is he still here, what the F##K is going on. if it were newcastle or blackburn we would be demonstrating outside the club. get glegg out and get a ceo in who knows about football, then maybe we would get a new manager.
beginning to think ME has his Olympics sorted(why we have clegg) so doesnt care about the club or its losses money wise as like all business's he can probably offset it against any tax his company might owe, so to him its win win win.

oh dear

People saying lets swap Leadbitter as part of the deal, remember he is one of our highest earners and Portsmouth will be wanting to reduce their wage bill, not add to it. I think a deal will be done, the problem will be persuading them to join us!

absolutely no chance we get these two

Im trying to remain patient and positive i really am , but if we cant tie up the transfers of two players who most people havnt heard of (no dissrespect to these guys) within 48 - 72 hours then what hope have we got of strenghtening the squad ? I dont agree with paying over the odds for players but if we just went straight in for the kill with a realistic offer and tied these up it would really give the fans a boost . Instead we f@@k about with offers that we know will get rejected and just prolong the misery for us fans . Clegg /Evans sort it out !!!

Why is this being played out in the press?

Surely that way it should work is:

Will you sell for 1 million? - A. No that's not enough

Well how much do you want then? A. £xxxxxxx

That's more than we think they are worth. Shall we split the difference?

And so the dialogue goes on until the two parties shake hands. The way this is reported sounds like we are only in contact by email.

They can't possibly be worth that

clegg`s tipping point will be when we drop into the bottom 3. We have a 4 point cushion at the moment.

Bergholtblue

That is what is happening.

All the words being written by Phil etc are "ACCORDING TO REPORTS ON THE SOUTH COAST"

Ask Phil to name his sources. It's all press mumbo jumbo. No story, make one up.

Don't panic.

What's the betting that suddenly, out of the blue, before the transfer deadline, we sign a CH not so far mentioned?

There are lots of very emotional and clueless posters around, again.

Let's be clear about this, Jewell identifies the targets and then discusses possible valuations and wages with Clegg and ME, but it is Clegg's job to make a bid, based on his perception of "market value" and of course, other factors, such as an impending liquidation for example. It is accepted that it would be madness to do anything other than underbid, in the situation that Portsmouth are in.

I assure you that Portsmouth are far more worried about life right now, than us, but certainly they believe that their bargaining position is strengthened, due to our league position and the wealth of our owner. However, by the end of this window, when the men in suits arrive to wrap the club up, they will be begging us for "the price of a cup of tea", or alternatively, forced to accept the best offer received for players.

The truth of the matter (given our defensive situation) is that we do not hold the upper hand in negotiations, despite the dire situation Portsmouth are in and it is going to be an interesting game of chicken, to see who buckles first, as we approach the end of the window. Given that we do have funds, but don't have time, I would prefer to simply pay the right money (not over or under) and get the players in now.

Time for Clegg to earn his money.

Search Google for 'Define an English person' funny !

What would we do without spivvyspackychops! It's true... Well said

I really love those thoughtful and insightful comments such as PJ out etc. It takes a real level of intellect to understand all that is involved in managing a football team or indeed if we even consider what Simon Clegg has to contend with, in running a business on a shoe string.

As for the expectations that an "owner" has to continually invest millions in a club when only one club can win the championship, dream on.

If you really want to do something positive to support your club and to give SC/PJ a bit of extra cash to up the bids for new players, why dont you encourage as many of your friends as possible to buy the cheaper tickets for the Middlesborough game and then demonstrate some positive motivation for your team by cheering them on, creating confidence.

So where are the droves of other succesful managers/owners/CEO's out there all desperate to come to Suffolk, plough millions of pounds into a business that very very few clubs can operate profitably and thats before you look for the queue of good players who all want to move to East Anglia. Frankly the comments of some so called supporters on this site make me wonder whether they are really supporters of the club and whether they really understand the game as a business.

All the crap about writing off losses and tax deductable expenses is mostly misinformed "pub" knowledge. Wise up folks, ME has invested a fortune in this business and does not see a return on his investment.

I've been a supporter for 40 years now, have seen the highs and lows, still go to most games home and away and yes of recent times have come away ready to kick the cat. I am still however a true supporter, will still be going to games and will be buying an additional season ticket next year for my wife who has started to come with me to games. I think that makes me pragmatic, realistic and above all a true blue.

So the challenge is there - support your club by encouraging your friends to come to the Middlesborough game and give your club some extra cash to go shopping with.

If only sheepshanks was still wheeling and dealing!

Stop wasting time with these two - pompey are playing games..move on to your other targets PJ..assuming you have any others.

It is my opinion that Pompey will not even consider a sale of their best assets until they realise they do not have serious buyer. This could be establised by the end of the week, when as Pompey fans are saying the vultures will be circling. If Pompey have not found a buyer they will have to sell to settle the HMRC tax bill of £1.6M which will increase to £2.4M in February. Pompey are really playing a game of dare at the moment but in the end something has got to give. I have not given up on these two players but the word on the Pompey sites is that they do not want to leave. Money talks though just hope its our money that prises them away to beautiful Suffolk.

Something I've never been able to understand...why would anyone bemoan leaving Portsmouth!? It's a hole and Fratton park typifies the area, a complete dump.
It has nothing going for it what-so-ever.

Anyway, it'll be interesting if they accept the offer and no-one else comes in for them as it'll put them in an impossible situation. Sign or your club folds! Ouch!
It may mean we end up with two unhappy and unsettled players too!

McManus. St.ledger. Any right backs linked as plan B?

We can all make "insightful" comments like Jewell/Clegg out (and how I wish they were) and I would image the great majority on here can also, no doubt put together a meaningful thesis on the running of ITFC.

I personally prefer to try to hit the middle ground - that is my perspective of being a supporter for 40 years plus of this one proud club - and the state it is in now.

Yes, according to this report Portsmouth have now turned down our second bid, which might well be down to PFC holding out for as much as they can, or equally because Simple Simon can't close a deal or maybe Mr Anonymous is not opening the purse enough. But what is of a much bigger worry to me is, by the looks of things given some reports, that players are in no rush to come to our club.

In my time as a town supporter, due to our reputation as such a well run club, I have known this to happen.

We are in short, in a real mess at the moment. The reasons why at this stage are hardly important. The only priority is to sort out the mess and get back on track as I feel we have totally lost our way and the heart and soul of what we are appears to have been ripped out of us.

I feel that Jewell must go at the end of the season - I really think it is too late now to get a new guy in and hope for a miracle - Clegg should go, but if not needs a real football man to work alongside him - someone like Mick Mills perhaps or maybe Bryan Hamilton; and finally and most importantly certain players need to start pulling on the shirt with pride and put in 100% effort for 90 mins EVERY match - or to walk away if they can't put hand on heart and say they are doing that.

As for ME - well Mr Anonymous playing Mr Shadow is really not helping at the moment, but I guess we should be thankful for his financial input and just accept that if he hasn't gone public with us by now he isn't going to. Perhaps that is price we have to pay to secure his money.

But then again ... what the hell would I know!

Just as a bit of light relief, what the chance of us signing the following two?

Ron Benson - Plymouth Argyle
Tony Hedges - York City

I was reminded of those two whilst receiving several "never mind" comments at work this morning. Three points to the first person who can identify where those two targets came from!

Again on a lighter note, I was reminded that the BBC Suffolk Poll on who should be the next Town Manager when Joe Royle left. It came up with 22% of votes for Tony Mowbray. However, it was reported "rather disturbingly" that in second place, 18% of the votes went to Brian Knights of BBC Suffolk fame! It made me smile as clearly most posters haven't a real clue what it takes to run a football team!

Hey ho, chin up!

I guess the fact that this is being played out in the press is down to Portsmouth as much as anything - they will want to start a bidding war for their players - few will want their high earners (Norris, Kanu, Kitson, Mullins etc) so this is their only chance of getting some cash in. Looking at it sensibly I cannot see this being resolved until the end of the transfer window unless we go near their asking price and offer on a take it or leave basis.
It is not my money being spent and I do not know who else we are talking to but given the precariuos status of the club think that Evans must be thinking that an extra 3-400K on transfer funds and wages now will be an investment given the cost of a Sonko led relegation come May. Portsmouth I am sure will know this as well.

Portsmouth is a dump I was there last week - I guess that the players do not live in the Town -I am not sure if moving to Ipswich is a young mans dream come true though.

Whoever we sign they will need to adapt to life in div 1

Classic Tactics by Leicester. They will be waiting in the wings and when a bid is accepted they will match it, but they will be offer the players so much more....
PJ-, you need to start putting other bids out there too or this could turn into a complete transfer disaster. We will be bringing in an emergency has-been freebie right at the death.
Up the bid, make it 3m, but they need to throw in Greg Halford as well.
Get the deal done now or other clubs will start getting involved. Look how Norwich do business. Its quick, fast and efficient. They identify a target and sign giving other clubs no chance to discuss whether or not they want to join the situation.
Our transfer dealings are a joke and disgrace just like our CD.
I have had enough, PJ OUT!

Love the thought of millions invested!!! Thought he had taken on the club debt, but it is still a debt just a different company who are owed the money.

With regards these deals unlikely to happen, were unlikely to ever happen...

red564
Mike Bassett, England manager.
Really reminds me of that situation too. Total Joke.
Shouldn't we be looking at whats going on at the club that is so disastrously wrong rather than bringing in "new talent"?
These 2 will be poor players in no time given our coaching staff.
Disaster. Our club is a disaster.
So frustrating given how Norwich do things now. Thats how I want Ipswich to be run.....