Confirmed BEATTIE GONE

[Foxy]

A couple of papers this morning:

Stoke's hopes of landing Sheffield United striker James Beattie in a £4million deal remained in the balance last night.

The clubs have yet to finalise the transfer and terms were still to be agreed but it is believed Stoke have offered to pay at least £2.5m up front to satisfy United's demands.

Hull, Fulham, Newcastle and Blackburn have also shown interest in the former England forward and could yet table bids but may struggle to meet Beattie's wage demands. The striker is on £20,000 a week plus bonuses.

United are also believed to be interested in Stoke's Dave Kitson as part of the agreement. Bramall Lane manager Kevin Blackwell said: 'Everybody has a sale value and I'd be stupid to say any player won't be leaving - money talks.'

STOKE boss Tony Pulis is lining up a club-record £6million swoop for striker James Beattie.

Pulis is desperate to bring in another hitman to boost the Potters’ survival bid and the 12-goal Sheffield United star, 30, (left) is his top target.

Dave Kitson has flopped since his £5.5m summer switch from Reading and has yet to score, while Mamady Sidibe is out with a knee injury.

Blades boss Kevin Blackwell said: "Stoke have made an inquiry for James and I’ve left it with my board."

 

[TonyAgana]

Re: Beatties salary, I'm with Yuley on this one. We're both claiming inside sources and the figures match.

As for "needing a striker that can score 15+ a season" that's something I've never bought into. I'd much rather have every player on the park chip in with a few goals. Having one player get you 25 goals in a season can still leave your club finishing mid-table - it's no guarantee of promotion. A lot of us are complaining about playing hoofball - do you think we would play it as much if we didn't have a player like Beattie up front? I think this move could be a blessing in disguise (and not a very good disguise) for United. Free up some MASSIVE wages, spread the expectation and pressure about a bit, encourage a couple of our strikers to make a claim for the number 9 shirt* and maybe even help us to play a better style of football.

*you don't know how much of an impact having an "untouchable" on the team can make. Ever consider our other strikers might think making a bid for the number 9 shirt as a more and more futile exercise?

 

[Foxy]

More comments from the lane... we'll have to see what Kev says on the radio later too...

SHEFFIELD UNITED confirmed last night that Stoke City HAVE made an enquiry for James Beattie but denied reports they have agreed a fee with the Premier League club.
Instead, officials at Bramall Lane are expected to spend the weekend discussing the Britannia Stadium's interest before deciding their next step in a saga which has overshadowed this afternoon's Championship fixture with Norwich.

"I can confirm that Stoke have made an enquiry," United manager Kevin Blackwell said.

"I have left it with my board of directors and it is up to them to decide what to do from here.

"As far as I'm concerned James is still a United player and that is how it will stay until I'm told otherwise."

Blackwell added: "After training yesterday James was clearly suffering from a touch of flu. If he's fit then he'll play.

"If he's not then he won't."

The Star understands that despite claims to the contrary, Stoke have yet to submit an actual offer for Beattie while the £2.5m quoted in some quarters falls short of United's valuation of a player who has scored 34 goals in 65 appearances since arriving for £4m from Everton nearly 18 months ago. Sources close to the South Yorkshire outfit, who will start today's match sixth in the table, also refute suggestions that the 30-year-old travelled to Staffordshire for a medical yesterday pointing to the fact that he did not leave United's Shirecliffe training complex until around 2pm.

Privately, Stoke's top-flight rivals Hull have also poured cold water on rumours they have contacted United about the possibility of taking Beattie to East Yorkshire.

Kevin McCabe, United's chairman, exclusively told The Star that no agreement had been reached and hinted that, if Beattie or any of his team mates do leave during the January transfer window, the money raised will be reinvested.

"No deal has been struck," McCabe said. "And if movement of players does occur, particularly involving those you do not want to go, then it would only be done to strengthen not weaken the club.

"We will ensure that, as always, everything we do is in our best interests."

Speaking before Stoke made their approach, Blackwell admitted that he was powerless to prevent speculation about Beattie's future but insisted the former England international was far from certain to depart.

"Sure there will be interest but I'm delighted when there is because it means they're doing well for us," he said.

"The situation is that anyone who scores at the rate he does will attract attention because forwards like that are at a premium.

"I can't stop the speculation and I never will so long as he keeps that record up but thankfully he's still here.

"It's a compliment to James that he keeps being touted around.

"But Beatts enjoys working with us and we enjoy working with him.

"Everyone said we wouldn't keep him during the summer window but we did so hopefully we'll keep him during the winter one too."

 

[BuryStEdmundsBlade]

why would it be on website?????? clubs never put players contract details on website only lenght of time they've signed for!!!!! If i heard anything from the press IPSWICHBLADE then i'd say it's from papers or radio, i've no need to come on ere n tell lies like a little school boy............

Whatever you say. No need to shout I am not deaf.

It wouldn't be on the website therefore nobody knows how much he's on unless you know him personally and he has said it himself. All the rumours about he's on £30k a week or whatever are just rumours.

 

[BuryStEdmundsBlade]

SEE YOU ON FEBUARY 7th I'll be waiting by the BP station, just like your mugs were waitin for us on hillsborough corner

Classic.

 

[Bladesman]

A fee hasnt even been agreed.

Interesting maybe McCabe might announce Beattie aint going then?

 

[dj_uk_1234]

Classic.

That is the statement there when you lose all respect he 'may' have had.

 

[yuley82]

That is the statement there when you lose all respect he 'may' have had.

I dont want no respect off you grunter!!! We'll leave it at that, i've had my say and you've had yours...

 

[dj_uk_1234]

I dont want no respect off you grunter!!! We'll leave it at that, i've had my say and you've had yours...

And to be honest, saying you'l be waiting for 'innocent' fans you will have lost it for around 99.9% of the 'proper' football fans. With the 0.01% being the nobs like you.

 

[BuryStEdmundsBlade]

That is the statement there when you lose all respect he 'may' have had.

Indeedy. :thumbup:

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

No Beattie today. He has a virus

 

[BuryStEdmundsBlade]

No Beattie today. He has a virus

How convenient!

 

[Foxy]

hendo's had a good first half in his absence!
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Come from away]

McCabe will only do a deal if it works for us, will not be surprised to see BT go but it will not be for cheap particularly once Stoke get bombed by Liverpool - I hope.

 

[BuryStEdmundsBlade]

hendo's had a good first half in his absence!
Posted via Mobile Device

Nice to know.

 

[Linz]

Thank you to the people that reported posts. The perpetrators have been warned as to their future conduct.

Please see HERE if you're in any doubt as to the standards we expect.

 

[TonyAgana]

*you don't know how much of an impact having an "untouchable" on the team can make. Ever consider our other strikers might think making a bid for the number 9 shirt as a more and more futile exercise?

I'm quoting myself, I know, bit of cock-like thing to do, but well done to Darius Henderson today. Or to give him the title he went by from a few other fans over recent weeks "The worst footballer I've ever seen in a United shirt". :hello:

 

[Linz]

I'm quoting myself, I know, bit of cock-like thing to do...

At least you're always gonna win the argument

 

[yuley82]

hendo's had a good first half in his absence!
Posted via Mobile Device

so he did, all team did. second half was a bit edgy though, but we got three pionts...

 

[matth]

I thought the entire midfield had an off day today, but we didn't seem to miss Beattie to be fair. Over the season I think we would though.

 

[BexleyBlade]

Exactly, who is there?? I personally dont think stokes is good enough to replace beattie, and i'd love for sharp to start scoring but cant see it happening. Think we'll struggle to find someone who can score at least 15 goals a season. Maybe blackwell should think about fryatt at leicester 18goals so far or mckail-smith at peterbrough 15 goals so far, and lambert at bristol rovers 18 goals so far??

Jermaine Beckford?
...I'm sure our 'feeder club' could be convinced - "everyone has a price"

 

[Bladesman]

I thought the entire midfield had an off day today, but we didn't seem to miss Beattie to be fair. Over the season I think we would though.

Yeah but we can use Beatties wages to lure the great Legsofwood back to the lane.

 

[yuley82]

I thought the entire midfield had an off day today, but we didn't seem to miss Beattie to be fair. Over the season I think we would though.

miss his penalties ye, apart from that i dont think we would cos his work rate is non-excistant, if sharp or hendo start baggin goals or we bring a midfielder in who can i think we'll forget beattie pretty quick...

 

[Linz]

http://www.people.co.uk/sport/footb...objectid=21033071&siteid=93463-name_page.html

The People:

Joe Kinnear is gearing up for a winner-takes-all fight with former Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce for James Beattie.

Sheffield United hitman Beattie is the subject of a £2.5million bid from Stoke City but the Potters look set to fall by the wayside with Newcastle and Blackburn Rovers entering the fray.

Rovers boss Allardyce - sacked by the Toon last season - is set to join the bidding with Hull City also keeping tabs on a player who moved to Bramall Lane for £4million in August 2007. The Blades want at least £5m for their 30-year-old top marksman and Kinnear is keen to strike a deal.

The Blades' need to trim their weekly wage bill could make a transfer-window deal possible.

Beattie, who earns £20,000 a week, has hit 34 goals in 18 months but would be tempted by a move back to the top flight. Meanwhile, Newcastle are going back for a player who turned them down nine years ago - former Rangers winger Peter Lovenkrands.

The Danish winger has been released by German outfit Schalke and he is a free agent. He is expected to arrive on Tyneside early next week to bolster Kinnear's paper-thin squad.

Newcastle wanted Lovenkrands in 2000 but instead he left Danish club Akademisk Boldklub for Rangers in a £1.5m deal

 

[Bladesman]

Pulis silent on Beattie rumours

Stoke City manager Tony Pulis has refused to comment on speculation linking him with a move for Sheffield United striker James Beattie.

It was reported on Saturday that the Potters had agreed a fee of around £2.5m for the Blades forward.

When asked about a possible transfer, Pulis refused to confirm the rumours.

He told BBC Radio Stoke: "I shall do my business with the football clubs I deal with and not through the media. That's the best way of doing business."

Stoke have added one new player in the January transfer window, Matthew Etherington from West Ham.

He made his debut in Saturday's 0-0 draw against Premier League leaders Liverpool, and was named man-of-the-match by the supporters at the Britannia Stadium in the first ever interactive vote at the ground.

Pulis added: "He gave us the ability to run the ball down the pitch and take players out of the game. There were two or three players marking him at times.

"He's not as fit as he can be, but we'll work very hard with him and I'm very pleased with him."

The draw against Liverpool ended a run of four straight defeats in all competitions for Pulis' side, and took them out of the relegation zone.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/7822688.stm

Looks like Pulis is giving nothing away.

 

[bettsyblade86]

credit to Pulis, I like that response. Very professional

 

[Foxy]

credit to Pulis, I like that response. Very professional

A little bit like McCabes response, only Kev was agitated and partaking in a live interview.

 

[bettsyblade86]

A little bit like McCabes response, only Kev was agitated and partaking in a live interview.

Didnt hear McCabes or Blackies from this weekend, a couple of times i've heard Blackie he sounds abrupt, almost rude and disrespectful towards the journalist/interviewer.

 

[Linz]

Didnt hear McCabes or Blackies from this weekend, a couple of times i've heard Blackie he sounds abrupt, almost rude and disrespectful towards the journalist/interviewer.

I think there's a little bit of history between the club and RS though... to do with some alleged RS shit-stirring in the past.

Anyway... counting on you lot to keep me up to date today

 

[Foxy]

according to the Mirror... Beattie is the delay...

Stoke City are setting a deadline of today for striker James Beattie to complete his £3million move from Bramall Lane - or boss Tony Pulis will switch targets.

Beattie has been offered a two-and-a-half-year deal and has agreed terms with the Potteries club after being cleared to leave by Sheffield United.

But the experienced striker has asked for more time to consider the surprise move back to the Premier League and Stoke are becoming irritated by the delay. Now Pulis will change targets if Beattie does not commit in the next 24 hours - with the Blades also anxious for a quick decision.

United boss Kevin Blackwell has lined up Reading's Leroy Lita as Beattie's replacement in a £1million swoop.