Leon Clarke

[Ginginho]

Shame we can't get the problems worked out with him as he's scoring goals for fun.

It's good that he's scoring goals, but it fucks me off that he's not scoring them for us.

[Only Me]

2 year contract, we can just loan him out again.

Football is a fickle game, if he scores plenty of goals in december then we will get a good fee. The market for strikers is often rediculous.

I agree.  If he starts scoring loads, there will be other clubs coming in for him (assuming they can handle that BIG chip on his shoulder), which measn ££££££££££££££ to us.

[Only Me]

How is it a 'good bit of business by Paolo'? As Ardilles said,

Di Canio's quote that "he'll never play for this club again" (something to that effect) is the exact opposite of good business - it severely diminishes his transfer value.

'Good business' would have been to have managed him properly, thus solving your striker problem, because he can clearly score goals at the level above ours.

I know what you are saying, but that isn't PDC's style, so you shouldn't expect that.

[oxford_fan]

good bit of business by Paolo.

You've got your rouge tinted spectacles on if you think that falling out with a big striker, the type of player your manager has continually been looking for since he came to the club, who can score goals at the level above ours is 'good business'. And as Ardilles said,

We'll never get a massive fee for Clarke.  Any buying club will know he has no future with us, which moves the negotiation in their favour.

Di Canio's quote that "he'll never play for this club again" (something to that effect) is the exact opposite of good business - it severely diminishes his transfer value.

'Good business' would have been to manage him properly.

[Spencer_White]

Err, because Di Canio signed him for free? Money for nothing.

How many Championship strikers have you persuaded to sign on a free transfer?

League 1 is a much better shop window than L2. No one really pays any attention to L2 players, the bigger clubs dont rate the standard of this league.

[jb]

Great bit of potential business I'd say, the fact that it wasn't planned doesn't mean it won't be good business.

[chalkies_shorts]

Unfortunately I agree with the Scummer. I can't see how it is good business. I'd imagine Chesterfield are laughing their heads off. They've got a quality striker for fuck all. He's now got to prove himself after the very public spat, which he appears to be doing. When the loan runs out they'll have Jack Lester back from injury and may not want to sign him.
Any fee we get for him will be limited by the fact clubs know we want to shift him.
Saying that, its looking to be a good job all round that he's gone. Good for him and good for us as we've played well.
The bad news is that we need to try and get a striker just like him when it took us so long to get him in the first place.

[Spencer_White]

Le Fondre had to score about 400 goals in League 2 before anyone was prepared to put in a serious bid.

Charlie Austin, after 6 months of scoring in League 1, there was never any doubt that a team would pay at least £1m for him.

[leefer]

It is a sad state of affairs to be honest,but only a matter of time before he pulls another stunt and is on his way in my opinion,if someone like Warnock can't get the best out of him at QPR then PDC in his first job would find it nigh on impossible.
Only at the seasons end will it be apparent how much it will effect us,so no point in guessing otherwise.

[oxford_fan]

Err, because Di Canio signed him for free? Money for nothing.

How many Championship strikers have you persuaded to sign on a free transfer?

League 1 is a much better shop window than L2. No one really pays any attention to L2 players, the bigger clubs dont rate the standard of this league.

You haven't got any money for him though. I don't buy the argument that him scoring out on loan is going to pocket you hundreds of thousands. Other clubs know that he's not wanted at Swindon, which means you'll get much less money for him than you should.

Personally I'd rather we didn't sign any utter cocks who clearly aren't up for playing for my team, or manager, whether they be from the Championship, Premiership, or anywhere else. And the wording of your question tells a story about Clarke. He was "persuaded" to sign. And he was a free transfer because QPR wanted rid, the (lack of) fee is a warning itself in this case - they didn't even ask for £50k for him.

"League 1 is a much better shop window than L2" - the higher the league the higher the fees, that much is obvious. But Clarke is contracted to a L2 club whose manager has publicly stated that he won't play for him again.

[Spencer_White]

Still a pointless argument at the moment. Di Canio might not even be here in January.

We can only win from Clarke scoring goals for Chesterfield.

Whether it is good business or not will be decided in January, when he is sold. Resurrect the thread then.

[Dozno9]

Le Fondre had to score about 400 goals in League 2 before anyone was prepared to put in a serious bid.

Charlie Austin, after 6 months of scoring in League 1, there was never any doubt that a team would pay at least £1m for him.

History states that it only takes 1 maybe 2 seasons at League One level to get a decent move for a striker.

Clarke has played for 11 clubs at the age of 26 so I disagree with the scummer in that Clarke is certainly NOT the player we need here. We paid fuck all for him, possibly not paying his wages and will demand a fee and all the time we are still winning (albeit yesterday) with a happy squad.

He's playing well for Chesterfield but before he went there he looked lethargic and crap here. He couldn't even score against Poxford.

[Simon Pieman]

Any profit made from a player who doesn't want to be here is good

[Chesterfield Heaven]

Chesterfield fan here in peace

Well what can one say. He didn't need the extra running did he. Leon Clarke, one of John Sheridan's pre-season targets is doing the business. Sheridan says, he believes him to be 'the' best striker in the division and his performances have been sheer quality and, with respect, he's doing it in a higher division surrounded by better players. Certainly a more skilfull player than Craig Davies who notched 24 goals for us last season. I think I've seen Clarke lose the ball three times in three games. As for being a troublemaker, nothing could be further from the truth so far. In my dealings with him he has been a model professional, polite and charming.

I can understand Swindon fans supporting their manager and club but from this side we see a player who was verbally abused at the end of a gruelling match and physically assaulted - being dragged by his shirt in the process of leaving the field - by your manager -  grounds for constructive dismissal perhaps? A fantastic signing. I hope we can keep him. Let's hope Di Canio stays at Swindon for a couple of years.

[Kinky Tom]

he didn't want to be here and in the first place di canio didn't physically assult him, what nonsence.

team spirit has improved tangibly since he left, with players running to hug pdc when we score.  it's very easy to say what you said looking in from the outside but the players are 100% behind paolo.

none of our other players have moaned about the training regime so it is right that he has been told to find another club.  he thought he was above having to work hard and that clearly put the rest of our squad out.

as for better players, i doubt it...