Thetownend.com

Town target Spurs trio
           
           


  SWINDON Town are lining up loan moves for three Tottenham Hotspur youngsters, the Advertiser understands.

           

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/10279729.Town_target_Spurs_trio/?ref=rss
           
           
           

If you're good enough you're old enough. True. Was hoping for a bit more experience though if I'm honest, in the Pack/BWP mould.

I tend to agree. I can only assume KM thinks we have enough experience already with the likes of Alan Mac, Miller, Ward etc and these kids will bring in a little bit extra spark/creativity/youthful enthusiasm, call it what you will.

In KMAC we trust

It's all we can do.

If KMac and Tim Sherwood think these players will be good enough for our first team then I trust their judgement.

I wonder if it's the budget that means we are going after youngsters rather than proven targets such as those named above?

Thats what you want to believe probably Chris.How much do you think Spurs youngsterrs are on,sad i know but they probably earn what our first teamers earn

Maybe we have no money available for signings? Maybe the more experienced targets are no longer available? Maybe no experienced targets want to come to us, Maybe Pack and Green have settled back at their old clubs? Maybe, Maybe, Maybe....etc etc

I trust KMac and the board unlike a lot of people on here, yes I may be wrong to do so or be overly optimistic but at least give them the benefit of the doubt before we totally write them off as having no money and no ambition.

Just a thought eh?

Could be. Could also a number of other factors, notably that most of the experienced and decent players available on loan have already been snapped up. I'm lucky enough to remember a youngster we had on loan from West Ham years ago who was obviously destined for great things. If we get a few loans half as decent as Michael Carrick we'll be better off than we are now. Mind you we may end up with loanees more in the mold of Nicky Tanner...

We have had some fantastic young loanees in our time like Milner, Given, Davis, Carrick, Flowers, Ward and lots more I have forgotten over time.

Just because they are young does not automatically mean they are shite.

Why do some people keep banging on about a smaller budget?

We'v been told the budget will remain as it is. Now I know we only have their word on it so far but why do some still assume the opposite to be true?

See your point, but I think people are just being naturally cautious.  We are not being told where this funding is coming from, so probably sensible at the moment to take any statements in this area with a pinch of salt.

Not quite Flash. I raised this very point at the Q&A on Saturday and Murrell was at pains to point out that it was the wage budget that Jed was referring to, not a pool of money being made avaible. That said, they did admit to having 'investment streams' which were outside the current board.

Apologies if I'm misunderstanding you, but isn't the wage budget the only one we need to worry about at the moment anyway? Shouldn't be any other fees associated with loan signings, and if that has remained as was there should be room to sign the same players as before Jed and co took over.

That may be the case mate, maybe they won't be making money for transfers available as well. (although they were going to sign Pack for 100K). But still we've been told the wage budget remains as it is so why are people assuming we are going for young players because they are on lower wages?

I can understand being cautious and I am taking everything with a pinch of salt myself until I see them doing what they say they are going to do. It is too soon to know they are who they say they are, it is also to soon to say they aren't.

No you're not misunderstanding me. I just wanted to make the point that people seem confused about. I've hear and seen people stating that the new board have a 'war chest' of 4.5 - 5 million. Which they haven't.  Any salaries for loans should be covered by the parent clubs and our percentage by our existing salary budget.

We cannot buy at the moment so are going after young Prem players on loan. That's exactly what we should be doing. All good surely? Young lads hungry for games and giving them experience.

You're right there.

Some people don't seem to read stuff thoroughly or maybe things get confused in a Chinese whispers sort of way. That 4.5mil,  if i recall correctly, was this season's budget from the previous board. Nothing to do with the new lot.

Similarly with the 'we're losing 250k/month' thing. Just nonsense probably born through a misunderstanding or misrepresentation.

The war chest quote was from an article about Di Canio in one of the national papers and seems to have been misconstrued and perpetuated by some.

We've not had a great deal of luck with young loanees recently, the handful will had last year were average at best.

Parrett has some experience which is great news and Ceballos sounds like he could be an unknown quantity but clearly has potential. As others have said the better targets, those with plenty of first team football experience,  will have found clubs by now. An unfortunate factor of the protracted takeover.

<happyclapper>Could be a silver lining if these Spurs lads turn out to be gems.</happyclapper>

I take your general point but Flowers was truly woeful for us. Anoyne who went ot the league game at Wigan that season will remember a particularly bad performance. There was no way you'd have put him ahead of Diggers at that point.

Ward, derby and arguably Jervis are the three I think were useful in recent seasons.

The spurs players maybe brilliant. I'd just rather not use the run in to find out there is a Noble!

But if they are the best available then better some fresh faces than none.

Just an opinion. Their football will do the talking, should we get them.

He only played 3 games but Tony Grant was ace.

God bless you, Rodney.

I'm sorry, but this actually made me laugh.  If you're a happy clapper, then I'm called Penelope.

Best debut? Marlon Broomes screamer v Brum was a good start. What happened to him?

(Wiki say Altrincham).

Ferry, Caddis and Ritchie weren't too shabby either.

Henderson debuted at City and scored two didn't he?

Actually just my opinion, but Ritchie and Caddis had relatively slow starts. Could be my addled memory but Ritchie was initially kept out the team by Ward.

Whatever happened to Caddis and Ritchie?

Wes

The Broomes goal against Brum was one of the best I have ever seen, wasn't on his debut though that was about 5 or 6 games into his loan, absolute belter though.

Tony Grant did look good too on loan from Everton and the goal he scored against Hull City was a fantastic team move, just before the goal i remember we strung together 49 passes in succession...mind you Hull were terrible that day.

I would like to think that bringing 3 players from the same youth/academy/reserves/development (whatever they're call nowadays) squad should be beneficial like it was for Ferry with Cuthbert and erm Hutchinson came down around the same time.

I remember that well. I was in the Town end.

Must have been best part of 35 to 40 yards out and he struck it so hard it, fantastic goal, have never seen it replayed since the night though.

Very similar to Kenny Strouds goal vs Everton.

We didnt ever have Paul Caddis on loan did we?

Linked for about a year then signed him with Ferry...

good shout! Arguably the best of the lot.


Damn it, see told you my memory was addled. Was convinced it was his debut, but it clearly wasn't.

I think because they play/played for us permanently we forget they were loans to begin with.

Simon Cox is another. Although that was a few years ago now.

Over the years I think our good loans probably outweight the bad, although the bad at times were fucking terrible....Buttigieg, Hutchinson, Topi, Sperring, Pat Collins, Colin Heath, McCammon, Slabber, Fenn, Tanner, Beswetherick, Terry Gibson, Sanchez, Macavennie, Tiler.

Actually reading that list loans are shite :D

Probably about 50-50 good vs bad loans, but then I guess you could say the same about managers and any player whether loan or permanent.

You can't win anything with kids.

Hansen doing what he does best....

Actually you saying that didn't we get promoted to the old 2nd division in 62-63 with what was in essence a team of under 23?

I don't know the exact average age but I know it was very young.

Haha, I have no idea, I was paraphrasing Alan Hansen before Man United won the league years ago.

Oh I know yours was tongue in cheek :) but I just remember my dad saying that we had a good team that season that was made up of some very young players, something about the youngest ever fullback pairing in the league in Wollen and Trollope.

No idea what the age was or anything much else about it TBH.

That was the season of the documentary "six days to Saturday".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/content/articles/2008/05/12/six_days_to_saturday_stfc_film_1963_feature.shtml

Ah yeah, I watched that a couple of years ago, will have to watch it again at some point.

It was in fact the following season.

The team of 62/63 was very youthful, with a couple of exceptions in Ken McPherson 36 and Maurice Owen 39. Of the rest Arnold Darcy played 20 odd games at 30...Jack Smith scored 19 and was 27. The number one keeper Mike Turner was 25. Of the other 13 players who played in 7 or more games all were under 24.

Was hoping you could clarify, I only know what I have hear from my dad but he would often go on about the youthful side in the early 60's, actually right up to his death 2 years ago even when his mental faculties started leaving him his football memories stayed.

...you forgot Trevor fucking Benjamin.

Probably the worst striker I've seen at Town till we signed Vincent Pericard.

Slabber was decent, just didnt score. Parkin scored for the both of them though...

I had totally forgotten TB, we had the disease and yes a worthy addition to any all time crap team.

Although quite a lot of the core of that side were young, but they did have a bit of experience, which is what doesn't happen now. 7 of the young players...namely Ernie Hunt, Cliff Jackson, Bobby Woodruff, Keith Morgan, John Trollope, Mike Summerbee and Terry Wollen all played in the opening game of the 1960 season...and played plenty of games that year.

Per Mikolanda

Hmmm I'd rather him than Benjamin or Pericard.

....and Tony Thorpe!

I remember being present at his debut but honestly cannot recall a single thing about him

What's our most depressing strike partnership?

Thorpedo and Cureton? Pericard and Dossevi?

Anyone name one worse than those?

I never saw Petr Mikolanda play but I remember them saying he was very tall, thats all I know about him though.

Shaun Close and his ego.

Remember him having a particularly good chance v Blackpool and completely miskicking it...it was a either Fallon or Bouazza who did the work on the left, pulled it back for Petr and he muffed it...got subbed not too much longer afterwards.

Pericard and Dossevi added extra depression due to fact less than a year earlier we had Billy Paynter and Charlie Austin scoring for fun...

Dossevi was awful with no redeeming features. Pericard was crap but I felt bad for him, a bit like I did with Sabin.

Surely Shaun Close has to be the worst ever - along with Roy Greenwood (who tbf wasn't an out and out striker)

Greenwood was not very good, one of the few Town players that had a full beard, and a ginger one at that.

Thorpe was one I hated more than anyone.

The problem with Thorpe and Cureton was that hopes were so high prior to the start of the season, and then they started playing..

Chris McPhee & Trevor Benjamin

/thread

Cureton was such a let down, he could have been a superb signing as he was as close to a guarenteed 15-20 goal a season striker as you can get.  He's still banging them in this season and could probably still do a job for quite a few league 1 teams.

Soon as he left us he started firing them in every other week for Colchester as well which made his shitness here doubly galling.

Pericard isn't even the worst striker we've had this decade, let alone of all time

agree about cureton. scored goals everywhere. sadly maybe said more about us at the time than him.

So how has the Tottenham link come about - potential loan signings and Sherwood getting a half season ticket to watch us.

Is it through Kmac? Is he best buddies with Sherwood or something?

Steve Murrall is good mates with Sherwood apparently.

Ronan Murray has to be in the awful strikers category.

Heard the whole new consortium has links with them, or maybe the club had something set up before but Spurs were reluctant to loan youngsters while under PDC

It's because Di Canio hates Jews, Obvs.

A Spurs fan:

"Dean Parrett certainly is, he has no problem with championship level and I wouldn't have any issue if he lined up for our first team neither. Solid, hard working midfielder that isn't afraid to take charge. Ten years ago he'd probably already be involved with our first team, just so damn difficult to break through these days. Like Bostock and Ryan Mason (now out on loan at Llorient), Parrett might soon be available for permanent transfer - getting to an age they either have to make it or move on. Same age and situation that Jamie O'Hara was when he had a good loan spell with Millwall, last chance to prove himself.

Cristian Ceballos is likely to be the most skillful Swindon player since the days of Hoddle and Hazard. There are questions about him though, small and light it remains to be seen if he can produce at pro senior level. How he does out on loan will say a lot about his mentality and whether he will make it as a footballer. A key player for the best U21 side in english football, he's usually played out wide in either 4231 or 433 formation, left footed he tends to cut inward, has scored a lot this season.
A risk for you guys, as I suspect he'll either blow your mind or fail completely."

Another Spurs fan:
"Spurs ITK is suggesting the third player is Massimo Luongo.

If all three go to Swindon, they've got 3 top quality young players there who I'm sure will push them on towards promotion."

Interesting. Thanks for that. More excited than i was after reading that. Parrett sounds decent - only concern is size if paired with Ferry. Ceballos - well we'll see, but i have my reservations about him and how he'd perform in our upcoming northern away days, but someone who can operate both on the wing and up front could prove useful.

Potential signing Ceballos just doing his thing at the Nou Camp with Ronaldinho

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxO7O7IP4GI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxO7O7IP4GI)