120+ pages. It may give you Sheena Easton's icey black heart. Can you manage it?

[Fred Elliot]

yes it is

[Dazzza]

I'm a bit dubious about the FA ruling.  Fine in principal as we’re unlikely to be fielding less than “4 home gowns” any time soon but it appears to be very much from the perspective of turning the football league into the Premiership’s vegetable patch.

Most people are of the opinion that experience in the league far outweighs the benefits of academy football and while the “big” clubs have been farming for years anyway it rankles that it’s almost becoming an officially accepted process and we’re being geared up to support this system even more.  The league should be doing everything it can to compete with the Premiership not support the bloody thing even more.


Plus if a club wants to challenge the ruling they’d piss it as it contravenes the old EU employment rules.

[magicroundabout]

Some money must have gone on SP!!! Victor Chandler!

Manager Specials - Next Permanent Swindon Town Manager
Selections Odds   
Martin Ling  3/1    
John Ward  10/3   
Ian Holloway  4/1   
David Byrne  7/1   
Stuart Pearce  7/1   
Iain Dowie  10/1   
Geraint Williams  12/1   
Martin Keown  12/1    
Steve Cotterill  14/1   
Mark Robins  14/1   
Gus Poyet  14/1   
Colin Calderwood  20/1   
Phil Parkinson  20/1   
Billy Davies  20/1   
Lawrie Sanchez  20/1    
Richard Money  20/1   
Aidy Boothroyd  25/1   
Paul Tisdale  25/1   
Gary Speed  25/1   
Kevin Dillon  25/1   
David Kerslake  25/1   
Wally Downes  33/1   
Dennis Wise  33/1   
Nigel Clough  33/1   
Luc Nijholt  33/1   
Gary Waddock  33/1   

thats my list

[janaage]

Half your list is crossed out Magic!!

[Colin Todd]

I'm a bit dubious about the FA ruling.  Fine in principal as we’re unlikely to be fielding less than “4 home gowns” any time soon but it appears to be very much from the perspective of turning the football league into the Premiership’s vegetable patch.

Most people are of the opinion that experience in the league far outweighs the benefits of academy football and while the “big” clubs have been farming for years anyway it rankles that it’s almost becoming an officially accepted process and we’re being geared up to support this system even more.  The league should be doing everything it can to compete with the Premiership not support the bloody thing even more.


Plus if a club wants to challenge the ruling they’d piss it as it contravenes the old EU employment rules.

Dazza, Re: EU employment law, I dont think this rule would break the law, as it applies to a a yoof of any nationality, not just english.  So for example if for whatever reason we had a 16 year old german on our books, he would still count towards the 4 "home grown players"

I also disagree about it making the league more of a feeder for the PL, surely if clubs need to field 4 "home grown" players then they are going to be less likley to sell promising youngsters unless they really really need the money (like us with Tozer and Lukas).  Under this change of rules selling a talented 18 year old will have a greater impact as you would be basically pretty much obliged to have him at least on the bench.

[STFC4LIFE]

I think it's a shit idea personally.

[magicroundabout]

Half your list is crossed out Magic!!

the ones which aren't are the ones i'd like out of what VC are taking bets on.
and Dennis Wise @ 33:1. yeah right!!!!

[janaage]

I was just kidding Magic, in a trying to be dumb kind of way.

[Peter Venkman]

Some money must have gone on SP!!! Victor Chandler!

Manager Specials - Next Permanent Swindon Town Manager
Selections Odds   
Martin Ling  3/1   
John Ward  10/3   
Ian Holloway  4/1   
David Byrne  7/1 
Stuart Pearce  7/1   
Iain Dowie 10/1   
Geraint Williams  12/1   
Martin Keown  12/1   
Steve Cotterill  14/1   
Mark Robins  14/1   
Gus Poyet  14/1   
Colin Calderwood  20/1   
Phil Parkinson  20/1 
Billy Davies  20/1   
Lawrie Sanchez  20/1   
Richard Money  20/1   
Aidy Boothroyd  25/1   
Paul Tisdale  25/1   
Gary Speed  25/1   
Kevin Dillon  25/1   
David Kerslake  25/1   
Wally Downes  33/1   
Dennis Wise  33/1   
Nigel Clough  33/1   
Luc Nijholt  33/1   
Gary Waddock  33/1   

My personal 4 but I can still see it being (just an instinct) Lawrie Dirty Sanchez, who I do not want at our club.

[magicroundabout]

thing is i've really grown to the idea of Stuart Pearce being manager. How fucking ace would that be. He seems a top bloke and my god he'd soon kick their arses into gear. And being high profile his contacts list would be quite big for a couple of decent loan signings and discovering some hidden gems etc

[janaage]

Agreed I think Pearce is edging up my wishlist.  But, and it's a big but the U-21's still bugs me.  What would go on at the CG on the build up to internationals?  Maybe we could host an u-21 or two?

[Nemo]

It would be ace, now shut up and stop getting my hopes up.

[grubby]

Same as Magic......

Here's my list.

Stuart Pearce  Any price whatever!!!!!!

[magicroundabout]

yeah the U21 niggles at the back of my mind too. But that is something AF and SP + FA would have to talk about.

i'm not 100% on the complete commitment etc and his time away from STFC so that confuses me even more. but wouldn't we have to PP our games when the U21 play etc

[jonb]

Victor Chandler explain why Ling is the new favourite and why the odds on Psycho have been slashed...

http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/sport/generalsport/3933988.Ling_the_new_favourite_for_Swindon_Town_hot_seat/