Just read that Southgate will be signing for Boro. Why havent we been after him. If hes willing to join Boro he for sure could have joined us. Oops forgot! We have Marcelino! Dont need that another england international.

-- Anonymous, July 09, 2001

Answers

£6.5m for a 31 yr old, that's why

-- Anonymous, July 09, 2001

£6,5 isnt much these days.

-- Anonymous, July 09, 2001

But 31 yr old for a defender is getting past his prime.

-- Anonymous, July 09, 2001

Compare £6.5m for Southgate with £6m for Dyer. Two years after the purchase we have a player who still has most of his career ahead of him and is worth 3 times what we paid. Two years after buying Sothgate you'll be lucky to get back a third of what was paid.

There are cases where buying older players makes sense but in general the major investments, IMHO, should always be in players with emerging potential. In an ideal world I'd like to see us be a net selling club in value terms, always getting more back for our players than we paid but that would demand a genius of a player trader like Keegan (and Wenger has done a good job so far at Arsenal)

-- Anonymous, July 09, 2001

It's a good point Jonno - I always thought Keegan was a bit of an Adidas, Paul Smith, DKNY etc. He bought slightly better quality goods, branded them with a flashy designer label (NUFC) & sold on at a premium. The more gullible bought these labels & thought they'd make them look great. The problem is, put them with the wrong outfilt & they look crap. Ruel Fox for example.

-- Anonymous, July 09, 2001

Ruel Fox. Whatever happened to him? I thought he was excellent for us and better than Gillespie who replaced him. He did fade from the scene quickly after going - ideal really - you don't want players coming back to haunt you.

-- Anonymous, July 09, 2001

We bought Fox from Norwich for 2.25mil, got 65 games and 14 goals out of him and then sold him to Spurs for 4.3mil who got 100 odd games and 15 goals. They sold him to West Brom for 200k and he's played 35 games and scored 1 goal. He's now 33.

Looking at that decline, this is the point where Dalglish would swoop with a cash plus Solano offer.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2001

Oh - I didn't recall him playing left back Softie?

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2001

Apparently his adaptability would allow him to play equally badly with either foot jonno. A steal at 5mil plus Nobby.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2001

Seen Ruel Fox a couple of times this year for the baggies. He has certainly lost a bit of pacebut still has a good footballing brain. The baggies fans love him one minute and then can't stand him as he is a little inconsistent but can still influence a game with a clever pass or good cross.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2001

Fox was like a fox. A classic Keegan buy, averageish player bought for a sole purpose - attack, then made to look fantastic. I was dead chuffed when we got him.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2001

I was dead chuffed when we got rid of him and made money.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2001

Loved Fox but back to the original topic....

How much of a twat has Southgate made himself look?? All that talk of joining a big club to further his career etc and he's gone for the money to a smaller club....is the loss of your credibility really worth it?

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2001

Villa will arguably do better than Boro, though i suspect Southgate is politely saying he can't stand Gregory.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2001

I think we should get that fanzine that helped get shot of our no 2, to run another poll on the topic 'Should Gregory be allowed to come anywhere near St James Park ?' just in case there's any chance, however remote, of him fancying his chances.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2001