Blues CEO Mark Ashton believes there will be a domino effect in the transfer market once the relegated Premier League clubs sell more players.

Town have made four signings during the close season - Jack Taylor, George Hirst, Cieran Slicker and loanee Omari Hutchinson - in what has been a relatively slow market at Championship level across the board.

“I think the whole transfer window is dry at the moment,” Ashton said in a lengthy free-to-view interview for TownTV with Blues legend Matt Holland alongside manager Kieran McKenna.

“I’m talking to agents and other football clubs, the parachute clubs haven’t really sold players yet, so until they sell players, the market doesn’t ignite and then there’ll be a domino effect.

“But what we have here is a manager who is brilliant at being very specific in what he wants. He’s adamant that he won’t waste the football club’s money and I think it’s important that the supporters understand the way we construct some of these deals.

“We have targets, we understand what Kieran wants, the specifications that he wants in a player so we enquire about players, but just because we enquire about a player, doesn’t mean we trying to sign the player.

“We’re actually at times just trying to understand what the market’s like, what the value’s like, where people are sitting at.

“There are times when we go down the line on a deal and Kieran will say ‘Mark, I don’t think this one’s for us, let’s leave this and let’s move onto the next one’. You never get every single deal you’re in for.”

Reflecting on the Blues’ business so far, with the window running until September 1st, he added: “This transfer window started in January, we recruited four players in January [Harry Clarke, Massimo Luongo, Nathan Broadhead and George Hirst on loan], who we believed would have the ability to help us get out of League One, which they did.

“But we also believed there were Championship players, coming from Premier League clubs with Championship experience etc. This window actually started in January in some ways.

“Let’s be really clear, the permanent signing of George Hirst started in January. That isn’t a deal when you click your fingers and it happens in two weeks, that was as tough a deal to get done as I’ve had in my career, and it’s taken a while to get done. And I believe at the end of the day it’s good business for us.

“There’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes. Jack Taylor, delighted to have him here, that’s a deal that started in January because ideally we tried to sign him January, the two clubs couldn’t agree a deal.

“That’s OK, we came back again in the summer and, let’s be under no illusions, the Peterborough chairman [Darragh MacAnthony] knows how to a cut a deal, he’s a tough guy to deal with and he’s good at what he does, and I think that was a good deal for both football clubs. Transfers take time, they don’t just happen.”

Ashton also reiterated his frustration with supporters revealing Town’s targets or other inside information on social media.

“I know that some fans like to speculate and like to use social media on who we’re signing etc, and I said two years ago that that type of behaviour at times hurt the football club. It still hurts the football club, be under no illusion.

“We live with it and we get on with it but it doesn’t help us. You saw the signing of George Hirst, the way George was almost actually chased around Town.

“I don’t think it’s right, I don’t think it helps the football club. The bulk of this fanbase are incredible and the communication that I have with them, the consistent emails, letters, calls that we have from them are fantastic.

“There are a few that seem to be very obsessed with getting information out, whether that information is right or wrong, and that does hurt us. Whether that’s us signing a player or talking about players that they hear might be injured, for example. That helps Sunderland.

“I said two years ago, this hurts us and the fans said, ‘We didn’t realise’. Well, they realise now. It’s only a very small few, it’s still happening and still take pride and pleasure in doing that.

“It is what it is, but we deal with it, we have to manage it. And as the club gets bigger I expect that to become more of a challenge.”

Photo: Matchday Images

PhuketPete added 05:17 - Aug 6 I think all MA is saying is that if fans take social media gossip and attention seeking too far, it can hurt the player if not the club. The following of GH and his GF might have been an example (?). MA is just asking real fans to consider this. Re twtd. They’re very prudent so am sure MA isn’t pointing a finger here. If anything twtd held back too much re
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PhuketPete added 05:19 - Aug 6 ….too much re GH and JT.
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PhuketPete added 05:35 - Aug 6 Suspect Saudi purchases have also had an impact : those players need to be replaced and surely has a cascade down effect? Also I heard the top clubs tend not to release players until after their lucrative pre seasons tours during which they somewhat shield their top players. Trusty for example was let go as soon as Arsenal done. As to parachute clubs selling… bit surprised if this is a factor .. Leeds lost a load due to contracts that allowed their players to go on loan if Leeds were relegated and players could get EPL wage elsewhere. Can’t believe Leic or Soton have many left to release?

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Dissboyitfc added 07:06 - Aug 6 If Frank from Holland had a mole as he implies he has then MA would indeed be implying those sentiments in his direction! No one is taken in by his awful singing or his second hand info! Maybe a good idea for him to stop saying he has a mole! I can see us signing someone that hasn't even been mentioned!
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ernie added 08:03 - Aug 6 Stop talking shte Ashton and blaming forces outside of your control, get on with doing your job.
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gosblue added 08:44 - Aug 6 As fans we have short memories. Our assault on the Championship began in the summer of 2021 when the squad’s foundations were set down with the signings of Hladky Donacien Burgess Edmundson Morsy Evans Edwards Burns Aluko Chaplin Then in January 2022, in came Christian Walton followed in the summer of that year by Leif Davis and Marcus Harness. And no one can forget the magnificent window of January this year. Time and time again KMcK has identified holes in the squad, identified his targets and been 100% backed by MA and the new owners. We’re in a bigger pond now so it takes longer. Anyone who truly believes that the management and owners aren’t doing their job should jog on and support a club with no money and no backing. Remember those days. If you can’t remember just ask those poor QPR fans who were at the Watford game yesterday. COYB

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