Thetownend.com

He's ours.

Bid for Birchall Accepted (http://doverathletic.com/index.php?p=news&id=1816)

Another piece of the jigsaw falls in to place.

Not until he signs on the dotted line. We've been here before!

and the scarf above the head photograph.

That'll piss the pikeys off. Good stuff.

The player sounds keen though...

http://doverathletic.com/index.php?p=news&id=1816

I like this a lot. Will like it even better when we've seen the scarf being held aloft though :nod:

The scarf will have to be held high so we can see it - He's only 5ft 7in !

Don't believe it until he's signed on the dotted line. Huddersfield might gazump us !!

Is he any diffrent to benyon?

can opperate outside the box more i think, see the goal agains the pikeys

^ Sweet.

A little ahead of yourself. It'll take more than a headline in a newspaper to convince me we've signed anyone.

FFS what are the club doing signing an unproven non league midget has this club got no ambition??? Why aren't we bidding for Tevez??? He wants to leave Man City so get your hands in your pocket board c'mon  :D

Seriously i don't know anything about him other than he's short so i guess he'll need a target man to work off of? What are other people's thoughts on him. Reckon he can cut it with us?

lack of height isnt a problem for the right player.  Bryan Wade in the Macari days was an excellent player in this division.
strange that Benyon was farmed out and a possible replacement seems to be a bit of a gamble.

Gary Rose twitting:

Regarding Adam Birchall. Reliably informed that personal terms could be agreed soon, and he could even fly out as early as tomorrow

I don't think Benyon wanted to play for us this season tbh.  Di Canio saw that and when the opportunity of him going to Wycombe came along that was that.  Can only be good for us though.  If he does well for them we can cash in on him.  If he don't then well let him rot in the reserves that we won't have next season the unloyal bastard   :D

Dis.

http://doverathletic.freeforums.org/swindon-it-is-then-t712.html

As expected really, sorry to see him go.

They appear to be rather happy he didn't go to the Jills 8)

I don't know why people are still on about benyon. He admited he wanted league 1 football so fuck him

Fuck who?

I like the way there's a town fan on there thinking we paid £75k-£100k. No one knows. Less than quadruple the pikey's bid would seem likely though.

Sounds like a great player. Very high workrate and superb attitude.

A little Bird tells me that Benyon is out for some time with a broken hand.

Fucking PDC can even see into the future now. :)

If true, I guess that means that Wycombe would cancel the loan arrangement and we pick up his wages?

A broken hand shouldn't keep him out for too long though :hmmm:

They would have to negotiate any early return. Town would rightly remind Wycombe that it's a season long loan and hard luck.

its great we are close to signing him.

the question I have is do you think he is any more proven than rafael whatsit?  I. e have we bid for him as a starter or someone we can develop?

I don't know if this has been posted already but this is Dover v Aldershot in the Cup where he got both goals in the 2-0 win. He look absolutely tremendous (and against FL oppo as well)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N083NeX7evM

Seems to be good business for both sides and we seem to have a mutual dislike of Gillingham.

I like Dover Athletic  :toocool:

Starter I would say. Not much development needed. Look at the above ^^^^^^

I've seen a lot of Conference South football and it is a very, very tough league with a lot of former FL players. To score that many goals at that level is no fluke. You have to be good. He will score and contribute for us. No doubt about it. Just sign on that dotted line Adam...

He looks good.

Like's to run with the ball doesn't he? The kind of player that will scare the shit out of defenders.

Ta. I know nothing about the standard of Conference South, hence the question.

Sounds like a give 100%er, which is a goof start.

I was at the Conference South play off final this year between Farnborough and Ebbsfleet...and must admit I thought the standard was pretty poor.  A lot of the locals said the same, mind, so maybe not a representative game.  Either way, it is a fair step up...but Charlie A's step up was bigger still.

Not every game is a classic, that's for sure. It's a hard league though. You don't get any time on the ball and you have to be able to look after yourself. As I said, 40+ goals at that level is exceptional.

Fucking hell, how much of a hypchondriac are you?  Broken hand would only rule out a proper bloke for a few weeks, surely?

Benyon is small and gets knocked off the ball easy, this Birchall seems a stronger chap.

Play off finals can be hit or miss.  Lets face it, we were pretty shite in our's.

Yep, spot on.  Looks like it takes a lot to knock him off the ball.  Looks like he'd get more from outside the box than Benyon too.

Don't all stab me at once, but he reminds me a bit of Cureton, you know, when he was trying for a bit, not th Yeovil miss obviously.  Short but made of decent stuff and able to hold of players, low centre of gravity meaning he can turn defenders and get on the wrong side of them.  Certainly knows where the goal is and the Arsenal upbringing must mean a decent touch and skill level.  Seems like he thought it would all just come to him at one point, hence his decline.  Good to se he has worked his socks off to get back up the leagues.

Nah stabbings was Ashokodi not Cureton  :D

Gotta say... DEAD CHUFFED. Sounds like his attitude is A1 and having been in the FL before and dropped out he'll have a positive chip on his shoulder too ala Charlie. Hopefully it's welcome to the CG, Adam. Best of luck wee man.

So much for Wimbledon's assertions that PDC wouldn't be able to find his way around the lower leagues.

According to the Mongs on thisis there's been a late bid from Gillingham. Hopefully the fact our bid is cash up front should swing it our way (if true).

He would rather play for us methinks.

Yeah i think that they dont really want to sell to Gillingham plus we can offer more money you would think. When you look at his FL record it isnt great but having said that James Constable was a similar situation when he joined the scum and he has done well for them.

Late bid from Gillingham?  Would imagine he appreciates his prospects would be better with us...but could be tempted by their offer if he wants to stay put in the area.  Hope I didn't jinx things with my first post.

He's from Kent and has been managed by Hessenthaler so there's plenty of reasons why Birchall could choose Gillingham over Town (if indeed they've actually bid for him).

However, I'm more than sure that Dover will be happy to tell their friends at Priestfield to bugger off.

Without wishing to dampen your enthusiasm, it should be noted that Birchall has been on the STFC radar for a while. He first came to attention in 08....coming off the bench and scoring  an equaliser for Barnet in the Cup. This was the ill fated 0 pen shoot out.

Also attracting attention was Joe Devera.   Birchall, was subsequently invited for trial, but not considered quite good enough, hence the drop to non league.

Reg, if you read his interviews from last season, he admits that after not making the grade at Arsenal he lost interest in playing, got a bit billy big shoes and thought it would just happen for him. He went away and waited tables part time and coached youngsters before getting back into the game with Dover and hasn't looked back.  Seems to me that he is just the sort of player who could now rise back up the leagues if he's realised he needs to put the work in to get the rewards from playing.  His recent stint also seems to have made a little more grounded around why he is playing the game.

Gillingham have the disadvantage of Hendon being assistant manager, and he released Birchall from Barnet.

I've no problem with signing players who are looking to improve, rather than too many who are on the way down.

I may be missing something, but the only stories I can find connecting Birchall with Gillingham are from Friday (ie before Dover accepted our bid) where Scally, the Gillingham Chairman, offered £15,000...in installments.  All sounds like a bit of a wind up/piss take...and Dover gave it very short shrift.

If this is the bid being discussed, I think we can discount it.  Or is there now speculation that Gillingham have upped their offer?

I think this lad is worth a punt, Reg.  Not all players' careers have a neat up/down trajectory.

In recent years (decade or so) Non-League players have struggled after joining Swindon (Martin, Opara, Dykes, Mohamed) and I think that's down to lack of games played.

We threw Austin in and he thrived... To talk about a players attitude from a few years ago can often be irrelevant, especially when they've done well since.

I firmly believe that Non-Leaguers can replicate form in the Football League if they are given adequate minutes on the pitch.

Darren Ferguson makes a good point here.

Indeed. Mackail-Smith's first season was not great by all accounts, but all their (known to us) non-leaguers, were brilliant.

Ha ha

It's true though and it did my boys at Peterborough nay harm.

I wouldnt have called it a good point if it wasnt true :)

Really can't see the Pikeys getting him.

PDC will attract him too.

AFC Wimbledon have also had a bid accepted for Birchall.

Interesting twist. Hopefully we can 'out wage' them?

You'd hope so, but at the same time, we don't want to pay over the odds.

I think it's fair to say then that Gillingham coming back with an improved bid was bollocks as that would be on DAFC's official site seeing as ours and Wimbledon's has been reported on there. It's at times like this where Di Canio's going to come into his own hopefully in attracting the player to us. You would hope he would have a bit more appeal with all due respect, than Terry Brown.

For what it's worth, Gary Rose just twatted this when asked about news on any further signings...

STGary_Rose Gary Rose
@
@DeanMcMackin Hoped to speak with Paolo today but he is unavailable all day. A day off? Doubt it, so read into that what you will
 :sherlock: :hmmm:

Would be pretty bad if AFCW beat us to the signature of Birchall. They have one of the lowest budgets in the league.

It wouldn't suprise me.

Depends what he wants really. I suppose Wimbledon would be an easier move for him to make.

Why the fuck would he choose Wimbledon over us ?

Apart from being closer to home, thats all they have going for them.

I wouldn't say that.

Just because Terry Brown isn't 'Paolo Di Canio' doesn't mean he can't sell a club.

Nothing to do with PDC.

We're a bigger club, with a bigger budget and better facilities.

That hasn't stopped players from turning us down in the past. Richie Jones to Hartlepool immediately comes to mind - Danny Wilson convinced him to join them and there were several far 'bigger' teams with far better budgets and facilities.

I would expect Swindon to seal this but if Terry Brown builds him up and convinces him that's he's going to be a superstar at Wimbledon then he could be easily swayed.

Also the location of Wimbledon maybe better for him as he his family are around the Kent area.

If Birchall has to think about this for more than 5 seconds then PDC should end interest in him straight away. Its a toss up between playing for a big club in this league, promotion candidates and of course PDC or playing in front of less than 2,000 each week. Depends how ambitious he really is. Gillingham is a shit hole too.

He'd probably have more chance of being in the first team at Wimbledon

Yep, he's going to struggle to get in ahead of our vast array of strikers.

I hope he does sign. Looks to have real talent, and has a similar record to austin in a higher league.

So does anybody have any ideas who 'the big signing' Wray was on about last month?

Wasn't that one Bargas?

 Marvin Morgan....

Bargas was obviously a twat and fair play for fucking him off when we had the chance. I fucking hate Argies. I remember Ossie playing for Blackburn the year before he signed for us and I can still hear the shit that was being said to him ad he got subbed off.

You fucking hate everyone though, so that's hardly a major point.

Think you may be misunderstanding how the football world works Ralphy....in order to show "We're a bigger club, with a bigger budget and better facilities." you have to pay for it. 

What we're offering and what AFC are offering may not be too much different, so other factors come into consideration. 

Don't think so. He would start out as our main first choice striker. I'm sure of that.

Exactly. And we will pay for it.

Wimbledon won't be able to match our wage offer surely.

Dosn't work like that Ralphy in the basement,we will have a strict wage structure at this level.
I mean even teams like Crawley are having a laugh at us at present.
Birchall may prove an astute signing and i am not knocking him but the fact he is looking like one of our big signings speak volumes surely?

He will start by default at the moment!

Absolutely. Nonetheless, if we do sign him, it will be as one of the two main strikers unlike De Vita who was signed as a back up.

Can you expand on that?

Crawley are on the fiddle big style and the bubble will burst

Absolutely.  Crawley are operating on a completely unsustainable basis.  They will not be around for long at this level.

Back to Birchall.  I suppose Maidstone (where he lives) to Kingston is just about commutable...but personally, I would not want to be making a trip along a busy stretch of the M25 like that every day.  If he decides he needs to move anyway, the distance argument weakens.

Frankly, if PDC is not able to persuade a Conference South player to move to us over a recently promoted side playing in front of much smaller crowds in what is essentially a Non League ground, I'd be very surprised.  Not knocking Wimbledon, who I have an enormous amount of respect for - but if he is ambitious, we have to be the more exciting prospect.

Totally agree-would be suprised and disappointed if Wimbledon can better our wages

They are?

Bas Savage has been on trial with the Wombles and is waiting to hear if they'll take him on. Birchall could end up partnering him. Maybe someone should let him know, as I'm sure he'd prefer to partner our Brazilian ... or somebody.


I do, of course, mean let Birchall know. Still, if he opts for AFC we could screw things up and steal Savage.

Well how about dicking us 2-0 at our place to set up money spinning biggies v Derby and Man Utd.
Surely they had a nice chuckle at that....in the meantime reaping in big money because of those ties which allows them leeway...bookies make them hotter favourites than us,maybe another little chuckle....snatching Matt Tubbs for a pittance from our friends down the road for £70,000 and who is now worth three times that much ,in the process scoring against us.....maybe another chuckle then.

That enough for starters?

Blimey leefer you can fill the void left by the News of the World! This is a tad sensationalised isn't it?

Not every club beats us and goes on about it for eternity.

They beat us 2-1 and other than being a Football League scalp, I doubt they go on and on about it. The Man Utd game eclipsed everything just as Histon beating Leeds did under Malpas.

As far as I know we didn't even bid for Tubbs and they paid money most clubs would have never risked... The punt paid off but it would when you mysteriously build a 'dream team'.

They're corrupt.

I don't really see how that means they are 'laughing' at us or what it's got to do with us signing or not signing Birchall. Are you pissed Leef?

Adam Bircham factfile http://thewashbag.com/2011/07/10/factfile-adam-birchall/

Hopefully I'll have some Barnet and maybe Dover views on him tomorrow.

Edit: Fuck it, carry on.

Wish I'd seen that before the edit.

Because the bookies know it...i know it...maybe you dont know it but for whatever reason they are in a position to push on with signings such as

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hope_Akpan

Now Shaun and friends when i say laughing i dont mean they are actually laughing,that would be silly.
The fact is for whatever reason at present they seem to be able to invest and buy players as well as attracting players like the above .......it pisses me off that i am saying it because i dont like there manager either.
We seem to have aquired a good motivator and i do hope the board will back him with the funds for some decent signings.
I am not pissed but from where i am sitting they have not done that yet...and the likes of Oxford and Crawley will be laughing whether we like it or not.....a bit like we have been doing while Oxford were plying there trade at non league level.
Anyone who knows me knows that is not what i want,but nothing this pre season has really gave me much optimism with view to playing staff......Commazi being the exception he looks a good signing.
As for Birchall my point was that teams like Crawley and Wimbledon are competing with us for non league players and getting them.
Some of you really should get the rose tainted specs off...just because people like myself are unhappy with things dosn't give you the right to be patronising with....Are You Pissed Leefer type comments.....it isn't big.

You don't. It sounded angry and a bit ranty and I didn't want to delete it and be quoted so edited it. I just quoted leefer and mentioned how much better it is to be a Swindon fan than a Crawley fan (and how he should find the positives). I also said we could try to sign Tubbs if he's so good and that he's a proper misery guts at the moment. :D

EDIT: leefer, I fail t see how you KNOW more than the rest of us. You know not what their budget is, or what our budget is. They've been creative with their finances and it will one day ened in tears. If signing Hope Akpan (who the fuck is he?) is your measure of a good team I'd like to know how you know he's so good.

As for competing with us and getting non-league players, I'd appreciate it if you could show us all the players we've lost out on to Wimbledon and Crawley please, because as far as my limited knowledge reaches, I'm not aware of a single player we've tried to sign that is now on their books.

Leefer

you need to have a think mate.

Are you really getting wound up about another team signing Hope Akpan, whom google tells me, has played 2 (two) matches in his career?

Like who? When I asked if you were pissed it was a genuine question by the way. Not an attempt at being patronising. Cos you aint making no sense!

I think my mind is deceiving me once again, I swear i just saw on twitter through sky sports news that we had agreed a fee with rotherham for Le Fondre. for 3/4 million. It's disappeared now.
too much sun today me thinks or it was someone posting a rumour

They took it off because Crawley out-bid us and offered £1m 8) :fishing:

Blimey Barry...my OPINIONS isn't a statement of me pretending to know more than you?...or others?

Seemed to have rattled your cage...so how do you know that they have been creative in there finances?...you dont it is your opinion not fact just as my statement was.

Read my posts before deciding to edit them....i didnt say that we have tried to sign players that they now have.
My point was that Crawley Town(rightly or wrongly) seem to be in a position of greater strength with regards to going up....the bookies think so and sadly untill i see some proven striker(s)signed i tend to agree.......and yes it pains me to say it.

I'm sure it will all be fine, and I for one am looking forward to it  :beers:

Now that would get me thinking a little differently :D

Hold on a minute. You stated that Crawley and Wimbledon were competing with us for players and getting them. That does not sound like an opinion, that sounds like you are stating a fact. So I ask again, who are these players we have lost out on?

Nope, I saw that as well, apparently we've bid £650,000.

I did a double-take and it was gone..... someone surely was having a laugh.

650k sounds too much to me

£650,000 paid would put absolutely no pressure on any future Swindon player   

:yikes:

Yep, as good as Le Fondre is supposed to be (I have no idea, I've only seen him playing once - for Stockport btw) I'd be disappointed to spend that kind of cash on one player.

It has to be a joke.

Well if Mr Burchill signs for Wimbledon tomorow it could well be a fact.
But i do take your point and of course i was wrong to say that Crawley/Wimbledon HAVE signed players that we are going for...it hasn't happened.
I know i have a negative vibe at present but that is how i feel,makes for a more healthy forum  surely even if most of you think i am talking tripe :(

I wonder how Birchall got on with Devera whilst at Barnet, that might have a bearing on things.

Quite possibly.

I also wonder how Di Canio will react to Birchall talking to other clubs!?! ;)

We don't know he is talking to other clubs though.

Dover have accepted a bid from Wimbledon, thats all. He might think "Fuck them, I'm off to Italy tomorrow to talk to Paolo".

Desire to play for Swindon seems to be high on PDCs wish list for a player, so maybe he wont like him chatting to other clubs, but thats football I suppose.

 :) :)

We love you really Leef 8)

Just out of interest though (and maybe this will make you feel better ;)) here are Crawley's signing so far...

In: John Akinde (Bristol City, undisclosed), Jamie Day (Rushden & Diamonds, undisclosed), Hope Akpan (Everton, free), Tyrone Barnett (Macclesfield Town, undisclosed)

Akinde is dog shit. The others, I've never heard of (apart from Akpan when you started going into one ;))

Here are Wimbledon's:

In: Jack Midson (Oxford United, free), Charles Ademeno (Grimsby Town, free), Chris Bush (Brentford, free)

Charles Ademeno, he's the bloke we tried to sign (ironically) from Crawley wasn't he? Obviously didn't set the world alight at Grimsby did he?

I tell you what my friend, I am not seeing too much there to be envious of. In the words of the song, don't worry, be happy 8)

rumours site...

"Adam Le Fondre will move to swindon after a £750 000 bid was accepted from Rotherham. Main reason why Adam wants to join is because of Paolo Di Canio. Also Gillingham have made a late bid for Adam Birchall but there offer will be declined because there bid is in installments and Swindons is straight up cash and also a 10% sell on fee"

Wow, the price is going up!

Le Fondre stuff bollocks surely.

Bolton have accepted a 6 figure sum for Danny Ward. Which makes me feel a bit sick.

and another classic, off topic but had too much wine already...

""Sam Parkin is set for a sensational return to swindon. Parkin who has has a tough time since leaving Swindon has often expressed a desire to return. Unwanted at St Johnstone, Parkin took the initiative and decide to ring Paolo Di Canio personally, expressing his desire to play for Swindon and that he is determined to be a hero once more. Paolo was impressed by this and has decided to offer Parkin a week long trial when the squad return from Italy. These revelations will be revealed by the swindon advertiser later this week.

J.S - Journalist.

From whom?

Agree on Akinde though feel he could realise his potential one day,he played well v us for Rovers but cannot hit the proverbial barn door.
Would have liked Wes Thomas here who they signed off Cheltenham as i think he will score plenty.
The young lad from Everton was really highly rated and dodgy or not is a great signing in my opinion.
My thoughts on Burchill is that his record before Dover playing in the league is fairly poor in terms of goals scored so i will not be to disapointed if he dosn't sign.

I am happy,but a little worried.

A lot of long standing Town fans, who I've spoken to, are also a bit worried Leefer.

Look into this what you will...

Just clicked on Gary Rose's twitter and in the top left corner it said I should follow...Adam Le Fondre.

Weird but somethings obviously Swindon and ALF has been 'trending' quite a bit!!

Anything over £200k for Le Fondre would be too much in my view.

OK, I'll give you that (to a degree), but what you say is not stated as probable, but as a fact. This post of yours was in response to Ralphy saying Wimbledon won't be able to match our wages (which I think anyone would agree with as being highly likely).



Yes, there's a wage structure, but ours should smash Wimbledon's, which Ralphy implied, and you seemed to knock down, even implying Crawley are laughing at us.


You did a bit, sorry. :)

It's pretty much a given that they've been creative with the finances. As you state in another post, we all have budget restrictions and going by their crowds and turnover, we could squash them into oblivion, therefore they've found a way around the restrictions by being creative. Ala, Peterborough.


I didn't edit a single one of your posts and would never do so?! And you said this about Crawley and Wimbledon:



You have a point, but the season hasn't started yet and I certainly don't base my feelings on what odds a bookie gives.

I don't mean to sound so aggro leefer, me old mucker, I'm just trying to make you see the bright side. I know their are other opinions and yours are as valid as any. Apologies. x :)

I can't believe for one minute we'd be offering that amount of money for Le Fondre. If he was that good, he'd have been snapped up by now. Agree that anything over £200k would be a waste.

I think I'm one of these, as things stand.

Currently I have no idea about anyone we've signed. I guess I was expected some recognised names in the mix. I don't mean Le Fondre (as if we'd bid that much!), I just mean some recognised lower league players. I'm not sure if that is "worried", "apprehensive" or "cautious" or something else.

I think if Wilson or Hart had gone down this route we may have seen some more reaction to the players we signed. But PDC talks a good game, and this part makes me optimistic my worries have no foundation.

The Le Fondre story has to be bollocks. As for the Parkin story.... ::)...slightly but not entirely off topic, for anyone who thinks Crawley in general and Steve Evans in particular are just a little bit dodgy, take a look at Charles Ademeno's Wikipedia entry. I think we dodged a bullet there...

On 13 May, Town chairman John Fenty mentioned that the club should have done their homework before signing Ademeno for £10,000 the previous summer. He also mentioned that he thought former club Crawley had done a number on him following Ademeno's injury plagued season that saw him score two goals in seven starts

What are their (and your) main concerns Reg? Personally, I don't think this season will be a stroll in the park, at the same time, I'm not particularly worried. Should I be? :hmmm: :hmmm: :hmmm:

I think it's a fear of the unknown. As fans we like to get ourselves worried thinking about scenarios in our past where it's not gone to plan and more-or-less expect it to happen again.

Although it amuses me when I read people cooing over players that we had never heard of a few weeks ago and still haven't seen play.

No problem with the clear out....had to be done, but the replacements seemingly based around one or two agents.  The lack of a gun striker.  Goalkeeper still looks a problem area to me. Think it will take a while for di Canio to come to terms with the job, and we may struggle initially....do our fans have any patience?

Batch this bit offers me great comfort that things will be fine.

There's a lot of unknowns that's for sure. A key point to remember though is that we won our first friendly game 11-0. That alone tells me that we'll definitely be ok :nod:

Rovers fans seem to think Kuffour is on his way out to balance the books with all the new players coming in. I know we have often been linked to him but he seems to be the sort of little quick type of player Paolo is looking for.

I think this sums it up perfectly. Reports from fans of the British based acquisitions are they will give 100%, which is great if they are a Cox, less useful if they are a Dossevi.

Meh, we'll see in a month or two. Roll on a week Tuesday and Supermarine!

I don't think there's been too much of that. I've done a bit of cooing over Birchall I will admit but I have seen him play and I am confident my cooing will prove to have been fully justified....if we sign him ;)

If we sign him and that cooing is unjustified I'll be disappointed in you OST, bordering on the disgruntled in fact.

Trust me. I don't just coo for anyone you know 8)

After last seasons disaster I'm actually much happier with unknown than tried and failed players.

Di Canio knows what he wants and these unknown players will at least have to have the right attitude and commitment, otherwise they'd be gone already.

Not getting excited over Birchall - tried and fail. He might have changed, he might have got his act together and improved his game - but not so long ago everyone said the same thing about Leon Cunting Knight!

Maybe he has changed but we just didn't give him a chance :hmmm:

Any way, back to the gift of coo....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT_0_NsZ6nc

Knight ranted on twitter again. It's safe to say he will never change

I must stop reading that football rumours website, someone has posted SSP is set to make a sensational return.

I can understand the apprehension of the unknown, I doubt there's a town fan that isn't experiencing it so some degree.

But some of you need to have a fucking word with yourselves.

I understand the concerns as we know nothing about these players or how Di Canio will fair as a manager. My take is that there is no point worrying about things I know nothing about and, more importantly, have no control over. Yes, we may struggle and it could get ugly. Or we could get off to a flyer. No one has the slightest idea.

Therefore, I am just hoping for the best for the time being. If, after the Crewe game there are 4 or 5 players who are clearly off the pace and not up to it then I will be concerned. Until that time, I am just trusting in Di Canio as that is all I can do.

We could have a team full of players whose names we all know, people would still be whinging about something else.

I agree with OST for what its worth....  We have to giver PdC the benefit, since almost everyone is saying how much they like what they are hearing from him.  The problem is we have somehow been led to believe there is a 'blow yer socks off' signing just round the corner.  Maybe, maybe not, but what PdC seems to be saying is that it has to be a team which goes out to win the season, not an individual or a team of individuals.  We all want (footballing bit of) Austin, or a great star of yesteryear; but actually what will count more is whether the team really play for each other - whether winning or losing.  And I am happy to believe, from what I've heard so far, that PdC can achieve that.  (And that's from a PdC doubter, for non-footballing reasons.)

Will he choose Wimbledon or us i wonder then! To be honest it would be a bit of a kick in the teeth if he goes for Wimbledon!

Just posted a Barnet view on their former striker on The Washbag, with a view on his strengths, weaknesses, why he was released by Barnet and more - http://thewashbag.com/2011/07/11/a-barnet-view-on-potential-swindon-signing-adam-birchall/

Where would you rather live? London or one of it's lovely leafy suburbs, or Swindon. :hmmm:

If I was him, I'd turn us down every time.

Not trying to be negative...Just trying to see this objectively.

Yes, because the Cotswolds, minutes down the road, is a right shit hole isn't it ::)

Douglas was in the cotswolds, Sheehan was in Cheltenham, Cheltenham and Cirencester are easy options for him to live in if need be

you'd seriously want to live in the smog filled world of London over the beautiful countryside of the Cotswolds?

I'd rather live as far away from london as i can. Hate the place

Yep and look how that has ended up. Location should have fuckall to do with it,it should be about wages and football simple as that.

And really it's all about the former.

yes money has a lot to do with football now a days but if someone said to me you could be a professional footballer earning a modest wage (lets say £1k per week) i would snap their hands off.

For me living the dream is far more important

Want to live comfortably in SW London on a League 2 footballer's wage?  Good luck with that.

If quality of life is an important factor, we have a definite advantage.

If he is as ambitious as he says he is, surely coming to a promotion chasing team would be more appealing than going to a team looking to consolidate

Not at all, location is a massive part of equation when looking at any job.
Also agree with Ardiles....some areas of SW London are most pleasant, make no mistake, but could Adam Birchall afford anything really nice there? Doubtful

Location is a bullshit excuse.

What it really means is I dont have the balls to come to Swindon and work harder than I would at any other club because Di Canio doesnt accept anything less

What a pile of cynical negative cack.

Has Birchall himself made any comment on this though?

DV is (could be) spot on though.

If the players feels he'll get an easier ride elsewhere then, depending on the player, he might choose to go there instead.

So how are Hull able to field a team?

You don't make it as a pro if you don't put effort in. It takes years of dedication and work to make it.
Location is a factor for plenty of transfers too.

I think living in the terraced houses around the ground went out aroud the time of the the 6 days to saturday film.  I'd be very surprised if a player cant find a nice gaff to live in around the beautiful environs of Wiltshire and the adjoining counties.  You'd be surprised how many people I have spoken to around the country on my travel who think Chippenham is beautiful.  There's a lot worse places to live than around this county.    

Speaking as someone who lives in Croydon I completely concur!

Hardly.

Lucas has just used the same excuse to get away.

South Croydons fine, where are you?

In fairness I am at the nice end down in Purley now, but was just making a general comparison in agreement with gk_nash's point.

And a few of our other players. I saw Rose moaning on Twitter a few days back about his legs were sore from the running. Bet he hasn't even done half of the amount Di Canio has put our players through.

So Lucas wants a move back up north, so Adam Birchall is lazy...ah, I see your point now.

Or Bradford, Middlesbrough, Luton, etc.... Swindon isn't that bad at all, there's some lovely areas to live in here and as many have mentioned the Cotswolds are only down the road.

It does depend on ££, of which I'm certain we CAN offer him more (doesn't mean we will, of course) and how ambitious he actually is. If you listen to Wray and Di Canio they've both said pretty much the exact same thing, they want to win and be champions. The core of Wimbledon's promotion winning team has been ripped apart already, their aim surely is just to survive next season?!

I'm trying not to be arrogant here but we're a much bigger club, more money behind us, bigger crowds, more potential, better stadium, higher profile manager who is about as ambitious as they get... The only thing I can really think of that would swing it Wimbledon's way is it's closer to home.  

Think Prutton.

A highly rated player, why did he come to Swindon last year?

It would seem he came to Swindon to have a bit of a doss with his mates.

Birchall's attitude is key.  We would be the more ambitious signing in my view - but not the safer one.

We may be able to edge it on dosh if we choose but Wimbledon is commutable for AB with a few nights at the local Premier Inn. 

Terry Brown is a manager with whom Birchall or at least his footballing contacts will be familar.  Brown has a great non-league record and he can be respected (rather than held in awe or even feared like PDC?).  As Graham Westley at Stevenage has shown,  a step up to the Football League need hold no fears these days.

AB seems to be a gutsy player and is of an age where we offer more potential if he really has the ambition.

Time will tell what Birchall is made of but I must admit I like the prospect of him joining us, especially if we find a good target man.

My point is, why automatically tar all players with the same brush based on nothing more than your own bitterness ...that was the cynicism I was referring to in DVs first post....
Give the guy the benefit of doubt for fucks sake.

DV cynical?! Well there's a first!!

Only players that are ours getting the benefit of the doubt.

Anybody else is just a cunt.

No, Lucas wants to move away from Swindon because he afraid of the hard work Di Canio expects from in, the wanting to move back up north is just a bullshit cover story. If he and his family were that settled and in love with the North then why uproot them to come down to Swindon in the first place? good money and an easy ride?

Could be the same with Birchall - could come to Swindon and fit in with Di Canio's style and system or could go to Wimbledon were he wont be worked as hard with lower expectations levels. Fuck all to do with family imo.

how do you know he wont be worked as hard elsewhere?

Whilst it'll be near on impossible to actually prove...

I have no doubt that Di Canio will work our players harder that anyone else, just the way he talks, the things he talks about.

He's already doubled the amount of training for next season and we were the first club in L2 back for pre-season.

Its clear that Di Canio will demand everything from our players and accept nothing less.

so basically it is an opinion?  funny how other people's opinions that location comes into it is bollocks?

There's all sorts of reasons he might go to Wimbledon, what will be expected of him is just one of them.

And now the pikeys have had a bid accepted

http://doverathletic.com/index.php?p=news&id=1817

So he's off to Gillingham then. Clearly wanted to go to them all along.

preferred option  :bye:

Looks that way....

"Adam showed a desire to go to Gillingham so after the great service he has given us, and our gentleman's agreement to let him talk to Football League clubs, we have granted him that wish."

Adam will be a dad in the coming weeks - and Gillingham is his preferred option because he lives in Maidstone.

Another one bites the dust!

Next

what a lazy cunt...

Meh

Where's that Panic Button thread gone?

As it stands, I believe Tails is in line to start up front with De Vita for the first game of the season.

Nah Fatbury up front surely

watch him be up there in the goals this season until Comazzi breaks his legs when we play them

Had a feeling that this could happen.

So if PdC reads that he'd prefer Gillingham does he withdraw the bid!?!

That probably sums up why he dropped out of the league in the first place. 

I’m not even going to run the Pikeys down (as tempting as it is) but after all the nonsense about him knuckling down and wanting to return to league football the lad finally gets his dream and  a choice of three clubs and what does he do?  Bases his decision to the one closest to his home.   Had we been talking clubs north of Brum I’d have perhaps understood but were talking Swindon and Wimbledon here!

Get the feeling we've been used as a bargaining tool by Dover. What a bunch a pikey knights.

Getting bored of missing out on targets now to be honest.

He doesn't want to come here so PDC wouldn't have him anyway.

It is beginning to irritate that we are missing out on so many forwards, still lets remain hopeful

Yep.

Things have gone quiet on the Brazilian front as well.

Still time though.

STGary_Rose
Looks like Birchall could be heading to Gills, bid accepted and closer to home, probs ideal for him with a child on the way

Here (http://thetownend.com/index.php/topic,44265.0.html)

This is depressing.  I unreserved apologise for original post at the top of this thread.

but it's not ideal is it Adam. If you want to prove yourself and progress up the leagues then STFC is your choice. NOT because the pikeys are on your door step. Gutless move if you ask me

We've been doing it for 2 years now so it's nothing new and nothing unexpected. Starting to worry we could end up with another Dossevi though *gulp*. Let's hope not.

I'm not bothered about missing out on Birchall, he failed at the league clubs he was at before after all.

Its the time thats been wasted pursuing options that just haven't come off. Hopefully there is something going on somewhere right now and good news is around the corner.

Oh for a season where the squad is together to start pre season!!

These things happen in football, i remain positive PDC will find the striker he wants.

I still think Di Vita will suprise a lot of people this season and could be one of our top scorers

It's not gutless it's logical. I doubt there is a massive difference in wages between us and gillingham.He has a little one due and lives 8 miles away from the ground.

I'm not worried at all. I'm pretty certain that we will have enough strikers by the time the season starts. And if not we still have till the end of August anyway.

Spot on. 

It sounds like PdC's building a team who give their all for the greater good of the team so he'd have been found out as soon as he spoke with him. 

Look at any club, in any division and any league and you'd be hard pushed to find a club who's done all of their business in time for the start of pre-season.  Think some people are wanting the good old days back...

Yay! I'm expecting a call from Huddersfield in no time.

On a serious note, FFS. this is getting annoying now.

I can understand his decision. Personally when the little one came along the best thing I did was move back to Swindon to be nearer family and friends.

I am concerned we haven't signed a first team striker yet when we need 2, and that 3 have now got away (him, french-Argie and the Brazilian - assuming he wasn't the French Argie).

Still time, don't panic - yes. However time is ticking on and we've seen this happen too many times before. The big name manager "DiCanio effect" is not working as well as I hoped in attracting players here (so far).

On the plus side, we have someone to abuse when they play us :)

I still think De Vita will be a starter regardless as there can't be much of a drop between first team at Livi and Div 4.

Jesus, she's pregnant, not disabled...

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/9133044.Di_Canio_confirms_Birchall_deal_unlikely/

Hide the sharp cutlery and prepare for Adver Comments meltdown  ;)

I can just see Gillingham talking to him

'Now adam you dont want to go to Swindon as they are our mortal enemies because something happened in the 1970's that we didn't like so we're holding a ridiculous grudge against them.  Even though only 2 people remember it.  Now if you dare go and talk to them you'll never be allowed back into Kent and our ardent supporters will make sure you cant come in.  Both of them.'

I will laugh if he cannot agree terms with the Pikeys as Scally likes playing hardball, then tries to renegotiate with us. Surely PdC will tell him where to go if that happens.

He already has more or less.  PDC gave him a deadline of last night and never heard from him so as far as he's concerned all dead & buried

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/9133044.Di_Canio_confirms_Birchall_deal_unlikely/

I'm all for PDC wanting players who are 100 % for the cause but fuck me, the way it's going we won't have a team ready for august 6th.

Fuckinghell lads,that is no great loss,honestly.

Isn't it ? So who is gonna line up in the forward line on august 6th ??

I am the only one who wasnt excited by his potential signing?

He aint that special, we can aim higher than that

It's not so much missing out on this particular player that worries me. It's the fact we seem to be finding ourselves in the same position with players (in particular strikers) over the past year where we seem to be unable to complete deals for targets and then we are left with little options and end up rushing a signing (e.g. Dossevi and Benyon).

Meh.....Next!

He had a medical at Wimbledon this morning, not a forgone conclusion!

Had a medical at wimbledon apparently

Has Pericard found a club yet? Could do a job in L2  ;)

The strikers that we do sign, perhaps?

If not, Paolo can dust off his boots - Everybodies happy!

I love it when the vast majority of people on here have a major meltdown  ;D Makes me chuckle, so well done all!

Shudder....

Like who ?

You mean, there's no strikers left?

Bugger

richie up front anyone!

Was just thinking about this earlier. Atiku on the left with Ritchie upfront.

De Vita up top with Ritchie and Caddis playing on the wings. Atiku in just behind the striker, with Ferry and Risser/Timlin supporting in central midfield - Tidy.

Changed for you

Many thanks

I think we'll be going with only one out and out striker this season anyway, with someone playing off them and more license to the midfield (certainly out wide).

We've moved quickly on Birchall, straight after Bargas decided not to fly, so it suggests we hav options and are moving on them as we need to.  On both instances, we've been the ones to effectively pull the plug which suggests other options remain available.

And i think this is the position PDC will get Atiku to play next season

We pulled the plug on the Birchall deal?

Sounds like another Joey Beauchamp and we had a lucky escape.

Yes, he wanted to talk to the Gills. That counts as us pulling the plug.

No, he had a deadline to respond to us last night.

I'm not gonna lose much sleep over missing out on an unproven player who wants to stay close to his family to help bring up his kid.

He might be awesome, he might not, but if he wants to stay local then it doesn't matter what we do.

Next...

Agreed. After last season I want to be looking down on that pitch certain that every single red shirt is being drenched in 110% committed blood, sweat and tears.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Dossevi gave 100%.

Right, we need to see if there are any rejected Apprentice candidates who play up front then?

I think, thankfully, the criteria is to give 100% AND be a bit good :)

Don't get me wrong, if he wanted to come and we'd signed him I'd wish him all the best - but if he's local to Kent and not fussed, then let's move on.

Plenty of options out there. Lot of transfer business to be done at higher levels that has a knock-on effect on who's available for perms/loans yet, plus di Canio obviously still has a wishlist.

Not worried. Yet.

Hanners: got any chocolate left?

I think about the 23rd ish I'd be getting worried, that will be two weeks away from kick-off. Not long for new players to get settled.

Oh right, I was on hold to PDC before you said that.

Yep. Help yourself. You know where it is. On hols today so wade in.

Someone a fuck sight better than Birchall!

Spot on. This thread has given me a headache reading it.

Think most will be getting worried when we're 18th, 20th or thereabouts.

It's a shame we look like missing out on him but if we were to go into the season with him as our main striker it would be a very big gamble due to his past experience in the football league.

I will be worried if this time next week we have signed no strikers but Paolo is bound to have a few more in the mix. At least the defence and midfield is looking close to being sorted, and the signing of 2/3 strikers will mean we are going into the season with a fairly complete squad.

As it should be.

If you want to play for us, it won't be that hard to sort a contract. If not, fuck off.

Ok, time to move on. Who's likely to be next then, any thoughts?

David Mooney.

http://doverathletic.com/index.php?p=news&id=1818

Not sure if anyone has seen this. He wants to talk to all 3. Although out of 3 we seem to be the the least favourite....

Fuck him.  Either talk to us and no-one else, or talk to Wimbledon and Gillingham.

Most players have interest from more than one club though. If we take that policy then we wouldn't ever sign anyone. It makes sense for him to talk to everyone. If anything we're more likely to sign him that way.

He had a deadline and didnt meet it.

He can fuck off

it does seem a little unreasonable to expect a player to only talk to one club and fuck the others off doesn't it.

also i do feel that deadline set was a little short, comazzi had a lot longer to decide

Execpt that as has been stated he needed to make contact with the manager last night and he didn't.

So we made a bid, we wanted contact by last night, Birchall decided to wait to see who else bid...therefore he is not committed to play for us.  Therefore...goodbye.

Has anyone got a link to this deadline.

Only the Adver, but to be fair Gary Rose is in Italy.

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/9133044.Di_Canio_confirms_Birchall_deal_unlikely/?ref=rss

Gillingham have offered to do all the paperwork on this for him.

http://www.medway.gov.uk/housing/privatehousing/caravansites.aspx

[url width=90 height=90]http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa34/playdohpete/Avatars/pikey.jpg[/url]

And they did.

I like this!

Nah prefer the last one with the caravan! :)

Andy Hessenthaler's new tattoo....

[url width=604 height=453]http://topbanana.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/pikey-tattoo.jpg[/url]

[url width=500 height=257]http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/damagedproductions/pikey.jpg[/url]

Although we gave Bargas an extra two weeks to think about it. It was only after he asked for an additional week that PDC told him to do one.

One assumes Birchall didn't get asked yesterday morning, and had to decide by yesterday evening.

God knows how long he has been mulling it over. But if we have alternative targets then we can't hang around just in case.

The difference is Bargas > Some Conference South player

This is true.

I don't think it's over just yet. He stated on an interview today ''I want to talk properly to all three clubs and don’t want to just rush into a snap decision''

I've already moved on  ;)

 :I'm a complete mofleakin DeakNot sure what the fuss is about this Timothy Claypole Rentaghost lookalike !! Think we should do better!

Paolo di Canio has stated how he only wants players who are 100% committed so I presume Birchall talking to other clubs won't impress di Canio that much.

Bit worrying that we seem to persistently miss out on strikers-we don't wanna be playing catchup again

It's fine! We are getting le fondre

And Sam Parkin.

http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10416~2391159,00.html

Unless Heesenthaler is stood on a box ala Lord Sugar then they're all midgets.

He looks like a Pikey Cunt in that picture.........he'll fit right in at Gillingham then

Hero to Zero to many Dover fans now apparentely

Probably get slated for saying this, but I think Gills will be top seven this season.

I do too.

I imagine Scally will use these images for the Christmas card he'll send to Dover Athletic this year.

Dover management not too happy either, reading between the lines.  We are well rid....

I've never done this before but-Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick

Didn't the Dover chairman say something like "I will sell him to Gillingham over my dead body"?

Yeh he passed away in the early hours of this morning.

Yep....jumped over the white cliffs :D

Bloody hell I've read it all tonight

Link please?

Sorry...haven't got the exact link, but it was the original BBC article announcing his transfer to Gills...somewhere near the end.....Hayes sounded very pissed off.

Here you go http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14124899.stm

I'm with Juddie. Gills have got a strong side this year if their new signings all fire. Danny Kedwell is a great capture from the Wimbledon. If he and Birchall click there's a fifty goal partnership in League 2. My heart still tells me we'll end up above them though...

He's not been the same since Gonch found him dead in Mr Bronson's car.

No no no-they signed Frampton ffs!

http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10416~2396924,00.html

hopefully it's ligament damage and not a twist!! Harsh but hey ho!!!

First Benyon and now Birchall, it seems to be dangerous to turn down Di Canio...

The sudden injury is the Italian Mafia's (football branch) calling card. Its cheaper than horses heads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41SkP55Xyjk

I hope it isn't ligament damage, i wouldn't wish it on anyone who relies on sport to make a living, even if they had the cheek to turn us down

I agree. Wishing a horrible injury on a professional sportsman who chose to join a different team to us is pretty grim.

http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10416~2399353,00.html

Out for the season by the look of it. Cruciate ligament damage.

[url width=420 height=410]http://www.zgeek.com/forum/gallery/files/1/0/6/4/3/misc-haha.gif[/url]

that was a lucky break

Not quite sure why it's so funny really?He chose a club closer to home hardly the biggest cunt in the world is he.

Leon Knight?

Not funny in the slightest. Wish him all the best getting back to fitness.

For Birchall, genuinely sorry for the guy.  This was going to be a pivotal season for him.  Back for his second (and, realistically, final) pop at making an impression at League level.  That's bad.  Only silver lining is he'll get to spend plenty of time with the new baby when it arrives.  But I doubt that will feel like much of a consolation at the moment.

For Gillingham, ...

No, I can't.

What price Scally trying to wriggle out of paying Dover for his services now? There were already rumours and that was when the guy was fit....

Real shame for the guy, I can't take any pleasure in seeing this.

This is the definitely the sort of thing that would've happened if he'd joined us!

my thoughts exactly

not good. i'm going through rehab after having mine restructured... it isn't fun.

i snapped mine in Sept 2006 but had to wait until Feb 2008 to have my op. they never diagnosed mine until my knee completely locked in Feb 2007.

then to make things worse mine got infected so two weeks after my op i had another to clear it all out. followed by 10 weeks with a machine called a vac pack in an open wound sucking out all the gunk. no rehab for a minimum of 12 weeks for me so my quad completely went.

Only now am i able to properly play football etc

I ruptured mine in 1991.  We were playing outside at the time and I put one of my trademark burst of speed on to take me round the defender, the bottom half of my leg got stuck in the ground and the top half carried on forward.  Incredible pain followed by huge swelling which my mates really worried about.  In fact they left me on the ground.  I had to drive myself to hospital. 

At the time we were atop the springfield centre 5 a side league thanks to my brilliant cat like agility in goal, and I was relatively thin.  Thing is, the NHS at the time did not fix these injuries, just bunged you in plaster, gave you physio and told you to strengthen it.  Which of course I did.  Well actually I went to university and drank an awful lot.  20 years later Im a lot fatter and a lot less fit.  And we ended up runners up in the football league.

All in all it a horrible injury, wouldn't wish it on anyone.  Im not sure you ever get the true confidence you had before the injury.   

I certainly haven't got the confidence back. played my first 11 aside game and although it felt good I was very cautious of it.

Im not bothered, hes not our player

oh dear

thats just fucking low

Never want to see anyone suffer serious injury but I don't care, he turned Swindon down so bollocks to him.

Bad news for Gillingham is good news for me Im afraid-and Ive suffered the same.

My thoughts exactly. I have a similar level of emotion about it as someone telling me Queen of the South's 3rd choice keeper has torn his ligaments.

As long as Roddy McKenzie is fit then all is well.

That is absolutely gutting. You've got to be a pretty cold hearted bastard to feel nothing. And if you actually take pleasure it then I don't think there's much hope for you.

I feel sorry for him, but Im laughing at Paul Scally.

Fully agree with you Spencer. Not a nice injury. I probably wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Paul Scally does seem a prick of the highest order, I would've loved to have seen his face when he was told the news... a look of complete stunned disbelief I hope - before starting some mad scrambling through his wallet trying to find the receipt.

I hope Birchall recovers quickly though.

Don't be so fucking daft, of course you would. It's not exactly a death sentence.

Don't you actually need to hand some money over before you get a receipt?

Bollocks - he fucked around making out he sign for us when all the time he was hankering for deal with the pikeys, let him fucking limp...

[testosterone fuelled bollocks] yeah, let the cunt die, fucking cunt and other assorted mindless rubbish[/testosterone fuelled bollocks] ::)

I don't recall ever reading anything suggesting he was wanting to sign for Town.

Bid made, bid accepted, player turns us down. Not the first, not the last.

Adam Birchall or his agent just played us to get a contract close to home. Good on him. Happens all the time.

Scally is a cunt. I give more of a fuck about him being fucked over by the accidental injury to his new star player than I do about the injury to a chimp that is Adam fucking Birchall.

Well said deltaincline

Made me chuckle. Does that make me a bad person...!?! :0)