From todays Echo

[fbm]

Chris Whelpdale has signed for Posh and Billericay manager Matt Jones has admitted a tinge of disappointment that he chose them over Southend.

He said that Blues could have moved in earlier and had the whole deal done and dusted before other clubs got involved, and he doesn't know why that didn't happen. He does concede that maybe we waited to see what division we would be in.

The money is the same although Posh's contract is a year longer. No agents were involved. Tilly is also surprised and disappointed that the player elected not to join Blues as he wanted to continue with his degree (which Blues had no problem with) and lived fairly locally (Brentwood). He said he hadn't spoken to Chris and the reasons he chose Posh would be down to the player to answer.

 

[Cricko2]

Another One Bites the Dust.

 

[Mr. Benedict]

Disappointing, but perhaps he chose them as they had been the first to take a gamble and offer him a contract (apart from the security of an extra year on the deal!).

At least Posh play in league 2 so his rejection won't come back to haunt us in the near future!

 

[Prodigal Son]

And the whopping fee for him was £10,000 with add ons I understand.
Does'nt sound good does it. Let's hope we don't let Lloyd Owusu slip through our fingers aswell, that would be terrible.

And we had better move fast with Che, get him to sign.

 

[hawkwell_shrimp]

bit dissapionted about that TBH i faught that he would of come to southend, because we are local and in a higher league?. I still think we can find some more talent in the lower leagues.

Just look what happend with Paul Benson, was playing boro comp football when daggers picked him up.

 

[Jam_Man]

Is disappointing but he must have thought that Peterborough are on the up with a big backer plus may get more games.

Think he has made a mistake personally, perhaps if Fossetts Farm had been fully agreed and planned for 2008/2009 it would have changed his mind ?

 

[Cricko2]

I bet Fry's Chocolate cream Judas is laughing his socks off at us.

 

[Flinty]

Just look what happend with Paul Benson, was playing boro comp football when daggers picked him up.

to be fair it was Essex Intermediate....but i'm just being picky:D

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Let's hope we don't let Lloyd Owusu slip through our fingers aswell, that would be terrible.

And we had better move fast with Che, get him to sign.

I hope you're suffering from some kind of irony overload today PS :p

 

[palexander]

Is disappointing but he must have thought that Peterborough are on the up with a big backer plus may get more games.

Think he has made a mistake personally, perhaps if Fossetts Farm had been fully agreed and planned for 2008/2009 it would have changed his mind ?

Think thats the only explaination - as I said yesterday, the combination of Ferguson, the Chairman Darragh McAnthony and his cash and plans for the club - plus the fact that they have a good squad and are adding even more quality to it, to me, makes it a more attractive proposal for players.

Considering the clubs in League 1, we are still relatively 'small fry', even after our recent Championship stint and maybe he feels he will be in Lg1 (or heaven forbid, swapping places with us :confused:) next season...

 

[DTS]

Sorry but this is bollocks....Matt Jones used to play for us too many moons ago so I hoped he could swing it. I guess if we stayed up he prehaps was not the same proposition.

Still I hate losing Essex based non-league players to lower league clubs.

 

[Prodigal Son]

I hope you're suffering from some kind of irony overload today PS :p

Suffering from something, and I can't get that song out of my head that goes ''what's that coming over the hill,it's relegation''.May be singing it again at this rate.

How we let this lad slip through our fingers, too slow off the mark.Cue abuse from Tilly can do no wrong lovers.

 

[Desert Shrimper]

Seems we have a problem attracting even non-league players....what the hell is going on?? We're apparently "not a selling club" but we're not a buying one either??

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Suffering from something, and I can't get that song out of my head that goes ''what's that coming over the hill,it's relegation''.May be singing it again at this rate.

How we let this lad slip through our fingers, too slow off the mark.Cue abuse from Tilly can do no wrong lovers.

Well I for one don't want us to waste a penny on Owusu, it could be another Ricketts situation all over again. And don't get me started on offering Cheese another contract, OK we're now back down to L1 where he had arguably his best season for us but we sailed close to the wind with him there a few times IIRC.

Read the other Whelpdale thread for reasons as to why he signed for Posh (some good points on this one too!).

I agree we need to get in some decent players but to be honest a 3 year deal for an unproven Ryman League player that hasn't materialised isn't going to lose me that much sleep!

Personally, having now had interaction with Championship managers all season, I hope that now gives Tilly a foot in the door in terms of possible decent loanees!

 

[Prodigal Son]

I hope you're suffering from some kind of irony overload today PS :p

Obviously joking on Lloyd and Che, my concern is around not being able to attract any sort of player. It's early days but something does not feel right.I like financial prudence, but don't understand why the increase in attendances,cup runs,TV money,all those Nike shirt sales does not translate into a bit more cash being spent without going bankrupt.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

This will happen many times this summer i think we are all used to it by now. Shame, but Posh are clearly a team on the up whilst we have just been relegated, maybe he saw more ambition in them. And they clearly have an eye for spotting good non league talent and giving them a fair crack of the whip.

 

[C C Csiders]

Personally, having now had interaction with Championship managers all season, I hope that now gives Tilly a foot in the door in terms of possible decent loanees!

Not to mention all those nice things said about us by Messrs Jol and Ferguson.

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

There must be an underlying factor about Southend United that we don't know about which is putting off potential signings? Perhaps the FF saga is more serious than we first thought? But then why would SUFC tell a potential player that? It's all about spin, telling them how good it is at the club, wheeling out a few current players like Maher or Gower to continue the image, etc. Maybe the problem is that, Eastwood aside, very few non-league players have been given a real chance at Southend?

 

[Leeboy]

Not to mention all those nice things said about us by Messrs Jol

maybe we can do a swap deal - Lennon for JCR. See how the Spurs fans like a non-crossing winger

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Not to mention all those nice things said about us by Messrs Jol and Ferguson.

True, there must be a couple of 1st year pros that need a season of L1 football with a decent footballing side........ get on the blower Mr Tilson!