Jam The Man
Well-known member
I don't know. Literally just got told that he 'refused to travel'. My source was either unwilling, or unable to say any more
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We need to talk about Dale
- Thread starter Doc Lynam
- Start date
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
And Dunk.
Jam The Man
Well-known member
No I'm not HAVING that! Surely the WORST SINGING was Ashley NEAL?
It's to much of a coincidence. I'm 100% convinced the rumours are true. He is refusing to play. Really is pointless making excuses.
Hughton said something about catching up on fitness. If i remember rightly Sidwell missed a chunk of pre season and he was at one stage touch and go for the Derby game. He has since played 3 games. More than Stephens.
It's a cover up
Hughton said something about catching up on fitness. If i remember rightly Sidwell missed a chunk of pre season and he was at one stage touch and go for the Derby game. He has since played 3 games. More than Stephens.
It's a cover up
LamieRobertson
Not awoke
Yes you did..but not much is being said about his injury
Can see the sense in what Hughton's saying as effectively he's trying to get him ready for the key game at Newcastle. The fact he's specifically talked about him playing Tues & Sat suggests he's not fibbing I think - didn't have to go that far. And if it's as cut and dried as some people think that Stephens is off, why lie for him anyway. May as well just be up front about the situation. If he's telling the truth, then that's great news because we're still definitely a much better side with Kayal and Stephens in tandem.
Blue Valkyrie
Not seen such Bravery!
The rules are that full season loans can only be recalled in the January window.
Lifelong Supporter
Well-known member
I will support CH over this one. Stephens is being kept back (for whatever reason) and it is intended he will play midweek and next weekend. Reading will not be our competition at the top, it is much more likely to be Newcastle and we will certainly need him there and firing. If Stephens does move on it will only be with us having a class replacement coming in so we have no need to worry !!! TB is really going for it this season.
jamie the seagull
Well-known member
- Jul 27, 2011
- 2,803
Hughton appears to be giving the playing time to the players who will be here for the season.
If our asking price is not met by transfer deadline Stephens will return to the fold.
If our asking price is not met by transfer deadline Stephens will return to the fold.
Hmm, Chris is not telling porkies is he?Smoke and mirrors?
I don't think Warren Aspinall believed him!
The only reason we are asking questions about tactical changes when Stephens doesn't play is because we know he has been the subject to a offer from another club. That is then leading us to question whether CH is telling the truth or not.
Who Knows whether there has been another offer or not and maybe we have told him we are turning it down and we were not sure how the lad would react to it but what I would say is. No one batted an eye about changing Skalack for Murphy in midweek then back again to Skalack this weekend. So why on earth should people here or anywhere else be chastising Dale Stephens when none of us know for sure what is going on.
My gut feeling would be that there has probably been another offer for him which we have possibly turned down and we just didn't want a player travelling with the squad if he wasn't fully focussed. We don't seem to have a problem having him on the squads for home games when the players are not around one another constantly 2 days in advance.
clippedgull
Hotdogs, extra onions
But Skalak hasn't been the subject of rumoured bids! It could all be entirely innocent. What put me on the backfoot was WA suggesting what CH said might be a cover story. I would hazard a guess that Warren is pretty clued up with behind the scenes shenanigans. Obviously he wouldn't come straight out and say that CH is not telling the truth!
Oh well, I'm sure we can all settle down if Stephens is in the squad for Tuesday night.
BensGrandad
New member
On that assumption he wont be flying up to Newcastle Friday but I would hazard a guess that if he hasnt been sold he will be on that plane. We need a result at Newcastle and he would help us get it. I think there was less pressure on not getting beat at Reading. Just a thought if he did leave do you think that we could be interested in replacing him with Leadbetter or Clayton at Middlesbro and do you think they would sell, all hypothetical I know.
BensGrandad
New member
clippedgull;755875 Oh well said:
clippedgull
Hotdogs, extra onions
I don't expect him to start either, but a good chance he could be on the bench to come on if we are comfortable in the game, to give him twenty minutes to get ready for Newcastle.
He might be correct but I know CH a lot better than WA does - What do you really want him to come out ad say something negative about his players. There is no way that Chris would do that with any of his players. Especially not someone he has such a high regard for as he does for Stephens. He has to ensure his reputation with fans is not tarnished.
I think Chris thinks Dale Stephens will be here at the end of the transfer window and I think he is ensuring that Dale Stephens reputation at the club is not tarnished during what is a really difficult time with bids flying in for him.
I really do just think that he knows the lad might just not be truly focussed at this time and he has so many other options that he can use this as an opportunity to give others game time until the end of the transfer window. I think we are turning down the bids which are coming in so far.
Munchkin
Well-known member
I would be hugely disappointed in the club if they are hiding the truth from the supporters, if what CH is saying is fact then great.
If the club are putting spin on a totally different situation where Stephens is not playing ball I think the fans have a right to know.
If the club are putting spin on a totally different situation where Stephens is not playing ball I think the fans have a right to know.
Icy Gull
Back on the rollercoaster
- Jul 5, 2003
- 72,015
So as things stand Stephens wants out but we won't sell him and we won't play him until he accepts it or the window closes and he is here until January at least. CH is hoping he'll knuckle down once he accepts we are not selling him this window?
Munchkin
Well-known member
Bullshit. He's under contract, we will be the ones telling him that, not the other way around.
If we don't want to sell then he goes nowhere.
Kosh
'The' Yaztromo
Hmmmmm I suspect, as I have since this epic saga began, that he will leave by Jan. That's football, that's life.