DTone i was about to post that 3 mins ago. Still hasnt signed but looks like he will

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11708_6706379,00.html

20k a week for a sick note but cant afford wages for Norris, McAuley, Derry or Austin. It seems we pay our wages more due to being a big name not on merit. This club may have a loaded owner who kept us from going under but frankly it is beginning to seem to be run like a joke - my personal opinion, which i am allowed before anyone starts moaning

reminds me of Kevin Phillips!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Plleeeeassseeee sign him because he will be such a good addition to the side.

If that's true let's hope they miss playoffs this year and then we'll kill them next season!

Shame, promising player, but I guess Jewell has got some more potential targets lined up.

I am fed up that Clegg has a terrible record in signing transfer targets but having said this, this one may not be his fault.

If its true we offered 12k a week for 3 and a half years and he has either turned it down or gone to Burnley to see what his options up there are, I say stick to it. I would be gutted if we don't get him and disappointed that we failed on a target again but there are still some facts to look at.

He hasn't played at this level. Who would blame him for at least checking his other options. He is still very young and to spend more than 12k a week on someone who hasn't cut it yet is a risk. I'm not saying it's one not worth making but it is still a risk none the less.

I'm in agreement that Clegg does appear to screw up some deals when it comes down to sorting out contracts and having 21 contracts up in one go is ludacris. But, I do feel maybe this one is not necessarily his fault entirely.

I just read on the Sky sports news website that Austin has joined Burnley on a three and half year deal, how did they beat us to his signature he would of been a great signing for us?

Ok - lets all move on and focus on Derby - Lambert anyone ??

lets move on...

Hold on a moment, I thought we had a mega rich owner ! And we can't afford swindon players! an unproven player like that can't be demanding that much surely ! I'm sure M.E. has heard of the phrase speculate to accumulate !
Just get it done !

That's right Danny, suspect it's his agent playing one against the other to get him the best deal.

Wallis - you ask how Burnley beat us - if you had two companies doing the same thing and one offered a job on a better deal working for a guy you already know , where would u go ?

why not blame keane again!

Agent has done the boy a good deal there - Played us and Burnley like a violin - we should sign his agent to get us good deals ..ho hum ...there will be more highs and lows but lets not worry tooo much

Agent has done the boy a good deal there - Played us and Burnley like a violin - we should sign his agent to get us good deals ..ho hum ...there will be more highs and lows but lets not worry tooo much KEANE OUT

Great ...

move on people, austins loss, 3 1/2 years living in burnley like doing a stretch bet his agent wont be moving up there to keep him company. weve got goals at the club theyve just had no service for the last few years, hopefully bullard and pj style of football will do the trick.

If this is any consolation, I had a conversation with a client of mine yesterday who's a Swindon season ticket holder. His opinion was that Austin was "over-rated" and that "he's not as good as he thinks he is". This may be why he thinks he's worth a salary beyond the club's wage structure, despite being unproven at Championship level.

It would have been nice to see a signing such as this from the lower leagues but let's move on. Maybe a look at Le Fondre or Benyon?

at the end of the day like 99% of footballers it's not about the club their playing for it's about the wonga in their pocket! yeah i get the feeling his agent stitched us up good and proper.

I really hope we sign charlie austin. But if we don't and if its because we've got a pay structure based around our incomings for attendance, tv money and merchandising that means we can't afford to then i'm fine with that. You've only got to look at the silly wages that clubs pay and find themselves in trouble. Yes we've got a rich owner, but we need to balance the books. If he went, having not had a structured pay system then where would we be...... Some people seem to forget how recently we went into administration! We should be a well run community club and not one who overstretches itself. If another club want to take that risk then fine. But perhaps clegg and evans shouyld be congratulated on obviously trying to run the club properly. As for bullards wages, they may be high, but they are temporary, to the end of the season and not comparable in the slightest to a 3 year contract a la austin. norris or macauley. This process has encouraged as to the future of my club!

It seems that Burnley have another stricker, so why not try and sign martin paterson from them, always been impressed with him, does not stop running, can hit a screamer and a natural finisher. Very quick too. Hes not getting played much either and maybe able to pick him up cheaper and hes still only 23.

I agree tortoise. Its all about getting some perspective on things. Massive shame we couldn't get him but we have to just move on and go for someone we can afford.

Burnley still have parachute payments and did not spend big when in the PL so the risk is worth taking with Austin. If we are trying to get stability at the club, he isn't worth the risk.

Having said that they shouldn't have told us that PL football was the aim, and to get there so soon. It should have been "we want stability then PL football."

If people want us to spend big, and have the risk attached, fine. But don't complain then when the club ends up in adminstration again and still languishing in the championship, or god forbid League one!

A real shame- i think this one may haunt us a bit- the kid seems to score goals wherever he goes, any level, and for my money that is down to belief and attitude once you reach a certain amount of physical capability and attributes.

He is different to Rhodes- more confident. I was sad to see Rhodes leave the club as had an eye on him for a couple of seasons before he got to the fringe of the first team, but at the time Wickham was unknown. They are different types of player and it would have been great to keep both, but the decision was made to keep Wickham and it may well prove correct.

I suspect Austin will do very well wherever he goes and think it is a shame we can't get him- i share some of the concerns about signing younger players rather than loanees and the price of tickets for home games. The truth is that as a fan i place my faith in the board and owner as they have kept us looking forward and saved us from being the selling club we were into a club with concerns about lesser things than our very survival.

Shame about Charlie but good luck to him- no panic buys/loans please, let's just all get our feet back on the ground and notch the few wins we need to be secure this season and instill some heart and belief for next season. Mid-table and playing decent football and hopefully we will be more appealing to younger players over the summer.

Right type of player- similar targets would be welcome, 5 year plan please.

COYB

5 year plan - you've gotta be joking!! we've just wasted the last 2 on Keane's 2 year plan, it doesn't take 5 years with a squad like we have, just good management tactics and commitment from the players!

Would one of the Clegg Haters care to come on and explain to us all how Clegg single-handedly managed to mess up the Austin signing?