Leon out next week

[Houston_Blade]

Madine's fitness was a shock today tbh. 30 mins in and he's knackered! I mean, I know he's not had the legendary "full pre-season" with us - but that really surprised me.

Why did it? He's hardly played all season. Anyone coming out of the PL in January is going to need a minimum of 1 month just to get match fit. I must admit I didn't notice him being unfit today as he did ok with the ball. It was noticeable however that we pressed less without the ball, however this may have been a tactical decision by Wilder.

 

[Houston_Blade]

We always enjoyed strikers who grabbed chances when presented. He falls in the Bobby Davison bracket . 2 goals v the pigs will live long in the memory and a scoring spurt that was epic at the time. But CW is ruthless. He's trying to improve every position a bit at a time as finances dictate. Leons shelf life is at the sell by date so we can balance the books

Not sure I agree with the balancing the books comment. He's just signed a new deal, therefore if he drops down a level he'll expect some compensation from us on his way out. It might not cost us as much as we'd have paid him over the contract period but then we have to get a replacement in. If the replacement comes on the same or more money it's actually costing us to get rid. We won't get much of a fee (if any).

If we get rid we need another striker so that it's Madine and AN Other as the option. Washington in 10 minute cameos just isn't what we need.

 

[blade too long]

If he goes it's a wage and a contract less so it does it's job. Obviously an improvement on him will cost a little more.. madine is a different option .more robust
Mcgoldrick fills the finesse role

 

[nopigfansintown]

Doubt he'll be going down a league. If we can get somebody to pay a nice fee and take over his contract I'd do it. If our other option is to loan him out; I'd rather it was to the division below.

 

[Bill Johnson]

Doubt he'll be going down a league. If we can get somebody to pay a nice fee and take over his contract I'd do it. If our other option is to loan him out; I'd rather it was to the division below.

Can't see a loan. Why would we look at keeping him if he's not up to it now. He's not going to be better next season.
I posted in rumours I'd been told at the Barnet game he was going. The reason being continuing injury issues that restrict both his appearances and effectiveness when playing. Nothing about attitude. Remember he played through injury when he arrived. Wilder commented on his selfless attitude.

 

[Bill Johnson]

Doubt he'll be going down a league. If we can get somebody to pay a nice fee and take over his contract I'd do it. If our other option is to loan him out; I'd rather it was to the division below.

Widely tipped to be going to Sunderland mate. They are a great last pay day option for him.

 

[nopigfansintown]

Can't see a loan. Why would we look at keeping him if he's not up to it now. He's not going to be better next season.
I posted in rumours I'd been told at the Barnet game he was going. The reason being continuing injury issues that restrict both his appearances and effectiveness when playing. Nothing about attitude. Remember he played through injury when he arrived. Wilder commented on his selfless attitude.

Makes sense to me. A good way to get a good fee and get him off the wage bill for next season is to cash in now. He's 34 in February.

 

[nopigfansintown]

Widely tipped to be going to Sunderland mate. They are a great last pay day option for him.

That'll do. Makes sense now they've got the Maja money.

 

[Doddyontheball]

He will always be a legend but lately he has been dogged with injuries. It’s hard losing heroes but it has to be done. Madine was brought to do a job for us.

 

[Sandygate Blade]

Interesting that we're the club where he's played most games with pigs only one behind.

It is right time for him to move on especially if we get a few for him.

Thanks for the memories Leon.

 

[Blade56]

Massive mistake letting Leon go , my bets on Sunderland .

If he's got to go hope it's as a make weight for an attacking MF

 

[Trigger Blade]

Interesting that we're the club where he's played most games with pigs only one behind.

It is right time for him to move on especially if we get a few for him.

Thanks for the memories Leon.

Just about to say something similar, he’s played more games for us than anybody else and also scored more goals for us, which seems logical, though it doesn’t always work that way.

He’s clearly not the easiest player to work with so credit to Chris Wilder for getting as much out of him as he did and to Leon for responding.

My favourite moment has to be the H*llsborough double, but my favourite memory relates to his four v Hull. One of Trig Jnr (TY)’s non-Blade mates was with us, South Stand Kop end. As Leon came quite close to us to celebrate his fourth, Trig Jnr’s mate was beside himself with excitement, jumping up and down, showing Leon four fingers and screaming “four Leon, four!”, just in case Leon couldn’t count or hadn’t noticed. Maybe you had to be there

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

GLTTL hes played more games and scored more goals for us than he has for anybody else.

 

[Smirth]

Will be sad to see him go, and I think he’s a better option than Madine but Wilder clearly thinks different.

Would like to see him at Rotherham, think he’d bag a few goals for them.

 

[Gavlar]

Leeeeeeeeeeeeoooooooooonnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!

Thanks for the memories fella.

 

[bladesadviser]

If he goes to someone in our league I would prefer a loan unless its a team we have already played twice. Otherwise the script has been written!!!

 

[DronnieBlade]

I will always have the joy of the brace at the Sty, and for that, believe me or not, I will be forever grateful.

But this transfer comes 12 months too late, and you know it

GLTTL.

UTB

 

[snootyfenooty]

Your post surprises me. He's definitely out the door. Did you not hear Wilder's interview today?

Clarke has always blown hot and cold, all his career. We've enjoyed his hot, more hotter than most. But now he's blowing cold again. Time to say goodbye.

Nope, I didn't. Should I have done? Clarke is under contract, a good one at that, and he won't be going anywhere unless the buying club matches what he's getting here. This will be Clarke's decision not Wilder's.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

Nope, I didn't. Should I have done? Clarke is under contract, a good one at that, and he won't be going anywhere unless the buying club matches what he's getting here. This will be Clarke's decision not Wilder's.

Wilder was very open to talking about it at the end of the post-match interview yesterday. He said there'd been interest in Leon and it sounded to me like he's very happy to consider offers. He'll probably be off to a smaller club, the way they match what he's on here is to offer him a longer contract. I think that's what will happen.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

My point is that the upgrade isn't really an upgrade though, I think he's worse.
Leon has proven he can score and play in this division, we've not been promoted yet.

I do take your point - quite a few don't think Madine is an upgrade, but he's hardly played this season mainly due to McG playing so well and now that McG has been given an extra two years, Leon is probably down the pecking order.

For some of us Leon (sadly) has gone over the top of what is needed to get this club INTO the Premier league and more importantly CW hasn't wanted to include Leon as much this season. One thing is absolutely clear about CW - he wants (as he keeps telling us) to drive the club forward. Unfortunately that means some of our fans favourites will fall be the wayside and it could now be Leons turn for that.

As for Madine, there is another small bonus. Billy has had to do a lot of running around with McG dropping slightly deeper and Leon not playing. Madine can take a lot of that weight off Bill in certain games (like Norwich) and allow Billy to play more on the shoulder of the last man and sniff out chances like his goal yesterday.

If we want to move forward, Leon is now yesterdays man. The next in line maybe someone like Basham at RWB. It will happen to more as time goes on, something our fans need to get used to or suffer CW leaving.

UTB

 

[snootyfenooty]

Wilder was very open to talking about it at the end of the post-match interview yesterday. He said there'd been interest in Leon and it sounded to me like he's very happy to consider offers. He'll probably be off to a smaller club, the way they match what he's on here is to offer him a longer contract. I think that's what will happen.

He's got 18 months to run on his present one. That's near enough a million quid guaranteed even if Wilder sends him off to train with the U21s. I doubt anyone other than Sunderland will be able to match that in the lower leagues even if you factor length of contract into it. Getting rid of Leon is not going to be as straight forward as it seems.

 

[Danny_Blade]

Why are many saying Leon is 'past it' or 'on the decline'?

I know he's not always been a very consistent player for a striker wherever he's played (although we've had so much more out of him than we could have imagined since he signed) I think it's just simply because he obviously hasn't been playing as much this season because we signed McGoldrick who is an all round better player subsequently making Leon fall down the pecking order. So the main reason Leon is out of form is because he hasn't been playing this season as much as the previous two seasons - and rightly so.

Leon would have scored a few more this season if we hadn't have signed McGoldrick, so I don't go along with the notion that he's on the decline or getting past it. But I do hope he gets a move to another club where he'll get to play more if that's what he wants.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Why are many saying Leon is 'past it' or 'on the decline'?

It's called progression.

i'll ask you a question - WHY doesn't CW include Leon any more?

UTB

 

[Grizzly blade]

Been a superb player and deserves to be remembered for his work rate as well as his goals.

But not going to play now we have Madine to do the job he was brought I for

 

[GrayBlade]

Interesting that we're the club where he's played most games with pigs only one behind.

It is right time for him to move on especially if we get a few for him.

Thanks for the memories Leon.

And they said it wouldn’t last.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

And they said it wouldn’t last.

yep, another example of the knownowt S6 massive

UTB

 

[Deleted member 875]

Just about to say something similar, he’s played more games for us than anybody else and also scored more goals for us, which seems logical, though it doesn’t always work that way.

He’s clearly not the easiest player to work with so credit to Chris Wilder for getting as much out of him as he did and to Leon for responding.

My favourite moment has to be the H*llsborough double, but my favourite memory relates to his four v Hull. One of Trig Jnr (TY)’s non-Blade mates was with us, South Stand Kop end. As Leon came quite close to us to celebrate his fourth, Trig Jnr’s mate was beside himself with excitement, jumping up and down, showing Leon four fingers and screaming “four Leon, four!”, just in case Leon couldn’t count or hadn’t noticed. Maybe you had to be there

I don’t think saying he clearly not the easiest player to work with is entirely fair.

He always comes across as being a bit grumpy and miserable and rarely raises a smile but that just might be his personality. I was down at rhe Lane with Brownie Jnr on the day he signed and we stopped him and had a quick word, and although it didn’t seem like he wanted to stop long for small chat, he was civil, polite and freely gave us a little time for a picture and thanked us for our well wishes.

I think he gets an unfair reputation as being difficult to work with because he never seems to smile, and can be maddenly inconsistent to work with. Wilder and one or two other players have alluded to him being a proper professional who is easy to work with in the past.

 

[Deleted member 875]

Hillsborough aside, he's the only player I've ever seen score a perfect hat-trick for us, and quite possibly the only player I'll ever see do so.

Leon is the quintissential 'Rabbit Out of a Hat' signing for our Chris and, no disrespect intended, I just can't see him performing as well for another side as he has under Wilder.

The biggest of GLTTL's. Cult hero.

I’ve remember Billy Sharp scoring one under Blackwell in 2008, in fact I’ve just watched it again and it is classic Sharp, every goal being typical of most of the 222 he has scored throughout his career, absolutely timeless

 

[Houston_Blade]

I will always have the joy of the brace at the Sty, and for that, believe me or not, I will be forever grateful.

But this transfer comes 12 months too late, and you know it

GLTTL.

UTB

Should we flog McGoldrick now then just in case he doesn't score many for the rest of the season?!

I love that pretty much each and every Leon post you've ever made with any kind of slight praise always contains a 'but' somewhere within it.

 

[DronnieBlade]

Should we flog McGoldrick now then just in case he doesn't score many for the rest of the season?!

I love that pretty much each and every Leon post you've ever made with any kind of slight praise always contains a 'but' somewhere within it.

And I love that you, evidently, can’t argue with the “But” on this occasion cos, bluntly, I nailed it

UTB