ascender

I was hoping this would happen as I think Brown could be the missing link in our midfield. We need someone with his energy and drive, hopefully this will make us favourites to sign him in the summer.

Clicky

The story in the Record yesterday was that Hearts accepted one of our bids but that he and his agent never even spoke to us as he knew the Celtic offer was imminent.

From what's been said in the papers today, it looks like we were never even considered by Hartley once Celtic came in with a bid.

Looks like he's not really changed his ways after all.

Whether you were for or against him as a signing, you can't help but be disappointed in the way we pursued him.

As for Thomson, great signing, but he's just replacing Clement. So really we've not done nothing to sort out our creativity and scoring problems. Great. The rest of the season could be a slog after all.

I think Thomson is a better player with more potential, but he's a very different player to Hartley. I think we still need someone like Hartley in our midfield. If we'd really wanted Hartley we should have put a decent offer in at the weekend and got him tied up instead of trying to get him on the cheap.

I'd like to see us pull out the stops to get Brown tonight, but that's not going to happen, so its a bit disappointing really.

The Beeb reckon Hartley is now discussing terms, so we can cross him off our list.

Gow in, no-one else out.

Ever the optimist!

Edited to say: No-one in, no-one out. That's my newly updated prediction!

Looks like Lee McCulloch won't be coming this time round either.

bbc website

 

Paul Hartley looks poised to sign for Celtic as the Parkhead club outbids Rangers for the Hearts midfielder.

 

anyways Michael ball has now signed for man city.

The thing that has got FF people panicking is that they're doing a sort of update thread and at 14:04 it says that Hartley is poised to sign for Rangers!

Yeah, the Beeb site is now contradicting itself. Doesn't make sense though as Celtic's bid is the highest and Buba has him at Celtic for a medical.

I'd love to be able to turn off the computer until tomorrow morning so that I don't get caught up in all of this, but I just can't help myself.

If Celtic are in for him, then he'll go there. I don't see why he'd choose us over them if he's been a lifelong supporter. Also, he'll have a better chance of playing in his preferred position there.

TBH it just sounds like Celtic are offering more money to Hearts than we are, plain and simple. Why have a medical with them today if he was coming here? I guess that's the end of that one.

So, any chance of the money for Hartley being diverted towards Scott Brown?

woops i was miss in formed, he's at parkhead having his medical. sorry my bad.

That'll keep most of the Bears happy then.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/heart_of_midlothian/6312529.stm

 

BBC says he's off to them unless we up our offer

Balls. Are they doing this just out of spite? They've got more midfielders than we do just now, do they need any more?

Funny that considering he's at MP doing his medical.

Really? Can you disclose your source Buba?

I reckon now they have lost Thompson and have sfa chance of getting Brown they'll pull out the stops for Hartley.

Yes, that's what I think too and seems to be the story in the media as well.

Just heard from a Jambo friend that Hartley is going to Celtic. Not sure how accurate that is though !

Lots of places have said that they might try to sign him today.

The 2 Scottish interior design poofs who are never off the TV and always joined at the hip.

 

Joined at the arse more like. Is there anything they won't present on TV for some cash????

Interesting piece posted on FF by someone. I'm only copying it for here as I know a lot of people don't have access to FF.

Anyway, this story seems to have been backed up by other people's comments and alluded to by people in the media:

From a "source" (eat your failing heart out McNee you vermin):

 

McLies had given Celtic his word that the two players would sign for them, despite the two boys preference being Rangers.

 

Celtic, in turn, had given McLies assurances that a whopping amount of cash would find its way to his account if that happened, totally unrelated I'm sure.

 

Both Hibs and Rangers were utterly sick of this maggot, so....

 

Murray called Petrie (you know, the same Petrie Bitter Martin had claimed would never deal with Rangers), stuck a bid in which Hibs get all of (no agents fees) and Petrie drove the boy direct to a meeting with Bain, where he signed the deal offered!

 

McLies was, apparently, holding the jackets like a spare pr!ck at a wedding style during this. He attempted to get the wage up, but the boy himself was happy with what was offered (its 8 times what he was on, around 12-15k per week) so just signed!

 

McLies also wanted a 2.5 year deal (for a 2m signing!) but the boy himself signed a 4.5 year deal. I've a feeling I'm really going to like this kid.

 

Thomson is a lifelong Hibs fan, but with Rangers family leanings (his cousin is Stevie McLean and he is a good mate of McGregor.) Scott Brown, of course, is a Bear and is desperate to join his mate.

 

McLies has severely pi ssed off Rangers, Hibs and now Celtic who feel they haven't left enough time to chase alternate targets. Make no mistake, Thomson was the one they REALLY wanted.

Looks like he's now staying.

My information is that PH will sign today.

What's your view on that signing then Frankie?

...

 

I have one negative, i really like Hemdani and fear we may lose one of our few technically gifted players.

I think Hemdani is a very good player, but he's just not suited to playing midfield in the SPL for some reason. He's got a fabulous touch and has been our best player at times this season, but there's not much end product to his game at all. I still say that playing centre half, I saw him beating more players coming from there as opposed to when he was playing in central midfield. Not sure if its the system or the players around him, but he's just not lived up to his potential.

Good that its now official, you can't take anything for granted these days. Welcome to Ibrox! Never realised he was a lefty, that's a bonus too.

So, the remaining targets seem to be....

Gow - latest offer "was close" according to Hughes, so we might try again.

Hartley - £750,000 rejected, but we're going to put another offer in. Unless....

Brown - Maybe the way has been paved for him to come to us as well. If not, I think we'll up the bid for Hartley instead.

McCulloch - Wigan have got their new players in, so maybe he's free to leave now. Looks like Heskey got injured tonight, so maybe not.

Fingers crossed we sign 1 or 2 of these guys. If we get two then I think we can get 2nd place comfortably rather than it being a long slog.