Wednesday, 31 January 2007
Three out on loan, no one else in
Another January transfer window closed tight about 20 minutes ago and there were no late signings by the Addicks but for once thankfully no one was sold either. I know what we were told but I'm a bit long in the tooth for all that.
Despite some mutterings that Hayden Mullins may have still signed and one rumour that Darren Huckerby was on his way to SE7 for a medical, no one was added to the earlier acquisitions of Zheng Zhi, Ben Thatcher, Madjid Bougherra and Alexandre Song.
We did allow three players out on loan however, the highest profile being Jon Fortune, who despite making his debut in 2001 can still not force his way into the first team. Fortune goes to Stoke City to replace their captain Michael Duberry, who was sold to Reading earlier in the day and with the arrival of Bougherra, 2 years his junior, if he impresses at The Brittania then I reckon we may have seen the last of the former youth player.
Perhaps the biggest surprise was Simon Walton going back out on loan to Cardiff. I don't quite know what this means for the 19-year old. Les Reed was hailing him as the great saviour back in December but I guess Pards thinks he needs more time and now is probably not the right time to be thrown into the first team, even though reports from Ipswich, a touch of naivety aside, were good.
Kelly Youga was also sent out to Bradford City for the remainder of the season. The French left back, who under four managers has made no impression on the first team squad whatsoever, was at Bristol City earlier in the season.
The day's biggest spenders were, wait for it.... West Ham of course. £6m for Birmingham's Matthew Upson, someone they may have got for nothing in the summer, if he'd gone through with the threat of buying out his contract. I'm sure there will be rather a lot of hilarity in Birmingham if they get promoted and Upson's new team get relegated come May.
Wigan completed the signing of Nigerian striker Julius Aghahowa but failed to convince Papa Bouba Diop to move to the JJB. Watford were busy signing two Frenchmen - midfielder Johan Cavalli and defender Cedric Avinel plus Brazilian midfielder Douglas Rinaldi. I'm sure they'll all up for a relegation scrap, give me Ben Thatcher any day. ¶ 20:20
Despite some mutterings that Hayden Mullins may have still signed and one rumour that Darren Huckerby was on his way to SE7 for a medical, no one was added to the earlier acquisitions of Zheng Zhi, Ben Thatcher, Madjid Bougherra and Alexandre Song.
We did allow three players out on loan however, the highest profile being Jon Fortune, who despite making his debut in 2001 can still not force his way into the first team. Fortune goes to Stoke City to replace their captain Michael Duberry, who was sold to Reading earlier in the day and with the arrival of Bougherra, 2 years his junior, if he impresses at The Brittania then I reckon we may have seen the last of the former youth player.
Perhaps the biggest surprise was Simon Walton going back out on loan to Cardiff. I don't quite know what this means for the 19-year old. Les Reed was hailing him as the great saviour back in December but I guess Pards thinks he needs more time and now is probably not the right time to be thrown into the first team, even though reports from Ipswich, a touch of naivety aside, were good.
Kelly Youga was also sent out to Bradford City for the remainder of the season. The French left back, who under four managers has made no impression on the first team squad whatsoever, was at Bristol City earlier in the season.
The day's biggest spenders were, wait for it.... West Ham of course. £6m for Birmingham's Matthew Upson, someone they may have got for nothing in the summer, if he'd gone through with the threat of buying out his contract. I'm sure there will be rather a lot of hilarity in Birmingham if they get promoted and Upson's new team get relegated come May.
Wigan completed the signing of Nigerian striker Julius Aghahowa but failed to convince Papa Bouba Diop to move to the JJB. Watford were busy signing two Frenchmen - midfielder Johan Cavalli and defender Cedric Avinel plus Brazilian midfielder Douglas Rinaldi. I'm sure they'll all up for a relegation scrap, give me Ben Thatcher any day. ¶ 20:20
