Williams on his way back?

[Bluemike]

LOL, thats just two families though so it could be true.

[Charnwood]

TBH we're probably in a better position to make the play offs with these guys than without them and it also shows that ME has again been prepared to put his hands in his pockets which is something he's often accused of not doing.

With Wood, Sears & Varney added to the front line,

Williams, Chaplow & Connolly added to the midfield,

and, Fryers + Elliott(recalled) added to the defence these are 8 additional signings to what we had pre Christmas and should seriously strengthen our challenge and provide serious cover for injuries, I don't think we have too much to complain about.

I just wish I hadn't read about Kenwyne Jones signing for Bournemouth, surely not another player to make his debut against us. Still, Darren Bent didn't do much for Derby County on his potential debut day at Portman Road.

....and Oh No, Paul Taylor has just signed for Blackburn Rovers our opponents on the last day of the season, I hope there are no slip ups in the contract cos I'd hate for him to be playing against us on the last day, just imagine his incentive to score a hat trick against us!

That is because luckily he did not play.

Exactly my point Derek, that's why I said "potential debut" .. Kenwyne Jones might just stay on the bench as Darren did which will save him doing any damage.

[ipswichtownNo1]

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/footbal ... 05107.html


try this original article. Looks like it was £3m

hallam

So basically it was anything between £1.5 mill to £5 mill. Much easier to say undisclosed fee!!!!!

I heard it was 7.6 million

[hallamblue]

Makes it an even better loan, coup, by Mick the Magician then, doesnt it.

[Bluemike]

It is a truth universally acknowledged that every football supporter in this country worth their salt has a friend, acquaintance of colleague who is a Palace fan. What is equally true this season is that for Palace fans this season seems to be ending on a uniquely tranquil note, with no gut-wrenching struggles to wrestle with either way.

My Palace-supporting mate Andy is struggling without needing spreadsheets, slide rules and assorted abacus with mid-table safety assured in the absurdly early month of March. I even tried the well-known “Ah, but you’re Palace, I’m sure you’ll find a way” anxiety balm on Tuesday, but this was met with a bemused smile as even he knows that late spring 2015 is missing a certain something.

What you may (or may not) be missing is a collective loss of sanity in what has become a most ridiculous Championship finale. You all remember the joyous irrationality of this division and how it manifests itself uniquely every year. This year’s spécialité de la maison is an eight-team promotion bunch sprint which for Ipswich Town supporters has the added novelty of the late arrival of that lot from up the road.

This is all by way of a backdrop, but it’s probably best to start this story of Jonny’s return at Vicarage Road last Saturday, and on the 30th minute to be precise. Tyrone Mings was twisting Joel Ekstrand hither-and-thither to the point that the ungainly Swedish defender went off on a stretcher with a season-ending knee injury.

We are a polite lot and applauded Ekstrand off the field, but many fans were thinking of karma for his cowardly and brutal assault in Jonny Williams at Portman Road back in November. It heralded the end of Jonny’s loan spell and many fans were offended by the high-fives they saw Watford players giving each other after the foul had been committed. Maybe Watford should be playing in Serie B.

The news of his return today has been greeted emotionally and joyously. The pretty sixth-form girl has returned and there is a sense of unfinished business being fulfilled, at least until after the play-off semi-final when his loan spell will conclude.

“The lack of ball-carrying midfielders has been the biggest identifiable weakness in our squad.” Mick has been quietly team-building, adding forgotten gems like Freddie Sears, Richard Chaplow and Luke Varney to the squad, but with home-grown Teddy Bishop in his first season we need back-up and there are genuine tactical reasons why Jonny will be welcomed back with open arms.

The real reason for welcoming him goes deeper for me, and it goes back to being smitten at Huish Park in February last year when he came on from the bench and instantly lifted the team. The love affair was cemented when he was kicked from pillar to post by Derby last March but scored a memorable pile-driver and put in a match-winning performance full of character.

After our Cup defeat to Southampton (yes, I’m sorry you had to watch that) we lost our way in February and early March this year, losing at Rotherham, Leeds, Reading and worst of all at Brighton. We competed manfully in these games, but it was obvious how we lacked the Williams’ wit and imagination to turn industry into points.

I have a good friend and Manchester United fan who sees Mick McCarthy in a colder light than us Ipswich lot. He memorably once described Mick’s teams as being like slightly warm grey tea, whereas other managers in contrast will serve up hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows on top.

Jonny offers more to us than marshmallows and cream. He has an ability to galvanise fans and players like nobody I have seen in a blue shirt since the days of the Dark Lord (Keane). Ideas suddenly spring forth instead of the honest ball into the channels and the team’s collective imagination and confidence are simultaneously sparked into life.

A quick glance over on the Ipswich forums will give you all the evidence of this imagination and confidence being sparked into life. Jonny never quite had the time to forge a bond on the pitch with David McGoldrick in the autumn, but with Sears, Varney, Chris Wood and Murphy, we have assembled an arsenal of fire-power which just might catapult us over the wall.

London has been unremittingly kind to us this season. We have done the double over Watford, Fulham, Millwall and Charlton, and only a Daryl Murphy miss stopped us doing the same over Brentford. Palace have echoed this generosity in letting us have Jonny back. He has form over Derby and Watford won’t have Ekstrand should our paths cross once again.

North London may yet have one more gift for us in May, but we will deal with that if or when we come to it. For many of us, our joy is complete tonight knowing that we have a Welsh wizard who just might help make that catapult work.

[hallamblue]

Where did this come from Mike? Excellent writing and cant disagree with it.

[Bluemike]

I laid in bed last night unable to sleep so just wrote my thoughts down.

[herforder]

Must make a refreshing change to have so many all at once!

[phily bon bon]

Though late in the day after his injury,its still good news and confirms that ME will put his hand in his deep pockets to help with the final push,though will be very frugale with his cash at the same time. No sh*t or bust signings and that can only be a good thing.

[Bluemike]

Must make a refreshing change to have so many all at once!

LOL, touche, actually my thoughts while lying in bed last night would probably have been along the lines of.....Megan Fox Megan Fox Megan Fox Megan Fox Megan Fox Megan Fox Megan Fox Megan Fox Megan Fox.... as I recall it anyway.

[hallamblue]

I laid in bed last night unable to sleep so just wrote my thoughts down.

Lol, yer right!

[hallamblue]

Must make a refreshing change to have so many all at once!

LOL, touche, actually my thoughts while lying in bed last night would probably have been along the lines of.....Megan Fox Megan Fox Megan Fox Megan Fox Megan Fox Megan Fox Megan Fox Megan Fox Megan Fox.... as I recall it anyway.

Ha ha you wish!

[marko69]

That'd be a Sun newspaper headline: "Herforder FOX Megan"

[barmy billy]

It is a truth universally acknowledged that every football supporter in this country worth their salt has a friend, acquaintance of colleague who is a Palace fan. What is equally true this season is that for Palace fans this season seems to be ending on a uniquely tranquil note, with no gut-wrenching struggles to wrestle with either way.

My Palace-supporting mate Andy is struggling without needing spreadsheets, slide rules and assorted abacus with mid-table safety assured in the absurdly early month of March. I even tried the well-known “Ah, but you’re Palace, I’m sure you’ll find a way” anxiety balm on Tuesday, but this was met with a bemused smile as even he knows that late spring 2015 is missing a certain something.

What you may (or may not) be missing is a collective loss of sanity in what has become a most ridiculous Championship finale. You all remember the joyous irrationality of this division and how it manifests itself uniquely every year. This year’s spécialité de la maison is an eight-team promotion bunch sprint which for Ipswich Town supporters has the added novelty of the late arrival of that lot from up the road.

This is all by way of a backdrop, but it’s probably best to start this story of Jonny’s return at Vicarage Road last Saturday, and on the 30th minute to be precise. Tyrone Mings was twisting Joel Ekstrand hither-and-thither to the point that the ungainly Swedish defender went off on a stretcher with a season-ending knee injury.

We are a polite lot and applauded Ekstrand off the field, but many fans were thinking of karma for his cowardly and brutal assault in Jonny Williams at Portman Road back in November. It heralded the end of Jonny’s loan spell and many fans were offended by the high-fives they saw Watford players giving each other after the foul had been committed. Maybe Watford should be playing in Serie B.

The news of his return today has been greeted emotionally and joyously. The pretty sixth-form girl has returned and there is a sense of unfinished business being fulfilled, at least until after the play-off semi-final when his loan spell will conclude.

“The lack of ball-carrying midfielders has been the biggest identifiable weakness in our squad.” Mick has been quietly team-building, adding forgotten gems like Freddie Sears, Richard Chaplow and Luke Varney to the squad, but with home-grown Teddy Bishop in his first season we need back-up and there are genuine tactical reasons why Jonny will be welcomed back with open arms.

The real reason for welcoming him goes deeper for me, and it goes back to being smitten at Huish Park in February last year when he came on from the bench and instantly lifted the team. The love affair was cemented when he was kicked from pillar to post by Derby last March but scored a memorable pile-driver and put in a match-winning performance full of character.

After our Cup defeat to Southampton (yes, I’m sorry you had to watch that) we lost our way in February and early March this year, losing at Rotherham, Leeds, Reading and worst of all at Brighton. We competed manfully in these games, but it was obvious how we lacked the Williams’ wit and imagination to turn industry into points.

I have a good friend and Manchester United fan who sees Mick McCarthy in a colder light than us Ipswich lot. He memorably once described Mick’s teams as being like slightly warm grey tea, whereas other managers in contrast will serve up hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows on top.

Jonny offers more to us than marshmallows and cream. He has an ability to galvanise fans and players like nobody I have seen in a blue shirt since the days of the Dark Lord (Keane). Ideas suddenly spring forth instead of the honest ball into the channels and the team’s collective imagination and confidence are simultaneously sparked into life.

A quick glance over on the Ipswich forums will give you all the evidence of this imagination and confidence being sparked into life. Jonny never quite had the time to forge a bond on the pitch with David McGoldrick in the autumn, but with Sears, Varney, Chris Wood and Murphy, we have assembled an arsenal of fire-power which just might catapult us over the wall.

London has been unremittingly kind to us this season. We have done the double over Watford, Fulham, Millwall and Charlton, and only a Daryl Murphy miss stopped us doing the same over Brentford. Palace have echoed this generosity in letting us have Jonny back. He has form over Derby and Watford won’t have Ekstrand should our paths cross once again.

North London may yet have one more gift for us in May, but we will deal with that if or when we come to it. For many of us, our joy is complete tonight knowing that we have a Welsh wizard who just might help make that catapult work.

Blimey Mike, such journalistic almost poetic language. What an interesting, well-thought out and linguistic post.

A delight to read, let's hope you can't sleep more often.

[lucy]

He's injured himself playing for the Under 21's. Twtd reporting it's a recurrence of groin problem.

[hallamblue]

It is a truth universally acknowledged that every football supporter in this country worth their salt has a friend, acquaintance of colleague who is a Palace fan. What is equally true this season is that for Palace fans this season seems to be ending on a uniquely tranquil note, with no gut-wrenching struggles to wrestle with either way.

My Palace-supporting mate Andy is struggling without needing spreadsheets, slide rules and assorted abacus with mid-table safety assured in the absurdly early month of March. I even tried the well-known “Ah, but you’re Palace, I’m sure you’ll find a way” anxiety balm on Tuesday, but this was met with a bemused smile as even he knows that late spring 2015 is missing a certain something.

What you may (or may not) be missing is a collective loss of sanity in what has become a most ridiculous Championship finale. You all remember the joyous irrationality of this division and how it manifests itself uniquely every year. This year’s spécialité de la maison is an eight-team promotion bunch sprint which for Ipswich Town supporters has the added novelty of the late arrival of that lot from up the road
This is all by way of a backdrop, but it’s probably best to start this story of Jonny’s return at Vicarage Road last Saturday, and on the 30th minute to be precise. Tyrone Mings was twisting Joel Ekstrand hither-and-thither to the point that the ungainly Swedish defender went off on a stretcher with a season-ending knee injury.

We are a polite lot and applauded Ekstrand off the field, but many fans were thinking of karma for his cowardly and brutal assault in Jonny Williams at Portman Road back in November. It heralded the end of Jonny’s loan spell and many fans were offended by the high-fives they saw Watford players giving each other after the foul had been committed. Maybe Watford should be playing in Serie B.

The news of his return today has been greeted emotionally and joyously. The pretty sixth-form girl has returned and there is a sense of unfinished business being fulfilled, at least until after the play-off semi-final when his loan spell will conclude.



“The lack of ball-carrying midfielders has been the biggest identifiable weakness in our squad.” Mick has been quietly team-building, adding forgotten gems like Freddie Sears, Richard Chaplow and Luke Varney to the squad, but with home-grown Teddy Bishop in his first season we need back-up and there are genuine tactical reasons why Jonny will be welcomed back with open arms.

The real reason for welcoming him goes deeper for me, and it goes back to being smitten at Huish Park in February last year when he came on from the bench and instantly lifted the team. The love affair was cemented when he was kicked from pillar to post by Derby last March but scored a memorable pile-driver and put in a match-winning performance full of character.

After our Cup defeat to Southampton (yes, I’m sorry you had to watch that) we lost our way in February and early March this year, losing at Rotherham, Leeds, Reading and worst of all at Brighton. We competed manfully in these games, but it was obvious how we lacked the Williams’ wit and imagination to turn industry into points.

I have a good friend and Manchester United fan who sees Mick McCarthy in a colder light than us Ipswich lot. He memorably once described Mick’s teams as being like slightly warm grey tea, whereas other managers in contrast will serve up hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows on top.

Jonny offers more to us than marshmallows and cream. He has an ability to galvanise fans and players like nobody I have seen in a blue shirt since the days of the Dark Lord (Keane). Ideas suddenly spring forth instead of the honest ball into the channels and the team’s collective imagination and confidence are simultaneously sparked into life.

A quick glance over on the Ipswich forums will give you all the evidence of this imagination and confidence being sparked into life. Jonny never quite had the time to forge a bond on the pitch with David McGoldrick in the autumn, but with Sears, Varney, Chris Wood and Murphy, we have assembled an arsenal of fire-power which just might catapult us over the wall.

London has been unremittingly kind to us this season. We have done the double over Watford, Fulham, Millwall and Charlton, and only a Daryl Murphy miss stopped us doing the same over Brentford. Palace have echoed this generosity in letting us have Jonny back. He has form over Derby and Watford won’t have Ekstrand should our paths cross once again.

North London may yet have one more gift for us in May, but we will deal with that if or when we come to it. For many of us, our joy is complete tonight knowing that we have a Welsh wizard who just might help make that catapult work.

Blimey Mike, such journalistic almost poetic language. What an interesting, well-thought out and linguistic post.

A delight to read, let's hope you can't sleep more often.

This I think was written by a twtd poster ( they're not all idiots on that forum ), I read that a while ago.

[Bluemike]

He's injured himself playing for the Under 21's. Twtd reporting it's a recurrence of groin problem.

Bringing him back was a total bloody waste of time, I wish we would give up on this stupid bloody loan of Williams, Move on for god sake. Unfortunately the guy is and probably always will be a sicknote now.

[lucy]

http://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/mobile/spo ... _1_4042728

Back to Palace he goes. Shame really he has the makings of a good player if he can stay fit.

[BLUEBLOOD]

He's injured himself playing for the Under 21's. Twtd reporting it's a recurrence of groin problem.

Bringing him back was a total bloody waste of time, I wish we would give up on this stupid bloody loan of Williams, Move on for god sake. Unfortunately the guy is and probably always will be a sicknote now.

I can remember a player who we had on loan for nearly 3 seasons good job we did not give up on him and move on.
The player was...Daryl Murphy..?he turned out ok ,if we could get Williams on a permanent move I would take him on.

[Bluemike]

He's injured himself playing for the Under 21's. Twtd reporting it's a recurrence of groin problem.

Bringing him back was a total bloody waste of time, I wish we would give up on this stupid bloody loan of Williams, Move on for god sake. Unfortunately the guy is and probably always will be a sicknote now.

I can remember a player who we had on loan for nearly 3 seasons good job we did not give up on him and move on.
The player was...Daryl Murphy..?he turned out ok ,if we could get Williams on a permanent move I would take him on.

You lot might have done, I have told everyone from day one he was a good player and have pretty much ploughed a lone furrow in my support of him, everyone else is now jumping on the pro Murphy bandwagon.

[hallamblue]

Murphys crap. A one trick pony , who ALWAYS dives. Christ the day we signed him, we got well and truly done. You couldnt give him away. Id swap him for Priskin now.

[Bluemike]

The sad thing is you actually used to think that LOL.

[marko69]

Murphys crap. A one trick pony , who ALWAYS dives. Christ the day we signed him, we got well and truly done. You couldnt give him away. Id swap him for Priskin now.

Don't even joke about that sh*t please.

And yes, I was extremely quiet during the early days of Mikes love for Murphy, thinking, "Hmmm, I'm not too sure about this....., at least he's not a sh*t as Tampon up his arse skin"...... and he was right....., the Lad turned into a proper striker.

[hallamblue]

The reason Murphy is a transformed player and hence the more effective, complete striker this season is because TC has done a fantastic job in coaching tge player to this new level. Murphy this season, is a million miles away from the Murphy of two or three seasons ago, who frankly never looked a goal threat. Yes he's playing central now, which will help, but he has far more to his game now.

[herforder]

The reason Murphy is a transformed player and hence the more effective, complete striker this season is because TC has done a fantastic job in coaching tge player to this new level. Murphy this season, is a million miles away from the Murphy of two or three seasons ago, who frankly never looked a goal threat. Yes he's playing central now, which will help, but he has far more to his game now.

Like around 24 goals! But spot on about the transformation, and TC's part in it. Something Murph readily acknowledges. Suppose the lesson is that it is possible to take what might appear to be no more than 'Mr Average' and turn him into a quality player. (Priskin and Frank Nouble apart, that is!)

[hallamblue]

Well I know from inside sources that MM's opinion of Frank, was that he would never quite cut it. But the agreement was that they would give him a couple of seasons because TC said he felt he could get something out of the lad. The rest is history , as thay say.