[Thurnscoe_OWL]

I think most knew it would be going up but not by 100 big ones

[Statesideowl]

It's still an expensive day out for the common man. Though you wouldn't grudge it if it were like you say, SCO. A better display of football!!

[St Charles Owl]

At the end of the day while we all have an in-built love for all things SWFC, it is still essentially the entertainment industry!! If we provide decent football that creates chances and see goals being scored then the fans will keep going, if you add to that winning more games than you lose and challenging for honours then you will attract more fans to come each week. I am amazed that we still averaged what we did with the level of football we saw this year, most games were certainly not anywhere near any definition of entertainment!!

As was said earlier, a couple of good, promising and somewhat exciting signings (wingers and strikers??) early in the summer will potentially add 2-3k STs!! I for one now expect action from DC to boost tickets sales as opposed to the positive news statements like we always saw from MM at ticket sales time!!

[St Charles Owl]

Ok, so the season for us is over and we have released or sent back 14 players, now the fun begins!! Looking at what is left in the squad its fair to assume that GK is the only position we will not be looking to add anyone but every other position needs at least a squad player adding with most requiring a huge upgrade over what we had if we are to achieve a top 6 finish. So with that in mind, does anyone have any thoughts on actual players we should be targeting?? Are there any credible rumours out there or will it be business as usual where we find out who we are signing when the press conference is held?

For starters I would hope we can bring McGugan back now that Watford have been promoted. Keane I am on the fence with but if we can sign him permanently then maybe he is worth a shot. Others we could go for:

Knockaert, he is out of contract at Leicester, could be worth a shot, although it is being reported he will be going to Standard Liege on a free in the summer.
Jordan Rhodes - would be a huge splash but virtually guarantees 20+ goals, would he be worth it?
Sako - will be leaving Wolves, but probably going to the prem

[Thurnscoe_OWL]

Knockaert is going to france.
Rhodes would cost £5m+
Sako will go to prem

I'm hoping we're not going to go in overspending on crap. £5m for Rhodes is too much IMO and we could do better

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Knockaert and Sako are not impossible if we pay them enough and show them our ambition (oooooh eerrr )

[St Charles Owl]

Knockaert is going to france.
Rhodes would cost £5m+
Sako will go to prem

I'm hoping we're not going to go in overspending on crap. £5m for Rhodes is too much IMO and we could do better

Belgium is where Knockaert is going I think.  As for Rhodes, I think he would cost more than 5m but I am not sure where you think we will find someone who could do better than he would???  He has scored 73 goals in 134 appearances for Blackburn, all at Championship level, so he is absolutely proven, where else would we find that and what would it cost??

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Sako should go to the prem but will he play that often?? As you say with the right offer with regards to wages, bonuses and promotion promises, maybe, just maybe we could tempt him. Maybe buying someone like Rhodes would show the whole football world our ambition and maybe a move like that will be needed to bring in players who would normally be out of our reach!!

[Thurnscoe_OWL]

We might not get someone as clinical as rhodes but it's basic cost analysis really.

Spend £5m+ on Rhodes who could score 20 goals and is on 30k a week

or

spend £5m on two players (say, 2.5m each) who could both score 15 goals who are on 15k a week each



I'd take the 2nd option

[Towinjustonce]

I've no rumours but players I think we should take a look at are Nick Powell (S / attacker)at Man Utd, bit of a forgotten man now. Tom Carroll (CM) at Swansea hardly has got a game. Matt Mills centre back and a good one I read weeks ago was a Garbutt fella at Everton is a LB and seemingly out of contract in the summer. Now they are rumours.

[Thurnscoe_OWL]

If it helps I have Garbutt on my FIFA career and is very good

[St Charles Owl]

We might not get someone as clinical as rhodes but it's basic cost analysis really.

Spend £5m+ on Rhodes who could score 20 goals and is on 30k a week

or

spend £5m on two players (say, 2.5m each) who could both score 15 goals who are on 15k a week each



I'd take the 2nd option

Problem is we know Rhodes will score goals, or we know as much as is possible, but finding two players who might get 15 each is a bigger risk.  After all we though May was a 20 goal man for us and that hasn't worked out yet.  I still think May could be a 15-20 goal man with the right service, so maybe as we already own him we can spend the full amount on Rhodes!!

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Looking at the squad we have left it seems to me we need the following at the very least:

1 CH
1 LB
2 Wingers
2 Attacking CM
1 Striker

I hope McGugan is one of the CMs but if we only get one striker I am not sure Keane should be it unless we offload one or two of the 4/5 we already have!!