Some footballing facts of life

as I see them</p>

1) If you have a team who are doing well people will start to take interest in your players</p>

2) Good footballers by their very nature are competitive and want to play atthe highest level possible. Throw in bundles of cash and their heads are turned more easily. However I don't think he majority of players are looking to (do a Scott Parker)andgo to bigger clubs to sit on the bench and line their pockets ... they (and I include Scott Parker) just want to be in the team and playing at a higher level</p>

3) As soon as a club come along who can offer more money and are playing at a higher level, it doesn't matter how settled a player is, how much they get on with their team mates or love the fans, they will want to further their career - it's not just about the money, it's about them having ambition - which is part of what makes them a good player</p>

4) Even if a club wants to keep them, if the playeris tempted by the move ... you can't stand in their way, otherwise they generally become unsettled and unhappy, and you might as well have sold them.</p>

Redders loved Barnsley but the draw of top flight football meant he left</p>

Ashley Ward, Craig Hignett both were off at the first flash of leg from the Premiership.</p>

All were Oakwell legends, but there are only about 4 clubs in the country who can keep hold of their star players. West Han didn't have a hope with Tevez, and they are a top flight club.</p>

If someone comes in for Howard and he wants to go, the clubs thoughts are irrelevant and all they can realistically do is negotiate hard.</p>

 

Negotiations may already have been done

I wouldn't be surprised if Howard (his agent at any rate) negotiated a release clause into the contract he signed in the summer.

 

Redders loved Barnsley but the draw of top flight football meant he left

The fact he was shafted by the club who promised an improved contract if he performed in the Premier, which he did, meant he left

 

another

Barnsley fans will always look for the negative in any situation.

ps I think your redders statement is a load of cack.

 

If his agent didnt get a release clause in the contract ,

then he hasnt done his job very well.

 

yeah thinking about it

cack might be a fairly generous description.</p>

I don't think he'd have gone to a Championship club though, but then he'd had such a blinding season that was never going to be the case. We were foolish to do the dirty on him. I think our history would have been entirely different with him still in the team, we spent years trying to replace him</p>