[CONFIRMED] New Signing - Jamie Ward

[S64 Blade]

He's hardly old in footballing terms is he though!

Most footballers start playing regularly at what? 19/20? Finish when they 37/38. So he's got a good 6/7 years or so before he gets to his prime.

 

[chrisyb99]

What would blades fans be saying tonight if we hadnt had signed anyone? Im sure you wouldnt be moaning like you are! This argument is so pointless, the signing of ward is irrelavant of the club still trying to get the proven goalscorer we all want.

yes 22 he is not the youngest player ever, but find me a player that is at the peak of his ability at that age and doesnt improve only gradually gets worse after that?

do you think manchester united fans moaned when they signed ronaldo for £12mill (or around) and fergy said he wasnt the finishe article and will blossem into a complete player? or when wenger gambled on a young henry from juventus? or closer to home, everton buying cahill from millwall, a player not proven in the league he is going too but has excelled? did man city fans complain when they signed a young joe hart? doubted......anyone remeber a young giant from greece join us at the age of 21 a certain traianos dellas a complete unknown to us all and oliver tebily joined at the age of 24 just 2 players that spring to mind that we didnt know much about but turned out to be quality players, lets not judge the lad until he has had a run in the team played a few games and found his feet!

yes some players dont always develop into what we want them too but if you dont try then how do you know?

i suggest all blade fans stop moaning about the signing and when/if the lad gets on the pitch in the red and white we support him

 

[yuley82]

He isn't a youth at 22

well he's certainly not old!!!

 

[silverfox]

well he's certainly not old!!!

I'm just reaching my peak!

 

[SBSP]

I cant understand why everyone has got the face on with this.

If he ends up in the 1st team scoring goals, even if it takes a season or so, brilliant.

If he spends a couple of years here, bags a few goals and ends up leaving for 100K or so then we gambled and lost.

How can you expect to find new talent without taking a chance every now and then.

The only problem I have is that they might use this as an excuse not sign a proven championship player who can instantly go into the 1st team and start scoring.

 

[Linz]

I cant understand why everyone has got the face on with this.

If he ends up in the 1st team scoring goals, even if it takes a season or so, brilliant.

If he spends a couple of years here, bags a few goals and ends up leaving for 100K or so then we gambled and lost.

How can you expect to find new talent without taking a chance every now and then.

I didn't hear this much moaning when we signed Shelton... what did he cost, about £1m?

The only problem I have is that they might use this as an excuse not sign a proven championship player who can instantly go into the 1st team and start scoring.

Indeed... I don't think there's a single Blade who wouldn't like to see a Beattie mk II. The thing is, cheap, proven goalscorers who are willing to come to Sheffield United might take a bit of time. At least Ward wanted to come to United... give me that over 100 Leroy "Sheffield who?" Litas any day!

Some people find pleasure in just following United... others find pleasure in following United and whinging about it. Never the twain shall agree. And that's what makes it interesting!

 

[MAQ]

I really cant believe this thread, OK Jamie Ward isnt a huge world beating player, or we dont think he is yet. HOw many of us have been down to saltergate recently? We have been told that he is a "Development" player which means exactly that. He hasnt cost the earth, and he isnt supposed to be our saviour.

I refer you all back to my post in this thread

and more importantly this comment

“Why all the doom & gloom” - We are Blades, we always do! As discussed with Sensi before the match on saturday it wouldnt make a different what we did. We would complain if we signed a player for an amazing amount of money, i can already here "HOW MUCH? £xm on that bag of crap!" we would complain if we spent nothing on unknown players, and we would complain if we didnt do anything. The Club, Management and Team are never going to win with those odds. (Legal Disclaimer:- The Term "we" is used as a descriptive term and by no means implys that the fanbase as a whole are in agreement)

Why dont we all wind our necks in and give the lad our support, give him some appearances and see where he is at. Give him the time and if he misses a hatful of open goals and never scores, then fine he will have proved himself incapable. As yet he hasnt so why all the doom and gloom.

Not to mention the fact that BeightonBlade hasnt complained yet............................so it cant be all that bad

Although there is time

 

[silverfox]

Not to mention the fact that BeightonBlade hasnt complained yet............................so it cant be all that bad

Although there is time

Quote from BB in the shoutbox:

"I'm going to gi Wardy a BIG bit o support !"

 

[k.mini.russ]

I think it's a little sad how people can drag a player down without even seeing the bloke! No wonder these lita's etc don't want to come. Why would they? To go from a club where the fans praise them to one that slates them for farting in the wrong direction.

I think it's been misunderstood what blackie is saying. To me it seems he was saying he needs settling into the club and getting a feel for the championship. And not to expect him to come on and score a quadruple hat-trick within the first five mins!!!! Like some morons!
Let's give the lad a chance 5or6 games time then give him your opinion!

 

[BexleyBlade]

We are playing an eighteen year old in our first team and he is quality

Firstly, Naughton is actually 19. Before you say 'it's only a year', Soloman was claiming (indirectly) earlier that 3 months changed Doyle's career because he wasn't playing in the Championship before his 22nd birthday.

My opinion on the matter is:
330K is a relatively cheap gamble
It's been stated we are down to just three strikers-this makes 4 and adds competition for places
Pace is something regularly complained about (especially with Sharp & Hendo starting)
and finally, Blackie's comments are spot on. Credit where due he's played this one wisely.

Removed any pressure on the lad by saying he's got time to develop-look at Sharp when he arrived, all the expectation and hope.
Lets hope the unnecessary negativity displayed by some in this thread motivates the lad to prove himself.

 

[butchaboy]

League 2 reject at the lane. Cant wait.

the most innacurate post of the year

so doyle's a championship reject, anelka's a premiership reject

on your ass man, at least come up with a semi-decent dis of the young lad before you post it

 

[Slugger]

Can I remind you all of a certain Mr Deane? At the time only 2 years younger than Ward is now... Signed from a local team... Up to then had scored only 12 goals in 66 games... FFS give Wardy a break he hasn't even kicked a ball in a Blades shirt yet!

 

[jose_d_blade]

what the f**K dose Blackwell think he’s doing…. cant help but think wed have been better off putting the 330K towards some one proven at league one at least.

Do you believe every thing that Blackwell says??? This was a panic buy because we can’t attract any decent striker’s because the cats out the bag the blades don’t want to go up.

What sort of team dose Blackwell think we’ve got if wards better than we’ve got already????????

I’m sorry.... I’m not normally a moaner but this is your wake up call blades were not ambitious any more.

Even my lad whose 7 asked why was sufc signing from league 2.
Some of you are deluded if you think this is a good move.

Every one who thinks I’m not being fair to the young lad I Hope Ward dose well for us I really do.

My concern is with Blackwell’s ability to sign a decent striker.

Ever one who wants to disagree ask your self will you all still be happy if no other striker appears?

I pray to god I’m wrong

 

[Come from away]

I pray to god I’m wrong

And if you are, what will you do with the rest of your post? Your conclusion is based on a lot of assumptions. Ward is a decent player and deserves as much as a shot as Dyer - Dyer olny got one goal while he was here but a lot of folk wanted to sign him. Ward has pace and more goals, seems worth a shot. Whether Nugent or ano want to come may need more money than we have but lets see first. Many thought Sharp would be bagging dozens - true blade and all - still waiting. Let's wait for some evidence before we moan, afterall we could be outside the playoffs.

 

[Sensiblade]

From somepeoples reactions it's like we've signed a One-legged Blind 94 year old.
Blackie has said he's one for the future, what would people rather United do?
Let's guess, Sign Kaka for £100million on £500k a week throw him straight into the first team and let the financial meltdown commence causing us to end up like Leeds did???

We're all blades aren't we?!?!
Support you f'in team down slag them off at everygiven minute of everyday!

 

[Vistoma]

Wasn't Ian Wright almost 22 when he turned pro? Lets give the lad a chance you just never know, he may be brilliant or he may be crap. BUT he does need to play for us to decide either way.

 

[MAQ]

Wasn't Ian Wright almost 22 when he turned pro? Lets give the lad a chance you just never know, he may be brilliant or he may be crap. BUT he does need to play for us to decide either way.

He was Three months shy of his 22nd birthday,

 

[Deleted member 1466]

From somepeoples reactions it's like we've signed a One-legged Blind 94 year old.
Blackie has said he's one for the future, what would people rather United do?
Let's guess, Sign Kaka for £100million on £500k a week throw him straight into the first team and let the financial meltdown commence causing us to end up like Leeds did???

We're all blades aren't we?!?!
Support you f'in team down slag them off at everygiven minute of everyday!

because hes 22, one for the future is bollocks

 

[Sensiblade]

because hes 22, one for the future is bollocks

So if he plays for us till he's 32 that wouldn't be the future from now would it?

 

[Linz]

because hes 22, one for the future is bollocks

Perhaps he was just saying it to take pressure off the lad... stepping up to a new division and a new challenge.

Perhaps the manager knows just how supportive some of our fans are and just how prepared they are to give a young lad a chance

Is it what's been said that's upset you? Or the fact we've signed him in the first place?

 

[Lincoln Blade]

The question for me that you all seem to be forgetting is, are we going to get a "proven championship striker" for less than we sold Beattie for?

Obviously we bidded laround 1m for Lita but that was only because he was nearing the end of his contract, so his value dropped. I think our only hope of attaining a striker that is going to score us goals consistantly is on a gamble such as this where the lad may come good or loaning an 'out of sorts' premiership striker.

Lincoln Blade

 

[S64 Blade]

In some respects id rather us have Ward than Lita.

Lita hasn't scored too many over the past few years. Ward has, albeit in a different division. Also, Ward will have the desire to play well for the club more than Lita would have.

 

[shorehamview]

He isn't a youth at 22

He bloody is. They are all youths if they're under 30.

Apart from anything else, how many games has Ward played for United so far? Ten? Twenty? Two hundred? No. He's not played a single game yet, so why all the negative feelings? Blackwell has said he's "one for the future" and whether that future is next season, next month or next saturday we will all have to wait and see.
Sure there have been players I wasn't too keen on us signing, but I've always given my support to them when they pull on the shirt and play, with the exception of Terry Curran.
Give the lad a chance, and see what he can do before we slag him and the United management. You never know, you might just be pleasantly surprised.

 

[DazBlade88]

I think I partly agree with both sides of the argument here.

Based on what I've seen of him, he's not a bad player, but he will need to improve his game if he's to make an impression here. Every single player we sign should be given a chance, no matter what. I'll back him no matter what as long as he's wearing a Sheffield United shirt.

The thing that annoys me about this signing is not the player, the fee, or anything like that. It's the fact that Blackwell clearly stated that we would only bringing in players that are better than what we have in January, and I don't think he is. He might be one for the future, but in all honesty I'd rather us concentrate on somebody who can get the goals to see us promoted this year.

I'm not saying it's wrong to sign him, just that I would prefer a proven player to join us at this moment in time.

 

[keenzy]

I hate "players for the future" after warnock used it and F'ed up keeping us in the prem

 

[Greasy Chip Butty]

How old would Bullard have been when given his chance in the Championship? Theres always room for improvement for players, and hopefully with a set up like ours and some good experienced players to guide him why can't he prove himself? And for 330k its a risk worth taking, its not like we're paying stupid money?

 

[metalblade]

My main worry is Blackwell is "saying one for the future" to take pressure of the lad, I can read into that two ways -
1/ he is giving him time to adjust to a much higher level or
2/ just a load of bollux so the fans don't get on his back before they realise this signing is the only striker we will sign in this window.

After the shite and lies spouted by our Kev (choose which one or both) over the last week or so I'll er on caution simply because I have lost trust in either of them.

To all quoting Deane Dellas etc I'll just remind you all they were good enough to go straight into the first team without a doubt.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

To all quoting Deane Dellas etc I'll just remind you all they were good enough to go straight into the first team without a doubt.

Some Blades have short memories. Harry was castigated and called an idiot and much worse by Blades fans when he signed Deane from Donny. I remember Donny fans ringing Radio Sheffield and laughing that we'd signed him at all, let alone paid money for him! And that was when players of that ilk WAS all we could afford. There was also a small fee paid (about the equivalent to £300k now) to Watford a few years before (when they were in the lower divisions) for an early twenties midfielder that might be an ok player, don't know whatever happened to him; Tony Currie, I think his name was!

Anyone want to wager that Ward's in the squad for the Donny game? The anti-Blackwell contingent don't want to believe anything he says, yet totally believe the 'one for the future' tag. Anyone 22 and under is generally 'one for the future' in public, but you can bet your house that every manager is buying with the hope that he's 'one for an instant impact'. Some do come off, like Doyle for example (who WAS bought for potential) some don't. You have to dig up alot of rocks to find a single diamond, but you have to be digging in the first place!

If you don't agree with the signing, fair enough! Just don't hold it against the player. He wanted to sign, he's keen to play for the Blades and as soon as he pulls on those stripes and runs across that line that makes him worthy of my support! He could be the next Duggie Brown or Don Peattie, but he might just be the next Ian Wright, Brian Deane or Steve Claridge. And wont all you moaners feel complete muppets if he is??

 

[MAQ]

^^^^^^^^^ yeah, what he said!!! ^^^^^^^^^ :d

 

[Sensiblade]

We also paid HUGE money for that massive failure that was Simon Tracey!