By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions. We in turn value your personal details in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Town to Sign Hearts Midfielder Saturday, 28th Jan 2012 09:14
Town are set to sign Hearts central midfielder Ryan Stevenson on what's reported to be a three-year deal. News of the Blues' interest broke in Scotland overnight with a fee of £50,000 agreed for the 27-year-old, who we understand will be at the club today for talks and a look around.
Irvine-born Stevenson played youth football with Ayr United and Chelsea, staying in the same apartment block as John Terry when making regular trips south to train with the Premier League side.
In 2002 he moved on to St Johnstone where he made the breakthrough into first team football, before returning to Ayr United, initially on loan, in 2006.
The 5ft 11in tall midfielder, who can also play up front, moved to Hearts for an undisclosed fee in February 2010 and since then has made 47 starts and 20 sub appearances, scoring 11 goals. His contract is up at the end of June.
In December, after Hearts failed to pay their players’ wages, he asked for his contract to be terminated. This was refused but he told the club he wouldn’t play or train until he had been paid, citing stress on his unborn child amongst the reasons for his decision.
A Scotland call-up in November but without winning a cap, much-tattooed Stevenson was linked with Bristol City last month, while League Two Crawley had a bid rebuffed a week ago.
Stevenson, who would appear to be the type of player to replace Keith Andrews's goals in the Blues' midfield, is understood to have flown south to speak to the club this morning but it's unlikely that a deal will be completed until Monday. We understand Town made their offer to Hearts as recently as yesterday.
Meanwhile, Leicester boss Nigel Pearson says central defender Sean St Ledger is off the transfer list after breaking back into the Foxes side in recent weeks after a fall-out over Christmas: "He is fine and there is no rift. I am delighted with his performances. Is he off the transfer list? Yes, why not!"
Elsewhere, Town target Murray Wallace is interviewed in this morning's HeraldScotland. Town fans can catch Wallace in action for Falkirk against Celtic in the Communities League Cup semi-final on Sunday afternoon (2.55pm, BBC1 Scotland, Sky channel 971).
And in Ireland, ex-Blues midfielder Colin Healy is tipped to return to his old club Cork City, who are one of the clubs targeting Shane O'Connor. Both players recently had their Town contracts terminated by mutual consent.
Photo: Action Images
Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
Walberswick - we do have eight other midfielders, you are quite right, however Martin, Carson and JET all play on the wing, Hyam is a holding midfielder and i would say that at the end of the season Bowyer and Leadbitter will be gone so that leaves Bullard and Drury for the central roles. Hopefully Bullard will come good again but dont think its unreasonable to get another one in.
i agree with everyone why a midfielder but the guys not bad i watch alot of scot footie an hes got skill and an eye for goal , but how strong that league is i dont no.while we are raiding hearts get there centre backs for 50k each cant be any worse than what we have at least they would put there heads in were is hurts for half the money
Sounds like another Drury to me...so OK then. And what is it with some town fans.Moan we haven't signed anyone, and then moan that we don't need whoever we buy. Granted, some defenders are priority, but if we get the 2/3 Pompey players there will be those who will say oooh, too expensive or have some complaint about how we should be signing a striker instead! COYB.
I don't know much about him, but he's the right age and he should be hungry to prove himself. Let's give him a chance! In the grand scheme of things £50k is not much of a fee and worth the punt. If it means one or two of Leadbitter, Bowyer and Kennedy leaving in the next six months then that's fine by me.
Yes, they can't afford his wages. Then again Hearts can't afford the wages of the programme seller or the guy who sells Golden Goal tickets. Some wouldn't read too much into it.
By all accounts he seems to be a decent lower league player and exactly the type we should be going for. As I said a couple of pages earlier 50k isn't exactly breaking the bank. The comments about his wife suggest that he's looking for stability and to be with a team for the long term in a safe environment. It sounds like he's a good match for Ipswich.
1 down, four+ to go. However I usually fear too many changes in too short a time. I can see the need for at least two more defensive players, in addition we need to strengthen the squad with long term players. This is a good start. Sometimes there's a domino effect with transfers so a lot can happen in a very short time.
I sense deadline day will be a very nervous/exciting (or disappointing) and it's no exaggeration that getting the right players in could change things almost instantly. Yes, I'm nervous, aren't we all? But I see no need to be as negative as some of the posters to this story.
The fact that we're trying to sign a midfielder doesn't mean that we're not also at the same time trying to sign defenders. We've gone on record stating that we have bids in for 5 players and in Pearce, Ward & Wallace three of those 5 are defenders so clearly we are trying to sort out the defence.
I agree with those who've rightly pointed out that we have a lot of people who moan when we sign older premiership cast offs and then when we look to try something different they moan again.
I've been really impressed by Drury of late and unlike some others at least he seems to be trying and is playing for the badge. If this guy can be a similar signing then for the price I'll be happy and if it doesn't work out then at least we haven't spent millions.
Like others have said I wouldn't be surprised to see Bowyer gone in the summer and regarding Leadbitter he'll probably be after a payday via a free Bosman transfer in the summer or potentially offloaded by us before the end of this window so that we can at least recoup a small fee for him. Therefore this is a sensible signing and the guy deserves a chance without being written off before he's even kicked a ball.
It would be nice to see people get behind the team & players and give this guy a chance. If he does sign then welcome to Portman Road Ryan and hopefully you'll get a chance and do well for us.
I for one am not going to criticise Marcus Evans, he has pumped a lot of money into this club and I believe he genuinely wants success. If he wants to stay anonymous fine. We are led to believe he has a personal Suffolk connection and of course he is looking to gain business benefits from his investments. The Keane experiment didnt work and lesson one was no quick fix. The Jewell experiment.....well jury out but clearly more bad mistakes and judgements made.
We keep having the success of our feathered friends up the road played back to us, and whilst how unpalatable that is their formula is hard to argue against. They do of course have Paul Lambert. I think Malky MacKay will prove to be another manager in the same vein and perhaps we should have considered him instead of PJ. However, PJ still has my support because I think Evans has made mistakes and I am less than convinced about Clegg. Premiership mercenaries are not the answer, and whilst I would like to see Keith Andrews continue in an Ipswich shirt I just dont want the club to spend that sort of ridiculous money. With Norris gone we do look very light of goal threat from mid-field. I don't want to join the lets vilify Grant Leadbitter brigade because I don't think he is a bad player, but he hasn't been good value for the money and doesn't offer a goal threat at all. In fact I wouldnt complain if both he and Bowyer depart in the summer (we certainly don't need both) and I would either be withdrawing his contract offer or time bar it to the end of the month. - take it or leave it Grant this club has paid you a good whack, do you want to show some loyalty? I suspect Bowyer will not complete the required number of games or be selected to trigger a second year.
So how can this be a bad signing? We can only judge by performance, on paper to me it ticks a number of the right boxes:-
somebody with a reputation of being able to score goals from midfield (needed) not too old but in fact should be in his prime. Has experience of SPL and part of an international squad but still needs to prove himself - I somehow think we will be seeing a player who will sweat his balls off. Looks far better value for money than our more experienced midfielders. Not a loan - but part of our plans for the next two to three years.
He may not be in the priority area of defense but who knows what the plans are ahead. Leadbitter, Carson, Bowyer - who knows if they will be around in a season or 2. For 50K sounds like a potential bargain and on that sort of payment does not effect the bids that are on going with Portsmouth or any others. The right age and if he has the desire to win and put the effort in with Town then IMO. Would rather have a player who gives his all from a lower level than some premiership offcast on big money and lost the desire. Time will tell but let's not slate the guy before he even signs for us let alone kicks a ball!
There is no pleasing some people on here. Yes we need defenders but just because we havent signed any yet doesn't mean that PJ cant sign a midfielder too if he feels he will boost the squad. People are comparing this guy to Healy and Drury. Lets not forget this guy is 50k, 27 and playing with Hearts who are a very good side who for the last few seasons have pushed even Rangers and Celtic in the SPL. Healy came from Ireland and Drury from Luton so this means that Stevenson is playing at a much higher level than those two were. For a cut price fee like 50k i think this is a very astute buy from PJ. I also think that if we can get the 3 from Portsmouth it would be a very successful transfer window and i have a hunch that if we get the pompey 3 that Leadbitter may go to Pompey in some sort of cash plus exchange deal but we wait and see. However back on the subject of Stevenson, look at some of the players who have come to England in the last few years from the SPL on the cheap and done extremely well. Charlie Adam, Craig Bryson at Derby who has had a cracking season, Alan Hutton, Craig Gordon, Kenny Miller, Steven Fletcher etc... Plenty of players come from Scotland and do very well in England and im not necessarily comparing this guy to any of these players but the point im making is don't judge him before he plays games for Town as we might well be very impressed with him.
Would welcome this type of signing if we were sitting mid-table, but we're not. PJ and Me are irresponsible in gambling the clubs future on the last few hours of the transfer window. This however is the logical conclusion to PJ's year of mismangement and he is responsible.
Looks like we have no plan at all and smells of desperation. Hope the dice are lucky, but it's no way to run a football club.
@walberswick Our position in the league should not effect this type of signing (potential signing) as for 50k it shouldn't have any effect on the Clubs ability to sign players in the key areas ie defense. This is more of a player for the future, hence a 3 year deal reported to be offered? RB and at least 1 CB are obviously priority and would be more concerned if they were getting someone with little experience for these positions.
Well at last some positive news for once. I don't know much about stevenson but he has my full support. Now let's get 3 or 4 defence being a massive PRIORITY.
whilst watching our defending this season has been rather like watching the Muppet show, so has reading this forum! Walbeswick and Jas you get the lead roles! Town fans.... booo PJ only signs old has beens from the Premiership scouting rubbish whats wrong with talent from lower leagues.... Booooo whats PJ doing signing lower league rubbish, why dont we spend milions on prem has beens. Oh dear, oh dear you couldnt make it up! Well lad if you sign, good luck to you i for one will be looking forward to seeing what you can do on the ptich.
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
