Constantine set to turn us down, new contract for Hinsh - Argus

[Withdean Wanderer]

Albion likely to miss out on Leon
By Andy Naylor

Albion are still interested in Leon Constantine but boss Dean Wilkins expects the former Port Vale marksman to be snapped up by a Championship club.

Constantine, now a free agent, rejected a move to Albion during the January transfer window after a £135,000 fee was agreed with Vale.

Wilkins said: "He is aware that we are interested. At the time we showed interest earlier in the year he expressed that he wanted to play in the Championship.
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"I am sure that remains an ambition and, with him being on a free, that is a good possibility."

Meanwhile, former Wales No.1 Paul Jones has been ruled out of the race to become Albion's full-time goalkeeping coach.

Jones was interviewed for the post vacated last month by Portsmouth-bound John Keeley but Wilkins said: It is not going to work out with Paul.

"He has been offered the opportunity to work with the Welsh national team and he could not give us the sort of commitment we wanted."

Albion's League One rivals Carlisle have signed Middlesbrough striker Danny Graham on a two-year deal following his successful loan spell at Brunton Park.

The 21-year-old failed to make a first-team impact at Boro.

11:25pm to


Well that's good - at least Dick Knight isn't getting us all excited and then we're being let down....this time we are RESIGNED to him not signing before he's rejected us!

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Meanwhile, Hinsh has signed a new contract

Albion star's contract delight
By Andy Naylor
Comment

Gary Hart today hailed a testimonial granted by Albion to accompany his new one-year contract as a "massive achievement".

Next season will be Hart's tenth year with the Seagulls after making just enough appearances last season to trigger an appearance-related clause guaranteeing him a new deal.

The 30-year-old utility player will be following in the testimonial footsteps of his close friend Kerry Mayo, who also had the promise of a twelve-month contract secured by the number of games he played last term.
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Hart said: "I won't do anything until Kerry's is out of the way. I don't want to take away any of the limelight from him but it is a massive achievement for me, something I never dreamed of happening. I owe the club everything."

Hart's Albion career looked over in February and March when he was left out by manager Dean Wilkins.

He admitted: "My future was uncertain. I did not know whether I was going to be at the club or not.

"Luckily I got to the appearances I needed and I have got to thank the gaffer, because he gave me the opportunity to prove I can still be a good player for the club."

Meanwhile, injury-plagued defender Adam Hinshelwood has agreed a one-year contract with a year's option but Albion are sweating on an answer from French midfielder Alexis Bertin.

Wilkins revealed: "We are still waiting to hear from him. We know we are facing competition, from abroad as well.

"We have made him an offer and he knows we want him to stay. There is not a lot more we can do."

Paul Reid's future will be resolved once he returns from Australia later this month, while long-term broken ankle victim Charlie Oatway is on course to be fit for pre-season training at the start of July.

Wilkins said: "He has got a couple of months, July and August, to try and get match fit. He is going well at the moment and looks like joining in from day one but, because of the nature of the injury he's had, it is literally day by day."

Youngster Wes Fogden, awarded a one-year contract after recovering from a benign spine tumour, will be sent out on loan from the start of next season so that he is playing matches.

Former Albion greats Steve Foster, Jimmy Case and Gerry Ryan have been signed up to join goal-scoring legends Bobby Zamora and Peter Ward in an all-star match prior to Mayo's testimonial against Reading at Withdean on July 28.

 

[Braders]

so two major body blows with one ray of hope really..

looks like it's going to start as you were minus Keeley as goalkeeping coach being the biggest difference (providing we can hold onto Bertin)

 

[1066gull]

I'm a big fan on Hinsh, he is quality and made a good partnership with Whing, but I am a bit worried about him being prone to injury.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

I'm a big fan on Hinsh, he is quality and made a good partnership with Whing, but I am a bit worried about him being prone to injury.

Would think that's why it's only a one year deal he's getting

 

[1066gull]

Would think that's why it's only a one year deal he's getting

So far we cant really complain that much about the running of the club, its better than last season imo but nevertheless there still hasn't been a signing yet.

 

[vulture]

Good news on Hinsh.Think Bertin will be off and I hope that constaine is not the one of the strikers that the chairman was talking about.

 

[the right footed denilson]

Good news on Hinsh.Think Bertin will be off and I hope that constaine is not the one of the strikers that the chairman was talking about.

Agree about Constantine.

 

[Icy Gull]

I like DW's straight and realistic talking, hard to argue with anything he appears to be trying to do or saying

 

[bhaexpress]

I cannot see why we even bothered with Constatine. He's made it perfectly clear that he wants to play at a higher level so whydid the club think they still had a chance ?

 

[Icy Gull]

It's all gone quiet on Whing...

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Hardly a major surprise really is it?

 

[Mrs Coach]

Do you think a positive decision in July on Falmer will give more weight to our player hunt?

 

[bhaexpress]

Do you think a positive decision in July on Falmer will give more weight to our player hunt?

Not a lot I wouldn't have thought because it'll be two years before it's ready. It might mean a little more cash but I doubt it as most investment will be put into the new stadium.

It's really a case of hanging in there for now

 

[Grendel]

nevertheless there still hasn't been a signing yet.

We're only six days into the transfer window.

 

[Icy Gull]

Do you think a positive decision in July on Falmer will give more weight to our player hunt?

Undoubtably I would think. The selling of Falmer as being built within two or three years by DK undoubtably helped MA attract players and I believe it swung Peter Taylor to sign as well as deciding to walk away when he'd been here long enough to know it was all PR and wishful thinking.

 

[byf]

Im not even that fussed about him....he's hardly getting a load each season...is he...?

That was the first season he's scored a real good strikers amount of goals.

Players like grant holt or Sir nick of forster is what we want..

We wont get them and we should be just happy with the scrapings of what people dont want.

 

[Trigger]

I cannot see why we even bothered with Constatine. He's made it perfectly clear that he wants to play at a higher level so whydid the club think they still had a chance ?

Spin?

 

[face in the crowd]

I do wonder if Constantine is a bit of a one season wonder to be honest. I know he scored goals for Port Vale this season, but at 28 he's not exactly young, and he has never produced the goods for several other lower league teams before. In short, I am not bothered to miss out on him one bit.

He did score 20+ goals at Southend in the 03/04 season although that was League 2.