Dean Ashton

[Dieter Eckstein]

Stoke obviously think he's fit enough to be worth signing. If that's the case then then he's fit enough to play for us next season, so I'd be absolutely mortified to see him go, particularly to someone like Stoke. As goal-scoring seems to be one be GF's main priorities next year, I can't see him offloading our best all round striker, just as we've got him fit, simply in order to generate cash.

[double pie'n'mash luv]

Nah, don't sell him. If he really is fitter than he ever has been, we need him badly. I know he's been out for a long time, but it's pretty much been the same injury. He had a set back from the original broken ankle, bit's of bones floating about. He's just been ultra unlucky.

I say give the lad a chance

Irons

[Memorial Ground]

Well he's from that area (or roundabout), that's the only selling point I can see for him personally.

However, I think it's all b*llocks. I hope so, too.

[Arch Dandy]

Sell him, think of all the money the club could save, which at the end of the day is what footballs all about, following the club around the country hoping they can balance the books.

[Ironworx]

Stoke - Its a joke isn't it

What makes anybody think that Ashton would go to Stoke even if we had an aberration and wanted to sell him to them ?

[clawhammer]

I am just fed up with another example of blatant tapping up!!!! An approach from Tony Pulis at Stoke is bound to turn any lad's head! How can we compete with all of those pottery factory shops and....er....well...er ...all of those factory shops? How can he ever settle after a glimpse of the promised land?

[Georgee Paris]

Stoke - Its a joke isn't it

What makes anybody think that Ashton would go to Stoke even if we had an aberration and wanted to sell him to them ?

They might have more money than us and only finished a whisker from us as well?

[saludo de carlitos]

once fit his going to score goals, so i want him to stay but if we get a bid of 5 mill then accept

[Ironworx]

They might have more money than us and only finished a whisker from us as well?

Stoke are one of the premierships smaller clubs regardless of anything they might have going for them, its a joke to think that Ashton would be prepared to take a step downwards like that.

[w6hammer]

i`ve been told we have an hefty insurance policy out on ashton if he retires.i was also told by the same source that ashtons ankle break was in the worst part of the ankle it could have been.hence the set backs and extremely long recovery.i also feel IMO ashton is not the toughest guy mentally.shearer would have returned alot better from this injury than ashton has.

one thing i am convinced of is ashton will never be as good as he was before the injury.

[peterbrad]

If we deside to let ashton go we got to remember we got to give norwich 25%

[westhamerica]

Mind over matter W6, Shearer's toughness would have healed him for sure! I'm skepitcal though...I think attempting a bicycle kick while being marked 6 yards out is pretty badass.

[Georgee Paris]

Stoke are one of the premierships smaller clubs regardless of anything they might have going for them, its a joke to think that Ashton would be prepared to take a step downwards like that.

Blimey - that is the sort of thing I'd expect Spurs fans to say.

[Fionn]

Sell him, think of all the money the club could save, which at the end of the day is what footballs all about, following the club around the country hoping they can balance the books.

Best quote I've heard on here in a long while. Top stuff Arch...

[Matt of iron]

Stoke are one of the premierships smaller clubs regardless of anything they might have going for them, its a joke to think that Ashton would be prepared to take a step downwards like that.

Very harsh on Stoke there, what do we have going for us that eclipses Stoke good points to disregard them in such a way?

[Ironworx]

Blimey - that is the sort of thing I'd expect Sp*rs fans to say.

Its true, Stoke fall into a group of clubs that also includes Hull and Wigan - Smalltime compared to the Villas, Evertons, Spurs, West Hams....

[Dieter Eckstein]

I'm pretty sure if the club tried to sell him to Stoke he'd tell them where to stick it. When (on the rare occasions) he is fit he pretty much always starts for us, so it's harly as if he'd be going there to get first team football. The bloke probably still has one eye on being England's main centre forward, so I imagine he'd only consider a move to a 'bigger' club if/when he does leave.

[Hambrosia Stu]

Still think he is by far and away our most talented footballer. Would loath to see him leave at a cut price. Zola and Clarke could work wonders with a fit Dean Ashton.

Spot on!

At what point do we cut our losses though? He had a terrible ankle break but that was getting on for 3 years ago now.

I just don't get that argument. Surely the answer is when it has been shown he is never going to get back to where he was. To get to that point, we need to wait until he is ready to make the 1st 11, before we can pass judgement

Sure, it's bloody frustrating to have a player miss the best part of 3 years. I don't deny that. Especially when you consider the form he was in just before his ankle break

But every injury is different, and every player recovers differently from injury. Ankle injuries are one of the most complicated bone injuries, especially for someone who needs to put his ankles under such stress (as would be the case for any athlete, footballer, etc). The trouble with Ashton, imo, is that we (the regime under Curbs) thought he was fixed, when blatantly he wasn't. It was like they tried to get him back quickly, and as Bilbo Baggins would say "short cuts make for long delays"

Or maybe it was the case that there was no way of knowing that his ankle was still partially crocked when he started trying to get fit the 1st time. Maybe it was the case that they could never know about the true state of his ankle until he was fit enough to play those games, and that by allowing him to get back to playing, it revealled exactly what was still up with his ankle, and what needed to be done?

Either way, the specialists should know pretty much everything they need to know now about his ankle. If there's any chance, and it seems to noises are promising, that he can fully recover, we have to keep hold of him

I just can't understand the thinking behind waiting for him for 3 years, then at the first sign that we might be getting a top player back fit, we cash in. Maybe if we know he is going to be limited, and we can hide that fact and get top dollar for a player who will never perform at a level that fee would suggest, I could understand wanting to sell

But he is of an age where he should soon start hitting his prime, is exactly the sort of striker we need (ie someone who play in place of Cole as the furthest forward, or as the more creative player behind Cole), and as FK mentioned, just about the most naturally gifted player we have. To sell him, to bring in a bit of cash, would be madness, imo

[Matt of iron]

Stoke fans seem to think it's a done deal.

Stu, My reasoning behind it was the fact the club have to at some point cut there losses if he continues to have problems with his ankle/injuries.


Personally I would sell him now if we got a good deal but I understand the reasoning to the opposite, sadly I think he will always have these injuries with him

[hammerjohn]

Deano had a big 'For Sale' sign stuck on him just before the end of the Season.
The Club has obviously decided that his injusry is going to continue to ba a problem, and will off load him for what will turn out to be a good fee for us.

As Fionn says we are not a buying Club we are a 'loan signing' Club so no matter how much we get it will not be spent on a replacement but rather it will be seen as trimming our massive wage bill.