FAO Gordon Shepherd *please read*

As I know you read this board and have commented on my messages in the past I just thought I'd leave you a note to urge you to do your utmost to sign Michael Chopra whether it be on loan or permanently. I think we really need to push the boat out to sign him. He is a big fans favourite and it seems he is at the top of everyones summer signing wish list but most importantly he has proven that he can score goals in our team. Our team has quite a solid defence and a very attacking midfield, during the last few months of the season we struggled to score goals. I lost count of the amount of times I said to my Dad 'we got Chopra a season too early'. He could be the major missing link. The man who can score the goals for us, the man who can convert the numerous chances we create, the man the fans want and the man that would end up with his name on many, many Red shirts. He could be the difference between us retaining our place in the Championship or not.
He has already hinted that he would like to come back here should we get promoted so the carrot is their for us dangling away so to speak!!!
I sincerely hope you move heaven and earth to sign him Gordon. I am sure Andy Ritchie would like him back in his side, he has been quoted in the past as saying his dream partnership would have been Hayes and Chopra. We all want him too.
As always I trust you will do the right thing.
Oh, and, congratulations! Cheers! (Y)

Paolo

 

Paolo

E-mail it to him

 

RE: Paolo

Has he got his own e-mail addy or just the club one?

 

RE: Paolo

Send it for his attention to his PA: joanne@barnsleyfc.co.uk (Y)

 

a cautionary note

replace Chopra with Nardiello before he signed for us and most would have agreed with you!</p>

However I do think Chopra would be a huge asset</p>

 

i really enjoy reading Paolo's all too infrequent posts both on this and the old BBS but i must

disagree with you.

I don't want Chopra. I think he's pretty good but i'd rather have some striker who's chomping at the bit rather than someone who's been happy sitting in Newcastle reserves or dropping 2 divisions to go on loan.

phrases such as "I think we really need to push the boat out to sign him" worry me. We've been here before and we're not out of a financial mess yet. Nowhere near in fact. i think we should do our utmost to survive but not by overspending or "pushing the boat out". i'd rather have a football club left in 2 years than not

 

Lest we forget...

...the Chris Lumsdon petition. Let the club sign who they want to sign - the fans aren't always right.

 

Have to agree

While I would like to see Chopra down here ... a year ago many people thought that Nardiello was the answer to all our prayers.</p>

Hayes was top scorer at his last club ... but some would say he should have scored more as a striker than he did.</p>



That said, this is in no way intended to denigrate either Hayes [who I think is the most talented player at the club] or Nads [who is a very good player himself]. I'm just trying to point out [as have others] that the fans aren't always right.</p>

On paper, chopra and Hayes sounds like a very good combination, especially with Nads and Richards to supplement them. However, striking is all about confidence and form and sometimes even the best can lose both.</p>



Personally I think we will have more problems in midfield next year than up front. The midfields that we come up against next year will be much much classier than anything we have seen this year. I worry that we dont have anyone to boss the midfield for us, we are a bit ligthweight. i said earlier in another post that what we really need is a player in the Redfern mould who can drive the team forward. Someone with a real presence.</p>

That said if we can have both then  bring it on</p>

 

RE: i really enjoy reading Paolo's all too infrequent posts both on this and the old BBS but i must

i agree we need a striker with a physical presence before we go signing chopra,might be a goalscorer but we have enough lightweight strikers!

 

We do need Chopra

Nads was prolific when playing with Chopra because as well as finding the net, he drifts back to halfway and threads balls through for the other striker. Would be a brilliant signing.

 

I would rather see us sign a ball winner.

 

need to add to the equation that a signing such as Chopra

would probably give us a greater chance of holding onto McPhail, would then need to get rid of Wright and Shucker

 

Agreed

Would be the sort of signing that would prove to McPhail that we weren't going to be content just fighting against relegation

 

RE: Agreed

True True!! I would love to see chopra down here next season. Joined up front with Nads. Gettin the assists from Macca & Disco!!

 

McPhail

We shouldn't have to prove anything to McPhail - he's no Hignett or Glavin - his statement was the parting shot of a man seemingly destined elsewhere. We should be buying players for Barnsley FC not for Stephen McPhail.

Yes he has class, but he's also been largely anonymous in many games. We can't afford any passengers in the Championship and there are alternatives should he leave.

 

RE: McPhail

I think he would really shine in the championship, best player at club over the latter half of the season, agree he didnt always pull his weight prior to that, i would have included hayes in that too, another who really shone when it mattered, esp playing in a wider role

 

RE: McPhail

Reckon the Championship would suit McPhail better

 

RE: need to add to the equation that a signing such as Chopra

shuker and wright will both be here next season i hope,christ they are both still young time to get a lot better.