Guy_Incognito

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And if you look at the top 5 transfer fees in the UK, I'm pretty sure that the glams feature more than Chelsea - Ferdinand £30m, Veron £28m, Cheating Goalhanger £24m, Fatboy £27m I don't actually have any definite figures or links to back this up, I'm just pretty sure I remember seeing it.

Villa only available to Chelsea for £100m Spanish striker's buy-out clause must be met if clubs want to sign him Staff and agencies Tuesday November 28, 2006 Guardian Unlimited Villa's buy-out clause is rated at £100m. Photograph: Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP/Getty Images Valencia president Juan Soler today insisted that Chelsea have not made an offer for Spain striker David Villa and warned any interested clubs they will have to start negotiations at £100m. Reports this morning had suggested that Villa is at the top of Jose Mourinho's wish-list during the January transfer window, but Soler is adamant Los Che will only let him leave if the player's buy-out clause is met. "Officially we have not received any interest or an offer from Chelsea for Villa," said Soler. "I met [Valencia sporting director Amedeo] Carboni this morning and he didn't mention anything regarding any possible interest from Chelsea for our striker. We have heard rumours but that is all it is. We have no intention of selling him. But should any club be interested, they could sit down and negotiate his buy-out clause, which is currently worth 150million euros (£100m)." Villa scored 25 goals in La Liga last season and was reportedly the subject of a failed £15m bid from Chelsea in the summer. The 24-year-old, who has struck five goals in 12 league appearances this campaign, is under contract at the Mestalla until June 2013. "Villa is a crucial player for us now and in the future," added Soler. Chelsea sporting director Frank Arnesen is currently in Valencia with the Premiership champions' youth team, who play a friendly against their counterparts tomorrow.

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Sounds like O'Neil is happy with his progress and wants him back From the Grauniad Hendrie's Potteries renaissance offers a glimpse of times past Richard Williams Tuesday November 21, 2006 The Guardian It was eight years ago last Saturday that Lee Hendrie began and ended what should have been a significant international career. He came on with 14 minutes to play during Glenn Hoddle's final match as England's manager, enchanted all who saw him, and then disappeared for good. Put up for interview at the Bisham Abbey training centre a few days before the friendly against the Czech Republic, the Aston Villa midfielder had seemed younger than his 21 years but showed himself to be a sparky character. When he replaced Paul Merson, the scorer of one of the goals in a 2-0 victory, the impression was confirmed. Seldom has an England debutant shown such a lack of self-doubt, such an instinctive readiness to express himself. Operating on the left of midfield, he looked an absolute natural and almost scored a brilliant goal. Article continues -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The abrupt departure of Hoddle and Hendrie's own eventful life off the field - a bit too much sparkiness, perhaps, resulting in tabloid tales of dented Porsches and combustible relationships - ensured that his one international cap would be his last. Not even the endless problems on England's left flank could win him a recall, despite the willingness of Hoddle's successors to force some very square pegs into a round hole as they tried out just about every English midfield player in the Premiership. Ron Atkinson and Brian Little had nurtured Hendrie's fledgling career at Villa Park, and looked on in sadness as his career developed a recurrent misfire under the regimes of John Gregory and David O'Leary. When Martin O'Neill arrived at the start of this season, he gave Hendrie seven minutes as a sub against Arsenal in the opening game and then sent him out on loan to Stoke City. It looked as though he had been banished from the Premiership, possibly never to return. But at Stoke, under Tony Pulis, he has been thriving, scoring three goals in nine Championship matches and helping to lift the club to seventh place in the table. His performances have drawn approving noises from O'Neill, who has rebuffed approaches from other Premiership clubs and indicated that he expects to welcome Hendrie back to Villa Park at the beginning of December. A few days ago the prodigal son reaffirmed his desire to regain the claret and blue shirt of the club he supported as a boy. O'Neill, however, is said to be displeased by reported suggestions that Hendrie will not settle for anything less than a place in the starting line-up of a team reborn since the new manager's arrival. Meanwhile Hendrie is reminding some of us of the days when Tony Waddington's Stoke provided a haven for an earlier generation of talented but misunderstood or undervalued midfield players in the autumn of their careers. The two who come most readily to mind are George Eastham and Alan Hudson, both of whom enjoyed the warmth of an Indian summer at the old Victoria Ground. Now that Premiership clubs retain such vast first-team squads, their members often rewarded beyond the dreams of avarice simply for occupying a seat on the bench, such sights are becoming rare in the lower divisions. Players reaching the end of their careers in the top flight no longer need the remuneration offered by clubs below the top level, depriving supporters of clubs at Stoke's level of the pleasure of welcoming famous players happy to squeeze out a final season or two of competitive football in exchange for a weekly pay packet and, if things worked out well, the adoration of a new set of supporters. Those were the days before agents played such a major role in career decisions, before Premiership academies swallowed up talented 12-year-olds, and before a player not yet out of his teens could consider himself set for life after a handful of first-team appearances. Everything about the awesome prosperity at the top end of the game has conspired against the opportunity for fans of lower-division teams to watch sides containing an interesting blend of illustrious veterans and gilt-edged prodigies, the gaps plugged by loyal journeymen. Perhaps it is not too late for Lee Hendrie to return to the club of his heart and to reclaim his place in a team that seems to be heading in the right direction, although the lack of discipline in his past behaviour must tilt the odds against it. An application of common sense and humility would probably not damage his standing in O'Neill's eyes. Whatever happens next, however, Stoke's fans have been given the bonus of an enjoyable and memorable interlude, and an unexpected boost in their long struggle to restore the football pride of the Potteries.

He got nearly as much congratulations from the players for his part in that as Kuyt and Gerrard did. Hugs and high fives a plenty.

I hate to be a pendant*, but is it not just try saying beer can in your own accent, and it not sound like a West Indian saying bacon? Unless you're a West Indian, and then you can just cut out the middle man and say bacon. *I actually don't, I quite enjoy it as this is my first time doing so on these boards.

I texted a glam saying that I was surprised that it took 40 minutes before I heard them, but that my hearing must be getting worse. He replied "Why don't you enjoy the game rather than listen to our fans? Typical Scouse". He then went on to say "We're dicking them. 2-0 I reckon to the might of the reds"... Beautiful.

Did anyone see that bit last night where he skinned a couple of players and got into the box one on one with the Celtic keeper? It looked like he'd made his mind up to take a dive, but the Celtic keeper didn't go diving in at his feet and just stood his ground. Placcy didn't know what to do and ended up just letting the ball dribble out of play. It was ace.

Alot of Glams seem to forget that they only beat Celtic through a Giggs dive, but that's quite good for me as I have really enjoyed reminding them today. They should all be grateful, anyway, cos they should really be out on away goals today...

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Any chance we could lay off referring to the c*** as "fergie" please? Thanks. Oh, and Liam Miller.

I think you'll find it's only the hardest game if it's their first game of the season. If you play them any later than that then their spirits will have been broken, and you'll walk it. It's actually an indictment of your team that you only just scraped past them, and actually proves that we're gonna win the league. Sometimes I think that you just don't pay attention to this forum...

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It's the perfect crime!

So what happens if he's still fecking rubbish in the middle then? What can it be blamed on then?

I remembered, but only cos I was watching the DVD of it on Sunday, so it would have been quite shameful for me not to.

That's not strictly true now, is it? (I just wanted an excuse to get that thread resurrected)

It was Jamie and he did, yeah. I'd forgotten about that. Good job, cos I don't think I could have taken being much more angry last night.