Wayne Bridge...

[Wozza]

Blimey, a few coded messages in his statements.

Shares same agent as Gus though, doesn't he?

 

[ees complicated no?]

I know not everyone is going to believe me but I don't care as it's the same lot as normal, but...

Bridge was going to sign for us before all the shit with Gus and Oatway happened.

Thanks Barber

 

[Albumen]

“I’m delighted to be signing for Reading and excited to be joining a team that is going to be looking for promotion next season,” Bridge said.

“I spoke to the manager and he told me about the direction he wants the team to go in. Everything we talked about was positive - and he was really positive about signing me which means a lot.

“And, from the outside, Reading look like a team who are capable of getting back into the Premier League, a team that works hard for each other. That is something I want to be a part of and I’m really looking forward to next season.”

You can look at that two ways, one with a paranoid head on or one with a generic.
I'm plumping for generic as what he said is true. Reading should win the league.

 

[Icy Gull]

I know not everyone is going to believe me but I don't care as it's the same lot as normal, but...

Bridge was going to sign for us before all the shit with Gus and Oatway happened.

Thanks Barber

Only if we could agree a wage surely? Maybe he wanted to sign and Gus wanted to sign him but the board refused to pay the asking price? Just a thought.

 

[Neecha]

Bridge to sign for the Royals

PUBLISHED
10:29 7th June 2013
England international agrees one-year contract

Reading Football Club are delighted to announce that highly sought after left-back Wayne Bridge is to sign for the Royals.

The vastly experienced former Southampton, Chelsea and Manchester City defender has agreed on a one-year contract at Madejski Stadium and becomes Nigel Adkins’ first signing as Royals boss.

“I’m delighted to be signing for Reading and excited to be joining a team that is going to be looking for promotion next season,” Bridge said.

“I spoke to the manager and he told me about the direction he wants the team to go in. Everything we talked about was positive - and he was really positive about signing me which means a lot.

“And, from the outside, Reading look like a team who are capable of getting back into the Premier League, a team that works hard for each other. That is something I want to be a part of and I’m really looking forward to next season.”

Bridge joins the club with more than 300 Premier League appearances and 36 England caps to his name. During six successful years at Chelsea, he won all three domestic trophies whilst, on the international scene, he featured in two World Cup squads and went to one European Championships tournament with Sven-Göran Eriksson’s England.

The 32-year-old full back spent last season on loan from Manchester City, making 42 starts for Gus Poyet’s Brighton - achieving a play-off place with the Seagulls as well as the left-back position in the Football League Championship Team of the Year 2012/13.

Director of Football Nick Hammond said, “I’m delighted to have secured this agreement so early in the summer window. Both Wayne and his representatives have been very straightforward and professional to deal with and the player will add great experience and quality to our squad.”

Wayne is due to meet up with his new Royals teammates for the first time when the squad return for pre-season training at the end of this month.

Read more at http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/art...royals-070613-857575.aspx#dH322p8AxdutKED5.99

Adkins =punch in the face

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I know not everyone is going to believe me but I don't care as it's the same lot as normal, but...

Bridge was going to sign for us before all the shit with Gus and Oatway happened.

Thanks Gus

Corrected for you.

 

[Icy Gull]

Adkins =punch in the face

He knows how to get out of this division, shame Gus didn't but yeah still punch in the face. In retrospect maybe Gus should have gone to Reading and I suggest there would have been a good chance of Adkins coming here. I don't like his smug face but he's better than just about all the new realistic managers mooted so far.

 

[StonehamPark]

Absolutely gutted.

 

[Brian Fantana]

For those of you that are really gutted about this - Remember that he is 33 by the start of the season.

You never know, we might sign someone half his age with bags of potential and we will be thinking "Wayne who?"*

*Unless coincidentally he is also called Wayne

To see him play last season, you would certainly not consider his age to be a stumbling block.

Let's make no bones about it, it is very disappointing to see him sign elsewhere. I certainly believe that we would have had a fair chance at getting him to come here were it not for the current flux with our management team.

 

[Wilka]

For those of you that are really gutted about this - Remember that he is 33 by the start of the season.

You never know, we might sign someone half his age with bags of potential and we will be thinking "Wayne who?"*

*Unless coincidentally he is also called Wayne

I'm sorry but I would expect it will be a long long time before we have a left back as good as him again.

 

[Brian Fantana]

I'm sorry but I would expect it will be a long long time before we have a left back as good as him again.

Yep, totally agree.

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

Gus to follow in straight swap with Adkins?

 

[WhingForPresident]

Reading? Jesus Christ

 

[Djmiles]

Sake

 

[Canonman]

I'm sorry but I would expect it will be a long long time before we have a left back as good as him again.

Yep, it's a gut wrencher.

 

[wardy wonder land]

Buckley will skin him next season, easy 6 points !

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Wayne Bridge is a huge loss for us and real coup for Reading. He was a brilliant loan signing for us last year but is he not out of contract at City and a free agent?. I know its not all about wages with Bridge but I bet with the parachute payments Reading will receive they could have offered him ( or more likely his agent) three times the wages we probably could have afforded.
Hate to say it but the short time Reading had in The Premier League has put them in a far stronger position than us to fund all the wages of really talented free agents. That's why we should all fear Palace's future demise from the top flight......they will probably be a more attractive proposition for higher wages ( as if they were not already...Murray) than us for a good few years!

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Gutted ... absolutely gutted...

That is all.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

As has been mentioned,
sad to see him go elsewhere, he did a good job for us
He's getting old in footballing terms
We'll find someone else, no biggie

 

[ridda]

Wayne was brilliant for us most of the season and a joy to watch, but he's form did tail off in the later stages so might not be as bigger loss as most people think.