Fleetwood!

[city_youth]

I had a quick gander on the Charlton Forums yesterday to see what they thought of Fleetwood. It seems that their management don't think he has the quality to score in the championship, don't think he is prolific enough (he didn't score many at Brighton and Cheltenham?) and that he doesn't track back or challenge defenders.

The other thing is Charlton play 4-5-1, and long ball. I think we can all safely say this doesn't play to Fleets' strong points - as someone else pointed out, he didn't win a header all afternoon. We have a strong passing side that can get the ball to his feet, and that is where he is at his most dangerous.

On the other hand, some fans are positively dumbfounded that he isn't playing. Suggestions such as 'he can't be as bad as the ones we've already got' etc etc are the general feel here. They also can't understand paying £250k for a player, on £3-5k a week, who then isn't playing. As Lammie pointed out yesterday, thats essentially going to cost them, on a 3 year contract and the original signing on fee, somewhere in the region of £700k (unless they get relegated).

If there was any chance we could get him, go for it. But I just can't see it happening, unless the Charlton management decide they don't want him anymore.

 

[budegrecian]

Anyway, we just don't know how deep a financial hole Charlton are in. We also don't really know how Fleetwood is viewed by management at the Valley, or even who the management will be by August.

So let's enjoy the games we get, let him know we're lovin' his work and see what happens. I'd but it 60/40 he'll go back to London.

I think the fact that he hasn't kicked a ball in anger all season for Charlton tells us exactly how he's viewed by the management there. However, like yourself, I believe the odds are on him going back London, although I would love to be proved wrong.

Depite his 2 fantastic goals & his general all round play on the deck yesterday, I think he is possibly the worst challenger for a ball in the air I ever seen. But, I'll happily forgive him that if he shoots us to promotion.

 

[geoffwp]

"Score me goals, score me sweet little goals!"

Strikers they will come and they will go
when the goals go in the net you'll know
you will know.

 

[fred binneys head]

Strikers they will come and they will go
when the goals go in the net you'll know
you will know.

Good work, Geoff.

 

[Super Ronnie Jepson]

I think he's on around £5000 a week at Charlton and has a 3 year contract. Would we match that? Would he walk away from that and join us for a considerable pay drop to what we could afford? I have a sneaky feeling the answer is 'no'. Mores the pity.

Would Charlton be able to afford that in League 1? Would they release him from his contract? Would he get another similar contract elsewhere?

 

[Exehausted]

Ronnie, it's not about can they afford it in League One, he has a legally binding contract, if he wants to stay and pick up however much he's on (Tony Babcock says that it is nowhere near £5,000 a week) they can do nothing about it.
When we dropped into the Conference we had a number of players on very high wages that we just had to pay. However, that doesn't mean that a deal couldn't be struck, although I feel it won't be. If Charlton decide that he has no future with them, then it is up to them to offer him a really sweat deal to leave. If he is on, say £3,500 a week, that is then another £350,000 in wages over the next two years. We are unlikely to have anybody on much more than £1500 a week and the club is unlikely to want to go too high, even if we could afford to, for fear of upsetting the other players. But if we offered £2000 a week, £200,000 over two years, then perhaps Charlton would meet the difference half way and offer a pay off of £75,000, half of it now and half in 12 months time.
This is all pure guess work, but from my experience, if three parties want something to happen then there are always ways around a problem.

 

[flack attack]

Haven't read the entire thread so perhaps someone else has commented on this but got to say I love the comments from Ian and Old and Grey giving the old told you so to Tis about not signing a 20 goal a season striker earlier. I really rate Tis as a manager but just imagine how good he would be if he realised that a consistent goal scoring striker was a good thing to have in the team. It seems easy but to be fair its only the two lads I've namechecked who've picked it. May want to set up seminars for managers boys. There are endless managers in the lower leagues (and even Prem) who could learn a thing or two from you.

 

[geoffwp]

Haven't read the entire thread so perhaps someone else has commented on this but got to say I love the comments from Ian and Old and Grey giving the old told you so to Tis about not signing a 20 goal a season striker earlier. I really rate Tis as a manager but just imagine how good he would be if he realised that a consistent goal scoring striker was a good thing to have in the team. It seems easy but to be fair its only the two lads I've namechecked who've picked it. May want to set up seminars for managers boys. There are endless managers in the lower leagues (and even Prem) who could learn a thing or two from you.

Quality.

 

[Tony Wizzz]

Maybe the 20 goal a season striker brigade, will be willing to stump up the 1/4 million or so, to buy him, and top up his wages on a weekly basis.

And no he dosen't challenge for headers, but who gives a sh*t, he knows he's not going to win them.

UTC[ecfc]

 

[Chalicefc3]

Guys and Gals: first off, I too was mesmorised by Stuart Fleetwood's performance at SJP yesterday. Both goals showed real striker class and he'd definitely be one for keeps. He brings IMO an extra percentage out of other players on the pitch when it comes to confidence - hopefully giving us a genuine edge in the run in to this season.

HOWEVER, while I do not wish to be the bearer of bad news on this one, having spoken to him about a future at ECFC - he did not seem as certain of his involvement into next season.
I was lucky enough to be dining near to him and his girlfriend on Saturday night and naturally congratulated his recent performances and jokingly asked him about next season - and while I hope that I am wrong, I got vibes of his primary intentions to return to Charlton.
What I will say is that it was an absolute pleasure to chat to both him and his girlfriend, they were both incredibly hospitable and he seems well-grounded as well as humble (regarding his two goals).
His girlfriend was at her first ECFC game yesterday (think she may be from Hereford way) and so was a step up for him to score!! While she won't be at the Brentford match next weekend - she is down again for the Wycombe match.
Fleetwood lucky charm? I do hope so.... UP THE CITY.

P.S. I mentioned that we'd all club together and buy him, which he seemed to appreciate...so start saving everyone!! I also don't think he quite knew how to take my uncontainable excitment by the fact that his goals meant us sitting in 2nd place.