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Post by northstaffsblue on Feb 3, 2009 19:54:31 GMT
Hi All, Blues fan in peace here! (i actually live in Stoke so i'm claiming to be part-Stokie!) Just wanted to give you the lowdown on Stephen Kelly, giving you my opinion (for what its worth) Well, the general consensus is we are gutted to lose him. Played every minute of every game in the Prem last season - which means the law of s*d decreed that he would have injury after injury this season! He's just got back into full-training after turning his ankle...so needs 2 or 3 games for match fitness. The lad has pace, can defend very well - the number of last-ditch tackles he made in the Prem last season was fantastic - getting Mr Jaidi & Mr Ridgewell out the 5hite many times. Got forward well in the Championship but opportunities were limited when we went up due to the fact we were under the cosh for most games in the Premiership. Not the greatest crosser in the world though...but you'll find he's a good solid performer.
By the way, watched the Man City game on Sunday and your crowd are worth a goal...unbelievable support - a bit like ourselves when we made the top-flight after an 18 year gap.
p.s Any chance of Sonko on loan? And any chance of a right-back now? lol
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Post by infullerwetrust on Feb 3, 2009 20:01:26 GMT
cheers for that mate.. still nothing official yet though!!
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Post by viiistokieviii on Feb 3, 2009 20:03:25 GMT
Cheers for the info mate...Fa are havin a laugh with this one keeping us waiting, seen him a couple of times now, he looks quality, and as for Sonko, if it was up to me i'd drive him Birmingham, but I don't know if that is part of the deal or that you might come back in for him when the loan market opens.
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Post by eddy_under_fire'sviews on Feb 3, 2009 20:03:46 GMT
cheers for that mate. cracking post. he sounds like he'll add some real balance to the side! and yeah, you can have Sonko
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Post by TheWiseMaster on Feb 3, 2009 20:04:24 GMT
Thanks for the comments - sounds good - if we get him
Sonko has struggled at times and may be better dropping down - be surprised if a loan wasn't already set up
The pressure on Satuday was tremendous on us fans and we responded - thanks again
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Post by Mozzaa on Feb 3, 2009 20:04:29 GMT
Me & A Friend or a fellow oatcaker will carry Sonko down to Birmingham, just take him god please do!
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Post by trebor63 on Feb 3, 2009 20:05:19 GMT
Cheers northstaffsblue I just hope the deal has / will go through.
I'm sure if the deal goes through Sonko will be yours very quickly. Sonko has had a couple of decent games but tbh I don't think too many of us will lose sleep if he goes.
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Post by viiistokieviii on Feb 3, 2009 20:06:25 GMT
If you havn't already got that friend lined up Scroobius I'll give ya a hand
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Post by Corporal Clegg on Feb 3, 2009 20:09:06 GMT
my brother in law is a blues fan north staffs, if you have sonko I will have something else to take the piss out of him with with besides his choice of football team and his weight
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Post by march4 on Feb 3, 2009 20:09:48 GMT
Taxi for Mr Sonko
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Post by viiistokieviii on Feb 3, 2009 20:10:13 GMT
To be fair, he has had a couple of mares, but id be confident (fairly) with him as part of a championship back four.
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Post by vote for pedro on Feb 3, 2009 20:14:02 GMT
can you take griff aswell please ;D I'd give them both piggy back rides all the way there!
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Post by eddy_under_fire'sviews on Feb 3, 2009 20:17:06 GMT
i agree... he hasn't done too badly overall... just a couple of shockers
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Post by whelan_6 on Feb 3, 2009 20:18:03 GMT
throw in pericard aswell if u want.
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Post by northstaffsblue on Feb 3, 2009 20:24:51 GMT
Thanks for the kind replies boys - the Blues fans on the message boards seem to think - and i agree - he's / was our best defender...and he only lost his place to Parnaby at the start of the season due to injury. Parnaby did well, stayed in, but now he's gone injury prone.
Living up here i go to Total Fitness gym (in Trent Vale) and i've seen a certain Mr Liam Lawrence doing his stuff (when he was in the process of getting back fit after his falling down the stairs..sorry..falling over the dog incident) What was the real story to that?!
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Post by viiistokieviii on Feb 3, 2009 20:28:27 GMT
I live about 5 minutes from total fitness mate, near thistley hough.
Any idea why you would let him come on loan to us, being your best defender? High wages maybe??
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Post by manc_lass14 on Feb 3, 2009 20:31:50 GMT
Is this fella even coming? Surely we'd of heard something by now? :-\
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Post by northstaffsblue on Feb 3, 2009 20:34:48 GMT
I live about 5 minutes from total fitness mate, near thistley hough. Any idea why you would let him come on loan to us, being your best defender? High wages maybe?? The reason is this....Stephen Kelly is out of contract come the season's end. But a loan fee of £500k to take him to the end of the season has been mooted......and it might be better for Tony Pulis to get him to The Brit now rather than risk the end of season scramble.
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Post by StokieSC on Feb 3, 2009 20:35:49 GMT
The dog took him clean out with a 2 footed lunge
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Post by viiistokieviii on Feb 3, 2009 20:40:24 GMT
Cheers for clearing that one up for me northstaffsblue
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coggy
Youth Player
Posts: 340
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Post by coggy on Feb 3, 2009 20:41:15 GMT
What a great post thanks. He seems like a player we are greatly in need of and with prem experience which is great !
Sonko will do well i think in the Champ, may cost you a few penalties but he is not up to the Prem.
Thanks for coming on to give us your view !
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Post by Beardy200 on Feb 3, 2009 20:41:16 GMT
To be fair, he has had a couple of mares, but id be confident (fairly) with him as part of a championship back four. Probably the fairest assessment of Sonks methinks. Not that bothered he's still here as i prefer him to Cort myself.
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Post by northstaffsblue on Feb 3, 2009 20:41:58 GMT
The dog took him clean out with a 2 footed lunge I take it the dog got a straight-red? ;D By the way, how the hell did Wright-Phillips stay on for the kick at Delap?
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Post by LDE76 on Feb 3, 2009 20:58:06 GMT
The fact that Kelly played every game last season means that he was never sent off and received no more than four yellow cards. From that, you can probably deduce that (i) he's an accomplished defender and (ii) he's got a good temperament and isn't likely to saw off somebody's balls.
I just hope The Premier League will sanction the loan.
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Post by spartanstokie on Feb 3, 2009 21:11:02 GMT
stephen kelly is really good looking forward to him we just need a left back now and we are sorted
rb kelly / wilko
cb/ faye shawcross / higgy cort ( if sonko does well at brum then him and off with cort)
lb higgy (till summer) / pugh ( think he linked with ethers really well)
think that will be the defence for a while with either sonko or cort as the 4th c/b unless TP can get davenport
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Post by canadianmoose on Feb 3, 2009 21:20:52 GMT
Davenport went on loan to Sunderland I think?
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Post by northstaffsblue on Feb 3, 2009 21:21:58 GMT
The fact that Kelly played every game last season means that he was never sent off and received no more than four yellow cards. From that, you can probably deduce that (i) he's an accomplished defender and (ii) he's got a good temperament and isn't likely to saw off somebody's balls. I just hope The Premier League will sanction the loan. That's very true - Year : 2007/08 Games : 38 Starting Line-up : 38 Substitutions : 0 Goals : 0 Penalties : 0 Yellow Cards : 3 Red Cards : 0 Minutes Played : 3420 Republic Of Ireland International aswell...and we are giving him away!
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Post by FullerMagic on Feb 3, 2009 21:34:15 GMT
Any idea why it's packaged as a loan, being as the loan spell here (if it happens) will effectively take him to the end of his Birmingham contract?
Instead of a £500,000 'loan' fee, why is it not packaged as a £500,000 permanent deal (even 'til the end of the season?)
I don't suppose it really matters, but it seems a bit strange as it effectively is the end of his Birmingham career?
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Post by viiistokieviii on Feb 3, 2009 21:37:36 GMT
Is uppose its so that they can have first crack at a new contract with him if he does well here FM?
Only thing I can think of, although if he does well here he will probably stay in the prem and refuse Birmingham if they don't get promoted.
Fook knows tbh mate
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Post by Parksy on Feb 3, 2009 21:43:43 GMT
Any idea why it's packaged as a loan, being as the loan spell here (if it happens) will effectively take him to the end of his Birmingham contract? Instead of a £500,000 'loan' fee, why is it not packaged as a £500,000 permanent deal (even 'til the end of the season?) I don't suppose it really matters, but it seems a bit strange as it effectively is the end of his Birmingham career? Easier in the contract than a get out clause if we go down I suppose. We stay up we have first crack at him, we go down he has the ability to look elsewhere. Easier all round.
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