Albion boss wants to sign defenders
Tuesday 26th April 2011, 11:32AM BST.
Albion boss Roy Hodgson has revealed his plans to target defensive reinforcements in the summer transfer window.
The Baggies chief believes his back four needs strengthening in the close season, with the club having set an unwanted Premier League record of 31 successive matches without a clean sheet.
Hodgson has masterminded a climb to mid-table that has seen his side almost safe from relegation with four matches left.
But he admitted: “Maybe one of the things we’ll need to look at during the close-season is making certain we do shore up a little bit defensively because I don’t think you can rely on your team to score two or three goals every game, especially away from home.
“We scored three away from home to win at Sunderland, two away to get a draw at Tottenham on Saturday and two to get a point against Arsenal.
“We can’t rely upon that all the time.”
Hodgson has played his part in recruitment meetings since arriving at the Hawthorns to replace Roberto Di Matteo.
And the head coach has again championed the need for the Baggies to follow the example of his Fulham side, who followed their escape from relegation by strengthening with established top-flight players.
He said: “It is stating the obvious to say that if we do stop up this year, you need to improve your team.”
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Roy,
Exactly, our home game against West Ham, when you were in attendance, springs to mind. We also need a rugged striker to take the weight up front. Letting some peripheral players leave, would help finance the moves. Glad, Mantom wants to fight for a place next season. Bet he had the idea off Cox.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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In the interview I saw, Roy mentioned us relying on players this season who don’t have a lot of preier experience – he mentioned St peter, Mulumbu and Vela as examples.
Therefore I think we will see Roy try to bring in experienced players across the park, not just in defence – but that doesn’t mean that PO & Mulumbu are going or not good enough – just that they need back up.
And of course, our lads now have a season of prem football under their belts too – so with a few quality additions we could be looking at a very exciting season next year.
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I can tell you now our 2 top prority signings are Andy Johnson and James O`hara you heard it hear fust folks aye boing boing
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Terry – I’d heard about AJ but O’Hara is a new one on me…. decent player not sure where he would fit in with our current midfield.
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I think it was Warren on a previous thread who made an interesting point. Our lack of clean sheets doesn’t necessarily mean we have poor defenders, it’s more about the way we play.
This raises the question do we want to win more games 1-0 instead of 3-2? My answer would be no. If it means turning a 2-2 draw into a 2-1 win then all well and good.
I suppose what Roy is really saying is that you cannot stand still in football, even Barcelona are constantly looking for players to improve their squad.
Sir terry’s suggestion of O’Hara is an interesting one. I’ve always been an admirer since his efforts for Portsmouth and thought Wolves had pulled off a real coup in taking him on loan. How would the fans react to his time at Wolves?
Although I’ve become a big time fan of Steven Reid, unfortunately he seems to be picking up more injuries and seems almost resigned to them. I hope I’m wrong. I still think Jara is potentially a cracking player and if he plays this weekend I’ll be interested to see him perform in Roy’s new confident defence.
Up front AJ is another I’ve always liked for his wholehearted approach but this is tempered by his injury record. But if we can hang on to PO it would mean that we could give them both the rest they need.
The good thing about this is that if Roy is looking towards recruitment then he must laso be thinking of staying. Apart from having his experience I think it will also mean that the likes of Po and Mulumbu etc are likely to stay and we will become a more attractive proposition for quality players coming in.
I know there will be many ups and downs but it ain’t half exciting ain’t it?
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Defending is from the front to the back line, so its is fair to say without being critical of anyone we need to strengthen all over the park if we want a long stay in the Premiership. Who knows maybe Roy can emulate with us what he did at Fulham?
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In many ways I’m not interested in known replacements if Dan and the team can find more PO’s and Mulumbu’s we spend the second least amount behind Blackpool last year and we are mid table, I know the defence is a concern, but the way we push forward we are always going to give other teams a chance. there could be teams with a much better defensive record than ours at the end of the season being relegated, wishing they could take our clean sheet record and retain their place in the premiership.
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TRBH
On the subject of Jara, I thought he was immense when he came on at Spurs.
You know I agree about the defensive point, if quality of defender and number conceded were solely dependant on one another, Fulham’s back four would be about the third best in the country and we’d want Craddock, Berra, Foley and Elokobi in ours. It’s far more about how the whole team sets up.
That said, the natural attacking flair of some of our players seems to compliment Roy’s pragmatic set-up perfectly so we might have found a perfectly balance.
It’s just a shame that this talk of how few clean sheets we’ve kept (which Roy is quite right in highlighting of course), allows us to forget that the fact only Man U, Man C, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool have scored more goals. That’s quite an achievement.
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Yes Warren, good point again, thats not to be embarrassed about is it, come on folks, look at the big picture please.
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I don’t think our goals against is anything to do with our defenders not being good enough – its more to do with our playing style.
The midfield is much tighter now but they are as responsible for defensive duties as the back four.
And who would we drop from our back line ??
Meite fits the bill for experience and has done well under Roy – Ollson is just immense, Shorey is another experienced player and prety reliable, and Reid is also experienced, if a little injury prone.
With Jara, Cech, Tamas, Pablo waiting for a chance its gotta be someone pretty useful to walk into that line up – I can only think of the lad Upson at West Ham if they go down who would possibly challenge Meite for a spot.
I wouldn’t swap Robert Green for Carson and I think Parker is out of our price range… so it will be an interesting summer.
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Simon,
You said you didn’t know what Roy thought after watching the West Ham game. Tell you what he would think. “I’ll Have that lot sorted out in double quick time”. Agree with my calculated guess?. Hence, the loss of your two days off,
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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What super Roy says is quite correct. Because all the Albion have done is copy what Wolves did last season and manage to stay up after promotion. ( although we went up as champions ) The problem is second season syndrome.
Peter O will probably go to the old lady for around £3 to £3 and a half million, beacuse of his age. A couple of others may fetch another mill. JP will plead poverty again, disguised as having the clubs best interests at heart and cough up another £2 mill.
That should give you around £7 million to splash close season. Thats 1 Steven Fletcher!!.
Half decent players dont come cheep. and thats if Roy can persuade em to come.
You may get lucky again and drop on another odumwingie from the bargan bucket, but luck cant go on foever.
AND THERES THE RUB.
Roys good, but at Albion he will need to continually turn sows ears into silk purses.
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Good experienced defenders will cost money in fees and wages.I have been informed that the highest earners in the squad earn in the region of £25,000 per week with the 25 man squad earning around £250,000 bonus per man if relegation is avoided.
Jeremy you upped the ante at the start of the present season,the same is needed for next season so please dont let us down now that we have come this far.
Gera & Greening cant even make the bench at Fulham and do you know what thay wouldnt make our bench either !!!!!
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Warren you are right didnt realise about our
goal tally agree about Reid we need another
rt back as cover Jara best in midfield. I wrote to the club about AJ after Blues let him go seasons ago but is he over injuries??
If wolves go down(still think they’ll stay up)
O’hara will go but is he better than ahat we have Do you recall Gianni’s first game at Man Utd their fans said he’s the best Rt Bk theyd
seen shackle Ronaldo what happened after??
maybe Roy can restore his form?? my Wolves mate says Roy is unbelievable can he fix my tv! Finally can our brave boys exhorcise the
Villa poor record could be wev’e suprised a few were we had poor records.
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Dunne from Villa would be a good signing in my mind, erm and whilst we are there why not put a bid in for Paul Robinson from Blackburn and get a good keeper.
Lone wolf you are right we should sign Fletcher as he’s been prolific this season for you. I know it would be tough to prize him away from you wnat with him being a valuable assett. I know a few wolves fans and they can’t speak highly enough of him. What A player.
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i hope strengthening the defence means a new goalkeeper
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1954
I agree with you on Zuiverloon, I remember that United game and the 0-0 at Bolton, the Bolton fans in the pub afterwards were raving about him. If there’s one player with natural talent who just needs some guidance it’s him.
Lone
‘Albion just copied what Wolves did last season’….brilliant Lone, you’ve excelled yourself this time.
You’re right you did go up as Champions, with a lower points total than we managed a year later, scoring less and conceding more in the process. You then spent about 30 weeks of the Premiership season in the bottom three, scraping out to the salvation of 15th through an impressive end-of-season run, to finish just ahead of freefalling Hull (7 wins in 50), Burnley and broken Pompey. Three sides who’ve barely set the Championship alight this year. We’ve spent 1 week in the bottom 3 and scored the 6th most goals in the league winning plaudits along the way. Super Mick said it’d be tougher this year with some good sides coming up, he wasn’t wrong.
Elokobi, Stearman, Edwards, Ward, Vokes, Geoffrey Mujangi Bia, Stefan Maierhofer, Jelle Van Damne, Havard Flo, Mark Atkins, Tony Daley, Kevin Keen, Robert Taylor, Steve Corica, Jens Dowe, Sami Al-Jaber- your scouting system must’ve had some terrible luck over the years…..
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12 Lonely.
Be scared, be very scared. You are turning into Laughing Wolf. These are the ramblings of a desperate, demented mind. You are better than that, step back from the edge. You know your post is so daft I won’t even bother responding. I can’t even recommend Kev’s couch as you seem to have burnt your bridges there. Try a darkened room with no TV or radio where you can pretend this season never happened, who knows by the time you come out Colin may be your new manager.
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thats doyles prediction gone out the winda aye boing boing
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(12)
Odd Fellow,
Stop worrying about us, I’ve just watched wolves v STOKE and your lot never had a look in. No wonder you’re over here, trying to get “Some in”. Because there is no comfort for you on the dark side. That Jarvis is useless and well over weight. wolves kicked off and it was passed back to another player who touched it back to your keeper, with no Stoke player within twenty yards. then hennessey booted the ball to the Stoke keeper. wolves were out on their feet with twenty minutes still to go. Truly, I’ve seen better amateur football than what wolves turned out tonight. You might think you’re the bees knees coming on the light side with your stupid prattle, but you only make yourself look like the idiot that you are. Wolves haven’t an “Ice-cream in hell” chance of staying up, playing that type of antiquated football. I wouldn’t let wolves have one of our players for all your shambolic residual performers. Now go and do some Dog-head banging on your own pitch. There you go Whatsit.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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Lone, that really is a pathetic comment, your lot now have the joint worst goal difference, I bet true wolves some of whom I work with, must be dreading you coming on here.
Anyway here’s a little thought for you, Kevin’s on his way to do you more damage (an then we’re hoping to have some fun also) !!
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I wouldn’t necessarily say we need wholesale changes, however we do need some more experience in the squad. The ideal place to look is at the top clubs as they have big squads and will look to sell some of the fringe players to make room in their squads.
As well as this there are a few players I wouldn’t mind having, O’Hara maybe to add some competition for our midfielders. Plus Andy Johnson from Fulham, good finisher and would be within our price and wage bracket. I’m sure also that Dan Ashworth has been scouring the European market for more bargains. Any more half as good as Mulumbu or Odemwingie and I’d be happy!
We must be careful about it though, by signing players that improve the squad rather than just for the sake of it.
I’m very positive about our future now, I think JP decision to replace Di Matteo has been vindicated emphatically. I wasn’t sure he’d got it right when I first heard I must confess, but it’s nice to be wrong once in a while!!
Boing Boing !!
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(17)
Warren,
you’ve missed out the best one, they bought an expensive goalkeeper, who never played a game for them. He was then given away after a couple of weeks. Come on Dingles, what was his name. it alludes me.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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Sorry, meant ELUDES.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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15. Richard Dunne is useless. One of the worst defenders I have ever seen. He costs Vile about 12 points per season with gaffes, own goals, pens given away and being caught in posession. Same when he was at Man City. Watch him a bit more.
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18) you may not wish to reply, so please, allow me to retort.
12) How can we copy Wolves, when we did it first? and when we did it at least it was a hard fought league that went down to the final whistle on the final day with anyone of four teams still in it! not like the gimme you “achieved” with Portsmouth, Hull and Burnley automatically taking the three relegation berths? and the fact that this season in a “real league” EVERY team with 8 games to spare would have had enough points to have stayed up last season, in fact even in a p*%s poor league like that you still only achieved 38 points, which I doubt this season would see any team stay up. Its just been to strong for you I guess, and, given these FACTS, I’m sure you will have to concede, you used more than your allotted “luck” over the past two seasons?
Like the Championship you “won” who was in it? certainly not a team like Newcastle (how you comparing to them this season?) and even Blackpool have been above you all season, and I still think they will finish above you! if you do go down, Lord alone knows how you will cope in league with the probable inclusion of Leeds or Cardiff, think you will emulate us then and bounce back? I doubt it! after all, how many attempts did it take you last time?
p.s. have you not got it yet? £s spent do not automatically = success, as you pointed out £7 million for Fletcher (there go my ribs gain), you keep throwing money at it till you run out of sugar daddy’s and we will do it our way, then see who’s top, told you before, you cant buy class, and you are probably one of these people who just has to have their clothes with the label/logo’s on the outside (why not just wear them inside out?) in an attempt to show how much you have spent, whilst looking all the time to people with class just very vulgar, and if you still think you can put a whole season together purely on luck, well, perhaps that’s Wolves problem, your starting to sound like a desperate Barry Fry trying to get a Gypsies curse lifted at St Andrews! (perhaps you should try urinating at all four corner posts at the Mol?, or we could do it for you come May 8th, just a thought?) I think you will find that’s the real RUB!
p.p.s. I see “Mick McCarthy’s unbeaten challenge” worked at Stoke, what happened? did the team coach hit a black cat, or did the players step on the cracks in the pavement so their backs broke!
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Just had to share the latest classic from the Dark side, I know I shouldn’t, but it made me actually chuckle!
talking about the latest Wolves debacle (on the plus side at least Henry and Stearman scored, unfortunatley in the wrong net but there you go!) wrote with no sense of irony what so ever,
JB
April 27, 2011 at 12:18 am
What happened to the wolves we saw earlier in the season?
yes, what did happen to that table topping, world beaters side from earlier on this season? its a real puzzler?
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Switched on computer, loaded Stoke v Wolves.
Which one to support? Still a possibility of Stoke going down, wouldn’t have to listen to Delilah for a while. That settled it as they BOTH couldn’t lose. But after a while I just couldn’t take any more, so I switched off and did a Sudoku instead. No wonder The Wulfies are suicidal. It was GRIM on a scale I haven’t seen in quite a while. Forget the new ground, you have other priorities. A new mental hospital for the supporters who pay good money to watch that rubbish.
To any Baggies who are unhappy with our goals against. We do score plenty too. They don’t even have that pleasure. I genuinely feel very sorry for them.
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i wont be on much today ive thought of a money spinning venture,im going over w-ton selling YOUV LET US DOWN AGEN banners,aye boing boing
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had to laff at the stoke fans last nite singing WE DONT NEED A THROW IN aye boing boing
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baggiescomeon
You may be talking of Kevin Doyle but if it’s me
I ain’t goin’ to lower myself,he’s rambling and started involuntary dribbling (I won’t add to that I’ll let Sir Terry make a little chuckle up).
We only need one half!
Talking of the gipsy’s curse,did anybody go to St Andrews that year? if so did they see the 7ft white cross somebody was carrying in the seats?
Adéu
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On Jarrod’s blog thread yesterday I congratulated Smeth Danny on a really good post that obviously came from the heart.
I heard a Stoke fan on a phone-in this morning saying how he was disgusted that as Matthew Etherington was stretchered off the Wolves fans were singing ‘You’re not going to Wembley.’
Smeth Danny was praising our own fans and I think I can honestly say that despite our dislike of all things Stoke, had this been our fans Etherington would have quite rightly received a sympathetic round of applause as he was carried off.
And long may that remain the case. Proud to be a Baggie for as long as supporting a club is about more than success.
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Got this from the dark side that may actually go into meltdown today.
Wolfy Fry
April 26, 2011 at 10:37 pm
Young lad playing football in the street, man walks up n says “I can tell what team you support just from listening to your football” The young lad in amazement passes him the ball, n the chap puts it to his ear. After a minute or so he says “Wolves!” The little lad says “Wow, thats brilliant what could you hear the Wolves howling?” the chap says “No, its goin down!”
We are doomed!
I thought it sounded like one of Sir Terry’s then remembered he’s busy making his fortune with the banners.
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155 posts on the match thread and nothing from Laughing Wolf or brummierobwolves. Not like them to be so quiet is it?
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Hope you are wrong about O’Hara Sir Terry. I was at the custard bowl on Saturday, for my sins, and he was as slow as a sack of coal.
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If you think about the back four plus Carson and then consider the existing replacements – Myhill, Tamas, Cech, Pablo and Zuiverloon – they aren’t good enough if we are trying to be an established Premier League team.
Richard Dunne has seen better days – no point bringing in hasbeens (er, hope I won’t regret this on Saturday!) Personally, I think Zuiverloon could be a useful midfield player somewhere but he’s not mentally sharp enough to be a quality right back.
There’s quite a few (fringe) players who should be sold or released to make way for fresh blood. Barnes was a gamble that didn’t work; Fortune, Miller, Cech, Pablo, Zuiverloon, Myhill, and is Mattocks still on our books?
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36 Baggie Bob.
In January would Meite have been top of your list of players not good enough to get rid of?
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just come home to get another van load, thum guin like hot cakes aye boing boing
33 TRBH, i think you can credit that one to Cyril a few weeks back.
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In the absence of Shadrag and BRW today (get those dredgers out Jack,) I’ll have to settle for this over the top reaction to a fairly mild question from Warren.
Warren
April 27, 2011 at 10:13 am
Grace
You asked me in January ‘Am I worried?’. Can I now ask you the same question??
Grace
April 27, 2011 at 12:10 pm
Warren
Not worried, just embarrassed after watching that last night.
But just remember what goes around come around so, your little team better keep winning & you & the rest of the Steptoes enjoy basking in our misfortune while you can.
This ignores the fact that despite last night’s result as Kev pointed out earlier there is barely an Albion poster on there. If positions were reversed can anyone imagine what it would be like over here.
In Grace’s defence I will say she’s under pressure as later she posts slagging off Mick after spending all season slagging off the anti-Mick posters. Perhaps a bit of a lack of grace today Grace.
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TRBH
I think that’s what we call a bite!! She can give it, doesn’t seem to take it so well!!!
Baggiebob
Some interesting points but as TRBH alluded to, might be dangerous to write some of them off. Meite could’ve been accused of lacking the necessary concentration to be a top defender. Pablo’s also got talent. Lets see if Roy can work his magic first. He took the likes of Aaron Hughes to a big European final.
I suspect we may see Cech leave though. Mattock’s on our books but he’s on loan at Sheff U.
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(33)
Bully,
Would you like my version. Right.
All the football clubs in the league, donated a club football for charity. This guy was bragging he could tell by looking at and smelling one, he knew which club it came from. Select three at random says he and put them on this table. He picks up the first, looks at it and smells it, Blackpool says he. How can you tell, the others reason. There’s sand on it and I can smell the salt. He picks up another. Stoke, was his answer. How come the others replied. Look at the grime and I can smell the soot, says he. Same procedure. Wolverhampton Wanderers he retorted. How come they urged. I can smell Dingle dug and it’s going down.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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TRBH
Interesting question and I’ll try and be honest with my answer. I would probably have said yes, but that wouldn’t have given the full picture. IMO Meite came with a lot of baggage and it would seem he wasn’t given the support he needed by Meggo at Bolton or Tony/Roberto here. Roy has ‘turned him’ and the Albion are getting the benefits.
The back four players I mentioned aren’t terrible and I wasn’t suggesting they were, but I have the impression Roy feels they aren’t suitable for the next stage in Albion’s growth and I think he’s probably right.
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I am here again folks so excited with things I am making mistakes. Dingle dug, I ask you.
I think I will take a tablet put on my incontinent boxers and go and have a lie down.
You may not see my illustrious comments for a while.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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42 Baggie Bob.
I’m sure you’re right and some faces won’t fit. I just meant that you shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Roy may like the look of some of the younger players like Miller, Zoov etc but couldn’t risk them in the position we are in.
Meite and Olsson have set up such a good partnership that the other CH’s haven’t had a look in. Decisions will have to be made, especially with the 25 man squad limit but it shows how far we’ve come when we can look forward to bringing in bigger names than we have previously.
Not having a go at them but if you read the Wulfies posts they hardly rate any of their players and many are talking about a total clear-out.
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Guys,
I wouldn’t have a wolves player if he was free with the E&D. Unless I wanted ALBION in division two. Sorry (43) meant “DUNG” as you well know.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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