Jim White…. take a breath
Another January transfer day full of hot air.
Aston Villa did buy a couple of teenagers and Sunderland splashed out on a Newcastle fan but other than ‘Arry increasing QPRha’s debt burden, Arsenal were the days surprise big spenders. Goalkeeping prospect Jack Butland moved to Stoke but the headlines were once again grabbed by David Beckham, who signed for PSG until the end of the season and will donate his salary, believed to be worth a total of around £3 million, to children’s charities.
Scouring Twitter tonight he was still getting stick and some people’s jealously knows no bounds. According to reports Beckham will receive no remuneration whatsoever, including signing-on fees or shares in his new club. All PSG will pay for are accommodation and security expenses for Beckham and his family while they are in Paris but he will be paid nothing else.
On a day when Sky Sports and other media incites English football’s greed even more and self-obsessed agents collect bundles of used notes left in brown envelopes I think Beckham’s gesture was a gracious kick in the balls to players with a lot less talent and class like Peter Odemwingie. Oh to be a fly on the wall at West Brom’s training ground tomorrow.
The biggest news from a Charlton perspective was that none of our key players were sold. Equally as suspected no one came in, although the ’emergency loan’ window opens on the 8th February. Powell never said anything different although it is pretty obvious that he had a list of preferred recruits, but none were sanctioned.
BWP and Danny Green did both sign papers and pass medicals with Swindon Town tonight but according to Swindon, the Football League were not willing to sanction the moves due to Swindon’s financial plight and impending new owners due to take over at the County Ground.
I’m not sure what state of mind this leaves the two players in, both of whom were on the bench this past weekend.
Palace were busy with Ian Holloway returning for two of his previous players Stephen Dobbie and auld enemy Kevin Phillips. Barnsley lost their rising star John Stones to Everton, but signed Rory Delap and striker Chris O’Grady on loan. Leeds signed Stephen Warnock and gained proven Championship goalscorer Steve Morison from Norwich in exchange for Becchio.
Middlesbrough signed Kieran Dyer and had an extension built on their physio’s room at the same time, Hull bought three Egyptians that will give their pitchside announcer a sleepless night and Bolton also made three signings including Southampton winger Steve De Ridder on loan.
DJ Campbell’s move to Blackburn didn’t materialise and the day’s strangest story was Peterborough’s George Boyd failing an eye test at Forest. Apparently Forest’s Kuwaiti owners have never heard of contact lenses.
