Wolves net £1m in Greg Halford sale

Thursday 7th July 2011, 10:30AM BST.

Wolves net £1m in Greg Halford sale

Wolves were today set to complete their first sale of the summer after netting £1million-plus with the departure of Greg Halford to Portsmouth.

Chief executive Jez Moxey has negotiated a minimum seven-figure return on the 26-year-old utility man, plus add-ons if Pompey win promotion to the Premier League.

The size of the fee still means Wolves have made a 50 per cent loss on the player they signed for £2million from Sunderland two years ago.

But it, at least, arms managerMick McCarthy with added funds, at a time when he is desperate to push through the near-£4million signing of Reading defender Matt Mills.

And Wolves are quietly pleased to be banking seven figures on much-travelled Halford, who had only 12 months left on his contract and whose career had stalled for a third time following a move to a top-flight club after undistinguished spells at Reading and Sunderland.

Halford, who becomes the fourth senior player to exit this summer after Marcus Hahnemann, David Jones and Steven Mouyokolo, spent most of last season on loan at Pompey, after initially forcing his way into McCarthy’s 25-man squad.

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  1. 1
    PeteNuts

    Farewell, sweet Prince, we shall miss your long throws and your… Well, we’ll miss your long throws.

    Just thought I’d take a moment to say farewell to David Jones too – after all that being linked to Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers, you finally decided to plump for… drum roll… Nottingham Forest. Now THERE is ambition.

    I just got back from Sicily, it was awesome.

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  2. 2
    crowfish

    Say what you like about Moxey (i usually do) but you got to take your hat off to him for pulling in 1mill for Halford.
    In my opinion he was one of the worst signings i have ever seen from us, a throw in on legs & he looked so dis-interested it was untrue.

    Not sure how much we paid for him or how he did last year at pompey, either way i dont care just good riddance!!!

    Now some more dead wood to remove that just dont cut it:

    keogh
    hoff
    berra
    edwards
    elokobi
    blake
    vokes

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  3. 3
    Karl Wood

    Cant wait to have him back at Portsmouth.

    Wolves you are losing a quality player, who improved through last season.
    Wolves loss – Pompey gain

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  4. 4
    Eindhoven Wolves

    Good Riddance – Bad Rubbish

    Will be remembered only for his snidey Tweets re Big George Elokobi during the Liverpool away game.

    Just think Greg, had you worked half as hard as Big George you might have been playing at Anfield yourself! …but you weren’t, were you? Jog On

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  5. 5
    crowfish

    i really should read all the article! we paid 2 mill! ha! 2 million quid it is beyond belief that footballers are worth this kind of money! it makes me chuckle that we actually forked that out for him though!

    World has gone mad, rather the football world has gone mad!

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  6. 6
    Dingle Dave

    Never understood at the time why we signed him as he is clearly not premier league quality, but good look at pompey.

    Hope the £1m will close the deal on mills now.

    2 weeks ago my son got scouted by Man Utd & West Brom!!!!

    Man U scout wants him to go to Walsall!!!

    I know its not about me but how do i go to those 2?

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  7. 7
    mossman

    I thought he never looked like a footballer and also never looked interested and was more lazy than Jay Bothroyd when he was at Wolves. Its sad to see Dave Jones go down a division, we can always rememeber his left foot free kicks. As for the future………..When are we going to sign a good center half? This season. Also I think we need another captain in the side

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  8. 8
    Neo

    Surprised to get 1 million, very good although still a loss however on the Mills, sky on the tweets have said Leicester City have had a 5 million pound bid accepted for our targeted centre half.

    hmmm, I can’t see Wolves going to 5 mill?

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  9. 9
    Woolfie4371

    Just heard on sky sports LEICESTER HAVE HAD A
    £5 million pounds bid for Matt mills accepted. Come on
    Wolves stop the penny pinching . Pay the wages or we
    Are going to get just championship or league 1
    Quality. Where are the Quality signings we need MR MOXEY
    AND Mr McCarthy.

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  10. 10
    Dave

    Interesting to see the Wolves perspective on him – clearly no-one will be sad to see him leave!

    He was very good for us last year and will certainly be welcomed back with open arms, so it looks like a good move for all concerned.

    All the best.

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  11. 11
    Dandy

    Crowfish – the same Jez that negotiated the £2m bargain when we bought him eh?

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  12. 12
    benny

    Looks like sunderland have got vaughn up there for talks, and leicester have had a 5 mil bid accepted for mills ….

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  13. 13
    Solentwolves

    Surprised if Dave Jones goes to Nottingham Forest – what can that be all about?

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  14. 14
    Wigmore

    Mmmm.
    Can’t see that Moxey should gather any plaudits for this deal.
    Who sanctioned the purchase of this player in the first place?
    Even in the world of the PL’s bloated finances, the loss of £1,000,000 should not be ignored, and certainly congratulations are not merited.

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  15. 15
    BIG BAD TELFORD WOLF

    Glad to see the back of some dead wood…
    Unrelated but breaking news on sky sports is that reading have had a £5M bid from Leicester for Mills And accepted! Where does that leave us? Sick of our penny pinching, we are going to lose out on all of our top targets and end up with more rubbish like Halford that will be shipped out on loan and sold at a loss…..
    Not very optimistic about next season at the moment…. Happy birthday me!

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  16. 16
    Dingle Dave

    Leicester have bid £5m for Mills!!! Holy sh**!!

    is he that good? really?

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  17. 17
    EdinburghWolf

    Just heard that Leicester have agreed 5 million for the boy Mills from Reading. Well all i can say is that we must have better options with premier league expierience being done behind the scenes. I hope O’Hara doesn’t take the hump that we didn’t sign him after his glowing recomendations last week. Puting the deal into prospective,we got O’Hara for 5 million and he has loads of Premiership games under his belt,and this lad is going to Leicester for the same money?????
    Well done Jez you have again not been made to pay over the odds!!!
    Lets see who we get in, and i bet they will be 100 times better than Mills.
    UTW!!!

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  18. 18
    Andy

    I see that Reading have agreed a fee on Mills with Leicester in the region of £5m according to Skyports.

    So had fantastic negotiator Moxey gone in at the £4m figure first off, we’d have had our man by now. Trying to go in too cheap made Reading alert others – we will now either lose him or have to pay at least £1m more than we could have in order to get him.

    Dunne and Upson it is then

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  19. 19
    Pompey Ant

    Interesting to see all the negativity from the Wolves fans. Greg Halford was excellent for us on loan last season, and we will be delighted to take him off their hands. He got better and better as the season went on, especially when we started playing him alongside Ricardo Rocha as a centre back. Perhaps he just needed managing in a different style? Overall though sounds like a win:win situation for both parties – happy days and good luck next season WWFC.

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  20. 20
    PeteNuts

    Leicester are just the latest club to do that “throw all the money around and pray to God it actually all gels” thing that sometimes works and sometimes messes up royally. If the lad has half a brain he’ll hold out for the top flight, and that means the lovely Wolves.

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  21. 21
    Ancient Wolf

    Yes, the Leicester bid has been reported on Sky. There is also a report that Vaughn is up in Sunderland with a view to signing for them.

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  22. 22
    John McQuillan

    If the foxes have bid £5m for Mills, Good luck to them, he is championship quality at most. MOVE ON WOLVES, but don’t take forever. We can’t afford to keep throwing money down the drain, Can we Jez?

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  23. 23
    clarkey78

    omg 5 million for mills well if we was prepared to get him for 4 mil and weve just sold holford for 500k use that and go out and get him or is he not that good come one wolves pull your finger OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  24. 24
    PeteNuts

    @19

    So he was excellent in the Championship, but didn’t cut it in the Premier League? Well, there’s a pretty easy answer to that riddle, fella! He has a level and you guys are currently at it! Not exactly negativity, just recognising the guy’s limitations.

    Best of luck next season, you lads are a wicked bunch of fans and no team should have to go through the tribulations you have in the last few years. I was fortunate enough to come down to your ground before the FA Cup Final dressed as a priest and pray for you, and you were all very welcoming…

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  25. 25
    Mick will save us

    Woolfie4371 – Out of all the defenders we have been linked to Mills would be the one that i would want to see come to Wolves, but not at £5 million. Thats a ridiculous sum for a player that hasnt really proven himself in the premier league. To be honest, i probably wouldnt want us spending £4 million on him. I think £3-£3.5 mill would be fair for both parties. Im sure that if he wants premiership football though, he will wait for a realistic bid from a prem club.

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  26. 26
    IanTheLichfieldWolf

    More fool Leicester if they are prepared to pay £5m for a player without a Premiership game under his belt. That said, if we had not penny pinched over half a million quid or so then we would have snared him by now before Leicester got in.

    I guess we’ll see if money talks louder to Matt Mills than ambition. Would be surprised if Reading would sell to a promotion rival.

    With Vaughan seemingly going to Sunderland I am now seriously hoping we have some better options up our sleeve. Otherwise this is looking all too familiar.

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  27. 27
    Surrey Wolf

    Don’t understand all the hatred towards Halford… so his move didn’t work out, well so what, it happens at every club! Whilst other players would have been happy to sit in the squad collecting their wages at least he wanted to play football and was happy to go out on loan with someone else picking up his wages. I hope his move to Portsmouth works out for him…decent player at championship level.

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  28. 28
    Barnes1959

    Dear Mr Moxey

    Do not make us the laughing stock by signing Dunne or Upson.
    Mills wants to come, but too much for little exoerience.
    Never mind the Stadium is coming on.

    Taxi

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  29. 29
    me

    let me tell you iff they dont sort it out the defence we be in the championship we want get any one now

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  30. 30
    johnwolf

    So Leicester have bid £5 million for a £2million quid player, so what do we do? offer £6, they offer £7???????? were does it end, we don’t want to get into an auction for a championship player!
    The 3Ms now the budget, stick to it, but- we the fans have got to remember it is only “paper” talk! wait and see what happens then and only then will we have the facts to talk.
    Those of you on about pompy – remember it is the same team that threw the match at tesco town a few years ago! what goes around, comes around.

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  31. 31
    Brett wwfc

    Glad to see halford gone now to see more dead wood go out wolves team. Not to fussed bout mills cus 5 mill for a championship player is ridiculous. Would rather go for defenders like bassong or maybe James collins of villa.

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  32. 32
    IanTheLichfieldWolf

    It would be madness to match Leicester’s bid now when we could have presumably got him for around £4m a week ago. It shouldn’t have come to this though should it?

    Moxey played a game of ‘who will blink first’ hoping our Premiership status would sway it. Looks like he’s lost.

    How quickly Morgan and Moxey have forgotten that awful nail-biting survival Sunday! Wouldn’t you have thought they would go the extra mile to avoid that scenario next time?

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  33. 33
    Bojangles Wolf

    Leicester will be the next club in administration throwing money around like this.

    Cant believe that we are getting outbid on players by Championship clubs- We should easily be able to attract players cause we are a bigger club than the likes of Leicester!

    Think we have missed the boat now with Mills- and Vaughan… Thats another two onto a growing list of players!

    Think we need to move sharpish now otherwise we will end up with a load of tat and the likes of Halford!

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  34. 34
    Andy

    Summer 2011 – Leicester sign Mills for £4.5m rising to £5.5m as per the Sky reports.

    May 2012 – Leicester get promoted

    May 2013 – Leicester get relegated and the Thai led consortium that owns them is forced to sell off assets after over-stretching (particularly the £20m purchase of Emile Heskey)

    Summer 2013 – Mills valued at £12m

    Summer 2013 – Mills reacquainted with England team-mate Scott Dann at Liverpool/Chelsea/Man Ure

    Summer 2013 – Jody Craddock signs another one-year extension at Wolves

    Just a scenario….

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  35. 35
    jason.s

    seen the reports that mills is off to leicester for £5million,too much money for someone very little expreince,don’t rate him anyway.would have someone with pl exprenince.

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  36. 36
    bluewolf

    Taxi for Moxey!!!!!!!!!!!

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  37. 37
    IanTheLichfieldWolf

    Andy (34) – You’re bang on. This does have a Scott Dann/Roger Johnson ring to it doesn’t it?

    No-one really knows how good Mills will prove to be. If we have a player with PL experience up our sleeve instead then great (but not if it’s Upson.)

    How about Moxey putting that extra £million he’s now earned us from Halford onto the bid for Roger Johnson?

    Or maybe adding it to the Konchesky bid so we get players proven at this level for a change.

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  38. 38
    Mills wolf

    Everybody panned me on here when the first story broke out bout Mills, Wolves & Foxes chasing, i said stop penny pinching at 4 Million FOR THERE PLAYER OF THE SEASON AND CAPTIAN was fair money considering we have earned 60 million plus since being in the premiership !

    Now we’ve dithered about for so long the money on the table is now 5 million and NOW too much ! WELL DONE MOXEY, NOT….

    Also would like to point out we have let Manciene go, and Mouyowhatshisface go on loan so now wer stugling to sign any one and even weaker in deffence than we was last season !

    NOT IMPRESSED !

    i mean wtf are the 3′ms going pre season for everthing to be so slow to sign, seal and deliver ? even O’hara took weeks n weeks to anounce and he was on loan with us for go sake !

    As for the foxes, tak it from sir jack, throwing money around while your in the championship dosnt bring you success just a big fat debht so be prepared for a wake up call….

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  39. 39
    Wolfhound

    Leicester must be completely bonkers to pay £5mill for Mills.All I can say is I hope we dont get into any kind of bidding war for an untested player at Prem level it would be madness Reading must be rubbing their hands with glee even their fans say he has no pace why not John O Shea for 3mill I am sure he would fit in well with our Irish squad.

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  40. 40
    RichWolf64

    Look chaps let’s be honest here…

    We have no scout network outside of Britain. That is quite evident. Hence Morgan claiming we are aiming for the Best of British.

    Well of course we aren’t getting the best of britan, we are shopping in the bargain bucket section. Which isn’t a suprise because our money is going on a new ground..

    We wont pay the going the rate for a player. Instead, we claim its an inflated price.
    The going rate to me, is what other teams are prepared to play. Surely the ‘going rate’ is dictated by what people are prepared to pay.

    Finally, and heres the good news. .

    SWANSEA , NORWICH and QPR..

    Those three teams makes our lives so so much easier… So another year in the prem for me..

    We’ll be relegated the season after though unless we change our trasnfer policy, get some decent scouts in, and dare I say it, get a manager in who’s capable of working at a higher level.

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  41. 41
    chris hoggard

    Looks like the strategy of waiting until the last minute and hoping the price will drop,has failed.Another fine mess Mr Moxey:the price of everything and the value of nothing. What matters is not the odd £500K ,but the value a decent centre half will add to the team.How many extra points will we get,will it make the difference between relegation and survival?

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  42. 42
    Solentwolves

    Mills – must be all about wages, if so let him go. If he has real ambition, he would join the club that is already in the Premier League rather than one that might – might , I emphasise – make it there in the future. That’s his gamble to make. Seems to me that if he is any good, he would choose us either to impress others in the future or, having proved himself, renegotiate his contract later. Or he could stay at Reading and walk away as a free agent in a season a la Dave Jones. This game is being ruined by money.

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  43. 43
    Gordon Bennett

    I don’t understand! We can’t afford the extra £1m for Johnson but we can afford £3.5m for Vaughan. we already have 4 wingers plus Henry Adlene,O’hara, Milijas, Edwards that makes 9 midlfielders in my book and I don’t think Vaughan adds anything.
    Now it looks like we have lost out on Mills. We have to stump up the cash now for our priorities in defence, the rest we can go with what we have. If we don’t get a key target for defence we will be in the same sorry state we were in last year.

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  44. 44
    me

    i bet we get upson and dunne or we stick what we got

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  45. 45
    Wolfhound

    The problem I see with Leicester paying £5mill for Mills is that it will inflate Johnsons price at Brum and destablise the market.

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  46. 46
    WOLVO WOLFIE 23

    how is it good business? we brought him for 2.5 million plus his 20 a grand week wages we have made a HUGE loss!!

    He said on his twitter that elokobi is rubbish and that how was danny batth recalled from loan ahead of him, also that steven fletcher was unhappy and mick doesnt make him feel wanted…

    He seems like a big head and a trouble maker, good riddence!!

    he drove the most expensive car out of all the players (matte black audi r8) even tho he was the worst player….

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  47. 47
    Solentwolves

    @ Gordon Bennett – I’m inclined to agree with you regarding Vaughan.
    But isn’t he available as a free agent?

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  48. 48
    brummierobwolves

    We need to shift on now, the likes of the Hoff, Keogh and possibly Berra. In terms of Matt Mills, Wolves need to forget him. He is not worth £4m – let alone £5m.
    Johnson, Bassong or Evans need to be our first choices. Richard Dunne … no!

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  49. 49
    Bojangles Wolf

    43. Gordon Bennett

    Where did you get 3.5m for Vaughan from he is on a free!

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  50. 50
    Cuddly Dudley

    Leicester have seemed determined to get Mills, so with Reading sensing a Dutch auction I disagree with those of you saying we would have got him for £4 million a week ago.
    Let’s see where the players “ambitions” take this one. Remember you can win a game in the final minutes, it doesn’t have to be an early goal.
    Hey Sven, isn’t it time you moved on, you’ve been a Leicester a long time you know ?
    Maybe Armenia or the Faroe Isles have got a few million for a new National manager

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  51. 51
    Jamie`s left peg

    As we drove back to lincoln after the last game of the season… I have still not changed my mind.
    Dann & Johnson £20M
    O`Hara £5M
    Warnock £2-3M
    Vaughan Free
    DJ Cambell £1.25M
    Although I did think about Gardner as well.
    When you look at the Bluenoses defence when the two played together… they didn`t conceed many. Yes it`s a lot of moneybut when you think Mills is now going for £5 – 51/2M!!!!
    can`t see it happening now….. shame

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  52. 52
    spanish ray

    Good ridance and not bad business for the club,Now come on Mr.Morgan,lets really be honest and tell the fans that`s the only business your interested in—-Selling.National newspapers say:Wolves interested in,Mills who it looks like is going to Leicester,Vaughan,who it looks like is going to Sunderland,Woodgate,who it looks like is going to Stoke,Ridgewell,who it looks like is going to the boingboing`s,and so on and so on.Then what happened to the interest in Johnson,Bridge,Konchelsky etc.etc .etc.Stop the lies Mr.Morgan and Moxey,McCarthy,start acting like a manager and get at them to get the players you want.I really am dissappointed at what is going on at the moment and I am sure the fans deserve better.

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  53. 53
    mills wolf

    before i go over board and start slating the 3 M’S and calling for there heads for not learning there lessons the past TWO seasons about building from the back…

    .. lets see who we do pay money for and how much, suggest you other wolves fan do the same

    Logic tells me we have let 2 defenders go so far from last year so there WILL be money to strenghen there, and there WILL be signings, just all in good time….

    …. but ffs HURRY UP ! im very impatient ya know lol

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  54. 54
    wanderer in eire

    How can anyone in the right mind praise “MOXEY”? To have been involved in a player that cost 2 million and hardly played along with the wages he picked up without doing a thing!!So we get 1million for him…..”nasri” is going for 20 million yet only as a year left on his contract!!!!!!!!!!
    Moxey and morgan are being given too much credit for sweet “FA”..One only as to look at the number of players that we have lost to other teams that are no bigger or finacially securer than “WOLVES” if “MILLS” does go to “LEICESTER” that is a smack in the “PUSS”!!
    This sort of thing can have a negative effect on the club in terms of its “APPEAL”.MOXEY is creating a rod for his back and the clubs..As I belong to the majority of fans who dont want “MICKO” as the “BOSS” I must say I am starting to actually feel sorry for him,it seems he is always listing players he wants but “MOXEY + MORGAN” are not able to provide hence the likes of “HALFORD” joining!!!

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  55. 55
    south bank dave

    Bye bye Greg.

    On the Matt Mills subject I’m sorry but I wouldn’t pay 5 mil for championship defender that is unproven in the Prem, there are plenty more options out there we could/should be looking at:

    Roger Johnson
    Jonny Evans
    Bassong
    Michael Turner
    Anton Ferdinand
    Boyata
    Upson
    Gabbidon

    Personally I would stop messing about and just pay Blues the 9 mil they want for Johnson he is a proven Premier League player.

    I would also sign Ridgwell for 3 mil and Ross Wallace for 1 mil, which would give us a back of:

    Foley….Johnson….Ridgwell….Wallace

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  56. 56
    me

    vaughan going sunderland better peresonal terms thank god he can go there hes having a medical

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  57. 57
    Farmer Ted

    54 Wanderer in Eire. Can you please substantiate your claim that the majority of fans don’t want McCarthy as boss. I would suggest it’s a few cronies of yours added to the few clowns that post on here. Over to you

    52 Spanish Ray. Why do you say Morgan and Moxey have LIED ? As usual all transfer speculation has been exactly that…from the media, not our board.
    Regarding the above reference to clowns. Yes, you’re one !

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  58. 58
    chris hoggard

    Cuddly, Have you read the latest official statement from the club.Your golf mate is quoted as saying we cannot afford to up our offers.The first indication from the club that transfer budgets have been restricted due to the ground development.If you remember I predicted this would be the result of spending all that money on bricks.Steve Morgan will be itching to go ahead with phase 2.We had a bet, admission to Dudley zoo.I am not coming,because you will only want to throw me in one of those cages,so please send the admission money to Jez,tell him to put it towards the cost of a decent centre half.

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  59. 59
    Albrightondek

    I think Halford was bought in conjunction with Maeirhofer to do a Delap job. It simply did not work out as both players were’nt good enough.
    A player who can throw the ball into the penalty is useful, but he also needs to contribute in other ways as part of the team.
    Good idea, did’nt work, move on.

    As for the Mills situation, the fact that Reading have accepted a bid from Leicester does not mean that the player has agreed to move. If Mills really wants Premiership football he could simply decline the move and wait further developments. However, if he just wants a bigger pay packet he’ll sign.

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  60. 60
    Kentish Wolf

    Some of you guys must be an absolute pleasure to do business with if you’re so determined to just pay the “going rate” regardless of quality !

    Have none of you ever looked at something and thought “blimey, that’s a bit expensive” and then just walked away? Or have you just paid the “going rate” anyway because the chap next to you did ?!

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  61. 61
    me 69

    get lesscot and bassong and johnson then we finsish midtable

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  62. 62
    Sir Lupi

    Glad to see the right players leaving Molineux.

    Reading between the lines, I think Mick judges alot of players, not just for their capabilities, but also their personalities.

    It does seem to me Mick tends to get rid of the ‘Big ‘eds’ and ‘moaners and groaners’ Halford, M’hoffer, Boothroyd, Jones etc, yet keeps hold of the hard working tight lipped players, such as Keogh, Edwards, Kites, Blake etc.

    Its a good policy IMO based on the success of the last four years. However, it is time to be a bit more ruthless and ship out the ones that have struggled this last two years and replace with some proven quality, as Moxey promised in his ‘we will not do an Albion’ speech.

    I am not bothered if Mills wants to go to Leicester and play in the Champs for a chump, neither am I bothered if we lose out on Johnson for £8m +

    So far have signed a brilliant keeper and a brilliant midfielder.

    Forget spending £10-£12m on Mills and Johnson now is the time to sign a brilliant defender in Scott Dann as I don’t think we need much more than that to press on next season.

    Do the business Wolves, get the funds together. I believe Dann would sign if you give Blues Berra and the Hoff to replace Zidic + £ 12m.

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  63. 63
    Mick will save us

    wanderer in eire- If sweet FA is getting us into the premier league and keeping us there for 2 consecutive seasons, then i would hate to see what your version of contributing to the club would be. For all sir Jack did for us, even he wasnt able to acheive what the club has acheived under Morgan, Moxey and McCarthy.

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  64. 64
    BeawoodWolf

    What was the tweet about Big George?? Good riddance to Greg. Absolute waste of money!!

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  65. 65
    sizzler wolves

    you know im getting sick to my back teeth reading about this mills story.its plain and simple he wants to go to leicester to play …then again its all about money and as an unproven premiership player who in the right mind is going to pay £4 mill………all mills is interested is the payday at the end of the week.

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  66. 66
    Cuddly Dudley

    58 Chris, Been on the Wolves site. Can only find an article by Mighty Mick quoting our illustrious CEO about how this window may be a long haul.
    Any road up, when he’s not partaking in the World Staring Championships, apparently Jez is a bit of a whizz at Poker. Even if Mills goes to the Foxes (and that’s not over ’til it’s over) I would bet some of the other “irons in the fire” are glowing brightly.
    We tee off at 3pm so I’ll have a word, pass on your love and entrance money and see if I can wheedle any names out of him.

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  67. 67
    Sedgley Wolf

    Mills comes from Leicester so hes going home instead of coming to Wolves

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  68. 68
    Rustmonkey

    54. Wanderer in Eire —-Majority of Wolves fans. Do us a favour. Don’t speak on my or others behalf.

    Mick came to us when The Idiot called Hoddle had jumped ship after losing most of the team. He promised a 3 year rebuild and delivered. He has kept us in the top flight for 2 seasons under what are still heavy financial retsrictions. Yes….he has made signing mistakes….name a manager that hasn’t?

    This seasons transfer market is ridiculous…Getting involved in an auction is a recipe for disaster financially.

    We need 2 CB’s and maybe we do need to take a punt but we must show caution about buying unproven lower level players. O’shea, Johnson or Ridgewell for me.

    Report abuse

  69. 69
    The Flying Winger

    Poor signing from the outset never was going to make it.

    A friend at Reading told me a few days ago that Mills was going to Leicester looks like he was correct more money on the table.

    Doyle should be sold to the right biddder and money used on the defence, as I cannot see any other way we will buy quality players.

    Now the first week of July has gone and still no signings, which is what I warned about several weeks ago, the clock is still ticking not in our favour.

    Not everyone agrees about Doyle, but look at what happened when McCarthy was forced to play without him at the end of the season, we actually scored goals.

    Report abuse

  70. 70
    Timmiswolf

    Bye Greg.

    On Mills – he could step up to PL football and be the next Dann or Johnson but there’s no guarantee is there? From what I’ve heard from a mate who supports Reading, Mills is a good prospect who can be outstanding in some games but poor in others and can be a bit of a liability when the red mist descends. Sounds a bit like Richard Stearman to me. Now, ask yourself – would you bid £5m for Stearman? No, me neither. (Though, for the record, I would persevere with him.)

    Report abuse

  71. 71
    Bojangles Wolf

    If its true about Halford on twitter id bet my mortgage on the fact that Halford wouldnt say that to Big Georges face

    !At least big George puts the effort in- unlike Halford!

    Report abuse

  72. 72
    beaconwolf

    Another big attraction for Mills going to Leicester.
    He was born there,back to his roots.

    Report abuse

  73. 73
    Tom Storey

    Right, let me get this straight.

    Some people on here are criticising Moxey for LOSING 1m on the investment of Halford.
    Then there are also people criticising Moxey for NOT LOSING an extra 1m on the investment of Mills?!

    Casting my mind back, are the same people who said “stop penny-pinching and pay to get our man” for Halford the same people who are saying we spent too much on him, yet are calling for the board to overspend to get another player who is unproven?

    You lot are ridiculous. You want it both ways and every way, but can’t bear it when things don’t turn out correctly.

    Report abuse

  74. 74
    Old Golds Worth More

    Glad we are getting something for Halford, though the figure I,ve seen quoted was £500,000. Vaughan according to BBC text and Sky Sports is up at Sunderland having talks, so another player we’ve been linked with (express & Star)looks like coming to nothing. Mills to Leicester for a reported agreed fee of £5 million (again according to Sky sports), though its not a done deal yet, as Mills is still in talks with the Leicester management.

    Report abuse

  75. 75
    Wolfhound

    Flying Winger
    Why sell your best player it doesnt make sense as for Doyles injury you forgot to mention when he got injured of the next five games we lost 3 and drew 2.If Wenger rates him we are lucky to have him.

    Report abuse

  76. 76
    Andy

    Kentish (60). Problem with your analogy is that if I thought a shirt was too expensive and not worth it, then fine. I’d still be happy with the shirt I had on my back.

    However, the downside risk of not getting that new shirt would be that I might feel a little disappointed that I was still wearing a shirt that was past its sell buy date rather than the downside being £45m lost in annual turnover!

    Report abuse

  77. 77
    beaconwolf

    Personally,dont think Mills is any better than he was two years ago at Donny.
    And Mick,baulked at the £2mill asking price then.

    Report abuse

  78. 78
    Redwolf

    Embarassing if Leicester get Mills from under our noses. Nuff said

    Report abuse

  79. 79
    Staffs Wolf

    Well we’ve sold Halford, obviously no great loss or disrespect to the lad but losing out to a Championship side for Mills! This club either needs to show some real Premiership ambition or be put up for sale and let it be bought by someone who’s willing to invest to bring us mid table stability. As things stand there’s only one place we’re heading and that’s into the Championship ourselves!!!! As for alternatives, I’d love Bassong and Dunne but they won’t come to us for £10 grand a week!!!

    Report abuse

  80. 80
    old gold

    yes we have many 1.5/2.5 players who nobody wants. pay peanuts get monkeys. 2 out of 3 players we buy are just average.when will we lean.spent what30/35m om players and15/20m
    wasted wake up and smell the coffe 3ms.

    Report abuse

  81. 81
    AC Miplan

    we know why mick brought halford in, to do a stoke with his long throws with the hoff on the end of them, what a disaster that turned out to be, but we can forgive mick on that one.
    As far as the Mills situation, i,ve watched him on and off for the last couple of years and in my opinion he,s a top centre back and will only get better with age, ok he,s unproven in the premier league but so was Dann, Johnson, and what about Jo Lescott, only time will tell i just hope we dont come to regret it.

    Report abuse

  82. 82
    Waggies Left Peg

    Good luck at Pompey Greg, you never showed your best at Wolves and this is best for both parties. Notice that we have lost out to Sunderland (again) for Vaughan and LEICESTER for Mills. Did we get relegated last season and I failed to notice ? Are we seriously supposed to accept that we cannot compete with Leicester. For those who think he may not be worth the money, I seem to recall the same thing being said about Scott Dann and now he is worth between £12-£14 million. So time will tell but I fear we have missed out on a ‘good un’ and history will be repeating itself.

    Report abuse

  83. 83
    Dingle Dave

    80old gold

    wil yu pese lean too spel

    Report abuse

  84. 84
    chris hoggard

    Tom, I think you are wrong on the signing of Halford.I don’t think anybody on here said go and get him.I certainly recall some people asking why had we signed him when he had failed in the Prem for two previous clubs,Reading and Sunderland.People on this site also questioned the signing of Maierhofer ,before he signed.He is another one we will lose money on.The criticism of MoxeyI believe is down to our apparent failure to compete with a Championship club.No contradiction whatsoever.Personally I don’t know if this guy is worth £5m or not,but I do know we need a decent centre half.

    Report abuse

  85. 85
    spanish ray

    Farmer Ted,Put down your Beano and Dandy and start reading adult stuff.We all want the same so why do morons like you call other fans names,we all are entitled to our opinions.

    Report abuse

  86. 86
    Kentish Wolf

    Andy, 76 – The principle is the same though.

    So you’re happy to pay the “going rate” then and let Leicester dictate our transfer policy & budgets ?!

    Report abuse

  87. 87
    Hope&Glory

    Do Sunderland read Express&star to see what targets we have so they can offer silly wages and money to get them…are they not already a debt club?

    Mills, £5 mill? Come on! A championship side willing to pay silly money…(same side who had financial difficulties not too long ago) for a player who not played in prem and has just 1 year left on his contract? More fools Leicester n mr Erikson! What will happen if it turns to brown stuff there? Erikson will walk so he will offer dumb money and i prefer they did it than us as 5 million is way too much…4 mill at most in my opinion. As for the sunderland thing…every player we gone after they suddenly turn up offerin silly wages n so they sign our targets such as Wes Brown today, John O’shea soon as well, now Vaughan.

    They getting these players only cuz of money they offer. As for Hargreaves again, he will be so keen to prove himself i reckon he would perform when he’s fit. Some may read this and think “when is he fit? waste of money” not on pay as you play deal it isnt…win win for all parties concerned to be fair.

    Love da Wolves!!

    Report abuse

  88. 88
    Jelle's Travel Agent

    There always seems to be plenty of vowing, targeting and certainly bucket loads of insisting coming from the players and the board if you believe what the E&S has to say. I for one would rather read about Spending, Signing and Securing myself.

    Report abuse

  89. 89
    chris

    Firstly ref halford, good riddance to bad rubbish, a million quid? yes please!
    Ref Mills, 5 million for an above average championship centre back with only one year left on his contract? The world has gone mad… (he was born in Milton Keynes by the way)

    It is nice to see that their fling with administration has taught Leicester a few lessons!
    Finally, Vaughn, good player in my opinion, is Steve Bruce aware of the 25 man squad ruling I wonder?

    One thing I can be certain of, the powers that be at the Mol run a good club, if anyone thinks that Leicester should dictate our transfer policy they are insane.. We started all this ‘clubs nearly going out of business’ in the 80′s, trend setters as usual, now every club wants a go!

    Report abuse

  90. 90
    Andy

    Kentish – I know where you’re coming from and I’m pretty sure it’s the same place as me.

    All I’m really saying is that after two seasons in this division, it’s time to up the tempo a little. We were far too close to relegation last season and what people seem to forget about the situation was that we spent the vast majority of the season in the bottom three as well – so we have the capitulation of the Blue noses to thank for keeping us up.

    We’ve had two years worth of Sky money and managed to stay up, mercifully. We are surely not naive enough to have failed to have written clauses into contracts reducing wages on potential relegation and with amongst the lowest wage/revenue ratios in the top flight and no debt, we will remain strong financially even if relegated. So push on – compete with the mid-table teams for signings not the newly promoted teams. And that doesn’t mean silly wages – just slightly higher in fitting with being an established prem team (surely our target) rather than a potential yo-yo team (which is where I fear we are).

    Rant over – have a good evening one and all.

    Report abuse

  91. 91
    crowfish

    wait wait wait wait…… im not giving moxey plaudits for buying him for 2mill then selling him for 1, not at all!! what i am applauding him on though is actually getting that 1mill because in my opinion halford is near worthless! both as a footballer & an arrogant idiot of a human! (twitter quotes & general personality)

    my point being it could have been 2mill dwn the swanny!

    But …. it wasnt moxey who identified him as a prem player was it? it was super mick with his keen eye for a defender! lol
    so after mick had talked him up i bet moxey thought he was a snip at 2mill!

    Anyways …. more deals look like falling through due to greedy footballers today!! mills 5mill? ur having a joke! obviously going for cash over footy so leics your welcome to
    him!!!

    Report abuse

  92. 92
    Rich

    Morgan & Moxeys Whats Going Onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!

    No Signing again shocking all you are interested in is taking all the money for yourself, we need to start acting like a premier league side, not championship, what the hell is going on??? we wont answers?, you brought the club for £10 and have not put in 1 penny of your owe money just the money we went up with,

    we must have got back over 100million in staying up and going up in the last 3 seasons!

    Wolves fans do not expect to be spending out 100-150 a week on wages, but 25k a week is a joke. we will go down no dout in my mind because you do not want to the money or splash the cash on players, Wolves Fans I think about time we had answers and did a protest out side the ground

    Report abuse

  93. 93
    The Flying Winger

    75 For our current system he cannot or make goals therefore it is better to cash in on him and use the money where it is now needed

    Report abuse

  94. 94
    stevebullisKING

    i think whats going on at wolves is a total disgrace,its time for moxey to step down,he is holding this club back,we are now losing out to championship clubs for players,all because he is penny pinching.if he thinks finishing 17th is good enough for this club he is living in cloud cuckoo land,he knows we need two centre halves and a left back. come on moxey get your finger out.

    Report abuse

  95. 95
    Farmer Ted

    85) Spanish Ray. Yes you are entitled to your opinion that’s what these boards are about, but, you stated that Morgan and Moxey LIED about the transfers. Explain yourself.
    Your whole post (52) is littered with speculation you’ve read in the newspapers.
    …and your opinion also claims that Morgan is being dishonest with the fans and wants to sell. Really ?
    Where did that little gem come from ?
    Just finished reading Lord Snooty and his Gang and Desperate Dan.
    I’ll leave you to The News Of The World.

    Report abuse

  96. 96
    G&Barmy

    what the hell is going on….3rd season in the Prem and Wolves have been outbid and beaten to the signing of Mills by a championship club,..this is embarrassing fullstop,…thought this was “the one we wanted?”..well Moxey…im not too keen on your “take our time” and “be patient” approach..but it looks like we can now sign an over the hill cheap Upson type of player!! thanx Jez, great bit of business there!.

    Report abuse

  97. 97
    Jamie's left peg

    Well it looks like Bassong then…… Not all bad news then. Let’s go and get 2 of 3 (Bassong, Dann or Johnson)
    Sure they will bring in at least 1 big name……. Just who!!!!!!

    Report abuse

  98. 98
    Wolfrun2010

    Not many open threads to comment on is there? – Sporting Life thread says Matt Mills has signed for Leicester for an undisclosed fee. Some reports say its for 4.5m rising to 5.5m. Has the Championship gone mad? 5m transfers between clubs, West Ham paying 55k per week for Nolan also supposed to be looking to bring Joe Cole back home – madness just sheer madness. Isn’t the Leicester owner the guy that started off Pompeys financial woes? It makes what we paid Spurs for JO the bargain of the year!

    Where previuosly has anyone seen us linked to Wes Brown or John O’Shea who have just signed for – Sunderland. I think Steve Bruce has just bought a whole new team, I wonder how long it will take them to gel??

    So where does that leave us. If Stoke can put forward a package for Scott Dann & Jerome, surely we can put something together for Dann & Johnson that would please Chris Hughton. Cash say 7-8m plus Berra, Maihoffer, Vokes & Keogh for the pair. They might throw in Ridgwell too. That should ease their salary burdens & our money is clean!!

    Failing that, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mick shift George Elokobi in to our central defence alongside Berra with a new LB coming in say Wallace or Bassong or maybe both. Or maybe Danny Batth is impressive enough to claim a place – our new JL.

    Either way I am not disappointed with missing out on Matt Mills now – he has made his choice for whatever reasons they are & if he prefers Championship Football to Premier League with a progressive football club managed by realists then so be it.

    Report abuse

  99. 99
    wolfshead

    Mills always a No. 2 target – at 5m and 20-25k estimated)pw, hardly a bargain. The gloss went off this one weeks ago. And then he stays in the Championship, says more than any of us can about the player.

    Report abuse

  100. 100
    Grace

    I have to say I’m disapointed we didn’t get Mills, I thought he would have been great for us.

    Perhaps he just wanted to get his future sorted, as we have been dragging our heels on this one, if we idenify targets then we should ensure we get them & not end up with 3rd/4th choices, they are 3rd & 4th choices for a reason!!!

    I’m sure the club will be doing alot of biz, judging by the amount of ‘dead wood’ that is leaving the club just need to move Hoff & Keogh on now, but the lack of players coming in, given that pre season has started, is a concern.

    Targets should be -

    Bassong
    Jonny Evans
    Lescott (Loan)
    Sturridge (Loan)
    Upson
    Johnson
    Konchescky
    Dunn
    Warnock
    Wallace

    Pratley from Swansea would have been a great signing, especially on a free, not too impressed with the Ridgewell link & certainly hope the SEB to blues plus cash for Johnson rumour is way off the mark, as we need to keep our best players & SEB certainly is one of those.

    Report abuse

  101. 101
    Staffs Wolf

    I just hope that, being as we’re crying out for pace at the back, young and hungry doesn’t become old and not interested!

    Report abuse

  102. 102
    Silver Wolf

    I wouldn’t pay £5m for Mills, no way, and if that is the general state of the market it may be we have the players already on the books that we are going to have for 2011/12. Dodgy? Too true but I am gathering up my worry beads from where I threw them a few weeks ago!

    The noises regarding Doyle are disconcerting, because he just could be the means to generate enough cash to get two defenders (even though they may be overpriced) and by my reckoning that would be a poor move. Btw, anyone heard/seen anything regarding a new contract for him?

    Report abuse

  103. 103
    Staffs Wolf

    99, Grace. I agree many of those players would be great for us, Bassong, Dunne, Warnock, Johnson but they’re not going to come to us for £10 grand a week!

    Report abuse

  104. 104
    chris hoggard

    Let us face it,Jez would not be very good with the Mounties,would he? He never gets his man.Better start writing a new list of targets ,Mick. Put the old one in the bin.Don’t aim too high.

    Report abuse

  105. 105
    brummierobwolves

    After only spending £5m on O’Hara, I imagine that Wolves have a maximum £12m to spend – Morgan said that we will not probably spend the same as last season. On my calculations, we need a left back, two centre halves, a midfielder and possibly a forward? I suspect that we might see one major signing (£7/8m) and the rest will be free transfers or £2m signings?
    A name that has been mentioned on here is Dunne. Apart from experience, what has he got to offer? He is slower than any of our current centre halves. He also has a reputation as a bit of a trouble maker and likes a drink. What does he bring to the table then?

    Report abuse

  106. 106
    Kentish Wolf

    104 – A bottle of Irish Whiskey ?!

    Report abuse

  107. 107
    brummierobwolves

    105) Spot on. Wolves pride themselves on young, hungry players with a good spirit in the squad. Richard Dunne is totally the opposite.
    When we played them at Villa Park last season, it was just after the health spa fracas. He was drunk in the corporate area saying that he hoped Villa would lose! Just the sort of player Wolves want… not!

    Report abuse

  108. 108
    annie

    Hilariously a Championship player chooses a Championship club over WWFC, why would that be; maybe the thought of being bossed around by the worst manager in Premier history, a man who makes Avram Grant look like Mouriniho, or an owner who thinks by scrapping the barrel every season as ‘success’, a CEO who only cares about his ‘barrel-load’ of bonus every june, or the deluded fans unable to take off the rose tinted glasses and accept critism where it is warranted; WWFC are the last resort of any player who wants to play in the Prem, below those ‘greats’ such as Wigan, Bolton, Blackburn and the 3 promoted clubs and now probably behind a dozen Championship clubs as well; Take a bow those people that have trashed the name of Wolverhampton over the last 35 years;

    Report abuse

  109. 109
    annie

    I of cousre was not refering to the donkey that is Halford but Matt MILLS

    Report abuse

  110. 110
    Kentish Wolf

    Can we just put this straight, Mills did not choose Leicester over us. He chose Leicester over Reading as they were the only 2 clubs offering him a contract.

    We withdrew ourselves from the equation by refusing to match the offer Leicester made to Reading

    Report abuse

  111. 111
    Doo doo doooo Georgie Elokobi....

    The deafening silence on the transfer front is worrying.

    It’s perfectly realistic for us to be trying to compete with the likes of Sunderland next season and look at the difference in ambition – how many players have they signed so far? 6? 7?

    Players like John O’Shea and Wes Brown should be well and truely on the 3M’s radar. At this rate we’ll be having to give Jody Craddock an extra year’s contract for the next 20…

    Report abuse

  112. 112
    chris

    107 – please feel free to elaborate how Mick is the worst manager in prem history? A manager who has kept a side in the prem for a third season on the bounce? Something that west brom can only dream about…

    Idiot….

    What is this fuss about Mills? We offered 3.5 mill (app.) Reading said no, we said okey doke cya round he aint worth that much… Now he’s turned us down blahblahblah, what a load of rubbish, we were not gonna spend 5 mill on an above average champ centre half, and nor should we…

    Report abuse

  113. 113
    wolves4eva

    Now I am no big MM fan, but credit where credit is due, the guy came in after the hoddle fiasco and straightened out what all of us thought would be a sinking ship.

    I am not defending MM, but he has to work to a budget set by Moxey and Morgan. This has only just been broken with the signing of Ohara – alledged £35k week.

    Someone keeps mentioning we only pay £10k a week, that is no longer true.

    I imagine MM has identified his targets and left Moxey to do the negotiating, we probably have 12-15 plates spinning at the moment, with the intention of landing 4-5 players.

    MM will have his “A” list – the likes of Johnson and Dann, Ohara – already in the bag and if the deals fall through then he will unfortunately move on to his “B” list.

    I don’t think the puul of the club has anything to do with it anymore,more length of contract and salary.

    Times have changed, I was shouting for us to spend spend spend 4 seasons ago, in hindsight I was wrong, give me financial stability and a relegation battle any day, rather than a 1 season wonder flirting with the top 6 and crashing out of the EPL all together – Remember the mighty leeds european cup runs! Paid for with high interest borrowed money.

    So….lets accepts another season as is and maybe just maybe the 3 M’s will pull off another couple of much needed signings, otherwise its back to our “NOW EXPERIENCED” EPL team

    Up the wolves

    Report abuse

  114. 114
    GROGPHIL

    Good luck Halford, I agree with most e mails, lucky to get a million back.
    Mills is not worth £4 million, if we paid it then this time next year we would be trying to sell for less than 2.

    Come on Merlin we NEEED!! A PREMERSHIP CENTRE HALF.

    Report abuse

  115. 115
    wolfshead

    #105 Kentish, good call, and if it’s a Midleton Reserve then the least we could do is sit him down and talk to the man.

    Nooo rush.

    Report abuse

  116. 116
    chris hoggard

    Matt,John de wolf,Cumbrian,etc
    I could not respond Friday,guilty as charged.I have never tweeted in my life,but I naively thought the site ,although tongue in cheek,does have a link to the official Wolves web site and hence had some credibility.Whoever made the comments,in my opinion they were funny and appropriate to current events.Like all of you,all I want is fOr the Wolves to be successful.I don’t think this will happen if we fail to sign our manager’s main transfer targets.I also think it is unfair on the manager,who will get it in the neck,not the men in grey suits, if we are bottom of the premier come September.

    Report abuse

  117. 117
    sue

    Annie-you are a misery guts,do you really support the Wolves never read a positive thing off you!!!see your name and think here we go again….I should take some Prozac if I were you.

    Report abuse

  118. 118
    one wolf

    when we bid for mills it meant he was better than what we have at our club in his position but by dropping out of the bidding does this mean he was not i dont get it ordoes this mean the 3 Ms dont know what they are doing.

    Report abuse



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