James Chester anyone?

Agree it's up to £8m. The initial outlay probably around the 4-5m mark. Good business for whoever completes it

I think Huth for £3m is better if I'm honest....

I'd be happy with this signing but we probably left it too late, should have tried to sign him before June 30th.

Does someone need to tell Rudkin how it works? Eg - you don't wait until another club has a bid accepted and the player is about to sign before making an offer of your own....

It is a lot of money, but isn't this the same manager who got £3m for Martyn Waghorn?

I wouldn't advise buying a used car from him that's for sure.

Again BS how many times have you seen a club such as ours about to sign a player and another club comes in a swoops its all part of the game. Players and agents want the best deal and clubs like others to do their leg work.

Not the Board or any DoF or managers fault a fact (shiitteee i used that word again) of football life.

This is a last minute attempt to sign him as confirmed by your mates at RL

We have been interested for ages but have not made a bid until west Brom did. Same with Vererout, we've bid this morning on the back of Villa having an offer accepted

Thats exactly what i am saying its common practise?

Gone to WBA, confirmed.

It's not common practice for a well run club, with a target you have been tracking for months, to wait until another club agrees terms and then put a bid in yourself. It smacks of desperation.

I'm not saying clubs don't compete for signatures, I'm not saying that gazumping doesn't happen, but why were we making silly offers for Austin and not putting in a bid for Chester until west Brom did?