire season at Swindon.

Perhaps, but how do you think Plymouth felt when we parachuted into their squad and bought Walton for £300 000.

If we want to moan like this then you must ask 'has he ever really been ours anyways', either Walton will stay with an improved contract and greater access to the first team squad/games or he will leave making a healthy profit for us.

The new facilities is a way to try and keep talented youngster or try to entice them from other clubs, we just happen not to be at the top of the food chain just yet.

 

[Marshy]

I feel the same way. We've spent millions on a training ground and an academy, just to see the youngsters we do bring through get cherry picked by the Premier League.
It hasn't done Grant Hall much good. He spent the entire season at Swindon.

Is this something new then ? Has it not been going on for years ?

The Training ground will be the best investment Tony will ever make in our football club

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Is this something new then ? Has it not been going on for years ?

The Training ground will be the best investment Tony will ever make in our football club

I agree but it would be nice (if not idealistic) for one of our youngsters to commit to us and become a star with us. Just musing.

 

[Stat Brother]

That is a great disservice to Casper. I hope he signs because he is a competent keeper. We've had worse.

Reading it back, I completely agree.

My post was meant as a critique of the position, not the player.
No team with a full squad can afford not to have a keeper on the bench, when 7 places are available.

Since Tommy K's arrival, Ankergren and Brez have been in competition for the scraps, with the position seemingly decided by who didn't make a cock-up last time.

Without the 'added pressure' of cup competition neither would have seen much game time, therefore with it being a specialised job with more supply than demand, any competent keeper can cover third spot.
All the while second place in hierarchy is ideally suited to a talented youngest, someone we didn't have so went out a poached Walton.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Perhaps, but how do you think Plymouth felt when we parachuted into their squad and bought Walton for £300 000.

If we want to moan like this then you must ask 'has he ever really been ours anyways', either Walton will stay with an improved contract and greater access to the first team squad/games or he will leave making a healthy profit for us.

The new facilities is a way to try and keep talented youngster or try to entice them from other clubs, we just happen not to be at the top of the food chain just yet.

Exactly.

Unless they've started out with us as kids, then we've no place feeling agrieved, when a bigger club 'poaches' a player, that we in turn poached from a smaller club.

It was ever thus.

Out of interest, does anyone know the terms of Solly March's move from Lewes to the ALbion? We didn't 'buy' him I don't think. I think he was simply allowed to leave as he was not under a pro contract, but I could very well be wrong. Just wondered whether they will be due a windfall of any kind, if we cash in on Solly in the future?

 

[Stat Brother]

Exactly.

Unless they've started out with us as kids, then we've no place feeling agrieved, when a bigger club 'poaches' a player, that we in turn poached from a smaller club.

It was ever thus.

Out of interest, does anyone know the terms of Solly March's move from Lewes to the ALbion? We didn't 'buy' him I don't think. I think he was simply allowed to leave as he was not under a pro contract, but I could very well be wrong. Just wondered whether they will be due a windfall of any kind, if we cash in on Solly in the future?

Wasn't it a £1000 and set of track-suits, or are those day gone?

 

[Stat Brother]

Why would any young player stay at a second division club?

If a Premier League club wants them, they will have them.
Cynical I know, but at the end of the day in a short professional career, money talks.

I'm sure in the past parents mortgages have been paid off.
'TRUSTED AGENTS' are lining their pockets.
Shiny baubles, cars etc, are dangled in front of noses
Even if they are altruistic, everybody is making on the deal (Plymouth and BHA, in Walton's case).

Nobody is staying, at any non-prem side if they are wanted bad enough, just because a fat postie would like a local lad to cheer on.

It's no different if there's a company that really really wants you to change jobs and work for them.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Exactly.

Unless they've started out with us as kids, then we've no place feeling agrieved, when a bigger club 'poaches' a player, that we in turn poached from a smaller club.

It was ever thus.

Out of interest, does anyone know the terms of Solly March's move from Lewes to the ALbion? We didn't 'buy' him I don't think. I think he was simply allowed to leave as he was not under a pro contract, but I could very well be wrong. Just wondered whether they will be due a windfall of any kind, if we cash in on Solly in the future?

I don't know if we paid anything for him but whilst searching I found this Sky Sports scout report valuing him at £4m now.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/...sociation-with-wyscout-reports-on-solly-march

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Why would any young player stay at a second division club?

If a Premier League club wants them, they will have them.
Cynical I know, but at the end of the day in a short professional career, money talks.

I'm sure in the past parents mortgages have been paid off.
'TRUSTED AGENTS' are lining their pockets.
Shiny baubles, cars etc, are dangled in front of noses
Even if they are altruistic, everybody is making on the deal (Plymouth and BHA, in Walton's case).

Nobody is staying at any non-prem side if they are wanted bad enough, just because a fat postie would like a local lad to cheer on.

It's no different if there's a company that really really wants you to change jobs and work for them.

Indeed.

Walton, March and Forster Caskey have both spent the last two weeks, enhancing their own reputations in England shirts. In the down-time between those matches they been mooching about their training camps / hotels with almost exclusively Premier League youngsters. In between playing Call of Duty and Fifa on Callum Chambers' Xbox, and looking at the dirty pictures on Nathan Redmond's phone, they'll have been listening excitedly to the details of what these kids are earning / what cars they drive, etc, etc.

What 18 /19 year old kid would NOT have their head turned?

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

Walton has not gone and who is to say he could not be sold and loaned back to us for a season which might suit all parties.

There is plenty of paper talk around successful teams and players and we are one of them. Actual movements and happenings are less in evidence. There is far too much written about what may happen than what has ?

 

[father_and_son]

Perhaps, but how do you think Plymouth felt when we parachuted into their squad and bought Walton for £300 000.

If we want to moan like this then you must ask 'has he ever really been ours anyways', either Walton will stay with an improved contract and greater access to the first team squad/games or he will leave making a healthy profit for us.

The new facilities is a way to try and keep talented youngster or try to entice them from other clubs, we just happen not to be at the top of the food chain just yet.

THIS. The academy is supposed to make money for the club not just feed the first team. We will attract and train some of the best young players, develop them, give them first team experience - then WE WILL SELL THEM ON. This is why TB spent millions developing the facility - to ensure the clubs financial stability. We will only have a decent player budget under FFP if we can make some from other sources than just tickets, pies and pints. Lancing will become a great source of money for the club in the medium to long term.

 

[edna krabappel]

Indeed.

Walton, March and Forster Caskey have both spent the last two weeks, enhancing their own reputations in England shirts. In the down-time between those matches they been mooching about their training camps / hotels with almost exclusively Premier League youngsters. In between playing Call of Duty and Fifa on Callum Chambers' Xbox, and looking at the dirty pictures on Nathan Redmond's phone, they'll have been listening excitedly to the details of what these kids are earning / what cars they drive, etc, etc.

What 18 /19 year old kid would NOT have their head turned?

Quite. And, within reason, I don't particularly have an issue with that. Selling decent young players on is a fact of life, once you've actually figured out a way to find and develop those players in the first place. Southampton are a Premier League side, but it's all but inevitable their young stars will move on.

 

[edna krabappel]

What's important is that we continue to develop (or pick up) the best of those young players in the first place, which hasn't really been a tradition at the Albion over the years.

Then, whether they go on to make a huge impact in the first team, or are sold on for a large fee before they've even played a game, we win.

 

[Eggmundo]

As has been previously stated, the new training ground costs approx £3m a year to run. To make it viable we have to produce a player/players of that value every year.

Which means we need to sell them.

Hopefully we'll eventually be producing several players of that value.

 

[Footsoldier]

I don't know if we paid anything for him but whilst searching I found this Sky Sports scout report valuing him at £4m now.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/...sociation-with-wyscout-reports-on-solly-march

That's them. £8m more like. If he was at Palace then that would be his value.

 

[CheeseRolls]

As has been previously stated, the new training ground costs approx £3m a year to run. To make it viable we have to produce a player/players of that value every year.

Which means we need to sell them.

Hopefully we'll eventually be producing several players of that value.

Not sure I agree with that. Youth players who come through do not require us to pay a transfer fee. I also suspect that signing on fees and wages are often lower, than for players we need to bring in. Transfer fees are really only one part of the mix.

 

[rcf0712]

He's English and from what I hear a good keeper so there's little chance of Arsenal wanting him.....