Should we take the risk and sign Gifton Noel-Williams?

[Albion Dan]

Because I would find all your spots a bit offputting?

This is some funny shit!

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Anyway! Yes we should. He gave us back some shape and we generally looked more of a threat with him. If used sparingly to risk major injury then he would be a fine acquisition.

 

[Albion Dan]

Oh my god he has done a funny post............ Oh the humanity. :thud:

]

Dont you mean Humour?

 

[the full harris]

Dear oh dear, Steve's really dropping down a level. He never used to insult people in the old days. In any case, I thought he wrote for the FT, not the Guardian?...

Anyway, on the subject of the poll, no, I don't think we should sign him. He is crocked too severely for it to be worth it. I thought he did well for us at the back end of last season but I just don't have the confidence that he'll last the season and, as McGhee pointed out with reference to Brittain, we can't afford passengers. I'd rather go into Saturday's game with no new striker than GNW.

 

[Thimble Keegan]

From what LI says in his opening post I think we should go for Gifton Noel-Williams if Mark McGhee wants him. Regardless of everyones thoughts on McGhee it is down to him and his management team to decide on our targets and which players we bid for, not the board's.

The directors should stick to the boardroom and make decisions like taking away our free cup game ticket as opposed to blocking moves for players. Judgement on players should come down to the management team otherwise we might as well send board-members out on scouting missions.

If Mark wants him then board should make the funds available (although I doubt we have the money, but that is another story) from out tiny budget.

Albion & England forever.

Thimble Keegan
Worthing BHA

 

[the full harris]

The directors should stick to the boardroom and make decisions like taking away our free cup game ticket as opposed to blocking moves for players. Judgement on players should come down to the management team otherwise we might as well send board-members out on scouting missions.

If Mark wants him then board should make the funds available (although I doubt we have the money, but that is another story) from out tiny budget.

That would require the board have absolute trust in the manager.

 

[Thimble Keegan]

That would require the board have absolute trust in the manager.

Which they should do as they employ him. I know it was all a little up in the air following the relegation but the outcome was made to keep him on. Now this decision (however right or wrong it is) has been made and therefore they should back him.

Albion & England forever.

Thimble Keegan
Worthing BHA

 

[London Irish]

Dear oh dear, Steve's really dropping down a level. He never used to insult people in the old days. In any case, I thought he wrote for the FT, not the Guardian?...

Anyway, on the subject of the poll, no, I don't think we should sign him. He is crocked too severely for it to be worth it. I thought he did well for us at the back end of last season but I just don't have the confidence that he'll last the season and, as McGhee pointed out with reference to Brittain, we can't afford passengers. I'd rather go into Saturday's game with no new striker than GNW.

I'm sure I used to insult you all the time "in the old days" (that's confusing in itself as you often point to my arriviste status) but perhaps that was just in my head.

Yours is an understandable and very logical opinion on GNW but let's be clear, if we don't sign GNW, it is the board settling for between 10th and 12th in the table this season. I have no big problem with that if it stabilises the club financially but let's all be clear now what our expectations are for this season.

 

[itszamora]

Which they should do as they employ him. I know it was all a little up in the air following the relegation but the outcome was made to keep him on. Now this decision (however right or wrong it is) has been made and therefore they should back him.

Albion & England forever.

Thimble Keegan
Worthing BHA

I agree with this, not sure personally on whether signing GNW is a good idea but it should be the manager who decides what players to bring in, not the board.

 

[Le Premier Cru]

Anagram: Million goal winfest.

If it's to be only 35 games in a season, then I'd be disappointed if he didn't score 28,000 goals in the first gaame - even if it is against Rotherham.

 

[Icy Gull]

The board are going to deflect the flak again as they settle for survival and offer us MM's head as the price of not investing in the team. There are plenty who already blame him for the boards lack of ambition and money, so they have a ready made excuse for spending nothing and promoting from within if MM can't deliver with what he's got.

If the board won't invest can McGhee really be expected to do more than just get us to survive in League 1?

I won't be suprised if MM walks soon as he is not being given the tools to do his job and I'm sure I'm in a minority here but I reckon he wouldn't be out of work for long.

We've had some fantastic times over the last few seasons, but the depressing "shit why do I bother to follow this club" days are back again I fear.

Back on track I voted yes but do not expect to see any quality, if risky healthwise, forwards to be signed anytime soon.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Our main target of Ben Burgess has fallen through because Phil Parkinson at Hull won't let him go, the next realistic one we have now is Gifton Noel-Williams. McGhee confirmed tonight that he has spoken to Cotterill today about his availability.

My impression of the conversation tonight at the Supporters Club AGM is that what is stopping us signing him is -- ourselves.

There is a realistic concern that he may not be able to play a full season for us because of his well-known arthritis problems, McGhee suggested tonight a figure of 35 games a season.

The fact of the matter is that we almost certainly go to Rotherham on Saturday with Jake, Alex and CKR as our choices if we now do nothing.

Should we now take the risk with our money and bring GNW in?

My feeling (complete guesswork) is that there is a difference of opinion within the Albion hierachy about spending our money on this player. My guesswork is that McGhee wants to go for it but he is not getting the support of the board (apologies if this guesswork is wide of the mark).

But if this is the case, should the board commit the money we had already set aside for Danny Dichio and for Ben Burgess (with the obvious risk that both Dichio and Burgess may become available to us once they start spending the first half of the season as no better than in their respective stiffs).

Yes or no, should we go for GNW now?

My view is YES - it may be rash, it may be a gamble, but the board need to invest in the team even at the cost of possibly GNW not working out and there being no money left for later bids for Dichio/Burgess.

Im still split on this.

How many games would he have to play to be seen as not a waste of money?

If he plays there is no question he would be a very good signing - but Its a 50 - 50 chance he could be a new Kitson - maybe get him on loan till Xmas and take it from there?

 

[Dandyman]

According to soccerbase his record is as follows:


Gifton Noel-Williams
Real name Gifton Noel-Williams
Height 6.03
Weight 14.06
Date of birth 21-01-1980
Place of birth Islington
Position Forward
Nationality England
Current Club
Currently playing for Burnley
Signed on 14-06-2005
Fee Free
Squad number 21



All time playing career

Club From To Fee League FA Cup League cup Other
Brighton 23-03-2006 01-05-2006 Loan 7 (0) 2 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0
Burnley 14-06-2005 Free 17 (12) 2 0 (0) 0 1 (2) 0 0 (0) 0
Stoke 02-06-2003 14-06-2005 Free 81 (7) 23 1 (0) 0 1 (1) 0 0 (0) 0
Watford 01-08-1996 02-06-2003 Youth 107 (62) 33 10 (2) 5 10 (2) 3 0 (0) 0
Totals £ 0 212 (81) 60 11 (2) 5 12 (5) 3 0 (0) 0
goals / game 0.20 0.38 0.17 n/a
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals


The problem for me is that although I suspect he is capable of banging in a few goals if we are operating on a very tight budget does he represent the best value we can get for our money ?

There are younger and fitter players than him around who will score more goals. It therefore depends on precisely how much money the club are willing & able to spend and/or if there is a deliberate policy to deny Magee funds to help ease him out of the club (allegedly).

 

[Uncle Buck]

The board are going to deflect the flak again as they settle for survival and offer us MM's head as the price of not investing in the team. There are plenty who already blame him for the boards lack of ambition and money, so they have a ready made excuse for spending nothing and promoting from within if MM can't deliver with what he's got.

If the board won't invest can McGhee really be expected to do more than just get us to survive in League 1?

I won't be suprised if MM walks soon as he is not being given the tools to do his job and I'm sure I'm in a minority here but I reckon he wouldn't be out of work for long.

We've had some fantastic times over the last few seasons, but the depressing "shit why do I bother to follow this club" days are back again I fear.

Back on track I voted yes but do not expect to see any quality, if risky healthwise, forwards to be signed anytime soon.

If it gets rid of McGhee and we do not have to pay him off them all well and good and even better if the new man is given a budget to work with.

 

[Icy Gull]

If it gets rid of McGhee and we do not have to pay him off them all well and good and even better if the new man is given a budget to work with.

I knew you'd be happy, I think that I may stop supporting this club whilst the current board were in control if that happened.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I knew you'd be happy, I think that I may stop supporting this club whilst the current board were in control if that happened.

How does that work?

Not backing the manager is bad, but not backing the board is good?

 

[Hannibal smith]

I'd love to see GNW here. As for the injury worries, any half decent striker who might have considered us has already gone elsewhere. This means we are only left with risky propositions. Personally, I fail to see how GNW is more risky than Burgess who has been crocked on and off for 2 years.

I'll backtrack on what I said yesterday, that he probably wont come here. Looks like he was positive about the place.

http://archive.thisislancashire.co.uk/2006/4/20/896785.html

 

[Uncle Buck]

I knew you'd be happy, I think that I may stop supporting this club whilst the current board were in control if that happened.

It is all about choice, but I think there are still issues about the manager by certain areas of the board and until these are properly resoloved he is a dead man walking.

 

[Icy Gull]

How does that work?

Not backing the manager is bad, but not backing the board is good?

Pushing the manager out by witholding funds and then releasing them to the next manager is unethical in my book. Old fashioned maybe. Back him or sack him.

All this conjecture is probably way off beam but I personally wouldn't bother going again if it turned out that MM was manoevered out of the club in this way.

If they want to sack MM, I won't be happy but I wouldn't have a problem with accepting the boards decision.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Pushing the manager out by witholding funds and then releasing them to the next manager is unethical in my book. Old fashioned maybe. Back him or sack him.

All this conjecture is probably way off beam but I personally wouldn't bother going again if it turned out that MM was manoevered out of the club in this way.

If they want to sack MM, I won't be happy but I wouldn't have a problem with accepting the boards decision.

But financially if he can be moved out without sacking him it saves the club money. He has had his coaching staff restructured around him, that must ebb away his influence and power as well.