Greetings form East End of Glasgow!

[Rich Pullen]

He has the potential to. However, it's all hypothetical until he actually does it. There's no way people genuinely thought Austin would make the impact he did at Swindon - especially with our Non-League track record.

'Injuries and bad luck' aside, Parkin and Cox were going to be world beaters when they left Swindon.

[Nemo]

I actually think a spell in Scotland wouldn't be too bad for Charlie's development- he's scored goals and been popular with fans wherever he's been, and a poor start at a new club might set him back considerably: there are enough bad sides in the SPL that even with a poor start he'd still score enough to keep the confidence going and stop any fans getting on his back.

That said, I'm sure staying at Swindon for another year would be much better for his development if not his bank balance

[Simon Pieman]

...and they would tell him how they would have given their right arms for the chance to play in the first team on a regular basis, what a great club it is and how, if he gets the chance to play on a regular basis (which he would if they spent a couple of mil on him) then he should take it. I'm only guessing of course.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want Charlie going anywhere but let's not kid ourselves that a move to Celtic would be a sideways move.

I'm not kidding myself and suggesting it's a sideways step. More like it wouldn't be a first choice move from a career development perspective.

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

I'm not kidding myself and suggesting it's a sideways step. More like it wouldn't be a first choice move from a career development perspective.

I think we all agree he would score goals in the SPL, so he would (in theory) be scoring goals on a regular basis for a high profile team. There are loads of unknowns and intangibles that can come in to play but on the face of it, it wouldn't look like a particularly bad career move to me.

[Arriba]

caddis,ferry,and cuthbert wouldn't have come here if they could cut it at celtic.

[Simon Pieman]

I'm not saying that Celtic wouldn't be a good move nor that it wouldn't be a step up or that it wouldn't further his career. But there will be other teams after him so Celtic may not possibly be the first choice move that's all.

The former Celtic players we have couldn't cut it there but they probably would have stayed in Scotland if the football was better and there was more money up there.

[axs]

If Celtic come in and offer him big bucks he'd be stupid to turn it down. His career could end any given Saturday and he has the (hypothetical) opportunity to provide security for his family for life.

Obviously we'd all be gutted but I couldn't hold it against him as long as he leaves in the right way.

[Dr Pierre Chang]

I admire the optimism on here. But I do think its fairly deluded, what have we shown to make you think we can go 3 months unbeaten?

We can make the play offs, if we sign Danny Ward, get Dave Lucas fit, keep Charlie Austin, get a new left back, sell Morrison and replace him with a solid centre back, get Caddis and Matt Ritchie (who is still on a short term loan) to show some consistancy.

Realistically, this season is gone. We need to really focus on winning the home games, give the crowd some entertainment, try and get everyone renewing those season tickets. And obviously, stay up.

I'm not overly optimistic, but seeing just how shite the standard in this league is this season and the fact we are 6 points off of the play offs depsite being poor for most of the season must give some hope?

I haven't seen us play one side who look decent, Charlton were the best I have seen and their side got torn apart over the summer.

Although, as I said, we need a couple of signings - if they don't arrive, then I will agree that this seasons is 'gone'.

[suttonred]

Agree with above. In fact though the best side I've seen us play is probably Crawley.

[DMR]

And OST, you talk about Europe...well that's only about 4 games a season, two in the Champions League and 2 in the Europa Cup...and out !!

How many games a season do we play in Europe a season you complete tool?

[stfctownenda]

How many games a season do we play in Europe a season you complete tool?

Have to agree with DMR the post from Summerof69 has to be one of the most ridiculous posts I have ever seen.  To suggest Celtic is a sideways step is delusion of the highest order.  No matter what Summerof69's opinion is of the Scottish Premier League Rangers and Celtic are still huge clubs.  You are talking about 50k gates most weeks, trophies, medals, european football and playing on the TV most weeks. 

[amcc]

That's what I was getting at. The SPL in League One standard, and it's about to get worse with the Scottish FA's new proposals...that is why it's a sidewards step.

And OST, you talk about Europe...well that's only about 4 games a season, two in the Champions League and 2 in the Europa Cup...and out !!

Ok i know this forum and my views will obviously be different but to compare the SPL to Leauge One is a bit a low.

SPL is on par with the Championship with the Old Firm pipping into the Premiership. Hearts, Hibernian, Dundee Utd and Motherwell i actually think would do decently well in the Championship.

Europe 4 games? Haha dont make me laugh! MON & GS made us a European force to be feared - it was only 2 seasons ago we failed to qualify. Im 100% posoitve next season we will be back to our best.

Who beat the likes of Man Utd, AC Milan, Benefica, Shaktar Donetsk and many more which i cba naming..
And remeber Europa Leage final in 2003or '67 which the English media have never publicised?

[Benzel]

How many of those games were won on the continent of Europe and not in your backyard?

[Power to people]

Would Charlie run the risk of leaving though due to the ex player curse...see Parkin, Cox, Greer for examples of how your career does not always move forward when you leave.

Who was the last player to leave that has gone on to have a succesful career and improve themself away from town

[Benzel]

Urm... Brian Howard?

The closest I can think of having some actual success. Scored that winner at Anfield, still plying his trade in the Championship?