Transfer rumours; we love them really!
So the rumour mill is grinding away as you would expect in the summer months except, for the Shrimpers faithful, something truly strange has happened, one of those rumours has actually become reality and we've gone ahead and signed Millwall striking legend Neil Harris.
Talks are still ongoing with out of contract Swindon midfielder and former loanee Michael Timlin though S24 has heard from our Swindon correspondant, while he was in the local Weatherspoons no doubt, that new Robins boss Paulo Di Canio has maybe turned his head, a couple of new signings announced at the County Ground today and possibily 5 more this week!
The Italian not hanging about there, though they have lost the odd player as well.
However, a lot of this pre-season enthusiam depends on us keeping what we've got, the 'jewels in the crown', promising youngsters such as Bilel Mohsni, Kane Ferdinand and Ryan Hall, midfield dynamos such as Anthony Grant, and regualar scorers that we've already got, well one, 21-goal Barry Corr.
At least they are all signed on, and as a couple are on contracts that end next summer progress will have to continue to see them place pen to paper again, if they are still in south-east Essex that is.
We've got used to the sightings of manager of Tractor Boys boss Paul Jewell at Roots Hall, or various members of his team, taking a peek at our boys, or in Jewells case it could just have been to view a former club in Bradford City.
It was speculated that Kane Ferdinand or even Anthony Grant would be moving Suffolk way, and then the Daily Mail raised the bar that recently relegated from the Premiership West Ham, no less, was sniffing around our favourite Irish under-19 international.
Our intrepid Echo reporter Chris Phillips, fresh from collecting crabs in Norfolk, was on the phone Monday morning and soon tweeted; 'Club chiefs - no truth that Forest or West Ham have asked about Kane Ferdinand.'
They may not have done, yet.
(This now though has also been confirmed by Blues boss Paul Sturrock as well.)
Before that though fresh news from East Anglia, it was posted on this Ipswich Town blog that it was Barry Corr the Tractor lads were interested in, give us a break!
The Ipswich fansite www.twtd.co.uk/news.php?storyid=18580&title=jewell_makes_offer_for_second_striker indeed backed up the part that Jewell is looking for another striker, (blimey, how many does he want?!), but this is a guy, and club, desperate to get back into the top tier, especially with Norwich getting there last time around, and would an injury prone forward from the basement division really be the answer?
Look at the names given on the site. Proven Championship names, goal scorers in the Premier League a couple of them, not against Hereford.
Now Barry did better than a lot of us felt he would do back last August, er, especially me, and it would be daft to believe clubs would not be interested in a guy who has scored that number of times, many off the bench, in a side that finished 13th, but League One tops, the Tranmere rumour seemed more believable at one time, and he must be tempted now by a season at least next to Bomber.
No, the papers, and blogs, need headlines to get hits to get advertisers, we know, so it's not surprising, and on the whole good sport, and I'm sure they don't give Luggy a moments thought, as long as it doesn't actually happen!
Now, let's get back to who we are going to sign, non-league anyone, the scottish leagues, or maybe another Millwall player or two.
Hang on, striker Scott McGleish, released from the Borient, we mentioned him a few weeks back, our sister site Lincoln Mad had him becoming a player/coach at the Imps as well, (don't think so guys), then again two up front who are both not in the full bloom of youth, and the club have just denied any interest anyway.
Then again, they would, wouldn't they?
Oh dear!
Eight months old now, but still a good read: www.theyallcount.com/2010/11/why-transfer-rumours-make-headline-news.html
Goggle transfer rumours images, and this pops up, or out, not sure why