Sam Nicholson

Looking at trying to sign him from Hearts.

 

Hmmm.

Only played nineteen league games this season. Not a good sign.

 

Winger. Out of contract but only 22. However as he's in Scotland I believe we wouldn't have to pay a fee. Don't know much about him though. Where did you hear this?

 

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sp...bos-with-no-compo-for-out-of-contract-winger/

 

He's one of the two Scottish based players we have been talking to. Technically very good and blessed with pace. But for some strange reason we seem to have missed the boat on both targets. I know that we would have to pay the development fee to Hearts. Which is betwen £350-400k. Not sure if it is the fee that is putting us off or just the lack of a CEO in place. I think both players wanted to join the Reds but both are disappointed that we have failed to get the deals over the line. If you don't act in a reasonable time frame you are going to lose-out on good quality prospects. That said, if Nicholson goes to the USA Hearts will not get any compensation. Which might leave them open to doing some sort of deal with us. They would prefer to get half of what is due from an English team as opposed to getting zero from an MLS club.

 

If we were that interested we'd get it done like we did with Mallan. If these other clubs win they're either more willing to pay higher wages or the player fancied that move more.

 

I think you are right. My only frustration here is that I know the club made significant moves to get the players interested in signing for us. But then the club seems to have backed off. Either we have changed our mind or we didn't do our homework and realise the compensation fees involved in taking the players. If it's the latter it's another embarrassing mistake which doesn't do the club any favours. All players and agents talk and information is shared. We have to be professional in the way we do our business.

 

Nicholson is a class act from what I've seen. Quick and tricky but a little lightweight and injury prone.
Would I sign him though, absolutely!!

 

Has it changed recently so English clubs have to pay development fees to Scottish clubs?

Can I enquire how you know we were so serious about this lad (and Jack)? Could it not be that we made enquiries and decided that there was better out there? The only Scottish lad we made an offer for in January, and he even came down to look round, was Mallan. So he would seem like our number one target. And we landed him. Perhaps these 2 were just players Hecky was keen on, at the right price, and if other deals didn't happen.

Hecky sounds fairly confident we have 3 or 4 signings lined up and ready for the green light as he put it. Which sounds like the right time to announce them, rather than actually complete the deals.

 

Numerous phone calls and meetings taking place over the last few months led me to believe that Hecky was serious. But it might all be part of a masterplan where we are holding off until the last minute to then get a better deal. Alternatively Hecky just changed his mind about them. But that seems odd given the investment in time. The reason I know is down to family connections. And believe me, he would love to come to BFC.

 

Cheers pal. Well hopefully it will all work out then! Certainly sounds like a good player. Would rather we get him than Jack from Aberdeen.

Does seem odd if we want him, and he wants to come, that it hasn't happened. Unless Hearts messing about with fee so would need to be tribunal.

 

I think it must have changed mate. I think by "country" they are referring to the UK. I know that the fee applies now. But I think there is a difference between moving in Scotland which means that the full compensation applies and moving to England which means a lesser fee applies.

 

Does seem confusing. Remember there being a fuss when we signed Hemmings for free. And then we got Watkins from ICT for free as well.

If we thought this lad was going to be free, then found out Hearts want £500k or whatever they are telling us, then imagine that may cause a rethink. Perhaps if we agree lower fee, or free, he'll still move down. Was injured a lot last year wasn't he? Imagine that will put us off paying a fairly large (by our standards) fee.

 

I haven't heard any rule changes so would assume he'd cost us nothing. I remember the same rule years ago when Oldham had a couple of million pound bids on the table for Chris Porter, but he decided to sign for Motherwell so they got nothing.

 

P.H said in an interview about 2 weeks ago that we have an acting Ceo who will deal with things until an appointment his made.I think he's from M.Watkins camp and I'm quite sure Paul mentioned his name which I've since forgot.

 

If the club (Hearts) have offered Nicholson a contract, and they have, and he has then turned that contract down in favour of moving away, the club he joins have to pay compensation as he is under 23 years of age and came through the Hearts academy. The full fee applies if he stays in Scotland whereas a smaller fee applies if he moves to England. Clubs can obviously negotiate but if it went to a tribunal the full fee is the most likely outcome. This is why agents then look to place their players in the USA as there is no fee involved. The club losing the player then panicks fearing that they will not be entitled to any payment. Which in turn strengthens the players hand in terms of a potential move to a club in England, as less of a fee will be involved. Hearts would surely prefer £100k from Barnsley than getting nothing if the player moves to the MLS.

 

Summed that up perfectly

 

Sky reporting that Nicholson has flown out for talks with Minnesota United today.

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He has. But he would prefer to play in England and Barnsley was his preference. Despite interest from Huddersfield, Forest, Wigan and Blackburn.