Crofts has gone

[mikes smalls]

Good luck to him. He has a young family and the chance to play in the Championship doesn't come along everyday.
I will be surprised if he becomes a first team regular at Norwich.
Despite his goals and workrate, he had the worst footballing technique of any of our midfield last season.
Bennett is the key to succcess next season not Crofts.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

It's not a question of "having" to sell him, rather that a bigger club came in with an offer and a load more cash in wages for him. It was a no brainer he'd want to leave. The board have done the only thing a lower league club could have: tried to get a decent price and haven't stood in his way. He was a good player for us and I wish him well.

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

Two questions if I may:

Does anyone genuinely think he will be a success in the Championship?

Does anyone really think Gus HAD to sell him? I put it to you that Gus knows he isn't good enough to get us up so got rid, took the fee, and knows he will get us a better replacement.

I don't think he'll be a huge success no.

I don't think he had to sell him, but that he might have wanted to keep hold of him until we had signed a replacement just in case we don't find someone. I don't think Gus will lose much sleep over it though

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

I told you all ! well hinted (I was told 250K) so probably 250K + 50K dependent on appearences.

 

[Aristotle]

It's not a question of "having" to sell him, rather that a bigger club came in with an offer for him and a load more cash in wages. It was a no brainer he'd want to leave. The board have done the only thing a lower league club could have: tried to get a decent price and haven't stood in his way. He was a good player for us and I wish him well.

This is why he left, and you can't really argue with it. In fact, despite it certainly not being a good thing, there are some reasons to be optimistic:

1. We have players that other teams are interested in. This is because they are good. We still have good players left and a manager who has shown that he can find more.

2. I would be more worried if we were able to fend off interest from the likes of Norwich (big crowds and in a higher division now) and Southampton (throwing silly money around) because it would mean, basically, that we were throwing sillier money around. That way leads to disaster.

While I'm as sorry as anyone to see him go, and I'd love us to shoot into the premier league in the next five years, I'd rather the club was still around in 20 years, and at least I'm confident that that will be the case.

 

[ewe2]

300 K, is a fair price. Calderon and Crofts leaving tells me Gus has a huge task on his hands, and that is just to maintain last years position ,maybe without the flirtation with relegation.One could argue that there are better players out there. Gus wants 2 players for each position,maybe Crofts had the view that if he wasn't first choice then 2nd choice on more money was a decent bet.Last year there was an influx of players and optimism was high ......this year ......lack of new arrivals ,is seen as unambitious,if the players and their agents haven't got the message,surely .....they have now !

 

[Whitterz]

Good luck Andrew, well done last season here, glad it was for a Championship club. Will always remember that belter against Southampton

 

[bobbab5]

Same old story, rescue a half decent player from the scrapheap (namely Gillingham), and lose him to the first half decent offer that comes along (Calderon).
Ah well, onwards and upwards.

 

[clippedgull]

Bennett is the key to succcess next season not Crofts.

Now, if we get a bid for him, things will get interesting.

 

[Smithy]

Shame, but I am confident that Gus will bring in someone as good if not better.

Good bit of business.

 

[Mackenzie]

Now, if we get a bid for him, things will get interesting.

I'd imagine that a bid is a cast iron certainty. As for Crofts, £300k is a good return for a free transfer. Good luck Andrew, and well done Gus and Tony

 

[The Grockle]

Does anyone really think Gus HAD to sell him? I put it to you that Gus knows he isn't good enough to get us up so got rid, took the fee, and knows he will get us a better replacement.

I've got a feeling that Gus we'll be rubbing his oversized hands together at the prospect of having 300k plus a larger budget for the players wages.

I'm not saying i'm glad he's gone or that Gus didn't rate him but you can get a very capable player at our level for that sort of sum.

I wouldn't be surprised If Crofts is the first of many to go this summer as well.

 

[Perkino]

Seems weird that he would leave as he could have gone to the Championship a year later in a side that he knew he would be a certain starter for as he was club captain.

Oh well, the fee has surely coved his wages for the year he has been here and some more which will allow us to get people who can play in Gus's preferred formation

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Two questions if I may:

Does anyone genuinely think he will be a success in the Championship?

Does anyone really think Gus HAD to sell him? I put it to you that Gus knows he isn't good enough to get us up so got rid, took the fee, and knows he will get us a better replacement.

Correct.

 

[clippedgull]

Agreed. Part of me strongly believes Gus/Bloom know Crofts isn't really that good so a six figure offer is well worth taking. However, if we sold Elliott - in my opinion our ONLY real asset - then you would have to start wondering what our ambition is.

I don't think we will though.

Totally agree, I think and I hope that the bigger picture is being looked at here, and where necessary quality will be the order of the day.

If not, why the hell have we got a beautiful £93million pound stadium rising out of the ground?

 

[ATFC Seagull]

It's not a question of "having" to sell him, rather that a bigger club came in with an offer and a load more cash in wages for him. It was a no brainer he'd want to leave. The board have done the only thing a lower league club could have: tried to get a decent price and haven't stood in his way. He was a good player for us and I wish him well.

We turned down money and good opportunities when we had Zamora...

 

[CAPTAIN GREALISH]

please gus give us some good news i thought we were building a team

 

[porkypie]

Im keeping the faith!

 

[sir albion]

May aswel sell bennett and look forward to league 2

Im finding this all very strange