The longer it drags on the less chance we have of landing any sort of replacement or for Hill to have any hope of getting a squad together. With the pissyness that has been thrown about over the 500k "mugging" for Vaz Te, I think we've pretty much backed Don into a corner to hold out for top money, which means end of August, tribunal and then scrambling about for some loan signings.
Spoke to a Newcastle fan last week and it seems after finishing 5th, Ashley has allowed Pardew a bigger budget and therefore he's no longer looking at Championship bargains, their chief scout (Alan Carrs dad?!) is roaming Europe on the lookout for Beye's & Cisse's. Butterfield missed his chance in January, Southampton are another option at a guess, if he decides not to stay local.
The only reason I hope he doesn't go to Leeds is that they won't have the kind of money we should be looking for.
Re: The longer it drags on Not sure how this one will play out - as I understand he can't 'officially' sign until end of June when his contract runs out - so we have to hope a deal's been done with a club that doesn't want to go to tribunal. We either take a view that we need the cash now even if it means taking a small loss on what we'd get at tribunal. it's all in the management and negotiation - which is why I fear the worst.
Course he would -if the price was right. Plus Grayson has gone now too. Another reason to hope Huddersfield crash and burn.
That's your only reason? For me I don't want to see our best player go to the white *****. They deleberately crocked him on New Years eve....Butterfield knows it, would he really go there?!
Re: I'd take a million quid now Palyed him mostly as sub. Except for the last ten games or so where he started every game and looked pretty good combined with Mellis.
Once he leaves I don't care where he goes or what he does. I just want the club to benefit as much as possible. If he wants to go to Leeds it will be a bad decision he will regret but such is life.
I'd take a million quid now and the hope Hill has two or three 'rough diamonds' lined up, than wait til end of August for whatever we are due and then have to build a squad from loans. Bear in mind, Robins didnt rate Butterfield, played him mostly as sub. It was Hill who moved him 'into the hole' and built a team around getting him the ball, so cut him some slack, for every Vaz Te there's a Dagnall. etc.
Looked pretty good? he started the last 8 games of the season, in which time we won just once. Hill also made him captain.
Flattered to deceive under Robins. Showed glimpses of his ability. Didn't have anywhere near the impact that he's had playing under Hill. Hill has got him working as well as passing and made him pivotal (too pivotal ?) in our decent spell last season.
Re: Looked pretty good? I'm not denying that Hill made him captain but Robins played him at the end of the season so to say he only used him as a sub is untrue. Perhaps this season was the time he finally delivered on the promise that he had but never really shown under Davey and Robins. And winning once in the last eight? I'd have took that last season....