The transfer window is open and the managers of the Premier League clubs have their summer plans well underway. There hasn’t been much movement so far as the sides bide their time to see who’s available and at what price. However, the July 1st deadline for contract expiry has passed, meaning many players can now be picked up on free transfers.
With the Financial Fair Play regulations coming in next season, the top clubs are looking to be more prudent in how they operate. Even Manchester City are reluctant to open the chequebook to pay the extortionate transfer fees and wages that never bothered them before. To satisfy the club’s desires for cautious spending, there are many bargains to be had in the transfer market this summer and here are 15 of the ones that will be the subject of much attention in the coming weeks:
Click on Junior Hoilett to unveil the 15 transfer bargains
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The waiting is almost over as the Championship kicks back in to action on Friday night as Hull face Blackpool at the KC Stadium. For lower league fans all across the country the time is now upon you as reality kicks in. Will your pre season optimism turn to a nightmare? Is it inevitable that West Ham will romp home at the top? Can Coventry stay up? Will Blackpool go straight back up?
All these questions will be answered come May next year, but in the meantime, we take a look at the front runners in The Championship, and with plenty of free bet offers on offer now is a great time to pick out some value.
West Ham head the betting and it’s easy to see why they are priced up at 4/1 to lift the title.
Much has been made of Gould and Sullivan’s take over and the £80m debt at Upton Park, but the there are signs of a very promising season and a quick return to the Premiership will be all important for the future of the club.
Manager Sam Allardyce has made some shrewd signings in the summer, most notably raiding his former club Bolton of Matty Taylor and Joey O Brien, while Kevin Nolan has made the surprising move south from Newcastle to once again join up with his former boss.
Despite the slip down a division the Hammers still hold on to much of their squad from the Premiership. Rob Green, Scott Parker and Carlton Cole still remain, although it remains to be seen for how long, so much depend on new blood at Upton Park. James Tomkins, Winston Reid, Jack Collison and Freddie Sears are all expected to feature much more often this year and with a healthy dose of experience it appears that Allardyce has a winning formula. On paper at least,
Leicester City (5/1) are the bookmakers close second favourites, and its easy to see why the Foxes are seeing plenty of support. Sven Goran Erikkson has deep pockets at the King Power Stadium through investment from a Thai duty-free emporium, and with a squad featuring Yakubu, Michael Johnson, John Pantsil and the impressive Matt Mills in defence, who was superb for Reading last season, the Foxes should have squad more than worthy of challenging for automatic promotion.
Birmingham (12/1) have also attracted plenty of support but its very difficult to make a case for Chris Hughton’s side. The Blues’ new manager has seen a host of departures from during the summer months, and with Chairman Carson Yeung under arrest in Hong Kong all is not well at St Andrews. The core of the side has been ripped out with Ben Foster, Roger Johnson, Barry Ferguson all departing and the future of Scott Dann unclear. Jon Spector has been brought in from West Ham to bolster the defence but it is clear that with so much upheaval it would take a monumental effort to secure promotion.
Middlesbrough (14/1) are another side that will surely be knocking on the door but they have been dealt a big blow with the news that striker Leroy Lita has joined Swansea, Kris Boyd has left for Turkey and with Marvin Emnes also rumoured to be looking for a move away the Boro could be a little short of firepower going forward.
They possess a great lower league manager in Tony Mowbray and he is to be respected, but with a tight purse to use automatic promotion could be a little too much to ask.
Cardiff City (18/1) continued the theme of change as Dave Jones stepped aside to let Malky McKay take over the reigns at the City of Cardiff Stadium. The Bluebirds were one of the most consistent sides in the Championship over the last few years but after coming up short each year, a change had to be on the cards.
Jay Bothroyd, Craig Bellamy and Michael Chopra may have left the club but their shoes have been filled with quality players in Rob Earnshaw, who returns to the Cardiff side from Forest and ex Rangers man Kenny Miller. These two could develop into a very productive partnership together with Peter Whittingham in midfield, and with arch rivals Swansea City playing in the Premiership, there is no better incentive for Cardiff this year.
Brighton (20/1) are still riding on the crest of a wave following successive promotions and it is clear that boss Gus Poyet is building something very special on the south coast. A move to their new Amex Stadium, together with the shrewd purchases of £2.5m man Craig Mackail-Smith, who scored 35 goals for Peterborough last season, Will Buckley from Watford and Will Hoskins who looks to have a bright future after signing from Bristol Rovers have all strengthened the side. Perhaps Seagull s fans are asking too much for another successive promotion but Brighton definitely are a team to watch over the next year or two.
Nottingham Forest (16/1) have brought in a new man at the top, ex England manager Steve McLaren has taken over at the City Ground on a three year contract with Billy Davis leaving the club during the summer. Rob Earnshaw has left for Cardiff while Nathan Tyson, Julian Bennett and Paul McKenna have also departed. Keeper Lee Camp is also rumoured to be on his way after an impressive season.
This may be a worry for some fans as it appears there has been a distinct lack of investment into the club, with Chairman Nigel Doughty indicating the club must ‘financially prioritise’. There are a few new faces, with veterans Andy Reid, George Boateng and Jonathan Greening all arriving in the summer but surely their best playing days are behind them, and Forest fans must be wondering when the big name signing will happen. Forest may be a dark horse this season but they look a little off the pace at the moment, in the transfer market at least, and with no further signings imminent a playoff place looks the most likely outcome.
Any of Ipswich (22/1), Leeds or Hull could make a challenge with Ipswich looking the more likely. The arrival of Michael Chopra from Cardiff, together with Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Lee Bowyer are likely to see the Tractor Boys challenging around the playoffs, but it is vital that these players are kept fit. This may be difficult in the light of Chopra’s increasing injury worries, where he missed a large portion of Cardiff’s season. Ipswich do have a great manager in Paul Jewell and they should be a difficult side to beat this year.
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Leeds(20/1) look to be a little short this year with some big name departures during the summer really rocking the side, with Neil Kilkenny, Bradley Johnson and Kasper Schmeichel all leaving Elland Road. There are also serious injury concerns over Davide Somma and Luciano Becchio who will both miss the start of the season, and it is likely Leeds may have left themselves with two much ground to catch up when these two return at Christmas.
Hull (25/1) look to have a great balance in the side at the moment and with the calming influence of Nigel Pearson at the helm should do well. The Jimmy Bullard suspension will have annoyed the placid manager but the arrival of Paul McKenna and Dele Adebola should bolster the side, and a top six finish is not out of the question.
In the bottom half of the table Andy Thorn looks to have his work cut out at Coventry, with Marlon King, Westwood and Gunnarsson all leaving the Ricoh, and with deep financial trouble there are no transfers on the horizon. Crystal Palace also look like a side teetering on the edge but could well stay up with the impressive Dougie Freedman at the helm and the arrival of Glenn Murray from Brighton.
The rest should play out mid table mediocrity and survive for another year
David James is a feature writer at http://www.onlinebookmakers.co.uk, bookmakers free bets directory and can be contacted at [email protected]
I got up on Sunday with a sense of optimism. It was a feeling I hadn’t felt for the best part of two years prior to a Liverpool match. The last season and a half has seen the club slip inexorably down the pecking order in English football and the standard of football, especially away from home, has been absolutely abject at times. If Roy Hodgson was still in charge for the match against Manchester United, I would have probably let it out a long sigh on waking up, knowing that another defensive, lifeless away display was on the cards.
Although we still lost to Manchester United, there was enough in my mind to tell me that something was slightly different to previous displays away. There was some spirit. Certainly the players are still lacking in confidence, and the hardworking but disappointing performance by Fernando Torres is testament to that, but it was clear from the outset that they were not going to lie down without a fight like they had done against Blackburn just a few days before. That 3-1 defeat had cost the previous manager his job but any such display would be unacceptable to a personality such as Kenny Dalglish.
There can be a case to be made that the spirited display was down to just the change of manager, and we will come down with a bump against Blackpool tonight, but I think it is plain to see that King Kenny has an ability to get more out of players. He has that X Factor: Charisma, to inspire confidence in people where no inspiration seems apparent. In his post match press conference and his unveiling as manager today, it was clear that the old flame still burns brightly, and his enthusiasm for the game hasn’t diminished since his last managerial role ten years ago.
One of the most fundamental consequences of his appointment will be the fact that every Reds fan will be behind him. No more 10,000 empty seats or sarcastic chants about the manager. He will be given all the time in the world to succeed and if he fails there will be no murmurs about his management whatsoever. This, on top of giving the club a much needed lift, will give the player’s the freedom to play under far less pressure and can ensure them the 100% backing of the Anfield support without side issues of the owners or the manager getting in the way. The Kop can now finally focus on football rather than on any other burning issue.
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Of course, this will not be enough to make the club succeed on the pitch. As a fantastic man manager, Kenny will get the best out of his players but he will need to be tactically astute as well. Being so long out of the game has led some to question whether he has the knowledge of the modern game to succeed. He has however kept following matches over the years, and in his Academy Ambassador’s role he has learned a lot and knows more than most about the youth talent at the club. He gave Martin Kelly and Jonjo Shelvey opportunities at the weekend and we will no doubt see a lot more youngsters play in future matches. On the tactical side, he showed enough tactical nous yesterday to show he has still got it.
Playing 4-5-1 rather than a rigid 4-4-2, the players looked instantly more comfortable and kept possession better. He played Meireles in the middle rather than on the right and put Gerrard in behind Torres, with Agger and Aurelio both starting at the back. These seem simple changes, but they were ones Roy Hodgson was seemingly reluctant to make. I would still like to give a word of caution though. Giving Dalglish the job for six months is a complicated matter. FSG no doubt have considerations about a young manager who can fulfil their long term aspirations, and although Damien Comolli did say Dalglish would be considered, what happens if Dalglish does an OK job but FSG decide to give the job to someone else? Perhaps that’s a debate for the future and a different article. For now, I am just glad to be looking forward to Liverpool’s next match, for the first time in a long time.
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Written by David Tully at the excellent Live4Liverpool
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Croatia is the latest nation to feel the wrath of UEFA, who having already fined them £20,000 due to the unruly behaviour of their supporters in their opening game against the Republic of Ireland, are now investigating claims that a large section of their fans were racially abusing Mario Balotelli in the recent game against Italy. A banana was thrown onto the pitch and a section of around 500 Croatian fans were reportedly involved in repeated racist chanting towards the Manchester City striker.
Elsewhere in the news Roy Hodgson hails England’s comeback; Shay Given hits out at Roy Keane’s criticism, while Damien Comolli is linked with Spurs return.
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Headlines
Roy Hodgson hailed the performance of his front men against Sweden, with Theo Walcott singled out for special praise following his contribution from the bench – [Guardian]
Theo Walcott believes there is more to come from him and has hailed the spirit within the England squad – [Guardian]
Shay Given has hit back at Roy Keane following stinging criticism towards the Republic of Ireland team – [Guardian]
Damien Comolli has been linked with a surprise return to Tottenham Hotspur as the club contemplate a new management structure – [Daily Telegraph]
Wales legend John Toshack provided the ringing endorsement that Michael Laudrup needed in order to get the Swansea job – [Daily Telegraph]
Liverpool owner has played down the financial impact of a new stadium will have on the football club –[ Independent]
Michael Owen is set to snub a move to Everton in favour of a switch to Stoke City –[ Daily Mail]
Chelsea is set to battle it out with Newcastle United for French right back Mathieu Debuchy -[ Mirror]
Owen Hargreaves has admitted that he may well consider retirement from the game at the age of 31, following his long term battle with knee injuries -[ Sun]
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Arsenal is leading the chase to sign Real Madrid’s 22-year-old striker-[ TalkSport]
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PLEASE NOTE – Click on the sources above the view the original articles
Wading through the thousands of transfer rumours surrounding potential United targets only one thing becomes clear amidst all the uncertainty.
If United are to add to the squad with a ‘big name midfielder’ then it seems Sir Alex is going to have to pay at least 200k a week to tempt the likes of Wesley Sneijder or Samir Nasri to Old Trafford.
In the case of Nasri, certain media outlets are reporting that the French midfielder is now leaning towards a move to the Easyjet Stadium after being tempted by the ‘astronomical wages on offer’ believed to be around the 250k a week mark.
While I’d welcome Nasri at Old Trafford, if he wants to earn a million pounds a month then I think he’d be better off plying his trade for Stockport’s finest. The Frenchman’s a talented player with a proven Premiership pedigree but I thought the whole point of United’s pursuit was that with only a year left on his contract he’d be available at a reasonable price.
Should United match City’s figure then paying around £12 million a year- say over three years -plus £20 million in transfer fees means a player that was considered a bargain would end up costing over £50 million. Now I’m no accountant but even if United do have that sort of money to spend surely it would be better served elsewhere.
Investing in a couple of less proven players for half the money may be a better bet than spending the cost of the entire 1999 team on one player which seems about as wise as buying a long haired chav for £35 million.
City can offer silly money because they’ve got it and seem to have a buy now think later policy when it comes to certain players. I don’t even think they need Nasri and wouldn’t be surprised if they did get him, and he ended up on the bench, but they can afford to be so wasteful while United cannot.
When it comes to Sneijder, it’s almost as though we’d be doing what City do in terms of spending a lot of money on a player who wouldn’t necessarily get in the first team if everyone was fully fit. That may sound somewhat ridiculous but if as was the case at the end of last season, Wayne Rooney drops into an almost attacking midfield role, then Sneijder may not be as indispensable as some believe- certainly not vital enough to warrant a £30 million plus transfer fee, then around £9 million a year in wages.
The latest reports suggest Sneijder, like Nasri is hoping his transfer could lead to mega money wages, although the Dutchman has Malaga not the World’s Richest Club TM as his other suitors so may find it difficult to convince United to pay him the astronomical type wages on offer at City.
The Alexis Sanchez saga- which is becoming almost as tiresome as the Nasri one, seems to have died down somewhat although there’s still enough United transfer rumour embers aglow to keep the smoke going.
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The Chilean at one point seemed destined for the Nou Camp and will more than likely still end up there although some reports seem to indicate a deal with United is still possible.
Sanchez almost certainly won’t be hopping on a free flight to The Jet2.com stadium any time soon after Roberto Mancini revealed the winger had turned down a move to City.
There’s no doubt that City told him the wages they were willing to pay to make him part of their ‘project’ whether he’d expect the same terms at United is debatable but it wouldn’t surprise me if he demanded them.
Sanchez is an awesome talent but is it really worth spending vast amounts to acquire a player we may not even really need? I’d argue not. With all the wingers available at United, plus Rooney’s ability to play ‘in the hole’ pursuing Sanchez may be a frivolous endeavour.
It’s obvious there is room for improvement at United, no matter how strong the squad is another top quality player could only elevate it, however any new signings should be made without breaking the club’s wage structure or handing out Rooney type terms.
Part of the problem may be the seeming lack of truly world class players available, which can make breaking the bank for one who is one the market, seem all that more acceptable.
People tend to forget that United have since the Premier League began, never been the richest club and have lost out on certain players because of that.
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In the early years it was Blackburn Rovers who were able to offer the sort of wages United weren’t hence their acquisition of Alan Shearer. Although they won the title in 1995, they were never able to successfully maintain a challenge to United’s dominance, partly due to the fact that certain players would rather have earned less playing at Old Trafford each week.
More recently it was Chelsea who had bottomless pockets and were able to convince the likes of Arjen Robben and Jon Obi Mikel that the sun shone brighter in West London than it did in Manchester.
Chelsea may have had success but four titles in five years plus three Champions League finals, tells you which club’s remained the dominant force in English football.
The point I’m making is that United don’t need to try and equal any of the top spender’s wages in pursuit of players, we never have done. Should Sneijder, Nasri or whoever feel they’re worth more than they can get at Old Trafford, I’d be happy to see them sign for City or anyone else for that matter.
Read more of Justin’s articles at Red Flag Flying High
If there is one lesson Gerard Houllier has learnt since making a return to the Premier League, it is that the pressure for results has not decreased during his six-year spell out of English football.
Only a month on from a very credible draw with Manchester United, one that attracted much praise from the media, Villa find their small squad struggling to cope with the demands of the Premier League season’s busiest period.
West Brom have picked up recently after their own run of poor form. Two wins in as many games have certainly eased fears of an immediate return to the Championship, however a game against local rivals Villa will guard against any complacency.
This year already has the smell of a transition period for the Villains, and with an intensive Christmas period looming Houllier will be desperate not to spend the festive period staring over his shoulder at the sides below.
Villa welcome back Emile Heskey to their squad, and with goal scoring revelation Peter Odemwingie out, the Baggies may find the trip to Villa Park a fruitless one.
Prediction: 2-0
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Use your FREE £20 Bet – Aston Villa are 10/1 to win 2-0
It is official. After a successful eight years at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea have announced on their official website that Didier Drogba will leave the club when his contract expires in June. The powerful Ivorian amassed an impressive 154 goals in 341 appearances for the Blues, etching himself into Chelsea folklore for years to come. But having shown he can still provide the difference in recent weeks, why have the club taken the decision to allow him to leave the club?
Drogba signed from Marseille for £24 million in the summer of 2004 and instantly became a key part of the Chelsea team that charged to their first league title in 50 years under Jose Mourinho. His domineering attitude and powerful presence gave defenders nightmares and the striker went on to accumulate another two Premier League titles, four FA Cup and three League Cup winners’ medals as well as a Champions League trophy as recently as last Saturday.
His goals propelled him into the hearts of the Chelsea fans but some of his on-field antics won just as many critics during his time in England. Accused of going to ground to easily and a petulant manner, even the most ardent Blues fan will admit to had been frustrated by the Ivorian’s occasional shenanigans. At times he appeared to be among the best in the world but he could just as readily be seen as a sullen striker, unwilling to perform when things did not go his way, and this season has perhaps displayed that more than any.
There was a bright sense of optimism around the club in August 2011 as Andre Villas-Boas began his new job as manager of the west-London club. Charged with the intention of displacing the ageing core of the first team in John Terry, Frank Lampard and Drogba, Villas-Boas found himself outmuscled in a changing room that lacked support for the implementation of change. Drogba found himself on the fringes of the team and his frequently negative body language failed to hide his discontent at this new role within the club.
The Portuguese manager failed to manage the transition positively and was shown the door in February. His replacement, Roberto Di Matteo, turned the fortunes around by reinstating the previously marginalised players. Chelsea managed to end the season on a high, winning both the FA Cup and Champions League with Drogba keeping up his record of scoring in every final he played in for the club. Yet the club now find themselves back at square one; relying on the influential players that they sought to remove. They have now decided it is time to let the influential striker go, and it appears to be justified.
Despite being key to winning the double this season, Drogba equalled his worst goal return in a Premier League season as he netted a measly five times. That is fewer than joint top scorers Daniel Sturridge and Lampard as well as fellow striker Fernando Torres. While his ratio of goals to games in Europe this season was better by far with six goals in eight appearances, it pointed to a decline in the consistency of the striker’s performances.
Of his five league goals this term, just one came against a team in the top half. While Drogba may be able to pull out a fantastic performance when it is required, the evidence suggests that he can no longer maintain the game-winning performances that made him a fan favourite on a regular basis
Drogba was inspirational in the 2009/10 double-winning campaign when he scored 29 league goals, but he has since failed to come close to such figures. As one of the club’s top earners, the harsh reality is that you are expected to perform at your best every week, not only on the big occasions. Whilst such experience is vital in achieving success Drogba has become somewhat of a luxury item; expensive to keep but ready to perform when needed most. However, it is simply not feasible for the club to retain such a lavish player and at 34-years-old his time is now up.
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His presence at the club will no doubt be sorely missed and he will not soon be forgotten. It may not have been his finest season as a whole in the Blue of Chelsea, but the original remit for the club’s season was to phase out the ageing members of the squad and so despite his FA Cup and Champions League heroics, Drogba departed.
Do you think Chelsea were right to let Drogba go? Let me know on Twitter.
Rangers have announced the signature of Spanish midfielder Juan Manuel Ortiz for an undisclosed fee. The 29-year-old moves from Almeria, who were relegated from La Liga in 2010/11, and becomes new manager Ally McCoist’s first signing.
The Ibrox boss stated his delight at being able to add the Spaniard to his squad, and feels the former Atletico Madrid youth player can add versatility to the Scottish side’s squad.
“I think the fact he can play a number of positions was a big thing. He will probably run Steven Whittaker close. He can play a few positions, he is quick and he has played a few games at the very top level,” the former striker told the club’s official website.
The player however ends a four year spell at the Andalusian outfit, and revealed that he spoke with countryman and ex-Rangers defender Carlos Cuellar before the move.
“When the chance came up to come to Rangers, I spoke to Carlos about it and he only had good things to say. He told me the club is massive and that he was very, very happy here, so he told me it was a move I should make,” he stated.
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Meanwhile, ex-Rangers striker Kris Boyd, now with Middlesbrough, is weighing up a move to Turkish Super Lig side Eskisehirspor, and is expected to fly to Turkey at the end of the week to negotiate a potential transfer.
Avram Grant may be excused for having a face like the Grinch over his turkey this Christmas Day. He will be fully aware that only one side has avoided the drop having being bottom on Christmas Day, and whilst his side are not the no hopers of Premier League turkeys from seasons past, there are some major issues to be resolved heading into 2011.
The Hammers do have some cash to spend in January, and from that point of view they have been linked with some big Premier League names. This fixture, however, may be key in establishing how many of West Ham’s transfer targets take the plunge and make the move to Upton Park.
In comparison, the pressure on Fulham boss Mark Hughes has been minimal thus far. Whilst his side are only a handful of points better off than Grant’s men, there is an air of goodwill around Craven Cottage, and the former Manchester City manager will be given time to rebuild after last season’s exploits.
Both teams need the points, but with Fulham being the league’s stalemate specialists, I expect both sides to draw a blank in this Boxing Day game of charades.
So here it is, the final game of what has been a quite phenomenal season for Reading Football Club.
Reading fans will be travelling to St.Andrew’s in great numbers on Saturday, with over 4,000 tickets sold and as traditional for Reading fans on the last away game of the season it will be “inflatable’s day” adding to the carnival like atmosphere that should be created.
With Birmingham guaranteed a spot in this season’s playoffs and Reading of course already having secured the title, there may not seem a great deal to play for either team.
However, Birmingham have dropped to 5th in the table, meaning they would play at home in the first leg of the playoffs and away in the second. This is always seen as a negative, so expect Birmingham to be desperate to win, overtake Blackpool and secure 4th spot, meaning home advantage in the crucial second leg of the playoffs.
Reading will of course also be looking for the 3 points on Saturday; Brian McDermott is not the kind of manager to make wholesale changes for any game, despite having nothing to play for. With Jason Roberts suspended following his red card against Crystal Palace, Adam Le Fondre is the likely replacement, although Benik Afobe may be brought in to replicate Roberts pace and power. However, do not expect many more changes to the team that played Palace, if any.
Both clubs should be pleased with their seasons and hopefully both sets of fans should be in good spirits which should lead to a great atmosphere and a great game!
Birmingham are coming off the back of 4 straight draws and will be looking for a win to gain some momentum heading into the playoffs. The game earlier in the season between the two teams saw Reading come out 1-0 winners at the Madejski thanks to a Noel Hunt winner in the 75th minute.
Reading will also be keen to finish the season on a high, following our fabulous run. It will not be an easy game of course, with Birmingham boasting a very good home record having only lost once this season on home soil. This will not phase Reading however, who have recently won at arguably the hardest away grounds in the league in Upton Park and St Marys.
Reading fans should be happy that everything is already sewn up and not having to rely on a result in what is sure to be a competitive game on Saturday. Fans should take the opportunity to enjoy the game and give our players the full support and appreciation that they deserve before they embark on what is a huge summer for the club!
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