If it was a done deal before the final then I can pretty much guarantee that we didn't. Paul Heckingbottom said in an interview with radio Sheffield on Monday that he'd asked the club not to discuss contracts and that with himself or the players so not to distract them from the task at hand. I'm not saying that we were never interested in keeping him. But I reckon we might have been caught a little flat footed. Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Not criticising Brownhill at all, but He must've known the situation re BFC not discussing contracts/recruitment until season finished.Therefore, if he was interested in staying here he could've just waited a little longer. Not knocking him at all. I suppose we'll never know if we wanted to sign him, or if he even wanted to come.
I'm sure we must have been made aware that either he was signing for Bristol City, so there was no point in offering him anything, or he was being sounded out by clubs and were we interested. Any agent is going to do that. Competition gets better wages, potentially more signing on benefits and the agent more money in his pocket. It may have been said we were focussing on the game, but I can't believe there was zero communication with agents etc. After all... we signed several players during the playoff phase. Out of all the players, Brownhills position doesn't seem to have been mentioned. Hammill, Isgrove and Fletcher have all had glowing comments to perhaps stay or that there may be room for them. Don't recall any such comments regarding Brownhill (may have missed or forgotten them though)
I've read he agreed the Bristol contract months ago which seems a bit strange to me. I know it's good to sort your future out but he was putting in good enough perfomances to have a few teams be in for him anyway. I liked him as a player and would've liked him to stay but we've got Scowen (who I think is still one of the better players at the club) and I have faith in the club to bring in someone good. After all I'd never heard of Brownhill before he signed for us so
As I've said before, Brownhill was inconsistent. Scored a couple of of skonkers but overall I'd prefer the other Josh. I would've been truly gutted if Scowen left. There are better players out there
Brownhill had guaranteed championship football with Bristol so knew the terms probably weeks ago. With us....it was only on Sunday just gone that we knew our fate. Still probably couldn't match bristol in terms of wages and fees. They are linked with a 2.5m bid for tomlin too this week so obviously splashing the cash Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Stay at Preston and have a likely relegation battle. Move to Bristol and have a likely relegation battle. Move to Barnsley perm and if promoted, a likely relegation battle. I'd guess money was the main factor.
Can blame the lad for securing his future quite a while ago. Obvious he wasn't in Prestons plans, didn't know while after Sunday what division we'd be in orat the time of signing with Bristol,whether we'd even be in play offs. Or sign for Bristol,guaranteed championship player and probably a pay rise on top of that. Josh had to do what was best for Josh. In hindsight he could possibly could be thinking I wish I'd av waited a few week & could've stopped with us but, hey ho