The tears of a clown
It would look as if everyone's favourite ex-Shrimper, Nicky 'this is my dream move' Bailey has decided to move on from Charlton Athletic, the team he missed a penalty for in their play-off semi-final that doomed the Addicks to another season in the third tier.
Championship side Middlesbrough have had a £1.4m bid accepted by cash-strapped Charlton according to media reports.
Bailey has made 95 appearances for the South London club since leaving the Shrimpers in August 2008 after being voted the Southend player-of-the-year for the previous season.
If it's true that Blues chairman Ron Martin added a 20 per cent sell-on clause placed in his going away contract from United, and if the ginger one decides he can face the north-east and join up with fellow ging Gordan Strachan, then up to £200,000 could be finding it's way back to Roots Hall.
Accountants will be needed to work out how much Charlton will actually end up dishing out, as the payback is 20% of the Middlesbrough fee minus what the Addicks payed us, which is not as straight forward as it sounds.
We don't know what the final transfer fee will be between the two clubs involved in Bailey's transfer, and the initial fee paid to Southend was £400,000 but had the potential to rise to £750,000 with added clauses.
Hopefully, whatever ends up in the Shrimpers bank account may pay off a few bills that would see the lifting of the transfer embargo, then again it may just fall into an Uncle Ron 'black hole'!
Now, if Gary Hooper can clear off somewhere for a few bob, he may even join Bailey at the Boro, Tilly may be able to sign someone above Essex Senior League level.