January Transfer Window

[Downbeat Bee]

What do you reckon will happen?

Sodje off for a few hundred thousand? A replacement would have to be brought in.

I worry Tabb might go - which I think would be a massive blow.

Dobson? Fitzgerald?

 

[hanworthbee]

It could end our season depending on who goes and comes in.

 

[Mr Tree]

it could end our club if no-one goes

i'll settle for still having a team in Febuary - whoever's in it, we'll move on

 

[Downbeat Bee]

We have to reach a balance - sell all our best players and play awfully and our crowds go down.

For example selling tabb unless it was for really good money would be counterproductive in my opinion. Getting rid of Sodje for serious money would probably be worth it. I'd get Fitzgerald off the wage bill and Rankin if possible and get in someone who could hold the ball up (I've already suggested a player elsewhere). We would need another centre half though if anything happened to Sodje.

 

[Bigbee]

Our stars ripped from the heart of our team for pennies . The team slide down the table to fight for a play of place . BU take over a £8.5 m debt which they can not repay with out selling the ground and leasing it back,hoping that they can reverse this descision in the next few years.Other wise the finance company exercise their five year option to sell the ground .

 

[Downbeat Bee]

Our stars ripped from the heart of our team for pennies . The team slide down the table to fight for a play of place . BU take over a £8.5 m debt which they can not repay with out selling the ground and leasing it back,hoping that they can reverse this descision in the next few years.Other wise the finance company exercise their five year option to sell the ground .

Yeah a problem that to put it mildly. Shame we didn't try to take control of the club when we were £960,000 in debt.

 

[hanwell bee]

We need to beat Stockport and get a good draw if we are to have any chance of hanging on to our best players

 

[SmiffyBee]

Looking at current market values, needs of Brentford to sell and the requirements of other clubs to buy...here are my predictions...

Name---------Destination-----------Fee-------------Likelyhood
Sodje............Championship---------£150,000 --------50%
Tabb.............Championship---------£200,000---------35%
Rankin...................?.........---------£50,000---------not likely
Fitzgerald........League 2....-----------Free-----------50%


I would be more worried if we sold Turner to be honest....

 

[Brain-dead Bee]

Looking at current market values, needs of Brentford to sell and the requirements of other clubs to buy...here are my predictions...

Name---------Destination-----------Fee-------------Likelyhood
Sodje............Championship---------£150,000 --------50%
Tabb.............Championship---------£200,000---------35%
Rankin...................?.........---------£50,000---------not likely
Fitzgerald........League 2....-----------Free-----------50%


I would be more worried if we sold Turner to be honest....

I'd agree Sodje is the most likely, but would hope for a little more, perhaps £200-250k with extras for games played etc. Much as I like him, I don't see us getting more than £50k basic for Tabb in which case I wouldn't sell him.

I see no chance of anyone paying money for Rankin, but someone might take him off the wage bill on a free if he's not in the first team. Fitz's departure probably depends on a Lge 2 (or Conference) side being able to match his wages.

Elsewhere there are rumours about O'Connor, but I wouldn;t expect more than £30-50k for him at best.

I don't mean the low valuations to be an insult to our players, just a reflection of how bigger clubs rip off those on financial trouble

 

[Luton Bee]

Our stars ripped from the heart of our team for pennies . The team slide down the table to fight for a play of place . BU take over a £8.5 m debt which they can not repay with out selling the ground and leasing it back,hoping that they can reverse this descision in the next few years.Other wise the finance company exercise their five year option to sell the ground .

 

[Stuardo]

if Sodje or Tabb or O'Connor are sold for those amounts of money having put all the effort into taking over the club i am calling it a day with this club.

the only way we can raise money to pay the debts off is to get promoted and stick around there or sell our best players for good money (FFS - Luton got £3million for Curtis Davis!).

We have a history of selling our best players for nought. let's end it now.

In reality - the sums mentioned wouldn't make a dent in our debt so why bother selling?

 

[Downbeat Bee]

I wouldn't sell Tabb for anything like 50K

Sodje should command much more than is suggested above even in the current climate

 

[Leonardo]

I wouldn't sell Tabb for anything like 50K

Sodje should command much more than is suggested above even in the current climate

I agree re Sodje as he is one of the highest profile players at this level.

Also if someone offered £500k for Tabb I'd take it but less than £350k is taking the p*ss.

 

[SmiffyBee]

I wouldn't sell Tabb for anything like 50K

Sodje should command much more than is suggested above even in the current climate

This season the only transfers for money out of League 1 have been...

Lita, £1m Bristol City to Reading
Ryan Taylor, Tranmere to Wigan, £750k
Hume, £500k Tranmere to Leicester
Darius Henderson, Gillingham to Watford, £450k
Danny Coles, £200k Bristol City to Hull
Blundell, Doncaster to Chester £100k
Paul Hayes, Scunthorpe to Barnsley, £75k


not much money about.....I still maintain we should have purchased Kevin Betsy as a cheap bargain in the summer...

 

[abee]

if Sodje or Tabb or O'Connor are sold for those amounts of money having put all the effort into taking over the club i am calling it a day with this club.

the only way we can raise money to pay the debts off is to get promoted and stick around there or sell our best players for good money (FFS - Luton got £3million for Curtis Davis!).

We have a history of selling our best players for nought. let's end it now.

In reality - the sums mentioned wouldn't make a dent in our debt so why bother selling?

Assuming that the promised sponsorship monies have materialised then my take would be "no in's and no outs" with Pratley coming back for the rest of the season and assuming Dobbo and Fitz not being marked "return to sender".

 

[Simon C]

This season the only transfers for money out of League 1 have been...

Lita, £1m Bristol City to Reading
Ryan Taylor, Tranmere to Wigan, £750k
Hume, £500k Tranmere to Leicester
Darius Henderson, Gillingham to Watford, £450k
Danny Coles, £200k Bristol City to Hull
Blundell, Doncaster to Chester £100k
Paul Hayes, Scunthorpe to Barnsley, £75k


not much money about.....I still maintain we should have purchased Kevin Betsy as a cheap bargain in the summer...

Do you know which of these (if any) were straight cash fees and which had numerous Smith-esque clauses?

 

[Gazza Bee]

I wouldnt sell Sodje for any less than the £600,000 we are going to need to find to break even at seasons end (not accounting for sponsorship deals not completed)

 

[davido_i]

We need to beat Stockport and get a good draw if we are to have any chance of hanging on to our best players

I wouldn't get too hung up on papertalk quite yet, Sodje's agent in particular deserves a Booker prize nomination for creative writing.

If MA loaned out Fitz & Dobbo with the aim of balancing the books to extend Pratley's loan, then maybe things aren't quite so critical as we think.

I fully agree that by the time the FA Cup 4th Rd draw is made on Sun Jan 8th, we should have a much clearer picture of the financial picture for this season. Hopefully, if we're still in the Cup & with an attractive draw to boot, we might be able to keep polishing the crown jewels for a little while yet

 

[SmiffyBee]

Do you know which of these (if any) were straight cash fees and which had numerous Smith-esque clauses?

I havent got a clue...

 

[Simon C]

I havent got a clue...

What I mean is that earlier this season Tranmere fans may have been building a similar list including Paul Smith: Brentford to Southampton £450k (or whatever it was).

 

[wanderer paul]

Isn't Tabby out of contract at the end of this season?
If so he can sort himself out a new deal with another club and then BFC would have to go to a tribunal for a fee.
Would you sell now or trust a tribunal?

 

[Brentford_till_die]

if we lose sam and tabby, kevin are season is over

 

[wanderer paul]

It would be a sad day if the heart of the club was ripped out just to satisfy the takeover by Bees United. Sodje, Turner, O'Connor and Tabb, then include Martin Allen and Whitbread too. DON'T SELL. Get Promoted and work things out that way. We lost promotion before because of Webb with Forster and Noades with Mahon etc. DON'T DO IT AGAIN !

 

[Brain-dead Bee]

I don't think any of us who posted about selling players want to lose them (except maybe Fitz) but, depending on finance, we may have little choice.

 

[Stuardo]

and would you really want to hold back a player if they knew a chance to move to premierleague club (or even a big established club in a higher division) offering to double or treble their wages??

would that player then really give a monkey's?

a difficult balancing act as always!

 

[loyalbee]

watford have just paid 500,000 for marlon king who is joint top goalscorer in the championship, cant see sodje getting much more considering king is already in the championship and delivering the goods

 

[hobbsy]

yes but King is not very popular at Forest and had some fallings out with board and management (and possibly fans) during their relegation, this could have reduced the fee in Watfords favour ..... or am I just being optimistic.

 

[Les Beeavinu]

yes but King is not very popular at Forest and had some fallings out with board and management (and possibly fans) during their relegation, this could have reduced the fee in Watfords favour ..... or am I just being optimistic.

You're absolutely right. They wanted to get rid and reduce their wage bill so £500k looks a good offer. I don't think the price bears any relation to possible bids for our players.

 

[RJC]

New Year's Wish List

To all you loyal Bees Fans.

Just becareful what you wish for ???

It just may come true.

 

[Ronan]

Ben Burgess?

 

[Simon C]

You're absolutely right. They wanted to get rid and reduce their wage bill so £500k looks a good offer. I don't think the price bears any relation to possible bids for our players.

It's also very early to be accepting bids for players for the window so it's likely that Watford were the only bid as they wanted to make sure he stayed. That money might also cover the cash Forest need to pay Wycombe as soon as the window opens.

 

[Groo the Wanderer]

You're absolutely right. They wanted to get rid and reduce their wage bill so £500k looks a good offer. I don't think the price bears any relation to possible bids for our players.

King went on loan to Watford, with 500K an agreed buying price if they wanted to keep him, Forest obvioiusly didn't as he never clicked with them. Forest couldn't up the price now he's doing well.

 

[Simon C]

King went on loan to Watford, with 500K an agreed buying price if they wanted to keep him, Forest obvioiusly didn't as he never clicked with them. Forest couldn't up the price now he's doing well.

Thanks for the info.

 

[SQUELCH]

That money might also cover the cash Forest need to pay Wycombe as soon as the window opens.

They are still keen On that Fryatt at walsall as well.