Pope

[Bristol Red Rover]

Could easily have been part smoke screen, part cheeky low bid to see what happened.

[podrover73]

Seems to be following the pattern of previous pre seasons though.

we weren't even in a position to offer anything at this time in previous seasons

[BillyStubbsTears]

Could easily have been part smoke screen, part cheeky low bid to see what happened.

White smoke screen or grey?

I'm expecting an announcement of "Habemus 'big f**k-off 300 goal a season and a couple of assists' striker," reight soon.

[Sammy Chung was King]

think every body geting frustrated now surely it won't be long before we see some movement,

I hope it's not Dickov's bowels ! .
When it was announced so soon i knew we wouldn't get him, he has scored sixty nine goals in four seasons which sounds very good, but he has also just come back from injury, his own supporters say he isn't the player he was.
I have a feeling Vale may have had his best years, we need players coming into they're best years with us, not getting them when they have dropped off a level.

[steve@dcfd]

Seems to be following the pattern of previous pre seasons though.

we weren't even in a position to offer anything at this time in previous seasons

Let's hope we don't have different excuses this pre season.

[Alan Southstand]

PD's intentions at the end of the season was to get players in early. So far, there has been no sign of anyone coming in yet, but there again, I don't know how you define 'early'. I understand Mansfield have already signed 8, just by way of a comparison. We do seem to be dragging our heels again.

On the Pope issue, I wouldn't have thought we would have wanted to be handing out 3 year deals to anyone, unless they come with a tremendous amount of potential and there could be mileage in gaining from the deal within the 3 year contract period.

There's one thing for sure, we have no excuses this summer - there has to be a marked improvement on recruitment for this coming season. There are no obstacles this time, unless someone invents one, of course

[Drover]

As he says in his précis of events " I went to Doncaster to discuss a move there and all I was offered was a handshake" make of that what you will.

Arrogant get!What did he expect us to do?Kiss his ring?Who does he think he is? The Po....Oh wait a minute.

[dickos1]

PD's intentions at the end of the season was to get players in early. So far, there has been no sign of anyone coming in yet, but there again, I don't know how you define 'early'. I understand Mansfield have already signed 8, just by way of a comparison. We do seem to be dragging our heels again.

On the Pope issue, I wouldn't have thought we would have wanted to be handing out 3 year deals to anyone, unless they come with a tremendous amount of potential and there could be mileage in gaining from the deal within the 3 year contract period.

There's one thing for sure, we have no excuses this summer - there has to be a marked improvement on recruitment for this coming season. There are no obstacles this time, unless someone invents one, of course

It's the 10th of June.... How are we dragging. Our heels? There's a couple of clubs that have made signings but not many at all.

[bpoolrover]

He probably expected to be offered a contract?

[Askern_reds]

He probably expected to be offered a contract?

he might av? hope we're over your way first game of season stay over night av to bring the credit card though lol

[bpoolrover]

lol I no askern it's cheaper to go abroad

[wing commander]

PD's intentions at the end of the season was to get players in early. So far, there has been no sign of anyone coming in yet, but there again, I don't know how you define 'early'. I understand Mansfield have already signed 8, just by way of a comparison. We do seem to be dragging our heels again.

On the Pope issue, I wouldn't have thought we would have wanted to be handing out 3 year deals to anyone, unless they come with a tremendous amount of potential and there could be mileage in gaining from the deal within the 3 year contract period.

There's one thing for sure, we have no excuses this summer - there has to be a marked improvement on recruitment for this coming season. There are no obstacles this time, unless someone invents one, of course

It's the 10th of June.... How are we dragging. Our heels? There's a couple of clubs that have made signings but not many at all.

    People get far too panicky on this subject...An awful lot of players are still in contract to July 1st so there will be a lot of horse trading going on behind the scenes..I cant see how you can compare it with Mansfield..No disrespect to them but they are looking for a different budget of player..Most of there signings are just happy to be signing there 1 year deal and be staying in the professional game as there are hundreds of released players out there..The players we are looking at will probably have other options,some we will miss out on when someone offers them silly long contracts to tempt them to sign now like Pope..Others may already be in the bag but cant be announced until they officially can sign....A lot goes on at this time of year and because the club is keeping things underwraps as much as it can we are just not hearing about it...

[nortikorner]

we are looking to be in the championship next year could we afford to give out 3 year contracts to players who would not cut it in the championship, we would have 2 years of a player thats not up to the standard  Well done Mr Dickov

[mrfrostsdad]

Hmmm.
Maybe it is/was a smokescreen, maybe not. It seems however, our first two targets have gone elsewhere: the keeper (who's name I can't remember and has gone to Wigan) and Pope. I reckon Pope is as good as anyone in League 1 and we're not going to be paying Championship wages to anyone, so my personal feeling is it is a bad loss (not that we ever had him obviously)

I reckon we're not competing on the wage front, and if we can't compete with Bury then that is bad news.

3 year contracts? Hmm, we gave Keegan one and I believe he's older.

Right, back to the sunbed. It's fookin red hot here in Turkey :-)

[Copps is Magic]

It's not bad news that we can't compete with Bury for wages, they are throwing money around if reports are to be believed.

[wing commander]

  Again people decide for themselves what the reasons are and take it as fact..Pope has said in both interviews ive read that the fact he has not had to uproute his family and move played a big part in him deciding to join Bury..We may have quite easily offered the same or even more than Bury...As for the keeper,im not sure how you can criticise us for a player wanting to move to a club with recent Premier status and one of, if not the biggest clubs in our division... Roll on a few days and Stuckman turns down a contract extension at Preston and joins us....Swings and roundabouts and a lot more to come at the Rovers summer funfair I expect...

[drfchound]

PNE must be shit if they can't compete with little old Donny !!

[Alan Southstand]

Reply to both Dickos and Wing Commander.

Read what I wrote, then read it again. I refer to PD's own statement that he wanted to get players in early. Depending on what was meant by 'early', determines whether we are 'dragging our heels' or not. Not me, not you and not anyone else, other than PD. That's probably why he wasn't specific and put no real time frame on our recruitment. Early to me means one thing, to you it may mean another.

No one is panicking, I am referring to an article, that was written some weeks ago, where PD clearly stated his intentions. We'll get who we can and I dare say we'll miss out on quite a few. That's the way of these things. I just hope the standard of signing is much improved on anything PD has brought in up to now. And some of that is down to circumstances, and not entirely PD's fault.

The Club have stuck by PD, despite his record to date, so we have to wait and see what happens prior to the season kicking off.

[mrfrostsdad]

It's not bad news we can't compete with Bury for wages?
Oh, ok

[IDM]

It's not bad news we can't compete with Bury for wages?
Oh, ok

That depends.

Show me Bury's wage budget, and show me ours, then I can comment.

[RoversAlias]

Makes me laugh this place. How many people complain about our perception as "The Likes of Doncaster" and all of that looking down on us we get from 'bigger' clubs, yet here is a bunch of Rovers fans doing exactly the same thing to Bury FC.

Bury FC, by the way, who have had new owners for the past year and are apparently spending more than they have in the past. I read that Tom Pope didn't want to move his family so opted for a team over the other side of the north rather than this side, which if true would totally belie this "we can't compete with Bury for players" nonsense anyway.

[GazLaz]

I'd bet odds on our wage bill will be a lot bigger than Burys next season.

[Copps is Magic]

It doesn't matter if it is Bury or anyone else, we shouldn't get involved in race to the bottom to sign one player. We've been told we've got a decent budget - let's stick to it.

[CottyRover]

"I read that Tom Pope didn't want to move his family so opted for a team over the other side of the north rather than this side, which if true would totally belie this "we can't compete with Bury for players" nonsense anyway."

Maybe we should have moved KMS to the other side of the Pennines - no ambition, this club 

[RobTheRover]

As he says in his précis of events " I went to Doncaster to discuss a move there and all I was offered was a handshake" make of that what you will.

Arrogant get!What did he expect us to do?Kiss his ring?Who does he think he is? The Po....Oh wait a minute.

Aye.  Maybe he wanted paying via Papal.  How Pius!

[Glyn_Wigley]

As he says in his précis of events " I went to Doncaster to discuss a move there and all I was offered was a handshake" make of that what you will.

Arrogant get!What did he expect us to do?Kiss his ring?Who does he think he is? The Po....Oh wait a minute.

Aye.  Maybe he wanted paying via Papal.  How Pius!

No-one is Innocent.

[The Red Baron]

I don't think he would have been as good as Leo.

[wing commander]

It's not bad news we can't compete with Bury for wages?
Oh, ok

You can lead a horse to water.....but you cant make it drink!!!!!!

[DonnyNoel]

It's not bad news we can't compete with Bury for wages?
Oh, ok

There's a difference between "compete" and "choose to match". I could buy a chocolate bar off you for £100 but I'm not going to. If someone else is prepared to then good for them.

[drfchound]

Noel, just in case you are interested mate, i have one i can let you have for £20.